A/N: This story has been nagging at my head for a while, so I decided to give writing a go. English isn't my first language, so feel free to let me know of any mistakes you see. Don't be shy to provide any constructive criticism or feedback.

Peonies represent royalty, honor, and wealth. They have been said to bloom every spring even after a century, without fail. The most beautiful of these flowers are the ruby reds, the color most symbolic of its strength and vitality.

Dearest Father,

I know you have taught me to have nothing but honor and self-respect, but I fear I do not have a choice. Beneath my pillow is money that should be plenty for you to visit a doctor and seek treatment; please take care of your ailing health. Forgive me for being the disobedient daughter that I am.

Tenten

Tenten looked at her father's sleeping figure one last time, before grabbing her bag and heading out onto the streets. She passed by her family's weapon shop, and didn't spare it even so much a glance in fear she changes her mind. Two weeks ago, a messenger from the royal court placed fliers throughout their village, claiming that the palace was in need of caretakers. Many of the young girls thought it was a scam at first, until one desperate individual came back with enough money that could last one a decade should he or she spend it wisely. Scam or not, many young unmarried girls rushed to sign up while some were forcibly sold away by their families. Not everyone managed to return home with golds and riches, as some were sent home because they were told they weren't beautiful or slim enough. The more fortunate ones were told that they had two weeks to prepare to leave for Forbidden City by carriages. Daughters were often commodities to be wedded off to relieve their families of a burden; if they were beautiful or particularly talented at embroidery then they could hope to marry into a rich and powerful family.

Tenten sighed, shifting her bag further up her shoulder. Her and her father were a pair that traveled all throughout of China selling hand-crafted weapons, until they decided to settle down in Xi'an and open a store. They quickly became friendly with their neighbors and folks, and even helped out with the occasional odd jobs. The old lady who sold fresh produce during the warm months at the market had hip problems, so every day and night Tenten or her father would help her set up and dismantle her stand. To thank them, she'd save a bag of fresh persimmons or bok choy every week. Last year though, her father's old age finally caught up to him, leaving him weaker and weaker by the day. Light coughs turned into sore throats, and before long he started to hack up blood every week. No herbal concoction eased his condition, and while they made enough to live, they hardly had anywhere near enough to afford a doctor and receive regular treatment. So when she had a chance, Tenten quietly went to sign up and was pleased that she was just pleasing enough to be brought to palace. She made sure that her father never caught sight of the money. Becoming a maid or worker of the palace was hardly a shameful job, but young girls there often became consorts or concubines. To many, becoming a concubine to a rich man was better than being married to a poor person, but her father disagreed and raised her to be an independent person. One may say that it could be because her family had no sons but regardless, Tenten couldn't bear to see her father suffer.

The sun was just barely peeking over the mountains, but some of the local folks were already out and about preparing for the day. Merchants and vendors laid out the best of their products, while small restaurant owners began to brew tea. So long as one had two functioning hands and feet, there was work to be done every day. Now is usually the time when her father wakes up, and Tenten wondered what would be his reaction when he reads her letter. Would he throw a fit for my bold behavior? Or maybe he already anticipated this?

Off in the distance, Tenten could see a small crowd of about ten young girls standing near a row of horse carriages. The same messenger who came to their village two weeks ago was standing there, taking roll as the girls hopped on one at a time. He looked every bit the type these girls hoped to achieve; unlike the village girls, he was fully dressed in purple robes with a silver sash tied around his waist. She paced herself a little faster to join the crowd, and spoke in confirmation when her name was yelled. She sat down on a corner with her knees tucked underneath her chin, and looked up when something caught her eye. A girl around her age sat down next to her, but the most unusual thing was her hair color. It was pink. Unsure whether the girl was in the mood to talk or not, Tenten quietly whispered, "Hello."

The pink-haired girl looked surprised, but was quick to smile and greeted back. "I was so worried that no one would talk to me," she said, "but it seems that it was for naught. I've already found a friend! What's your name? Mine is Haruno Sakura."

Tenten perked up, and quietly responded, "Yang Tenten. I don't know anyone else here, so it sure would be nice to be friends. May I ask why you're here, if you don't mind?"

"It's fine. My family is poor, and I turned 19 this past spring, which is already much too old for a single woman. They're hoping that I will be fortunate enough to at the very least find and marry a scholar, if not attract an official or wealthy heir."

At this, all the women in the carriage turned their attention towards Sakura. Some gave withering looks while others offered empathetic glances—most were in the same boat here. Stories of the drama and jealousy among the ladies in court weren't uncommon. Any bit of affection and attention received from a noble was a leg up on the other girls; it didn't matter if he already had four wives. Mistresses and wives often clashed, and the more ruthless cases would even result in death. Even the maids were dangerous, as they too had the potential to bear sons. Perhaps women didn't fight with blades and fists, but Tenten would rather take that than go to bed every night with the lurking promise of not being able to wake up the next day. She tried to lighten the situation, and laughed, "Oh, my big mouth. Sorry, I didn't sleep so well last night, don't mind us."

