Chapter 48: Chapter Forty-seven – In which Ark sees Truffle home, meets a goblin in the shit-pit, listens to a request from Diana, and goes outside with Stella.

I had the pleasure of taking Truffle back to her room in a princess carry the following day as Ivory held onto Button who was absent-mindedly sucking on the wrong breast, not appearing to care very much that there was no milk to be found there yet. Truffle had become a lot more docile once she got back to her little mushroom farm. She didn’t want to go into her room directly. Instead she was immediately showing her daughter all of the mushrooms and even feeding her some.

To see my little lazy sleepy-eyed daughter half-slobbering on a mushroom cap made me completely sure this was Truffle’s daughter. Not that I doubted it for a moment, since I saw her crawl out of Truffle myself. Now that they were back home, Ivory had gone into her side of the shared cave-hole and returned with one of those bone charms that she made, and gave it to Button. The head of the doll was even shaped like a mushroom, and as expected, Button tried slobbering on that one too.

With Truffle and Button entrusted to Ivory’s care, I make a quick stop to relieve myself at the nearby shit-pit. I ended up dropping a funky double together with a goblin whom I recognized only as one of the remaining two I had yet to do the deed with.

Tell me, is it wrong to pick up a goblin in the shitter?

Not that I hadn’t done it before with Jewel…

“Husband! Pick tonight?”

“Yeah… It’s just you and one more to go. Sorry it took so long.”

“Pick me! Not last get Husband big seed!”

“Hmm… have a good reason for making me want to pick you tonight?”

“Maybe find good thing Husband like?”

“Alright, then. Find me something you think I would like by the time the sun goes down outside. If I like it, I’ll pick you.”

She finished by wiping herself with a few leaves, all-agrin agreeing quickly to my offer. I wondered if there was a stigma attached to being chosen last? Also, I feel like any shared bathroom experiences outside of sex should be reserved for after you’ve already done the deed. Call me old fashioned, I guess.

For the record, I didn’t care if she found anything good. She approached me about it proactively, so I was just going to choose her anyway because of that. If anything, I was now curious to see what the worth of my big seed might actually be to a goblin.

Passing by Berry’s room on the way back to my own and failing to peek inside like I usually do, a few steps later I found that I had gained a heavy weight on my right leg. Looking down, to my delight I had found my most bravest eldest drop goblin daughter clinging on to me.

“Want a lift somewhere, Diana?”

“Come to cave-hole, Husband!”

One day she’ll call me daddy. One day…

“Okay, is there something you want to show me?”

“Come!”

“Okay, okay, how can I say no to my little bear-slayer?”

I reached down and petted her growing hair before turning back a few steps and heading to Berry’s room. There were a few things that had been gathered which were organized in the living room that weren’t put away in the bedroom I had made for them. What Diana was showing me was… half of a drawing on the wall. It wasn’t art per-se, but a draft.

“Husband make Diana Artemis new cave-hole!”

“You want a new cave-hole? What about the one daddy made for you already?”

She patted her little chest and grinned.

“Diana Artemis hunt big-bear. Husband take tribute. Goblin hunter now. Prima say goblin hunter have own cave-hole. That cave-hole for Berry.”

Ah, she was having a bit of rebellious independence now that she killed a bear. She was about what, three weeks old going on thirteen moons, I guess? Daddy might not be able to buy her a pony, but making a room fit for a princess is something I can most certainly do.

“I’d be happy to make it for you my fierce little princess, but daddy can’t use magic except for making a light to see outside of his cave-hole without Jewel to watch.”

“Why?”

“It would be better for you to ask Prima or Jewel why, because I don’t think my answer is the right one for you to hear.”

“Diana Artemis bring Jewel, Husband make cave-hole?”

“Yes, Diana. I will make anything you want me to. By the way, where’s your mother?”

I didn’t see Berry around anywhere. It was only my bear-slaying latch-key daughter at home right now.

“Berry go hunt. Get blue berries make blue water. Diana not hunt today. Big-think new cave-hole.”

I’m glad she is aware of having a work-life balance from a young age. I was often overworked myself, so it’s good that she has her priorities in place. Considering that on the floor in front of the crudely marked wall was the same sharp stone Berry and I had both used to make next to no progress on digging the wall of this cave that first day for her sake… Diana was at least smart enough to scratch an outline of the shape of the room she wanted. She was definitely a capable goblin like her mother.

“Husband will wait here for you until you bring Jewel.”

“Okay!”

Diana dashed off speedily, and in no time at all had returned with Jewel. I didn’t doubt for a second that she’d be able to rope that particularly greedy goblin.

“Diana kill Black-bear. Earn cave-hole.” Jewel said incontestably after arriving, crossing her arms and nodding with approval.

I can only think of it as high praise coming from Jewel.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

With Jewel present, I began in earnest, using the topaz stone to make my daughter’s new room. What kind of room is good for a budding young huntress? I didn’t need to think about it hard. Diana was directing the whole operation. She had been to the cave-holes of Jewel, Ivory-Truffle, and Lily. She knew exactly what she wanted.

