And the old feud begins
A sharp sound, like a whistle, as an arrow flew through the air. It froze, the arrowhead’s point aimed directly at Orinakin’s heart, and seemed to hover there, suspended in mid-air, for incredible seconds. Then, lightly, it dropped to the ground.
Pandemonium erupted, Kailoe whirling around, General Potser shoving Orinakin behind his own back, Suisoealeiameone calling for nonexistent guards. Only King Esekin seemed not to be startled by the sudden attack.
Betrayal burned through Orinakin, fury rising up fast behind it. He and Kailoe, Anosukinom and Emperor Fet Vailou, Orina Anoris and the Jacacean Empire, had been adversarial for quite some time. But an attack?! A fired arrow?! An assassination attempt?! “Have things come to this?” he demanded, reaching past Potser and seizing Kailoe’s arm. The sight of the arrow, its trajectory, had come as a complete shock to Potser and Suisoealeiameone; he’d felt their uncomprehending disbelief. King Esekin had felt mildly surprised, now frustrated, irritated, angry, most likely that the arrow had failed. Heir Fet Kailoe had been startled, but not at all outraged, not truly shocked. This was no stray arrow; this was not the work of citizens acting on their own. This had been planned. “You cannot convince me to step aside and allow you to continue in your Empire’s quest to dominate and conquer, so you have me killed?!”
“That arrow came not from my bow,” Kailoe snapped, yanking his arm free. “Look not to me, Prince Orinakin.”
