13 comments/ 24749 views/ 111 favorites A Satyr's Mate Ch. 01-02 By: D_Lynn Author's Note: Dear cherished Lit readers, this is a 56k word novella that will be released in installments. It is completed, so I am submitting all the chapters at once. As the length would suggest, it is a complete story, which basically means there is going to be some build-up to the steamy parts. This is my writing debut in the Non-Human category so I am really interested in feedback from the regulars here. I do hope you enjoy reading this tale as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Dakota Lynn A Satyr's Mate by Dakota Lynn CHAPTER ONE Auction Day The day of Grachhus, as it had come to be known, came far too quickly this quarter annum. Once regarded as a celebration of freedom, it had evolved into nothing more than a gross display of the corrupt underpinning that supported the city of Sibiu. It was the one day that all lifeforms were allowed to roam the streets so they may bid on the slaves that Grachhus offered. This quarter, I was to be auctioned with the rest. It would be difficult for me to identify the exact event that led to my indenture to Grachhus. I wasn't born a slave to him. No one was, in fact. That would violate common law. It was, however, perfectly legal to gamble the freedom of your only daughter in a game of Tesserae, which is precisely what my father did. But while that was the circumstance, it was far from the beginning. Or the end. It was no coincidence that I'd just seen my thirty-sixth season. Eighteen full planet cycles since parturition. My Givea. I was free to seek a partner and have babies, and all that went with that, whatever that was. I had some idea what that entailed, and there were rumors, but no direct experience with such things. Having been born in Sibiu, where such matters were taught to only the boys in their last month before maturation, I was to remain ignorant of this natural part of a Sibiu woman's life. Forever, maybe. Keeping people ignorant was one very effective technique the directorate used to control the general masses. I didn't realize this growing up. That's the beauty of ignorance, it truly is bliss. Until you know the truth, of course. But I digress. A warm bhakri was shoved into my palm by the corner bread maker near my father's domicile. I'd passed that shop a hundred times with a stomach half as full without notice. Every Sibiu citizen was aware of the auction docket, though, and so suddenly I was worthy of attention. And pity. And charity. While the community may not embrace diversity, they are sympathetic to those about to lose their freedom forever. For this one day, I was one of them. They would embrace me for the hour leading up to my sale, and then let me go forever in a river of insincere tears. I studied the faces passing me on the street. Their eyes held genuine pity for my situation but that was most certainly because any one of them, or someone they truly cared about, might be next. It was impossible to get to any reasonable age of awareness and not know at least one person to walk the stage. And there were no fairy tale endings. No wealthy businessmen looking for suitable wives, no rich relatives coming to the rescue at the last moment. Grachhus made certain of that. It wouldn't be good for business. Grachhus wanted to get paid. If there was a relative with money, he extorted their riches before the auction. The auction block was for last chances only. It was a gamble. Sometimes the gamble paid off, bringing the payday that Grachhus wanted, while other times it did not. And then there were the runners. I can't pretend that it didn't cross my mind. It did. But it was suicide, plain and simple. If I would've somehow managed to evade Grachhus' goons, and every citizen that owed him something, or felt they might better their standing with him by ratting me out, there were still other dangers outside our village. To the east, the thick forest guarded many creatures that would've hunted me down for dinner. While I was tall, standing a full six feet in height, and quite capable of outrunning the shorter legged forest carnivores, I was no match for the ogres. At eight, and sometimes twelve feet in height, they possessed uncanny speed in a chase and were not above ripping trees out by their roots so they could swipe your feet from beneath you as you ran. They were a despicable species in every sense. Fowl-smelling, lewd, and cruel. I'd only ever seen them on auction days as they sometimes emerged from their forest dwelling to bid on slaves. I was locked in a stare with one such creature when the warm bread touched my palm. For reasons I couldn't fathom, he was following me through the streets. Ogres weren't typically interested in female slaves. Then again, I was anything but typical. Even though I'd been born in Sibiu, to a Sibian mother, my father was not. He was a fourth generation Isle of Baltia native, and I inherited every physical characteristic from him. Standing a full two inches taller than the average Sibian man, and eight inches over the women, I tended to stand out in crowds. But that wasn't the only reason. I also lacked the darker skin tone of the native Sibiites as well as their bleached, wispy straight hair. Their features were designed to handle the unforgiving rays of the noon day sun on the valley while my fair skin and thick, dark wavy hair were not. It seriously limited my options for employment, not that any of that mattered now. Skirting down an alleyway too narrow for ogres, I managed to ditch my new admirer. My minutes of freely roaming the streets of the city were rapidly dwindling and I wasn't about to spend them beneath the watchful eye of a twelve foot beast that smelled a lot like aged cheese. I twisted my torso as I dashed down the alley, making sure that he wasn't able to follow me and just as I was righting myself again, I was abruptly stopped in my tracks. Standing directly before me and filling the entire opening of my escape route was a rather large being. Its height alone suggested that it wasn't Sibian, and it was too fit for an ogre. Standing on two legs, it appeared to be humanoid. The sun behind it kept me from clearly making out facial features, but I could tell it had horns. A satyr? It wasn't usual to see satyrs in the village, auction day or not. They had little use for Sibian slaves, in fact little use for Sibians, in general. They occupied the mountainous region to the west of the city, known as the Saia Heights by the locals. They were a self-sufficient species, but that was the extent of my knowledge about them. We were not taught anything about the satyr culture in school, except that we should never attempt to enter their domain. Those that did had not returned. The distinct odor of cheese wafted over me, making me aware of the ogre waiting at the other end of the alleyway. He could no doubt see that I was trapped and would be waiting for my retreat in his direction. I didn't know what he wanted from me but I was also pretty sure it wasn't good, whatever it was. I decided to take my chances with the stranger. "I'm ... excuse me." The creature didn't move a muscle. "Um, do you speak?" The creature tilted his head to one side. "Of course I speak." The deep timbre of its voice indicated that it was male. My cheeks suddenly heated in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to offend. I didn't know...I wasn't