Chapter 148. Elemental Egg

Tarakona didn't waste any time pulling us along towards the lake she had made, and I got the impression that her egg may not have been frost-based if it wasn't in her room yet. Or maybe it couldn't get in there? It was a living being after all, and we've all had to mentally select to enter any room. Maybe because it wasn't conscious enough, it couldn't go there?

Tithalia came to mind, and I desperately hoped our child wasn't a fire Dragon. I didn't want any of the difficulties Tarakona and her mother had gone through.

"What element is it?" I asked, hoping it wasn't a sore spot.

[Water.]

Tarakona's reply was instant and without fear.Wouldn't Frost and water be a little bit incompatible? It also raises the question of what elements I have in my Dragon form, as it seemed like they rolled a random number generator to see what their kids come out as.

"How does that work? Is it going to be a problem for you as a frost Dragon?" I ask as we got closer and closer to the makeshift stream Tarakona had carved out to bathe in.

[No. Water Dragons are resistant to the cold. They are typically found deep underwater, so neither pressure nor temperature has too much of an effect on them.]

Resistant but not immune, I thought to myself but didn't voice. I'm sure I could come up with something before it hatched that would make sure Tarakona could be the mother she wanted to be.

It was quite obvious where the egg was, as Tarakona had dug out a small pond that some of the stream came into. It was about as deep as I was tall, and under its surface I could see our egg. Silk could be seen anchoring it to rocks placed around the small pond so that it wouldn't move.

I couldn't make out that much from the surface, but I swore this one was blue. A stark difference to the white ones with only a shade of light blue that she normally laid.

"It's beautiful," I said, unable to think of anything else to say.

[It was a lot harder to get out than all of my other ones, but I'm guessing that's because I haven't laid one in a while.]

Tarakona remained glued to my arm as if she were an extension of my body.

"We're going to need a bigger pond," I muttered. "If it will grow the same size as you are, then this little kiddie pool isn't going to be enough."

[I will dig one later, my love. I just want to hold you right now. It has been so long since I have been the same size as you, and I have missed your touch. You would not believe how jealous I have been watching the other girls.]

I nodded as I looped my hand around her to give her the cuddles she wanted, but my eyes never left the egg. My egg. I mean Zeldi was only slightly bigger, but I think that had more to do with her having a better diet than her pregnancy. She hadn't really shown any signs yet. Lactation aside, of course.

So looking at Tarakona and my egg was... The first proper time I felt like I was going to be a father.Tarakona hummed into my embrace, rubbing her face against my shirt until she ripped it, only to continue her rubbing against my chest. I didn't stop her, as even when her horns touched me, I knew she wouldn't be able to harm me.

"Will it be safe here?" I asked, looking around.

Trespassing would stop anyone from entering, I knew, and there was the wall Tarakona had made on the other side of the stream to block sight. Not that it needed to be there anymore because of how big my land had grown, but I still wanted to be sure.There were also my thoughts about if we could move it. If it was a water Dragon then it made sense that it would need to stay in water.

Again, I was curious about Tarakona's own childhood, but that was not a priority right now.

[Safe as it can be, my love. I can feel your nerves, but remember, I will be making sure no one can get close without either of us knowing. Voras has also offered to create her own traps of sorts in the water as added protection. I want to take her up on that but have waited until you have seen it first.]

"No chance of it going in one of your rooms?" I asked, already having an idea of the answer.Tarakona shook her head before somehow pulling me in even closer.

[We have tried. All of us have given it our permission, but we think it has to will itself to be taken there, and there's no way for that right now.]

Zeldi joined us at this point, offering some fruit and oats. The last of our collection from her family.I was about to kick myself for not getting any more before I realized I could just teleport over to get some more. That definitely made things easier.I tried to take the offered food with a smile as I maneuvered around Tarakona's death cuddling, but when I failed, Zeldi just started feeding me like a child. She was definitely amused by the current situation.

"Last question. Or not really; I'm sure I'll have a bunch more as time goes by, but does it need water?" I asked between mouthfuls.

[No. The shell will protect it from most things, and it is very resilient. Temperature is a different story, as in theory it could be cooked if it gets hot enough, but unless my mother returns, I doubt there is anything that could get it hot enough. The water if more for its own comfort. Being around its own element is calming, less likely to have any problems caused by stress during its development.]

Tarakona's mother... That definitely sent off some red flags.

[Do not worry, my love. If my mother does return, I will be forcing her to control herself. She will not harm our hatchling just to prove she is strong. I will make sure of that.]

I must have been really tense at that because I felt myself relax at that. Not completely, but enough.

"She better," Zeldi grumbled, pointing the spoon she was using to the other side of the farm. "The Dryads have just started to make their farm out there, and I don't want it to go up in flames because of her."The thought of Zeldi trying to reprimand a giant fire Dragon caused me to laugh.

But true to her words, the three Dryads under Dríade were all working on a part of the land I'd given them, planting all the seeds. Dríade herself wasn't with them, but I thought that was for the best. No one wanted their boss hovering over them twenty-four seven. Or was Dríade their boss? Or was she more of a matriarch?

[She will. I love my mother, but I will fight her if she harms any of my family.]

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that then." I mused. "So what do you need from us then, Tarakona? How can we help?" I returned everything back to the egg.

Part of me really wanted to take it into the house and hide it away, even though I knew it was safe out here.  Unless one of the girls picked it up and took it to the edge of the property, it wasn't like anyone could just walk in and take it. And I very much doubt any of us were that stupid.

[Nothing for now, my love, but I will need some way of creating water soon. I will be digging a large pond for the rest of the day so that when it does hatch it will have more than our bathing area to live in, but unless you can turn into a Dragon to help me out, you will all just get in the way.]

"What about the water stone the Drow gave us?" Zeldi offered.

Tarakona pulled enough away from me that she could look at Zeldi.

[I forgot about that. It would work for now, but we would have to replace it at some point. Or get more. Just one will not be enough for the size lake I wish to make. Especially if we can tempt Clovek into impregnating me again.]

"How hard are they to get ahold of?" I asked, suddenly very interested in something I'd largely forgotten about. I also did not respond to her last quip.

"Normally a little tricky," Zeldi answered. "If we didn't have a Dragon that could produce mana regenerative eggs. I'm sure you could place an order with the guild for some Master. I doubt it would be quick, but I also doubt they would forget about it if the reward was that valuable."

That hadn't occurred to me. I thought the guild was just a place I could sell stuff to. Didn't think I could request specific items in exchange. And with my new ability, I could get there and back without the need for a guard. Yip, trading was a whole lot easier now.

"That's easily done. I just need one of your eggs, Tarakona, then we can make the request." I said, scratching the top of her head, right between her horns.

[Now that I no longer have our fertilized egg growing inside me, that should be a simple thing. But first I demand attention. I have been needy the entire time because I have been unable to change my form and that has not been helped by Zeldi's provocative taunts.]

Zeldi just gave me a knowing look. "Told you she was the horniest of your whole harem."