At noon, Cee and Nutless were taking a break to enjoy some leftover chili that Cee had made the previous evening. It was a rare chance to relax. Usually, the two slaves packed their lunch to eat on the job, but a storm had rolled in and had interrupted their momentum.
They had just finished eating when Frank and Burt appeared in the barn. Startled by the appearance of both their owners, they immediately dropped what they were doing and stood at attention.
"Head out to the back barn, Nutless," Burt said with a shake of his neck. "Storm has died down, and you have work to catch up on."
"Yes, my Lord," Nutless replied as it quickly put its bowl and the sink and left.
Cee moved to follow before Frank held up his hand.
"Not you, Cee."
"Master?" Cee asked.
"Why do you want to see this milking slave?" Burt interrupted.
"My Lord?" Cee replied.
"Frank says you have requested to see a slave at this milking farm of Frank's friend," Burt said. "Why do you want to see it?"
Cee took a breath before answering.
"My Lord, it is nothing. I..."
"Dammit, slave!" Burt replied a little louder. "You have always been truthful with me. Don't annoy me by dodging the question."
"Forgive me, my Lord," Cee replied as it bowed.
"I'm waiting," Burt replied, slightly annoyed.
"My Lord," Cee said as it raised its head to look Burt in the eyes, "the last time I was there, I found out my cousin was a milking slave."
"Your cousin?" Burt asked. "Do you forget your position here? Permanent slaves have no families. They are property. You are property."
"Yes, my Lord," Cee said, softer.
"Burt," Frank said as he looked at his uncle. "Cee is more than property, and you know it. It basically helped raise me. At the very least, it kept me out of trouble growing up."
"That is for fucking sure," Burt said as he rolled his eyes and then took a breath. "Explain, Cee. Your cousin?"
"We were sold into slavery at the same time, my Lord," Cee answered. "Our families needed the cash. My cousin signed a contract as a volunteer slave for twenty years. I knew my family needed all the money they could get, so I changed my contract to a permanent one."
"Oh, really?" Burt replied, genuinely interested now. "You have never told me that."
"It didn't matter, my Lord," Cee replied. "I was a commodity when you purchased me. The reason didn't matter."
"True," Burt said as he nodded. "But it tells me more about you."
Burt took a deep breath and seemed to be debating something in his head.
"Why do you want to see this slave?" Burt asked. "Is it out of some need to connect with your former life?"
"No, my Lord," Cee replied. "I would never disrespect you in that way. I am your slave. I will always be your slave until the day I die. I do not need to connect with my former life."
"Then why?" Burt asked.
"Because of the way and the speed at which things happened, I was never able to tell my cousin that I changed my contract to a permanent one," Cee said. "As far as the slave knows, we will meet again in the free world. I know it does not make sense to you, my Lord, but I just wanted to ensure that the slave knows that it will probably never see me again. I know what it will feel like when it leaves, and I am not there with it to continue in the free world."
Burt seemed to be struggling with his words as he stayed quiet for over a minute. When he finally did speak, he gestured broadly with his hands.
"When Frank brought this request to me, my first instinct was to say no. You are my slave. Your former life is meaningless. Attachment can cause depression, rebellious behavior, or worse. This is why permanent slaves are isolated from their former lives."
"I understand, my Lord," Cee replied.
"But," Burt said as he held up his finger, "you have changed my mind."
Frank looked generally surprised as he turned to look at his uncle.
"You have been a faithful slave to me and this farm for over a decade," Burt continued. "I've never had to beat you or even scold you. You are always deferential, and you have maintained the highest standards as a slave. But this request is dangerous. It can be considered a waste of time and money. But if you truly just want to tell this slave about your decision and end that portion of your life for good, then perhaps it is worth it. Perhaps it will make you more centered as a slave to know that there is nothing in your former life that is unsaid or undone."
"My Lord is wise and kind," Cee replied with a bow.
"What did Lewis say about all of this?" Burt asked Frank.
"Lewis is always looking for more help around the farm," Frank replied. "He is open to us loaning Cee out to work one afternoon. It would have to help with monitoring the herd as they exercise and assist with feeding time, but Lewis is willing to let it have a few hours before bed to make peace with its cousin."
