Mei’nin’sa held the final note longer than normal and Tejara held her breath until it ended. Despite the melancholic tone of the song, Mei’nin’sa was grinning cheekily, “how was it?”
Tejara held her hands out towards Mei’nin’sa. With a soft expression, Mei’nin’sa took Tejara’s hands in both of hers and slowly sank to her knees across from Tejara. Tejara brought Mei’nin’sa’s hands up to her mouth and reverently kissed her knuckles.
After a light cough to clear her throat, Mei’nin’sa said, “would the young lord be willing to do what this lowly courtesan wants to do next?”
Tejara lifted her head, the words ‘of course’ already on her lips but before she could speak them the words were stolen away by a kiss.
Tejara’s wine cup was fully knocked over as Mei’nin’sa crawled over the short table to deposit herself in Tejara’s lap. Tejara tried to catch the falling cup and only succeeded in knocking it farther away. She tried to reach for it but Mei’nin’sa caught the escaping hand and placed it on her breast. As Mei’nin’sa started to kiss along Tejara’s jaw and down her neck, Tejara finally melted into the floor and went along with Mei’nin’sa’s flow.
But just as Tejara started to slide Mei’nin’sa’s top down off her shoulders, the door opened.
The matron stepped inside the room, a sheepish looking Val’lin’r hovering in the hallway behind her. She scowled, “I’ve said it to you two before and I’ll say it again; this relationship cannot continue.”
“Madam Minn!” Mei’nin’sa stood up from Tejara’s lap and pulled her top back up as she spoke, “I am with a paying customer, I hardly think-”
The matron snorted, “your ‘paying customer’ is right behind me.” She pointed over her shoulder at Val’lin’r and he shrunk away. “Now, imagine my surprise when I, knowing that you were supposed to be with the young lord, went to see our physician Keh’dor’rin to get some medicine for a terrible headache only to find Val’lin’r... distracting him.” If Val’lin’r wasn’t red before he was red now. Mei’nin’sa scoffed and a rare expression of anger started to twist her features. “Keh doesn’t belong to you, he can do whatever he wants. And Val can spend his money in any way he wants! He paid for TeTe to have this time, you shouldn’t barge in!”
Tejara slowly stood up and stood beside Mei’nin’sa with her head bowed in contrition. Sweat poured down her back as she tried not to look anyone in the eye. Madam Minn wouldn’t kick Mei’nin’sa out but Tejara had no such guarantees. She couldn’t back up Mei’nin’sa and risk Madam Minn deciding to get rid of her and leave her once again without food and shelter... and worse still... leave her unable to see Mei’nin’sa at all.
“You’re right. I don’t own Keh’dor’rin... but I do own you... And you are not allowed to continue this relationship. Tejara!” Tejara flinched as her name was called. She glanced at Madam Minn through her eyelashes, not raising her head, “I’m rejecting your request for a half day of leave. Get back to work.”
Tejara responded with a jerky nod and rushed out the door, exchanging apologetic looks with Val’lin’r on her way down the hall.
