Husband of the Goblin Tribe

Chapter Fifty-six – In which Ark goes on with his life as usual, while unaware he’s increasing the level of commerce being conducted in the tribe.

“Why Husband long smile? Happy be with Lily?”

I was in Lily’s room, laying on her elliptical raised stone bed with hay spread out all over it. Lily was sleeping directly on me, while my two daughters Lilac and Orchid were snuggled up against my sides. There was nothing questionable going on. Well, maybe a little, but we made sure the girls were asleep before Lily did anything children shouldn’t know about until they were older, even though these two seemed to know all about it anyway.

“That’s part of it. I was also thinking about Button.”

“Truffle strong one?”

“Yeah, she… I feel bad. I saw her today. She went to go piss alone, but ended up wetting her loincloth, so she took it off and left it behind in the shit-pit. She then got lost trying to go back ot her cave-hole and wandered the cave long enough to find me laying down in the cave-hole I’m fixing up for Stella to move into.”

“Beast-talker cave-hole?”

“That’s the one. Anyway, I’m mostly out of mana and feeling tired. All of a sudden Button wanders in without a loincloth on, and tries to feed me a mushroom. She starts asking me if I know Truffle, and other goblins. Then she asks me if I know who Husband is. Naturally, I do… but I don’t think I’ve been around enough for her to remember my face yet. Anyways, she tells me she’s lost, and that she has to ask a goblin to take her to Truffle, Ivory or Husband.”

“She not know you Husband?”

“Nope. So, I carry her back to Truffle and Ivory’s room, but they aren’t there. Apparently we missed bumping into each other while they were looking for her, so I left an arrow made of bones from Truffle’s room outside their cave-hole pointing to mine, in case Ivory came back. I carried Button to my cave-hole which was empty, as I didn’t see Vera or Stella anywhere. I brought Button into the bath with me because I remember when she was born seeing her sitting on Truffle’s lap and having fun splashing in the water. I thought it would be a little while before they figured out she was safe and with me.”

“Ivory know?”

“Yep. She comes running in and is screaming about Button maybe falling in the shit-pit or something. Then she gets mad at me when she sees Button on my lap, and then spanks Button and takes her back to her room. You should have seen the look on Button’s face when she realized I was Husband.”

“That mean trick do strong one.”

“Well, I’m not her Husband. I’m her daddy. It’s already too much that Diana calls me Husband.”

“But Husband… Husband! What daddy anyway?”

“You don’t know?”

“If know, need ask Husband?”

“Daddy means the same thing as father.”

“Oh. Why care strong one not call Husband? Husband to all goblin tribe.”

“I know, but I want my little girls to call me Daddy.”

“What want Lily call Husband? Lily runt. Look little girl, want Lily call Daddy, too?”

“I’d be very careful with that, Lily. It’s a dangerous thing when an adult goblin woman says that to a Husband. I can’t promise my seed-stick won’t go out of control and make you full of strong ones again.”

Lily giggled.

“Lily make sure ask Berry let Orchid and Lilac stay with Diana before call Husband… Daddy.”

I gulped. Am… I… into that kind of kinky stuff? If I wasn’t hard all the time, I might have found out here and now.

“Happy Husband pick Lily tonight.”

Lily rested her head on my chest and was not letting me slide out of her. We both fell asleep comfortably, and the morning soon came. Neither of my daughters were around when I woke up, and I was laying on my side with an arm draped around Lily. She had woken up first and had already shook me a few times in order to wake me up fully. When I’m suffering mana exhaustion, sleep is a necessity.

“Husband, Wake. Time eat!”

My stomach was agreeing with her more than I wanted it to. I was perfectly fine staying in bed a little longer and snacking on Lily. But I was dragged to the breeding room, and found a full house waiting for me. Even Button was there, sitting on Truffle’s lap and chewing on something small and bloody, her face a complete mess.

There was a proverbial elephant in the room… which took the form of Stella.

She was sitting at the table with us. Vera’s usual place next to me was co-opted by Pear. Vera and Berry were sitting on either side of Stella, and I was still at a complete loss to on how to help her. I was pretty sure Berry wouldn’t say anything to her about the cave-hole I was working on to be as human-like a residence as possible.

Prima and Doll had gone out and hunted today’s meal. It was one of those big red-furred boars I happened to find the taste of growing on me. When cooked at least. Lily and her two daughters were the only ones on my side in the fire-meat faction. When I looked at my cute little Button whom I felt a little bit guilty about tricking yesterday, she stuck her little blood-coated tongue out at me.

Well, maybe I did trick her enough to deserve that. I wish I had a Polaroid camera in this world.

She is definitely cute like her mother. I’m going to be afraid when she grows up. I wonder if the Great Protector is going to bring someone else in here when my daughters come of age? I… might have a problem with that.

I mean, maybe if he’s a decent sort, I might be willing to hand a few of my daughters over. But I don’t think I’m willing to share any of my gob-mamas and mamas-to-be. If I seriously train my magic… maybe I could reach the third-circle in a year and a half. It won’t be enough to take on the Great Protector, but it’s in a father’s instinct to want to protect his daughters’ happiness just in case the guy happens to be a no good degenerate.