"Fine," Burt said as he cracked his neck and sighed. "You caught me on a good day. But Cee?"
"Yes, my Lord?" Cee replied.
"This is it," Burt said firmly. "Make your peace and return here, ready to serve. You will never go back to that farm again."
"Yes, My Lord," Cee replied.
"I mean it, Frank," Burt said as he turned to his nephew. "If you ever need help out there again in the future, take Nutless."
"Understood," Frank replied.
"Make the arrangements," Burt said firmly.
"Lewis told me we could do it anytime as long as you agreed," Frank said.
"Take Cee now, then," Burt replied. "Might as well get it over with. With the storm, it's not like a lot is going to get done today, anyway."
"I'll go get my keys," Frank said as he left.
"Thank you, my Lord," Cee said as it looked at Burt and then got on its knees. "As always, I am in your debt."
"Get off the floor, Cee," Burt replied with a wave of his hand. "Just get whatever is in your system out. Close the chapter on your formal life for good. No more of this sentimental nonsense."
"Yes, my Lord," Cee replied.
***
The drive over to Lewis's farm was a quiet one. Cee took the passenger seat as Frank trusted it implicitly. The gray skies were dark and foreboding, the winter storm had brought sleet with some heavy, cold rain, and the fields looked just as frigid and frozen in place.
"I've never seen you like this before," Frank said as he drove.
"Master?" Cee replied as it looked over.
"Cee," Frank said with a smile, "you can't fool me. I know you too well. I saw your reaction when you saw your cousin at the farm a while back. At first, I thought it would be fun to see your reaction. I just figured it would be a curiosity. I didn't realize it would affect you so much."
"Yes, Master," Cee replied as it looked forward.
"Speak," Frank said after another long moment.
"Master?" Cee said in response.
"Speak your mind," Frank replied.
"That is not what a slave is allowed to do, Master," Cee replied. "I obey. That is all."
"And I am giving you a command," Frank replied. "Speak... and it better be the truth. I will know if you hold something back or lie to me."
Cee took a deep breath.
"Your farm is my life, Master. I've watched you grow up. I respect my Lord and am happy to wake up every day in service to him. I have a purpose in life now. But seeing my... seeing the slave being milked that I knew in another life had a profound effect on me. I know now why my Lord was cautious about this. Connections to a former life are powerful. To a slave who is not centered, they could cause them to make poor decisions."
"Mmm-hmm," Frank said with a nod. "And if you were Nutless, I would never have even considered this request. But I know you. Your heart and soul are bound to Burt, and he knows that. He trusts you. That is very rare."
"I know, Master," Cee replied. "Which is why I will never be able to repay you both for this gift. I promise not to misuse or abuse it."
"I know you won't," Frank replied.
As the truck turned and entered the main gate to Handleman Farms, Cee saw the residence and large barn where the bulls lived directly ahead at the end of the long dirt access road. As they neared, Frank took a left and drove over to where the main production facility and the auxiliary building were located.
The ground was muddy as they stepped out of the truck. Cee was still completely naked, but had on his boots, which sank into the red clay soil. They walked over to the doors of the main building and pulled on the metal handles to enter.
The room looked the same as the last time the two of them had visited the facility. Bright overhead lights gleamed off the white walls and the metal frames. The concrete floor reflected the illumination upward and looked spotless.
"Should I remove my boots, Master?"
"Yes!" came the voice of a technician slave who approached. "Please remove your boots, slave."
As Cee removed them, the slave introduced itself.
"I am Victor," the slave replied. "My master told me you were on your way over. He said he would be here shortly."
"Very well," Frank replied as Victor collected Cee's muddy boots and put them in a white plastic bag he had with them and tied it shut.
"This is my slave, Cee," Frank replied.
"Good to meet you, Cee," Victor said with a smile. "I hear you will be helping us this afternoon."
"Yes," Cee replied. "I am at your Master's service."
"Well, I, for one, am happy for the help!" came the voice of Lewis, who was approaching from behind Victor. "Sorry for being late. I was checking on something in the lab."
