In the war-torn, 13th century Mongolia of Genghis Khan, Li-shan, a young, beautiful and rebellious daughter of a Mongolian chieftain and Chinese princess, struggles against a life dictated by custom and the powerful men who control her fate. After her clan is destroyed, Li-shan meets Khentai, a handsome, yet poor, orphaned herdboy. Forming a strong bond, they share their deepest dreams, and vow to realize them together. Used as a pawn among the warring clans, Li-shan is promised to the evil Shelugan, the son of the chieftain who killed Li-shan's father. Deeply in love with Khentai, Li-shan's vows to die first, but knows the fate of her adopted clan rests in the decision she must make. Will Li-shan and Khentai find a way to be together and realize their dreams, or will everything the two lovers have longed for be swept away by the harsh winds of the Mongolian steppe?