Dog of War

Camila was gently roused from her slumber by a tugging on her vines to find herself hopelessly entangled. Cordelia's vines were so intertwined with her own that she couldn't easily move without disturbing her. A few of Cordelia's flowers were opening and closing as her core emitted a happy hum, lost in some dream.

 

Stars , even like this she was beautiful. 

 

Camila stayed still, careful not to disturb her close friend as she continued to drink in the sight. Just a little longer in this perfect moment. Finally letting herself show some more-than-friendly affection last night had been wonderful. That Cordelia seemed to return said affection had elevated it to heights Camila had only dared to fantasize about. Waking up next to her, their cores only a meter apart, felt like a dream in itself. 

 

Minutes passed, and Cordelia's vines began to animate more vividly, quickly discovering what Camila already knew. 

 

"Good morning, love... This is quite the knot we are in." 

 

Camila's core thrummed with a deep happiness. "Yes, we might have gotten a bit carried away in our sleep." 

 

"Juuust a bit," Cordelia giggled. The sound was like the sunshine chasing away the morning fog. "You know, you are adorable while sleeping." 

 

Camila had to fight to keep her vines from curling up in embarrassment and delight. "Y-you as well." 

 

Her friend sighed. "I suppose we should start working on separating so we can make breakfast."  She wiggled a few vines near the edge. "Let's start over here?" 

 

"Sounds good to me." 

 

Camila testedher vines in that area. They were looser than the rest. It took a few attempts before the two Affini were eventually able to make headway on it. Progress was slow for a while, but eventually picked up as the more tightly knit areas were pulled apart.

 

"Is this yours or mine?" Camila indicated a mass of plant life in the tangle. 

 

"I believe those are the lillies I gave you seven years ago."

 

"So they are!" She laughed. 

 

Soon the two were in sync, communicating with ease through biorhythm alone as they separated with a flourish, each weaving themselves together.

 

"Well that was... invigorating!" Cordelia clapped her hands together, before wrapping an arm around Camila's waist. "I suppose we'll get quite good at that once we move in together~"

 

Camila's vines undulated freely; no reason to quell their excitement. "I'm sure!" Did Cordelia really intend for them to sleep together every night? Could she truly feel the same way? Whatever this meant for their relationship, it was clearly a boon. "We should get started on breakfast, Princess tended to wake up early before we started her Class Zs. I'm not sure how much longer she'll be asleep." 

 

"Of course!" Cordelia ended the embrace, motioning for Camila to take the lead. They silently crept through the living room, taking a moment to check in on the girls. Princess and Daisy were still sleeping and adorably cuddled up together. One of her arms holding her bear, the other around her pinnate. Both the Affini had to stifle a squee at the sight of the two dozing pets and resist the urge to embrace them. They were just so positively precious ! The two Affini quickly made their trip to the kitchen.

 

Cordelia was the first to take advantage of the soundproofing with a high pitched squeal. "Did you see the way Daisy was clinging to her?" 

 

"And the smile on Princess' face as she pulled her bear a little closer?" 

 

"Oh, and her little twitches , what do you think she was dreaming about?"

 

"Something much happier than last time, if the wet spot on her panties is any indication." 

 

"Hee hee, I wouldn't be surprised if Daisy had a hand in that." 

 

"Neither would I. Hopefully she's over her nightmares, but I will miss the little gasp she made whenever I gave her Class Zs." 

 

"I wouldn't worry about that. If her reaction to last night is anything to go off of, she's definitely harboring a fledgling needle play kink."

 

"Absolutely, she took to it almost immediately! All she needed was some well timed praise and a bit of a tease."

 

"Well, she'll be fully yours soon enough. I'm sure she'll take to Class As just as quickly. In fact, I would be surprised if she refused them after she tries them with Daisy later today."

 

"Oh I hope so, she's just so precious on them! Did you know, she hasn't once refused them for bath time since I started washing her?"  

 

"Aww, that's so cute!" 

 

"Oo, I can't wait until she's all drugged up and recovering from her implant surgery!"

 

"Do you have a date for it yet?"