"No worries," Frank said as he held out his hand and shook Lewis's.
"You sure we can't hook this slave up and milk it a few times?" Lewis said with a smile as he pointed at Cee. "Those balls look primed."
Frank laughed. "Burt would kill me, Lewis."
"Hey, I had to ask," Lewis said with a smile. "So, what are the ground rules here?"
"Burt has allowed Cee to work the afternoon shift with your slaves," Frank replied. "He will do anything you tell him to."
"Excellent," Lewis replied. "Well, we will put it to good use."
"Thank you, Master Lewis," Cee said with a bow.
"And you will get a few hours to socialize with the slaves before bedtime," Lewis added. "Though I can't believe I am agreeing to this."
"I'll make it up to you sometime," Frank said with a smile.
"How about you loan me your sex slave for a day?" Lewis replied with a grin. "That would make us even."
Frank laughed loudly and then shook Lewis's hand again.
"Okay, that is a deal."
"You sticking around?" Lewis asked.
"Nah," Frank replied. "I have some things to attend to. But, I will come over later tonight to pick Cee up."
"The bull's bedtime is nine sharp," Lewis replied.
"I'll be here at nine, then," Frank replied.
"Thank you, Master," Cee replied.
"Just be sure you are on your best behavior as usual," Frank replied as he turned to leave. "I'll see you tonight."
Cee bowed as Frank waved and left.
"Cee," Lewis said as he turned to the slave. "Follow me."
"Yes, Master Lewis," Cee replied.
Lewis began to walk down the center of the processing hall. On either side, Cee saw the bulls in their metal chairs. They were all in their drug-induced bliss, their cocks slowly being milked as the metal probes in their asses provided added stimulation. As they neared the end of the room, Cee saw its cousin hooked up like before.
"Titan is the one you came to see, right?" Lewis pointed and asked as they passed. "I believe it was that one. Or was it this one over here?"
"The one you call Titan, Master Lewis," Cee replied. "That is the one."
"I thought so," Lewis said with a smile. "Very virile. Your family has good genes."
"Thank you, Master," Cee replied as they continued forward and entered two double doors to the quality control lab.
"Zed!" Lewis called out.
"Yes, Master!" came the voice of a young green-tag technician slave.
"This is Cee," Lewis pointed out. "It will be assisting Victor in the main production facility today. Please get it appropriate sanitary footwear and then go over to the auxiliary building to assist Beta."
"Yes, Master!" Zed replied as it walked over to Cee. "Do you know your foot size?"
"Standard size 14," Cee replied.
"Big feet!" Zed replied with a smile. "But we have something that will fit you. I will return."
"All slaves wear sanitary footwear in our facilities," Lewis replied.
"Understood, Master," Cee replied.
"I want you to talk with Victor," Lewis said as Zed returned with the rubberized footwear. "Familiarize yourself with our schedule. We have two more extractions this afternoon. After that, the bulls will need supervision as they work out, and then they will be served dinner. Do not fraternize with my bulls until dinner is over. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Master Lewis," Cee replied.
"You will have about ninety minutes between the end of their mealtime and bedtime to socialize with them," Lewis continued. "I am very strict about my schedule."
"Understood, Master," Cee replied. "I will follow your rules."
"Good," Lewis said as Cee slipped on the tight footwear that seemed to almost custom cover his soles. "Well, I have better things to do. Cee, go back into the facility to talk to Victor, and Zed, head on over to the other building."
"Yes, Master!" the slaves replied as Lewis left.
As Cee pushed its way back through the double doors and into the processing hall, its eyes began to roam again. The facility seemed to hum with motors and machines of all types. There were five stalls to the left and five stalls to the right. To the immediate left, the massive slave that Cee had seen the last time it was at the farm was secured firmly in place. It looked to be more sedate than the other bulls, with its head flopped to the side and drool coming out of the edges of the gag in its mouth.
"I see you noticed, Val," Victor said as it approached. "Highest producer of the herd."
Victor reached over and gently patted the massive balls of the bull that seemed to have grown even larger since Cee had last been there. The heart-shaped birthmark became more prominent as a result.
