"I could grow accustomed to such a view!" I exclaim, peering down at the courtyard from the castle roof

"Isaac, restrain yourself, brother. Don't you already have numerous women vying for your attention?"

"Kyle! My sagacious companion, women never cease to gravitate towards me, as you well know," I retort as Kyle joins me on the roof. Our bond spans a decade, rendering us akin to brothers.

Life in the castle is never dull. Though the war we fought valiantly is over, our kingdom of Asterradia has enjoyed peace for several years. However, amidst the tranquility, our King is eager to arrange a marriage for his only heir, Princess Amelia.

Nestled in the north, our kingdom borders the warrior kingdom of Cadaelith. Given our skills as assassins, it's not hard to deduce our roles. While our enemies wield warriors, we specialize in stealth and subterfuge.

While to the south lies Drathien, ruled by a callous monarch who shows no regard for his people's welfare. Public executions are commonplace, instilling fear to maintain control.

Therefore, the King had to seek suitors from the eastern kingdom of 'Sielle' and the western kingdom of 'Winstery.' Thus, our splendid castle hosted a celebration with graceful women dancing to entertain guests from both the east and west.

"Isaac," a voice interrupts my reverie. I glance down to see a castle guard.

"What is it?" I inquire.

"Princess Amelia requests your presence," he responds. A summons from the princess is never trivial, so I make my way to the castle court.

I burst through the large doors, finding not only the princess but also the King, Queen, and other officials, along with my close friends, who serve as aides to the royals.

Clearing my throat, I approach them. "Princess Amelia," I address with a bow, then inclining my head to the side, I continue, "Your Majesties," I add, acknowledging both the Queen and King with a respectful bow.

I bow to each in turn before taking my place beside Princess Amelia. This is no ordinary gathering.

"We've received a missive from Cadaelith," the King announces. All attention is fixed on him, including mine.

"The King of Cadaelith proposes a peace treaty between our realms."

Murmurs of shock and disapproval ripple through the room.

"Quiet," the King commands sternly, restoring silence. "Amelia, what measures do you deem necessary to safeguard our kingdom?"

I expect silence, for our kingdom's strength is unquestionable. I could stealthily access the king's chambers and eliminate him while he slept, leaving no trace of my presence. Yet, Princess Amelia surprises me.

"Father, after assessing neighboring kingdoms, I recognize our deficiency in battle. While our assassins are formidable, we lack proper weaponry."

What? I inwardly protest. Our prowess in combat has never been in doubt. We require nothing more.

"Indeed," the King interjects. "Cadaelith offers us their fine metal weapons and mage support in exchange for your hand in marriage, Amelia."

"Hold on, what?" I interject, drawing all eyes to me. "Since when do we require foreign aid? We've managed perfectly well without it thus far and will continue to do so. King, there's no need for such a peace treaty!"

"Isaac," the Queen chides, her gaze shifting between me and the princess.

Princess Amelia gives me a silent reprimand, compelling me to relent.

"Drathien seeks to attack Cadaelith. The king seeks to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and seeks our aid. Should Cadaelith fall to Kronos, as is likely, our kingdom will be next. We must consider our options."

Silence fell upon the room, for in some aspect, the king's assessment held truth. Kronos, the merciless individual he is, would resort to any means to achieve victory, and the prospect of war seemed to invigorate him. As for me, I harbored doubts regarding my ability to safeguard the princess and my companions. Despite my disdain for the king and queen, the matter at hand concerned the peace treaty. Embracing it would entail reconciling with Cadaelith, our longstanding adversary. The princess's words interrupted my contemplation, stirring a whirlwind of thoughts within me.

The princess's resolve is unwavering. "Father, I will accept. I will marry the prince of Cadaelith."

"Then it is decided. Dispatch a messenger with our acceptance to Cadaelith," the King decrees.

I pondered silently, questioning whether he had any concern for her safety. However, the Princess's next words dispelled my doubts. "But Father, I desire Isaac and his companions by my side when I wed into that realm. I have absolute faith in them," she declared, bringing smiles to all our faces.

"I concur, my dear," he replies, caressing her cheek.

The messenger departed with the letter, the peace treaty was ratified, and the king instructed everyone to commence preparations for our departure, scheduled in five days. This, of course, did not exempt our princess from the obligation of meeting potential suitors as a customary formality.

As preparations for our departure commence, I resign myself to the inevitable. Leaving home is not ideal, but to protect the princess, I'll do whatever it takes.

Two days prior to our departure, Kyle and I infiltrate Cadaelith. As I mentioned earlier, it was a simple task for us, as the only barrier between our realms was a massive wall, easily scalable. We navigated our way to the castle, observing the carefree demeanor of the kingdom's inhabitants along the way.

Entering the castle undetected proved easier than anticipated, a fact that unsettled me. Scaling the bridge linking two towers, we leaped upwards toward the courtroom window. Fortunately, the conversation inside centered on Drathien, confirming our suspicions.

"We've sought assistance; we can't risk facing this alone. I'm uncertain of Kronos's intentions, but I have a foreboding," a deep, authoritative voice intoned.

"Indeed, Father, I concur," came another deep voice in response.

The prince! I move closer to peer inside, but halt as I catch the sound of a woman's voice.

"Wait. There's someone by the window," she declares as I hear her footsteps approaching us.

"Let's move, Isaac," Kyle urges, pulling on my collar. With a click of my tongue, I comply and follow him.

We leap from rooftop to rooftop on our return journey, my mind consumed with thoughts of how she could have detected me. My presence has never been detected before. I ponder her identity, undoubtedly significant given her presence alongside the king and prince.

Upon reaching our castle, I bid Kyle farewell with a wave before retiring to my room. I am determined to uncover the identity of that woman.

On the day of departure, Princess Amelia bids farewell to her family and people, her kindness evident in every gesture. As we set off, I'm accompanied by my closest allies and the princess herself, prepared to face whatever lies ahead.