Chapter 24

Antroli

R agged cries turn to soft moans, which turn into sniffles so quiet I barely hear them. Fiona lies there on my chest, her body quivering as she pours out all the agony she’s been holding in. Granted, I’m sure not all of it is over the loss of her friend being with her on Icora.

From the very beginning, it struck me as odd that she never gave into hysterics, never had that much of a moment of weakness. Now, I wonder if most of it had been stuck deep inside her where she couldn’t let it out. Running my hand over her soft hair, I comfort her as best as I can.

In the end, it will be no use. Whether or not she wants to go back to Earth, I can’t let her. I won’t let her. She’s irrevocably tied to me in a way I cannot sever. I’m a selfish Icorian. I know this. But deep inside, I don’t give a damn. All my life I’ve served Icora, went without so others could have.

Now, it’s my turn. Cradling my little human in my arms, I hum to her, droning on with a soft lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a small child. In my times of fear and worry, my mother held me in her arms and let her voice fly to the heavens.

It feels so right to do the same for Fiona. Granted, my voice is rusty from lack of use in this way, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Her body settles on top of me, her sniffles changing to soft snores. Once I know she’s asleep, I ease myself out of her and roll her over onto the bed.

My cum spills out of her pretty pussy, making me hard once more. Shaking my head, I walk over to the bathroom and turn the water on in the large tub. As that fills up, I step into the shower and rinse off. It feels almost like sacrilege to remove her scent and the proof of her arousal as it dries on my thighs and lower abs. But it will be back on me soon enough.

Once I’m clean, I gather my sleeping cow into my arms and take her into the large tub. Her eyes flutter open as I step into the warm water, but she soon settles back against me, letting the water lap at her skin. Fiona moans, the soft sound going straight to my cock.

But this is about her. Not me. Taking some unscented soap, I run it down her body, cleaning her from all the bits of lovemaking coating her skin. She groans and stretches out against me, remaining silent as I knead her skin. Neither of us says anything, but then, what is there to say?

It’s a comforting silence filled only with our breathing and small sounds of contentment. Tipping her head back, I take a pitcher and pour water over her hair before taking a cake of soap and washing it out. She hums under my touch, the contented sounds not sexual, but erotic to me all the same.

When I’m done, I pull her out and lead her to the shower so we can both rinse off. Finally, she looks up at me with her teary, swollen eyes. “She’s really gone then?”

“I have not had any further communication with Vrokjan. But no human can remain if they’re not a cow. I’m afraid, unless I’m informed differently, that she is currently on a ship headed to Earth.”

Fiona bites down on her lower lip and wraps her arms around my waist. “I will miss her. She was my only friend here.”

Hurt stings my chest as I tip her face up to meet my gaze. “Not your only friend. You still have me.”

“Yes,” she sighs. “But it’s not the same. What I feel for you is different than the kinship and camaraderie of having someone else to talk to. We were both kidnapped by you guys. It bonds us in a way you and I will never have.”

“I see.” My tone is tight as I do my best to keep the pain out of my voice.

“Please don’t misunderstand,” she rushes to say. “It’s not bad. Just different. I’m bonded to you in a sexual way. She and I would never have that. But you must think about this logically. If the roles were reversed, would you not wish to have an Icorian you could commiserate with?”

“You make very valid points, little cow,” I indulge. “But I had hoped at some point you’d find our arrangement to be more palatable than just a mere kidnapping.”

“What do you want me to say? You did kidnap me. Dress it up in all the eroticism we share. You still stole me away from my planet. My home.”

“I see. And I suppose it is your wish to join Jessica? To be on a ship to your home?” My heart pounds in my chest as my vision blurs.

Pain blossoms through my chest as I force myself to keep my touch light and not shake her to make her see reason. After all of this, I thought we were the same. That she enjoyed being here with me as much as I loved having her. But I guess that’s not the case.

With a sigh, she drops her head to my chest. “You misunderstand.”

“Then please enlighten me.”

“I’m not saying I want to leave. I’m just saying, without Jessica here, I feel alone. No matter what, you’ll never fully understand me. You don’t have the same life experiences we do. I can talk to you until I’m blue in the face, and you’ll never fully grasp our jokes, innuendo, or way of saying things.”

My lips turn down into a frown. “If you were blue in the face, I’d take you to see Nagán. I’m not sure what a fellow human could do to help unless they were a doctor. From what I understand, Jessica is not.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. It’s an expression. An idiom... An Earthism I guess. While I do find it amusing, every now and then I want to be able to converse with someone who understands me on a fundamental level. That’s all.”

“We have other cows...”

“Yes,” she says, her words flitting out on a sigh. “You have other cows. There are certainly other Earthlings I can make a connection with. You’re right.”

Though she tells me I’m correct, something in my gut says I’m very much wrong. But I just don’t understand. I can’t fully comprehend what else I can do to make her happy. I can’t bring Jessica back, and I can’t let her go back to Earth.

That’s a lie. I have the capacity and the ability to send her home. I just lack the willpower. Easing her out of the shower, I wrap her up in the moisture-wicking cloths and dry her off. Without me saying a word, she walks over to the bed and climbs on all fours, her ass sticking high into the air.

“I’m not going to plug you tonight. You have more than enough to worry about.”

“Thank you. In that case, may I sleep before dinner?”

“Of course. I’ll let you rest while I see to the rest of the chores.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Something is wrong. Gone is the playful tone, the teasing that had been between us just earlier today. There’s a wall there now, a gulf that I cannot span. It’s something more than just Jessica leaving. Somehow, I fucked up. Unfortunately, the one Icorian I’d want to talk to about it, is no doubt mourning the loss of his cow.

