welp… you just curb stomped my idea with a far better one. that plot with an assassin killing the king/ and maybe queen is really good. and what makes it really cool is that this plot of your acually almost happens to the main charecter. but it failed because ryen is a good fighter… i can already imagian what ryen will say when he learns and is asked what he thinks about the assassination would be “Its sad that they/he was kill by assassins. it almost happend to me as well but i just got lucky.” or something along that line.
oh i just thought of something that could be added to this plot to make it more interesting. the group that assassinates them could blame the people that rescuse slave for the death of the king and lable them as extreamist to make them a scape goat. which will also pull brad in as well and could also be how you learn about the assassination.