The so-called Vladimir Palace refers to the several palace buildings Vladimir constructed around the Tithe Church.
The Tithe Church was a Christian church dedicated to God, built by "Saint" Vladimir after his conversion to Christianity.
Before the construction of Saint Sophia by Yaroslav, this was Kiev's iconic church; though its status is now secondary to Saint Sophia, it remains the center of Rus' power, as the Vladimir Palace is right next to it.
As the spires of the Tithe Church appeared, Rostislav saw the Kiev Grand Duke's Bodyguard Unit densely arrayed in front of the Vladimir Palace.
These warriors wore uniform lamellar armor, their entire heads covered by helmets and mail veils, with only their eye sockets visible; they carried Danish axes, exuding a menacing aura.
However, recalling the various scenes of panic he had witnessed on his way, Rostislav was not surprised by their tense posture:
Kiev had come to a standstill under the shadow cast by the steppe, with numerous merchant ships setting sail and heading north along the Dnieper River to avoid the conflict; the once-bustling docks were now largely deserted.
Many residents began stockpiling grain in preparation for a possible siege, causing grain prices in the market to skyrocket; yet, despite this, buyers continued to flock, while those without money could only watch despairingly from the streets.
The streets were filled with anxious citizens; as Rostislav passed, he saw a peculiar old man constantly muttering the names of God and perun (Note 1), probably confused and mixing the names of these two opposing deities.
If not for the Kiev Grand Duke's Bodyguard Unit and the city's Veche Militia maintaining order, chaos would have long erupted here; for those attempting to cause trouble, both the Kiev Grand Duke's Bodyguard Unit and the Veche Militia would execute them without hesitation.
Patrolling soldiers were visible everywhere on the streets; they maintained order, and it was precisely their presence that prevented order from collapsing.
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As Yaroslav's eldest grandson, the guards at the entrance naturally recognized the young Prince; after simply stating his identity, he smoothly entered the palace.
Led by a messenger, Rostislav quickly arrived at the Kiev Grand Duke's conference room, where he was surprised to find all of Yaroslav's sons and generals already present.
...Brus Khan's army has completely surrounded Pereyaslavl; our defensive system has thoroughly collapsed under their assault. The enemy is estimated to have over ten thousand troops, but more nomadic tribes are continuously arriving, and the Khan's forces are steadily increasing...
Rostislav arrived just in time, as Jika, the Captain of the Guard responsible for relaying battlefield information, had just begun explaining the current situation.
"We are not facing a raid, gentlemen, but an invasion!"
Jika's words caused a stir among the sons and generals; they had initially thought this was merely a routine raid by newly risen herdsmen, but it now appeared otherwise.
This caused some to begin whispering; this sudden war disrupted their original plans. Kiev's elites relied on existing trade routes for wealth, and what they feared most was the destruction caused by war.
Just as everyone was whispering, Yaroslav raised his hand, and when he did, everyone fell silent, demonstrating the Kiev Grand Duke's authority.
Rostislav quickly found a corner to stand in, but as he did, he noticed Jika, Yaroslav's Captain of the Guard, looking deeply at him.
The information contained within his gaze was completely incomprehensible to the Prince; he only knew it was extremely complex. He had not interacted much with this person, with no contact since the day he arrived in Kiev.
"Another war... But gentlemen, since the Polovtsy have cast their spear (Note 2), then we should also strike back."
The Kiev Grand Duke's pace of speech was slow, but the attitude it conveyed was resolute.
"The entire Rus' will be mobilized to confront this war against the pagan. Gentlemen, do not fear, for we shall surely achieve victory. God bless us!"
"God bless us!"
Regardless of the mindset of those present or their attitude towards Christian, when this phrase rang out, they all had to repeat it.
"Our primary task now is to defend the surrounding areas of Kiev, awaiting the arrival of troops from various regions."
When the Prince said this, everyone immediately became alert, as it meant the upcoming defense assignments.
If one was unlucky enough to be assigned to an overly forward defensive position, it would be disastrous, potentially leading to total annihilation; but if such bad luck struck, one could only accept it. When the Prince gave an order, the unlucky ones naturally had to carry out the dangerous tasks.
"First, let the Black Hat Army's cavalry scout the enemy; next, the defense of Kiev will be handled by my Bodyguard Unit and Izyaslav's. Sviatoslav, go to Chernigov to gather troops; Igor and Vyacheslav go to Galicia and Volhynia; Ivan will assist them in their mission..."
Listening to Yaroslav's words, Rostislav gradually became lost in thought; after all, the names of people and places flashed by like a revolving lantern, and over time, his consciousness inevitably began to drift.
"Rostislav!"
Suddenly, he sharply heard his name, which made him flustered, fearing that his earlier inattention had been discovered.
"Let your troops advance to scout and ascertain the Polovtsian situation, but everything is to prioritize your own preservation. If it is difficult to gather information, you may retreat to Kiev."
After speaking, the Prince continued giving orders without any emotional fluctuation, as if unaware he had given his eldest grandson a difficult task.
Rostislav barely managed to compose his shocked expression, then saw the expressions of those around him, expressions mixed with pity and schadenfreude.
As Rostislav left the Vladimir Palace, he couldn't help but feel light-headed.
Although he yearned to continue achieving merits on the battlefield, he had never expected his grandfather to give him a task like forward reconnaissance. This task seemed simple, but if he encountered the enemy's main force by mistake, he would be immediately finished, and since the enemy was a nomadic army, he wouldn't even be able to outrun them.
Even though his grandfather's conditions were very lenient, Rostislav understood that this was a test from his grandfather. His performance would most likely determine his future territory, meaning he had to achieve some results, not just go through the motions.
Upon realizing this, Rostislav couldn't help but feel troubled, but trouble was useless; he could only face it.
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Note 1: perun is the god of thunder in East Slavic mythology and a chief deity. veles, mentioned later, is the god of livestock and agriculture, also a chief deity.
Note 2: "Cast their spear" means to initiate combat. In Rus' tradition, a Prince casting a spear signifies the start of a battle.