Big Nest gave no answer that summer. In the autumn, when Rurik had summoned his brethren and the Polovtsi, he marched on Chernigoff. Then Yaroslav of Chernigoff sent this message to Rurik: “My brother, why dost thou wage war on my country and use pagans to help thee? Thou hast done me no harm, and I am not seeking thy capital. If thy brother sent his nephew against me, God judged between me and Mystislav. I ask no ransom for Mystislav; I am ready to free him. Kiss the cross to me that thou wilt bring me to friendship with David, thy brother, and that thou hast no plot with Big Nest, whether I settle with him or fail in a settlement.” Rurik, without restraining the Polovtsi, began now to negotiate, demanding that Yaroslav should let his envoys pass to Smolensk and Vladimir. But the Chernigoff prince feared, and with reason, that the labors of those envoys would be directed against him; hence he closed all of his lands to the Kief prince. War continued till winter. To one sorrow was added another in Yaroslav’s case, for the bravest of all the descendants of Oleg, Vsevolod Buitur of Trubchenvsk, died and was buried “amid mighty wailing and weeping.” They were roused from this sadness by delight at a friendship proposed by the Prince of Volynia. Roman raised weapons now against Rurik. The Kief prince received news at the same time from his son Rostislav and from David, his brother, that Roman had attacked their possessions. Thereupon he summoned to Kief Mystislav the Gallant, and sent him to Galitch to Vladimir, son of Eight Minds, and nephew of Big Nest, so that both might march into the lands of Volynia. Rurik, to rouse the Galitch prince greatly, gave command to say to him: “I would go myself with thee, but Big Nest has mounted and is marching to help me against the descendants of Oleg; we have decided to meet near Chernigoff.” In fact Big Nest with David, Rurik’s brother, had entered the land of the Vyatichi. They burned town after town and devastated the country. After this storm, Yaroslav of Chernigoff prepared for a siege. Leaving his nephews in the capital to defend it, he took Igor of Novgorod-Seversk and a force of wild Polovtsi, and went to meet Big Nest and David. In that forest region of the Vyatichi, he felled trees and erected barriers for defense. He destroyed bridges, and made all roads and crossings as difficult as possible. Then he sent his most eminent men to lay terms of peace before Big Nest, but also a word of decision. “My brother and relative,” said he, “thou hast seized our bread and our inheritance, but, if it is thy true wish to agree and be in accord with us, we do not flee from agreement, and will act with thee. We will liberate Mystislav without ransom. If thou hast plans against us, we will not avoid meeting thee. Let God and the Holy Saviour give judgment.”