In medieval Japan, eight-year-old Hojo Tokiyuki is the heir to the Kamakura shogunate. But the Hojo clan is in decline, and Tokiyuki's peaceful days of playing hide-and-seek with his teachers come to an abrupt end when his clan is betrayed from within. The lone survivor of his family, Tokiyuki is the rightful heir to the throne, but to take it back, he'll have to do what he does best--run away!

With Shinano under intense surveillance by enemy spies, Yorishige has sent Tokiyuki to Kyo, the capital city of Japan, to stay until things cool down. Accompanied by his uncle, Hojo Yasuie, Tokiyuki must learn all he can about his enemy's intentions. Entranced by the sights and sounds of the city--and the flashy hostess of a gambling den--Tokiyuki discovers even more about his own ability to get people on his side. Surrounded by Ashikaga Takauji's intrigues in Kyo, he'll need all the allies he can get!