"Val?" Cee asked.
Victor smiled. "We give each of our bulls a nickname. E754 was easy because of the birthmark. Master calls it Val. It is short for Valentine. The one next to it is called Hammer, because its cock is flared at the end and heavy as hell."
"I see," Cee replied.
"We have to keep Val here nearly comatose these days," Victor added.
"Why is that?" Cee asked.
"Major attitude issues," Victor replied. "It isn't a long-term solution, but we were out of ideas."
"I know how that is," Cee replied. "My Lord and Master purchased a new slave not too long ago, who took a long time to control. Fortunately, it has adjusted."
"I will never understand it," Victor replied. "I would rather serve and obey to be treated well."
"I am the same way," Cee said.
"Well, anyway, I hear that Titan is the one who brought you to the farm," Victor said as it crossed over from Val to the large bull seated in the stall to the right.
"Yes," Cee replied as it came over and stroked its leg. "It is still a shock that I found it here."
"Were you sold at the same time?" Victor asked.
Cee nodded as it looked at the latest production report on the front of the stall.
"I am sorry, I am going to try to maintain the correct pronoun use, but it is difficult."
"I understand," Victor replied.
"Anyway, it and I were sold by our families to help support our siblings," Cee said. "Originally, we were both on twenty-year contracts, but I changed mine to permanent."
"Can I ask why?" Victor asked.
"It is complicated," Cee said with a sigh. "At the time, I felt like I wasn't pulling my weight in the family. I had failed out of college, and I felt like they had wasted their money. I was young. It was an impulsive decision."
"You sound like you are regretful," Victor replied.
"Only in the sense that I wish I had been given the time to say goodbye to... did you say its nickname was Titan?"
"Yeah," Victor said. "Titan had some of the biggest balls of the bulls here until Val showed up. And it looks like that kinda runs in the family."
Cee laughed as it looked down at its own balls.
"I guess the males in my family were blessed in that regard."
Victor chuckled.
"Anyway, I have always wanted closure," Cee continued. "Up till recently, I just assumed that would never happen."
"Frankly, I am shocked that Master allowed it," Victor said. "Do you realize how unusual this is?"
"I know," Cee replied.
A buzzer sounded overhead that caught Cee's attention, and Victor smiled.
"What is that?" Cee asked.
"It is almost time for their fourth extraction of the day," Victor replied.
"How many times are the bulls milked?" Cee asked.
"Five times a day," Victor replied. "Two times in the morning, once at noon, and then twice in the afternoon."
"Damn!" Cee replied. "Do you have to do anything?"
"Just monitor," Victor replied. "I am going to go down the line to oversee the bulls on the west end. You can stay here and watch Titan and this bull next to it, Atlas. Keep an eye on Val and its companion, Hammer, too. Val will probably be out of it, but the other three bulls might show some signs of discomfort after the milking process is complete. The last two pulls sometimes are tough on the bulls."
"Okay," Cee replied.
"If you see any sign of discomfort, all you have to do is turn this dial and press a button," Victor said as it walked over to the panel next to Titan and demonstrated. "This will increase the drug that makes them feel good."
"I can do that," Cee replied. "Anything else?"
"It is mostly automated," Victor replied. "But watch all the instruments. If you see anything that looks like it is throwing an alarm or is out of place, let me know. I'll be just down the line."
"Thanks, Victor," Cee replied.
"It is kind of fun to watch them get milked," Victor replied. "All the technician slaves here are intact, and we are given brief periods to masturbate during the week, but I would be lying if I didn't envy these big bulls at times."
"It is not as pleasant as you think," Cee said with a laugh.
"Wait, have you been milked?" Victor asked.
"My Master tried once," Cee replied. "Gave me that drug to increase my sperm volume and libido. I shot a hell of a lot when I orgasmed, but it was uncomfortable. Not painful exactly, but definitely uncomfortable."
"Yeah, that is a common side effect," Victor replied.
"And I had to keep cumming," Cee continued. "My Lord gave me something to numb my groin, and I was masturbating most of the rest of the night."
