The year is 1213, in the eastern Iranian city of Tus. Sitara, a young girl who has lost her mother and been torn far from her homeland, is taken in by Fatima, a kind-hearted lady from a family of scholars. At first, Sitara detests studying and tries to escape, but Fatima’s son Muhammad, an aspiring scholar himself, teaches her the true importance of learning, telling her: “If you study and become wise, no matter what trouble befalls you, you’ll know the best way forward.”

Sitara and the others spend their days peacefully enriching themselves with knowledge.

Yet their peaceful lives are suddenly shattered.
With the Mongol Empire on the rise, the army led by Tolui, the fourth prince, finally closes in on the land Sitara calls home—

Plunged into the depths of despair as a captive of the Mongol army, Sitara is approached by Shira, a young boy working as an interpreter for the Mongols.