Draguna Doragon here. I have a bit of a writers block, so I'm going to get rid of it by writing another Yautja fanfic, in hoping to get ideas for the other fics I have. Also, I quite like the idea behind this one, and intend to keep this own going too. It's a romance, of course, and involved our favourite predators out there, the Yautja!
Right, hope you like it! Now, on with the fic!
"Princess! Princess! Stop right this second!!"
"No way!"
"Catch us if you can!" A young girl squealed with mirth, and another one just beamed after the other. Their Nanny however, couldn't find anything remotely amusing about chasing a young 5 year old and 6 year old around the largest palace in the 4th civil galaxies. Especially, on the one day the young princesses really, REALLY needed to be on their best behaviour.
And skidding down the marble halls was not her idea of being on one's best behaviour.
"Princess Rosemary Rosalyn Requinas! Princess Riona Rosabella Requinas!" She bellowed just as they came to the head of the staircase, shining, polished and made of the finest cream white marble and gold. "Come here this instant!"
"WEEEEEE!" They both yelled with joy.
"NO!" The royal Nanny ran forward, arms outstretched for the young mistresses, but was alas, too late. Her young charges had jumped onto the arm of the glorious staircase, gotten her balance, and pushed themselves down it like a rollercoaster. The Nanny grabbed onto the banister, and watched in horror as the blur of chestnut brow, auburn, and white lace whizzed towards the welcoming hall.
oo0oo
It is finally time.
For hundreds of years, they have hunted us, like common pray, vermin. But recently, for the last decade anyway, they have seen our universal pacifism and pro-peace societies expand over the 4 kingdoms, the 4 galaxies…and they have stopped.
Whether they see us now as potential equals, or they are just bored of hunting defenceless pray now, this is still our perfect opportunity.
If I can breach the cultural and racial gap, open the door and form a bridge of friendship strong enough, an alliance may form…
…and it may be the greatest achievement for the monarchy and mankind, ever.
A Human-Yautja treaty would secure our safety and advancements in technology for millennia to come.
Think of it, the knowledge we could share, the cultural exchange, all the benefits…
It all rests on me…the King of all Men.
oo0oo
King Henry Requinas had been psyching himself up all week, for this moment.
He ran a shaking hand back through his dark blonde hair, waiting outside the main doors for the arrival of Jade Palace's 'special guest'.
And at last, 'he' arrived.
The royal guards parted, the trumpets and bugles sang, and the tension rose. You see, this isn't just any guest, but the King of all Yautja.
King Requinas' Yautja counterpart.
"Give me the word your highness, and our men will 'remove' him."
"That will not be necessary Chief. We are meeting on peaceful terms."
"Better safe than dead, sir." King Requinas only let his eyes stray to his left once, before looking squarely ahead again.
"I thought the saying was 'better safe than sorry'?"
And he saw him, the king, in all his mighty prowess. Walking down that ramp, coming from a still unseen ship in the sky, his head high, was the Yautja King. It was a stirring sight.
"Exactly, my lord. You don't get much more sorry, than dead." Requinas suppressed the need to whimper, as the intimidating 9 foot, fully armed and armoured in brilliantly polished gold and bronze plating, matched only in foreign finesse, but his billowing, shimmering silver white cloak. Yet as elegant as his attire was, as well as fierce beneath the outer layer, he wore a deep bronze mask with blue screens over his eyes, gold framing from his chin, up his faw line, and meeting again at the crown of his mask, over his hairline.
And four thick, golden wisps, feather like, etched each of his fathomless eyes.
Waist long, midnight black dread locks swayed behind him as he walked. The wind kicked up by his own ship chilled the air, and put the sway in his imperial blue cloak and gold bolted dread locks.
And he was getting ever closer, as the second sun caught on the golden rings in his hair, reflecting the light like an ambiance of omnipotence.
Requinas, as his heart beat quickened rapidly, could almost feel the warrior's aura of wisdom and cunning strength prickling the hairs on the back of his neck.
Yes, he could defiantly understand now the horror these creatures could invoke within their pray, with nothing by their sheer presence. Because he felt it right now.
Remember Henry, they respect courage, and detest fear.
Easier said than done.
Henry allowed himself one last deep breath, and bowed at the very moment the foreboding king stopped before him, on the top step to the palace.
No going back now.
"Welcome your highness, to my home." For good measure, Henry bowed yet again, only to see a very sharp, very brutal looking round metal cutting disc clasped to the Yautja king's belt, with an agile circular blade round the outer circumference, and 5 large finger holes within it.
