Prima was far calmer than I expected her to be, considering it was Truffle and not her. No, the one who was freaking out about the whole situation, was Stella.
She had seen Truffle before in the bath, and had most likely seen a small little pouch where my daughter was growing slowly inside of her. She could accept that, I think. I don't think it's been a full month yet since we've been captured, so it was reasonable to accept a small baby bump from a species known to reproduce fast. But Truffle, due to whatever it is that is causing these goblins to blow up like a balloon overnight, was now full term and it shocked Stella. So it was a good thing, and a bad thing once again.
I was actually looking forward to having copious amounts of sex with my sleepy-eyed mushroom-loving and now drug-using nerdy freckled goblin wife with a huge belly.
After last night's trippy experience, I was going to be a father again.
Yes, I get daddy-days off.
I wish it could have waited two more nights to happen, but it's happened, and so now I have to roll with it.
"Want stay Husband cave-hole!" Truffle declared.
She wanted to be here when the strong one came, and for the day or so of aftercare I would be providing. Ivory was a bit despondent hearing that, being somewhat co-dependent on Truffle. That is primarily why their cave-holes were joined during the remodel. I don't know if there's anything else like it among the other goblins, but those two, after teaching them the fun of oral sex, please each other from time to time when I'm not around.
Ivory declared her intent to stay as well, since Truffle said she was staying. Berry promised to help where she could, and somehow or another quite a few goblins decided to spend the whole day and night here as well. Jewel took a pass on being here for the birth this time, and Prima was grumbling about wanting someone to go with her to hunt. I had taken this opportune moment to suggest none other than Diana.
Berry was proactive with that suggestion as well, promising all kinds of berries to Prima in exchange, who then plucked Vera from our little soiree as part of the assembled hunting party. It wasn't yet time for Orchid or Lilac to go hunting for what Prima hunted. Lily was teaching them how to hunt small game well enough already, and was going to continue doing so today as well.
Berry, Ivory, and Truffle were close friends for the most part, so it wasn't unexpected that they would be there for each other's births. Pear wanted to be a part of it as well.
Doll had come for breakfast, but didn't stay for long afterwards. She had actual work to do, in the form of chopping down a tree for wood to keep the fire pit burning. It was a ward against whatever beasts were out there from daring to make a raid on the cave, so it was an important job she couldn't shirk. I had nothing but the utmost respect for a hardworking wife when all I had to do was play the househusband.
I was loaned the ruby once more by Jewel, and Berry brought the metal pot that was my alchemy set in preparation for what was coming. There was a freshly washed rag for cleaning up the eventual gore, though where it was washed, I'm not sure if I want to know. I haven't made the laundry room yet. And I even had a surprise visit by Toy again, who I revealed to the parties present as a newly named goblin.
The biggest concern Truffle had was the absence of her mushrooms.
But they were mushrooms, they weren't going to just up and walk away. Besides, Ivory had heard her roommate drone on and on about mushrooms enough to know how to take care of them if need be.
Old one had stopped by, since Prima had informed her of Truffle's condition, and after placing a hand on Truffle's plump belly, shook her head.
"Coming later." To which she promptly departed after saying.
I decided now was as good a time as any, and introduced the girls who would be staying to the games of checkers and connect-four. I also provided my experimental apple-pear infused citrus-ade which Pear went absolutely bonkers over.
Failing to mention Stella for the last while, she wasn't being treated as a stranger and an outcast. Far from it, actually. She… showed curiosity in the pregnant belly Truffle now sported, and after some communication on her behalf to my wives, easily obtained permission. Berry had brought her over personally and had let her place her hand on Truffle's belly.
My coming daughter may be a goblin, but the pregnancies between humans and goblins share similar parallels. Stella didn't say much, mainly because she didn't speak any goblin at all. I didn't either when I was first taken captive, but she wasn't refused when she came around. Stella also got to enjoy some of the experimental lemonade, and after being taught the rules to checkers, had been playing round robin with Toy and Pear who were being a bit competitive with each other.
By the mid-day, Prima had returned with a weary-looking Vera and an absolutely beaming Diana.
"Smart goblin. Strong goblin. Good hunter." Prima praised my eldest daughter.
They killed a fucking bear.
As Prima told the story, she had used herself as bait once they had found it. Diana was up in a tree with a long dagger after deciding the best location for Vera to make a pitfall trap with formula magic. Once Prima had gained the attention and ire of the bear by poking it in the rump with her spear, she hauled green ass past the magically booby-trapped area. Vera dropped the ground out from under the bear at just the right moment while hiding behind a bush, and Diana who was up in the tree above the pitfall jumped down onto the bear's back, and stabbed its head pretty much to death with the long knife she used.