Chapter 164. Dríade and me

What had my life become?

Rhetorical question, I know, because there is absolutely nothing I would change if given the choice.

Tarakona helped milk Zeldi again with me after we'd eaten and then they both waved me off when Dríade had arrived.

Madu and Voras had still not risen, so I didn't get to say goodbye. Probably for the best, as I doubt they'd be getting up before midday. I was only a little bit proud of that.

Dríade had decided it was best to take her combat body for our trip, as if we did happen to run into other Dryads, she could easily show them she was on fertile land. It was also to act as my guard because, in Zeldi's words, 'Master, you always get into trouble.'

I didn't like how much I agreed with her on that.

The Deeds had also been kind enough to give me a direction to go in. None of them knew what to expect, so apart from there being a drain in the Ley line, they couldn't tell me more.

"Do you think the Deeds themselves drain the Ley lines?" I asked as a conversation starter when it became clear Dríade wouldn't be the first to speak. We'd been walking for a little over half an hour by this point.

"Depends on what you consider a drain, I guess." She shrugged back while her tentacles dragged across the ground behind her. "The Ley lines are meant to push the world's mana around so it doesn't grow stagnant. A simple wizard pulls from it to cast their spells, so would you consider them a drain as well or just someone using what is available? There's also the fact that without something pulling mana from the Ley lines, it would stay there and not interact with the world. So is it a drain or it being used as intended?"

I did not consider a philosophy lesson as my answer to that question.

Dríade continued. "My tree will be similar. While it will still feed off the nutrients in the soil, I will set some roots directly into the Ley line to absorb what I can. It won't be a lot, as pure mana is dangerous and only handleable by very specific beings, but it will sustain my rapid growth. It will also give my tree some rather interesting benefits like the leaves will be good in mana rich potions, but that is mostly stories passed between Dryads and not something I can confirm if true or not. I will be interested in trying though."

We're just going to breeze past that whole part about specific beings...

"What do you mean specific beings?" I questioned, remembering my deaths and the lake I saw going through me into the Deeds. The one where I felt like I was filtering something from the Ley lines that the Deeds were absorbing.

"Exactly that. I couldn't tell you what the requirements are, but some people can interact with mana in its purest form. Think of it like a non-magical healing medicine. Small amounts won't do anything, while the correct dosage will have the desired effect, but too much and the cure becomes a poison. Some people can bypass that entirely and drink without any adverse reactions." Dríade answered with a shrug.

I lapsed into silence at that, trying to understand how I fit in. There was no way I was magically one of these beings she talked about because that would mean the Deeds could only bond with them, and from the sound of it, they can bond with anyone, so long as they own the Deed itself.

It also brings the question of what exactly are the Deeds? Calling them worm like creatures on another plane of existence doesn't quite fit.

"Can someone go from being normal to being able to interact with the pure mana?" The question was simple, but I knew there would be a lot of conditions.

Dríade shrugged again. "For you? No idea. But that's not saying it isn't possible. My tree will change when it becomes a World tree to be more resilient and thus able to feed on small amounts of mana in its purest form, but if I tried to drink directly from the Ley lines? My tree would probably explode."

Charming.

This just adds more and more confusion about the Deeds. Instead of continuing that train of thought, I changed it slightly.

"How many world trees could feed off one Ley line without harming it? Like, could we make your entire Grove just a big world tree farm to increase everything? Guess it would be world trees then."

Dríade tripped.

As in, she fully went face first into the ground, only to come back up in the same breath, ignoring the dirt she'd scooped up on the way like it wasn't even there.

"Stop that." She demanded, ignoring the trail we were following, and got right up in my face.

"Stop what?" I asked, a bit taken aback by her immediate change in attitude.

"Stop saying things like that. Gods Clovek. I spent the majority of last night trying to tell Freya why you couldn't be the Grove Father because you already have a harem, and if you go telling them that they can grow World Trees as well... Fuck, I'd lose my status as Grove mother." Dríade growled.

