Disclaimer: I don't own Aliens or Predator, and such. Just my precious characters, so you won't get a dime! Hah!
CHAPTER 8:
Annoying Feelings & Food
After a while, the door to Kiara's room started to open which quickly got Kaen'Dre out of his small nap. Slight noises awakened any experienced hunter, especially in unknown environments. He raised his right gauntlet towards his face and activated his cloak. He got out of the bed and shoved all his stuff under her bed. She had warned him to put on his cloak in case someone tried to come inside.
But instead of a stranger, it was her. He saw Kiara come in with platters of food along with some beverages in her hands. She set them down on a table nearby and looked around. Kaen'Dre stared at her, noticing that she'd changed her clothes and cleaned up.
She looks lovely, Kaen'Dre thought immediately. Where'd that thought come from?
But it was true, despite he tried to hide it. She looked much different now than when he first met her, she looked more royal now. The warrior ensemble was gone and replaced by a sophisticated look. Her gown was much different than her old garments and her face had changed also. She looked much more attractive now than before.
Oh no, I am not thinking any thoughts like that, he thought quickly. It's an ooman!
Kiara hoped Kaen'Dre hadn't gotten agitated from waiting so long. She didn't want anyone finding her suspicious so she had gone through the loneliest paths in the palace while trying to not drop anything. She looked around the room and found no one inside. Had he hid? Gone invisible? Went exploring? Left?
"Kaen'Dre, where are you?" she called. "You can come out."
Kaen'Dre watched her glance around the room. If she thought that he'd left, he'd be free to do what he wanted. He easily got cheerful by this idea and headed towards the door. She didn't even notice when he went past her. He started to reach over the door latch when he remembered he had all his weapons and armor under the bed. He groaned mentally and tried to think of a plan. He was not going to lose his armor again.
"I'm sorry if you're irritated by my late arrival, my lord" she said, timidly. "Don't be angry, I wanted to make sure no one noticed anything."
You took so long I fell asleep, Kaen'Dre thought.
He crossed his arms to see what else she would say and how to get his stuff back without her noticing.
"I wanted to eat with you so you wouldn't feel alone" Kiara said, looking over the room. "I know you can't feel completely safe or happy here knowing you're not among your own so I wanted to make you feel better somehow. Please answer."
He stopped his plans for freedom a bit to listen to her. She wanted to eat alongside him, that was definitely something his race didn't do much unless they were good friends. He tilted his head wondering why she'd eat with him so easily than her own family.
It's who she is, a voice said in his mind. He sighed mentally. Why the hell have all these voices suddenly appeared in my mind to give advice? You haven't been there before!
He shook his head to clear his mind again. By the gods was this being changing him. Now he had voices going back and forth when he thought!
"Kaen'Dre, are you here?" she asked, softly. "Did you leave?"
He watched her expression change to one that seemed upset. Her body seemed to sag down a bit while she traced a hand over her forehead. He sighed and opened his gauntlet to turn off his cloak. He knew he had upset her and part of him didn't want to see her like that. She had been kind to him ever since she's known him, even today in the morning when she hadn't yet. He could've escaped easily but no, stupid emotions got in the way. But part of him knew that she didn't deserve any cold treatment from him, especially with how she was.
He watched her turn around and notice him in effect to the cloak's sound. He wanted to growl in annoyance but when he saw her face bright up into a smile, he forgot it. Something about her smile always made him forget any angry remarks or thoughts. She went up to him and embraced him closely from the waist while placing the side of her face againt his chest. He felt timid like always when she did that, but eventually brushed it off. He traced his hand down her back softly but awkwardly to make her feel better, he had learned oomans felt better with physical touching. Half of her back showed from her garment so he had to touch her skin, which easily made him uneasy again. He'd never touched any female's skin and he sighed mentally at his bad luck for her being the first. Her skin was very soft against his fingers as well as cooler. Very different from his own.
