31—Taking Up the BladeI stumbled down from Lady Chiyome’s apartment, tears and memories leaving me blind, and so I walked into the Little Brothers at the bottom of the stairs. The larger one gave me his customary blank look, and then turned back to face the entrances—the front door and the door to the kitchen.
The other Little Brother smiled. From behind his enormously wide back, he drew two bound bundles of bamboo. Each of the bundles was slightly curved, and seemed to have a handle at one end.
“Swords,” I whispered.
“Practice swords,” said the Little Brother with a nod and another grin. “Since you are now an initiate, it is time for your proper training to begin.”
When the Little Brother held out one of the swords, however, I stood there frozen like river-grass in winter. “Murasaki-s