 

"Not yet. The implant won't be ready for another six days, and I still wanted to enjoy having her a little first. I won't make her wait too long- she deserves the peace of mind it'll bring." 

 

"Well I'll be more than happy to help however I can, love."

 

"Of course." Camila pulled her friend in for a close embrace. "I'll let you know if I need anything." There was a beat as the conversation hung in the air, both Affini basking in the afterglow of its excitement. Yesterday evening had been wonderful, but there were even more exciting things today. "I suppose we really should get started on breakfast."

 

"Did you have something in mind?" 

 

"Not really. I've already given her most of the common breakfast foods, and a few more uncommon ones as well. I've been meaning to do some more research but I've yet to make the time. Between getting things in order for her domestication and trying to figure out her coin, I've been very busy." It didn't help that the limited research into the matter she did make was frustrating for her effort to make each meal unique. It seemed the vast majority of Terran breakfasts used the same select ingredients, albeit in all manner of ways. Granted, there were potentially hundreds of different variants on omelettes alone that she could serve, plus burritos and pancakes as well. She would have to repeat meals eventually but it had only been a week!   

 

"What has she had, exactly?" Cordelia seemed lost in thought as Camila relayed the breakfasts, down to the specific fillings. "Well, how about something more basic? Eggs, toast, hash browns, some bacon, and a small stack of pancakes or French toast. You said she's only had them plain and with regular maple syrup, yes? Maybe something like chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes? Or if you'd rather do French toast, we can serve them with whipped cream and strawberries."

 

Ah, those sounded like excellent ideas! While the main dish was just a variant on something Princess had already eaten, she hadn't had hashbrowns yet. "Let's do the pancakes, I want to save the French toast idea for later,” said Camila. “That was Princess' first actual meal, I think it would be perfect for the day of the flower festival."

 

Cordelia hummed as she set about collecting a mixing bowl and various ingredients. "You really wanna sweep her off her toes, don't you?" 

 

"Of course," Camila set a frying pan on the stove. "She's lived a hard enough life, and she deserves kindness. I honestly don't think she's ever been shown any before. A bit of romance is long overdue in her life. " 

 

"I agree." Cordelia cracked two eggs and mixed them into the batter as Camila got the pans heated. "Such a gesture will almost certainly have her asking to be your pet, even if you don't proposition her."

 

The fantasy of Princess asking on her own was something Camila had entertained in her more wild daydreams- it was just so tantalizing! She indulged in it briefly before reality grounded her. "I'm not so sure," she sighed as she started frying the shredded potatoes. "She still has a lot of trauma over... the last time she was property. I don't think she'd be able to ask on her own, no matter how much she wants it. But I do think she'd be willing to accept it." 

 

Cordelia worked the chocolate chips into the mix. "She still hasn't talked about it, has she?" 

 

"No. Just a lot of little sneak peaks at her past, and the underlying trauma. I don't want to press it, but..." Camila rumbled with dissatisfaction. "I don't even know how old she actually is, or how long she was fighting, or what her issue with AIs is. How am I supposed to help her as her Mistress when she won't tell me what's wrong?" She flipped the now-matted potatoes over. "I'm just hoping the coin reveals a more clear picture."

 

"What if the coin is a decoy? What if it's empty, or contains misinformation?" Cordelia whipped the batter up one last time before pouring four medium sized pancakes. "What if it only has her copies of contracts, and her true files lie elsewhere? What if she just has all those secrets only in her mind? Will you still take them from her if you can't do so without her knowledge?"

 

"Cordelia?"

 

"And let's say it does hold her every secret. What if you learn something that changes your view on her entirely? Or something that you feel demands an answer? If she's gone to such great lengths to hide it, it almost certainly holds some dark secret. Will you be able to act as though you don't have that information? Or do you plan on revealing that you went behind her back and took what she had so carefully hidden?" 

 

"I-" Camila felt her flowers wither. She had been so focused on potentially having her girl’s secrets she hadn't fully thought about the implications. It seemed unlikely anything could shift her view of Princess so drastically. However at this juncture it was a black box, a total unknown. The horse was both drinking and dying of thirst until observed.

