SSV 4 Chapter 6 (Patreon)

As Stella and I headed to the next stop on her pancake supply route, we ended up following the stream of water from Frankie’s flour shop down to the farms.

Just outside the boundaries of New Haven were fields with crops and several large pastures tended by mutas.

“They don’t keep any slaughter animals. Any meat comes from monsters. But they have cows, chickens, and I think I saw some goats.” Stella informed me.

“I see ducks too.” I pointed to the flock of birds wading in a small pond.

“Oh, ducks. I wonder what their eggs taste like.” Stella watched a few of them have a little spat on the pond.

“So, who down here should we see first?” I tried to refocus her.

“Oh. Milly was the one who had the cows. We should go see her first.” Stella pointed at a barn.

“How did you find all of this?” I asked her.

“Just asked around. Everyone is really friendly here in New Haven. It’s like…” She struggled for the word to describe it.

“An actual community.” I sighed. I hadn’t realized until being in New Haven how much I was craving community. I was disconnected from family and friends for so long, and then Emma went to prison, severing my last real human connection. I had been a loner for a long time. And at the time, I’d thought I was okay with that.

But now that I had my harem and saw New Haven, I was starting to question what I really wanted.

“Yeah, that’s it. They all just help each other all the time. And they know each other. Like, really know each other.” She shook her head like she couldn’t believe it. “Not like being the neighbor who you could pick out of a lineup, but not know their name.”

I couldn’t help but think that Stella would have had an easier life in New Haven, where her power wouldn’t have been demonized so badly.

“Let’s enjoy our time here. You said Milly is in that barn?”

She nodded excitedly. “Milly is really friendly.”

I went up to the barn. The door was ajar, so I pushed it open enough to walk in.

At first, I struggled to see in the darkness until my eyes adjusted. But after that, I could make out a large broad shouldered woman sitting on a stool, bent over milking a cow.

“Hi Milly, I’m back!” Stella cheered as she pranced into the barn. “This time I brought my man.”

The woman looked up. She had sun kissed skin but she also had the lightest blue eyes I’d ever seen. “Stella! Welcome back. This is the man you talked up and down on me this morning?”

Milly stood from her stool and picked up the bucket before patting the cow on the rump, causing it to amble from the barn back into the pasture.

“Yes, this is my Master.” Stella danced at my side, excited to show me off.

“By the way you talked about him this morning, I thought he’d be ten feet tall, make the ground quake when he walked, and have sunshine shining out his ass. But regardless, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Milly.” She held out her hand, and I realized now that we were eye to eye just how tall she was. I noticed that she also had hooves instead of feet. “Like them?”

I shook her hand. “Just getting your measure. Sorry about the lack of sunshine, but if it would make you feel any better, I could make the ground quake next time I show up. Would be nice and godly of me.”

“Right. I heard a rumor about Daeva gushing over some man. The temple ladies like to gossip when they come get goods.” Milly put a few more pieces of my story together. “That means you and Daeva…?” She raised an eyebrow, somewhat hesitant to finish the question.

“No. She brought me here and set me up, but I haven’t made any commitments. She and I fought in Point City. It made quite a mess.” I looked around at her barn, trying to find a way I could help her.

“Fighting Daeva and surviving is impressive.” Milly looked at me in a new light.

“She’s the one who survived. I thought I killed her.” I joked.

But my joke fell flat as Milly’s eyes went wide with fear.

“Don’t scare her.” Stella punched me in the shoulder, but there was no super strength behind it. “We are good people. Miles is just rough around the edges. He’s been hiding his power in Point City for a long time. But then he saved me when I couldn’t control my power, and I’ve pulled out his soft center.”

“I see.” Milly didn’t seem so sure.

“Anyway, I was going to come for more milk, or maybe the promise of some. Stella loves pancakes and I wanted to secure some milk for her.” I tried to be friendly.

“Sure. Absolutely. You or Stella can come take milk anytime.” Milly nodded, fear still in her eyes.

I sighed. “No, I want to do it the right way. What’s a fair price?” I looked around her barn once more.

Milking cows was delicate work, not something I could just grind up like the wheat into flour that I did earlier.

“No need. Consider them offerings.” She smiled.

I frowned and cast my power out to find something I could do in return for the milk.

As I sent my power around, I found something large and soft that threw off my power for a moment. I kneaded it and realized what it was with a smile.

“How about I help you with that manure pile out back. Does that go to the field?” I lifted myself off the ground and grabbed her and Stella, bringing them with me as we left the barn and found the pile.

“Please, you don’t need to.” Milly tried to wave me away.

“Nonsense. It’s not beneath me to help. Where does it go?” I scooped it all up with my power and held it aloft.

“Uh we put it in the high field where we farm hay and let the runoff go into the other fields. We don’t want to put it directly in the crop fields.” She hesitated. “The crops grow in weekly cycles with Tinni’s power, so we plow it in between.”

