The year is 1840, a time where the Balkans are under Ottoman rule and where Christian citizens are cruelly subjugated by their tyrannical overlords. It is also the time when the seeds of revolution and perceived injustice will be sown.
In Dobr?, a Serbian enclave in the Eyalet of Bosnia, life under Ottoman rule has never been easy. The town's idyllic setting in a valley of rolling hills with rich fertile soil close to the blue-green waters of the Neretva River, made it a prime site for the Ottomans to site their garrison.
Djordje's father, Aleksandar, as leader of the council tried to be a guiding influence on the Pasha, hoping to curb some of his excesses but his efforts were futile. The Pasha took great delight in causing as much misery to the people of Dobr? as he could and revelled in their suffering.
As a young child Aleksandar had witnessed the construction of ?ele-kula [Skull Tower] in Ni? as a consequence of rebellion and now sensed it in the air once more. He feared for everyone's safety particularly Djordje as the Pasha has demanded an announcement of Djordje's betrothal to Katarina.
As far as Djordje is concerned; the tyrannical Pasha has gone too far. Nothing would make him happier than to marry his beloved Katarina, but while there is breath in his body he will not allow her to submit to the Pasha's vile demands of "First Night". His plans for revolt to be rid of the Pasha lead to tragic consequences.
Djordje, Katarina and his band of followers flee across the mountains knowing there is little hope of ever seeing their families again. They try to make a new life for themselves all the while knowing they are wanted men. The search for them is led by the Pasha's right-hand man, the man they call ?aba. As much as Djordje wants to head for the relative safety of Serbia, circumstances will not allow it, forcing them to settle in Pljevlja, Herzegovina. They have a son, Panta, and for a while, although the threat of ?aba and his men seeking vengeance subsides, it is always hanging over their heads. The years pass and the threat is pushed to the back of their minds as they are beset by further tragedy. With news that ?aba is still looking for them, they have no option but to leave. With ?aba closing in, it is down to Panta to lead his family to safety across the mountains to Serbia, discovering more about his heritage as he travels across lands once belonging to the Old Kingdom. Once in the new Principality of Serbia he can finally become a free man.
