Book 4: Chapter 16
Fia breathed in deeply, and centered her Qi, as Sister Mei Mai began to play subtle chords on the Guzheng. They were in the gymnasium as usual, with her mother and Zu Tien looking on as the two sisters, Sei Mai and Mei Mai, acted as both instructors and invigilators of her mastery of the Hidden Sword Dancer art.
She swayed with the gentle tempo of the music, just as she had been practicing for over a week now. Their sessions in the gymnasium were relatively short, about three hours each time, thanks to the distraction Gui Zu and Ju Gong provided to keep her father away, but after the sisters left, Fia would remain for another eight hours on her own, practicing all she had learned that morning.
Today was the final test of all those efforts.
“Go all out, Zu Tien,” Fia said as she prepared herself. She lifted the painted fans in her hands to take the First Form of the technique. “Strike as if this were true combat.”
“Are you certain, my Lady?” Zu Tien looked as nervous as she was, glancing down at her stomach.
Fia was wearing the mummer’s robes, and while her growing abdomen was barely visible, both she and Zu Tien knew the risks of her striking there. Even accidentally.
“Don’t worry,” Fia said, stoking her confidence. “I am certain. You may proceed.”
With a quick nod, Zu Tien dropped into the low stance of the 3rd Martial form of the Hidden Leaf arts. Fia forced herself not to react by adopting the countering 5th Form.
She was not here to defeat Zu Tien as a practitioner of the Silver Leaf Arts.