Synopsis

The Poisoned Garden begins the story of two half-brothers, Peglar and Ragul. The only sons of Karkis, head of the immensely wealthy and powerful House of the Leopard, they have never been close, and now they find themselves entangled in a complicated web of family conflict. Karkis must confront the reality of his advancing age and consider his lasting legacy. The question is, which of the brothers will he favour? As a merciless bully, Ragul resorts to various underhand tactics to gain an advantage over his younger sibling, and his frustration grows as Peglar manages to evade his snares.

Peglar unexpectedly crosses paths with Yalka, a poor girl living in the slums. Yalka introduces him to a new perspective on life, completely altering his previously limited view. As they spend more time together, Peglar finds himself grappling with doubts about the comfortable life he has been privileged to lead. One fateful night a devastating fire engulfs Yalka’s home, resulting in the tragic loss of her younger brother. In the midst of her grief and confusion, Yalka mistakenly places the blame for this horrific incident on Peglar.

Despite this, it looks as though Peglar might have the upper hand in the competition with Ragul. In desperation, aided by Vancia, his mother, Ragul sets a trap. They devise a devious plan to make it seem as though Peglar has committed a deed that’s both horrendous and unforgivable, enough to damage the very foundation of the family. Ragul uses this as an opportunity to confront Peglar and he challenges him to a duel. Peglar must accept, and the conflict takes place within a locked cage, with the combatants unable to escape until one of them can no longer carry on. The victor will have the power to decide the fate of the loser.