Original subtitles

THIS SEASON WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE BRAVERY OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE

DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY AGAINST THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS SERIES WISHES TO THANK THE SOLDIERS, OFFICERS,

AND MEDICS WHO HAVE PROTECTED OUR COUNTRY AND KEEP DOING SO.

SPRING OF 1881

VIENNA RAILWAY STATION

Are you crazy?

Your Knights Academy is your ticket to high society.

You can become a diplomat. Or a minister. Anything you want!

I, for one, can only dream about that.

Why are you leaving without permission?

Don't you understand? Theresianum will not let it slide,

no matter whether you are the Yablonevskiy heir or not.

Yanosh, don't do it. Stay.

No, I need to get home on time.

As for Theresianum… It has never been my dream. Sorry, Waclaw.

Besides, as you know, I'm not there of my own volition.

Earth-shattering news! The Tsar has been cruelly murdered!

The world order is in danger!

The Tsar has been cruelly murdered!

The world order is in danger!

The Tsar has been cruelly murdered!

The world order is in danger!

Give way, for God's sake!

What the hell is going on?

Earth-shattering news! The Tsar has been cruelly murdered!

The world order is in danger!

The Tsar was bombed yesterday

in St. Petersburg in broad daylight.

What?

This changes everything… Yanosh!

Just listen to this, Yanosh! Two bombs!

They threw two bombs at him while he was on his way to the changing of the guard!

I don't care about someone else's Tsar, Waclaw.

It's one minute until departure. I can't afford to miss the train.

CHERVINSKY'S ESTATE

The monarch who had introduced such great change,

as if torn apart by wild beasts,

blown to pieces by fiendish bombs in broad daylight,

in the middle of his capital, in front of dozens of people.

- The police are-- - Can it be true?

Piotr Ivanovich, my dear sir!

Is it true that the Tsar was killed?

How can it be?

Shut up, Galina! Stop yelling.

Yes, it's true. It says so in the newspaper.

They wouldn't publish any fiddle-dee-dee.

What's going to happen to us now?

Have you become a monarchist in your old age?

You grieve the Tsar as if he were your family.

But Lev Petrovich was recruited to serve the monarch six months ago.

So he must be close to the Tsar.

What if anything happens to…

You fool, don't you have work to do?

Go to the kitchen.

I want meringue for lunch.

What are you waiting for, Tykhon?

Take me to Larisa Viktorivna. Quick!

How? I'm asking you, how could you have missed it?

ST. PETERSBURG. STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT

You should all go to jail along with those terrorists!

The old man is scared out of his mind.

He knows there's been talk about a mole in the department.

And now this.

He's scared for his ass.

A People's Will's mole, here?

They don't have antlers on their head, Chervinsky.

What is this?

How dare you, I'm asking you?

Chervinsky! You haven't been here long!

You should hang on my every word

unless you want to be out of here in a jiffy!

Excuse me, Your High Nobleness.

Just listen to this.

He simply approached and threw the second bomb under his feet.

Unbelievable!

What was that? Jealous admiration? Or am I mistaken?

KYIV. MIKHAIL YAROVOY'S STUDIO

Don't you admire them?

When I'm thinking about the great deed these people have accomplished…

- They killed a man. - Not at all.

They've decapitated a Hydra,

dethroned the incarnation of this savage, ignorant regime.

It's nothing but pretty words.

The regime isn't going anywhere.

The successor is having the crown fitted for him

and rehearsing his wrathful speech.

So excuse me, Zoria…

They just killed a man.

You're such a sensitive person,

but sometimes you suffer selective deafness

to people's sufferings.

What happened?

Don't you care about justice anymore?

You haven't been to a meeting for weeks.

Maybe I'm tired of big words…

on behalf of the people?

Stop fussing. I'm not done yet.

I'm sorry but we are done for today.

I was insistently asked not to be late for dinner.

Apparently, we are expecting another important guest

who needs free entertainment

in the person of a finishing school graduate.

Not everyone is fortunate to have parents like yours.

I heard that you inherited the studio from your mother.

Was she an icon painter, too?

She was a prostitute.

And a drunk.

That's what killed her.

She died alone at a charity hospital.

I have no idea where the money that she had left me came from.

The nuns said a friend of hers came

and paid for my tuition and the studio on her behalf.

She never gave her name.

Maybe her gesture wasn't quite voluntary.

So don't be too harsh on your father.

He lives and breathes your happiness.

KYIV. NAZAR VITER'S HOUSE

Ostap. Where is Father?

Over there, in the parlor.

He asked about you four times.

Daddy?

What's going on?

Zoriana, finally.

Turn it down.