Victor smiled. "So, I guess you do know, then."
The sound of a machine beginning to whir in each of the stalls drew Victor's attention.
"Okay, it is starting," Victor replied. "Back to work."
"Understood," Cee replied.
What followed over the course of the next fifteen minutes was mesmerizing for the slave. Cee approached Titan and watched with interest and amazement. The bull's eyes were dilated and were staring blankly at the ceiling, oblivious to what was going on in the room. The milking sheath on its cock began to move back and forth, providing ramping suction gently. Atlas in the next stall over began to groan, and Cee leaned over to ensure it was okay.
Within minutes, the buttplugs in each of the bull's asses began to turn on, and Cee could see their asses clench down in response. Deep inside, the probe was stimulating their prostate organs and providing a pleasant but forceful signal to their bodies. The sheathes began to suck harder. The devices around each bull seemed to come alive with different signals and whirring sounds.
The first signs of Titan's orgasm began in its feet. They began to flex in its stirrups, and its leg muscles clenched. Cee saw a shudder move across the slave's chest, goosepimples forming on its hairless skin. The large, hairless sack that was tied down below the milker seemed to clench and shift just as a massive amount of cum shot forcefully out of the slave's cock, making an audible clunking sound in the device.
Across from Cee, Val's device was struggling. The volume of cum coming out of the slave seemed inhuman. The milker was making a slurping sound as the semen was pulled away and shot through tubing that ran over Cee's head and through a hole in the wall over the double doors that led into the quality control lab. Next to Val, Hammer's feet were constantly clenching as it had a series of orgasms that were not as high in volume, but more consistent in every shot of cum delivered.
After every drop of semen was sucked away, the devices began to power down. The milker slowed its strokes, and the asses of each slave seemed to relax as the stimulation ended. Cee noticed that Atlas seemed to be moaning involuntarily, and it went over to check the devices. Figuring it needed some additional help, Cee turned the dial as Victor had shown it and pressed the button. A shot of fluid raced through the tubing and into the slave's arm port, and nearly instantly, the slave calmed and quieted.
"Everything going okay down there?" Victor asked as it checked on the other bulls.
"So far so good," Cee replied with a thumbs up as it walked down to check on Titan again.
The large bull seemed to be sedate again. Its skin was still flushed, but its breathing was less ragged, and its legs were now relaxed in the stirrups. Cee smiled as it rubbed the bull's haunches and whispered.
"Nice one, Patrick. Good bull."
As the afternoon wore on, Cee helped monitor the bulls and mopped the floor while Victor processed the collected sperm and ensured it was logged and stored correctly. Hours later, when the final extraction was complete, the machines powered down automatically, and the fluid moving into the bull's arm ports slowed and then stopped. Slowly, within minutes, they began to regain consciousness, except for Val, who seemed to be stuck in its comatose state.
"Is that normal?" Cee asked as it pointed at the larger slave.
"Yeah," Victor said with a nod. "We have to keep it in that state most of the time now. Zed will be over shortly to help me move it back to the barn."
"Do you want me to help?" Cee asked.
"In this case, I think you would be of more use assisting Beta," Victor replied. "Once the bulls wake up, they will need to use the exercise room. Beta can then head over to start getting their dinner ready, if you think you can handle the bulls on your own. Zed will join you once we have Val settled."
"I can do that," Cee replied. "Is there anything special I should know?"
"Just be there for any assistance," Victor replied as it moved to Titan to remove the gag from its mouth. "The herd is actually pretty easy to take care of. Well, except for the one over there."
"Fuck," came the voice of Titan. "My balls ache a little more than usual."
"After seeing how much you produced just this afternoon, I understand why," Cee replied with a smile.
Titan froze as it heard the voice. It looked over at Victor for a moment and then down between its raised legs to the tall, broad-shouldered slave staring at it. For a moment, it could not believe its eyes. Its body shook momentarily as it felt a surge of adrenaline.
"Holy shit!" Titan exclaimed. "Is it really you?"
Cee smiled more broadly.
"Slave C856 at your service, Titan," Cee replied. "Though I go by Cee now."
