Chapter 12. Confrontation.

"Ahhhhhh!" Zeldi screamed jumping up and out of the water to grab her clothes. "What in a stallions bouncing balls are you doing here?!"

Bouncing balls? That's a new one.

"I have come to speak with the owner of this land. Privately." The fawn said back not looking as bored as she had been before.

I kept an eye out on the surroundings but couldn't see the snake man. Tilty herself also didn't make any move to enter the property even though I had my doubts she could see the property line like I could.

"I won't sell Zeldi to you Tilty so what the hell do you want?" I growled back as I stood. Admittedly I was still naked so it didn't quite have the same effect I was going for and Tilty only looked down for a few seconds.

"I would like for you to hear my proposal. That is all." She answered. "Then I ask that you make a decision."

"Again if this proposal involves selling Zeldi you can stuff it up your twat." I said trying to figure out if I should grab my pant blanket or just stay naked for this.

"I can only ask that you hear me out." She returned patiently.

Was it just me or was Tilty acting really dejected right now? She had only left like a few hours ago, what could have happened?

"Zeldi can you go back to the house. I'll catch up." I looked back at my Centaur who nodded.

She'd hidden behind the same tree as before and was holding her top and dress up in an attempt to hide her nudity. That might have been the correct choice but too late for me now. Tilty did interrupt us so she only has herself to blame for my state of undress. Yip that sounds reasonable, all her fault.

"Of course Master but please..."

"Don't sell you I know." I Finished for her.

Zeldi shook her head. "No Master you have proven that you want to keep me many times now. I simply wanted you to come back quickly, I will have dinner ready."

Oh?

Some part of my chest grew warm and fuzzy at her admitting her trust. I wanted to give her a hug at least for that. Though another part of me wanted to hide her away as something only for myself. Well she was my livestock until I wanted otherwise.

Zeldi gave a small bow then stuck her tongue out at Tilty before backing up and making her way back towards the house. It amused me that even with her tail firmly covering her hindquarters she didn't turn around until we couldn't see her.

"Now what did you want?" I asked moving closer to her but not passing by the property line.

"I would like to enact a dead owners pledge." Tilty started.

What the hell is....

Deed owner Tilty would like to make a deal with you.

Deal: Speak nothing of what she will say tonight.

Reward: Unknown.

Time limit: 72H 0m 0sec

Ummm what the hell was this?

And what does it mean by deed owner Tilty?

I mean if I'm reading correctly this then I only need to not speak about this for three days so it's not that bad.

"Sure." I shrugged.

Time limit: 71H 59M 59sec

Interesting.

"So what's got your knickers in such a twist?" I asked a little more interested now.

"I need her." Tilty started only for me to stop her.

"That's not going to happen." I yawned. I was expecting something else in all honesty. After all this she was only going to try to get me to sell Zeldi? Didn't need the deed deal for that.

"You don't understand."

"Do I need to? You have been a right bitch to her today and from what Zeldi has told me her life has been made miserable because of your actions. So why would I suddenly turn around and give you what you want?" I growled out wanting to slap her. Woman or not she deserves it.

"Because I need her or I will go back to being a livestock myself!" Tilty cried out and for the first time I noticed a tear run down her cheek.

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity winning over. "Go on."

The fawn let out a sigh. "I'm a producer, my family found out when I came of age and my father is disappointed he can't marry me off to extend his influence. Livestock need to be bound to a farm. Those that try to ignore it eventually either succumb to the yearning that grows with each year or are just captured and sold. Not very good marriageable material."

That seems to be a trend. I think I remember Zeldi saying something similar and the yearning would also explain why she was okay leaving her family behind so quickly.

"Because of my position as a Baron's daughter it is in my best interest to forcefully stop my gift. Certain substances have helped but my body grows resistant to them after time. The only full cure is to become a deed owner, a task I have succeeded in with a piece of land a days travel from here but my first quest has proven to be quite troublesome."

