Livestock

Mr. Feldman came through the door a few minutes later, catching the two perusing his modest bookshelf. Most were farming and nature-related nonfiction, but among them were a few fiction books. Quill-Weave even found one of her own towards the bottom, though it was dusty and obviously hadn’t been read in years.

“Oh! I see you’ve found my books. I… probably should have put some away,” he blushed.

Quill-Weave shrugged. “I have a full set of Crassius Curio myself. No need to be concerned. You even have one of my own down here I see!”

“Really? That was my wife’s section. I keep meaning to read through them but… I never seem to get around to them. Give me just a minute to get cleaned up and I’ll take you on the Grand Tour.”

The farmer went into a back room and the maid whispered to Quill-Weave, “You should leave him one of your ‘private’ books!”

Quill looked shocked. “No way! Besides, I don’t have copies of those anyway. I couldn’t possibly!”

“You should get them published then. Under a different name of course. I bet they’d sell big! I mean, compared to Crassius…”

“He does definitely write from the male perspective, that’s for sure. And so crudely at that. But no. They’re… very private, as you well know. Besides, I never wrote them anticipating any other readers. I might have left clues or something. And my publisher, how could I ever face him after bringing one of those? Pseudonym or not, he would still know.”

“I could pretend to be you. I don’t have a reputation to worry about.”

Quill mused on that. “Well, I’ll think about it.”

The farmer emerged with clean overalls. “Well come on then. The tea’s not that good! Let me show you what I am good at!”

When they emerged from the back door of the house, the dogs were upon them again, but this time the maid ignored their pleas for attention and soon they stopped bothering her.

“Now this is the main barn. This is where the cows and sheep gather for feeding and milking. I don’t have many, obviously. But my livestock does tend to multiply well. I sell them to other farmers mostly.”

As he showed them around, they entered the musty, hay-filled darkness of the barn. Once their eyes had acclimatized, he led them to a milking booth.
“Now come on and sit here. This is practically a must when you’re visiting a farm. Ever milked a cow before?”

Both girls shook their heads. “Never.”

“Well, sit down on this stool. I’ll go get Annabelle.”

Quill-Weave offered the stool to her maid. “You first!”

“But… You’re my mistress. You should go first,” she protested.

“I want to see how it’s done, so you’ll be the beginner and I can learn from your mistakes. See? It’s actually proper for you to do it first.”

The farmer led the cow into the stall. She put up a little fuss at seeing the two strangers, but Jim was obviously good with animals and he calmed her down quickly. He stayed by her side though.

“Okay, now put that bucket under the udders and start stroking them. Gently at first. Let her get used to the feel of your hands.”

The khajiit did as she was told. “Oh! JIm, they’re so… warm!”

The farmer laughed. “That’s the first thing everyone says. I can’t imagine why. Do people think cows are cold blooded? Now go ahead, be a little more firm in your grip. She’s gotten used to you.”

Nothing happened.

“I’m sorry. I think I’m doing it wrong.”

“No, Annabelle’s just a little nervous. She may not be a person, but she still has emotions. She needs to feel comfortable too. Talk to her.”

The maid looked up at Quill-Weave who just shrugged back.

“How about it, Annabelle?” she said, stroking the animal’s side with her other hand. “Got anything here for me? Come on, I won’t hurt you. We’re all friends here.”

Suddenly a jet hit the pail, surprisingly strong.

“Ah, there you go! Take another teat with the other hand and alternate.. Now you’ve got her going. Leave the back two for Quill though.”

The khajiit laughed as her work began to yield results. “How much has she got in there?” she marvelled as she was still jetting a good amount.

“Oh, I’d say you’re about at the end. Why don’t you and Quill trade places. Quill, take the back two teats and just repeat what she was doing.”

Quill took over, and fortunately with the farmer blocking the cow’s view, Annabelle didn’t appear to notice the change in the hands. Quill had her producing again right away.

“You’re right!” she said. “They’re so warm!”

“Told you!”

Quill bent a teat and aimed it at the khajiit’s face. The jet hit her with more force than even Quill expected.

“AAAH! Stop!” the khajiit laughed, holding a hand up.

But Quill remembered that her friend didn’t eat meat. Maybe she would consider this similarly?

“Oh, I’m sorry! I forgot you…”

“Don’t be silly. I don’t mind milk! It’s natural and doesn’t hurt the cow. But it’s… kinda hot.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Jim spoke up then, laughing again. “Yeah, it’s not cold in the cow! I think that’ll do. You did well!”

Quill-Weave pulled the bucket from under the cow. It was impressively full. She handed it to the farmer, who took it to a tall canister, opened the top and poured it in.

“Come on, let me show you my pigs next. I don’t have many.”

As they followed behind the farmer who was droning on about his pigs, the maid whispered to her mistress. “I didn’t really mean the milk was warm…”

“I know. It was kinda kinky. Think that’s what a man would feel like?”

“Not at all,” the khajiit shook her head. “Not even close.”

“Oh, you’ve been with…”

The khajiit nodded. “It’s been a long time. But yes. Quill, I’m probably not as young as you think I am.”

Quill realized she’d never actually broached the subject. In fact, she really knew very little about her maid’s past. And it was true that khajiits were almost impossible to guess their age accurately, unless they actually had the grey around their temples. She was about to ask, but they had arrived at the pen.

