Better than gold - Theresa Tomlinson

Egfrid is the prince of Bernicia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. When he is captured by Penda, King of Mercia during a raid, all seems lost. But though the fierce warrior Penda hates Egfrid's cowardly father, he won't kill the boy. Instead, Egfrid is to be brought up, as hostage and adopted son, in the court of his father's worst enemy...This fascinating look into a long-vanished past reveals the clashes between small kingdoms, between pagan and Christian beliefs, and between the loyalty demanded by blood and given from the heart. A richly detailed and moving tale, inspired by the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.