sure..." "You have not met a satyr before?" I quickly shook my head. I had only ever seen a few of them in my lifetime, and even then it was from a distance. "Are you frightened of me?" "No." I answered a tad too quickly to be convincing. I followed it up with a lift of my chin and straightening of my spine. He emitted a low chuckle that sounded more nervous than condescending. I was clearly confusing him. Straining my eyes as I looked up at him, the features of his face became clearer. While he was obviously not fully human, his facial features were more anthropomorphic than his ram-like horns would suggest. He didn't possess the snout of the satyrs I'd seen previously. His face was flatter. And his eyes...they weren't brown. They were green. I locked onto his gaze for several silent seconds before realizing how rude I was being. I quickly averted my stare. "I'm sorry." "For what are you sorry?" "I didn't mean to stare. It's just that I've never been this close..." I wasn't sure where I was going with my reasoning, or why I was suddenly so curious about this creature. It didn't matter. I would likely never see a satyr again as I was fairly certain that I was going to be sent to the mines. It was the most likely situation given that I was half Baltian. "I'm sorry to keep you from...from...whatever it is you're here to do. I'll be on my way if you'll kindly let me past you." Without another word, the satyr turned sideways and pressed his back against the wall, clearing just enough space for me to squeeze through. I paused for a moment before approaching him. With great effort, I slowly and carefully side stepped through the narrow opening. I felt his hot breath on the top of my head in that moment when I was closest to him. He was sniffing me, I could tell. Goosebumps littered my flesh and my heart rate tripped a beat at the thought. I'd somehow forgotten that he was half animal. He was so civilized. Once out in the open, I stood for a moment trying to regain my composure. Resisting the urge to turn and check if he was watching me, I sucked in a breath and resumed my rapid pace toward the square. It was even more crowded than usual. Looking over the heads of the townspeople, I could clearly see the stage and suddenly it felt like my heart had dropped into my stomach. I released the bread I was holding and clutched my abdomen. I was dangerously close to vomiting again, although there could be nothing left in my stomach, I was absolutely sure. A sudden wave of shame hit me as I imagined myself dry heaving on the stage at the start of bidding. "There you are. Vishnu has been looking for you. The odds on you running is up to four-to-one." It was disgusting how Sibians never missed an opportunity to gamble. I ignored the underlying insult in the odds, obviously suggesting that I was a coward. It wasn't like it was based on anything personal about me. No one knew me. They were basing it on what little they knew of my father's ancestry. His fingers closed around my elbow before shoving me forward. It was a bold move for someone so slight. He was easily a full 4 inches shorter than I, and as thin as I was, he was even smaller. It would've been no trouble at all for me to slip his grasp and get away. But it just wasn't in my nature to run. Besides, how far could I reasonably get in these crowded streets? Grachhus' supporters were everywhere. My feet shuffled to keep up with my escort. He was obviously due some reward for finding me. That would be on top of whatever bet was made. Maybe the very hour I would arrive, or the person who found me first, or the order in which the slaves arrived to the stage. I wondered if I was the last and what the odds were for that. The slavekeeper they called Vishnu smiled when he saw me. His skin tone was a shade darker than the average Sibian, making the flash of ivory in his toothy grin positively blinding. "You've made me a rich man today, cupcake." My skin crawled at his condescending tone. Up until the week previous, my very youth had saved me from exposure to such vile men. Like all Sibians, much of my pre-adulthood was spent locked away under strict supervision. It was the most abhorrent of crimes to corrupt the youth in any way. The first eighteen years of life were experienced largely in isolation from adults. Even our own parents were practically strangers to us. We only knew our teachers and caregivers. And each other, of course. It promoted closeness amongst people of our own age, and kept us appropriately ignorant of political issues, violence, crime, sex and gambling. "On your knees, slave." "Why?" He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Are you going to be trouble? Do as I say. And no more questions." I sighed and nodded. Although I was new to slavery, I wasn't a stranger to being treated like a second-class citizen. I'd been one my entire life and I knew how little good it did to fight the oppression. I lowered myself onto my knees and waited for whatever came next. "Mighty Osmos, that's a load of hair. How am I ...?" He buried his hand in my thick mane and tried to part it, unsuccessfully. "Get this mess off your neck so I can slap this collar on you." I hesitated before doing as he asked. The reality of my situation suddenly hit me with the mention of a collar. I was about to be sold into slavery for the remainder of my life unless my father could somehow miraculously win me back. And given his bad decision making and luck, that wasn't likely to happen. "I can always take a knife to it." I gasped as I quickly scooped the unruly mass in my hands, pinning it to the top of my head. A thick leather strap closed around my neck, a tad tighter than I was expecting. I fought to swallow comfortably. Taking out a large chunk of charcoal from his pocket, he scribbled on my cheek. "You are slave number four. From now on, that's your name. Got it?" I nodded once that I understood. "You will be blindfolded during the bidding process. That is to prevent any silent deals between you and them. There's been some interest in you, so expect some back and forth before it's settled." I considered breaking the no question rule to ask who'd shown interest, but decided that I didn't want to know. Whatever happened was out of my control. It was probably a blessing that I'd be blindfolded. "You'll be allowed to watch the slaves before you, so you know what to expect. It's simple enough for even you to understand, Number Four. You'll be led center stage to stand still until it's over. Then you'll be led to the other side. Tilt your head back, mouth open." He examined my mouth and tongue, running his finger over all sides of my teeth to check for sharp points. Then he checked my eyes and ears. "Age?" "Eighteen." "Are you untouched?" I wasn't sure what he meant at first. "Y-yes. Of course." "You've been legal for a couple of weeks. Plenty of time." Plenty of time for what? It was difficult to engage in an activity that no one had ever discussed with you. Most of my friends had been briefed by their mothers after their 18th birthday. Since I was already slated to be auctioned off, there was no point in my father trying to find someone to take on the job in place of my dead mother. "It won't affect your bidding price, I'm afraid. No one will buy you for that." That was the other challenge to becoming a woman. There were no Baltians my age, and it would be beneath any Sibian man to bed a Baltian woman, even