[2] You and your guardian, Manning, try to get to the king but are cut off by rebel guardsmen. [5] Fortunately, you are both excellent swordsmen. You move back-to-back and clear a path through the melee until you get to the king, shouting that you are here to protect him. [4] The king himself is holding his ground, but trapped at the far end of the room. You join his most loyal guards in a ring around him and suggest an escape. At this point the guard captain who attacked you arrives with his men.
[1] "This man is trying to kill the king!" one of the rebel councillors shouts. The king tries to declare otherwise, but his voice is swallowed up by the sound of the fighting. The guard captain starts fighting his way towards you, turning the council room into a vicious three-way battle. [4] You get the king and his guards onto the long table and try to fight your way forward, gaining a little ground before a knot of rebels get up on the table and charge. [6] You, Manning and the king's guard are driven into a frenzy, slaughtering nobles and guardsmen left, right and centre. You perform a little too well, though, and eliminate most of the loyalist guard who just arrived. Nevertheless you are able to reach the end of the room. The handful of nobles make one last rush for you, [6] but you are able to hold them off long enough for the King and his last two guards to reach safety. Sadly, Manning takes a slash to the leg and goes down.
[3] You pull him back, bleeding and incapacitated, before the nobles can finish him, but are only able to shut the door on them. [3] The door only holds the nobles long enough for you to get Manning out of harm's way. It breaks down and a solitary noble and two rebel guardsmen face you. [4] The king's men join you for the last fight. [1] They prove less than a match for their rebellious kin and are taken out in the first exchange of blows, leaving you alone against the attackers. [1] The king draws his sword... and flees like a coward. Last stand time, you guess. You ready your sword and charge into the fray.
Twelve seconds later.
You slump to the floor by Manning, cutting a rag from the last noble's tunic with your sword's nicked edge. [6] You tie a tourniquet around the gushing limb, stemming the flow, but it seems unlikely the leg will make it even if he does. Blessedly, he seems to have passed out from the pain. There are a few low moans from the council room now, so you move through the open doorway and silence them. The grim service done, you turn to find the King of Miring in the doorway - ashamed and afraid, his entire palace guard and council dead.
"Thank you, stranger, for your aid." He stares in shock at the massacre. "My chamberlain told me that the ambassador of Elbreth sought me on an urgent matter. He would not give details, so I dismissed him. Now I see why.
"You have done me, and Miring, a great service. The traitors have been wiped out, but so too has my entire court. Without those nobles, I have only our small royal army and navy to depend upon. We have no choice - the nation of Miring throws itself at your feet. If Preston attacks now, we are as doomed as if the nobles had joined their forces. We offer you a full military alliance against Preston, under whatever conditions you deem necessary. Convey this message to your king. I don't care who you have to bribe in his court, just get us the troops we desperately need."
Edit: Didn't put it in for drama's sake, but the 'last stand' roll was actually a 5. I didn't fix this one - his luck prevailed at the last moment.