Tejara did not hesitate when she reached the door to Mei’nin’sa’s room, she immediately hooked her fingers into the door handle and tried to yank it open, but something had been placed in the tracks blocking it from opening.
In the brief pause that followed her futile first attempt to get in, Tejara could hear the sounds within. Grunting, the slap of skin against skin, and muffled sobbing. Tejara took in a deep breath and with all the strength in her body and soul she forced the door open. There was a snap and a crack as the piece of wood blocking the sliding door broke in half.
Right in front of Tejara’s eyes was that slimy man, kneeling on the ground with his pants around his thighs. He pinned Mei’nin’sa down by her wrists. Her face was splotchy and red and streaked with tears when she turned it to the side and locked eyes with Tejara.
He turned to face Tejara too a snarl on his lips, “get out-”
Tejara stormed into the room. She grabbed him by the throat, dragging him away. He futilely tried to pry her fingers off his neck. His legs kicked uselessly as his pants were pulled further down as they were caught on the floor. She slammed him against the wall. “You-!” He barely managed to choke out before Tejara cocked her fist back and punched him in the nose. Two streams of blood instantly poured from his nostrils. He gasped. Tejara pulled her fist back again. She hit him a second time; this time in his left eye. His head snapped to the side. She readied her fist one more time, but it was grabbed by two small but rough hands, “stop!” Nai shouted in Tejara’s ear.
Without moving her eyes from him, Tejara snapped, “why?”
Nai stood on her tiptoes to bring her mouth closer to Tejara’s ear and said in a low but clear and sharp voice, “he’s the nephew of the King... if you don’t stop now, no one will be able to save you...”
Tejara took a deep breath... then lowered her fist slowly to her side. She shouldered past Nai, dragging the oh so important piece of shit out the door and down the stairs. He kicked and screamed insults and obscenities, attracting the attention of clients and courtesans alike. They peeked out of rooms, whispering and pointing and laughing but Tejara kept dragging him until finally she reached the front door where she threw him out onto the main road with his pants around his ankles. Passerbys stopped to stare and his whole head and neck turned bright crimson. Tejara didn’t wait to see what he would do, she turned around and walked right back in.
Courtesans and clients still stood around whispering but none made a move to ask her any questions or block her path back to Mei’nin’sa’s room.
Mei’nin’sa was still on the floor of her room, sitting up. Nai knelt next to her, fussing over her bruises and disheveled clothes in whispered tones while Mei’nin’sa stared ahead with a blank face. Nai looked back when she heard Tejara come into the room. She stood and walked over with small, quick steps. “I need to tell Madam Minn what happened, stay with her,” she whispered Tejara didn’t stop, nod, or acknowledge Nai in any way, she just kept walking towards Mei’nin’sa.
She crouched in front of Mei’nin’sa but hesitated to touch her. Mei’nin’sa collapsed into her chest. Startled, Tejara called out her name, “MeiMei!” thinking she had fainted. But Mei’nin’sa’s hands grasped onto the back of Tejara’s clothes and her shoulders began to shake with sobs. Tejara enveloped her in her embrace, squeezing gently, her own tears falling.