 

Cordelia embraced her. "It's just something to think about, love. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself by hurting Princess, or be disappointed if it turns out to be nothing." She pointed at the hashbrowns. "I believe those are done, by the by."

 

"Right." Camila removed the hashbrowns, placing them on a tray above a towel to cool and let the oil drain. She had once again let her haste and eagerness blind her to what was best for Princess. She mulled the problem over as she placed in a few strips of bacon and sausage links. If the coin contained something so massive it shattered her idea of Princess, she doubted she could hide it. The girl was attuned enough to Camila’s biorhythm now that she could tell if something was bugging her. 

 

Then again, how likely was that? Camila already knew the kinds of things 'Jackal' had gotten up to. Murder, extortion, all levels of violence. There was nothing to suggest that the coin didn't simply contain more of the same. Princess wasn't Jackal. Jackal had been capable, cold, and calculating. Jackal had not just worked by the numbers, but killed by them. Jackal had been entirely disconnected from their emotions by design. Jackal had never been given any love, or compassion. 

 

Princess wasn't the complete opposite; the throughline was there. She was every bit as calculating as she had been as Jackal. She possessed Jackal's knowledge, Jackal's resourcefulness, even what remained of Jackal's strong will. Despite this, Princess was still unrecognizable as the sophont that had arrived a mere eleven days ago. Princess was soft, caring, and often an emotional wreck. She loved treats and petting and class As for her bath time. She made the cutest noises whenever Camila tightened her dresses, or told her what a good girl she was. No matter what was on the coin, it pertained to a past she was moving beyond. Princess may carry Jackal's scars, but she was no longer that ‘dog of war.’ The revelation could only aid in her healing process, and if it was empty nothing has changed. 

 

Camila felt her flowers bloom anew as she came to her conclusion, removing the finished meats and placing them on plates. Cordelia had finished the pancakes, which sat on their own plates, and had started frying the eggs. "It's nice to see you back in a good mood, I was worried I troubled you too much." 

 

"No, no, you were right to do so. I hadn't fully considered the outcomes and might have been setting myself up." Camila gave her friend an embrace from behind. "Thank you."

 

Cordelia's leaves rustled with satisfaction against her own. "Of course, my moonlight." They shared an all-too-brief quiet moment embracing like that before Cordelia broke the near silence by flipping the eggs. "These are almost done, and I believe the little ones are up. Can you make some toast?" 

 

"Of course!" Camila popped in four slices of bread and took advantage of the brief window of time to check her pad. There were a few messages, many were again from Princess' former crew mates. She would have to respond to those later, as she had a far more pressing one to answer. 

 

[FallCourtScribe]: I managed to break the encryption. 

[FallCourtScribe]: I am now copying the files for archival, but I haven't properly gone through any of them yet. As you are her owner I didn't want to look through them without you here. Would it be fine if I started without you? I could highlight any files I find notable for our meetup later.

 

Burgeoning with equal parts anxiety and excitement, Camila replied. 

 

[FrequencyFlower]: That would be great, please do.

-_-_-

They were sitting on the slab, bending over to untie their boots in the packed barracks. Vexingly, every time they had loosened the laces and moved to the other boot, they looked back to find them re-tied. 

 

The telltale crackle of their collar's comm system heralded a flat monotonous voice and made them stiffen in anticipation. "Unit Three Four Seven, you are being issued new orders. Activation code: Sierra Foxtrot Two Niner-" the rest was unintelligible, like it was coming from a million clicks away, but it made them bolt upright all the same. "Report to the Director's office, Three Four Seven, and obey any further instruction." 

 

3-4-7 rose up from the slab and began to proceed out of the barracks, unconcerned that the orders were overriding its rest hours. It didn't even care that all the other units were blurry, misshapen. Eye contact and prolonged looks was fraternization, and fraternization was punishable. That was a mistake for new units. 3-4-7 had received enough shocks to know better. Some of the flesh under its collar was still charred from its last error. It didn't even look at the suits or the coats that passed by as it marched on through the facility, not that they would try to stop it. It had been given its orders from the Director himself, and only the Director has the authority to issue commands to it now.