Ladies and gentlemen, here's our guest of honor.

They say parents never speak truth about their kids,

but I'm not like that. I'll tell you the entire truth:

there is no girl in Kyiv who is more beautiful, smart, or kind.

It's no coincidence she was christened Maria.

Her future husband will be the luckiest man.

Happy name day, baby. Let Our Lady bless her!

Bless you! Zoriana!

Thank you, Father. You're too kind.

Can I have a word with you in private?

Excuse me. Family business.

Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen…

Music, please.

I have something for you.

What is all this show for?

Didn't you like your present?

The earrings are beautiful but…

My birthday is October 2.

Are you going to have parties for each day of St. Maria?

- What are all these riff-raff doing here? - Hold your tongue, Zoriana.

They are important people who attend beau monde parties.

- They are here for you, by the way. - I don't know half of them.

Well… here's your chance to meet them.

Maybe you will fancy someone.

So that's what it's about.

Are you trying to matchmake again?

Daddy, don't you see that these "important" people

are only here for free food?

It's your money that attracts them, not my charms.

Hush!

I know who is putting this ideas into your head.

Zoriana, it's time you understood that a young lady, even a wealthy one,

needs first of all to find a good husband.

Yes! A serious man with a fortune.

I won't let you toil for someone else, like your mother and I did.

So, smile to your guests and be nice.

Show them that you didn't go to the finishing school for nothing.

Olha Platonovna. You must rescue me.

I hope you'll talk some sense into this young lady.

Good evening to you, too, Nazar Ivanovich.

What happened, darling?

KRAKOW SUBURB. YABLONEVSKIYS' CASTLE

Oh Lord, give eternal bliss

and peace to Your servant Katerina,

and may her memory live forever.

Let Katerina's memory

live forever.

Thank you, Father, for remembering Katia all these years

and coming to celebrate a memorial service.

Katerina Stepanovna wanted to be buried as an Orthodox Christian,

so that's the way she should be remembered.

So there is no need to thank me.

I only follow her last will.

All right.

Jacek will see you out.

Jacek!

God forgive me, Father…

My baby…

You came after all!

Don't cry. There, there.

You came!

Of course I came.

Why couldn't you wait for me?

I said I was coming!

The Vienna train was almost six hours late.

I didn't make a single stop on my way from Krakow.

You were informed about the time of the service.

You're late, so spare me your excuses. I'm not interested in them anymore.

Or is there something else you want from me?

Money?

I came here to honor Mother's memory.

Nothing else!

Son…

Yan…

Don't take it to heart.

He is hurting too.

It has been 15 years since our Katia left us,

but his pain only gets worse.

Yan…

I missed you so much, Pavlina.

Oh Lord!

When I look at you…

It's as if a century has passed.

My darling.

You will have more than enough time, Lev Petrovich.

ST. PETERSBURG. STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Around a month. Maybe a little more.

It depends on what Arkadiy Symonovych finds

in Kharkiv.

You are answerable with your head for his safety

during his visit to Nizhyn and Chernihiv. Is that clear?

Yes, sir, Your High Nobleness.

I will make sure His High Nobleness arrives to Chernihiv on schedule.

If I may ask…

Why did you choose me?

There are many officers in the department who have more experience.

According to our information,

Chernihiv gubernia

has an active mutineers' organization.

It's led by some prominent figure.

You are a local.

People won't be careful about what they say

in your presence.

You will become our eyes and ears.

You will send regular reports

on anything that seems suspicious.

During His High Nobleness's visit,

the Nizhyn People's Will must be destroyed.

Don't let us down, Chervinsky.

KRAKOW SUBURB, YABLONEVSKIYS' CASTLE

Oh, my darling.

With mushrooms…

Freshly baked pies.

This smell!

Smells like childhood.

Well… Are you happy?

I wanted to remember good old times.

God knows when you come home again.

When are you coming back to the Academy?

I'm not sure I belong in Theresianum.

You will not quit your studies there.

Why?

Because I said so.

Are you afraid I'll burden you with my presence here?

Isn't that why you sent me to a boarding school in Krakow

when my mother died?

The reason you chose Theresianum for me was also not its merits

but the distance.

Why do you abhor my company so much, Father?

Don't you dare talk to me like this!

Don't you dare talk to me like this in my own house, you whelp!

Never.

You never loved him… Not for a minute.

Everybody knew that.

Oh God.

The boy is right.

It wasn't his future you worried about.

You wanted to get rid of him, that's all.

What are you doing?

Where are you going so late?

Daddy hated me since the day I was born.

Since the very first day…

How can one hate one's own son so much?

Maybe because

you aren't his son?