if by some miracle they found her attractive. "You'll be led across the square to await your new master. He will retrieve you once payment is made. Expect him to replace this collar with his own so he can lead you from the crowd. There are no tearful goodbyes, no last stop off at your previous home to get your favorite sandals. Your old life no longer exists. The sooner you grasp that concept, the better. Your new owner will assign you a name and inform you of your new responsibilities." He paused to ascertain if I was comprehending my situation. I nodded. Vishnu lifted me to my feet by my collar and then shoved me toward a pair of men. "Tie her hands behind her back before you put her in with the others. I don't want to take any chances." The two men froze in what appeared to be a mixture of shock and confusion. A silent question was raised and then answered with a sneer by Vishnu. Apparently, this was not a standard procedure. Grunting their disapproval of the order, the men did as they were told and proceeded to bind my wrists together behind my back. Once secured, they unlocked the metal door to the cage and shoved me through the opening. For several minutes, I fought through the unfocused panic that consumed me. My pupils dilated making it painful to keep them open in the unforgiving sunlight. I tried to shade them with my hair as my hands were not free to do so, but it was difficult with the thick collar holding my neck rigid. Attempting to drop my chin only left me gasping for air as the leather constricted around my wind pipe. A rage I'd scarcely felt before bubbled up inside me. I'd learned at an early age to keep it under control. It was easier to submit than to fight. But this time I'd been pushed too far and my instincts were taking over. In all honesty, I don't know how long I paced the perimeter of that cage in a crazed state before slave number two stopped me. "Take it down a notch, Number Four." I forced my eyes to focus on the bare chest pressing me against the side of the cage. Large hands gripped the bars on either side of my frame locking me in place. It was a large Sibian man. Not quite as tall as me, but at least three times my weight in muscle mass. His breath was moist and stifling on my face as he spoke. "You are drawing attention." I forced myself to look him in the eye. He glanced through the bars and then back at me again, prompting me to seek out where he'd looked. It was the ogre that had been following me in the streets. A trickle of slimy drool slithered down his chin as he met my stare. My stomach involuntarily lurched, causing the Sibian man, slave number two, to loosen his hold on me. In a strangled voice I managed to speak. "Why?" Number two shrugged. "Sport." "I thought...I'd heard that they only bought man slaves." He dropped his arms, satisfied that I'd regained my senses. "Ordinarily, yes. That one tracked me first thing this morning." "He followed me, too." "Good. I'd rather he buy you than me. I can tolerate the mines." He sauntered away without further explanation. I wondered what was so dreadful about ogres that made the mines seem like a better option. Working in the mines was not an easy life. No one volunteered for that job unless they could find no other work. Being Baltian, I was prepared for such a fate. I'd been told my entire life that I should expect nothing more. I glanced over my shoulder at the ogre. He was following Number Two with his eyes. I silently prayed that he would lose interest in both of us but if it came down to a choice, I fervently hoped he would choose the Sibian man over me. My gaze swept over the crowd that was now growing more dense as the top of the hour approached. Many pairs of curious eyes studied me. Partly because I was Baltian, partly because I was the only one with my wrists bound behind my back. I wasn't sure what it was about me that intimidated the Sibians, but it wasn't my first experience with it. Now that I was bound and in a cage, all citizens of Sibiu could feel safe staring at me. It was comical in a way, although I was far from laughing. I'd never once attacked a soul. Ever. If anyone had ever gotten to know me, they would realize that I was the least threatening individual of the village. A tall figure at the back of the crowd caught my attention. Green eyes bore into me from the shade of the building he was leaning against. I felt suddenly chilled and hot at the same time and had to look away for fear of what might happen next. I didn't know what to make of the mysterious satyr, whether he was sizing me up for his next meal, or merely fascinated by how different I appeared than every other human in this village. Did he need a housemaid? Or was his purpose far more sinister? Perhaps he wasn't interested in me at all and our meeting was coincidence. That last thought was disappointing in a way I couldn't fathom. A Satyr's Mate Ch. 01-02 As the minutes ticked by, I wandered around the cage trying to identify my mood. I wasn't sure what I expected to feel at that moment, but I thought it was going to be something more substantial than what I was experiencing. I felt nothing. Maybe I was merely numb, in some sort of shock. Looking around the square, I could honestly confess that I would miss none of it. I had no emotional ties to these people and they had none to me. Even my connection to my father was tenuous, at best. I think in his own way, he held some degree of affection for me. Not enough to take my place in the cage, of course, even if he was responsible for my being there. And not enough to move heaven and earth to buy my freedom, either. His degree of affection had limits. No, it was definitely fair to say that I was not leaving behind a rosy life. It'd been hard growing up in this world and I simply wanted to get on with it. A daily routine of stale air, tight spaces and physical labor wasn't much to look forward to, but it was a change. At least my flexibility would prove valuable down there, and with long work days, the time would pass quickly. Especially since miners lived relatively shorter lives than the rest of the Sibiu population. It would be over soon. A well-dressed man walked to the center of the stage and addressed the crowd. It was Grachhus, perhaps the most feared man in all of Sibiu. I studied his appearance trying to ascertain how it was that he'd risen to his current level of notoriety. He wasn't particularly large. Nor was he particularly handsome or charming, or fearsome and grotesque. He was actually very average, sporting a little more body fat than necessary, and thinner hair than most. I found him to be generally hideous, overall, and couldn't imagine what his partner must be like or how she could even tolerate looking at him every day. But that was how I saw a lot of Sibian men. Or maybe I was just reflecting how they saw me, because my appearance to them was equally repugnant. I would've blamed the mutual distaste on cultural differences had my father and mother not bridged that very gap. Despite her being Sibian and he, Baltian, they united and produced offspring. There had been some attraction there. Then again, they met in Baltia just before the mass exodus from that island. They were forced to settle in Sibiu when the ocean tides shifted, wiping out the major source of commerce in the Isle of Baltia. Had they first encountered one another in this highly prejudicial village, they might never have even