[KAORU DOES INDEED PASS THE SERVANT and the servant is one of the closest people to him when Sen gets nabbed, which sure isn't a coincidence. The hand that had been rising up in a wave - one filled with nervous tension, because yep, that statement back then sure had been ominous - is snatched up by the wrist before he understands what's happening. Sen disappears behind the shoji screens and then there's Sen's voice - someone else's voice, an unpleasant voice, a voice he dislikes saying such strange things, but...
Oh.
If he looks at it like that, it does make sense, doesn't it? But he doesn't even have time to be mortified over the fact that he had been talking to the Princess of Yase the entire time, that he had been trying to relay messages to her through... herself.
He doesn't have time for it because he's only been here for half of the years that he'll eventually end up trapped, but he already knows the ins and outs of this clan. He understands exactly why they're so disdainful of his body, why they force him into pretty kimonos and brush his hair until it's soft. It's something that he wouldn't - couldn't - wish on anyone else. Especially not someone who risked her life to extend an olive branch, because surely Sen of all people would understand what it meant to enter this compound unguarded.
Kaoru has been trained over the years by way of habit to keep his head low when the family starts acting up. It's better for someone else to be the target of their ire; that's the lesson that he's begun to learn. But now... turning his back on the woman who had tried to extend a hand to him touches at the gentleness he's beginning to shed, and he finds his body moving before his mind has a say.
He may be small and somewhat weak as far as demons go, but he's still quite fast. Pivoting on his heel, he reels his fist back and whops the servant straight in the jaw in a very unladylike-manner, dashing off toward the shoji as soon as he's freed. He can hear the sound of footsteps behind him rushing to catch up, but it only fuels his desperation so that he all but bowls through the doors once he reaches them. His fingers scramble desperately for the seam, to try prying the wood apart, but whoever is holding it on the other side is much too strong and he's reduced to slamming his hands against it. He succeeds in puncturing the paper, but his grasping hand is easily avoided and only there for a few seconds before vanishing as he's roughly pulled away by the waist. The servants are enough to act as a barrier he can't get around, though he's striking out at them wildly and with perhaps a little too much anger than what would be required for the situation.]
Princess— Princess Sen!! [In his panic, his voice loses its grace and softness.] I'm so sorry - I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen—!
[Because she came all this way to speak to him, so he must be the one at fault.
Before he can say anything else, new sets of footsteps are joining the first and Kaoru's mouth goes dry before he even turns to look. Of course a ruckus like this would be enough to draw them out - those people - those awful people that he hates—
And his conscious thought ends there, briefly, because he doesn't even manage to turn all the way before a fist solidly connects with his stomach. The hit is hard enough to send him into the next wall over with a short scream, and he drops to the floor, arms wrapping instinctively around his middle.
Shut up, you miserable brat! And you two - don't stand around so uselessly!
There's the clan head himself, though he doesn't spare much time for either Kaoru or Sen, barking out precise orders instead.
You - take this useless kid back to the room. We have a more important guest to attend to.
There's an unpleasant wheezing noise and a wet-sounding cough. Kaoru can't speak up well just yet, but still struggles.]
Wait— You can't - that's— [YOU GUYS CAN'T JUST KIDNAP A PRINCESS WHAT THE HECK except that's apparently exactly what they plan on doing... Beyond her own struggle, Sen might hear as someone beyond the door strikes Kaoru again, as he hits the floor, and then silence with the exception of the soft sound of cloth dragging against wood that grows quieter and quieter as its source moves away.]
no subject
Oh.
If he looks at it like that, it does make sense, doesn't it? But he doesn't even have time to be mortified over the fact that he had been talking to the Princess of Yase the entire time, that he had been trying to relay messages to her through... herself.
He doesn't have time for it because he's only been here for half of the years that he'll eventually end up trapped, but he already knows the ins and outs of this clan. He understands exactly why they're so disdainful of his body, why they force him into pretty kimonos and brush his hair until it's soft. It's something that he wouldn't - couldn't - wish on anyone else. Especially not someone who risked her life to extend an olive branch, because surely Sen of all people would understand what it meant to enter this compound unguarded.
Kaoru has been trained over the years by way of habit to keep his head low when the family starts acting up. It's better for someone else to be the target of their ire; that's the lesson that he's begun to learn. But now... turning his back on the woman who had tried to extend a hand to him touches at the gentleness he's beginning to shed, and he finds his body moving before his mind has a say.
He may be small and somewhat weak as far as demons go, but he's still quite fast. Pivoting on his heel, he reels his fist back and whops the servant straight in the jaw in a very unladylike-manner, dashing off toward the shoji as soon as he's freed. He can hear the sound of footsteps behind him rushing to catch up, but it only fuels his desperation so that he all but bowls through the doors once he reaches them. His fingers scramble desperately for the seam, to try prying the wood apart, but whoever is holding it on the other side is much too strong and he's reduced to slamming his hands against it. He succeeds in puncturing the paper, but his grasping hand is easily avoided and only there for a few seconds before vanishing as he's roughly pulled away by the waist. The servants are enough to act as a barrier he can't get around, though he's striking out at them wildly and with perhaps a little too much anger than what would be required for the situation.]
Princess— Princess Sen!! [In his panic, his voice loses its grace and softness.] I'm so sorry - I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen—!
[Because she came all this way to speak to him, so he must be the one at fault.
Before he can say anything else, new sets of footsteps are joining the first and Kaoru's mouth goes dry before he even turns to look. Of course a ruckus like this would be enough to draw them out - those people - those awful people that he hates—
And his conscious thought ends there, briefly, because he doesn't even manage to turn all the way before a fist solidly connects with his stomach. The hit is hard enough to send him into the next wall over with a short scream, and he drops to the floor, arms wrapping instinctively around his middle.
Shut up, you miserable brat! And you two - don't stand around so uselessly!
There's the clan head himself, though he doesn't spare much time for either Kaoru or Sen, barking out precise orders instead.
You - take this useless kid back to the room. We have a more important guest to attend to.
There's an unpleasant wheezing noise and a wet-sounding cough. Kaoru can't speak up well just yet, but still struggles.]
Wait— You can't - that's— [YOU GUYS CAN'T JUST KIDNAP A PRINCESS WHAT THE HECK except that's apparently exactly what they plan on doing... Beyond her own struggle, Sen might hear as someone beyond the door strikes Kaoru again, as he hits the floor, and then silence with the exception of the soft sound of cloth dragging against wood that grows quieter and quieter as its source moves away.]