Rebecca knew exactly how fantastic the turkey leg was going to taste. Bela the groundskeeper brought the unusually plump bird in early in the week, and Magda the housekeeper had labored days preparing, seasoning and roasting it to perfection. Rebecca had fasted three days in preparation for the test, and her stomach growled, anxious for her mouth to devour the meat.
She was tied to a chair, blindfolded. It was the third time she'd taken this test: eating the turkey leg by levitating it to her mouth and holding it in place. Each time, the aroma and the anticipation broke her concentration and the food she was working with fell to the floor. She wanted this to succeed for so many reasons, not just because it would signal the end of her apprenticeship, but because she loved Magda's roast turkey.
"Unless you master yourself, you cannot use the powers of heaven and earth on your own safely. They will always master you if you cannot master yourself first. When you master yourself, all will be open to you, and there will be no secrets." The Master was sitting nearby, silently smoking his pipe, but the words from his first lecture echoed in her ears again. She could see the lines of power around her target, writhing and surging, but they would not behave for her, the turkey leg rotating slowly on two axis and wobbling slightly. A little sweat formed on her upper lip as she tried to concentrate harder.
Then, the solution came to her. She invested only enough power to keep the turkey leg in the air and focused most of her attention on her own body and what it was doing, stroking the tendrils of deep hunger and anticipation until they stopped writhing wildly in desire. Her appetite didn't want to behave at first, and resisted her attempt to overpower it, but when she relaxed, it subsided and didn't bother her any longer. The hunger pains disappeared and her mouth stopped salivating ridiculously. Coming to inner balance, she found it almost child's play to guide the meat to her mouth. Ignoring the desire to tear into the luscious food like an animal, she kept her control as she took small, careful bites and chewed her food slowly before swallowing. She found she could detach a little bit of her senses to enjoy the superb flavor, and before long she'd eaten all the meat and sent the remains over to the dog in the corner.
The blindfold was removed and her hands unbound. The Master gave her a rare, broad smile: "Excellent, Rebecca. I was worried for a while, but I knew you could do it. Someday." He took her hand and guided her to the table set next to the kitchen fire. "Let's finish our supper and then we'll look ahead to the last test."
"The Vigil," she replied, gloomily.
"Yes. But we talk about it after supper. You need to eat, and will need to rest. I have one more lesson for you after supper, and then you can get ready for the Vigil at your own pace."
The table was laden with many good things, fine dishes that complemented the turkey, and a bottle of light red wine that accompanied everything perfectly. The Master was in an unusually jovial mood, making small talk and jesting unlike before in their relationship. He seemed more relieved at her success than she did, and she felt a huge burden lifted from her shoulders with her success. Her thoughts drifted to the last test: a mystery that no one every spoke or wrote of, a test that could only be taken once, and failure could cost her life.
He noticed and kept her away from introspection. When they finished their meal, he banished the dishes and leftovers and beckoned her over to a floor length mirror in a corner of the kitchen. "I have something to show you. These are actions you've seen before, but I want you to look at the base relationship. It's important for your future, whether you attempt the Vigil or not."
They saw Bela and Magda's room. The servants were in their mid fifties, had been in the Master's service for decades. Magda told Rebecca once they had been together since they were in their teens, and their four children lived nearby with their own families. Several candles were lit while a fire glowed in the hearth, giving the room a soft orange hue, radiating gentle heat. What surprised Rebecca was the older couple was naked on their bed, making love. The Master watched impassively as they moved from one position to another, trying things as curious children at play, laughing, squirming and moving in harmony developed in long practice together. Rebecca knew what they were doing as well: the Master made sure she knew every sexual practice in her first year of study.
Magda moved between Bela's legs, bending over to put his cock in her mouth. "Tell me, Rebecca, what's the underlying reality expressed here? Most men require this of their women as a sign of submission."