spoken. The cage door creaked open, snapping me back to my present situation. Slave number one cowered against the bars on the far side, forcing Vishnu's goons to fetch her, tie a blindfold around her head, and drag her to the center of the stage where Vishnu whipped her legs until she stood up. What made the spectacle even more appalling was the cheers coming from the crowd. They hooted and hollered, encouraging Vishnu to whip her harder, some of them laughing at how she flinched on every lash. My heart thumped heavily in my chest. The raging beast within me was waking up again. No one deserved to be treated that way. I found myself standing at the cage door, wishing I could slip through and help her. "The first one is always like this. They pick a female they know will cower so they can make an example of her for the rest of us." I recognized the voice and didn't have to look to see that it belonged to slave number two. "And what of your slot? Or mine? What sort of show do they orchestrate to keep the crowd interested?" "They expect lively bidding for the next few slaves. The last one...the last one will be another stage show." I glanced around the cage at the numbers displayed on each person's cheek. There were six in all, including the woman on the stage. Number Six was another Sibian woman, but much prettier than the one trembling on stage. I wondered what they had in store for her, and if she had any idea that she was going to be the finale. The goons were at the door again. I took a few steps backward, not aiming to add to the entertainment. There wasn't much I could do with my hands tied, anyway. There was an outburst of cheering and clapping from the crowd. I'd been so preoccupied with getting my anger under control that I missed the bidding part. It was over entirely too quickly. I watched the goons wrestle the blindfold onto slave number two. I guess he thought if he fought them enough, they'd give up and allow him to watch. They didn't give up, though. They just proved that two could more easily and quickly overpower one. The ogre signaled his interest at the opening bid. The mining supervisor soon joined in, along with a third, unknown party. As the bid rose, the ogre grew visibly agitated until he dropped entirely. The mining supervisor was next to pass on the offer, leaving the mystery bidder as the winner. I locked my gaze on him as he made his way to a table at the far end of the stage. Money exchanged hands and scrolls were signed. When the blindfold was removed from slave number two's eyes, there was no recognition or emotion on his face. Neither did he fight the new collar being fastened around his neck. I wondered if he knew what was in store for him. I think that became the worst part for me. It was a whole new brand of hell not knowing where I was going. ******** CHAPTER TWO Master Dolphus There was fierce competition for slave number three, bringing a price that painted a rather disgusting grin on Grachhus' ugly face. Number Three went to the agriculture outpost situated along the far northeast corner of the city limits. They were responsible for much of the fresh vegetables and fruits, and the only source of meat other than what was obtained from bartering with forest carnivores. I was optimistic that the mining colony would pay more than the ogre since they'd not won a single slave thus far and relied heavily on these auctions for their workforce. But the ogre hadn't gotten what he came for, either, and ogres weren't known to be good losers. I positioned myself close to the cage door with chin lifted and eyes closed, awaiting my blindfold. I'd seen enough of the spectacle. I overheard a Sibian woman commenting with disgust at how prideful I looked. It wasn't pride. I'd long since given up on caring about preserving dignity. I merely wanted the event to be over. The opening bid on me was lower than the previous slaves and for a brief moment I actually felt a twinge of anxiety over the possibility of no one bidding on me. I had no idea why that bothered me, considering I'd been rejected by these people my entire life. It felt like an eternity before the amount increased for the first time, indicating there was at least one bidder. When it increased again, I knew there was no less than two interested parties. I imagined it was the mining colony and the ogre, but I couldn't be certain since I was blindfolded and they used silent signals to bid. It continued for some time, much longer than I expected. Just as the price was nearing the level of the previous slave's, the bidding war seemed to come to an abrupt stop. A hush fell over the crowd. That's when I heard the snarling. No words were spoken, just some very frightening sounds. A woman standing very close to the stage gasped, causing me to reflexively step backward. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I knew it wasn't pleasant. "Sold!" Vishnu's loud declaration broke the silence. The low murmur of hushed voices followed. I tried desperately to single out conversations to make sense of what had just happened, but I was hastily being shoved toward the cashier's table. It was as if they were in a hurry to get me off stage. "I knew you were trouble from the moment I saw you." Vishnu's rank breath assaulted my nostrils. I turned my face away from him to escape the stench. Whatever had happened wasn't a result of something I did, but neither was anything else I'd been blamed for my entire life. I would've argued my case with Vishnu if I thought for one nanosecond it would do any good. But I'd long since learned that narrow-mindedness could neither be reasoned away nor argued with. "I suggest you get her out of here in a hurry." Vishnu was talking to my new owner. "Do you have a collar?" "I do. Remove the blindfold first." His voice was familiar but it didn't occur to me who it belonged to right away. I was so convinced that I was going to the mines, all I could do was cycle through the men I'd encountered from there during career day at school. Suddenly there was light everywhere. The noon sun instantly blinded me, causing me to drop my chin. I promptly began coughing, then wheezing, then dry vomiting. Stars lined my vision as I dropped to my knees. "You have this too tight." Large hands swept my voluminous mane of hair off my shoulders in a single movement. A moment later, the pressure around my neck subsided, affording me much needed oxygen. I sputtered and gasped for several seconds, slowly regaining my vision. I was staring at a pair of hoofed feet. It came back to me. The voice. It belonged to the satyr I'd run into earlier. The one who was standing in the back row. Hands too large to belong to any creature other than his kind were tenderly caressing the back of my neck and scalp, and wiping the charcoal number off my cheek. They were amazingly gentle for being so massive. And warm. His body temperature was easily ten clicks higher than my own. I pushed myself back onto my haunches so I could peer up at him. He squatted to face me squarely, studying my face as he did so with his hand never leaving the nape of my neck. "You must be collared, but I will allow you to do it." He draped a silver chain over my hands and that's when I realized that I was no longer cuffed. In the process of fighting for air, he'd not only removed the collar, but my bindings, as well. I squinted in confusion and was met with a half smile. "You do not frighten