She wasn't in her room when I went after her. She's lost in the maze or... I gambled and went searching through the halls and was not disappointed. She paused as she went past the bathhouse and I saw her head tilt. At this time of night... let's see what she does.
I slowly approached as she peeked in and instantly turned pink before closing the door and backing away. She ran right into me and I clenched my jaw as I only hardened more. I want... but... "Sorry, I..."
She sounded extremely uncomfortable and she looked horrified when she turned to face me. How can she be this shy after just saying... "What are you doing?"
Her face kept getting redder as she glanced around. "Noth-" I smirked when a woman's voice interrupted her, turning her several shades darker. She saw and looked away, speaking under her breath. "Curiosity got me..."
She retreated as I got closer only to hit the wall. "What were you curious about?"
Again, I was leaving myself wide open for attack as I placed a hand above her and got even closer. She couldn't meet my gaze. "Nothing now."
Her breaths were shallow, eyes dilating when she yelped again and the man grunted. Well, it could have been a little more traumatizing... I stopped with my lips hovering just above hers. "Are you sure you're still not curious?"
She was damn near panic as I trailed my finger down her neck, her heart was racing and it only made me want her more. Her eyes were darting along the halls, anywhere except my face. Until she didn't find what she was looking for. "Please step back."
She sounded as though she was struggling with herself and I wanted, needed her to give in. I frowned. No... I'm still riding the high from earlier. I moved my hand realizing how it looked, I had her trapped. I wanted her to come to me on her own, just like she did that man. "Why are you fighting me?"
She blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
My frown deepened. Can't just say I saw her selling herself... "Most girls would have happily been with me by now." I said it as casually as she admitted her transgressions earlier and she swung as rage crossed her features. I caught her wrist and slammed it against the wall, instant regret. Shit... "I didn't mean it like that."
She didn't give any indication I was hurting her and any embarrassment vanished as she met my gaze. "It doesn't matter what you meant. Let me go now."
She was pissed and I gulped as I did so, backing up to give her space. I saw her eyes glisten as she stormed away rubbing her wrist. I didn't mean... I watched her go, now disgusted from the sounds leaking into the halls.
I sighed in frustration and went back to my own room. I hurt her, not just physically, but her feelings as well. That was never my intention and yet... I rubbed my face. She hurt me unintentionally... I knew what I was suggesting was wrong.
I paced the floor, disgusted with myself. I knew better than to bring her in this room of all places, then to provoke a response from her when she was clearly not comfortable. I heaved another sigh. I should apologize... I froze at the door. I'm probably the last person she wants anywhere near her room right now.
I ran my hand through my hair. Why was this so hard? Kaida flashed through my mind, hair creating the perfect shield around her as she avoided me, unaware. I still can't be sure. Her words and reactions are not adding up.
She said she had been with many men... or didn't quite deny it. Yet, when faced with the prospect of coming into my room, I had to anger her. She didn't seem to mind when I was actually bare chested in front of her, but looked away when I disrobed. She was embarrassed when she went spying and it only got worse as I teased her, but went into an instant rage when I suggested she give in.
She even said she was never forced to be with those men, just wasn't interested. I needed to figure this out and sat on my bed head in my hands as my elbows rested on my thighs. Cho... if it was her she was clearly seducing the man to get him alone when I interfered. We went searching for her to find him dead and her nowhere in sight.
She wasn't interested, so... His death was ruled a heart attack from medicine. It was found on his person, but... if I remembered correctly he wasn't all that old. I know sometimes younger men struggled, but still. I've never even kissed the girl and I could keep going for days if given the chance.
I lifted my head, trying to piece everything together. Assuming he didn't actually take anything, it was still found in the drug reports...
Kaida was someone who killed others, if given reason. I never looked into the man, satisfied with his death, but if he was a threat to the princess then his life was hers to claim. But how?
I watched her offer him a dumpling from her teeth and kissed him, ensuring he ate it all. Possibly distract him from tasting poison? I remembered her tasting everything served tonight before actually eating. Then, a young girl tasting the princess's food as her mother explained she learned and had the antidotes to poisons.
If what she said held true... no, she wasn't interested in money or sex. She wanted him dead in the inconspicuous way possible. A man's heart giving out in the heat of passion or from drugs that would prolong it in a brothel... no one would question it.
That's why she had to get him away... if the drug took effect before she could then he could have been saved or denied taking anything at all. She would have been caught and I was prolonging her departure, that's why she glared at me. No one could remember anything about her except her hair, that covered her face and body for the most part.
Now, it began to make sense and only made me feel worse. What manner of person had she become to do that? Who made her commit such acts? My mind could only come to one conclusion... Homura, the current empress of Shu. I had never heard of the Heavenly Trio until she came into power. Rumors of a majestic handmaiden gracing men with her company only to vanish were nonexistent.
That woman knew of our arrangement and blatantly denied me my introductions, but even worse, that she even existed. My clenched my fists, beginning form a plan. I need that woman dead, she was causing too much harm to the girl I loved. Good thing she is making it almost too easy. She will be here soon after all.
