Kazuki’s head. But Kazuki was simply too fast. He ducked beneath the staff, then cut down at Yamato’s neck with his
bokken
.
He stopped his wooden sword short. Yamato felt the blade upon him.
‘You just lost your head,’ said Kazuki.
There was a moment of awed silence before the students cheered Kazuki’s consummate skill. A single attack and Yamato had been defeated.
Jack ran over as Yamato removed his blindfold. Disappointment was etched in his face and a dark red bruise was forming where Nobu had hit him with the
tonfa
.
‘That was very impressive, though,’ added Kazuki with sincerity. ‘I expected you to be knocked down first time. You may have lost the match, but you’ve earned my respect.’
Kazuki bowed.
Then, with a grin, he turned to Jack. ‘I’m looking forward to claiming my prize.’
Kazuki strode off.
‘Sorry,’ said Yamato, unable to meet Jack’s gaze.
‘Don’t be,’ replied Jack. Even though Kazuki’s threat now hung over him like a guillotine, he knew his friend had done his best. In fact, better than anyone would have imagined. ‘You beat four of them. Everyone’s talking about it.’
‘But I lost,’ he sighed. ‘That’s what they’ll remember. There’s no glory in coming second.’
‘It’s not what I’ll remember,’ replied Jack. ‘I’ll remember a friend fighting for me and for honour.’
Yamato attempted a smile, but he was inconsolable. His chance to prove his worth had slipped through his fingers. And now, as Masamoto approached, Jack saw the weight of failure hang heavy on Yamato’s shoulders. Yamato dropped into a bow and awaited his father’s verdict.
Masamoto studied his son, an austere expression on his face.
‘Yamato-kun, you lasted far longer than I predicted. But you let Kazuki outwit you. By telling you where he was, he also knew where you would attack. That was your mistake.’
‘Yes, Father,’ mumbled Yamato.
Jack knew his friend was needing more than a lesson in combat. He needed to know his father accepted him whatever the outcome.
Masamoto turned to go. ‘Once your talent for the
bō
translates to the
katana
, you’ll be as fine a swordsman as Tenno was.’
14
YABUSAME
‘
IN-YO , IN-YO , IN-YO!
‘ cried Sensei Yosa.
Jack saw a flash of colour as her horse thundered by, the steed snorting under the exertion. An arrow howled through the air, whizzing past Jack and shattering the square wooden target beside his head with a loud
crack
!
The students rattled their quivers to signal their delight at Sensei Yosa’s extraordinary display of horsemanship and archery. Having let go of the reigns to nock, draw and shoot her arrows, she continued down the track, standing high in her saddle and guiding the horse with only her toes.
Approaching the next target at breakneck speed, she raised her bow and released her second arrow. This too hit the mark and the cedar wood exploded into several pieces.
She had only moments in which to prepare herself to draw a third and final time, her stallion galloping past the target just as she launched her final arrow. With a hard
bang
, it struck the very centre of the mark, snapping it in two.
Her students shook their quivers and applauded even louder.
Sensei Yosa turned her steed on the spot and cantered back up the archery course. Situated in the picturesque wooded grounds of the ancient Kamigamo Shinto shrine, it was a purpose-made track with ropes down either side and three head height wooden targets in a line.
Jack and the others had been back at school just over a month when Sensei Yosa had announced that her
kyujutsu
class was competent enough to begin training in
kisha
, the art of shooting arrows from horseback. That morning they had gathered at the school’s stables, bows and arrows in hand, to select five horses for the lesson. From there, they’d made their way to the northern district of Kyoto where the Kamigamo shrine was located.
Sensei Yosa drew up her horse beside the group of
bokken
.
He stopped his wooden sword short. Yamato felt the blade upon him.
‘You just lost your head,’ said Kazuki.
There was a moment of awed silence before the students cheered Kazuki’s consummate skill. A single attack and Yamato had been defeated.
Jack ran over as Yamato removed his blindfold. Disappointment was etched in his face and a dark red bruise was forming where Nobu had hit him with the
tonfa
.
‘That was very impressive, though,’ added Kazuki with sincerity. ‘I expected you to be knocked down first time. You may have lost the match, but you’ve earned my respect.’
Kazuki bowed.
Then, with a grin, he turned to Jack. ‘I’m looking forward to claiming my prize.’
Kazuki strode off.
‘Sorry,’ said Yamato, unable to meet Jack’s gaze.
‘Don’t be,’ replied Jack. Even though Kazuki’s threat now hung over him like a guillotine, he knew his friend had done his best. In fact, better than anyone would have imagined. ‘You beat four of them. Everyone’s talking about it.’
‘But I lost,’ he sighed. ‘That’s what they’ll remember. There’s no glory in coming second.’
‘It’s not what I’ll remember,’ replied Jack. ‘I’ll remember a friend fighting for me and for honour.’
Yamato attempted a smile, but he was inconsolable. His chance to prove his worth had slipped through his fingers. And now, as Masamoto approached, Jack saw the weight of failure hang heavy on Yamato’s shoulders. Yamato dropped into a bow and awaited his father’s verdict.
Masamoto studied his son, an austere expression on his face.
‘Yamato-kun, you lasted far longer than I predicted. But you let Kazuki outwit you. By telling you where he was, he also knew where you would attack. That was your mistake.’
‘Yes, Father,’ mumbled Yamato.
Jack knew his friend was needing more than a lesson in combat. He needed to know his father accepted him whatever the outcome.
Masamoto turned to go. ‘Once your talent for the
bō
translates to the
katana
, you’ll be as fine a swordsman as Tenno was.’
14
YABUSAME
‘
IN-YO , IN-YO , IN-YO!
‘ cried Sensei Yosa.
Jack saw a flash of colour as her horse thundered by, the steed snorting under the exertion. An arrow howled through the air, whizzing past Jack and shattering the square wooden target beside his head with a loud
crack
!
The students rattled their quivers to signal their delight at Sensei Yosa’s extraordinary display of horsemanship and archery. Having let go of the reigns to nock, draw and shoot her arrows, she continued down the track, standing high in her saddle and guiding the horse with only her toes.
Approaching the next target at breakneck speed, she raised her bow and released her second arrow. This too hit the mark and the cedar wood exploded into several pieces.
She had only moments in which to prepare herself to draw a third and final time, her stallion galloping past the target just as she launched her final arrow. With a hard
bang
, it struck the very centre of the mark, snapping it in two.
Her students shook their quivers and applauded even louder.
Sensei Yosa turned her steed on the spot and cantered back up the archery course. Situated in the picturesque wooded grounds of the ancient Kamigamo Shinto shrine, it was a purpose-made track with ropes down either side and three head height wooden targets in a line.
Jack and the others had been back at school just over a month when Sensei Yosa had announced that her
kyujutsu
class was competent enough to begin training in
kisha
, the art of shooting arrows from horseback. That morning they had gathered at the school’s stables, bows and arrows in hand, to select five horses for the lesson. From there, they’d made their way to the northern district of Kyoto where the Kamigamo shrine was located.
Sensei Yosa drew up her horse beside the group of
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