It was almost a challenge then, not to wake her, lest he get slapped. They had just landed back at the elite's house in the midst of the jungle and he stood beside the bed, looking down at the ooman. He could have sedated her with medication, but he had something more subtle in mind. He monitored her heart rate as he began a slow and steady purr from his chest. Then, he began to remove the furs from around her.
She began to squirm, but his purr deepened and kept her calm and asleep. He couldn't remember the last time he had purred to a female. Ien'heru slipped his hands under her and lifted her up, cradling her body securely against him as he sent the vibrations from his purring through her. He carried her from the ship and slowly dimmed his purring, completely stopping at the house. The elite answered the door to see the arbitrator in full armor, once again carrying the limp female in his arms.
He did not look happy to see them, but Ien'heru brushed past him to get inside, his cape billowing behind him. He set the girl down in the spare bedroom he had been keeping her in and then went back into the living room space.
"Was she injured again?" The elite demanded tensely.
Ien'heru sat down on the couch-like furnishing, "No, she is just asleep. I was the one who got injured."
The elite let out a little chuff, "And is she behaving any better?"
"These things take time. Are you going to offer your guest a drink?"
"Pardon my manners; what would you like?"
They sipped drinks and conversed lightly as Ien'heru waited for the ooman to wake up. He was aware they could sleep many hours, and with the difference in the length of days from humans to yautja days, she would likely sleep twice a day on his planet. Still, he did not want to leave her alone for some reason. He practically jumped up from the couch when he heard her heart beat beginning to rise and her body begin to stir. The elite watched him pensively.
"She is waking. I will go greet her." Ien'heru muttered, making his way to the bedroom.
Her blue-gray eyes locked onto him as soon as he entered, "You fucktard! You bastard! You asshole!"
He did not know how she could wake up and in seconds be so angry, "I did not wake you."
"No, but we're back here, in that bastards house; I recognize the damn room. I hate that guy."
It was his job to find out if captive aliens were being mistreated, so it was natural for him to ask, "Why do you hate the elite?"
She sat up, stretching some, and combed through her long dark hair. Her hesitance was unsettling, and indicated that he did something shameful or abusive. Ien'heru made sure the door was shut all the way and then walked closer to her.
"You may tell me anything, and I will not tell a word of it to the elite. How does he treat you?"
She crossed her arms in front of her chest, "He's just a dick. He tries to drill procedures into my head, orders me to do stupid things, insults me, yells at me. He took my earrings! And...he got rid of my scars."
"You had battle scars?" he questioned, as most oomans did not and if they did they usually did not wish to keep them.
"No. They were...self inflicted scars. But that doesn't matter, the fact is that he erased them without consent! He makes me get up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, and I even have a flipping bedtime!"
"It is all for your health and wellbeing that he does these things."
"So you're on his fucking side? Screw you too then!" She pushed the furs off of her and slipped out of the bed.
He hoped that she didn't used such expletives with the elite, like 'screw you' and 'fuck you'. Ien'heru knew their true meaning, and even he was tempted to translate them as wishing the action. She was a beautiful and quite tempting creature, and he had to admit he liked her anger. The elite had a translator inplant, but he doubted that he would understand most of the human sayings. He wished mercy on any yautja that dare to try and touch her though.
Cassarah brushed past him to get to the door, but as soon as it opened she found that her path was blocked by the elite. Her hands clenched into fists at her side, "Am I to be locked in this room?"
"You may leave it, if it is to refill my drink." the elite extended out his cup.
She took it, and Ien'heru waited for her to chuck it at him or even break the cup in her tight drip. Instead, she surprised them both.
Cassarah bowed low. "Yes Master." she breathed.
The elite backstepped and she moved past him to get to the kitchen. They both stood there in shock for a moment, and then went back into the living room to sit down. Ien'heru did not trust her actions. The elite should not have asked her to do such a task, as he was likely to get a destroyed kitchen, the drink dumped on his head, or something.
He voiced his concerns, "It is likely a trick. Do not get angry with her."
They both did not really expect her to come back, but when she did she had a full drink glass in her hand and extended it out to the elite.
She bowed slightly and said, "For you Master," and then the moment of defiance came. She spit in his drink and extended it out for him to take, "you pae-ka'mak motherfucker!"
