One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 33: Let's Go to a Party

We were getting close to the doorway of the banquet hall when I tugged on his sleeve to get his attention.

"Kenshin?"

He stopped and turned toward me, his eyes questioning. One of Kenshin's hang-ups seems to be how possessive and protective he feels of me. This banquet will be really tense unless I can do something to ease things at the start. I walked next to him on his left side, and grabbed his arm.

"I have an idea if you would let me?"

"What are you thinking about now?" Kenshin's voice came out like heated ice, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Here. Hold your arm like this." I bent his left elbow at 90 degrees to the floor, and I placed my hand gently on top of his fist. I smiled up at him, suspecting this might just do the trick.

"If you walk in with me like this, there will be no mistake of whom I belong to." Kenshin's face lost a little of its stress in an instant.

"Good point. I won't have to deal with too many questions from those idiots." Yay, me! I mentally congratulated myself on making this a little easier, as I walked into the room guided by Kenshin.

He stepped up to the dais and made sure I was comfortable on his right side and a little back, as if he was partially blocking me from view. Shingen was seated to Kenshin's left, with Yukimura and Sasuke just below their Lords. Visiting daimyo and their respective entourages lined the sides of the room, leaving space in the middle and against the walls for serving of food and drink as well as entertainment.

"And the Princess joins us as well this evening." Shingen lost no time in making sure with his booming voice that everyone in the room knew exactly who I was. "The Oda lost a veritable Goddess when Kenshin decided to claim you."

I couldn't suppress the slight smile at Shingen's words, as they also served to cater to Kenshin's 'issues'. Smart man. I caught the wink from Shingen, and thankfully Kenshin didn't notice.

The banquet then commenced, as maids and footmen appeared with trays of food and drink for all present. The sake flowed. Not just a little either. It made that day in Azuchi look like a kids tea party. If I thought that day was like a frat party, I just walked into a kegger.

One by one, a line formed to my right as the visiting Lords came up to pour sake and speak with Kenshin. I watched each one, somewhat covertly, as they didn't seem to pay me much mind at all. I was a decoration, an attractive place setting in this room of powerful men. I was just a pawn, a captive Princess being displayed for the good of the Uesugi-Takeda alliance.

It suited me perfectly. I really did love being underestimated. I played it up. I sat quietly, as if I was too frightened or intimidated to say anything. Shingen noticed, as did Yukimura and Sasuke. They all gave me looks mixed with concern, and I ignored it. I figured that Kenshin was taking it for granted that I was keeping my word to him, not saying or acknowledging anyone around me as I said I would.

It worked. The visiting men let down their guard, not paying me any attention as I looked them over. Most seemed harmless enough given the setting, boisterously partaking of the sake Kenshin provided. A few seemed to be trying to cater to Kenshin, to garner favor in some way. I didn't pay much attention to them. Only two seemed a bit off to me, and they sat in the back.

The first man I noticed was irritated, and was in the company of one of the others, one who was sucking up to Kenshin for all he was worth. It might have just been that he didn't like his companion's behavior.

The second man set off alarm bells in my head.

He was coming closer in his turn to pour sake for Kenshin and I really didn't like the look of him. It brought to mind a really bad used car salesman, with slicked back hair and a false smile plastered on a face that is trying to sell you a bad bill of goods. The room was comfortable, but my eyes narrowed slightly as I caught a bead of sweat roll down the man's face. Is he nervous? He toyed with something in his hands, and I watched intently, as I spotted a decently sized bottle he held. Sake, maybe?