Chapter 19. Worth it reward

"So are you ready yet?" I asked Zeldi for the fourth time.

"Yes Master I'm ready now." She giggled back. "But where are we going? It's not like we can go too far. I can't leave the same way you can remember?"

Oh how wrong she was.

I'd forced her to gobble down a bowl for breakfast but kept quiet about what my plan was just so I could surprise her. "It's a secret. Now have you got everything?"

"You mean do I have my clothes on because that's all I own remember? Master what has you this excited this morning? It was very mean to leave me in bed like that."

She was referring to how I'd jumped out of bed instead of cuddling like she had wanted to. Admittedly it had been tempting but I was distracted by something far more exciting.

"Just trust me. Here hold my hand." I didn't know if it was needed but still.

Zeldi just sighed and obeyed.

With her hands in mine I accepted the prompt that hadn't disappeared in the corner of my vision since accepting the reward.

In a flash that was barely a second we went from the house to the edge of a forest. The dead giveaway that we weren't on the farm anymore was the lush grass beneath my feet and her hooves. Oh how I've missed grass.

"Master where are we?" Zeldi asked cuddling into me a little more.

"Honestly I was hoping you could tell me because if not I wasted a perfect reward on nothing." I answered. "Does this place look familiar at all?"

"Yes." Zeldi whispered. "But if it is, that means."

She didn't answer that thought, instead she lifted me up and onto her back with surprising strength before taking off like a bat out of hell in what seemed like a random direction to me. I had to grab hold of her chest to stay on though I think she didn't mind as it stopped them from swinging about.

"So I should probably mention this now just so you're aware but we only have twelve hours here before we get teleported back to the farm!" I yelled out as I became aware of other Centaurs walking together in groups as well as some in fields of crops

Zeldi didn't respond to my statement, instead she banked a hard left that brought us up to an open gate that had been hidden behind the trees from where we'd appeared.

"This is real?" She stammered turning around enough that she could see me.

"Real as can be by little mare. Now come on show me around your old village." I said with a smile.

Zeldi shed a happy tear then resumed her run this time through the streets of a village that had definitely been built with the people in mind. I'm so use to space being a premium but here it seemed like it was specifically designed so that everyone had the most space available. Even the distance between houses was big enough that Zeldi could turn around comfortably without touching either wall.

Glad I had a lot of land on my farm if this was what Zeldi expected me to build.

As Zeldi slowed down I stopped admiring the scenery to find she was watching an older mare with the same blonde hair as herself in what was a beautiful blue sundress designed for centaurs.  The woman who I was guessing was Zeldi's mother was in the midst of hanging clothes on a line beside her house and couldn't see us.

"Go on." I prompted Zeldi as she stopped. "I'm sure she's missed you just as much."

My mare choked back a sob then ran full speed at the older woman only giving her one word as a warning. "Mum!"

Fortunately her mothers ears focused on our advance with enough time that she dropped what she had in her hands to whip her head towards us. This allowed her to prepare enough for Zeldi's full weight to slamm into her without falling to the ground.

"Zeldi! What?! Is it really you?!" Her mother had a rich accent that definitely spoke of a more southern country even though Zeldi herself didn't.

"Yes it is me mum. I've missed you so much." She choked through tears the strength leaving her body.

Luckily her mother was strong enough to take the weight and lowered them both to the ground with me getting off so as not to interfere. It was slightly awkward on my part but I wasn't going to interrupt this reunion.

"Oh sweet pea. Everythings all right now. Mama's got you." The older woman cooed while brushing her hair with her hands.

There was a stomping of hooves from inside the house before the door was thrown open and another two Centaurs came into the sunlight. One was a polar opposite of Zelda with black hair and an even darker skin complexion while the other was a brown that was somewhere in the middle. Both were female and looked to be around Zeldi's mothers age.

"Yenem. Did I hear you say Zeldi?" The brown one asked then gasped when she saw the two embracing. "She really is back."

"Quick. Go get Daxel Anna! He should know his child is home." The darker one said.

The brown one nodded and galloped off down the street.

So Zeldi's mother was Yenem. The brown one was Anna and Daxel is her father. That just leaves the dark one that I don't know the name of.

Zeldi pulled herself from her mother's bosom in response to the voices. "It's good to see you as well mother Helayt."

Mother? Oh harems are a thing got it. Does that mean Zeldi's father has three wives? Well done sir.

"It is good to see you child. Come inside it must be cold in those rags." Helayt smiled down at her. "I'm sure you have a lot to tell us. Yenem do you mind starting up an early lunch?"

Zeldi's mother nodded. "Of course head mare. Anything in particular you have in mind?"

"It's not often a lost child comes home again. I'm sure we can break into the wine cellar so pick something that would pair well with a glass." She then looked at Zeldi. "Or perhaps the bottle judging from her looks."

Zeldi laughed. "Mother Helayt! I can't drink remember? It effects my milk."

Helayt waved her hand already turning around and heading back towards the house. "I think we can do away with the whole producer nonsense Zeldi. You are home now not on a farm and I don't think any of us will be letting you go back."

I might have been making a mistake but I had to jump in and clear up the misunderstanding.

"Sorry to interrupt but we're only here temporarily. Both Zeldi and myself will be returning..." I didn't make it any further before Helayt's back leg moved faster that I could see into my chest.

The impact drove the air from my lungs while the force sent me into the streets. Helayt was over me with a hoof planted firmly before I even realized I was lying on my back. "I don't believe I will be giving you permission to take her back whoever you are. She is family and we will not be losing her a second time."

I raised my hands in surrender unable to form words as my lungs screamed at me from the added pressure of the woman bearing down on me. New body or not something felt like it had bruised my ribs and I was a long way from my farm to heal.

"He's family as well!" Zeldi came to my rescue trying to remove Helayt's hoof. "Mother Helayt this is my mate. He saved me so please release him and I will explain everything."

The dark mare released me but didn't lose the look of distain she had towards me.

"Master are you okay?" Zeldi asked pulling me to my feet.

My chest screamed that it was a bad idea but I ignored it in favor of the blond centaurs embrace.

"Perfectly fine." I managed to get out in the least convincing response. I tried to take a step but my legs gave out. Luckily Zeldi was holding onto me so I didn't fall back to the ground.

Helayt gave a grunt but seemed to accept that Zeldi would be bringing me with her. "I guess a lot has happened in the four years since you disappeared."

Yenem came up besides Zeldi and took my other side so that I was in between the two of them. She then had a silent conversation with her head mare before Helayt gave a nod and turned around again.

I might have flinched a little when she did so but Zeldi gave me a light squeeze. "It's okay Master she was just trying to protect me. Please don't hold it against mother Helayt."

"I don't." I coughed out, my lungs finally no longer stabbing my chest. "If I was in her shoes or hoofs I guess, I'd have done the same. You protect your family and she was protecting you."

I gave it a second to get my feet back under me before looking at Yenem. "Forgive me for my lack of knowledge or anything but you must be Zeldi's birth mother. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"I hope the pleasure will be mine as well mate of my daughter but I will have to hold out on that just yet. You have mentioned that she will not be staying and I find that very vexing after finally being reunited with her." Yenem responded letting go of my side.

Well she had every right I guess, I just hope I haven't royally screwed myself already.

Zeldi squeezed me again. "It's okay. Once we explain everything to them in sure they will understand."

I'm glad one of us thinks so because I'm having second thoughts.