me, either." I remembered how he'd asked earlier if he frightened me. I'd told him that he didn't, but that wasn't entirely truthful. Somehow I think he knew that. My lip quivered in amusement for a moment. Were the situation different, I might've even smiled. He at least understood the irony of my captors being intimidated by me. He nodded toward the chain and I gripped it in my palms. The people around us seemed anxious for my departure but I wasn't sure why. I lifted it around my neck, laying the heavy links in a drape loose enough to pass for a piece of clunky jewelry rather than a collar. I wasn't trying to fool anyone, I was merely interested in breathing. My satyr master attached a heavy lock to the links and let both the lock and the excess chain dangle down my back. He then released my hair to cover them and helped me onto my feet. "We must go quickly. My comrades are waiting outside the city." "Why the rush? What happened?" "I'll explain later." "Where are you taking me?" "To my domicile, of course. Now, less questions and more walking." My mind spun rapidly in circles as we sliced our way through the crowd. It felt as if all eyes were on us and it gave me such a queasy feeling that I had trouble keeping up. "Come Ashira." The shock of hearing my given name, something I was certain would not happen for the remainder of my life, snapped me out of my queasiness. My mind came alive with questions. Who was this beast and how did he know my name? What did he want with me? My feet finally got the message that maybe we were in real danger and began to move more swiftly. I was amazed at how he could out stride me. Other than my father, no one in the village had come close. I was not allowed to enter foot races for that reason. I began focusing on my travel companion's legs, fascinated by how they were shaped. They were neither purely ovine nor human, but a mixture of both, as they were jointed in two distinct spots. The upper joint was much like a human knee while the lower joint resembled the hocks on the back legs of animals. It was fascinating watching the parts work together and I wondered how they looked at higher speeds. I got a real sense that I was moving at a snail's pace compared to the velocity in which he was accustomed to operating. There would be no outrunning this master. He slowed to a more normal walk, causing me to shift my focus to what lay ahead of us. Standing very near the border that marks the end of our village and the start of the Saia Heights were two satyrs. They didn't acknowledge our approach but instead were steadfastly staring behind us. I was shoved rather roughly past them and fell to the ground as a result. When I pushed myself up to sitting, I immediately saw why. Approaching from the center of town was the ogre. He must've followed us. He was larger than a single satyr. Taller by at least two feet and bulkier in every way. It was difficult to tell how much of that bulk was muscle, though, so I was having difficulty deciding who I thought might win this battle. But when the three satyrs split into a perfectly spaced formation, approaching the ogre with the same calculated gait, it became apparent that they were not a force to be reckoned with. The ogre must've detected it, too because he stopped in his tracks. For several long, tense moments, neither party moved. My gaze locked onto the ogre as every muscle in my body tensed in preparation for battle. If by some chance that vile beast was able to kill these organized satyrs, I would not go quietly. Then it happened. I caught the first sign of the ogre's submission in his eyes. It was subtle. He'd been glancing between the three satyrs' faces and then his gaze shifted slightly downward to their chests, then their legs. He took a step backward, then another, never taking his eyes off the legs of the satyrs. They remained still but they didn't drop their guard. It wasn't until the ogre was out of sight that the satyrs began to fall out of position. Even then, always one of them kept a vigil eye in the direction of the village. The satyr who bought me crouched down to inspect my scraped knees, then hooked his hands beneath my armpits to lift me to my feet. The two other satyrs flanked his sides, their nostrils quivering as they analyzed my scent. "How to get it up the mountain?" I frowned at the satyr who'd referred to me as an 'it'. With his long, sheeplike snout, he had no room to talk. "You best watch what you say, Niro. This one is Baltian. And it's a she. Her name is Ashira." The satyr he referred to as Niro nodded once in respect. "This is Niro and Sensai, my most trusted guardians and friends. And my name is Dolphus." My gaze flitted between the faces of the three satyrs. Niro and Sensai looked very similar to one another, and more like rams than humans with their longer snouts and brown eyes. They were also more densely covered in fur than Dolphus. "We must get to higher ground quickly. The ogre has not given up." I peered between the satyrs but could see no sign of the creature. "He is watching us." None of the satyrs were even looking in the direction of the village, so I questioned their paranoia. "I don't see him." "I can smell him. He is there." "What happened in the square? Why is he tracking us?" The other two satyrs seemed interested to hear the explanation, as well. "He was bidding beyond his means. I suspect he was planning to take you by force at the payment table. The security is deplorable and no Sibiite is capable of besting an ogre. I challenged him to show proof of tender. When he couldn't do that, I was declared winner." "What did he want with me, anyway?" Dolphus shot me a curious look before answering. "For sport, naturally." "I thought ogres only wanted man slaves." "It is challenge they seek. They do not care if their toy is male or female. Either can be sodomized when caught." Sodomized? I shuddered at the thought, quickly understanding why slave number two preferred the mines. "We must go. Use the energy from this adrenaline surge to carry you over the rocky terrain as far as you are able, little one." I nodded and followed Niro down a well-worn path toward the rocky base of the mountainous area. Dolphus followed closely behind me with Sensai some distance back. Gradually the path grew more narrow, until it was impossible to tell if we were still following it or had forked off at some point. I had to keep my focus firmly on the ground below me as the terrain became increasingly more difficult to navigate. For me, anyway. Niro had no trouble at all and I suspected Dolphus and Sensai were the same. Their hooves were perfectly suited for the rocks, even with the steeper incline. Before too long, I found it necessary to stop. I was having difficulty sucking enough oxygen into my lungs. Just as I was about to turn, Dolphus was there. "Don't turn around." His chest pressed firmly against my back with his arms wrapped around my torso. His face was next to mine, indicating that he had a slightly lower foothold than me. "We are higher up than you are accustomed to being." "I want to see." "So brave, you are." Dolphus' large hands gripped my slender waist. He shifted his body to the side so I could twist my torso and see past him. We were much farther up than I had realized and it caused me to sway in a sudden fit of dizziness. Dolphus' hands tightened around my waist to steady me. The view was breathtaking. Over the tops