Throughout the 17th century, the Dutch and English fought desperate wars over which country would dominate world trade for the next two centuries. They waged massive sea battles in Europe and embarked on violent raids in Asia, Africa and North America.

The story of a claustrophobic relationship between a single mother and her piano prodigy son. Arriving in a tight-knit rural community, the pair become embroiled in local romances which push their own relationship to boiling point.