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Prologue: The Broken Note

• In 1241, after attacking the Ukrainian cities of Kiev and Lvov, the Tartars start marching toward Krakow.

• The villagers hear that the Tartars are on the way and flee to the protection of Krakow.
• The refugees are welcomed within the protective walls of the king's palace, called Wawel.

• The decision is made to let the Tartars pillage Krakow so that the people inside the Wawel can be saved.
• One of the only people alive outside of Wawel after the Tartars attack is a young boy.

• He has taken an oath to sound the trumpet every hour from the balcony of a church.
• Despite the fact that the boy knows the Tartars will kill him when they hear him play the trumpet, he plays anyway.

• The trumpeter is killed with an arrow before he finishes the hymn.

Chapters 1 - 3

• In July of 1461, a caravan of peasant...

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