of the trees, across the forest that bordered the other side of Sibiu, was a vast land that consisted of green fields and trees. In the far distance, sunlight danced off the waves of the sea until it met the sky. I'd never imagined a place so big and so beautiful. Looking down at Sibiu, I realized how much it paled in comparison with it's sandstone buildings and beige dirt on all sides. It was drab compared to the world beyond. "Have you not been beyond the walls of Sibiu, Ashira?" I scarcely shook my head. I couldn't take my eyes of the wondrous sight before me. "You can see much of the world from different areas up here. I will show you. Come. We must continue. I fear for your safety here." My eyes shot down the path behind us. "The ogre?" Dolphus emitted a deep chuckle. "Non. From falling. Are you able to keep going?" I mentally evaluated my leg strength. I was growing weaker from lack of food but I could continue for a bit longer. It was my breathing. "I'm out of breath." "The air is thinner up here. Your lungs are not accustomed to working this hard to get oxygen. It will take some time to get used to, but you'll soon adjust. We can slow our pace to accommodate." An alarm sounded in my head. I didn't trust his kindness. Every time someone had been kind to me like he was being, there was some string attached. Something they expected from me in return. "I'll be fine." I turned my focus back to the ground ahead of me and began negotiating my next step. Another hour or more later, we finally came to an area of level ground and halted. Niro, not the least bit out of breath, turned toward us. "Sensai with me?" Dolphus nodded. "Yes." The two satyrs trotted out of sight at a rather rapid speed, leaving only Dolphus and me. "Must you rest before continuing?" I was panting and my legs were shaking. "How much farther do we have to go?" "Not far." "Uphill?" "Non. We are finished climbing for the day, little one." "Why do you call me that? I am anything but little." "You are little to me, non?" It was true, compared to Dolphus, I was both shorter and thinner. "I guess so. I've just never been called that before." A Satyr's Mate Ch. 01-02 "If you have energy for questions, you can walk. Come." I followed Dolphus through a grove of pine trees and over a very loud brook before reaching what appeared at first to be a narrow vertical crack in a rock face. It turned out to be much wider than it looked, quickly opening up into a cavernous space completely surrounded by rock. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the low light, and then another few seconds to seek out the light source. Every so often, there was an opening above us, allowing the sun rays to illuminate the chambers below. The passageway narrowed again briefly before opening up to another large cavern. This one was brightest of all as there was a large opening on the opposite side, much like the enormous picture windows the richest citizens of Sibiu carved out of their dwelling walls. Unlike the ones in Sibiu, however, through this window was another wondrous view of the mountain range that was just as vast as the forest lands on the opposite side. "I had no idea..." "Did you not study this in school?" I shook my head. "Not really. I mean, I knew about the mountains, I just didn't know how huge this area was." I spotted a satyr on the side of one of the adjacent peaks. "Look!" Dolphus came to my side to see what I was pointing at. "That is Haibu." "Do you know everyone?" "All satyrs, yes." "What about me? You knew my name. How is that possible when the slavers only called me Number Four?" "Are you hungry?" I turned from the window to protest his avoidance of my question but Dolphus was gone. "Dolphus?" "In here, little one." I followed his voice through a narrow crack that led to a chamber with a water hole on one side. Dolphus was crouched over it scooping water up with his cupped palms in order to drink. "You must be thirsty, yes?" I hadn't thought I was, until I heard the sound of water trickling from his fingers. Suddenly my throat felt like sand. I quickly plopped down along the edge and began to do the same as he was doing. The water was freezing cold, but so clear and refreshing. I completely lost myself in the process of drinking it. I hadn't known that water could taste that good. When I finally regained my senses, I realized that Dolphus was staring at me. "What?" Dolphus smiled. "Do you like the water?" I nodded. "Very much. I didn't realize how thirsty I was." "You are hungry, too, non?" I nodded and then frowned. "Why didn't you answer my question earlier?" "I will answer all your questions when you are ready. You are not ready for that answer, yet." "How do you know I'm not ready?" "There are more pressing questions troubling your thoughts right now." I wanted to argue with him but stopped when I realized that he was right. "First, food. Then, answers." My stomach grumbled in obvious agreement with his priorities. I also knew that if I didn't eat something soon, I might faint. At times the ground felt like it was spinning. Dolphus led me to an area and sat. Around him were stores of various things, most of which I couldn't identify. He spread a sampling of food items onto the ground in front of him and motioned for me to sit. I plucked a small nut from the pile and held it up to study it. "It is from the pine trees around us. An excellent source of protein. Try it." I pushed it between my lips and bit down on it, checking the inside before putting the rest in my mouth. I liked the taste of it so I grabbed a few more from the pile. Dolphus slid a broad leafy vegetable between his teeth and began to chew on it. He offered me the same but I decided to stick with the nuts. He placed a couple of small apples and a few cherries in front of me. My eyes grew wide. "I found those at the base yesterday. I thought you might like them." I tried to squelch the questions that arose as a result of his confession that he'd planned my arrival. He promised me that he would tell me, and for the moment I had to be satisfied with that. What other option did I have? I grabbed the fruit and pushed myself backward until I was resting against the wall. It had been several months since I'd tasted fresh fruit. Most of the local fruit was harvested in the upcoming autumn months. Last year's crop was meager in Sibiu and had long since been exhausted. I ate until my belly was full and almost as soon as it was, my eyelids felt like weights were attached to them. I barely recall being lifted and carried to a soft place. When my eyes opened next, the dwelling was dimly lit. I unfurled my long legs and stretched my limbs. Heavenly softness surrounded my bare skin awakening a stirring in me I'd not felt before. Whoa! Bare skin? I suddenly realized that I was no longer wearing clothing. My eyes searched the immediate area, straining in the dim light. "Did you sleep well, little one?" Dolphus appeared from the shadows as he spoke. "Where are my clothes?" "They are tucked away in a safe place." "Well, I need them. I ... I can't..." "I'm well aware of the modest upbringing you've had. You are not in Sibiu, Ashira. In the event you go back there, your clothes will be waiting for you." "But I'll get cold without them." "It is precisely our cooler climate that is the reason why you should not wear clothing. You will not grow accustomed to the temperatures in time for winter unless you expose