The highest field in the area was obvious. “Does this need to be harvested?” I asked, seeing the tall stalks of grass.

“That’s their job today.” Milly said meekly. “You can just put the manure down.”

As much as I wanted to go overboard by clearing the field and plowing it all myself, I knew that doing too much for these people would go poorly. Milly already seemed to be overwhelmed.

“Okay.” I dropped the manure in a pile where she’d indicated it. “Anything else I can do?”

“No. No, that’s more than enough. You saved me hours of hauling shit up hill.” Milly had a forced smile on her face.

“He isn’t a bad guy.” Stella frowned at Milly.

“No he’s not.” Milly said. “But he’s got the powers to make him a god. I’m just able to talk to animals and am a little bit strong. Just trying not to poke the god bear. So, you needed milk?” She seemed reluctant to engage in further talk with Stella or I.

“Not today. Just came to meet you and let you know we’ll need more milk!” Stella put as much pep as she could into her voice.

I went with it. Milk probably didn’t stay good for very long without the proper refrigeration.

I wondered if Skel or someone else could help me set something up. There had to be a better way to pasteurize it besides boiling.

“What’s he thinking about?” Milly pointed at me.

“I was just wondering if there was a way I could help you pasteurize your milk so it would stay good longer.” There was no reason to hide it. “I know back in Point City they had this milk in cartons that didn’t even need to be refrigerated, but… uh… that’s a little beyond my knowledge. I’d have to ask Skel or maybe Wells.” I tossed that last comment into my mind at Mona, who I could feel gobble it up and take the task.

“That takes huge industrial equipment.” Milly frowned at me and waved at her barn. “We don’t exactly have that. We don’t even have electricity.”

“You’d be amazed at what mad scientists can do.” I tried to be encouraging, but I wasn’t sure what they could really do. It wasn’t as if Milly had an electrical socket in the barn.

“Besides, I think the bakers do something with it. I just milk the cows and sell the cans.” Milly added.

Back at her barn, I placed her back down on the ground, and she looked much happier to be back on her own two feet.

Milly picked up the bucket she had been working on and poured it into a milk can for safe keeping. “If you don’t have an immediate need, I need to get back to work.” Milly did a small bow, but I knew a dismissal when I heard one.

“Sorry, Miles.” Stella rubbed my arm as we walked out. “Your powers might scare a few people. But she didn’t seem that concerned until you compared yourself to Daeva. The next girl is great. She keeps bees.”

I shook my head and didn’t let it bother me. “It’s fine. This is how people often react to my power.” I had gotten too hopeful with Frankie’s positive reaction.

“No, Master, don’t get down. Come on. Pollen is great.” Stella pulled me along down the farms.

“Her name is Pollen?” I asked dubiously.

“Yeah, she’s awesome!” Stella dragged me past the cow and chicken fields. I noticed we were likely bypassing the egg vendor, but I let it slide. Stella had her reasons.

I knew when we were nearing Pollen’s area. Bees were plentiful in the air, and there were big blooming flowers everywhere as the bees went about working.

Beyond the flowers and bees, there was a small home built kind of like a beehive. It had the same brown material, but the shape of it was a square.

One of the guards flew overhead, and the door opened before we could reach it.

The woman’s antenna twitched on her head. I wondered if the guard had told her we were approaching.

Underneath the antenna was honey blonde hair. She was beautiful, with a soft black fuzz that came out around her collar like a fancy coat, and she wore a yellow outfit that looked nearly painted on.

Her eyes were striking. Even as we approached, I could see the yellow pupils, with just the slightest golden shine to them. I almost expected them to start dripping honey.

She smirked as she looked at me. “Everyone always rolls their eyes when they see the bee girl working with the bees, but you know, it isn’t cliche. I do what comes easiest to me.”

“Sorry. That’s not why I was staring.” I did my best to shake it off and smile.

“My master thinks you’re cute. I knew he would!” Stella abandoned me, bouncing over to Pollen. “This is him, the man I was talking about.”

“Oh yes, he could pollinate my garden anytime he wanted.” Pollen laughed. “You are a lucky woman Stella.”

“I know. And you were right about the honey.” Stella’s voice turned into a conspiratory whisper that wasn’t very quiet. “It was a great aphrodisiac.”

Her voice returned to normal as she added “He liked it enough to come back and help me get more.” Stella was all smiles as she pulled Pollen back into the home.

Following them in, I realized that the interior was actually made of honey combs. They functioned like bookshelves, little knick knacks filling the hexagons.

“I built it myself with the help of the bees.” Pollen explained. She stepped around a counter and laced her fingers like a seller ready to sell us her wares. “I have a number of things I can offer. We have all sorts of bee’s wax beauty products.” She waved a hand over part of the counter. “Then of course my main product is honey, or things like sweetened maple honey. I even have new line of honey butter.” She pulled a jar from under the counter and did her best show woman gesture.

