The Farm: Summer Heat

Percy's back popped as he rose with a groan. He swung his feet over the side of the bed, and stretched. As he woke, he blinked clarity into his eyes and looked around the room.

The cauldron sat bubbling in the corner, fresh with a stew. He staggered as he rose, and steadied himself against the wall. He dragged his feet over to the boiling pot, grabbing a clean bowl from the table in passing. He filled it up, and took a deep breath.

Corn chowder. Again. He sighed as he sat down, and swallowed it down. It wasn't bad, and in truth, he enjoyed the flavor. The first year he had been here, at any rate. As he finished he rose, his belly now full, and forced his feet towards his well-worn boots in the corner. He slipped them over his feet, and lowered his back onto the bed as he closed his eyes.

Just as he was between wakefullness and dreams, he heard Bertha's hooves trod against the porch. He opened his eyes just in time to see her shadow cross the table. The minotaur peered in the door way, and smiled as she saw him.

"Oh, good. You're awake. Want to get the chores done before the heat rolls in? I was thinking we could go to the lake again today. Get some washing done, maybe enjoy ourselves. Would you like that, Percy?"

Percy's chest rose, and for a moment his lip trembled. He almost told her. But then his resolve left his lungs in a sigh, and he said "Sure, that sounds great, Bertha."

The minotaur's tongue escaped her lips, and lapped over her nose. Her nostrils flared once, twice, and she took a step within the shack. The floor squeaked beneath her weight, and Percy looked up in time to see her approach the bed.

"Percy, what's wrong?"

Percy sat up, and ran through the routine. He smiled. He told her he was fine. And then it was time defer the subject.

"Do you think the salmon might bite today? I bet those would taste really good roasted over the fire." he said, as he balled his fists on the bed and rose. But just as he was almost to his feet, Bertha's massive hand pressed against his chest, and pushed him down against the hay mattress.

"No, somethings wrong. I can smell it on your sweat. Percy, talk to me-please. I won't ask nicely again." she said. The minotaur's lashes flicked, her tail twirling along her thigh as she regarded him. Percy tried to rise, but Bertha's grip stayed firm. He sighed again, and stared at the ceiling.

"Bertha, listen. You've been really good to me. Really. And living here the past three years has been wonderful."

The minotaur stirred, her hips shifting as she looked down at him. Percy turned his head, breaking the gaze. He stared at the headboard of the mattress they had shared, and swallowed hard.

"But, well. Isn't it time for me to go? Aren't you sick of me already?"

The hand upon Percy's chest lifted, and Bertha turned. She snorted, and lapped her tongue gain.

"No, I haven't. I like to think I've made that rather obvious," she smirked, "every night, at that."

Percy felt his face tinge, and he sat up from the bed. He crossed the room, and wrung his hands in front of his chest. He turned, but couldn't bring himself to look at Bertha. "I mean, that's not the problem. It's, well. It's me. It's never been about you, Bertha."

Bertha rose, the frame of the bed slamming against the wall as she made her way towards the door. Percy looked up as she came towards him, her nose flaring as she tilted her head. Their eyes met for a moment, and then her hand met his shoulder as she shoved him aside. Percy flew for a moment, his ass slamming hard against the wood floor as Bertha made her way towards the door. She scratched her rump through her overalls, and shrugged.

"Fine. Go then, Percy. I told you that you could stay as long as you like, didn't I?"

Percy stood, and shook the dust and dirt from his pants.

"Bertha, wait. I-"

"I said go, Percy. Your things are by the door."

The porch shook as her hooves slammed onto porch, the stalks of corn parting in her wake. Percy ran towards the door, and called out to her.

His cries fell on deaf ears. He fidgeted for a moment, and then looked down at his bag. Full, with a hatchet by his side. He slung the bag over his shoulder, and hefted the tool into his hand. He walked onto the porch, and took a step towards the gate. He turned, and spotted Bertha gathering corn. He cleared his throat, and called out to her.

"It, uh. It's been nice. I'll miss you, Bertha."

Bertha tilted her head up, and hefted the bag over her shoulder. She stared at Percy a moment, then snorted and stamped the ground as she turned her back to him. Percy turned towards the gate, and held a hand over it a moment. His mind raced for a moment over every evening he and Bertha had shared together.

He lowered his hand, and pushed the gate aside as he walked the road once more.

