The imposing walls of the colossal castle fortress at the center of Northold loomed before Ean as he approached the gates. He steeled himself, gripping the satchel containing the intelligence briefing as if it were a lifeline. This was the moment he had been preparing for - requesting an audience with the very emperor whose forces were preparing to start a war with Argonia the following day.

Ean nervously presented his credentials to the guards. So many things could go wrong. If he were lucky, the emperor would simply refuse and tell him to leave. If the emperor knew half of what Ean had done, the rumored tyrannical leader could view his very presence as an act of war itself and have Ean imprisoned or executed on the spot. He tried to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the potential to avert conflict through diplomacy.

The guard frisked Ean and searched his satchel before leaving him to wait in silence. After what felt like an eternity, an attendant emerged and gestured for Ean to follow. He took a deep breath and stepped across the threshold, entering the menacing throne room where the emperor awaited.

Ean strode to within six paces of the Emperor of Brindle, appearing unimpressed with the throne room's majestic opulence. The former nervous farm boy who'd never seen a king or emperor until a month ago stood confident, without a hint of knocking knees. What he saw was a man slightly older than him, also bearing the weight of responsibilities and expectations that exceeded his years.

"Sire, I am Ean Fleming, Spymaster of Argonia. I have come with evidence of a plot by the Sultanate of Creston to deceive your great Empire and the Kingdom of Argonia into going to war." He tensed, awaiting a response while praying the rumors of his wrath were untrue. Only now did he notice the numerous stained-glass windows. The copious use of red glass tinted the room blood red.

The emperor's eyes narrowed as he considered Ean's bold claim. "The Sultanate of Creston is a trusted ally and key trading partner," he said, his voice laced with skepticism. "They recently gifted our empire with arms and armor of the finest quality. Why would they do such a thing if they had false intentions?"

Ean took a deep breath, having anticipated this very question. "Your Majesty, the Sultan's gift was a calculated move. With your soldiers outfitted with superior equipment, he knew you would feel emboldened to commit the bulk of your military might to the conquest and holding of Argonia's territory. Brindle's own defenses would then be left woefully undermanned - the perfect opportunity for Creston's well-equipped forces to launch a surprise invasion. Faced with fighting a war on two fronts, you'd have to choose which country to surrender to. It wouldn't matter who you chose, because the Sultan's next move would be to attack a weakened Argonia to seize it too."

A quizzical look covered the emperor's face. "I can't tell if you're a great storyteller or a psychic to speak with such authority about the plans of the Sultan."

Ean met the emperor's gaze unflinchingly. "His ambitions are spelled out in the intelligence brief I gave your attendants. The Sultan's true goal is the conquest of the entire continent, starting with your empire."

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The emperor steepled his fingers as he considered Ean's words. "My former spymaster argued vehemently against accepting Creston's 'gift' of arms," he said at last. "He warned me of a plot not unlike the one you described, shortly before his death."

Ean inclined his head solemnly. "You have my deepest condolences on the loss of your spymaster."

The emperor appraised him before responding. "I'd heard your old Spymaster died recently as well. You're much younger than I expected based on what my spies have reported about you."

Sweat beaded on Ean's forehead, wondering how detailed the reporting was. "Yes, sire. He was poisoned by the same people responsible for the assassination of your spymaster."

"How did you learn of that?" The emperor demanded as he leaned forward on his throne. "His manner of death is a closely guarded secret known only to my closest advisors."

Ean struggled to suppress a prideful grin. "Through an… artful manipulation of events, I made the men responsible brag about it to me. Their confession led me to discover a top agent of Creston known as the Man In The Purple Hat who masterminded both assassinations as well as the uprisings in both our countries."

"It seems our countries share an interest in capturing and executing this man for these unwarranted acts of war."

"He and his network have been dealt with." Ean showed the emperor the purple hat and medallion. "I retrieved these from his corpse. His agents are imprisoned awaiting trial. During our efforts, we also uncovered two of your spies. As a show of goodwill, King Edgard Lionshield instructed me to return them to you, unharmed, along with a proposal."

"Edgard always had a stubborn noble streak and sense of fair play. Give me his proposal." He rolled his eyes and feigned annoyance, briefly revealing the man beneath the crown. "I owe him the courtesy of reading it before I reject it."

Ean handed over the sealed letter from the king. The emperor cracked the seal. The emperor's eyebrows slowly inched up his face as he read each line.

"Bring me the medallion," he ordered.

Ean presented the medallion and stepped back.

While twirling the medallion, the emperor spoke. "My father followed the stoic fatalism practiced by those who relegate their decisions to this medallion." He flipped it in the air, caught it, and showed Ean the left-facing head it landed on.

"He would have taken this as a sign that I should burn you alive along with this letter." The emperor stood and stuck the letter into the flame of a nearby torch.

The room was deathly silent as Ean watched fire consume and burn the letter to ash.

"I watched his medallion dictate harm countless times. Even personally suffered abuse as he mindlessly carried out its whims. I still believe, like your king, that we are not our fathers. We determine our own destinies and bear responsibility for our actions."

He snapped his fingers, and an attendant came running with parchment and pen. After a few minutes of furious writing, he folded up the parchment and sealed it with wax and his signet ring.

The emperor handed the letter and medallion to his attendant and instructed the man to give them to Ean and to provide him with a horse.

"Spymaster Ean Fleming, I, Tiberius Stormfist the Fourth, do hereby charge you with the quest of delivering this encrypted letter to his grace, King Edgard Lionshield. Long may he 'rain'." He flashed Ean a mischievous grin, hinting at a private joke between him and King Lionshield.

Ean bowed and set out on the final quest of his whirlwind journey from spymaster apprentice to being recognized as the Spymaster of Argonia by the supreme leaders of two nations.