Gesine went down the stairs that led to the underground prison, which was built specifically to contain titan shifters. Walking along a rather narrow but lenghty torchlit stone corridor, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her.

— So the runt has come to visit...

She looked at her sister with lifeless sunken eyes and a soft smile on her face. She got up from the ground and leaned on the jail bars

— You look terrible. — Gesine commented.

— Why are you here? Not even our father dares to come down here, although he sent me some real food once or twice...

— I want to look you in the eye before taking the Female Titan.

— What for? — She began to walk back and forth in her cell. — You can simply see my memories after devouring me.

Gesine sighed. She took a small package from a pocket.

— Take it. I know you'll like it.

Ingvild opened the package, revealing small lumps of a yellowish sweet. She put one in her mouth and chewed for a few seconds before saying:

— Camilla's honey treats... It's just how she made it. I remember she was our favourite slave for making us all sorts of sweet treats, but this one was the best.

— And you threw these memories away with that strange behaviour of yours last month... I always thought you were a tad messed up in the head.

— That's just how I am. — Ingvild replied, still enjoying the treats. — I can't really tell what happened that time with Grimwald. He just made me upset, and I lashed out.

Gesine clenched her fists. Ingvild's aloof attitude annoyed her.

— You utter idiot! You could have lived longer if you learnt to control yourself! — Gesine's face reddened in frustration.

— I have what it takes to become an enemy of Eldia. The Fritz clan forbade the other eight titan clans from fighting amongst themselves and I broke that law.

— Laws exist for a reason, you fool! Who knows what happens if a titan shifter dies?

Unable to hold back her emotions, Gesine punched the bars. Ingvild jolted back in surprise, dropping the honey sweets on the ground.

— Do you see what you did? My treats are all dirty now!

— It's too late. Even if you repented and pleaded complete submission, it wouldn't be enough. The Fritz even considered handing the Female Titan to one of our clan's branch families.

Ingvild got close to the bars and reached out for Gesine's hand, but she recoiled slightly at her approach. Ingvild chuckled.

— I learnt the lesson of my life just a few weeks before dying. Listen, runt: don't be like me and use your head well.

Gesine walked away in silence towards the exit once she felt her eyes welling. That was likely the last time the sisters would see each other before the inheritance ceremony.

...

— It's not enough, Sören. Your sword didn't even graze me.

Sören, exhausted, rose from the ground. He and Ulrika trained during the last few days for the ceremony of vassalisation that would occur at night. His body was full of bruises from Ulrika's strikes.

— You're brave under the Armoured Titan's hardened plates, yet your hesitation in human form is so noticeable I can almost feel its smell.

— It's not easy, Ulrika. I don't have any excuses for being like this... — He replied.

— How can you protect Hildegard being such a coward? You can't rely on your titan form for everything.

He lowered his gaze to the ground in shame. Ulrika felt sorry for him but was determined to change his ways. She raised his face with the wooden sword and suggested:

— Perhaps swords don't suit you well. Why don't you try using a spear?

"The greater reach can provide him some sense of safety. Even untrained peasants can use it.". They went to one of the city-state's armouries, picked a spear and removed the metal tip.

— Try to hit me, Sören. It won't be easy.

He tried thrusting, but Ulrika easily evaded the attack and closed in for a counter. He was once again hit by the wooden sword, yet his expression was different.

— These few moments can make a difference. You took longer to hit me. I think I understand it... I just need to practice my reflexes.

— Its greatest strength is the reach. Your first attack must be precise. Ideally, you should train with someone your size. — Her eyes narrowed as she scratched her head. — Where's Arnulf? I thought you could train with him but we haven't seen each other for some days.

— Now that you mention it... I wonder where he might be now. He's a hard one to read.

...

— You have a visitor.

A Fomhóire man was accompanying a messenger boy from another tribe. Cliodhna measured the boy up.

— Where's Darragh? — She asked. — He is the one who deals with messengers.

— I don't know, chieftess.

— I see... — She turned to face the messenger. — State your purpose.

— Druid Cynwrig, during his last breath, asked that this prophecy be relayed to you:

"Tonight, darkness will shadow the light

Death awaits those who will fight

Unsheathe your swords and raise your spears

For we will weep a thousand tears

Giant feet crush the skulls of the brave

The living will dig Paradis' grave"

— Enough, boy. — Cliodhna said, interrupting him. — Go back to your tribe.

Tonight their plan would finally come to fruition. She would swear an oath under the queen of Eldia, vowing that the Fomhóire would serve the empire, thus preventing their annihilation and elevating them to the status of vassals. It would be the perfect opportunity to hit her weak point and assassinate her. The Founding Titan transforms Eldians and controls them, so losing this asset would surely deal a heavy blow to the empire.

— Shall we? — Darragh asked while approaching his sister. He carried a pair of boots in his hands.

— At last, here you are. Are you ready to put your life on the line? — She asked, wearing the boots and hiding a dagger in one of them. — Our bodies won't even be buried.

He chuckled, walking away in a strange gait. "He's terrified. Staring into the face of death is maddening."

Night fell and with it came a crescent moon. Uncountable torches illuminated the city-state as men and women hurriedly made the last adjustments before the ceremony. In her quarters, Hildegard quietly braided her own hair while looking at her reflection in an old Marleyan mirror. During her stay on Paradis, she no longer had the luxury of someone dressing and preparing her. The guard stationed at the door said after knocking:

— Lord Gerber would like to speak with you, my queen.

— Let him in.

He looked very tired, as if he had lost some nights of sleep. His eyes were sunken and had purple bags under them. His sclerae were reddened, as was his entire face, likely due to sunburn. On his cheeks and under his eyes were the markings from transforming into a titan. Hildegard held her breath for a moment before asking:

— Where were you all this time? You look terrible! Quick, go bathe and change into more suitable clothing. Ernestine can help you, she's on the...

