Narrator
Meanwhile in Drayton Empire in the palace of the king, hours before leaving for the trade
The room was almost dark, the only light coming from the moon through a high, narrow window. The stone walls were bare. Two men stood facing each other, their faces hidden behind masks, who has a shape like grinning demons.
"It must happen during the trade," the first man said, his voice deep and steady. "The princess dies, and the world will believe the Devotion Empire is responsible. That will be enough to start the war."
The second man tilted his head slightly, considering. "How do we make sure they take the blame?"
The first man stepped forward. "I suggested the exchange location to the king with terrain that suited us specifically." He paused for a second. "We position ourselves near their forces. When the moment is right, an arrow will strike the princess down. Their archers will already be in place, and it won't take much to make it look like one of them fired the shot."
The second man remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "And how are we getting this close? The archers will be watching them. If they see us, they will stop you before you can shoot."
The first man laughed. "We will go before they take up positions, I already send my best man there. He will disappear into the shadows, moving before they suspect anything. By the time they set their sights on the trade, he will already be in place, unseen."
The second man nodded slowly. "And if someone does notice? Or if the princess didn't die, she's not weak, you know that."
The first man's voice remained cold. "Yes, I know, for that I hired more than 500 men to do the job, they will only attack Drayton forces, leaving many questions there..."
Silence filled the room again.
The second man let out a light laugh and said, "Clever. In this chaos, they won't have time to think. The moment she falls, Drayton's forces will attack without hesitation."
"Exactly," the first man replied smoothly. "By the time they realize they were never the ones who fired the arrow, the war will have already begun."
"The king has his plans, but war must come sooner. This empire needs it," the second man muttered.
The first man turned slightly. "Then let's make sure it happens."
Without another word, they returned to the darkness, disappearing into the shadows as if they had never been there.