you can try working backwards. you know where he ends up. what does he need to get there? an army? how does he amass an army? maybe it grows from a smaller band of rebels he meets in the wilderness... does he aquire special weapons or armor? a guide/mentor? how does he plan to earn back his reputation or prove his innocence? where does he get lost/set back along the way? and so on. reverse-engineer your story from the endpoint so that it doesn't take any sudden leaps from 'he had nothing' to 'he singlehandedly reconquered the kingdom'. think of all the allies, resources, and progress he'll need to win (and lose) along the way before reaching his goal and it will be easier to construct (deconstruct) a satisfying middle full of progressive challenges and conflict. hope that makes sense... good luck! it sounds like a cool story :-)