00034

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Toshinaka ended up settling his obi few moments before somebody knocked at his door. When opened, he faced two of his uncle's samurai, politely bowing in front of him. It was time to go.
Toshinaka followed them, quietly and without any particular thought. He had sent one of his attendants to inquire as to what was the work on stage that night, and had been slightly disappointed to know that they paid only a dance. It was better than nothing, but he would have preferred to see something more active, a historic play ... whatever.
- It's only theater - said his uncle, waking him from his thoughts. Sasuke was smiling and had a quite ironic expression on his face. - The funnier and more lively shows will arrive in the coming days.
- I ...
- Quiet, Toshinaka san, - Sasuke cut him short. - I know you mean no disrespect, but your expression was so bored that I decided to wake up a bit in advance. Take it this way: you can spend almost an hour to observe the Scorpions without the risk of getting stung. Let's go.
The two samurai escorted them through the corridors of the castle, which were gradually filling up as they approached the room devoted to the theater. Lions, Dragons, other Cranes, Unicorns... virtually all the nobility of all the great Clan, and many if not all minor clans were represented in a whirl of colors, sounds, and scents increased at each step, becoming almost deafening. Almost reflexively, Toshinaka put his hand again inside the obi. Too many people. He forced herself to relax: it was true, if there had never been a killer in the midst of all those people, he might not be able to protect his uncle ... but it was absurd that a killer could come there, passing all the controls, in a place that housed the Son of Heaven. Absurd.
Many courtiers had bodyguards, of course, and were rare those who chose to show off a katana at their side. Soft, a Unicorn shugenja slid next, then vanished swallowed by the crowd. He saw her a few moments later, committed to healing ceremony a Phoenix samurai.