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By the time the sun began to dance on the edge of the horizon, Percy's step had slowed. Three years in the fields-and Bertha's affections-had strengthened his back and legs. His heart weighed heavily in his chest, and kept his pace a step slower than it would have been.

He stopped, and looked down the road. He was far from his home village, one he'd not seen in far too long. He wondered if his parents thought him dead, or if they remembered him at all. He walked towards the edge of the road, and sat his pack down. He dropped himself atop it, and stretched again.

As he looked down at his boots, caked in mud, he thought of Bertha. Of the farm house, of the chores. Waking in the morning to gather corn, and the soft warmth of her breasts in his hands as he milked the minotaur. The years hadn't been so bad, but they'd passed quickly. He hefted his hatchet, and looked at himself in the mirror sheen of the blade.

He wasn't the milk-white boy he'd been when he'd left Golgotha. The man that stared back at him was tanned, with an angular face that had dropped the fat of youth. Stubble clung to his chin and cheeks. Percy forced a smile, and the man smiled back with an exhaustion that seeped every pore. He put the hatchet aside, and stared down the road.

His legs were sore, and his feet ached. He stood and gripped his pack, and staggered towards a nearby copse of trees. After pressing forth a bit, he came upon a clearing. A rotted log lay fallen in the center. His feet crunched on dead leaves and twigs. He approached the log, and laid his pack atop it. He turned,and gathered what kindling he would need. He shaved back from the log with his hatchet. He turned and reached into his pack, and brought out steel and flint.

The fire caught, and soon roared before him. He reached into his pack, and brought out an ear of corn he'd packed before he left. He held the stalk near the flame, and watched as the flames licked against it. The smell made him think of her, so he pulled the corn from the fire and ate before the memory consumed him further.

He pulled out a cotton blanket, and spread it upon the ground. He moved his pack towards the top of his bedding, and turned over and laid his head down. The stars shined brilliantly in the night, and he counted the constellations he still remembered. His eyelids drooped once, then again before the grip of sleep took him away.

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He woke to the sound of the cauldron boiling over.

Percy snapped his eyes open, and jerked awake. He sat up on the mattress, his heart pounding in his ears as the realization he was back at the farm house sunk into him. His pack, neatly folded over with his blanket atop it, sat by the door as it always had. Percy rubbed his eyes, and looked up.

Bertha sat at the table, a mug in her hands she took a drink from. She smiled, and crossed the room, her hooves clacking against the wood floor as she walked. She thrust the mug forward, and the smell of minotaur milk filled Percy's nostrils.

"Taste this." was all the minotaur said as she held the cup. Percy scrambled backwards on the bed, and looked up at her.

"You found me."

The minotaur snorted, and her tongue lapped against her nostrils.

"You had only made it twenty miles down the road. And it's not as though I don't know your scent by now. Now please, drink this." she said as she thrust the cup forward. Percy pressed himself against the wall, and shook his head.

"No. Not a drop until you tell me what the hell I'm doing back. There could be anything in that cup, Bertha."

The minotaur tilted her head, and took a step back.

"You really think after the last three years I would poison you? Percy, I could kill you with a swat."

His shoulders sank, and he inched forward. He stammered as he spoke, and held a finger in the air towards her.

"T-that might be true, but you were upset when I left, and...and I don't know, okay? Maybe you still are."

Bertha shook her head, and her long dreads smacked against her neck. She thrust the cup forward again, and said "I was. But now we have bigger problems. Please, drink this."

He released his grip, and his hand shook as he took the cup. He sniffed it, and grimaced.

"Is this your milk? It smells old." he said as he brought the cup to his lips. It had barely touched his tongue before he pulled it from his mouth and gagged. He set the cup down on a nearby night stand, and coughed. He got up, and ran towards the door as he spat past the porch. He turned to Bertha and wiped his mouth.

"That was foul. Gods and the high kingdom, are you sick? Is that it?"

Bertha snorted, and shook her head once more. She trod over towards the table, and sat in a rustic chair. She brought her hands together, palming a fist, and looked up at Percy. She sat there a long moment before she said "Percy, I'm drying up."

Percy blinked a few moments, and then scratched his head. He took a step forward, and raised his hands.

"Wait, what? How? You've been so full the last three years. Hells, there were some days I had to milk you twice."