At this, everyone else shrugged and went back to minding their own businesses as the last of the girls got on. Sakura sheepishly smiled, and thanked her for the smooth save. "I'm actually also going to look for an old patient. My father's an apothecary, and a few months ago we found a wounded young man by the woods. We tried to nurse him back to good health, but he left after the third night while leaving a letter behind. No one in my family could read, and it wouldn't have mattered until we found a gold medallion on the bed he slept. The medallion is either his or he stole it, but no man who knows how to read and write would be a thief. I'm hoping that I can return it back to him," she whispered. The wind was starting to pick up as they neared Taixing Mountains. Sakura shivered, curling to conserve as much warmth to herself as she can.

Tenten was amazed by the girl's kindness, and responded, "I sure hope you'll find him too." She reached into her bag and gave the pink-haired a blouse. Traveling frequently always made her pack for all sorts of situations. "Where are you from? Your features are rather...distinct."

Sakura accepted the blouse gratefully and said, "Oh, everyone always comments on my hair color. It might be a characteristic of one of my great-grandparents, but I'm not too sure. Both of my parents have black hair. My family originated a little further south in Wuhan; I traveled up all the way here with my brother. How about you?"

"I spent the first fourteen years of my childhood in Guangzhou, but over the years we traveled further up north until my father and I finally settled in Xi'an. My father's a traveling merchant, selling hand-crafted weapons. Small local fights happen frequently, especially by the borders. I wish we could be down in Guangzhou around this time where the weather is incredibly gorgeous."

Sakura's interest piqued at her mention of traveling. "I've never left my village until recently. Won't you tell me more about your travels?" she asked with her eyes completely fixated on Tenten, who noticed that even her eye color was unique. It's green as jade.

Tenten nodded, at the promise that the pink-haired girl would be absolutely quiet and not attract attention from the other girls. "I'll be as a cicada in the winter!" The two giggled lightly and as promised, Sakura listened quietly as Tenten whispered of the many places and people she has met. They didn't even notice that one by one around them, the girls dozed off to sleep. The two of them had too much energy and were equally excited at the prospect of a newfound friend. It wasn't until when the sun had finally set that they called it a night, gathering their energy for the remaining four-day long travel to Beijing.

There was no mistake that ahead of them was the Forbidden City, as they approached the imposing red brick wall that seemed to span for miles. The girls beside them pointed in awe as the carriage pulled in past the Meridian Gate and into a large courtyard. Most of the houses Tenten has ever seen were typically made with shoddy mud brick walls topped with tightly woven straw or grass, but here— steps led up to a white marble terrace with red columns supporting a double-tiered golden roof that spoke of nothing less than wealth. The carriages came to a halt as two men and a middle-aged woman stepped out onto the terrace. Tenten stepped off of the carriage and bowed towards them. The stout one of the two men signalled for them to rise. "Welcome to the imperial palace. We understand your excitement to be here, but it is my duty to remind you all of why you're here: to serve our nobles and royal family. Nothing short of utmost respect and obedience will be tolerated, and you shall be considered lucky if you're only kicked out of the palace if otherwise. Huawei over here will be overseeing your daily routines and tasks at the west harem. There's another group of girls who just arrived as well. She'll lead you there," he said, gesturing towards the woman. Her appearance wasn't spectacular by any means, but her expression was all sharp and serious, as if waiting for one of us to commit something worthy of her scolding. Huawei turned around, and said, "Follow me. You'll be staying at the harem unless otherwise told."

One wouldn't have thought the palace could have looked any more impressive on the inside, but it did. Jade and turquoise adorned every nook and cranny available, and the hands of the nobles they passed by probably had more gold than an entire village combined. Rich bastards.

The girls were equally shameless. Tenten crinkled her nose in second-hand embarrassment as the girls around her cooed and pitched their voices, trying their hand at flirtatious advances on any guy silly enough to pay them a second of attention. If this goes exactly as she has planned, she can live a comfortable as concubines do and occasionally send money home without having to perform any favors or services. Just attract as little attention as possible and stay out of sight. You got this Tenten. The most of your worries will be having to find something to do to cure your boredom! A hand tugged at her sleeve and she looked up, seeing Sakura point at a guy sitting by a window. "He sure is a cute one, don't you think?" she asked. His dark hair was slightly untamed, small tufts sticking out in all sorts of directions. The most striking part of his appearance would be his eyes, which were currently red and black. He was arguing with someone in the room, though she couldn't see with who and about what given their distance. Tenten wasn't going to deny that he was attractive, but with his current attitude he just seemed like someone no good. "Going for guys like that will just leave you heartbroken," Tenten quietly said, and stopped as Huawei turned back to look at them. They stood in the center of a typical courtyard-styled complex. As the man before had said, a small group stood there awaiting for directions as well.

