The story takes place in Ancient Rus', not far from present-day Ryazan, where the Pronya River flows into the Oka. The main character is an orphan living in a lonely hut, and wants to find out the secret of her family. After meeting with uninvited guests, she decides to go on a journey that ends in the first fortress, where the governor takes her as a student. She has to train with the young men, so she finds her brothers there. Seeing her unusual abilities, the governor and her brother begin to help her unravel the story of her birth. But the sisters Dolya and Nedolya apparently had disagreements, and the girl gets into an argument with the goddess of fate herself. With the onset of dark times, the orphan will have to answer for his insolence by entering into an unequal battle. The outcome of this battle will determine the future of her new family, so she has no right to lose.