A tear fell out of Titan's eye as Victor moved to pull off the milking device and prepare to reinstall the bull's chastity cage.
"I must be dreaming," Titan replied.
"You aren't," Victor replied as it wiped down Titan's genitals before locking them behind the metal pod again. "Cee here will be assisting the farm for the evening."
"Do you want me to help get the other slaves unhooked?" Cee asked, hoping to distract Titan's attention before it started to cry.
"Did you see what I just did?" Victor asked as it moved to lower the chair back down.
"I think I can figure it out," Cee said with a smile and a wave at Titan as it moved to help Atlas.
"Is it really him, Victor?" Titan asked. "Am I dreaming?"
"That is your cousin," Victor replied. "But let's keep the chitchat at a minimum till after dinner. Cee will be here to help and monitor your exercise and dinner periods, but Master has granted it the period before bedtime to spend with you."
"Seriously?" Titan replied in shock.
"Yes," Victor replied as it finally unstrapped the bull. "Try to control yourself until then, okay? This was a very special request that was granted. Do not ruin it for your cousin by violating the rules Master has laid down."
"I understand," Titan replied as it dragged itself forward and got its footing again.
"Does it lock here?" Cee was asking Atlas as it was reinstalling the bull's codpiece.
"Yeah," Atlas replied. "That feels snug."
"You feeling sore?" Titan asked from the side of the stall as Atlas was brought to a sitting position so it could get up.
"No more than usual," Atlas replied.
"Cee here is my..." Titan began.
"Cousin?" Atlas said with a smile.
"How did you know?" Cee said with a grin.
"You look just like him," Atlas replied. "Well, except Cee has more hair."
Cee laughed and rubbed its hairy chest.
"I seem to remember Atlas giving me a run for my money in that regard back in the day," Cee said as it moved over to help Hammer out of its chair next.
"So what is the occasion?" Atlas asked as it stretched.
"I'll explain later," Cee replied.
"You always did like to surprise people," Titan said with a chuckle.
"First time I have seen you smile in a while," Atlas said as it put its arm around Titan. "I'm glad."
"Thanks, bud," Titan replied.
"Fucking hell!" Hammer groaned as its gag was removed. "My balls!"
"Yeah, me too," Titan said to the bull. "We must have had a good production day."
"I guess," Hammer replied, before looking at Cee. "And who are you?"
Cee laughed.
"I promise. All will be revealed."
By the bottom of the hour, all the bulls, except Val, had their chastity pods reattached, allowed time to get their balance again, and had gathered in the center of the processing hall. Zed showed up to help Victor with the remaining bull as the herd, followed by Cee, made its way over to the gym to join the bulls from the auxiliary processing building.
The gym was fully furnished. All the latest equipment had been purchased and set up. The nineteen bulls that assembled seem to know exactly what they should be doing, and each moved to their respective machine to begin to warm up and perform their daily exercises. Titan seemed almost kid-like as it smiled and constantly looked over at Cee, who had been joined briefly by Beta, a seventeen-year-old Hispanic technician slave who had followed the other half of the herd over.
"Nice to meet you, Cee," Beta said with a smile and a heavy accent.
"You as well," Cee replied as it shook the slave's hand. "I was told you needed to go get dinner started?"
"Yes," Beta replied. "All you need to do is stand here and monitor. The bulls will let you know if they need anything. They really take care of themselves. It is a pretty simple job."
"Then I can handle it," Cee replied.
"Good," Beta said. "Well, I will leave you to it then."
As Beta left, Cee turned and watched the various bulls as they started their workouts. The sight of the herd, hairless from the neck down with clean-shaven faces and buzzed hair, was shocking. Each had enormous metal chastity codpieces encasing their groin area, attached to a metal band around their waists. It didn't seem to hinder their movements, though. They walked with a swagger, but otherwise seemed completely accustomed to their life.
"Do you want to spot me, Cee?" came the voice of Titan over at the weight bench.
"Is that something the technician slaves are allowed to do?" Cee asked.
"Sometimes," Titan said with a smile. "I promise that Master would not be upset."