 

3-4-7 climbed the massive metal steps, each bootfall echoing through the sprawling network of gestation chambers the Director's office overlooked. It thought it was a strange place for an office; out of the way, and with little to offer tactically with its massive windows only overlooking the large tanks. It wasn't its place to ask, but he had told them once, unprompted. 

 

'Any good father needs to keep a close eye on his children.' 

 

If that was so, the Director must be a very good father.

 

3-4-7 stopped in front of the door, waiting for it to open. The door was a massive, imposing thing made of the strongest alloyed metals, with other metals forming ornate designs around a plaque that bore the word 'Director.' 

 

The Director knew it was here. He always did. Its standing orders were to wait until addressed when summoned. The Director loved to make it wait. 

 

Time seemed to stretch on into eternity. It couldn't do anything else until it was dismissed, though. So it waited. 

 

And waited. 

 

And waited. 

 

The longer it waited, the bigger the door got, and the more everything else faded away. It was so big now, so massive, so unconnected to anything else. It might fall and crush them. 

 

Why are we...

 

Something was off. It- no... They shouldn't be here. It had been an eternity since this was their life. 

 

It was then the door finally opened. Their heart dropped at the sound, still familiar after all this time later. The void on the other side was a comforting sight; anything was preferable to seeing him again. Then everything shifted, just slightly. They were still in the largely shapeless void that was vaguely familiar, but it felt different. The door was still open, but the frame had changed. 

 

Princess now stood in front of the hab. 

 

With that the entire mood changed drastically. There was an almost giddy excitement as Princess crossed the threshold, practically skipping as they went. They were immediately swept up into those loving vines, which coiled around their legs and arms before working their way under their dress- they were in a dress now, their body feminine and their fatigues nowhere in sight. Vines began to stroke through their hair as the ones holding them tightened, and they felt safe. The void lightened, gaining color, turning into a miasma of purple and pinks.

 

"That's no place for a princess," the void echoed as the vines continued to explore their body. They opened their mouth to agree, and a vine quickly entered there as well, filling their mouth with a sweet taste. There was an absence of panic at the intrusion; in fact, it only made them feel even safer. They could still breathe, anyways. 

 

"You belong here with me, don't you?" 

 

Princess moaned happily into the vine. 

 

"Good girl~" The vines wrapped around them tightened again, so much that they couldn't move in the slightest. Miss Verdun's face formed from the void above them, the shifting colors filling her eyes. " You belong to me, don't you ?" 

 

Princess bolted upright, clutching Mister Bear as they caught their breath, heart hammering in their chest. Their eyes darted around the room as they brushed their hair out of their face- they were in the hab, in the pet bed, next to a still-snoozing Daisy. They gave themselves a once-over; they were still wearing the revealing nightie Miss Verdun had dressed them in. Their nails were painted pink, they had nearly forgotten about that. The pink and white frilly panties were the same, albeit with a conspicuous wet spot on the front. A quick peek inside confirmed their suspicions, to their annoyance. Hopefully no one would notice. No vines anywhere. They let out a sigh of relief and collapsed backwards onto the plush pet bed. 

 

What the fuck was that?!

 

The... dream? Nightmare? Was already growing distorted and distant in their memory. Princess made no attempt to hold onto it. Dreams were meaningless anyways, just regurgitated information assembled almost at random. That wasn't... that wasn't something they actually wanted. They must be under more stress than they thought if their mind was digging up their long buried past. It still stuck to them, refusing to fully leave. 

 

We should probably make sure we take a class Z from now on. Until we escape, at least.

 

Ugh, asking for a Class Z would definitely tip Miss Verdun off. There was no way they could risk her finding out about the dream. It was probably just spurred on by the hefty dose of class As she gave them last night. They had also spent a lot of time in her vines yesterday, that definitely hadn't helped. So what if they were comfortable and made them loved and safe ? They didn't want her to own them. Even if it was nice when she took care of them on occasion. It was just a dream, and they only had to deal with two more at the most before they could finally make their move. They'd pull through in the end and be able to put all of this behind them. 

