"May I hold my great-granddaughter once more? She is so sweet." Alissa Roffiret, eighty-eight years old, was a woman who had ruled over Toro for more than fifty years. She has lived a long and good life and enjoys the luxury of spending her last days in her own bed. Although she has never been truly ill, she has been suffering from a persistent cough in recent weeks, which has turned into a fever and eventually severe chills. The doctors still haven't been able to determine what is wrong with her. However, for Alissa, it is clear: she has been saying for weeks that the god Doom is coming to take her. It is time to be reunited with her husband Leopold.

In the past week, Kimana has spent nearly every hour of the day with her grandmother. They have talked about all sorts of things. Alissa told stories about her great love Leopold and how they met, her arrival in Toro, and about her mother Astrid and her younger sister Celine. Alissa regrets that the sisters were never able to reconcile their differences, and now that Celine has died during Randar's childbirth, it is impossible forever. She also finds it unfortunate that her eldest daughter, Kimana's mother, won't even come to Toro to say goodbye. Her whole life she has been bitter because Ugmar chose Celine, making her unable to become queen of Borgon. Both Celine and Ugmar are dead, so Astrid is angry at ghosts from the past. Alissa hopes that Kimana will never become so bitter and is glad that she is with her in her final moments.

Besides Kimana and her daughter Sarah, her husband Gorult is also occasionally present in Alissa's room. He has taken on the leadership of Toro in the past week while Kimana takes care of Alissa. Herald has not yet visited his grandmother because he is not in Toro. In recent weeks, there have been increasingly disturbing reports about the northern border of the kingdom of Borgon. Kimana doesn't know the details, only that some farmers have lost their livestock and their farms have been abandoned. Clearly, something is wrong at the border, and Herald has gone to investigate with a selection of knights from House Filony. He wants to prevent what is happening in the north from happening in Toro.

"You will be a good marquis for Toro and the surrounding lands, Kimana. You have listened to me a lot over the past years, and I can see that you have always taken it very seriously." Kimana sees that her grandmother has deteriorated significantly over the past two days. Even as she speaks these words, she visibly weakens. Yet Kimana appreciates that her grandmother has been there for her over the years. In a certain way, she has been a better mother to her in these two years than her own mother ever was.

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Just as Kimana is about to thank her grandmother for her words, the door flies open. Evert, the head of the city guard in Toro, storms in. "Marquis Alissa and Lady Kimana, I apologize for the interruption, but I have important news that cannot wait. From the north, a massive army of orcs is on its way to this city! Some orcs are even riding wargs. It is already clear that we cannot handle them, not even with Herald and our best knights. We must leave Toro as soon as possible!"

Kimana is in shock. One moment she is having a tender moment with her grandmother, and the next she hears about a large army. "How is Herald? Does anyone know where he is? How could no one have seen these orcs coming? Evert, look at our marquis. She is not able to leave Toro; she simply doesn't have the strength for it. Where are the orcs at this moment? Do you at least know that?"

As Kimana speaks these words, the sound of a horn can be heard. It is clear that her life is in danger. Then her grandmother begins to speak to her, and what she says gives Kimana a knot in her stomach. "Kimana, we both know that I cannot leave here. Take Sarah with you and flee from here! Go to Clarus and make sure Randar sends help as soon as possible! He is also my grandson; he will certainly want to help Toro. Evert, I order you to protect Kimana and little Sarah with your life. Also, look for Gorult, but if you don't find him quickly, leave without him."

"Grandmother, I can't just leave you behind. If the orcs find you, you stand no chance at all. Despite your condition, you must come with us; there is no other option. I won't let you die here!"

"Oh child, I have had my time, I have had a beautiful and long life. It is time for me to go to your grandfather; it has been so long since I have seen him. My place is now with him. I hereby officially appoint you as the new marquis of Toro. Gorult is your rightful husband but does not have the right to the title of marquis. A Filony will always rule over Toro; that will always remain so."

"Now leave this room with little Sarah, Kimana. Find Gorult and wait for Evert in your quarters. He will join you directly, and then you will depart for Clarus."

"Grandmother, what do you mean? Why is Evert staying here?" As she says this, tears stream down her face. Reality is increasingly dawning on her. This is the last time she will see her grandmother, and from today, she is the official marquis of Toro. She wanted this so badly, but not in this way. "Farewell, grandmother, and thank you for all the wise advice. I will not disappoint you." After this, she holds her daughter tightly and leaves the room. As she closes the door, she catches a glimpse of Evert drawing his sword from its sheath. Then she walks away, searching for Gorult.