It will take an army to rule them all. Lust, Betrayal, Loyalty, Power. Hidden behind the palace walls lies secrets and scandals that will quiver a nation and destroy an entire dynasty. If only these palace walls can speak, they'd whisper of a young woman who defied her a tyrant and escaped death itself. Arsinoe's decision to completely defy her older, more famous, sister Cleopatra proves to have a devastating effect on her life and her family. Arsinoe, the rebel queen - the betrayer of the pharaoh, feels the brewing of the storm as she lives out her days in exile. *Cover by Lacrine_Sienna

At sixteen, Sunngifu is more of a spoiled child than a dignified thane's daughter. She is destined to a life of wealth and power. Until her father fails to pay the Viking's tribute...

Crown Prince Xavier of Aucelon is in search of a bride to be the next Queen. After invoking the tradition of the Choosing Rite, the king and queen are requiring their son to choose a bride within the coming year. Ten daughters of the nobility are invited to the Vergläis Palace to participate in the Choosing Rite. His parents want him to choose the lady with the most influence, but his younger sister has other plans. Princess Isabella does not like the idea of the Choosing Rite. There is only one girl who she deems worthy to be Queen and that is her personal maid and best friend Skylar Black. With a dash of manipulation and a hint of blackmail, she manages to secure Skylar a spot in the Choosing Rite. But with all of Isabella's hard work, will Skylar manage to catch Xavier's attention. Most of all, does she have what it takes to be a princess?

Princess Anai of Egypt has the best life possible with her older brothers; Moses and Rameses. But when Moses suddenly runs off one day, Anai's life changes forever, as her oldest brother must now become pharaoh. Years pass until one day Moses returns to Egypt, but the family reunion isn't quite what Anai had hoped. Moses has returned for one reason, and that is to free his people. Anai's brothers are now enemies, and she is forced to pick a side. Neither of her brothers are the same as they were when they were children, as both are willing to do whatever it takes to come out victorious, putting her at risk. What will be left of Egypt at the end?

2019 WATTY WINNER FOR HISTORICAL FICTION. Charity loves Ian. Ian thinks Charity is an incorrigible flirt and he is certainly not tempted. Not one bit! Or at least that's what he tells himself... Bright, optimistic, and a bit naïve, Charity Crewe has always been in love with Ian Douglass. And it would certainly help if he loved her back... just a little bit! Though Ian was raised on the estate and generously given lessons with the Crewe siblings, no one, especially Ian, has ever forgotten he is the housekeeper's son. Charity might not care what anyone thinks of her, but Ian certainly does, so he is determined to protect her reputation as well as his own. He's worked too hard to secure his position to risk his livelihood, not to mention his mother's. He has discouraged her affections at every turn... with only a few moments of weakness. However, while Charity is away gaining some polish, circumstances drastically change and Charity must decide if she is willing to risk everything, even complete and utter ruin, in pursuit of the man she loves. Authors notes: This is Book One of The Crewe Legacy, a four-book series in progress, involving the Crewe siblings and other characters you'll meet along the way. I hope you enjoy Ian and Charity's story and that everyone else intrigues you! CONTENT WARNING: this story contains some mature sexual content, descriptions of spousal abuse, child abuse, murder, and suicide.

Aurelia, a Noble Roman woman, had heard of the savage British tribes, their mystic Celtic ways, and the battles the Roman army was fighting against them on their shores. The battles her soon-to-be Husband, Quintus Acquilla, was fighting in the name of the Eagle. But she could not have predicted that, when she crossed the ocean to be with him and fulfil the marriage contract between their families, she would be captured by a Barbarian War Lord and made to be his War Prize...

A new take on the Siege of Alexandria, the famed battle that earned Julius Caesar a triumph over Egypt, and the love of its queen: Cleopatra. But his opponent was none other than the fifteen year old princess Arsinoe, Cleopatra's own younger sister. When Cleopatra is banished from Egypt by her younger brother, the Pharaoh Ptolemy, Arsinoe seizes the throne for herself. When the two sisters clash, war will erupt, but Arsinoe will risk her head for everything she has fought for, even if it means going up against Rome.

Elizabeth of York married Henry Tudor after the bloody War of the Roses ended. Their first son, Arthur, represented everything England needed: union, peace and prosperity. The Houses of York and Lancaster finally together in one. However, Elizabeth had a horrible feeling as she held him for the first time: that her precious boy would never be King of England. Join Elizabeth and Arthur in this story about the first Tudor years. Experience ingredients of life at Henry VII's court: power, revenge, secrets, sorcery and, unexpectedly, true love. **This is the sequel of THE YORK ROSE, but the story does stand for itself**

These are short stories for the historical fiction smackdown