Kaen'Dre felt her fingers caress his back softly which made the end of his back shiver internally from the feeling. It wasn't bad and he liked it, more than he wanted to admit. He heard her sigh happily and hold him closer, which easily put him on edge. He'd never met a being who would so easily bring him into her arms with no worries or ideas to mate. Her embraces and touches he'd never experienced, and he wasn't ready to either. He cleared his throat and took his arm from around her. He cleared of the strange fluttery feelings he had in his stomach and kept his mind blank. She removed her arms from around him and crossed them against her chest.
"Where were you? I thought you left" Kiara said, worriedly.
"I . .took a walk down the hall to see if I spotted you" Kaen'Dre lied quickly. "But I didn't see you. Why?"
"You had me worried, I thought you'd left" Kiara said, softly. "If you do decide to soon, please say goodbye to me before you do."
"I will" Kaen'Dre said, nodding. Curious, he asked, "You would feel upset if I left?"
"Only if you didn't say anything to me, I'd miss you" Kiara said, blushing. Kaen'Dre smiled timidly.
She would miss me?, he thought warmly.
"You would?" Kaen'Dre asked, curiously.
"Of course, you are my friend, are you not?" Kiara asked, smiling. "And I've found you again after all these years."
I didn't know oomans were so emotional, he thought. She would miss me despite we've only been together a day. I am a real jerk for trying to leave so easily out of desperation. I'm sorry, little one.
"Of course I'm your friend" Kaen'Dre said and traced his hand over her cheek.
She smiled immediately from feeling his warm touch against her cool one. He'd never touched her in any way and she was surprised. She enjoyed his touch against her skin though. His palm was very smooth compared to the top of his hand that was covered in his reptilian-like skin. She felt him pull away after she leaned her face into his hand. Standing there with her head tilted, she gave him an embarrassed look.
Oh dear, how foolish do I look to this being now?, she thought nervously.
But instead he traced his hand over her cheek again to make her feel better. He made a small rumble in his chest as her eyes traced over his face. He looked at her with his golden eyes which made her feel calm until he gently took away his hand.
"Feel better?" Kaen'Dre asked, purring. She chuckled and nodded.
"Yes, I do feel better" she said, smiling. Biting her bottom lip, she whispered, "Just don't leave without a word."
"I won't, I will say goodbye to you when I do leave" Kaen'Dre agreed with a smile.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She hugged him closely again which made him feel uneasy. He didn't want to be feeling her body so close to his, especially since her body easily fit comfortably next to his.
Why does she have to hold me so close?, he thought. Why can't she punch me instead? Then her soft skin wouldn't caress and tease mine.
When she did let go, he sighed mentally. He did not need for emotions to surface with her when she held him. She looked up at him with her usual smiling face.
"Do you want to eat now?" she asked him.
Kaen'Dre pried his eyes away from her and nodded, "Yes, I am pretty hungry."
She nodded and headed to her table to take the tops off from the food platters. She had gotten a variety of meat and vegetables, and some fruit for afterwards. She got out of the way to show the food to him in which he walked over to examine it. He poked the food curiously and clicked his throat which made her chuckle.
"Which one would you like?" Kiara asked, motioning towards the food with her hand.
Kaen'Dre looked over the food carefully. He looked over a plate that resembled something like meat adorned with different colored vegetables on it. He sighed and decided to take his chance with it. The others had no meat so this was his only choice. He took the plate and looked around to see where he could go to eat.
"We can sit on the floor, I'll get some pillows" Kiara said, moving to one of her windows.
She grabbed the pillows from the edges of a window that she usually sat on to look over the kingdom. Going back to the front of her bed, she set down the two pillows on the floor. She grabbed her platter and sat down to eat. She made a silent praying to the gods for the food she was receiving, while Kaen'Dre glanced at her.
"What was that for?" Kaen'Dre asked after she finished.
"A prayer to the gods for this food" Kiara said, smiling. "But of course, you already know the prayers, you've blessed us with your presence as it is."
"Yes, I have" Kaen'Dre said, while feeling guilty on the inside.
"I hope you find our food to your liking" Kiara said, motioning to his plate.
"I hope so also" Kaen'Dre said, mostly to himself. He didn't want to die from foreign food intoxication.
