Spain, 1903. Ancient family curse leads up to young orphan being left all alone at five years old. Uncle finds out & brings her to a monastery. Here she studies languages, philosophy, & music. So begins her extraordinary life's journey.
Seven years later, aunt & her husband pick up the girl from the monastery & take her back to Spain visiting a number of royal figures including Emperors, Kings & Queens along the way.
Family travels to Andalusia due to illness. Here the girl learns horsemanship & fencing. On her return to Seville, she meets an old gypsy who predicts a sharp turn in life for her - what happens destroys all future plans.
The girl receives a letter from father whom she has not seen from birth requesting she come to Kiev. Here she has to deal with stepmother & foreign customs. Enters the Institute for Noble Maidens. A scandal takes place involving the girl.
Headmistress of the Institute announces a ball. The Russian Empress will be present. A suggestion is made to put one of the girl's poems to song. An incident arises causing her to slap another girl, unrest in everyone results.
Headmistress demands the girl apologize to the one she slapped. She refuses believing the other at fault it & should be punished. Headmistress insists the girl be expelled. Professor upholds it...the girls must be able to defend themselves.
Empress visits Institute. Girl is singled out to meet the Empress and questions arise as to why she was chosen? During the ball, she is asked to dance with the Grand Duke and is the envy of all. The one who prodded the girl to slap her apologizes.
Girl is allowed to go home. Studies end. She plans for future, but stepmother has other plans & offers her three suitors to choose from. She knows that there is no exit so pretends she is interested in one of the suitors - a captain.
One day, traveling with suitor, their carriage is stopped by a Persian Prince & his eyes meet the girl's. Suitor notices. Upset, a duel results. She supports the Prince, family disowns her & Prince makes her an offer to go to Persia (Iran).
The girl is stopped at the border because of a book she is carrying, She can't take it across so she goes to the Shah. Finds herself & the Prince around a campfire...the old gypsy appears. In a vision, they are transported to ancient Egypt.
In Egypt, scandals abound. It is whispered the king's wife is unfaithful to him & involved with his brother. The vision sparks suspicion in the Prince about his own brother & that he might be interested in the girl.
Prince decides that if the girl become his wife then brother dare not steal her. Wedding to take place but girl realizes her dreams will never be fulfilled. Writes a farewell letter & runs away quietly to India finding refuge in a convent.
Back in Spain, uncle wants to open a church hospital but only way is to appeal to the King so girl talks to the King. His heart gives in but the Queen angers sending a letter for the girl to enter a monastery or be exiled.
The girl chooses to leave Spain. Studies at University of Paris. Engages in an archaeology expedition to Pompeii. Writes a book on her experiences. Her Father very ill & anticipating death, writes a letter asking forgiveness for the past.
Stepmother re-routes letter. Night brings police, a search warrant & questions about a gathering of young people. What propaganda is the girl involved in? Must return to Spain but Goddess of Fate says "no". Germany declares war on Russia.
The girl joins Russian Red Cross & is sent to the front line with her uncle who dies of Typhoid. Wounded twice she gets a cross for bravery. Questions "how to survive this senseless war?" Meets a man who will play a big role in her life.
Prince re-appears in Kiev, this is the man she fled from in Iran. She still loves him & setting their differences aside, they get married. After a few days, he has to return to the Western Front.
The Prince dies 6 months later & the widow accompanies his coffin back to Iran. She questions "Why live when she is all alone?" Stepmother calls on her help to flee to the Czech Republic but dies on the way & the girl is all alone again.
Alone with no family left, the girl goes to Prague as a translator. Fate brings the man from the Russian Front whom she felt a deep connection with. Although much older than she, the two are married & so begins a new chapter of her life.
Relatively quiet life for the next few years. King of Spain whom always had feelings for the girl appears from time to time. World War II breaks out. Life is hard. Husband battles various illnesses. Has dream about his wife & the King.
Dream appears true. Husband heavy hearted with no work goes to the monks to paint Icons. Meets the old gypsy in the mountain & asks about the fate of his wife. One evening a strange, expensive car shows up at their door.
Exiled King of Spain is at their door and asks the girl to leave with him. She cannot betray her husband. Her husband leaves suddenly to Prague but before leaving lights a candle before an Icon.
Upon returning home, husband literally drops dead. The girl is once again all alone. She earns a living the best she can working as a teacher. Every spare minute though she pursues her love of writing which gives her strength & hope.
War ends. Celebrations everywhere. Returns to her homeland. In a dream she hears a voice from her ancestors or "Silk Ladies". They have guarded her fate throughout her life. She is rewarded for her faith & can now drink from the Holy Grail.