9th century, Ancient Rus’. Leaving her parental home, Divlyana—the red-haired beauty promised in marriage to Prince Askold—could not have imagined what trials awaited her on the long journey from Ladoga to Kyiv. When Prince Stanslav of the Krivichi began to lay claim to Divlyana, the girl’s brother, Velem, tried to save her at any cost: he found another—[a] slave—and passed her off as his sister, slipping her into Stanslav’s hands. The deception was so cunning that soon no one could say with certainty where the true princely bride was—and where the substitute…