"Emperor, we were caught by surprise. They were very fast. It was too late when we pulled them out." One of the twelve men replied fearfully.
"Apprise me of what happened." The man, whom they addressed as Emperor, went to an exquisite golden throne in the middle of the room. The throne was elevated, so he looked down at the twelve men who were kneeling down and not daring to look at him.
"Emperor, a lot has happened in the two months that you went into seclusion. The First Princess of Lireya, whom everyone thought perished in the plane crash sixteen years ago, was suddenly brought back by a business magnate from Usturia. His plane crashed on the same island where the princess was marooned." The middle-aged man paused, waiting for a reaction from the man with the red hood.
"Continue," he said impatiently.