She was a deed owner as well?

"So what's the quest you are struggling with then?" I didn't know what to make of this. Helping her was out of the question, there was no way Zeldi was even temporary being sold but there was a chance I could make this benefit me.

"The land gave me my first quest around two years after I became the deed owner. The requirements were to get a livestock within a year or I would be forced to become a livestock bound to the same farm." Tilty sighed, her shoulders sagging.

"Why set your sights on Zeldi? You're a Baron's daughter can't you just buy another?" I asked curious about the state of other producers. Zeldi made it sound like they were a hot commodity. "Or better yet why not explain that to Zeldi herself. I'm sure she would have been more accepting of your plight if she knew instead of trying to starve her out as you have been."

Part of me wanted to make her my own livestock just as a way to punish her but that seemed uninteresting. Not like I'd want to sleep with her even as some sort of twisted revenge sex. I also don't know how Zeldi would reach to that. Better to wait the three days for this deal to end then get her opinion.

"Because Livestock are extremely rare and have a price tag to match. Zeldi was promised to me as a birthday present but complications in transportation ment she never arrived." Tilty answered with a growl.

That snapped something inside me.

"Right. By complications you mean when she was lied to and kidnapped from her village, then forced into a new land with the knowledge that she would be only slightly better than a slave when she actually arrived. Or did you mean when she found an escape from that fate by binding herself to a different piece of land that she could own-ish in return for never being able to leave? You are right, that does seem like it a difficult complication. For you of course." The sarcasm dripped from my words.

Tilty looked away unable to meet my eyes. That was all I really needed to know.

"So you're the type of person to step on others to get what you want. Not that I didn't know that fact beforehand but this just confirms it." I let out a breath. "Did you really expect me to accept that reason and hand her over to you just like that? Like she's no more than an animal you've taken a fancy too?"

Tilty tried to say something but the words caught in her throat.

"Well I think this is all for the best. When you fail your quest you will get to experience the dread that she has felt. Did you ever stop to think that maybe she had her own family? Her own village that loved her? Or was it all just me, me, me?"

Again silence as Tilty tried to speak. I waited to see if she would say anything but she eventually gave up and looked at the ground.

I gave a snort at her. "Even after all of that you forget that as a deed owner myself I would probably be hit with the same quest if I were to get rid of her. And I doubt I would have the resources to look for another. No she stays with me and the only reason I would let her go was if she herself wanted to. Good luck trying to persuade her of that."

Tilty shook her head letting the stray tear hit the ground. "I just want to control my own life. If I become a livestock my father will strip me off everything. I will lose my title, my land, my freedom and, and...."

"You will be treated the same way you have been treating Zeldi." I finished for her. "Funny isn't it? We have a saying where I'm from. Karma is a bitch you don't want to poke. Seems you brought a dildo with no lube."

The fawn choked back a sob. "Please. Is there any way I can get you to trade her with me, even temporarily. Just so I can complete this quest?"

No way in hell. This chick was crazy to think she deserved anything like that.

"No." I said coldly as an idea came to me. "But I can offer you some reassurance."

Her ears that were slightly elongated perked up at my offer.

"If you do fail in your quest I would be more than happy to take you in as a livestock. I'm sure the care and support you have given Zeldi over the past has made sure she can provide everything you will need to enjoy your life here. It is within your domain right? And as a leader it's your job to make sure those under you prosper."

Her ears dropped as I spoke.

"I just fail to understand why you didn't tell her this yourself. Zeldi has a kind soul, at least from what I've seen. I'm sure she would have agreed to join you at the start of you'd only spoken to her. Guess you thought you had all the time in the world to force her to kneel."

I turned and started making my way back to the house. Part of me did want her to become my livestock just so I could gift wrap her to Zeldi. She deserves some type of revenge but then again her father seemed to be solving that issue himself.

I wonder what she produces?

Not really important now. There was a beautiful Centaur cooking a meal for me right now and I intend to enjoy it.