"Okay," Cee said as it moved behind Titan's head and put its hands under the bar. "You ready?"
"Yup!" Titan replied as it gripped the bar and pushed up.
"So you are the famous cousin we keep hearing about," came the voice of Hammer next to them.
"I guess," Cee replied. "I didn't think that Titan remembered me visiting last time."
"I didn't at first," Titan huffed out between sets. "I thought it was just a dream. Victor was the one who told me it wasn't."
"So, you don't remember me talking to you last time," Cee replied.
"No," Titan said with difficulty after completing another rep. "I am sorry. I wish I had."
"It is okay," Cee replied as it kept its hands ready to grab the bar if needed. "We can talk later."
"So, who is older?" Hammer asked.
"Titan is a month older," Cee said with a smile as Titan finished its last rep with the barbell. "We were more like twins than cousins."
"Pretty much," Titan said as it sat back up and stretched. "We used to get into a lot of trouble when we were kids. We were thick as thieves."
"We turned out okay, though," Cee said with a wink.
"Well, I can't wait until these contracts are over and we are back home," Titan replied. "That future is all that has kept me sane for eleven years."
Cee's face fell for a moment as it half chuckled.
"Yeah," it said softly. "It is good to have something to look forward to."
After the hour, the herd was feeling a pleasant burn in their muscles as they made their way over to the dining hall. They each took their designated tables and were treated to a large spread that included stew, vegetables, salad, bread, fruit, and even freshly baked brownies.
"This is amazing," Cee replied as it brought over a basket of rolls for Titan's table. "I wish we ate this well on my farm!"
"Master likes to ensure we are well fed and topped off after a day of milking," Atlas said.
"Yeah," Hammer said. "Gotta make sure our balls can refill overnight to do it all over again."
"Could be worse," Titan said.
"That is true," Hammer replied.
"Is the empty spot for Val?" Cee asked.
"Yeah," Hammer replied. "Asshole has been comatose for about two weeks now."
"Frankly, I am glad," Titan said. "It does nothing but bitch and moan."
"And it picks fights," Atlas added. "It just seems to want to cause pain."
"Well, hopefully your Master figures out a solution," Cee replied.
"Well, I am happy with it gone," Hammer replied. "More food for us."
The bulls laughed as they looked up at Cee.
"Do you want to join us?"
"I don't know if I can," Cee replied.
"It is okay, Cee," came the voice of Victor from the next table over. "Sit down and eat. Take some social time with Titan. You have until nine."
"Thanks, Victor," Cee said with a smile as it took the empty spot at the table.
The rest of the time in the dining hall seemed more like a slice of home for Cee. The bulls laughed and joked, and they talked of things that Titan and Cee had done together growing up. It was the first time Cee had let its guard down, truly, in nearly a decade. When dinner was done, Cee then followed the herd over to their sleeping quarters, where it joined Titan in its bedding stall with Hammer and Atlas.
"I think we will call it a night a little early," Hammer said as it put its arm around Atlas.
"You don't want to play cards?" Titan asked.
"Take the time with Cee," Atlas replied. "You need it."
"Thanks, guys," Titan replied.
"It was good to meet you, Cee," Atlas said. "Hope we see you again sometime."
"Yeah," Cee said with a forced grin. "You too."
"Wanna join me?" Titan said with a grin as it sat on its bed and patted the spot beside it.
Cee grinned back and sat beside the bull.
"I am so happy to see you again, Chip," Titan whispered as it embraced the slave. "Please, let's talk like free people again. It is just us."
"Okay, Patrick," Cee replied with a smile. "If that will make you happy."
Titan looked up at Cee and could tell that the slave looked troubled.
"There is something you have been wanting to tell me," it said. "You hide it, but I can see it in your eyes. There is more to this visit, isn't there?"
Cee turned and put one of its legs on the bed, leaving the other dangling over the side, and Titan did the same to face it. Then, Cee reached out and took Titan's hands.
"You are scaring me, Chip," Titan said as it looked down at their hands and back at Cee's face.
"Patrick," Cee said softly. "I negotiated this time with my owner so that I could spend one last night with you."
