Polite applause broke out across the room. That was a bit of an exaggeration, considering Mikelos hadn’t played a public venue bigger than the auditorium at Limani’s university in almost a hundred years. Victory stifled a smile when Mikelos sought her face at the edge of the room, because if she laughed, she recognized the expression on Mikelos’ face that said he risked losing his composure.
“Thank you for the gracious welcome,” Mikelos said, his performer’s voice seeking every nook and cranny of the hall. “I am excited to play for you and experience the music of your culture in return.”
Governor Yu paraphrased Mikelos’ short speech in Qin, which concluded with another round of applause. He made a few other general announcements, and the rest of the meal continued without further inciden