"The Grove is yours, Dríade," I said, trying to calm her down. "I'm not going to try taking them away."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that. You have enough girls throwing their tails at you as it is." Dríade let out a sigh before crossing her arms. "I'm worried that my Dryads will see you as a better Grove leader even though you're not a Dryad."

"Like that will ever happen." I laughed. "Dríade, my farm may be good, but it is your personal room that gives them everything they need. If you disappear, then they get nothing. I wouldn't even be able to persuade the Deeds to do anything as none of them are Livestock."

"Try telling them that!" Dríade huffed before taking a breath. "Damn it all."

"At the risk of sounding like, well, myself. Is there any way I can help you?" I asked when it became clear she wasn't going to say anything.

Dríade rolled her eyes and continued to walk without making sure I was following."No. If you were to do more than... I don't know." The Dryad sighed. "I just... Don't like that I have to rely on you for so much. Not when you could strip it all away if you wanted to."

That made me laugh. Not because of her words but because of my conversation with Tarakona. "Believe me, Dríade, I will not be taking away anything I have given you. I actually want to make sure you won't look elsewhere for anything."

Dríade huffed as she found a tree that she designated as our resting spot. She leaned against it and shot me a slightly confused look.

"Clovek... Can I speak truthfully for a second, with your promise that it won't leave the two of us?" She asked with one of the first looks of vulnerability I had ever seen in her.

"Of course," I said, crossing my heart. The motion was lost on her, though.

Dríade let out a slow breath. One that took a few seconds to actually get out. "Clovek. I have never relied on anyone for anything before this. My tree was always protected by me, my body was expendable in every sense of the word as well as replaceable at will, and I lived as I saw fit. Until I came to your farm."

She stopped for a bit, and I gave her the time to figure out her words.

"Then you allowed me to be anything and everything I could ever want, and while you do ask for my fruit in return, it seems like... Like a cheap thing you purchase at the market. Gods alive, Clovek, you are literally offering me the chance to become a god to other Dryads, yet all you ask for is to do a little farming for you."

"Would you prefer I ask for more?" I questioned, not really understanding it. "Because in my eyes you are the most loyal Livestock I have."

"Loyal? I'm bloody the most loyal? You are crazy, you know that?" Dríade burst out. "How do you think I'm the most loyal of your girls?"

"Livestock." I corrected her. "You're my most loyal Livestock Dríade. I say that because of Tithalia. She has figured out how to make livestock as well as remove them."

That silenced her as she went over the implications of that. We both did.

"So anyone could be normal? Is that what you're saying? We could go back to being our own person again?"

"The others can," I admitted. "Hell, I'd even encourage Zeldi to do so so that she could visit her family more. Tarakona could be a proper Dragon while Voras and Madu could be free. The only one, in my eyes, that wouldn't is you. Abelha, I'm still unsure about."

"Because if I leave, I lose my status as Grove mother." Dríade clicked onto what I was saying. She then let out a humourless laugh. "So you want to make sure I don't ever want to leave or revoke my Livestock status so that you have at least one Livestock all the while I'm trying to make sure you see me as valuable enough to not take away my room."

"Ironic, isn't it?" I joked.

"Very." She agreed.

We stayed quiet for a bit longer as we gathered our strength. We didn't need it, but neither of us felt like moving after our talk.

"Can we agree that neither of us will go against the other?" I finally asked. "Because you may see it as your not offering a lot, but to me? The stability of having one of you girls that will stay no matter what is enough."

"When you say it like that, I can't really refuse. But ain't you being a bit too hasty? Zeldi and Voras wouldn't leave you for anything based on what I've witnessed." Dríade huffed and pushed herself off the tree.

"I don't doubt that." I agreed, joining her as we continued our trek. "They would probably stay with me as my mate, but if given the chance, do you think they would stay, Livestock?"

Dríade hummed for a moment in thought before answering. "I think if you'd asked Voras before meeting you, she would have jumped at the opportunity. Now though? I don't know. You may not think you've done much but you have managed to change us all in different ways. And I hate to admit it but it is for the better."

"Thanks Dríade."

"If you tell anyone else I said that I will deny it." She bit back but the smile she carried held off the venom in her words.

"It'll be our little secret."