(The course of the story is between 1396 and 1398. All historical incidents and the persons mentioned in it are presented with relentless accuracy. Readers can check the 2nd chapter of the 5th volume of “History of the Russian State” by Karamzin. - From the author’s notes. )

“This cannot happen!” - said Simeon Voeslav, a distinguished guest of Novgorod, to his brother, the same Novgorod centurion Yuri Gostiny. Do not shine the two suns in the sky! It would not happen that I threw my best pearl into the muddy Volkhov, so that I would give Olga, my daughter, to someone who is not her couple. Without a golden comb, you can’t comb her girl’s braids, a poor man cannot be my son-in-law!

"Brother! Olga loves Roman. And his heart is worth your bags of gold. In his veins is the noble blood of the children of the boyars. He faithfully serves the New City. ”

But the older brother is too late to live with the mind of the younger. And Roman Yasensky had to listen to his sentence. Tears spilled from the young man’s eyes in two keys, and sobbing, he fell on the chest of the generous intercessor of his Yuri. In those days, good people were not yet ashamed of their tears, did not hide their hearts under a friendly smile, they were clearly friends and foes.

Olga loves Roman for a long time, admires his ability to sing, playing on the sonorous harp, but moreover, his stories about campaigns, battles, his captivity by the wild warriors of Tamerlane, and miraculous salvation. Therefore, Olga, despite her virtue and reverence for her parents, after considerable hesitation decides to flee with Roman in order to find her happiness away from her native city. But on the appointed night her ardent lover did not come, and no one in the city had ever seen him.

Here's what happened the day before.

It was a holiday. The residents of Novogorodsk watched the duel of the German knights from Revel and Riga, the art of Lithuanian riders and indulged in their favorite pastime - fist fighting: the Trade side against the Sofia side!

Bell beats suddenly call New Towns in the veche. Two ambassadors are addressing them: the first is the Prince of Moscow Vasily Diitrievich, son of the glorious Dimitri Donskoy, the second is the Lithuanian Prince Vitovt, the son of Kestutis. Two powerful rulers demand to break the peace with the German Order of the Sword-Bearers, to destroy treaties with Hanseatic merchants. Novogorodtsi only wish peace with everyone, preservation of their freedoms and benefits of trade. This is what they say at the veche. And those who are peaceful and sedate propose to submit in order to avoid the scourge of war. But the valiant Roman Yasensky is indignant at these speeches. His words excite ordinary people, and eminent citizens, and the posadnik Timofey himself.

And after a noisy evening, on a dark night, Roman already drives out of the city wall on his beloved horse. A long road awaits him. In the night forest, Roman falls into the hands of ferocious robbers. They get a lot of production - gold and silver that he carried with him.

The Ataman of the robbers Berkut, a former noble newborn who was expelled after one of the strife, wants to again serve his native city. Having learned from a letter of order that Roman was carrying jewelry to bribe the Moscow boyars in favor of Novgorod, he released the messenger with honor.

And then Roman enters the capital of Moscow. He strives with accuracy to fulfill the order of the eternity. By duty, but against the heart, he seems cheerful and affable, makes friends between the dignitaries of the court, learns the thoughts of the Grand Duke. But these thoughts are hostile to New Town. Roman notifies his fellow countrymen. Forewarned New York merchants leave Moscow. But on one ill-fated day, the guard grabs Roman and throws him into a cramped, damp dungeon. He will be executed. Only once a ray of hope flashed - an old acquaintance of the boyar, Eustathius Syt, is free to pardon the criminal, but in return demands to renounce Novgorod and stay in Moscow forever. But the mercy of death prefers the novel over such princes' mercy.

While Roman awaits execution, Moscow squads invade the land of Novogorodskaya. Incorrect dvints give them several fortresses. Crying Olga escorts her hike to her father. Simeon Voeslav, leaving with the Novgorod militia, promises his daughter, after defeating the vile Muscovites, to find her the best bridegroom among those who are not from Vologda. By this, he plunges her into even greater despair, for Olga only remembers Roman and only wants to see him as her husband.

Who entered the dungeon? Who with an adroit hand inaudibly sawed iron grates? With whom is Roman Yasensky now racing next to him on a fast horse in a free field? These two silent and gloomy riders are the messengers of the ataman Berkut. And here the chieftain himself meets a fellow countryman. Where do we jump to our hometown? to Olga’s sweet heart? or to the place of abuse, to where the New Orleans besieged the fortress Orlets occupied by a sworn enemy? “Where swords and enemies are!” - exclaims ardent young man.

Soon they reach the meadow, where several drunk Muscovites guard the Novgorod captive. Friends rush to the rescue, the enemies cowardly flee, and Roman recognizes in the salvation of his father, Simeon Voeslav, who had been so strict to him before.

Now friends and associates in the Novgorod army, besieging Simeon and Yuri Orlets. Ataman Berkut climbs the tower first, but falls, pierced by an arrow. The novel follows him, with a triumphant sword, he cuts down the shaft of the Moscow banner, but after that the stronghold enveloped in flames collapses in an instant, hiding in the smoke and fragments of a brave knight. Is he alive?

The victorious army is returning to Novgorod. Simeon Voeslav enters his house. His daughter Olga throws himself on his neck.

“I fulfilled the promise - there is a bridegroom for you, the best among New Towns!”

Olga covers her face with her hands, but only decides to look through the small gap between her fingers, as she sees her beloved Roman.

Young lived happily ever after. And happy with their happiness, Simeon Voeslav, losing chess to horses and elephants to his younger brother Yuri, dropped a tear of tenderness, saying: “So! You're right, and I was to blame! ”