Assassination Attempt
Seeing Captain Mahesh, the strongest member of the group, drop dead right before their eyes, that to in a matter of seconds, the morale of the soldiers escorting the two princes took a big hit as they felt anxious in face of unknown danger.
With the group leader dead, the soldiers were directionless and in a disarray over what to do. However, they still crowded around the two princes carriage as they looked around for the attackers.
The spot was perfect for an ambush; there were thick, tall trees surrounding the roadside and the nearest reinforcement centre was a long way out. Hence, although the flares had been deployed, there would be ample time to kill the targets before a response team arrived at the scene.
Percy clearly analysed the situation. The assassins had no idea which carriage the two princes were in, and because of that, they chose a vantage point and pre-planted the explosives.