Bertha stared at the table, her long lashes fluttering as her fingers wrapped against the table. Her mouth opened, then closed. She rose from the table, her chair falling backwards as she did so. She rounded the table, and approached Percy, towering over him as always. She unhooked the straps of her overalls, and let the garment fall. Percy felt his cheeks grow warm, but she gripped his wrists and raised them to her breasts.

"Feel them. Tell me if that feels normal, Percy."

"Bertha, I don't know if-"

"Percy, please. If for no other reason than to help a friend."

Percy swallowed, and cupped her massive breasts. He squeezed them softly in his hands, then tilted his head and squeezed again.

"They're sagging a bit, but that's not un-normal for you. Especially after a milking."

Bertha stood there, silent and stoic as ever, and pulled his hands away. She bent and gripped her overalls, and clasped her straps again.

"I've not been milked since yesterday. And if you recall, there wasn't that much. Remember?"

Percy took a step back, and nodded. He licked his lips, and eyed the cup on the night stand.

"Bertha, I know that's a problem, but I honestly don't know what I can do for you. I'm not gifted in the arcane, or...well, Minotaurs. You're the first I've met that didn't want to split my head open."

Bertha pulled her chair back up, and sat down. She stared at the cauldron in the corner, and when she spoke it was in such a low tone Percy had to bend to hear her.

"You could get me pregnant."

Percy took a step back, and raised his hands.

"Bertha, look. We were together three years, alright? " he said, taking another step back, "Either that can't happen between a human and a Minotaur, or the gods saw fit to curse one of us. Either way, something would have-"

"Percy, before you slept, did you look at the stars?" said Bertha. Her head turned towards him, and her eyes met his. He swallowed, and ran his hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I did, but what does that have to do with-"

"Minotaurs can only breed under a certain star. It doesn't matter with what, but the star has to be there. I've been watching the constellations, Percy. That star, the one we need, will hang over us tonight. It only arrives once every ten summers, and will maintain the farm for that long. After tonight, you're more than free to go." she said.

As her lashes fluttered, Percy felt himself grow weak. He leaned forward, and gripped a chair. He pulled it from the table and sat.

His mouth felt like cotton. He swallowed again, and his voice rasped as he spoke.

"You're asking me to get you pregnant."he said.

"Correct." she replied.

"And then telling me to leave after that? Telling me to help you make a monster, and then leave? Bertha, do you realize how gods damned insane that sounds?"

He flinched as her fist slammed against the table. Her chair clattered against the floor again as she stood, and hunched over the table.

"I don't birth monsters, only men. And if you're too damned cowardly to help me, I'll find another. But I found you because I care for you, Percy. And unless it was all a lie, I thought you cared for me as well." she said, her hooves stomping against the floor as she rounded the table.

As she went to the doorway, Percy cried "Wait!"

Bertha turned, her massive shoulders hitching as her jaw grit. Percy walked towards her, and for the first time in three years, touched her first.

His arms slid around her waist, and he pulled himself against her. The minotaur raised her arm, and held it there a moment before she dropped it along his shoulders and held him close.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left, I'll do it." he stammered out. He lifted his face to hers, and found the cow-woman smiling. She let out a chuckle, and bent her neck. Her lips pressed against the top of his head, and the rest of the afternoon, they tended to the farm.

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The sun began it's rest against the tree tops by the time they were finished. They had to work double time, as Percy's excursion had left extra work for Bertha the day before. As they finished, they walked towards the ram-shackle farm house. Percy looked up at her, and swallowed.

"So, uh. How would you, I mean-how exactly do we-"

The minotaur laughed, and smirked at him. "The same way we always do, Percy. That much hasn't changed. Or have the woods changed you so much in your brief time there?"

Percy broke a nervous grin, and stopped as they reached the porch. "I mean," he said, wringing his hands, "This time is a bit different, isn't it? It's important, right?"

Bertha rose towards the door, and turned to him. She placed her hand upon her wide hips, and cocked her head. She still smiled bright, and looked down at him.

"No, not really. We merely need to wait until night fall, Percy. That's it."

Percy turned, and looked at the tree line. As he turned back, he said "That's it?"

"That's it. You're free to leave the moment after, as well."

Percy stepped upon the porch, and raised his hands towards her. "But how will we know that-"

"That I'm pregnant, Percy? Just trust in me. Then leave, if you so wish. It makes no matter to me."