My baby girls deserve only the best.

Ivory had brought up the matter of me offering her a whole Black-claw body; bones, skin and meat to Diana. Diana readily agreed to it for my sake, and Vera would melt the ice block she made and pull one out as soon as she got the chance.

Turns out Pepper, the fishing-goblin, was good with sewing as well, and had made Diana the wolf pelt blanket that I woke up under together with her after the ordeal. Ivory, after getting confirmation on the Black-claw, was requisitioning a new loincloth made of black-claw skin for Button, who was, currently, still going commando, in exchange for new bone hooks.

Maybe I should introduce the bra… for my daughters? I’m totally fine with the older goblins not adopting it. But as my daughters get older… I… realize that I might be a bit too honest to my desires with my current way of life.

To my daughters, I only want to be daddy.

After the morning meal, most, if not all goblins, went to the warm bath for a little while to relax and get clean, then everyone departed. Once they had, I forced mana into the column that controlled the magical formations in the bath that heated the water and made it damn near boil. I then grabbed a bowl and began scooping out anything that looked funky with a large floppy leaf Lily had brought me. The bath wouldn’t be usable for at least an hour or so while the water cooled down, but cleanliness is vital to me.

After all the cleanup was done, I went to find Vera, but she wasn’t in either room, and neither was Stella for that matter. I guess they slipped out while I was cleaning the bath. I figure Stella is in the care of either Vera or Berry. I did ask Berry to help when she suggested it, so I have to trust in them to look after Stella, since it’s something I regrettably can’t do.

Taking the topaz with me, I returned to the cave-hole I was working on for Stella to occupy in the future, and began putting in serious work again. It’s two floors tall now, and there are quite a few pillars in place for supporting the second floor. I wasn’t sure about how load-bearing pillars actually work, so I just added them for safety. There are going to be three rooms on the top floor and an L-shaped staircase going up to reach them. The bottom floor has as wide open a floor plan as I can give it. There is a refilling water basin, a countertop cubby for pots to be placed on, a long table, and something I hadn’t made yet in this cave. A stone chair. Six of them, actually. It might be nice not to sit on the floor for a change. The way I see it, maybe Stella might invite some other goblins and myself to eat with her in the future? I can’t do bloody meat, but I can probably make something for myself and bring it. Maybe some fruit salad?

While I haven’t even begun completing the upstairs rooms yet, I realized that a staircase might be pretty dangerous with children. When she has them, that is. Well, if she hates it, I’ll figure out something. Maybe a series of slopes that curve?

I’m exhausted, but only mentally. I’ll worry about it later.

I had been in here for a while now, and I wanted to stop here long before I felt mana exhaustion kick in. I’d be done tomorrow, when I finished up all the details to the upstairs bedrooms. I wonder if Pepper would be able to sew a straw-filled pillow made of Black-claw hide if I explained how to do it? I would kill for a pillow of some kind. I mean, breasts do the trick, but not everyone is as blessed as Stella, Prima, and Jewel.

I won’t include Berry, since her milkies are special.

I left Stella’s future cave-hole and returned to the breeding pit. I found Pear within, restocking the fruit supply she willingly shared with me. She is the absolute best, hands down, at finding the good shit. No wormy apples, and all kinds of various tree-fruits that while uncultivated and full of seeds, still taste fuckin’ amazing.

Really, she does this so I’ll make the lemon-water with different condensed fruit syrups that I can add for the sweet kick to it.

“Husband, have time Pear?”

I’d been working hard all day, I was more than up to the task of enjoying this plump goblin. After saying I was free, and taking another quick soak together, we went to the entertainment area in the Southeast corner to work up a different kind of sticky-sweet sweat. Pear likes it in both of her holes, so I got to enjoy my secret delight with her alone.

While I was resting, cuddling this soft and marshmallowy goblin with an absolute dump truck of a body, I saw Stella enter the room.

She laid her eyes on me for a moment as well, then disappeared into her room.

A little while later, Vera had also appeared, but instead of disappearing into her room, she came over to speak with me.

“Tonight.”

Was she making a personal request? I had thought about going to visit Truffle, Ivory, and Button… maybe try to get Button to forgive her dear old daddy, but I suppose it could wait a day.

“Okay.” I agreed.

Vera left me alone with Pear, who was not at all asleep. She was munching on a fruit… or three. She was the kind of goblin wife who brought food into bed with her. I usually cared, but with her cushioning as perfect as it was, she can eat whatever fruits she wants.

Shit!

I was so caught up in making Stella’s new residence, I had forgotten my promise to Toy! I was supposed to have visited her cave-hole to begin building her a workshop already! Well, there is one day to go on the renovation to Stella’s new cave. After that I can take care of Toy and then Prima.

Maybe I should ask Jewel if I can use the quartz focus orb?

No. I feel like it’s honest work doing it with the topaz stone.

Ah, I’m feeling lazy and selfish right now. I just want to take a nap next to this squishy fruity goblin…