"Prophetic Oleg" by Boris Vasiliev, summary Automatic translate

The novel was written in 1996. The author describes the Rus’, Varangians, and Slavs as completely different tribes struggling for survival in the harsh forests, where political cunning is always valued above a direct sword strike. The book begins the author’s series of historical novels, "Princes of Ancient Rus’." It is followed by "Olga, Queen of the Rus’," "Prince Svyatoslav," "Vladimir the Red Sun," and "Vladimir Monomakh."

The Decline of the Old Prince

One winter morning, the young Varangian Sigurd single-handedly kills his fifth bear. He is the ward of the aging Prince Rurik, who rules Veliky Novgorod. Rurik is gravely ill, suffering from old wounds and frequently drinking the intoxicating drink of the Finnish berserkers. Soon, Novgorodian ambassadors bring him a rusty fragment of a sword. This gesture signifies the townspeople’s refusal to recognize Rurik’s young son, Igor, as their heir. The prince understands the threat looming over the infant and entrusts the boy’s protection to Sigurd. Sigurd is the son of Truvor the White-Headed, raised at the prince’s court. Rurik exacts a terrible oath of allegiance from the youth. During the vows, the prince forces Sigurd to hold his right hand in a fire. The youth’s hand is burned, and his fingers are permanently immobilized. The pain and injury are meant to bind the young warrior forever to Igor’s protection.

Rurik once seized power by deception. In a duel with the Novgorod knight Vadim the Brave, the old Varangian nearly died. Truvor the White-headed threw his sword to Rurik, saving the king. Rurik killed Vadim, but later betrayed Truvor. He ordered his savior drowned under the ice of the Volkhov River. The prince eliminated all witnesses to his crimes. Now the aging ruler fears for his only son, as his older children fell in battle.

Forced union

Sigurd secretly takes Igor to a secret swamp island. The Varangian then heads to Staraya Rusa to see King Oleg. Oleg confidently rules the Rus tribe. His father, Olbard Sineus, was Rurik’s sworn brother. Sineus died from a poisoned arrow, a memory Oleg vividly remembers. The young king takes Igor into his custody, effectively turning the infant into a political hostage.

Oleg is planning a great military campaign to the south. He wants to recapture the wealthy city of Kyiv from the Varangian Askold. Gold is needed to build a fleet and recruit an army. Oleg comes to Rurik with a small detachment. During a tense nighttime conversation, the young king forces the old prince to hand over his entire treasury and the senior Varangian retinue. Rurik succumbs to the pressure of youth.

Secrets of Staraya Russa

In Staraya Rusa, Sigurd meets Nezhdana. The girl turns out to be the daughter of Vadim the Brave, killed by Rurik. Oleg raised her as a warrior. Nezhdana is a brilliant swordsman and competes in men’s tournaments. She undertakes to heal Sigurd’s injured right hand, administering hot herbal infusions. Daily meetings bring the young people closer. They fall in love, forgetting the blood feud between their fathers. Sigurd diligently trains his left hand and learns to fight again.

King Oleg gathers volunteers from all the northern lands. Finns, Chuds, Livs, and Varangians arrive. The enormous army frightens Prince Voislav of Smolensk. The Rus’ ambassador, Peremysl, gives the Krivichi the abandoned city of Izborsk. Prince Voislav is amazed by the Rus’ generosity and agrees to allow the army to pass through his portages. As a token of friendship, he gives Oleg the beautiful slave girl, Inegelda. The girl tells Oleg’s confidant, Alvena, a touching tale about an attack by Danish Vikings. Alvena is genuinely moved by maternal concern for the unfortunate slave.

Halvard’s intrigues

The stern boyar Halvard conducts the secret affairs of the Rus. His spies operate in all the neighboring tribes. Halvard discovers Inegelda’s true identity. The girl turns out to be the daughter of Orogost, an influential voivode of the hostile Rog tribe. Halvard intimidates Inegelda, forcing her to prepare a deadly poison for Nezhdana. Halvard fears the Slavic woman’s influence on Oleg. Inegelda leaves the goblet of poison in the living room of the chamber and secretly flees the city.