What?

I'm telling the truth.

Yan…

It's the truth.

Your father's name was

Andrey Zhadan.

He died

even before Katia found out she was with child.

He was a bad man.

I don't understand. How can it be?

Father…

The Prince… Did he know?

He did.

He knew everything.

That she was with child, and also who was the baby's father.

He knew.

He was his nemesis.

His sworn enemy.

Maybe that's why he couldn't accept you.

Why did Mama stay silent?

Why didn't she tell me?

Your Mama…

Katia had gone through so many ordeals.

My dear poor dove had gone through

so much…

that her biggest dream was

for your life to be free of any clouds.

That this old story

didn't torture you.

Oh…

Pavlina!

What?

What's wrong?

Are you all right?

Call the doctor! Now!

Son…

CHERVINSKYS' ESTATE

Sir! Piotr Ivanovich!

What's the fuss about?

Piotr Ivanovich, a letter.

From St. Petersburg.

Read it to me.

Quick.

Hello, Piotr Ivanovich.

I'm happy to let you know that I'm coming to Chervinka

on an important state business.

Be so kind to have my room ready

by the twentieth of this month.

Also, have some extra servants hired

for an important event that is to take place at the estate,

the details of which I will disclose after my arrival.

Lev Chervinsky.

Lev Petrovich is coming home.

Finally!

Send Markiyan to me, now.

Yes, sir.

Meanwhile, inspect the pantry.

- It must be almost empty after the winter. - Yes, Piotr Ivanovich.

Robin, where have you been?

Everybody is already here. Come in.

KYIV. SCHOOL FOR THE ILLITERATE

SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE

I'm sorry, comrades.

A bigwig from St. Petersburg is coming to Nizhyn

to eradicate the People's Will plague in the southern gubernias.

Will there be an act?

The local group is panning on one.

One of us needs to be there in two weeks as a contact and also to help them.

Let's vote on who we're going to send.

No need to vote.

I'm going.

Are you sure?

Out of all of us, I'll raise the least suspicion.

My parents used to live in the region.

Our contact will be waiting for you there. You'll give him a letter.

I'm sorry.

I need to talk to you.

It's urgent.

Thank you for giving Pavlina a spot in the family graveyard.

She was family.

I only did the right thing.

Is that all?

No.

Don't worry.

I won't take a lot of your time, Mr. Yablonevskiy.

I know that I came to this world not owing to you,

but Andrey Zhadan

I must confess my life would have been much easier

If I knew that the man who hates me so much

is not, in fact, my father.

So you couldn't get back at your enemy

and decided to take it out on his child?

Shut up.

Shut your mouth!

You have no idea what you're talking about!

Do you want to explain it to me as clearly

as you have to my father, Mr. Hnatkevych?

Mark this well!

I am Prince Stefan Yablonevskiy.

When I die, you will become Prince Yablonevskiy.

That's what your mother wanted.

That's what's going to happen!

I don't want to talk about it anymore.

Zhadan is dead

and so is Katia.

So let the past be, you whelp!

But I am alive!

I am! I have the right to know who I am,

whose blood flows in my veins.

You have no right to forbid me!

Enough tears.

You should welcome your young master with smile and joy.

Hello, son.

Good day, father.

I'm happy to see you at home.

- Galina. - Lev.

I'm so happy to see you!

You look so handsome.

Let me feast my eyes on you!

You will have a chance.

I'm not here for a day or two.

It's astonishing how beautiful I look in your eyes.

Too bad no one else is going to see this beauty.

It will gather dust in a closet until better times.

This belligerent prudishness has to come to an end sometime.

Let me buy it from you right now.

Let me finish it first.

What if I spoil it in the last moment and you change your mind.

It will be ready in ten days.

I won't be here in ten days, Misha.

I'm leaving.

Don't ask me where to.

I can't tell you when I'm coming back or if I'm coming back.

Are you here to say goodbye?

So that's the reason of this unusual tenderness.

Don't leave. Please.

I know you're just running away from yourself.

If you want to make this world happier, start with yourself.

Stay here with me.

- You know that for you I… - Don't.

I'm sorry, I have to go.

I still need to pack.

KRAKOW

What do you intend to do now?

What about the Academy?

I quit.

I need to go to Kyiv.

Pavlina didn't have time to tell me what this Andrey Zhadan was like,

how he met my mother.

A friend of hers lives there.

She even visited with us once when I was a little boy.

I'm sure she knows everything.

Yanosh… Is it a good idea to delve into these old secrets?

Maybe your mother and father were right to keep their mouths shut about them.

He isn't my father.

I need to know!

I would have already been there if I could.

