[center][h1]Aki[/h1][/center]

It was indeed somebody important – the guest that the whole household was preparing for. Aki had her hunches, but she was surprised to learn that the master of the manor was expecting none other than Shogun Mitsuhide himself. She discovered that truth when she was asked to bring refreshments for the men who arrived at midnight the night before. The surprise was quickly replaced by apprehension though. What would the shogun want from her?

The ninja also learned from snooping around that the shogun sent several invitations, possibly to notable warriors and spies. It was a risk for her. She considered the option to walk away with the block of gold, which was enough to finance her journey back to the Kawaka Mountains as well as purchase several bottles of her sensei’s favorite sake. The risk was that her face would be known to strangers who she would most likely meet in the manor. One or more of the strangers, whose names kept eluding her, might be a friend or a relative of somebody she assassinated in the past, or an old enemy, or part of a recent mission. Anything could happen. What was not sitting too well with her was the fact that she would have no control over the outcome. 

Nevertheless, it was a summon from the shogun, an opportunity that not a lot of ninjas receive. It could be the same as when she used to work for the last Blade Emperor. Donning a red kimono over her kusarikage, she snuck out of the manor in the early hours of the new day just before sunrise. If she could, she would advise the shogun to have a word with his security staff, because it was not good that she infiltrated the manor so easily. Aki also decided not to wear her shinobi mask as it would be too conspicuous walking the street of Odikawa in a mask, plus it was the quickest giveaway as to who she was.

As the sun peeked at the horizon, she returned to the manor by the docks with a silver crescent moon. The smell of the sea filled the air as a gentle breeze blew wisps of her ponytail to her face and lightly caressed the hem of her kimono. That morning, she found herself in front of the double doors instead of sneaking at the back. One of the samurais guarding the entrance stared at her curiously, contemplating perhaps what a woman would want to have to do with him, but no question was raised when she produced the document.

The second set of guards asked her to deposit her weapons, which she did without question. She understood the strict measure being implemented, because of the person who would be sitting in the same room as her that day. It took her a while to take off her enchanted equipment, because the guards objected heavily when she started stripping down her kimono. She was instead ushered to an ante room where she was able to remove the enchanted light chainmail she wore under her kimono. When she handed the equipment to the bashful samurais, she couldn’t help but notice a blush creeping into the otherwise stoic features of the guards.

When she was cleared to enter the manor, she was welcomed by a servant whose name she learned was Umeji Tatsumi. The old woman’s eyes widened as she greeted Aki, who she knew only as the new maid servant. Aki smiled and raised a finger to her lips, a gesture for Tatsumi not to say a word. Although surely some of the maid servants would recognize her.

Tatsumi led the ninja to a spacious living chamber. She was the first to arrive.