Episode 13: Toji

Isabelle hurried to catch up with Arthur's fast stride. "That was Toji the yellow scarf, right?"

There was a momentary hitch in Arthur's step. "You know him?"

"He grew up not too far north of where I was born. I heard the basic story, but nobody knows what became of him."

"Here's the short form. Some of this you'll know already, but I don't know how much.

"Toji was sent to the Imperial Capitol as a diplomatic guest. Presumably his poetic and musical skills were meant to impress the Emperor. They did, for a while, and Toji was even granted his own member of the Imperial Courtesans as his partner. Unfortunately, the Emperor before the current one was very violent and suspicious. He took offense at something that Toji had sung and had Toji's courtesan, who like all Imperial Courtesans was an Imperial spy as well, present the command for suicide to him. The command is a yellow scarf. Reportedly, the spy was in love with him and fled the capitol after leaving the scarf on their pillow. Toji awoke and was so angry at being given the scarf that rather than kill himself, he put it on and swore to kill the Emperor instead. He was discovered by the Imperial guards, fled the capitol, and spent the rest of his life either trying to kill the Emperor or killing other unjust rulers.

"The Emperor died at an unrelated assassin's hand several years before Toji died here in town. The courtesan still lives here, and she has Toji's silver harp hanging on her wall."