An average-looking man was walking through the crowd. He, like everyone else, seemed to be preparing for the parade.
As he was walking, he would glance around and look at the guards in the vicinity. Each one of the guards had a sword and one of those new revolvers.
The man paid particular attention to where the guards kept their hands.
Most rested one hand upon the hilts of their swords. They were accustomed to dealing with disturbances using familiar weapons and had not yet developed the habit of reaching for their revolvers first.
He continued through the crowd and purchased a small bundle of flowers tied together with twine. Many of the spectators carried similar bundles, intending to scatter the petals before the king's carriage.
The woman selling them smiled brightly as she handed the flowers to him.
"Are you here to see His Majesty?"
"Of course. It isn't every day an ordinary person gets to see the king."