I can’t bring my problems to Vrokjan. It wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be right.

Fiona kneels beside me, her hair braided, ass full, and breasts emptied. When I milked her, she came, as usual, but the passion was missing. It’s as if she were simply going through the motions, trying to make me happy, but not caring herself. Her eyes blink back tears as she stares over at the empty spot at the head of the table.

Vrokjan and Jessica’s absence is felt by all of us as we go through the motions of giving blessing to the Celestials for the food and settling down to eat. I put the bowl of food in front of her, and for a moment, I’m tempted to slide a piece of fish over to her, a treat for everything she’s gone through.

Not with all these eyes watching. Besides, come breakfast tomorrow morning, they’ll know. With Vrokjan out of commission, I’m in charge. It wouldn’t look well to abuse my power. And that’s not saying what the government will do. Probably imprisonment for me and shipping Fiona back to Earth.

Definitely not ideal. It also doesn’t help knowing that me offering some fish is just my way of trying desperately to make things good between us again, to somehow lessen the gulf. It’s no use. She’ll just have to warm back up to me, I suppose.

Hunching down over my meal, we all eat in silence. For the first time in several years, there are no jokes flying across the table, no ribald retellings of tales from the milking barns. Nothing. The only sound is that of chewing. Even Fiona makes quick work with her greens and sits up, waiting for further instructions.

“You may be excused. Remove your tail and get some sleep.”

“Yes, Master.”

With a lithe, graceful air, she rises and leaves the room, drawing jealous, lustful gazes from some of the Ranch Hands. If they only knew. What they think they’re seeing is a cow in complete submission to her Master. But I know better. That’s not Fiona. That’s not my fiery little Highland.

Morning breakfast is another somber affair as I hook Fiona up to the tubes so the men can enjoy their morning meals. This time, I don’t even try to give her an orgasm as they fill up their bowls and greedily dig into their food. She lies there, allowing all of this to happen without a fuss, but I know she’s not in it. Her mind is somewhere far away.

Instead, I go through the motions of checking in with the Ranch Hands about production and numbers, which planets we’re shipping to and when. For the first time in about a day, Fiona seems to perk up. Her eyes dart back and forth as information flies across the table.

Such an odd reaction. But then, as she’s so succinctly put several times, I just don’t understand. Perhaps it’s the animation with which they relay things. Either way, she seems a bit more like herself. Maybe I just need to get her back into a normal routine.

Glancing out the large windows, I note how overcast the skies look. It doesn’t seem like rain. Not for a bit, at least. It would do Fiona some good to get out in the air and talk with the other cows. Determined to get her happy once more, I dismiss the men and help her off the table so she can eat.

After, I dress her up in all the strappings of a cow and lead her outside. “Now then, go make friends with some of the other heifers. Enjoy the beautiful day. I’ll collect you at lunch and check in on you.”

“Yes, Master,” she intones, the same sullen note back into her voice.

Hopefully, that will all soon change. Shooing her out to mix with the others, I watch, seeing if she’ll obey me. After a few moments, she settles down with a group of cows who have served us for many years. Though I can’t hear her, I see her lips moving.

“Good girl,” I whisper, even though I know she can’t hear me.

With her settled, I set out to attend to the chores. It’s something to take my mind off of her. Being out here is good for both of us.

After about a few hours of toiling in the suns, Vrokjan strides up to me, his face gaping wide with a smile. My heart pounds in my chest as he comes near. This isn’t the look of a man who’s just lost his most prized possession.

“How goes it, boss?” I hedge, unease dripping down my spine.

“First off, I apologize for leaving you to do all the work. It was a stressful chunk of time.”

“Don’t worry about it. You trained me for this very reason. But... you look happy. I don’t understand.”

“Nagán found a way to keep Jessica here. She won’t be milked like the rest of the herd, but she’ll produce enough to be my own personal cow.”

I nearly drop as relief soars through me. “Fiona will be so relieved. My pet was rather distraught at the idea of losing her best friend.”

“Trust me, my little Jessica wants to connect back up with her. But for now, I’m keeping her in my room until I know she’s strong enough to be with the rest of the cows.” For a moment, he pauses and runs his hand over his mouth. “You do realize Fiona will be the only one feeding the men, then. Does that bother you?”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “They’re not drinking straight from her tits. So no. It doesn’t bother me. I’ll be honored to keep the men of our household fed.”

Vrokjan slaps me on the shoulder. “Good man. Now then, it’s nearly lunchtime. I suppose you’d like to tell Fiona the good news?”

If this doesn’t perk her up, then I don’t know what will. Grinning from ear to ear, I head back to the barns where I last left her. Glancing about, I notice she’s not there. Again, I look over the herd, searching out that bright, coppery mane of hers, but not seeing it.

Fear crawls up my spine, nearly freezing me as I stride over to the group. Their hushed conversations stop the moment I draw near.

“You, Becky. Where is Fiona?” Her eyes widen as she looks about, her lips curling in. Resisting the urge to shout at the heifer, I sigh and shake my head. “You have permission to speak. Where is Fiona?”

“F- forgive me, Master Rancher. I cannot say. She mentioned needing some space to think. She should be back soon, though. She hasn’t had anything to drink for a while.”

I nod, giving them a show of strength, but inside, I quiver. As I scan the horizon, I see no sign of her or any cow, for that matter. How could she have gotten so far on just her hands and knees? Following the fence line, I take off into a run.

No one here would hurt her, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t succumbed to the elements or something else. My breaths come in haggard pants as I make my way across our property. When I find her, I will tan her hide, then fuck her senseless. She’ll learn to never scare me like this again.