The Balkans at the dawn of the twentieth century where crowned heads lie under the shadow of the assassin and the blood feud still flourishes... A near fatal attempt on the life of the reckless and self-indulgent Roman Jovanovich, a prince and an army officer, changes him for ever. He pursues his quest for vengeance with a conspicuous lack of good judgement, committing one folly after another and there is a price to be paid, not least by the women in his life; but when eventually he finds peace of mind it is where he least expects it.