one.
—
Darkness had already blanketed the capital city before the end of the Rooster hour, and through the fluttering curtains, Tenten could see that the lanterns of the night marketplace were not yet lit. The gongs had already rung, and merchants would be closing up shop at this hour. Before long, banquets and teahouses would contribute to the nightlife of the capital. Soon enough, citizens would be trickling out of their homes to roam through the streets and the city would then come alive once more. But for now, she could barely see the outlines of the buildings and tall trees as they were pulled forward along the road.
Tenten felt a blast of cool winter air on her face through the open windows of the carriage. Beside her, she heard a gasp of delight. As she directed her gaze to her left, she found her courtesan-sister peering out the window, with the curtain halfway pulled back with her hands. Tenten held her tongue, making a decision not to admonish the younger girl; after all, Moegi had only turned thirteen earlier in the year, and this was probably the first time in quite some time that she'd seen something other than the walls of the Flower House or the temple. This newfound freedom must have excited her.
But she will learn soon enough that there is no such thing as freedom in this line of work, Tenten thought regretfully. She would let Moegi be a child for a little while longer if she could help it.
Of Plum Blossoms and Precious Jade was a NejiTen story I'd planned a while ago. It was originally set to feature Tenten, a popular courtesan in the capital city; and Neji, a young lord from one the Four Noble Houses. This story was never finished; it was barely even begun–but I wrote enough to post little snippets here and there. Will I ever finish it? Who knows?
(You may have seen some snippets already floating around on tumblr. I may make changes or post the same ones.)