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It's the evening of September 5, 1940, inside the Royal Palace of Romania,

one year into World War II.

King Carol II paces anxiously in the halls of the building in which he once held absolute power,

but with each step today he can feel his rules slipping away.

Just outside the palace wall, angry mob are screaming for his head.

The palace square is full to the brim with violent members of the iron guard,

a Romanian political party and fascist revolutionary movement steeped in nationalism and anti-Semitism.

Their protest worries King Carol.

Less than two years ago, viewing the iron guard as a serious threat to his rule,

the King had the movement's founder shot and killed,

but this only inflamed tensions.

And now Carol's fear of being overthrown is stronger than ever.

Despite still having the royal guard on his side, he's essentially under siege,

but hopefully not for much longer.

There's a knock at the King's door, and he looks up to see the man he hopes to strike a power

of sharing deal with. Romanian general and iron guard sympathizer,

Jan Antonescu.

But Antonescu is not here to negotiate.

As rifle fire rings out from the mob,

...