We all left the medbay. Misha and Kylian made their way back to the control deck. Amiri made himself scarce, maybe hiding in his rooms. He and Kylian were better at the fighting than having civil conversations. Amiri rarely spoke at all. Sorrel tended to hide away. Probably in the gym.
I had her sit while I went over to the repercator. Everything we had to offer she has never had before. I chose a couple different options from what we had available and put them on a tray. 'I do not know if you will like any of this but hopefully there is something from among them that suits your tastes,' I said to her.
As I set the tray down I looked her over. As small as she was I knew she would set many into protecting her unconsciously. Our instincts insisted that she needed our protection. She reached for the tray pulling it closer and looked worried but began to try things.
'Would you tell me about the Leoc'ain?' She asked me. 'Is it normal for males to live in a group like this?'
'Yes although ours is considered on the larger side for a pack. Our females and males live separately. Our females live in large familial Clans where they live and raise young ones together. When they enter their heat cycle they will seek out a few packs to mate with. They will choose the pack of males she likes best.'
Her eyes widened as she continued to eat. I made note that she had taken only a few bites of the Kind'ani fish. She seemed to be avoiding it. 'Females mate with all the males of the pack?'
'Yes. Each pack is made from Brothers. We all came from the same mother if not the same father. We leave once we reach maturity. Female cubs normally stay with their familial Clans unless they lifebond with a pack. Amiri and I are from the same season. Kylian is the youngest of us.'
'You are the only one I know by name,' she told me.
'Kylian is the one who treated you. Amiri piloted you here.'
'Oh the broad one and the light one.' She smiled bouncing her head. Sure enough as everything else on the tray disappeared the Kind'ani remained. I took it and she blinked at me.
'You do not have to eat anything you don't like Princess. You will not offend us by not liking something when we all know you come from a very different place than our own.'
'Very well,' the smell of Lu'ta flowers bloomed in the air. She was happy that smell was unmistakable. 'If females mate with all the males of the pack then how do you know which one of you is the father?'
'Honestly we don't care much who actually took root. Any offspring the female has would be considered all of ours. In some cases females have cubs by multiple fathers.'
'Superfecundation,' she told me.
'What?'
'Superfecundation is the process in which one who in their fertile period gets pregnant by multiple males. It's the most common way for humans to birth multiple children. Although in our case it's more common for our husband to father all of the additional offspring as well as the original. I take it female Leoc'ain often have multiple children per mating.'
'Yes, three children is typically expected.'
'So then what is a lifebond?'
'A lifebond is a great honor to any pack. A female will offer to leave her Clan to live with the males she want to father all her offspring. The males will be happy to provide for her, protect her, and help care for the cubs.'
'Sounds like a dream come ture.'
'Your males do not understand what a privilege it is for a female to choose them.'
'What is gonna happen to me anyway? Are you guys taking me home? Am I a prisoner? Clearly a well cared for one but still,' she intertwined her fingers together on the table. Gone was the curious female who exchanged information with me. This was the Princess. I had heard tales that Royalty had two sides to them. The one they ruled with and the person behind the title.
'If you would like to go home we could return you. I would ask that you don't.'
'Why?'
'Earth and all the life forms it holds has been under IPU protection since it was discovered it held sentient life. Once your people developed the ability to travel past your own star system and did so we could no longer protect you. We were on our way to make contact with someone of power when we saw the Jek ship.
They have wanted Earth and it's resources for hundreds of rotations. When we hailed them and they refused to respond even after knowing we were with the IPU so we assumed they were doing something they did not want the IPU to know about. Imagine our surprise when we found out they had taken a human female.
Once we found out you were a princess, Misha immediately contacted the IPU. As someone as high up in a position of power as you, you could count as Earth's representative. As long as Earth has a representative with IPU diplomats it is under the protection of the IPU. As far as anyone is concerned as soon as you stepped foot on this ship diplomatic relationship was in effect. Once you return home we will no longer be able to use that to protect your planet and people.'
'So my opinions are go home and doom my people to war or stay here to negotiate terms with you as a IPU representative?'
'Not quite. I and my brothers work as scouts mostly. If you agree to negotiate with the Intersteller Protection Unit then we will take you to a true representative of the IPU with full diplomatic training.'
'So you would simply be my escort?'
'That is correct Princess.'
'Very well then. I Princess Venus Best agree to meet the IPU representative to forge a diplomatic relationship between Earth and the Intersteller Protection Unit.'
I put my paw over my hearts, 'It is an honor to serve as your escort, Princess Venus.'
'Now that that is out of the way I have to ask is there a place I can relieve myself. If not I don't forsee a fun trip ahead of me.'
'Of course! This way, Princess.' How careless of me. The Princess was used to being diplomatic, that much was clear. Diplomats often had to be put in uncomfortable positions. Sometimes forced to stand for long time periods or left without proper accommodations. Depending on who they were visiting and why. I showed her the way to the cleansing room. Her footsteps fell heavy as she followed me so I turned to find out why. She was holding the fabric of her clothes up higher showing her hind legs up to the knee.
'I can't believe I'm running without shoes!' Her lips were curled up at the edges and her eyes bright.
'Shoes?'
'They cover our feet since it's considered unlady like for a female to have dirt on the sole of her feet. As such we wear shoes. As a Royal I normally had to wear heels. Once we arrive to speak with the diplomats I will wear the proper attire but it has been so long since I could run bare foot.'
'Is that what you call them? The paws on your back legs?'
'Yes,' She held up her arms. 'What the paws on your arms we call hands. The paws on legs we call feet.' She wiggled her hand claws. 'We call these fingers.'
'Why call them different names?'
'Because they are different. The bone structure is different and many things we can do with our hands we can not do with our feet.'
'Interesting. This is the cleansing room. You can wash and relieve yourself here. I will show you how to work it.' I showed her the keypad not far from the door. As I began inputting commands she leaned closer. Without the Spree flooding her she seemed less agile. Her movements were slower, less controlled. When she looked back to me, after watching the commands, she jolted. She backed away quickly.
'I'm sorry. I should not have invaded your space like that.' Her face went pink again. 'Would you mind waiting outside while I...'
I had not minded how close she had been. After all it was clear she was just trying to see what I was doing. 'Of course. I will be right outside if you need anything.'
'Thank you,' I heard her say as I left the room. I took the chance to connect with Misha.
'What is it Dimatri?'
'She has agreed to meet with the diplomats. Do we have a spare room for her to stay in?'
'No,' he growled. 'One of us will have to give up a room for her.'
This was our personal vessel and while we often slept together to with eachother, a couple times a moon cycle, we did not do it every night. Our den was our personal space. Decorated and designed to fit our desires.
I linked the others into our conversation, 'Anyone willing to give up their room for the Princess?'
Amiri growled. Kylian huffed. Misha sighed.
'Let her decide which room,' Sorrel said. I could imagine my shock reflected on the others. Sorrel rarely spoke. As the oldest of us, he was also the only one who had been alone for longer than a moon cycle. Many believed Misha was our leader but it was actually Sorrel. He was the strongest and biggest of us.
'I can agree to that,' Misha replied.
'Better than fighting to keep our rooms,' Kylian said.
'She might like to watch that,' Amiri pointed out.
'Just because she likes the look of us does not mean she will want to mate with us,' Misha retorted.
'It is settled then I will bring her around when she comes out of the cleansing room. So clean up your room Kylian.'