Hermína lives in seclusion on an East Bohemian estate after the tragic year 1794. However, she begins to get bored with provincial life, especially when her sister and her husband move to Tuscany, where they have inherited the family estate. Meanwhile, Europe is torn by wars and France becomes the most powerful state on the old continent. The brilliant warlord Napoleon Bonaparte conquers one region after another, the country prospers and the nation adores him. When he is crowned emperor in 1804, he wants to increase the weight of his court by inviting the old family nobility. This is a chance for Hermione that she does not want to miss under any circumstances, even though the price may be very high...