 

Daisy rolled over and grabbed onto them, snuggling close, still asleep. Princess felt herself melt just a bit; she was so cute and pretty and amazing. More than that she wanted them. If only the circumstances were different, and they could stay. As she wrapped her legs around one of their own, Princess was reminded of the other massive revelation from last night as it pressed into her leg. Fucking hell she was huge. It had to be fully erect now , right? It was nearly half the size of their thigh! She was far bigger than they'd ever been. Hell, with the shrinking they'd experienced on Class G, she was probably bigger soft than they were hard. 

 

Princess felt her own cock twitch and stiffen at the thought, and their cheeks burned. Were they into that ? Did they like the idea of Daisy pinning them down and pressing her massive dick onto their own, showing them just how much bigger she truly- They buried their face in their hands and screamed internally, forcing the thought out. The worst part was the way time seemed to only confirm Daisy's assertion of them being a submissive bottom. 

 

Submissive. The word stuck in Princess' mind with the vestiges of the dream. They had been created to submit. To follow orders. He had made them like that on purpose. 

 

What if we only like it because we were made that way?

 

That made their guts churn with something rancid. They thought they had buried all of that deep enough. Through force of will and years of effort they had removed the commands, the programming. They had learned to live on their own, to stand up for themselves. To be a person , not property. Now they found themselves staring at the same fate. Princess sniffled, fighting back budding tears, trying to put the thought out of mind. They would get out of here and- and- 

 

"Mmn? Princess? Are you alright?" Daisy lifted herself up, her sleepy eyes peering up at them from their chest. 

 

"S-sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up." 

 

Now we're going to worry Daisy...

 

"Uhm, do you want Miss Verdun?"

 

They did, and they resented that. Princess forced themselves to shake their head. If they saw the Affini now they would cry for sure, and be made to explain why. "We just remembered something unpleasant." They took a deep breath to calm down as they wiped away the little moisture still stuck in their eyes. "It'll be alright." 

 

"Dooo ya wanna cuddle?" 

 

Princess nodded and Daisy hugged them, pulling herself close again. They wrapped their free arm around her, helping her snuggle in even closer. The weight and warmth of their friend- their girlfriend, they reminded themselves with a smile- helped immensely to improve their mood. It was just today and tomorrow. As long as they didn't lose sight of what's truly important, all they had to do was bide their time. It wouldn't be disastrous if they let themselves enjoy this a little while it lasted. 

 

That pleasant fuzzy-warm feeling washed over Princess once more, carrying that undeniable sense of safety with it. They craned their head in sync with Daisy to see the door to the kitchen slide open, the two Affini entering the living room.

 

Daisy sat up and removed an arm from them to wave at them as they approached. "Haiii, Mistress! Mornin' Miss Verdun!"

 

"Hiii, petal." Miss Dawnbloom stroked vines through Daisy’s hair in greeting, brightening considerably at the sight of her pet. It was too early for the luminescence of the other Affini, but Miss Verdun was a comforting sight. 

 

"Good morning, Princess." Her voice was sweet like berries and soothing like removing their boots after a long day. "Did you sleep well?" 

 

Princess sat up and blushed furiously as they nodded, fidgeting with Mister Bear. Vague impressions of her vines wrapped possessively around them plagued their thoughts. It felt like a herculean task to tear their eyes away from her. Fuck , just being near the Affini made it difficult to think about anything else. 

 

"I'm glad to hear that, little one. No bad dreams?" 

 

They bit their tongue, shaking their head and doing their best to not give any tells. It wasn't lying , it hadn’t been all bad. Just weird, mostly. 

 

Please don't catch on.

 

"That is wonderful, I'm so happy you're doing better!" Miss Verdun cheered, reaching down  to give them a headpat and a scritch. Princess pressed eagerly into her touch after the initial shock, relishing in the attention. They knew they shouldn't, they knew that they ought to enforce their boundaries, but it was difficult to care about anything else. Pampering was normal for a princess anyway.  

 

What was it about it that made it feel so good , though? The sensation? The praise? The safety? 

 

What if it's just conditioning again? 

