Chapter 168. Panic on the farm

[She is somewhere, my love. Kettu will make herself known when she wants to.]

"She's not bound yet, so she might want to do that. If she wants to stay, that is." I replied, watching the Fawn leave and making sure he passed the boundary and couldn't get back in. Only when I was sure did I turn back to the house.

*Deeds. Just making sure there isn't anyone else on the farm that I'm not aware of?*

Fairies, Dryads, Livestock and you. No one else.

*Good. Thank you. What about Kettu?*

She is Livestock, but she has left the farm as of now.

*Interesting. Thank you.*

With a breath, I made my way towards our egg. Not because I didn't trust Tarakona, but because I wanted to make sure myself. I needed to see it with my own eyes just to be sure.Tarakona followed me without comment, understanding my need.

Our egg lay exactly where it was last seen, just sitting in its own pool. Voras had taken the liberty of tying it down even more this time, as it was no longer held by invisible threads but by a very visible web that almost looked like a second shell.

[I am somewhat jealous of Zeldi. Being able to carry her child within her and not having to leave it, but I am also thankful I can mate with you again. It is a strange feeling.]

"Ever thought of taking it to the top of a mountain for safety?" I joked, wading into the water so I could touch the outer shell. I had to work my way under the silk to do so.

[Briefly. But that would only make it safe if I could be there at all times, and if my mate hunted for both of us.]

There was a small laugh at the end of her sentence as she nudged me with her nose.

[I have gained quite a taste for seafood after our time together.]

That only made me want to complete my quest even more. Both because a Dragon would be a giant 'Go away' and also for... Other reason.

Still didn't explain why the Fawn was so unafraid.

[Not to push you, my love, but Tilty is becoming hysterical and Zeldi doesn't know what to do about her.]

I looked towards the house but couldn't make out anything.

"Let's go find out who that was then." I drew out as I left the water.

Tarakona let out a small whine.

"Don't worry. Traders can no longer enter the property. Not making that mistake again." I said.

Tarakona let out a sigh that was accompanied by a gust of frost.

[Good. But know this, my love. I will be killing anyone who comes into the farm unannounced in the future. I will not risk our egg.]

"I'm surprised you let him in." I raised my eyebrow at her in question.

[He was offering to trade when he first arrived. I didn't think he was a threat, so I just made sure he stayed away from our egg and backed up Zeldi until he started talking about buying her. You arrived before I made my decision to kill him. Had you been a few seconds later I would have seen what Fawn taste like.]

Makes sense.

"You're going to have to calm down if you want us to understand anything you're saying," Dríade said without looking over her shoulder at Tilty. The Dryad was focusing on the Fairies that had finally stopped screaming, but only because Tilty was competing with them on who could panic the most.

The Fawn was staring out the window as if he would come back.

"You don't understand!" She cried out. "He knows we're all here now. Nothing will stop him from getting his hands on us."

"I guess I'm called nothing now." I joked, suddenly becoming the center of attention.

Tilty spun, and I watched hope, fear, acceptance and something else I couldn't place in her eyes.

"He can't have any of you without me agreeing to anything, and that will never happen." I clarified.

Zeldi chuckled, letting some of the strain leave her shoulders. She had donned a new bra today, one I hadn't seen before, and I have had extensive experience with all of her current clothing.

"Dallas will find a way. He is incredibly good at finding out the price where everyone changes their minds." Tilty cried out again. "It's why my father has given him so much land to look after. And why he now owns my previous Deed."

I shrugged. Not too concerned."And what can he offer me?" I asked with a smile. "What could possibly be more valuable to me than any of you?"

"I'm not one of your..." Tilty tried to say, but I cut her off.

"You are. Until Zeldi decides what she wants to do with you or you suddenly decide not to give me your antlers, I will not be selling you. Do you understand that, Tilty?"

She stayed quiet.

"Do you understand?" I repeated a little firmer.

"No." She finally let out. "You don't know what he is capable of."

"I don't care what he's capable of because I know what I'm capable of." I snickered back. "And I know that if I suddenly sell Tarakona or Zeldi, then not only do I lose my mates, I have to deal with their parents as well. Still trying to figure out which side would be worse for me. Tithalia is scary, but I have already been kicked by Helayt, and that hurt."

Both Zeldi and Tarakona tried to hide their laughs at that. It was good to know they didn't seem to doubt me.