your skin to the elements. Humans are animals, too, and not meant to be clothed." I noticed then that Dolphus had removed the loincloth that had been covering his male parts. Dangling between his massive, muscular thighs, surrounded by curly fur was an appendage the likes of which I'd only ever seen once before. I quickly averted my gaze from it. "I promised you answers but you fell asleep before I could deliver on my promise." "Uh, yes." My eyes involuntarily flitted to his groin again for a moment before I caught myself. "I ... What are you going to do with me?" Dolphus emitted a low chuckle. "Interesting choice of words. Yes, it is time that you know. You are to be my mate this season." My gaze once again sought out his manhood for a quick look. "Your ...? How is that possible?" "You can plainly see that my endowment, while larger than a Sibian male, is still very human." Dolphus squared his hips in my direction to give me an unfettered view. I gasped and pressed the covers to my body. "Why are you frightened? I am clearly no threat to you now." I wasn't sure what he meant with that statement but I wanted to make one thing clear. "I'm not afraid." "Yet you cling to your bed covers as though they are the only thing protecting you. Breeding season won't begin for another month or so. September, I believe you call it. It can last for up to eight weeks. It is the only time of year a satyr's seed is viable. Ordinarily, we have no use for sex other than to propagate our species." I relaxed my death grip on the downy bed cover. "Being part human, however, there is the occasional exception. For males, mostly. Other than my mother, I've never known a satyress to accept a mate outside of breeding season." "So...only...only during those eight weeks? What will I do for the rest of the year?" "Whatever you desire, of course, providing it fits within our culture. This is to be your home now, Ashira." I glanced around the dwelling. It was at least four times larger than my father's homestead. I couldn't believe my luck, but then I remembered that I didn't believe in luck. There had to be a catch. "What aren't you telling me?" Dolphus sighed. "I understand you haven't been touched. What do you know of the intercourse of men and women?" My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. How could I explain to him that I knew less than nothing about it? I glanced down at his groin again as I tried to form the words. "I only just reached my Givea a couple of weeks ago. Do you know what that is?" "I am familiar with the customary practice of maintaining a woman's innocence until she reaches a particular age, yes. But you have been fully mature for many seasons now. Surely you've been curious. Perhaps experimented with friends?" I'd known some girls to do that. With each other and with Sibian boys. But I would never be included in any of that. I shook my head and lowered my chin. "Why not?" "I'm Baltian. No one would have me, even if that was something I wanted to do." "You didn't want it?" "Not with a Sibian. I find them ... repulsive." Dolphus erupted in laughter, causing me to startle. "As do I, little one. Do you find me repulsive?" I studied his distorted face starting with his emerald eyes. They were the exact same color as my father's. There was something in his expression and the way he looked at me that put me at ease. His directness helped. I got the impression that he wasn't going to hide anything from me. I hadn't gotten the whole truth, yet, but I knew that I would. Working down his body I had to admire his musculature. He had almost no body fat. Every contour of every ripple was visible. It was awe inspiring. There was a gentle slope from his waist to his hip, with hair becoming increasingly more dense as the curve continued over his enormous thighs. I bit my lip as I suddenly wasn't sure how much to confess. "I don't find you repulsive." "Good. It's a start." I stole a look at his manhood and could've sworn it was more prominent than before. "I have nothing to compare ... I've never really seen a man before. I mean, once, briefly. But we were very young and he was ... much smaller." "Yes, I'm sure. Sibian males are slight. I would imagine this is to accommodate the smaller Sibian females. Such a man could never have satisfied a Baltian woman." "I'm only half Baltian." "Yes. Your mother was Sibian, wasn't she?" "How do you know so much about me?" "I inquired many seasons ago after spotting you one day. You were touring the agricultural grounds on the north side of Sibiu. You towered over your classmates and your thick, voluptuous, dark mane was the telltale sign of your father's heritage." "How long ago was that? We toured those fields many times." "Yes, I know. At approximately the same time of day each visit to accommodate the operating schedule of the business." "How do you know all that?" "I paid attention. Once I discovered the pattern, it wasn't too much trouble to trek to that side of the peak to check for you. I will show you the spot." "How many times did you do that?" "Daily." "Were you spying on me?" "I suppose you could call it that." "Why?" "Your uncommon beauty, of course. I could not help myself. I was drawn to it." The air was suddenly sucked from the room. Not one person had called me beautiful before. I stared incredulously at him, unable to form a single word. "I apologize if I've offended you. It was never my intent to harm, or even mildly alarm you in any way. I was merely captivated by you. So I began to inquire as to your background, how you came to be in Sibiu. You and your father are among a very small population of Baltians in this region." "Yes, I know. My parents migrated here from Baltia before I was born." "As did mine." "Your kind lived in Baltia?" "My father was Baltian, same as yours. My mother, a very alluring satyress." "That's why your eyes are green, same as my father's." "The same as yours, little one." I felt my cheeks warm as I nodded. "You don't look like the other satyrs I've seen." "No, I imagine not. I am more than half Baltian." "How did your family end up here?" "The mountainous region drew them. They had lived in Timaeus, across the narrow sea channel from the Isle of Baltia. When the tides changed, not only did the amber trade die, but the ground became too soft for my mother's hoofed feet. This rocky ground is ideal for our hooves and the higher altitude provides safety from many predators. Not all, but enough to propagate our species. Which is, as I'm sure you are aware, necessary, since our numbers have been dwindling." "I was not aware of that. I know very little about satyrs." "How can this be?" "We weren't taught about your culture in school. Our studies were mostly about the history of Sibiu, the politics, and commerce. We are schooled on proper manners and the like." "Useless topics for survival in this world." "Yes, I am beginning to realize that." "I must have Loomis teach you more practical things." My thoughts wandered back to breeding season and all the experience I lacked in that area. "I've not been educated in matters related to ... reproduction." "I was not expecting you to be experienced. I will try to break you in before the season arrives so that it is not entirely unpleasant for you." "What do you mean? Unpleasant?" "Yes. Well, breeding season is a very frenzied time. Hormones will drive my actions. I cannot promise I will not hurt you. It won't be my