"Last night?" Titan said with emotion. "What do you mean?"
"I have been trying to tell you," Cee said with a deep sigh. "I tried to tell you when we were being processed at the slave market. I tried to tell you when I found you at this farm. This has been eating at me for so long. I can't bear it."
"What?" Titan said, gripping Cee's hands firmly.
"I'm never going home, Patrick," Cee said, looking deep into Titan's brown eyes. "When we were processed. I modified my contract. I am a permanent slave."
"What!" Titan shouted as it released Cee's hands and moved back.
The bulls across from them looked over at their stall to see what the commotion was about.
"Patrick," Cee said softly as it tried to reach out again. "Let me explain."
"What the fuck did you do?" Titan replied, tears welling in its eyes.
"At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do," Cee said as it sat back. "I left the family when you all needed me the most. I felt guilty for putting our parents in the situation that led to this."
"You know that you..." Titan began before Cee held its hands up.
"Patrick, I know that now. I've had over a decade to think about it. It was an impulse decision. But, in the end, I don't regret it."
"You don't?" Titan asked in shock.
"No," Cee said with a shake of its head. "The family got a nice chunk of change from my contract, and I have made peace with my life. I am happy with my Lord and my Master. They treat me well. I also have two slaves that I care for. They each have their own needs and personalities, but in a lot of ways, we are a family now. They need me, and in a way, I need them."
"But, Chip," Titan said as it began to cry. "I can't process. I can't..."
"I know," Cee replied as it leaned over and the two slaves embraced. "I am sorry, Patrick."
"How the fuck am I going to survive here knowing you will never come home?" Titan sobbed on Cee's shoulder.
"You take it a day at a time," Cee replied as it rubbed Titan's back. "You have a eleven years of service under your belt. In another nine, you will be going home. You can have a family waiting for you. You can make better choices."
"But I won't see you again," Titan replied as he sat back and looked into Cee's deep green eyes. "This is it, isn't it? Once you leave here, I will never see you again?"
Cee nodded and wiped a tear away.
"That was the deal."
"Fuck," Titan cried out as it embraced Cee again. "This isn't fair."
"In a lot of ways, we are lucky, Patrick," Cee said. "We have time to say goodbye. I have been able to tell you that I am healthy and settled. You don't have to worry about my life. And, most importantly, we can say our peace."
"Huh?" Titan asked as it pulled back.
"I'm proud of you, Patrick," Cee said with a smile. "You not only survived, you endured. Look at the size of those balls, too!"
Cee pointed at Titan's codpiece, and the bull laughed and sobbed at the same time.
"Not like I can see them."
"Well, I did," Cee said with a grin. "Most impressive."
Titan laughed again.
"Can we not talk about my balls?"
"Okay," Cee said with a smile. "But I am proud of you. I want you to focus on the future. I need you to get out of here healthy so you can tell my parents that I am okay. Tell them I think about them and that I don't blame them. Okay?"
"Chip, I don't know..." Titan replied.
"Do it for me, okay?" Cee replied. "Because that is what is going to keep me going. If I know you are out there. If I know you have a future. If I know that you will tell my parents that I love them. Then, I have something to keep in my heart, even as a slave. But, Patrick..."
"Yeah?" Titan replied.
"You can't tell them where I am," Cee replied. "You will have to take that secret to your grave. You know dad would try something stupid if he knew were I was."
Patrick nodded. "Okay."
"Promise me," Cee said softly, squeezing Titan's hand.
"Okay," Titan said with a sniff and a wipe of its face. "I'll do it. I promise."
"Thanks, Patrick," Cee replied.
"I do love you, Chip," Titan said as it hugged the slave again. "I'm mad as hell at you. But I forgive you. I'll be okay. I just need you to keep going, too."
"I will," Cee replied softly.
"Forty-five minutes to go," Titan said as it looked over at a clock. "Time moves too fast around here."
"Hey," Cee replied. "Maybe that is not such a bad thing. Means you will be out of here sooner."
"Thank you for coming," Titan replied. "I don't know how you swung it, but I really don't care. I needed this so bad."
"Me too," Cee replied. "Me too."
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