"Antlers," Dríade called out, finally turning away from the Fairies. "Don't fret so much. The whole reason Voras and Madu follow him is that he won't do exactly what you think he will. You'd do better spending your energy worrying about the Centaur. She has more control over your future than Clovek does."

"I have a name." Zeldi sassed the plant.

"And the Grove has nicknamed you tits." Dríade sassed back with a very obvious look down.

"By Grove you mean you." Zeldi countered with a shake of her assets.

Dríade scoffed. "I wish. It took an annoying amount of time to get my Grove to understand that making tits the same size as yours was not productive in any way. Not even as temptation for Clovek. They even tried to argue that making them produce sap of some type of fruit juice would be beneficial."

I think we all pictured Dríade's Grove running around with boobs the same size as their heads. Tarakona was the first to break, but her voice had the unmistakable tune of amusement.

[You seem to be in better spirits, Dríade. Was your trip worthwhile?]

Dríade rolled her eyes and pointed to the Fairies. "Worthwhile is an understatement. If I can figure out how to make a Fairy spring with these guys, then... Well, let's just say it opens another few doors for us. The alchemical uses alone would be extravagant."

"Are we just going to ignore Dallas?" Tilty jumped in as if we should still be worried.

"Are you going to ignore the Dragon, Gorgon, Arachne, and all the Dryads we have here?" I whipped back. "He's just one Fawn."

"He can hire an army!" Tilty yelled in exasperation.

"So can I." Dríade crossed her arms. "Not quickly, but I can."

"He can trap us on the farm." Tilty tried to argue but was rapidly losing her momentum.

[I would like to see him try.]

"We also have a Kitsune," Zeldi added. "Kettu has a lot of magic stuff she can do."

"And we're all immortal, Tilty. Realistically, he can't do anything to us." I sighed. "Dallas may have been a problem for you when you were his Livestock, but all he can really do is sit at the edges of the property and beg for me to sell one of you. Something I won't do, mind you."

"Clovek, you don't understand." Tilty seemed to cower into herself. "He will find a way. He always does."

"Then I almost feel bad for him because I'm going to break his streak." I let out a short laugh. "I actually want his Deed so if anything, I'm going to be pestering him for it. Hey Tarakona? Mind making his farm unprofitable with your hunts? Could make buying it easier?"

[Of course, my love. I doubt anything can grow in a Tundra. Should he have any animals, would you like them relocated as well?]

"Why not. So long as Zeldi doesn't get too jealous of me if I milk a more traditional cow?" I joked, getting an eye roll from my mare.

"So long as I get my milking time and you don't forget about me, then I'm okay with it. We need another source of milk anyway." She returned.

"But... But." Tilty stuttered.

"But nothing." I finished for her. "There is no price, no threat, no anything that he can offer me that I would accept, Tilty. I've built this farm from basically the ground up with all of your help and made sure it is safe. He would have to offer double your value for me to even think about it for longer than a second, and if you want to know your base value, then multiply whatever your antlers are by at least one hundred."

"My antlers are priceless." She whispered, not meeting my eyes.

"Exactly."

"Well, not to be the bearer of bad news, but he might be slightly harder to get rid of than simply killing." Voras introduced herself into the conversation with Kettu close behind. "He mentioned he was a Deed owner, and that has been proven. He owns at least one Livestock, and for some reason she has chosen to resurrect him."

"You killed him?" I questioned, not really surprised. Voras wasn't one to wait if someone was already in her trap. This wasn't helped with her bringing a cocoon with her.

"Kettu did. Then he got whisked away. I don't doubt you on the selling us part, Clovek, but he will be a bit of a problem. More than the Kobolds, at least." Voras shrugged.

Kettu silently joined the group with her head tilted down, but her ears firmly listening in.

"Where's Madu?" Zeldi asked, taking stock of our numbers.

"Patrolling. She can't sit still and wants to make sure her territory is secure. Or your territory, Clovek." Voras answered, the Arachne not at all shy right now. If anything, there was more venom in her words, kind of like when we first met. Her fangs more prominent with her words.

"We'll just add it to our current list of..."

Quest complete.Reward: Transform into a Livestock species currently bound to your farm for 1 hour each day.

"Well, well, well." I hummed to myself. "Whatever problems you girls can cause for him, I think we can double that now."