Nezhdana hastily leaves to meet Sigurd and doesn’t touch the drink. A guest at the estate, Bersir, drinks the poisoned wine. Bersir is the son of the king of a related tribe, the Ruze. He has come to woo Nezhdana. The young man dies in terrible agony. The death of the heir threatens a devastating war. The Ruze are ready to unite with the Horns against Oleg.

Halvard cruelly corrects the mistake. He forces the housekeeper Zakira to take the blame in exchange for an easy death. Voivode Stavko, on Halvard’s orders, kills Zakira with a Khazar arrow during a river crossing. Halvard directs the Rus’ wrath toward the distant Khazar Khaganate. Simultaneously, in Kyiv, Halvard’s secret son stabs the brother of the Horned king. The murder provokes bloody pogroms, setting Askold at odds with the Horned. Halvard’s plots sow deadly discord among the Rus’ enemies.

Forest Outcast

The Smolensk prince Voislav exiled his eldest son, Urmen, long ago. Urmen lives a free life as an outcast, guarding a river portage. Sigurd and Nezhdana’s uncle, Peremysl, come to Urmen for negotiations. Soon, the Vyatichi kidnap the ataman. Sigurd tracks down the kidnappers. Fighting with his left hand, he kills two of the enemy and frees Urmen. The two knights become sworn brothers.

The escaped Inegelda wanders through the forests for a long time. Urmen’s companion finds the exhausted girl at the edge of a swamp. He brings her to the ataman’s camp. Urmen brings Inegelda to his mother. The girl confesses her origins and the crime she committed. Urmen forgives her. They retreat into the thicket. Urmen declares a merciless war on all robbers. He becomes the famous bandit Nightingale.

Council of Princes

The Slavic rulers gather for a council in Smolensk. They discuss the passage of Oleg’s troops. The Novgorod mayor, Voyata, attempts to turn the princes against the Rus’. Voivode Stavko presents Oleg’s ring to the princes. In the king’s name, he promises not to take Kyiv by bloody assault. Peremysl wins a mock duel, and Stavko, with two successive arrows, knocks down the bowls above the squire’s head. The Slavic princes agree to allow the troops to pass peacefully.

Oleg learns of Halvard’s arbitrary actions. The king strips the old schemer of power. Halvard is exiled indefinitely. The disgraced boyar flees with his spy son. They journey through the dense forests to Rurik. At a river ford, they are intercepted by Urmen’s band. Inegelda takes revenge on Halvard and pushes him into a deep pool. Urmen stabs Halvard’s son to death in a fair duel.

The Death of the Old King

Sigurd and Nezhdana secretly meet with Ratimil. Ratimil is the only surviving warrior from Truvor the White-Headed’s detachment. For many years, he lived with one goal in mind. Ratimil swore vengeance on Rurik for the treasonous murder of his leader. Sigurd remains true to his oath, but when asked about Igor’s whereabouts, he reveals that the infant is hidden on a secret island.

Ratimil comes to Rurik with the severed head of the escaped executioner. He claims to be a loyal warrior and promises to lead the prince to his son by the shortest route. Rurik gathers a small detachment. Ratimil exhausts the Varangians with difficult marches through swamps. At the last swamp, the guide sets a deadly trap. He bends two springy birch trees, securing them with lassos. Rurik steps into the hidden nooses. Ratimil cuts the restraining straps. The freed trees straighten upward with monstrous force, tearing Rurik in two. Ratimil celebrates the fulfillment of his oath, but is immediately killed by the sword of a Varangian guard.

The outcome of the campaign

After Rurik’s horrific death, full power passes to Oleg. Rus’ troops approach Kyiv. Oleg keeps his promise and does not launch an assault. He challenges the Kievan ruler Askold to a fair duel. The fight takes place on the banks of the Dnieper River in front of the city’s citizens. Oleg defeats and kills Askold. Sigurd brings the infant Igor to the people of Kiev. The city recognizes Rurik’s son as the rightful prince. Oleg proclaims Kyiv the mother of Russian cities. The city becomes the new capital of the vast lands.

Sigurd and Nezhdana celebrate a grand wedding. They have a son, Sveneld. Having become a renowned commander, he will take cruel revenge on Prince Igor for past grievances, and his son, Lut, will continue the dynasty. The Rus’ and Slavs intermingle. The names and customs of the Rus’ are completely absorbed into the vast Slavic people.