"Well, if you don't mind me saying, I am as hungry as a jackal" Kiara said, chuckling. "Especially after today."
Kaen'Dre didn't know what that creature was but said, "So am I."
He saw Kiara pick up a fork of sort, smaller than his own people's of course, and start eating. He picked up his carefully and tried to hold it between his large fingers. It was very uncomfortable which made him cranky easily. It was smaller than his medicomp's injection! He threw the fork his shoulder and puffed his chest in annoyance.
"Kaen'Dre, what's wrong?" Kiara asked, looking up at him. She saw him glare at the food and cross his arms.
She saw him growling and mumbling to himself in a series of clicks. He was rather amusing in her eyes with the childlike attitude. She smiled and gave him time to calm down.
"This thing is useless!" Kaen'Dre growled, annoyed. "I'm eating this food with my hands instead and that does not mean I am an inferior god."
"I never said you were" Kiara said, smiling. "I don't really eat meat with my fork either, it's hard to try to grab a good chunk with it."
He stared at her in surprise. She was ooman and he knew her kind were easily disgusted and paranoid with some things that his kind thought were normal. He tilted his head in interest when he saw her tearing the cooked piece of meat on her plate into thin slices with her bare fingers. It was almost erotically allurin to him. After all, humans were known to be picky and judgmental on everything.
"It is better, isn't it?" Kaen'Dre asked, curiously. She nodded and gave him a piece from her meal.
"Eat, I don't want you angry later on from hunger" Kiara smiled, pointing a strict finger at him.
"You don't command me, my Elder-I mean, the king of the gods command me!" Kaen'Dre said, quickly. He grabbed the offered piece anyway and ate it.
"Elder? What's an Elder?" Kiara asked, confused.
Pauk! What do I say!, he thought instantly. What can I say?
"My lord?" Kiara asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"That is what we call the king of the gods, he is our Elder because he is the wisest" Kaen'Dre said formally, when he thought up what to say.
"I have never heard Ra called that way" Kiara said, curiously. "Do all of the gods call him that?"
"Many do" he said, following along. She seemed satisfied which made him relieved.
"Will you tell me now what those black creatures were?" Kiara asked in a serious tone.
"Umm. . .if you want me to?" Kaen'Dre said, uneasy. She nodded eagerly and leaned forward. He sighed and explained, "Well, they are a demon of sort but many mortals call them 'serpents', we gods have a different name for them. They kill anything in their path, they follow their mother or Queen and do her bidding, and will go through anything and I mean anything to build a territory of their own. They feel nothing or think nothing at all times except to destroy those who oppose them."
"And the victims just happen to be there at the wrong time" Kiara said, looking down.
"You avenged them well, Kiara" he said, raising her chin with his fingers to look at her. She smiled back uncertain. "I've never met a being like you and I know you can protect yourself in case you have to fight against them again."
"Will I have to?" she asked, furrowing her brows.
He knew the Hunt at the pyramid would start soon. He didn't know how close it was to her kingdom but since they had planted their ship in a close area to it, it was probable that her kingdom would be used to bring forth the hard meat. He didn't care what happened to the other oomans, only Kiara. He didn't want anything to bad that she didn't deserve happen to her.
I will protect her somehow, he told himself.
"Only if they come back but I believe in you" Kaen'Dre said, cupping her chin. "You can take care of yourself."
"Now you believe me" Kiara grinned slyly.
"I did not know it was you at first!" Kaen'Dre groaned and she laughed, amused by his actions.
"All right, let's eat" she said, starting to eat again.
He looked down to his own food and ripped off pieces from his meat. He raised a piece into his mouth and chewed it carefully. This tasted nothing like the meat his people ate, it tasted simple and without much flavor. He swallowed it quickly and then gagged out loud from the taste. Kiara stared at him while he made clicks with his mouth and opened his mandibles wide.
"What is it?" she asked, quickly.
"It tastes . . .I don't like it!" he said, clicking in a whine.
"It tastes that awful?" Kiara asked, surprised.
"It tastes nothing of what I eat" Kaen'Dre gagged and swallowed again.
