The novel tells a story of chivalry, brotherhood, and a fractured homeland in the 19th century Georgia.

Baduna Pavneli, a young nobleman, is imprisoned for killing a Russian officer. While in jail, he misses a routine visit to the asylum to see his mentally disabled brother, Tedia.

Upon his release, Baduna discovers that Tedia has gone missing – he has wandered off and could be anywhere. Determined to find him, Baduna sets off westward from Tiflis on a desperate search. All the while, Russian authorities pursue him across a divided Georgia: the eastern regions under Russian control. The western part of Georgia in the meantime leaning toward the Ottomans.

As we follow Baduna’s journey, the backstory gradually unfolds, revealing how their mother was kidnapped when they were only children, and taken from the east – westward.