“Oh!” squealed her friend. “Look at the little ones!”



Quill looked at the four little pink fur-less piglets that were scampering around a few much bigger adult pigs. Though it was obvious her friend was enamored with the things, Quill just wasn’t feeling it. They looked like snub-nosed, curly tailed hairless and fat dogs to her. But the way her friend was acting, obviously there was some connection there that she simply didn’t see.

“Oh! You like the piglets? Want to hold one?” the farmer asked.

“Not me!” Quill recoiled, but the khajiit’s eyes were practically liquid.

“Well, come on. You’ll have to get in the pen. If you drop one out here, these things are hell to catch. You might get a little dirty.”

“I don’t care! Please!”

It was a good hour later before Quill was able to pry her maid back out of the pen. They went around to see the sheep as well as the field while the farmer inundated them with facts and all the various tasks he had to do every day. They picked some fruit from a large apple tree before they left as well, but all the while her maid’s attention kept returning to the pig pen.

“Well, it’s been a real treat having you ladies over!” Jim said as they walked back towards the fence. The dogs had gone off to adventure on their own apparently. “Sorry about the mess.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” the khajiit assured him. Her shirt and pants - not to mention her fur - were stained with the dried mud from the pen, yet she didn’t seem to mind at all. “It was the most fun I’ve had in…” she began, then looked towards Quill, embarrassed. “Well... a long time.”

“Yes, thanks for taking the time to show us around, Jim,” Quill continued. “It really has been fun, but I don’t know if I could manage it.”

“Well, I do get some help from some nephews up the road. Oh, will you be at the festival tomorrow?”

“Certainly! No way we would miss it!” Quill assured him.

“Well I’ll see you there then. I’m bringing some livestock in for the judging, and your friend will be glad to know that Princess will be there too for the greased pig contest.

“Greased pig contest?”

“Oh, you’ll see. They take some piglets and… well, you’ll just need to check it out. It’s usually one of the later events. Maybe she’d like to enter the contest?”

“She’s not greased OR a pig!” Quill laughed.

“No… she would be one of the people trying to catch them.”

“Trying to catch them?”

“Oh, you’ll see. Well, until tomorrow then!”

“Yes, we’ll see you tomorrow at the festival. Thanks again!”

The two began the walk back as the afternoon wore on. They approached a small bridge over a rivulet and the maid insisted on stopping.

“I’m sorry, Quill, but I simply cannot walk another step without washing this off. Do you mind?”

“Go ahead, I’ll keep a watch out for travellers.”

Quill tried her best not to spy on her maid as she took off her clothes and washed herself in the stream. She almost succeeded too.

“So, how old are you?” she asked while she tried to keep her straying eyes on the road.

“How old do you think I am?” came the response from behind her.

“Oh, now you know you can’t ask me that! If I’m too far off I’m just going to feel like a fool!”

“Thirty seven,” the maid replied.

Quill turned around reflexively. “THIRTY SEVEN?!”

“Why? Too old for you?”

“How can you be thirty seven? With a body like that?!”

“Quill… the road please?”

Quill turned back around. “Oops. Sorry. Nobody is coming. But really…”

“I don’t know. I guess I just keep in shape? And probably… well, I tend to not act my age very well. I’m still terribly naive about too many things.”

“But you’ve… been with men.”

“A man. Yes. A khajiit.”

“Do you mind talking about it?”

“Oh, I guess not. It didn’t work out. He was as nice as could be though. He didn’t hurt me or anything like that. It was back when I was still in the caravans. But as nice as he was… he just didn’t do anything for me, if you know what I mean.”

“I’d say I know exactly what you mean.”

“Quill, I have to be honest with you, I don’t think I’m attracted particularly to men or women specifically. I know you like women exclusively. I’ve read your private stories, and I have no problem with that. But men turn me on just as much as women - if I like them enough. But this man… I think I was really just experimenting at the time, you know? Finding out about the physical side of love. He grew too attached to me though. He wanted more. Promises. To be blunt, I just wanted to play with him and find out what men are like. It ended badly. I had to leave the caravans.”

Quill just listened.

“So I had to relearn things. How to live in human society. I think it sort of stunted my growth emotionally. That’s probably why I don’t act my age. As for my body…”

She climbed back up on the road beside Quill, who turned to her.

“Well, I couldn’t put these wet clothes back on! And I’ve got my fur…”

Quill looked away, trying to keep herself from staring. “Not enough!”

“Well, if someone comes along I’ll hide or something. Anyway, I just have the body I’ve always had I guess. I’m not complaining!”

“Neither am I. Thanks for sharing though. Now, it’s high time you tell me your name. This maid/mistress business is getting tiresome.”

“I know. Just a little longer. I feel like I shouldn’t tell you until…”

“Until what?”

“I don’t know. Until the right time. I’ll know it when it happens.”

“Alright, you Lusty Khajiit Maid. For now you’ll remain nameless. But… we’re friends, right?”

“No. Not friends.”

“No?”

The khajiit embraced her and kissed her deeply, pulling away finally.

“We’re lovers, Quill. Now come on. I can’t be out here naked on the road all day. Let’s get back!”

With that she began running towards the woods that enclosed the tower. Quill just watched before finally chasing after her.

“YOU BETTER HOPE MOOKIE ISN’T THERE!” she called ahead.