This God-awful bureaucracy!

I need to do a heap of paperwork.

Well, my friend, you know that any Pole crossing Russia's border

becomes a suspect simply for being a Pole.

You can't get far without the papers.

Goddamn it!

But…

I think I know someone who can help.

Tonight we're going to this singer's concert.

I forget if she's French or Italian.

The posters are all over the city.

Natalie something…

Rossignol?

That's right!

This person will definitely be there.

Just don't ask him unnecessary questions.

And we need to get you a tailcoat.

How is… The Northern capital doing?

Living its usual life.

What about you?

Settling in?

I've been waiting

for you to bring home a fiancee.

You need to pass on

the Chervinsky name.

Piotr Ivanovich…

You are my father, and it will never change.

But I'm not going to pretend for the sake of our kinship or anything else

that I forgot how you treated me.

So please let's skip all this mandatory small talk.

Especially on this subject.

You know very well why I'm not in a rush to get married.

Whatever, Lev Petrovich.

I'd like to remind you

that the person you remember with such reverence…

Nobody forced her to take the money.

It was her decision.

Thank you for the dinner.

I'm full.

KRAKOW. THEATER

Darling, here. Look.

My darling…

What did I do to deserve it?

I can't live without you. I just can't.

I couldn't keep our son in check.

I failed.

Don't look for me, Father. Forgive me if you can.

Don't touch me, Your Lordship.

Your Lordship?

Darling, why so formal?

Call me Filipp…

Like you used to.

I missed you.

After everything that happened,

you dare to come here and say all this to me?

You disgust me.

I've known you for too long…

Every cell in your body screams that you are telling lies.

Let me go.

Go away, Filipp.

Let go!

I'm sorry, sir.

I believe the lady has made her wishes absolutely clear.

Who are you? This is none of your business.

No, it's none of your business, Filipp.

I'm not single anymore. Go.

And don't try to see me again.

You're desperate, that's all, Natalie.

- He's still wet behind the ears. - Goodbye.

Or do you want to continue this conversation?

I hope you're a gentleman who knows how to keep a secret

and won't ask for explanations.

I don't have a habit to share

other people's pain.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mr. Yablonevskiy.

Officer candidate Nowakowski said

you were desperate to get to Kyiv.

Yes, and I will be grateful for any help

in obtaining the necessary documents.

All right.

You will be able to leave tomorrow night.

However, I'll ask you for a favor in return.

You were right.

Right about everything.

Enough.

Enough, Natalie…

It's all history.

Where are you going now?

Home.

I agreed to run the Nizhyn theater.

By the way,

your singing today was out of this world.

I hope you will be fine.

What is this offer? Is it worth of my attention?

I have no idea.

Take a look.

It's… It's a great offer…

And very timely, too.

Take a look…

Are you going?

Yes.

NIZHYN. RAILWAY STATION

Send the suitcase to this address.

KYIV. OLHA RODZIEVYCH'S MANSION

I understand.

This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but

Zhadan was a hapless man, but also a horrible one, Yanosh.

If Stefan Yanovych showed up minutes later,

you and I wouldn't be talking now.

I must really look a lot like my real father,

because he looked at me with such hatred for all these years.

Stefan Yanovych surrendered to his demons, Yanosh.

And this isn't your fault in any way.

The fact that Zhadan is your father doesn't mean that you're like him.

What am I like, Olha Platonovna?

What am I like?

Everything I knew about myself and my parents

proved to be a lie.

When I was a child

I heard all these talks about my grandfather

fighting for Poland's freedom,

suffering for the sake of our land,

and now it appears it wasn't even my land.

What do I have left?

You have yourself.

Only you can decide what you want and what you want to be.

The memory of your ancestors

isn't a choice of someone who became your father. It's yours.

By the way…

I don't know what Stefan Yanovych saw,

but you look more like your mother.

Do you want to know more about the blood in your veins?

Go to Nizhyn.

I'm sure they remember her well there.

NIZHYN. HOTEL

GRAND HOTEL

Does Miss want a room?

Yes. Is Room 5 available?

I could offer Miss more comfortable rooms for the same price.

- Why not Room 7? - I want Five.

It's my lucky number.

If you say so.

KYIV

Whoa. Are you Polish?

Yes.

Come on, dear. Go!

You don't often see nice shoes like those in Kyiv.

No, they were made for me by a Krakow shoemaker.

I'm glad to meet you, young man. Adam Hrabowski.

Yanosh Yablonevskiy.

I was told to give this to you.

Thank you very much!

Where are you heading?

Back to the land of your ancestors, I dare say?

Please give this little present from Kyiv

to the sender of this book.

It's now or never.