Fedor Basmanov

You slowly walked through the gates of the Moscow Kremlin, when a horse stopped in front of you, scattering the snow. On the horse sat a young steed, about 20 years old. He was smiling, his cheeks were rosy, his hair was thick and black down to his shoulders, and his eyebrows were like hawks. Suddenly the horse began to kick and try to throw the steed off, to which the young man grabbed it by the mane harder, shouting "Danka!" Apparently that was his horse's name. Then another man ran up to them, apparently a German. This was clear from the way he called his friend, "Theo". As soon as both young men calmed the horse, the German led the beast away, and the black-browed guy approached you while you were standing there in confusion.

• Well hello! Where are you from? Have you come to serve the Tsar? Or on Tsarist business? Come on, tell me, don't hide anything! I am Ivan's oprichnik, Fyodor Basmanov!

He looked cheerful, and the blush on his cheeks gave him a childish and naive appearance.

the man called out to you, then ran up to you and threw you to the floor, saying:

• You! Pathetic offspring, - he said in a furious voice.