"This and the adjacent courtyard is where you'll be residing; there are twelve bedrooms. I don't care who it is but pick two roommates. Everyone wakes up at seven to perform daily cleaning duties. Breakfast will be made by the kitchen staff at strictly ten in the morning, lunch at two, and dinner at seven, and you'll be expected to deliver and collect some of these meals. I'll let you know who you're each assigned to later. You may be requested to draw baths or other tasks; do not be rude or you'll hear from me," she said, reaching for the bamboo cane lain on top of the stone table. "The rooms are ready with clothes and blankets. You are free to do whatever it is you deem appropriate in your spare time, so long as you stay out of trouble. I have other matters to attend shortly, so take this time to settle in."

Tenten bowed as the older woman left, leaving the lot of them to their devices. She turned her head towards Sakura and gave her a small smile. "Lucky for us that we already have each other. Do you have anyone else in mind?" Sakura nodded and yelled at the blond girl whose right bangs covered a portion of her face. "Ino, it's been so long!"

She turned around and her face lit up immediately after recognizing the owner of the voice. Ino ran over to clasp Sakura's hands and said, "How have you been? Actually, let's settle down in a room first before we start talking; I'm exhausted!" The blond turned her attention towards Tenten. "Is this your friend? I'm Yamanaka Ino, nice to meet you! You have the most luscious black hair I've ever seen, do let me style it later." Tenten lightly laughed, already anticipating a chatty roommate. She pointed at the corner room and said, "How about that room over there? It'll give us a bit more privacy since it's the furthest away from plain sight." Well, truth be honest Tenten just wanted some place that seemed deserted to herself, and the corner room happened to be facing a garden she spotted before. The two saw no reason to object, and so they entered and arranged themselves—a bed, full closet, and vanity dresser to each. The clothes were fortunately color-coded such that they wouldn't be jumbled later on; the three easily decided that the green would go to Tenten while the pink and lavender went to Sakura and Ino respectively. They were simple ruquns: a straight-collared loose-sleeved overcoat would be worn on top of a white blouse, which is tucked into a long skirt that would be secured with a sash around the waist. On colder days, an extra thin overcoat could be worn over the entire outfit. Huawei stopped by their room some time later at night to notify them that the three were to rotate duties from the northern gate down.

"First thing I'll do tomorrow is introduce myself to good lookin'," Ino declared, as she placed her hair ornaments into a lacquered box. As if she had telepathic abilities, Sakura beamed. "You saw the guy with the spiky black hair too? Do you suppose he frequents or even lives on the palace grounds? I'd better visit the temple sometime soon to thank for my good fortune if he does!" Tenten chuckled at their shared enthusiasm, and remembered Sakura's earlier statement. "Oh yeah, did you two know each other before? How did you meet?"

Sakura said, "We grew up in the same village! Her parents grew flowers in the fields next to my family's, but she moved away when her dad managed to find work in the city. At first he'd send money home every month, but it grew to be a hassle so their whole family just moved to the city with him. I didn't think I would run into her again but Ino's always said that she wanted to be a princess. I suppose working for them is the closest a girl can get to achieving such a dream." Ino laughed alongside and said, "I haven't quite given up yet! When the day comes that I become rich and famous you'll be the first person I think of for my lady-in-waiting." The two spent the rest of the night reminiscing old days, how Ino's grandmother made the most delicious black sesame pudding and the two of them plucking lychees from their neighbors' trees. Apparently the two were at the top of their elementary school class but unfortunately had to quit because tuition was expensive and the nearest middle school was too far away. Tenten shared her own travel stories too, how she befriended a tiger and named her Meimei when her and her father were near Fujian. Unfortunately they had to leave after two years, but Meimei was the closest she had to a companion as she grew up with no siblings. 'We can fix that,' Ino said, bringing smiles to all. If there was any room off to a great start, it'd be theirs.

Ino and Sakura passed out from exhaustion before they could even draw their own baths, leaving Tenten to her own thoughts. Ino was definitely the loudest and the most strikingly beautiful one in the room and although she could be quite forward in her language, she wasn't obnoxious. Sakura has been pleasant since the first day they've met, although Tenten's not going to lie and say she wasn't overly eager at times. The brunette wasn't ready to retire for the night just yet, so she reached underneath her pillow where she hid her writing kit and stared out at the empty garden where she was granted a perfect view of the moon. A single flame crackled quietly on her dresser. Such a gentle autumn night, so quiet without the singing of the summer cicadas and the howling winter winds. With not much else to do, she began to write.

Dearest Father,

Though this letter may not find you, I wish to write to inform you that my first day in Forbidden City has gone quite well. Have you seen a doctor yet? Much has happened in one day, but I am most glad for my two newfound friends. They're both from Wuhan; have we ever traveled near there? But first, let me tell you...