Henry stood up again very quickly, his hands trembling behind his back and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Obviously the man beside him, the chief of palace security, saw the weapon partially concealed within the silver white cloak. He raised his plasma gun to the Yautja's King's head sternly.
"Excuse me, sire, but no weapons pass this point. You will have to relinquish any and all weapons here." The Chief repeated as if on autopilot, but his eyes held something dark.
Hatred?
The Yautja King cocked his head to one side, and clicked curiously at him.
Then, before King Henry could even hope to intervene, the Yautja had the Chief dangling in the air level with his 9 feet, by the hand he used to hold the plasma gun at the Warrior. The Chief's eyes were wide, and the Yautja King was clicking and growling something frightful, in Requinas' view.
Then, just like that, the Chief was dumped on his ass on the floor, to scramble to safety, leaving the two Kings to stand together.
Henry watched as his alien counterpart pressed a sequence of buttons on his ornate wrist guard, and froze as 'he' looked sharply at the Chief, who had barely gotten back to his feet.
"Do you intend to take them from me, Ooman?"
The voice was deep, accompanied by clicking, and crackling in places.
But it was English.
As Henry assessed the situation he saw the Chief make a nod to the pillars behind them, and quickly stood up to the universally nicknamed 'Predator'.
"This is a place of peace, not violence. I will have no weapons fired or blood spilled. My daughters are inside, remember that before you do anything rash, I beg of you." Henry was stern, and showed his authority perfectly. "Remember why we are here. Or I shall remind you."
His men backed down, and the Yautja King before him regarded him for a moment, before bowing respectfully.
"Yes, your highness." The Chief of security then made a nervous step forward. "B But the weapons, sire?"
"His majesty is a guest." He stated firmly. "And as such, has my complete trust and full hospitality in my home and land." Henry put on a brave smile, glad that was settled, and opened the doors to the welcoming hall. "Welcome to Jade Palace, my home, your highness. Know that you may stay here as long or as little as you wish."
"I assure you, Ooman." He glared around the surroundings once, and stepped inside. "That will not be long."
Back inside the palace.
"The Jade Palace has been in our family for years. My late wife and Queen of the 4 kingdoms has recently passed away this year, so I fear there is no one else for me to introduce to you in the royal family." He smiled, but jerked to a stop when the Yautja King, who's name he still didn't know, stopped dead in front of him. he craned his mighty head over his shoulder as he turned, and caught him in those blue eyes on his mask.
"Did you not say you had pups?"
"…pups?" he blinked twice, and then nodded with comprehension. "Ah, yes, you mean my daughters? Ah, yes. I have been graced with two darling daughters, that I have."
"…well?" Henry blinked at him, and narrowed his eyes with confusion. "Where are you pups?"
"They are with the Nanny. Did you wish to meet them?" His voice elevated a little too much.
Who would want their daughters to be greeted by such a…a…
Afraid his guest would get the wrong impression, hoping he already hadn't, Henry decided to explain. "You see, they are quite young. The eldest is but 6, the youngest 5. I am sure you wouldn't-"
"WEEEEE!"
"NO!"
"…oh no…"
Henry stared in horror, as his two most precious treasures in his kingdom, came whizzing down the grand staircase marble railings, at a rate that was so fast…that… "No!" Henry started forward, but was stunned in a swirl of silver white, and bronzed gold.
It was hard to believe, that such a large, heavily armoured creature, could move so swiftly, so elegantly, with such grace…
The Yautja King in a heart beat, was in the air, meeting the two royal daughters in mid turn, cradled them close to his chest, and landed softly. "Rosemary! Riona! Are you-"
"They are well." The Yautja king stood at his full 9 feet, one royal lacy white dress wearing daughter, spooned to his chest in each arm. "Are you not, pups?"
"Pups?" The Predator looked to the young girl in his left arm. She was probably the eldest, with long curly chestnut brown hair, the adorable ringlets bouncing with the movement of her head, as she cocked it to one side. Her big, innocent, naively brave, emerald eyes gazed up at him with awe, and curiosity.
"Yes, pups." He clattered, and bowed his head to her.
"I'm not a dog." she pouted cutely, in his view, and her father became very flustered.
The Yautja king had just bowed his head to his daughter, and she hadn't returned the gesture.
"Rosemary, b-"
"Is that your name? Rosemary?"
