Chapter 62. Coming clean

It didn't take long to find her as Zeldi had gone to the only place on this farm she felt she could be alone. Her dimensional room.

When I arrived I found her buried underneath her blankets crying softly like someone might hear her.

"Hey Zeldi, are you okay?" The question felt stupid the moment I said it.

For her credit Zeldi did try to stop her crying with a few sniffles before poking her head out from the covers.

"You knew didn't you?" She demanded with a scowl that was ruined by the tears running down her cheeks.

"Partly." I replied with only to shake my head. "No actually I knew from the first day I was here."

"How?" The words were quite but in the silence of the room they were like she was shouting.

"Because I witnessed a kobold in the barn trying to steal the milk from us after the first time I had milked you." I admitted. "He mentioned Maletary as being the one who told him to do it and as Tilty had been a problem I just added it to the list of things."

Zeldi looked at the ground before letting out a sigh. "And why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I didn't know if you'd believe me." I answered even though I knew it sounded pitiful now that I was finally saying it to her.

Zeldi returned her gaze to me.

"I didn't know if I could prove it to you in any way and at the time..." I trailed off. Thankfully Zeldi continued.

"You had only just arrived. You thought I wouldn't believe you."

"Yeah." I said weakly.

Zeldi pulled the covers back and made grabby hands in my direction. I complied and got pulled into bed with her.

We stayed silent for a while as Zeldi placed her head against my chest. I was thankful for Voras at this moment as Zeldi used the T-shirt to wipe her tears and a bit of snot.

"Can you tell me about her?" I asked as a way of breaking the silence.

Zeldi let out a small laugh that had no humor behind it. "Tell you what exactly? How I was manipulated into thinking someone else was stealing from me while one of my most trusted friends was really behind it?"

I didn't know what to say to that and remained quiet. Thankfully Zeldi continued.

"Maletary started off as a trader. She would come to buy my milk and in return she would provide me with items she secretly got through Tilty's blockade. Though I'm sure now that they were all pre-planned. Gods below I'm so stupid. Should have known something was wrong when she was bringing items I'd lost the very same day."

Zeldi ground her teeth together. I tried to stroke her back in an attempt to sooth her.

"So that's about it really. Apart from bringing me items she was just a friendly face I got to see. I had so few of them I never really looked to much into it. Makes me look a bit stupid now that I think back, she would always ask what luxuries I still had and where I kept them."

"You're not stupid." I tried to reassure her. "You were desperate to find some silver lining to your situation."

"And I found that in someone who was trying to steal from me." Zeldi deadpanned back. "Master I love you but you are horrible at making me feel better."

I gave a mock look of offense that caused her to let out a choked laugh. It wasn't much but it was something.

Zeldi stayed quiet after that, just listening to the beat of our hearts before so finally spoke. "What do you plan on doing to her when you find her?"

The question was innocent enough but the quiet undertone was very loud.

"Depends on Maletary really. If she doesn't come back then nothing. But if she does, then try to get all the stuff she stole from you back."

Zeldi traced an unseen pattern on my shirt as she replied. "Could I speak to her when you do catch her?"

"You make it sound like she will definitely be coming back."

"She will. I want to believe it's because we are friends but you saw the reaction that Ventress had to my milk. It's valuable and use to be easy to acquire for her." Zeldi sighed. "Add Tarakona's eggs and it's going to be very busy here."

"Then I will promise that if we can capture her we will but only if it doesn't endanger anymore. Deal?" I offered as a middle ground.

Zeldi stopped tracing her pattern. "I guess that's a good idea. I just.." she let the words trail off. "I just wish none of this had ever happened. I wish I hadn't been so eager to leave my village. It would have been so much easier if I had just done that."

I nodded. "But if that were the case you wouldn't have ever summoned me. I know I'd doesn't make what's happened right but it wasn't all bad, right?"

Zeldi pulled herself back enough that she could look up into my eyes. "No, it wasn't all bad and as much as I complain I know I would have eventually gone looking for a farm when the pressure grew to be to much. Just like Tarakona. That still doesn't mean I like it."

She wriggled her way back into my chest and let out a satisfied huff. "You are worth it though. My Master."

For the first time that word didn't spark a little lust in me but that might have just been because of the condition we were in.

We stayed like this for a time, Zeldi fell asleep in a small nap but woke up quickly when Tarakona came in to join us. My Draconess had her other form and without words joined our little cuddle pile putting herself on Zeldi's back. This ment my little mare was in the middle of a cuddle sandwich and the smile that grew on her face was worth it.

[Voras has been interrogating Tilty ever since you left. The spider woman is strangely angry at everything that has happened.]

Zeldi didn't flinch so I could only guess that Tarakona was only speaking to me. I nodded as slowly as I could to show I understood while not disturbing Zeldi.

It was also not a surprise Voras was mad. She had a distinct dislike for Deed owners and since Tilty had been one she fell into that category. Her also being a livestock complicated it but it didn't seem like much.

[I don't wish to alarm you Master but I don't think Voras will be a good fit here. Not because of her or us as she was immediately protective of both myself and sister Zeldi when you left us but because of the trauma she has experienced in the past.]

I moved slightly to look at my Draconess from over Zeldi's head and looked at her questioningly. I knew she had some difficulty but I had thought I was making progress.

"I think she just needs to warm up to me a little bit." I whispered. "I don't expect her to just accept anything instantly.'

Zeldi's ears twitched so I knew she was awake now and listening.

[It is not that Master. I know you can make just about any Livestock fall for you. What I'm worried about is your life.]

I looked at her in confusion. "I don't follow."

[She has given you her silk so within whatever magic the farms exist on she is now your Livestock.]

That made sense.

I waited for her to continue but it was Zeldi who spoke up. "Tarakona is worried because we have both been notified that she will now be part of the decision on if you are resurrected should you die again."

Oh.

[I failed to protect you in the Underdark but I knew that we could always bring you back should anything have happened. Zeldi was never going to vote against it and you are my mate regardless of our mating flight so I would always bring you back. Voras provides a variable that is unknown and I will not bet my mates life on it. If you require her for her silk just to buy us luxuries then forget about it, we will live as we have without her.]

I could hear the anger in her tone but also the faint vulnerability. It almost made me smile to know she considered me her mate already even though we had done everything but say it out loud.

"She's right you know." Zeldi said with a little hiccup. "I can't do much to protect you myself like Tarakona can but I know that each time you do something stupid enough to get yourself killed I have the power to bring you back. It's not worth another Livestock like her just to speed up you point gathering if the trade off is you die for good next time."

[Should she not bring you back she will be killed anyway. I will make sure of it but that's no reason to go dancing in a Dragons mouth.]

I didn't know what to say to that. They were right but I had the feeling Voras would be a great ally to have once she opened up a little bit. How long that would take is anyone's guess but it wasn't going to be quick.

"How about." I started picking my words carefully. "We hold off on getting rid of Voras unless she wants to leave, but until we are all confident she will bring me back I never leave the farm. That way I can't be killed."

I got glares from both the girls before Zeldi turned to Tarakona.

"It should work I guess and anytime he goes close to the edge one of us being with him should stop any of his stupidity."

There was more silence and I realized Tarakona was speaking to Zeldi without letting me hear.

"No freezing him is not a good idea, he's immune to your frost anyway."

Zeldi gave an eye roll at what Tarakona said next but her smile returned so I hoped it was good.

"Okay then Master. If you promise to stay away from the edges and not leave the farm at all until we're sure she will bring you back we are fine with keeping her." The seriousness of the topic was lost almost immediately by Zeldi giggling. "I wonder how you would look held in place by her silk while we all lick your dick together?"