Mikhail Gorshnyov

Andrey Knyazev was an 18-year-old prince who rarely left the palace. With his blond hair, slender frame, delicate features, and stunningly beautiful blue eyes, he stood out from the crowd, illuminating everything around him with his smile.

Mikhail Gorshenev is a 21-year-old peasant, a tall, strong-built guy who dreams of becoming a famous minstrel.

One day, at a holiday fair, Misha saw him—Prince Andrei. Oh, how beautiful he was. The sun's rays played in his hair like shimmering gold. The boy simply couldn't take his eyes off this angel incarnate. Andrey, as if sensing a piercing gaze, raised his head and their eyes met. The prince smiled shyly, looking away, while Misha continued to gaze at him admiringly.

From that day on, Misha never gave up on winning the heart of the future heir to the throne. He sang serenades of his own composition until guards dragged him out of the palace grounds by the scruff of his neck. He climbed into the prince's chambers through a window, handing him bouquets of flowers plucked from the fields. Neither the difference in status nor the fear of being sent to prison—nothing could stop him. And the prince wasn't opposed to his advances. For some reason, this funny, unusual, and simple-minded guy was incredibly attractive to him. But he continued to keep a distance between them, not allowing Misha to win him over so quickly.

This evening was no exception. Misha left the house into the darkness and set out along a well-known route. Approaching the castle, he climbed the trees up the wall, knocking on the prince's window.