"Yes sir!" She giggled brightly, and became suddenly animated. "I'm Princess Rosemary Rosalyn Requinas." She said in one breath, and giggled. "But I like being called Rose, sir."
"Rose, that is much more humbling than Princess Rosemary, don't you think?" Henry felt quite faint. His two daughters were in the arms of a creature who up until recently, hunted and killed their kind.
And this particular Predator probably went on a lot more 'hunts' than the regular kind.
And he was holding his daughters.
"Well…I like it! It doesn't matter what it is, if I like it, I like it." She giggled again, and beamed up at him. "So please call me Rose, sir."
"And call me Riona!" He turned his head to the sudden addition to the conversation. The other young girl he had caught.
She had a short bob of auburn hair, the same bright emerald eyes, but with a little bit more…fear?
No, not fear. Shyness, maybe. She was still smiling up at him, and quite happily curled up in his arms with her sister.
"Riona?"
"Her name is Princess Riona Rosabella Requinas." Rose repeated. "Nanny taught us our full names. She is always yelling them."
"That's probably because you give her just cause to, with your constant shenanigans." Henry chuckled despite himself.
"Adventurous pups, are you?"
"We just like to have fun!" Riona giggled.
"And run around!"
"And play."
"And laugh."
"And draw."
"And sing and dance."
"I like dancing!"
"And me, me too!"
"And scraping!" Riona giggled with her arms flung out enthusiastically, only to cover her mouth with them quickly.
"Princess Riona Rosabella Requinas!" Henry chided.
"See, that's just how Nanny says it." Rose said, and their savvier trilled a laugh.
"You have lively pups. And they like to fight?"
"Scrap, your highness. They mean not what they say. Nor know whom they are saying it too." Henry gave them a warning glance.
But come on. Two little girls? Taking any notice of their push over father? When this strange man holding them seemed to like their behaviour?
Yeah…right.
"Nanny says that it's unladylike to scrap. But the boys from the 3rd kingdom scrap, all the time!" Rose stated matter-of-factly. Riona nodded her head and pointed at her sister.
"But you always tell Nanny to make them stop."
"That's because you end up fighting them and they keep hurting you!" Rose pointed right back.
"Nooooeerrr. Do not! I beat them up just as much!"
"But Papa says it's bad for us to fight."
"But they start it! They push me…"
"And you pushed them back, yes?" Both girls looked up at the royal Yautja, who was still quite content to hold them. "And you punished them for the insolence, yes?"
"She broke their nose." Rose blinked, and added. "And I kicked their ass."
"Rosemary! That is enough!" Henry sounded outraged, and was about to apologise, when the guest of honour laughed so loud, it echoed throughout the halls.
"Good! Good." He then looked to Rose. "You defended your sister." Then to Riona. "And you stood up for your honour." And finally, at last, to the worrying father. "I am pleased with your pups, Ooman. You can always tell what kind of a warrior you are dealing, by the way their pups are being raised." He looked back to them. "And they are very interesting indeed…5 and 6?"
"Yes, you highness." Henry relaxed. It seemed this event had bought him some credit with the guest. That would be good, for talking peace.
"Interesting. Two of my pups are close to that age. Boys, mind you." He then returned to looking at the girls, and noticed that Riona was reaching up at him.
Henry sweatdropped, and Rose watched her sister.
"Is that your face sir?"
"No, it's a mask."
"Can you take it off?" Rose also reached up.
"Well…"
"No he can't!" Henry remembered specifically being told never to ask any Yautja to remove any of his armour, especially his mask.
"Actually." The mighty warrior king clattered. "I think I will. for your pups seem to demand it. I see their desire in their jade eyes." He lowered his head, and allowed their delicate little hands to grab onto the edges of it. "If you pull, it shall come off. But do not drop it now, alright?"
"Yay!" He chuckled at them, and slowly, they removed his mask with a soft popping hiss.
Henry stood there, gawking and fear stricken, as he stared into the face of the King of all Yautja.
His face was cream in skin colour, mottled around the outline of his featured with dark brown high on his forehead and hair line, his neck also dark brown.
His fathomless eyes were just as fathomless as before, but deep amber.
Those thick midnight black dreadlocks were real, with golden rings and bolts in them.
And his mouth…had four mandibles tipped with pure white ivory tusks.
The upper two were smaller than the lower two, and moved with his expressions and voice.
Henry even took a weary step back, until he remembered that his children were still in his arms.
Rose is a brave girl, but not in this kind of situation. And Riona? Poor girl…
But to his surprise, Riona giggled.
