Kanbei didn't mind the routine he was given. It was better than wandering aimlessly, though it did lack the excitement that that brought. One day when he was on guard, he swore he saw a brief flash of a red coat turn a nearby corner, but when he looked discretly looked around it, he saw nothing but shadows. For the next several days after, he would see that brief splash of color at least once, and it was annoying him. Was he here or wasn't he? He didn't feel Kyuuzou, but that annoying flutter of red every now and then was proof otherwise.

"Shimada-san, you've been kinda twitchy for a few days now. Why?" Ryuuo asked after observing Kanbei.

"It's nothing."

Ryuuo didn't believe him, but by the tone of Kanbei's voice, to ask further would be suicidal. the three soldiers that came to relieve Kanbei's group were all talking animatedly, perking Ryuuo's interest.

"What's up?"

"next week is our Lord's birthday, and he's celebrating it with two parties; one for the higher-ups and one for us."

"That'll definitly be keeping the servants busy."

"I feel sorry for his bodyguards, though. With so many people around, they'll be working overtime."

"Perhaps."

"I wonder who'll come to the bigwig party?"

"Who knows. i know I certainly won't!"

The other five men laughed, but Kanbei merely smiled faintly.

"Of course, there'll be guards on hand too. There HAVE to be."

"Who do you think he'll chose?"

"Shimada-san, of course. But who else?"

As the men debated, Kanbei was genuinely surprised that he had risen that high in their esteem. Ryuuo noticed his mildly puzzled expression and grinned. As he, Kanbei, and Kyo left the new guards to their post, Ryuuo laughed.

"Don't look so surprised, Shimada-san. People look up to you."

"Why? I've done nothing."

"Really now? You know, we just hired a new guard a few days ago. When he asked who you were and we told him, he spazzed. Said he couldn't believe someone like you would do something as menial as guard." Ryuuo grinned wolfishly. "He told us all about your exploits, Shimada-san. As commander, then as a ronin at Kanna Village."

Kanbei winced. So now they knew him here too. Would he never escape his fame?

"now, now, shimada-san. We've admired you before we heard the stories. You're level-headed, you know what you're doing, you're a good swordsman, you treat everyone equally. Even if you're no longer offically a commander, you still lead more than some of our officers do."

Kanbei gave up and simply offered a small smile. "I'm not someone to look up to. All I've ever fought have been losing wars."

"You're too hard on yourself, Shimada-san."

Kanbei shook his head. He split off from Ryuuo, his room being in the opposite direction and sighed. He hoped that word of this wouldn't reach the Lord. He didn't need the attention. He turned a corner and his senses sharpened. Someone was walking down the hallway that he hadn't seen around before. His back was to Kanbei, so kanbei couldn't make out any features. Then again, very little was distinct about this person. their clothes seemed to almost melt into the shadows, and their hair was either black, or covered by a hood. The person dissapeared down another corridor, and Kanbei relaxed a little.

'Who was that? He gave off the strangest ki I've ever felt.'

Slightly unnerved, Kanbei returned to his room. Things weren't going his way today. First the others had found out who he was, then he had a brief encounter with a person who made him nervous, and that was never good. What else was going tohappen today?

All that anyone talked about for the days before the party was the party, preperations for the party, speculation about who would guard, what would happen and who would come. Kanbei was amused by the enthusiasm, but was more than wary enough for everyone else. He knew that large occassions like this one would draw all sorts of asassins and plots. He prayed that whatever bodyguards his Lord had were top notch.

The day approached far too fast for Kanbei's liking, but he had long resigned himself to fate. The day of, Kanbei took his place in the main reception room, and sighed heavily. He watched the room slowly fill, and paid more attention to the surroundings than to the people, unlike the other guards. He figured there was enough attention on the dignitaries anyway, so they wouldn't try something. It was the people around them, the attendants that stood tothe side in shadows that were the potential threats. His Lord greeted all the dignitaries, and after exchanging some formalities, they all sat down for a small dinner that would be followed by a gathering in the courtyard to view the lunar eclipse that was to occur that night. Kanbei watched carefully, for his pride as a warrior would be wounded if he allowed anything tohappen to the person he was supposed to be protecting. The entire time the dinner was going on, Kanbei would have sworn that his Lord's shadow moved without him, and his Lord was more selective with foods than he was rumored to be. When the dinner was over and everyone began to filter outside, Kanbei was certain that his Lord's shadow wasn't only his shadow.

'Maybe one of the bodyguards.'

As he watched and left along with the others to set up around the perimeter of the enclosure, he saw another person join his Lord, who was on obviously familiar terms, but still respected the Lord. Most likely the other bodyguard. Idle, carefully mundane talk filtered around the garden before there was a gasp and everyone looked up as the lunar eclipse began.

Kanbei resisted the urge to do so as well, and instead kept watch of the surroundings. As assassination attempt would obviously wait for a time when no one was paying attention. The shadow slowly crept over the surface of the moon, darkening it until it was almost completly covered. However, the minute it reached total eclipse it glared a bright, blood red, and an abrupt silence decended. Kanbei heard the whistle of a dart too late to do anything. He saw the shadow that stuck close to his Lord reach out,catch it, then throw it right back where it had came from, all without anyone else even noticing. He also saw assassins sneak right by the other guards, but as he watched, he saw that the shadow disposed of them with quiet efficency. When totality passed and silver light peeked around the shadow, murmurs of both appreciation and apprehension broke out among those assembled. Everyone found a comfortable place to sit and began to compose lyrics, haiku, or simply reflected on what had passed. Kanbei saw the visible bodyguad berating the sentries quietly, and by his angry gestures told them to take the corpses away. Kanbei looked over to see if the shadow bodyguard was any more visible, and was dissapointed briefly. The shadow seemed to sense Kanbei's curiosity and turned to look at him. Kanbei's breath caught.

The bodyguard's eyes were glowing red as brightly as the moon had been.

The shadow turned away from Kanbei, and was again silently focused on the Lord.

The next day was the soldier's, servant's and all other employee's party. It was much different from what the dignitary's had been. Sake flowed freely, voices were loud, baudy tales were told, and all around gaeity was expressed, rather than propriety. When their Lord arrived, he was greeted with a hail of drunken voices, and he grinned at them all, seeming much more relaxed in their company.

Only Kanbei saw the shadow follow him. This time he was able to fully get a sense of the person, and he registered as familiar.

'He was the one I saw walking in the hallway a few days ago.'

He allowed himself to be distracted from worrying about much, and allowed himself to enjoy things for the first time in a long while.