His hand shot out to slap her, the sound echoing against the walls as he struck her face, sending her falling to the side with the force of it. Ien'heru could see that her eyes were glazing over, burning with unshed tears. The drink had spilled onto the floor and she kicked the cup into a wall so hard that it shattered.
The elite rose up from his chair, "Go to your room!"
"I'm not a child! You cannot command me, pae-ka'mak!"
He towered above her, but she did not back away. His tone was dark and angry, "Do not use that name on me again."
"Pae-ka'mak!" She taunted.
Ien'heru sat calmly in his seat, watching as the elite's hand wrapped around her slender throat. She uttered syllables, obviously still cursing him and so his fingers tightened until she could not take in any air. Her fingers pried at his to no avail, her face turning red with lack of oxygen yet her cheek was gaining greenish tint with the start of a bruise from being slapped so hard. One of her legs came up, kicking at him, still fighting.
Ien'heru felt now that he should have warned her about using the nickname on him, but doubted she would have listened anyway. He could not intervene with her punishment, as it was not his place. He remained seated, waiting for the elite to release her. Both of her arms went limp at her sides, and her knees began to drop. He could hear her heart rate dropping, and knew that she had passed out.
His fingers were still firmly wrapped around her throat, and he warned, "Elite, release her or you will kill her."
The seconds ticked on, and the elite did not act as though he had heard his warning. He was far too angry, had lost control. As humans said, he was seeing red. Cassarah's heartbeat was dropping dangerously low, and so Ien'heru calmly stood up and landed a blow to the back of the elites neck to get his attention. The female dropped from his clutches as the elite turned to him, taking a bold step towards him, his chest breathing heavily.
"You dare challenge me?" The arbitrator asked.
The elite hesitated, and then he swept himself out the front door and left. Ien'heru dropped his head to stare down at the female. Her heart was strong; she would be fine. She was already gaining consciousness as he picked her up and carried her into the small medical room. He laid her down on the table, but she fought to sit upright. She looked at him like she might just burst into tears or start screaming.
The whole side of her face was beginning to turn purple, so he retrieved the healing enzyme cream from a shelf and popped open the tin lid. He dipped his claws into the opaque cream and raised his hand to her face. She flinched away.
"Trust me." he cooed.
To his surprise, when he moved his hand closer she did not move away this time. He applied the gel to her face, and rubbed it onto her neck as well incase it started to bruise. The bruising faded immediately, her perfect complexion returned. He put the lid back on the container, finding that she was staring at him again. And again, he did not know what for. Maybe she was too stubborn to say thank you, he wasn't sure.
He did love the color of her eyes, but when staring at him so steadily he had to break her focus, "You should not have provoked him."
Her eyes turned to a glare, and he was much more comfortable with that sort of staring. "He started it! His high-and-mighty ass wanted his slave to fetch him a drink! I will not be a house pet! I will not be a lowly servant! And I will not be his slave to order around! Not now, not ever!"
"It would have been more polite to refuse to get the drink rather than act as you did."
"Fuck you! You don't get to tell me what to do and what not to do either!" She jumped off the table and stormed out of the room.
He began to follow her, but found that the elite was back inside. They needed to talk.
The elite began the conversation, "I lost control; that is only the third time I have lost all control with her. I see she is fine."
"Yes, but you could have killed her. I would have expected more self control from an elite hunter."
"Well I would have expected more from an arbitrator. She is the same as before. And you taught her those words! I will have you leave now, your aid is no longer required. I will deal with her myself."
Normally, he would withheld his pride and left, but he did not wish to leave the ooman female, "Name calling is child-play, and you overreacted. Teaching her the saying was in trade for her name, and at least with the cursing she shows that she wishes to learn our language. Her name is Cassarah. Her family on Earth is dead. She is angry at you for healing her scars. She was suicidal and I offered her a pill that would end her life as well as offered to fight and kill her and she turned it down. That is progress." He paused, staring him down, and then added, "As well, I have yet to make any demands or ask for any type of payment. Thus far, my help has been free and remember that it was you that came for help. I did not offer it, and so you should show some respect."
The elite let out an angry growl, but then said, "Fine. You will stay and work with her, but I do not wish to be insulted in my own language. Do not teach her any more words."