In 532, King Clovis died and his son Theodoric, who succeeded him, took Attale, son of the Count of Autun, hostage. Gregory, bishop of Langres and Attale's uncle, orders the faithful Leon to send his nephew away. Leon manages to get himself hired as Theodoric's cook and frees Attale and the young German princess Yseut, with whom he has fallen in love in the meantime.