Ayshe feels lost and alone when her older sister dies. The elderly woman begins to act distant and aloof with everyone in the village.
The neighbors' boy Mehmet is worried about Ayshe. He likes hearing her stories. He also likes running around with his young vagabond friend Chengiz. The boys are always on the lookout for the return of Chengiz's father, even if everyone says he was executed for being a Soviet spy.

Ayshe and the other villagers make the long hike up into the highlands for a wedding. Mehmet is disappointed when she doesn't participate in the celebration, and even more so when she refuses to go back down to the village. Ayshe withdraws in her tiny wood cabin and remains isolated high among the clouds.
Ayshe's odd behavior starts rumors among the villagers. Suspicions also arise with the arrival of stranger Tanasis. Convinced he's a spy, Mehmet and Chengiz follow his every move. The boys discover that Tanasis is somehow connected to Ayshe.

Tanasis and Ayshe share the same ethnic background. Actually adopted, Ayshe was born Eleni, the child of an Orthodox Pontus Greek family. For over 50 years, Ayshe has lived in fear, protecting her true identity.
Ayshe confesses she has been burdened with guilt for abandoning her younger brother when they were children. Instead of following him when he was deported to Greece, she chose to remain in the safety of her adoptive family. Determined to regain her past, Ayshe decides to travel to Greece to search for her long lost brother.