Sisters of the Sword by Maya Snow

Author:Maya Snow
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins

CHAPTER TWELVE

Somewhere a boy sniggered and I flushed a deep red, knowing in my heart that it was Ken-ichi.

I covered my embarrassment by bowing deeply to Master Goku. “I am truly sorry,” I said. “I don’t know what came over me….”

“An apology is not necessary,” the Master said. “I am impressed with your sharp reactions. It can take years to teach a student to move so instinctively, without thought. I am pleased to see that skill was born within you.”

Relief flooded through me. the Master had managed to turn my humiliation into pride.

Master Goku looked around at the gaping students. “Please return to your meditation,” he said quietly, and nodded with satisfaction as they all lowered their heads and closed their eyes once more.

When the meditation session was over, the Master kneeled down carefully at the lacquered table where the tea bowls and ladles had been precisely laid out on a clean white cloth. “As you may know, tea from China is becoming popular among the noble leaders that we, as samurai, must serve. I have spent some time at the temples among the Zen monks and have observed that the process of pouring tea for one’s superiors requires control, humility, and precision—just like the martial arts we study. This evening we are going to practice something called cha no yoriai, the proper way of pouring tea and showing respect,” he said, arranging the folds of his kimono around him. “Every evening of the kenshu I will select one student to make and serve tea. The care and precision shown while performing the ceremony will help reveal who among you is the most dexterous fighter and worthy to be called a samurai.”

Master Goku gestured for Choji to perform a demonstration.

Ken-ichi made a point of rolling his eyes while Choji explained each step to the gathered students. Our family had been pouring tea in this way for years, and the cha no yoriai was not new to my cousin.

“Now,” Goku announced when Choji had finished explaining, “one of you shall try to imitate Choji’s graceful motions.”

I saw Ken-ichi straighten his back. He looked keenly at Master Goku, radiating eagerness to be chosen, but Master Goku called on Tatsuya.

As Tatsuya took his place opposite Master Goku, I could see that he was trying to hide his nervousness, and my heart went out to him. Of course he would have made tea before; who had not stirred and served a bowl of cha for their parents? But I doubted whether a boy of his background had ever even seen a cha no yoriai before he came to the dojo, let alone taken part. I wished that there was something I could do to help him, but there was nothing to be done. Poor Tatsuya was on his own.

His hands shaking, Tatsuya put a little of the special ceremonial green tea powder into one of the bowls, carefully ladled a scoop of liquid from the boiling cauldron and transferred it into the small bowl. Steam rose in a white curl.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.