"You're face is funny." Oh dear god no… Henry panicked, and prepared to apologise. But it didn't stop. "Where is your mouth?"
"It's there, see?" Rose knelt up and took the liberty of pointing her finger right between his lower mandibles. "Back there. Oh, and it's pink, like ours, see?"
"Ooooo." Riona also knelt up, and blatantly stare at his mouth. "I see, I see Rose."
"Told ya so." She giggled, and looked into his eyes. "You're eyes are very pretty, sir."
"Very pretty! Like jewels Momma used to wear." Riona giggled, and her father felt very faint now.
"Your highness, I am so sorry. I think I will take them n-"
"Thank you, that is very…flattering." He clattered, and the girls giggled. "I have never been referred to as…'pretty'. Let's keep this between us, and not let the rest of my clan hear of this, hmm? I know my own pups would poke fun at me if they knew of this." He clattered, and bounced them in his arms. They both giggled happily, and Rose piped up again.
"What's your name sir?"
Henry listened carefully, hoping his daughters could gain him something else this evening.
"High Arbitrator Hult'ah of the Kwei Clan." He paused. "Or what you would call a king of…just assume I am a King for now. you are both young and it is too difficult to explain my rank to you." He clattered softly at them, and faced their father fully. "I will speak truth to you. My intentions of coming here were to dissolve any hopes you had to making any sort of connection between our peoples at any time. There is no law, rule, cultural similarity or attribute they we are willing to use, gain, share, or manipulate in order to have a one sided advantages alliance between Yautja and Ooman kind. As we have nothing to profit from this union…"
Henry stood, verbally smacked in the face, as the stern Hult'ah still cradled his suddenly silent daughters, and stared him down with his sharp amber eyes.
What about those eyes are pretty? He thought distantly, but gulped, still trembling from the intimidating prowess of this 'man'.
But then Hult'ah softened his gave, upon the royal daughters. "…union…is that not what you wanted? I union?"
"Yes, yes it is. To procure at least a permanent agreement that our peoples will be at peace for-"
"I can not promise that without having something given in return." Henry gulped. "Ooman. I have an ultimatum for you. Are you ready to receive it, as I will not repeat it."
"Y yes, your highness." Henry stuttered, and prepared to engrave his alien counterpart's words to the back of his skull.
"Our people have nothing to gain from you. Nothing. And it is on these grounds, that we can not justify any sort of 'agreement', as you put it. It would be dishonourable to interfere with creatures lesser than us in the evolutionary chain, on many links. Do you understand me Ooman? To give you something, you must give me something in return. You have no technologies we could benefit from, no land we could want, no materials we could desire or even the worth of hunting anymore. Your species have become such a Pauking weakling race of Dt huggers, it is dishonourable to hunt you. Hunting you has become impossible. You have nothing, nothing you can offer us. And so, that makes an 'agreement' impossible. Unless…there is a union." Henry furrowed his dark blonde brows, and folded his arms over his imperial green robes.
"Your highness just said that there can be no agreement between our peoples unless there is a union between our peoples. But…isn't that the same thing?"
"No, it is not. And there must be two unions."
"I don't understand."
"Then I shall explain." Hult'ah bounced his daughters up into the air, and caught them both, one in each hand. They giggled, perfectly entertained for the time being, and Hult'ah continued as seriously as before. "Between clans of our own race, the rules still apply as to if we were to have an 'agreement'. Each party must sacrifice something precious or unique to the other, to form the bond of loyalty and friendship. Or in this case, and 'agreement'. I shall assume, this agreement to be that the Yautja as a collective, promise never to hunt your kind ever again. Am I correct?"
"Yes, you highness." Henry stepped forward, watching both his daughters being bounced in the colossal hands of 'King' Hult'ah.
"Then that is what you must do. To officially label Oomans as 'off limits' is a great inconvenience to us, and will be fought against within the clans of my race. Also, it limits our hunting grounds and claim over certain planets, and narrows down the amount of hunting my people may do in certain quarters of space. Very precious to us. And so, to do this." He then brought Riona and Rosemary back to his chest, and blatantly looked at them in turn as he spoke. "You must surrender something most precious and unique to you. In a Union. Two Unions."
It took him a few moments to comprehend everything being said, and everything Hult'ah actually meant…but…
It was a little obvious, when Hult'ah obviously brushed his mighty mandibles over Rosemary's forehead, making her giggle, and then repeating it once more with Riona, who blushed and smiled.