intention, but it may happen, just the same. Not just the sting associated with the first time, but the soreness from being mated many times." I shook my head. I had been told nothing about my first time. "I see we're going to have to dedicate some time to this topic. I will spare you the indignity of adding this subject to your daily studies with Loomis. I will teach you this." "Who is Loomis?" "He handles many of my affairs. I gave him today off. You'll meet him tomorrow." "Dolphus?" "Yes, little one." "I need to..." I clutched my abdomen. "Ah, yes. Outside. Come, I'll show you." Getting out of bed meant exposing my naked flesh to him. I wasn't one bit ready to do that. "I, um, can't you just tell me where to go?" "It is dark outside. No one will see you." "You'll see me." "Would it be better to wait until the full light of day tomorrow to unveil yourself to me for the first time?" I didn't want to do it, period. But since that wasn't one of the choices, I decided to pick the lowest light possible. Sliding the covers down the bed, I swung my legs out on one side and stood up. I shivered at the cool air assaulting all parts of my body at once. Dolphus stood frozen before me, his eyes wide and jaw slack. I covered my breasts with one arm as my other hand cupped the apex between my thighs. My body was on fire from the humiliation I felt. Approaching me tentatively, Dolphus reached out and gripped my forearms to uncover my body parts. "You mustn't be ashamed. I am overwhelmed by how stunning you are." I gasped at how his words heated me even more, but in an entirely different way. He grasped my hand in his and led me from the domicile out through the opening from which we first entered. I struggled to walk on the rocky ground. My sensitive feet felt every twig and pebble. "Your feet will soon toughen. This way." He led me by the hand to a grove of bushes. "Anywhere in this area." He stood and watched as I squatted to urinate. Had I not had to go so desperately, I might've had trouble doing it with him watching like that. I stood when I was finished and he immediately grasped my hand again. Then he peed over where I had just gone. "You must not relieve yourself outside this area or I will not be able to locate where you've gone." "I don't understand. Why does it matter?" "First and foremost, for your protection. Your scent will attract predators. Mine will keep them away. Secondarily, to members of our flock, the mixing of our scents indicates that we are a pair." I felt silly for feeling it, but I actually liked the thought of being a part of 'we'. I'd never experienced that before and it gave me a sense of belonging that I'd craved my entire existence. I followed Dolphus back into the cave and to the watering hole. "You must be certain to drink plenty of water. At this altitude it is easy to get dehydrated." I bent over to scoop water into my mouth. I'd never considered myself very obedient, but it was easy to follow his direction when everything he instructed me to do was for a reason and was always for my well being. "Where do you bathe?" "There is a hot spring halfway down the peak just to our south. It will prove challenging for you to navigate the terrain at first so you'll need all your strength. I thought we'd attempt it in a couple of days time." I couldn't argue with his reasoning. I would need the time to adjust to the thinner air. "Do any other humans live with your flock?" "Non." "Why not?" "Satyrs and Sibians are not very compatible due to our vast difference in size." A deep crease formed down the middle of Dolphus' forehead. I detected that he was holding something back. "Is that the only reason?" Dolphus turned to face me squarely. "You read me too well already, mate. It is not the only reason." He dropped his chin and watched his own hoof pawing at the ground. "You will learn much of this through your satyr history studies. Our current leader, Aeron, maintains a very fundamental viewpoint on how to propagate our species. He believes that satyrs should breed within our kind only." I immediately recognized where this was headed. It seemed that I wasn't going to fit into this community any better than the one I'd left. I bit my lip and held my breath, trying to hide my disappointment from Dolphus. "Most do not share his beliefs, but they will not challenge him." "And you will?" "Non. I do not wish to challenge his alpha status. He has given his blessing for this mating." "Why even do this if it causes so much trouble?" "I believe that we can strengthen our species by interbreeding with humans. We can evolve more rapidly in ways that will enable us to dwell in more forgiving environments." It was a totally logical reason for him to seek me out. It made a lot more sense to me than him merely spotting me from a distance and being so enthralled that he had to have me. I could hardly believe that I allowed that romantic notion to take root for a second. I knew better. I was staring off into the distance, my mind blank. My day had been nothing short of manic and it had finally caught up with me. I was overloaded. I'd learned and experienced more in one day than the rest of my days combined. Several silent moments passed before I sought out Dolphus' face again. His expression was a mixture of concern and sadness. "Will you miss your home, little one?" My thoughts were so removed from that concept that I had to really think about it for a second. I shook my head. "No." "What has made you sad?" I couldn't confess to him that I'd allowed myself to be weakened with silly romantic notions. I just couldn't. He would only take pity on me and I didn't think I could handle that. "I'm just overwhelmed. It's been a hectic day for me." "Your whole life has been turned upside-down." Dolphus pulled me against his warm chest. His hands caressing my back. "It will get better, I promise. Less hectic and more routine." My first inclination was to push him away. He'd just confessed that he was using me for my genes so there was no point in pretending that it was something more. But I simply couldn't do it. I knew that on some level, it would hurt him. Rejection hurt no matter how little you felt for the person. I knew that firsthand. I'd been rejected too many times to inflict that pain on someone else. There was another reason, though. It didn't matter that his affections were not stemming from love. They still felt good. His warmth, the softness of his fur against my bare skin, his hot breath on my hair all made me tingle from head to toe. I stepped closer to bury my nose in his chest hair and breathe in his woodsy scent. It was as if the pine trees lived within him. I found myself so easily lost in that smell. I couldn't get over how much I loved it. Then my eyes suddenly popped open. A Satyr's Mate Ch. 01-02 Dangling between my thighs was his thick organ. I quickly stepped backward and glanced down between our bodies. It had grown in both length and girth and was protruding somewhat prominently from his curly locks. I sucked in a breath and looked up at him in alarm. "How...?" Dolphus chuckled and pulled me back into his arms. "You have much to learn about the male anatomy. Don't be alarmed. I will not take you tonight." I relaxed in his arms, allowing his warmth and smooth voice to soothe me. Sleep was not far off. "You should be flattered that you have this affect on me. I've not once experienced it outside breeding season." ********