“Want big bed like Husband cave-hole. Not up. Down, in ground.”

She wanted a recessed bed? Well, it’s her call. There were cubby holes and shelves added by request and I even raised a hollowed out box of compacted dirt up from the ground and a sliding lid on top to act as a secret storage trunk. Jewel made a growl that indicated I would need to duplicate that for her in her own room later. She does like having places to hide things, after all.

Diana began moving a few things from the living room and nothing else from the bedroom she had been sharing with Berry up until now into her new quarters. She didn’t have all that much to call her own just yet, but she was standing there feeling very proud of herself for getting a new cave-hole made with love.

What father wouldn’t move the world–or excavate a cave–for his daughter if she asked sweetly enough?

I had asked Jewel for a little bit of extra time to do something in the cave, mostly to help out Berry’s blue water operation. I had hollowed out a space in the wall opposite to Diana’s new room and made a flat surface for a countertop. It would let Berry fit about six large pots side by side, much bigger than her small bowls she used for everything which I learned, surprise surprise, were made by Toy!

I decided to call it here before I wasted more of Jewel’s time. I’d make a few nice pots for Berry when I got back to the breeding room. Diana gave me a hug for a job well done (I think!), and I couldn’t help but notice the large knife she carried around tucked away into her loincloth.

I think I’ll make her a stone sheathe from it later. There was no bear skin left from the kill to tan and hide into leather, not that I had the first clue at all in how to do it. What I could do was make a thin and lightweight stone sheathe, something with a sturdy loop that could hook into her loincloth. I might be a far cry from any kind of artisan, but I felt like I could do that much.

I returned to the breeding room, promising Jewel she could find me tomorrow to make her a very special treasure box for her things. Jewel was easy to please like that, just appeal to her greed and promise her that the things she wanted would be only the best quality, and she was quite agreeable to just about anything. I would have gone for a freebie with Jewel, but Prima was already waiting for me, along with Doll.

“Husband, keep watch human. Today get sun.” My main wife informed me all of a sudden.

Hmm, when was the last time I went outside?

I went to fetch Stella to let her know.

“About time! Being cooped up inside this cave all the time… how do you put up with it, Ark?”

“By keeping myself busy as much as possible.” I answered truthfully.

Stella and I were both bound with ropes, and while we walked I explained that she should be fine provided she doesn’t go too close to the trees. When we reached outside she was quick to take a few breaths of clean forest air and find a place to plop down at to soak up some rays.

Prima usually gave me some space, but today she was sitting down against the wall where Doll usually would be found, holding on to her spear. Doll was already outside, wondering if I was up for some open exercise. Though it was definitely the afternoon sun out here right now and a bit hotter than I liked, I wasn’t against it. Now that there was a bath in my room, I could easily clean up and cool down afterwards.

Out of concern for Doll being pregnant, I made it a point to pass on doing sit-ups. But push ups and squats were completely fine. We did them together while Prima kept a watchful eye on both Stella and myself. More Stella I imagine, than myself. Doll is getting better at exercising, but I’ve been feeling a lot stronger lately as well. I was able to outperform her, but still fell short of my long term goal at only eighty-six. I hope when I reach one-hundred I still have a full head of hair. I don’t want to be a young balding father even if it means I can defeat the Great Protector with a single punch.

For squats, she was able to keep up to a one-hundred count with me. Doll explained that she needed to stand firm with her legs when chopping trees and wood, far more than she needed the strength in her arms. But since doing push ups with me and also by herself, she noticed that she could swing her axe more easily and chop a tree down a little bit faster.

See, this is why muscles will never betray you, Doll!

That might have to wait until her pregnancy is over though. Pumping iron–or stone in this case–is not an approved exercise for pregnant women.

After that, it was a little bit of light jogging around the fire pit for both of us, and then we also plopped down on the ground, to rest. While staring up at the blue sky, a certain goblin with a sweet smile for me and a long scar adorning her body hovered over me and stared at my face.

“Want berry, Husband?”

“Yes.” I said and slapped my hips. Berry was not one to pass up on an opportunity to enjoy herself in my company, and I was enjoying my baby’s mama giving me two pleasures at once. She had picked some delicious blue berries and fed a few of them to me while we had a little bit of outdoor fun.

“Doll, would you like some berries too?”

Doll, who was right beside me, opened her mouth and Berry fed her a couple as well while giggling.

“Diana want talk Husband.” Berry said as she milked me thoroughly and I left blue stains around her tasty brown nipples.

“Oh, I saw her earlier. She, um… wanted a cave-hole of her own.”

“So soon…” Berry looked down. “Diana kill black-bear. Right have own cave-hole. Husband take Diana tribute.”

“Tribute? Do you mean the… claw? So it was my fault then? I’m sorry, Berry…”

Berry just shook her head, but kept a bright smile on her face.