Bertha lifted her hands, and unhooked her overalls. As they fell to the floor, he couldn't help but feel his eyes drift down familiar curves. The cream color of Bertha's coat, her wide hips and massive breasts. He swallowed hard, and turned his attention away at once. He took a deep breath, and as the minotaur entered the dwelling, so did he, just a step behind.

Bertha prepared dinner, which turned to a feast. Fresh cornmeal became aromatic bread and grist.

And while the main course was corn chowder again, it was accentuated by spices they used on rare occasions. She made sure Percy was well fed, as was she. By the time they had both finished, Percy felt as though he could barely move. Bertha, her belly round from her meal, made her way over to the bed, and laid across it. She placed her head upon her hand, and looked at Percy. She lapped at her lips, and broke into a smile.

"Well? Are you ready to begin, little one?"

Percy dragged his feet over to the bed, and gave a dazed nod. He pulled his clothes away with ease-only to find his girth throbbing hard, and red at the tip. It smacked against his belly as he pulled his breeches away, and Percy stood and stared in amazement at it.

"What in the nine hells-"

Bertha laughed, and shifted upon the bed. She sat up, her breasts inches from Percy's cock as she kissed his stomach. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth, and lapped against his muscles as she looked up at him, her massive hand reaching and giving it a tug.

"It was the bread." she said simply. Her head lowered, and her tongue engluffed his cock, swirling and tasting it all within a single lick.

Percy let out a gasp, and his chest began to heave as his lungs filled hit hurried pants. As Bertha gave another lick, his tip throbbed and splattered her face with a thick load. He rocked back on his feet, and fell to the floor. As he sat back up on his elbows, he felt his face grow hot as an excuse hastened to his lips.

"Oh god, Bertha. I'm so sorry, I swear I can do mo-"

But the minotaur just laughed at him, her tongue lapping away as he dripped down to her lips. She reached a hand up, and wiped the load from her eyes, her tongue cleaning her fingers. He chest jiggled with every giggle, and she looked down at Percy with a warm smile.

"Percy, look between your legs."

As his head tilted down, Percy saw that his cock-though dripping freely-was as turgid as it was moments before. His balls ached, but seemed to swell before him, and he gasped at the sight. As he looked back up, he saw Bertha bend before him, and present herself. Her tail slapped idly against her ass. She reached behind her, and spread the lips of her cunt as she looked at him and smiled.

"Percy, it was the bread, like I said. And who said anything about it taking just once?"

He rose on unsteady feet, and inched himself forward. As his hands came to rest upon the soft coat of Bertha's flank, he pressed forward into her. Her sex squeezed about his length, and the minotaur let out a lowing that made his heart beat even faster. Percy gripped Bertha's hips and began to pump into her, his balls smacking against her clit with every thrust. Bertha began to pant heavily, and gripped Percy's hand as her voice shook in sultry utterance.

"Do it," she panted, "Fill me up, Percy. Every god's forsaken drop."

And he did. Not just once, but five more times. By the time either of them were too exhausted to continue, the sun had peaked above the trees. They lay collapsed upon the mattress, entangled upon each other in a sticky, sweaty heap.

Percy's eyelids drooped, and his cock ached, still twitching against his thigh. Bertha, her massive arms around him, encircled her tail around his ankle. Her chest rose softly as her eyes fluttered, and dared to go down.

"Thank you." she said, voice low as a whisper.

Percy smiled, and shifted until he could kiss her. His tongue danced against hers for a moment, and he felt the minotaur slacken against him. As he pulled away, he swallowed and began to speak.

"I should probably stick around for a while, right?"

Bertha opened one heavy-lidded eye, and looked at him.

"Oh?" she said.

Percy sat up, and his mouth broke into a small smile.

"Well, I mean-you're going to be with child soon. Maybe. And you're going to need some help around the farm, especially when it's time for it to arrive."

Bertha chuckled, and said "Percy-"

"And, what if this doesn't work? I know it was the right star sign and everything, but we might have to work at it. I don't want your farm to go under because of me."

"Percy, dear-"

"And someone's going to have to be around when it is born, so one of us can work the fields and-"

"Percy, yes, you can stay, and I love you too." she said. She turned at looked up in time to see his face pale, then grow into a fiery red as he regarded her.