"Well, how was I supposed to know? I do not know what food each god enjoys individually!" Kiara said, quickly. "Try something else, you are bound to find something edible."
He nodded and decided to taste the vegetables on his plate. He put the small vegetables into his mouth and chewed them. They had a sweet taste, not bad. He decided to taste the next ones in larger size and gagged after he swallowed. They had no taste and felt like mush. Plain mush! He twitched from the awful tastes in his mouth.
"Those are awful!" Kaen'Dre said, pointing to them on his plate.
Kiara picked up pieces of squash that were on her plate for him to taste. She held it out to him.
"Here, try this" she suggested.
He swatted it away, "No! Not on your life!"
"You have to eat something!" Kiara pointed out.
"I'll eat these tiny ones then, they're the only ones that seem tasteful" Kaen'Dre said, picking some up with his fingers.
"You need something else besides that" Kiara said, crossing her arms. "They won't fill your stomach."
"I will rather starve than have my stomach hurl" Kaen'Dre said, defiantly.
"Kaen'Dre" Kiara moaned in exasperation. He really was starting to be as stubborn as her.
"Kiara" he mocked her. She gave him a blank look.
"You are very humorous sometimes, Kaen'Dre" Kiara said, grinning.
"Really? My other brethren say I'm uptight" Kaen'Dre said, placing a finger on his chin.
"Well, maybe they haven't seen this side of you" Kiara said, smiling. He smiled back. "I like it."
"No, I am actually, compared to them" he said, trilling. "They're much worse."
He went back to eating the small vegetables until he was finished. He pushed his plate away from him, wanting the dish to be as far away from him as possible. He made a small gag remembering the taste of the accursed vegetables and felt his stomach growl softly.
Too bad, you're not getting fed, he scolded.
"Kaen'Dre" she said, laughing at his antics.
"Kiara," Kaen'Dre mocked like before.
"If you keep this up, you will not get a bath" Kiara said, faking a warn.
"No! I'll be good!" he said, instantly. Then in complaint, "Wait a moment, I am a god, I can command you for a bath."
"You command me now?" Kiara questioned. "What makes you think that?"
"I am a god, I can bring my wrath upon your kingdom" Kaen'Dre said, crossing his arms.
"So, you would kill me in return then?" Kiara asked him, raising a brown eyebrow.
Why does she have to question everything?, he thought. Just act like I'm some type of god to make my job easier.
He didn't want her hurt at all, but she knew how to use authority towards him. He didn't like being retrained by others and liked doing things on his own. But she entertained him with her behavior which was odd, he was used to killing prey with no questions. But she wasn't prey, not at all. She could fight against him and understood him without criticizing him. Yes, she was amusing in his eyes.
"I could not bring myself to do that" Kaen'Dre said, softly.
"I was being playful with you, Kaen'Dre" Kiara said, touching his knee. "But thank you for telling me that."
She smiled in her innocent way as always which made Kaen'Dre feel warm. Her smiles seemed to be hypnotic in his eyes the more he looked at her. Prying his eyes away, he looked at her plate.
"You should eat, you don't need an empty stomach" he said, pointing to the dish.
"I don't want you feeling more hungry if I keep eating" she said, gently.
"I will be fine, I can find ways to entertain myself while you eat" he said, waving a hand.
"Without me?" Kiara said, faking shock. He laughed.
"Eat, Kiara" he said, getting up. "I will be sharpening my weapons."
"More than they already are?" she questioned while looking up at him. "You barely used them today."
"You, I will have to keep an eye on" Kaen'Dre said, patting her head.
"I thought you already were" Kiara said, smiling. He chuckled and hid a small blush.
He walked over to her bed and took out his belt from underneath her bed. He sat on her bed again, this time he didn't sink it since he had no armor on, just his mesh outfit. Kiara smiled in interest when he started sharpening his weapons with a blade. She looked down and went back to eating while sparing him glances every few minutes.
This has been the best meal I've ever had, she thought happily. I've never had so much fun.
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End of Chapter 8. I hope everyone's enjoying the chapters. Thanks for reading and for your reviews! They're the things that keep me energized to write, that and candy bars. Hehe.