Stella giggled. “He’s watching you like a hungry man.”

I cleared my throat. “I enjoy making Stella happy. So we came to secure some more of your maple honey. She loves pancakes.”

Pollen giggled. “I bet you spoil her rotten. The way she talked about you made it seem like you were a god in bed.” She looked me up and down, as if to find anything that stuck out, but she seemed to come up empty.

Smiling, I thought I’d show her a little of what I could do and let her imagination run wild from there.

I looked at a few of the nearby wares, lifting them off the shelves and floating them before me. I’d inspect them and then let them float back.

“My master is the new God King of New Haven. Daeva recruited him as the god of fertility.” Stella leaned on the counter with a huge grin. “And right now, I think he’s trying to impress you.”

“God King of Fertility? You don’t say.” Pollen leaned on the counter, pressing her chest up and watching me work. “See anything you like?” She pursed her lips.

“The maple honey of course, and maybe some of this honey soap.” I held up a few bars. They smelled a hell of a lot better than what we’d used when we first arrived.

Pollen leaned forward further, her chest pushing up more as she tilted her head, studying me. “Mhmm. It lathers quite well, especially when you have company.” She smiled at me. “I wonder what you’ll pay for them?” She batted her eyelashes.

“I am helping Frankie with upgrading her silo and I put drains in her mill. For Milly I moved her giant pile of manure. Anything you need?” I asked.

“Maybe some baby bees buzzing around?” She leaned back in her chair, letting her legs settle to either side. The woman was not shy.

I smirked. “You have the god king here. You might as well ask for what you want and see if you can get it.”

“The god king of fertility.” She clarified, raising her eyebrows.

“No. No. No.” Stella shook her head. “Sex comes at the end. There has to be something you need.”

“You said to be aggressive.” Pollen frowned at Stella.

“You coached her?” I paused, forgetting the banter as I scowled at Stella.

Stella threw her arms up, exasperated. “Apparently not well enough.”

I didn’t even know what to do with Stella, or Pollen now.

“Stella, who else have you been coaching?” I started replaying all my recent interactions with villagers.

“Now, I don’t think I did too poorly. I think I was starting to get his interest.” Pollen stated, crossing her arms.

Stella sighed. “You were too sexually forward. I mean, he does enjoy the banter and sexy talk, but you can’t close the deal so quickly.” Stella clicked her tongue.

I continued to scowl at Stella. “Stella, I prefer to make genuine connections with people.”

“Oh you had one.” Pollen clarified. “Even if she didn’t talk you up, I’d love for you to pollinate my flower. You are very attractive in a brooding sort of way. Perfectly my type. Then there’s this supposed godhood of fertility?” Pollen made a sexual grunt. “There was genuine attraction.”

“How much for the maple honey and soap? I can do just about anything around here to help out, if you’d rather that than coin.” I waited, trying to shift the conversation back to a business transaction, but I had to admit, there was a natural chemistry.

Pollen came out from behind the counter and took the jar of honey from me. “I’ll let you have the good stuff because you are the new god in town. Living with Daeva?” She tried to subtly pull more information from me on my situation.

“For now. Not sure I’m even staying.” I answered, the conversation feeling awkward now that I knew she’d been coached.

Pollen pulled a jar from under the counter. “This stuff is the best I have. Enjoy. I’ll take payment this time. Next time I’d love some help though. There’s something I need looked at.” When I raised my brows, she held her hands up. “Not a sexual thing. Something has been bothering the hives in the woods, and the guards said they couldn’t find anything.”

I glanced at Stella, but she was busy pulling coins from the drawstring purse. She handed them over to Pollen before grabbing the ‘special’ honey with glee.

“It’s special honey.” Stella held it aloft. “I wonder if it is a super aphrodisiac.”

Pollen looked like she was about to clarify that it wasn’t, but I caught her eyes while Stella was busy inspecting the jar. I shook my head just slightly, letting her know to leave it be.

Then I leaned down and whispered in Stella’s ear. “We should test it out.”

“Yes! Thanks, Pollen. I’ll be back.” Stella shouted as she hustled me out the door.

“Now we just need to check on the eggs.” I added, looking at what appeared to be a farm with chickens.

Stella made a funny noise. “Maybe we save eggs for another day. She’s… not that friendly. I don’t want to go there if I don’t need eggs right now. Tomorrow I’ll come get them.” She frowned at the chicken farm. Whoever ran the chicken farm hadn’t made a friend in Stella, and given her bubbly nature, I had to admit that it had me curious.

“Fine. Back home. Let’s stash your flour and honey, then we can see what else the city has to offer.” I rubbed her back and moved my excitable succubus along.

I looked back over my shoulder at Pollen’s house as we moved. Even if she’d been coached, there was a chemistry in our interaction. And I found myself wanting to go personally get Stella’s maple honey in the future just to see if it was still there.