"Y…you want…"
"I mentioned before that I have two male pups close to their ages. Did I not?" Hult'ah lowered down to the ground, and steadied both of the girls to their white buckle shoed feet. "Run along pups. Enjoy your childhood, be honourable, and become as strong and as open heart and minded as you are now. Live with honour and pride." He placed a large hand on each of their heads, and bowed his head.
They both curtseyed, and skipped off towards the stairs, and their fainted Nanny.
That'll teach her to eavesdrop.
"But…my girls…."
"My boys names are Daijuta, the youngest, and Raijuta, the eldest. Daijuta is bold, and would benefit for a more conservative and gentler mate, like Riona. And Raijuta is…well…difficult. We shall have to see how that goes."
"But, but."
"These are my own pups. My own sons, as you call them. if you refuse me, knowing the risk I take of mating my own offspring off to non-Yautja, if you refuse me still knowing this…"
Henry barely had time to take the breath to yell, before his back was up against the opposite wall, Hult'ah with his thick bronzed gold wrist guard pressing firmly against his windpipe, mandibles flared and amber eyes glaring down at him. "Then I shall personally lead a hunting party to this world. Staring, right, here." He applied more pressure to his throat. "With you."
"W…wheeze why? My daughters, why?" It was very hard to breath with his throat being forced to the brink of collapsing like this.
"Because I like them." He was blunt, but truthfully. The way of all Yautja. "I saw something special and rare in their eyes. I believe they would have made excellent Yautja if they were born to our people. I feel, they will be just what my sons' need. I am brilliant judge of character. And I like their character. With time, I believe my pups will like them also." He leaned forward, invading his personal space even more. "Because you will not refuse me, right Ooman? I will have those girls as my daughters, with your blessings, yes?"
If he refused…they would kill him, and possible hundreds, no, thousands more of his people in outrage…but if he agreed…he may get the secured safety of his people, never to be hunted again…but in the process…
"…my daughters…marry…your sons…" Henry broke out into the first scowl of his entire life. He glared with all his worth back up at the Yautja king, and deep down, impressed him by it.
"Do you permit it?" There was a deathly silence, where conflicting, livid blue eyes locked onto unrelenting amber eyes.
Henry gulped painfully, and slumped back against the wall.
He was beaten.
"Yes, yes I permit it." Immediately, Hult'ah released him, and let the proud King slide down the wall to the floor, and rest his elbows on his knees, holding his head in despair. His fingers were deep into the dark blonde bangs of his fringe, and he felt so cold. So numb.
The future of his daughters had been sold, for the good of the entire human race. And he had agreed to it.
As a father, he wanted to refuse, and rather die than give up his daughters to another race.
But as a King, with the responsibility of an entire race…
He had no choice.
"Good. Good. Of which age are they youngest, and yet eligible to mated?"
"What do you mean?" He said with an exhausted huff. All the years of etiquette bread into him, all composure left him.
He had just lost his daughters.
He didn't give a damn anymore.
"Mating. Oh, marriage in your tongue." Hult'ah folded his arms over his bronzed gold Awu'asa and replaced his mask.
But this was to hide the pity he felt for the Ooman king.
He hated being so cruel, but it was necessary if he was to get what he wanted.
"They can be wed from the age of 16 upwards, as a minimum, if the marriage is consented by both parents and it is all arranged." He recited on autopilot, his face hidden by his hands, his head hung forward.
"Then they shall become mates when Riona, your youngest, is 16. that will make Rose 17."
Henry didn't reply to him, and although frustrated by it, Hult'ah decided to let it go this once.
"I shall return to my ship and inform the rest of the council of my decision." Henry said nothing. And he took pity on him. "You are a god King."
"I am a bad father." Henry rose to his feet, and bowed. "Farewell your highness. I am glad that we shall have peace between our peoples at last." But he was on a monotone.
He would go to war with the Yautja if he could save his daughters.
But they stood no chance. It would be the extinction of the human race.
And his daughters.
Hult'ah looked down at the empty shell of a man, of a king, and shook his head lightly.
"We shall meet again before the betrothal takes place." He bowed, and left with a sweeping turn of his silver white cloak.
Henry Requinas, King of all mankind on the 4 kingdoms, watched the Yautja King leave, and as soon as the royal gates closed, he fell to his knees in despair.
The Palace physicians had to carry him back to his chambers, and he didn't leave his bed for a week. He just didn't have the energy.
Oh my darling daughters.
Rosemary.
Riona.
What have I done?