“Have strong one. Proud Diana Artemis. Not angry Husband… Only sad. Berry alone cave-hole.”

“Uh…”

Did Diana not tell her she was getting a new room in their family cave-hole? Heh, I won’t say anything about that and let Diana be the one to surprise her mother.

“I stopped by your cave-hole earlier and made you a counter similar to the one in mine. I’ll need to make you a few pots, but you should be able to make much bigger amounts of blue water, and of course experiment with making other things that might taste good…”

“Berry make Husband blue water?”

“No, but I know you make it for Ivory. Do you drink it also, Berry?”

Berry nodded. “Cold day. Keep body warm. Better Husband keep body warm, not blue water.”

I gently traced the line of her brown scar. It wasn’t ugly to me, just proof of how strong a woman and mother she really was. It’s hard sometimes to have to withhold obvious favoritism, because if Berry was a human, there is no question I would have probably chosen her over all the others. However, I’m everyone’s Husband, therefore I also treasure each of the other goblins in their own ways. It’s nice to have a variety, and I won’t discount a single one of them as being less than another.

I took hold of her hands and placed them on my stomach, prompting her to grind on me just like that. Usually I’m proactive with my many goblin wives, but I wanted to enjoy this impromptu outdoor experience with her. Leaving her hands there, I massaged her breasts, plumper since she gave birth. Could I ever have imagined that I would be the kind of guy to downright enjoy getting some outdoor goblin MILF action?

Berry lay atop my body after I filled her belly with more of my big seed, which cared nothing if her womb was ripe enough for it. I kissed her softly on the head and she flicked her long tongue at my nipple playfully.

“Husband, go see what do cave-hole. Have fun sun time.”

I was abandoned by my sweet-scented lover, left to bake in the sun until Doll rolled over on top of me.

“Doll turn, Husband!”

Alas, I was made to exercise further with Doll, performing some secret calisthenics with her, until she too was fit to leave me lying there, holding her slightly showing belly in satisfaction. She said she would take a rest now, and then perhaps come visit my cave-hole to use the bath later on. I was left once more with my eternal hard-on, and two women looking at me like I was a scoundrel.

Stella for obvious reasons, and Prima for the sheer audacity I had to not give her a plump belly.

It was hot enough to not want to be near the fire pit right now, and as much as I love getting my sun, I was sweaty, covered in dirt and pieces of grass, and wanted to go back inside early. But I chose to stick it out for Stella right now, who hadn’t seen the sun in days. I walked over to the shade of the entrance to goblin-hom and sat down with my back against the cool stone exterior.

“Prima turn big seed?” Prima said sarcastically.

“You are eternally first in line, my Guardian.”

She harrumphed.

“Did you tell Diana that hunters get their own cave-holes?” I decided to poke her about what was said on her bear hunt with my daughter.

“Goblin way.” She retorted. “Maybe take Vera cave-hole. Empty. Close to front goblin-home.”

“Afraid not. She had me working hard earlier to make her a cave-hole of her own in Berry’s room.”

That seemed to unsettle Prima.

“Husband tell Diana not move cave-hole?”

“Not at all. She had marked the wall in their cave-hole where she wished me to dig the wall with magic. She was quite particular about how she wanted it. Is it unusual?”

“Old One say goblins strong hunter, seek own cave-hole. Not want share cave-hole other goblin. Prima not share cave-hole Vera.”

“She might have benefited from you doing so. But I can understand your desire for privacy. I happen to enjoy having her stay with me. Some humans do not care for too much solitude.” I rebutted.

“Husband make cave-hole place goblins want go? Not want alone?”

“Well, it’s more like I’m not free to leave the cave, nor am I asking to be. But I can at least pretend I am free in my own cave-hole. I enjoy it when everyone comes to eat breakfast with me, and maybe you don’t believe me yet, but I want to see the tribe grow, both in number of goblins and quality of life.”

“Husband human,” Prima pointed towards Stella, “What think? Care human same care goblin? Care more? Give more big seed?”

“I care for Stella differently than I do the goblin tribe. I’d like for her to be able to escape, honestly. The way I gave her big seed, humans find such a thing unforgivable. Even if I cared for her the same as I do for you, she wouldn’t care for me back.”

“Stupid human. Not want be fat with strong ones? Prima not understand human think.”

“It’s just how it is. But isn’t her loss, your gain?”

“Prima want many strong ones. Husband not ever think give Prima little seed.”

“I wouldn’t dare dream of it.”

“Enough sun human?”

“Can you give her a little bit longer? When she was with the Great Protector, she was free to go outside.”

Prima sighed.

“Little long.”

When the sun dipped a bit further, Prima’s patience waned. She said it was long enough, and we were both rounded up and brought back inside. Stella didn’t voice any complaints, simply returning to what was essentially her prison as well now. I had no idea when the Great Protector would show up to retrieve her, but it would probably be soon. After this night, there would be only one goblin left to impregnate.