— I have dealt with them. — He stated with a husky voice. — You no longer need to worry.

A myriad of thoughts crossed Hildegard's mind. Deep down, she knew on what he spent the last few days. Still, she decided to confirm her suspicions.

— What exactly have you done?

— I removed pebbles from your way. Please, carry on with the ceremony. I won't trouble you anymore.

He walked away slowly. She gestured for the guards to close the door after he left. "How am I supposed to deal with this? Ymir, give me strength!" — She thought. "I just need to complete this ceremony and go back home. It's overwhelming..."

The hours passed. Thousands of Fomhóire tribesmen decorated with ritual body painting stood in rows facing the platform in which the queen of Eldia would formally declare the vassalisation of Paradis. Many other Eldians were also present to witness the event.

— Aren't you going to watch, Sigrid? I feel like something is going to happen down there. — Hodritz said.

Sigrid took the last sip of a Paradisian wine and exhaled loudly. She then approached Hodritz and began looking down through the window from the tower they were in.

— Let's see how she does. Vassalisation is not exactly conquest, but at least she's trying. As the Marleyans said, this island lacks infrastructure.

— Your breath smells! — He exclaimed. — What did they put in your wine?

— Silence. It begins.

Hildegard walked in along with a dozen personal guards, Sören among them. Ulrika, walking close behind the queen, was barely recognisable due to her armour, yet the small stature was a clear indication of her identity. Hildegard was dressed in a long, flowing white toga and a red cape. On her head was a golden crown, an imitation of the original left in Eldia. Just as Cliodhna moved closer, one of the guards left guarding the walls came with a wide smile, exclaiming:

— My queen, there are more Paradisians outside! They want to make peace with us and agree to being your vassals!

— What? How do they call themselves?

— Nemedhians and Milesians.

Cliodhna recognised the tribe names despite not speaking Eldian. "What are they doing here? No other tribe needs to be sacrificed for this!"

— Let only the leaders in. I will accept their submission. — Hildegard said with an air of profound sadness.

Two people crossed the now open gates: a man donning a wolfskin and a woman with a horribly scarred body. They promptly approached Cliodhna.

— We're not going to make it, Cliodhna. — The woman said. — The Marleyans are all gone.

Cliodhna slowly turned the head towards her and stared into her eyes. She was at a loss for words.

— They say a titan decimated them and destroyed every last city-state on the western coast.

— What? How come I am being informed of this so late? — She asked in bewilderment.

— We and many others sent envoys to your tribe. Were the messages not relayed to you?

"Darragh is the one who handles envoys... What has my brother done behind my back?" She felt her body trembling as cold sweat formed on her face. "I am prepared to die... I am prepared to die..." Paradisians and Eldians alike expected her to submit and were waiting for her vows. Hesitantly, she said:

— We agree to become vassals of the Eldian Empire, to send monthly tribute, and to allow the bearers of the blood of Ymir to settle our lands.

She then knelt on the ground and kissed Hildegard's pale and delicate hand. The male chieftain changed places with her, made the same vows, knelt, and kissed the hand the same way. The queen of Eldia seemed to be holding back tears.

— On this day, all the Paradisian Tribes shall be vassals the Empire of Eldia. — She declared.

The crowd, mostly the Eldians, cheered and shouted "Glory to Eldia!" "Praise the queen!" among other phrases. The Paradisians joined in after some moments. They were finally free of the titan menace as long as they behaved, paid tribute, and honoured their pledge of vassalisation. Cliodhna, dragged into the masses by her own tribesmen, stared blankly at the night sky.

— I finally found you! — Her brother said, grabbing her shoulder.

— I was prepared to die... — She muttered.

— I don't blame you. A titan massacred the Marleyans. They would do the same to us and... not everyone else was prepared to die like you.

— I was prepared to die... — She repeated.

— Snap out of it, you idiot! Look, the island is ours again! We just have to do what they want, and they'll leave us alone!

— I am prepared to die.

She took the dagger hidden in her boot and charged towards Hildegard. Sword in hand, Ulrika blocked the way before she could advance more on the platform.

— Missing something? — She said while mockingly shaking her free arm. — I can take the other one if you want it so badly.

Cliodhna wasted no time and threw the dagger with all the strength she could muster. Ulrika dodged it with ease. The crowd suddenly gasped. "Shit, I should have parried it!" Hildegard dropped to the ground as blood spread on her white toga. Before the dagger could hit her, she tried to defend her neck with the left hand, yet it was not quite enough: the blade pierced through her palm and had enough momentum to reach the throat. Cliodhna stood still, chuckling to herself as more and more weapons were pointed towards her. Sören left his post and came running to hold Hildegard on his arms. He gripped the dagger's hilt and carefully removed it from Hildegard's throat and hand. Her mouth was filled with blood and her skin became almost ghostly in complexion. Sören felt relieved when steam began to rise from the wound.

— Lord Brandt! Will the queen recover? — A group of guards that came after him asked.

He nodded. Cliodhna was completely surrounded by then. She shouted:

— I know you monsters can't die from wounds that would be deadly to humans!

"All I did was in vain... I wonder what would happen if I gave up and decided to be a vassal of Eldia..." — She thought

— I really wish I could take another arm or even your neck. — Ulrika said with anger. — We will lock you up and wait for the queen's decision.

She gave some orders to the guards, which began to shove Cliodhna in another direction, probably towards a repurposed house to hold her captive. Ulrika turned back to look at both Hildegard and Sören. "Paradis is finally ours. At long last you two will be able to rest."