Castle Desfleuve stands at the centre of the Gisoreux Gap. It is the seat of the Marquis Desfleuve, a young man charged with coordinating the defence of the whole pass. He is the only child of his parents: his mother died in childbirth and his father died less than a year ago. So far, Frederic, the current Marquis, is living up to his illustrious ancestors' deeds. A Knight of the Realm, he has already spoken about finding a reliable steward so that he can go on the Quest for the Grail.[1a]
Frederic Desfleuve has a secret problem: he's a woman. His father couldn't bear the thought of remarrying, so he raised his only child to be his heir. In all respects but one, this proved to be an excellent decision. The only other living person who knows the Marquis's secret is his (her?) old nurse, but Frederic is desperate to find someone to trust, who can help her with the problem of how on earth she is going to produce a true heir to the lordship.[1a]