 

That soured the taste in their mouth as Miss Verdun pulled her hand away. Ugh, the dream had put them in a really tumultuous mood this morning. Feeling a bit off at the memory of the Company was one thing, but their emotions were several kinds of frayed. Even with all the comfort, it felt like they were walking on the edge of bursting into tears and screaming in frustration. They hadn't felt this emotional and mixed up since- oh. 

 

"Uhm, can we have our xenodrugs please?" 

 

"Of course." Miss Verdun's vines wrapped around Princess' arm, causing their breathing to halt. Their head started to spin as she circuitously dragged the needled flower down from their shoulder to their cephalic vein. The flower hesitated for a moment, just long enough for anticipation to build, before sinking in. They squeaked as it did so, letting out a half-formed noise as the dream once more echoed in their head- ' You belong to me.' They felt it deliver its payload, relaxing with a sigh as the class E began to take hold. The vines were drawn back, leaving them trembling as they quickly returned to give them scritches. "Good girl~" 

 

Princess' vision cut in and out as their eyes fluttered, grinning giddily- They were a good girl! They were a good girl! They were a good girl! "Th-thanks Miss," they murmured as their mood leveled out. All of that worry from moments ago seemed so distant now, chased away by the Affini. 

 

"Of course, Princess, I'll always be here for you." The sheer amount of smug satisfaction and joy peeling off of her only served to fluster them further.

 

"Gosh, you're adorable, Princess." Daisy pulled them in for a quick kiss, catching them off guard. They had nearly forgotten she was there. A welcome surprise, even if their girlfriend slipping their mind felt embarrassing. She was the one that was actually a floret, she was supposed to be the spacey one. 

 

"Now I-" Miss Dawnbloom flourished her hand dramatically, "would usually never dream of breaking up an utterly precious display, but it is time for breakfast." 

 

Oo, what'll it be today?

 

Princess let out an eep as they were suddenly lifted up into the safety and care of Miss Verdun's vines. They heard Daisy giggling as she was picked up by her own Affini. Any concern they had over the treatment was short lived, as she began to pet them again. "Cordelia and I made something a little extra sweet for you." They could already feel saliva pooling in their mouth.

 

Something sweet sounds really good. 

 

Miss Verdun took a seat in their place, positioning Princess in her lap, Miss Dawnbloom doing the same with Daisy across the table. They barely registered that they were once again practically nude at the kitchen table, and that they had brought Mister Bear. Before them was a meal they hoped tasted as good as it looked- bacon, sausage, eggs on toast, some sort of brown fried shredded thing, and pancakes. Unlike the last two sets of pancakes they’d had, these had dozens of dark brown spots dotting them. The smell and few bits that poked out of the pastry were a dead giveaway to what it was- chocolate. 

 

Eager to dig in, their eyes quickly darted to either side of the plate only to find what they were looking for in Miss Verdun's grasp as she stabbed a fork into a bit of sausage. "Uhm, I can-" was all they got out before a vine tapped their cheek and she fed them. 

 It was juicy and packed with rich, powerful flavors. Princess bounced their leg as they chewed, and a bit of petting elevated the experience. 

 

"Sorry, what was it you can do?" Miss Verdun asked as she tantalizingly poured syrup over the pancakes.

 

Fuck, We hope she feeds us that next.

 

"F-feed ourselves." Princess squeaked. 

 

Miss Verdun hummed as she cut into pancakes. "I suppose you could. This is easier though, isn't it?" She tapped their cheek again, " Being pampered like this," and fed them as she redoubled the petting.

 

Princess covered their mouth as they moaned openly, their small cock twitching in their panties. They didn't know if it was more impressive how much just one new ingredient added, or how much chocolate made everything better. They did know one thing- the Affini was right. It was so much better to let her feed them. "Ooo-kayyyyy," They mumbled around the mouthful. 

 

Miss Verdun's laughter was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. "Now, now, princesses don't talk with their mouths full. Finish and tell me what's 'okay.'" 

 

They nodded, that made sense. They really should be more careful, a princess should practice at least some degree of etiquette, after all. They swallowed, and surrendered. "You can feed us." It was a pointless fight anyways; better to conserve their strength for the stuff that matters.

 

Princess was rewarded with another mind numbing pet and some more of the mouth watering pancake. "Of course dear, I would be delighted to."