12 comments/ 13577 views/ 44 favorites A Satyr's Mate Ch. 11-12 By: D_Lynn CHAPTER ELEVEN Sibiu Lucius came into the world with very little drama. My entire labor lasted less than one hour, then he latched onto my breast and stayed there for three solid weeks. He was so different than Mari in both physical appearance and personality, it was hard to believe they came from the same place. Unlike his sister, Lucius never missed the chance to cuddle with me. He was my little curly-haired, big-horned, snuggle-bug. He was also all boy, though. He played hard, never missed a meal, and slept like a bear in hibernation. Father and Valame announced their plans for wedlock in the early spring. It was to be a small affair at the tiny village that had cropped up at the base of Saia Heights. There were four homesteads there, with plans for a fifth if the eldest son of one of the families decided to stay. Finn was of age, even by Sibian standards, to engage in all adult activities. He'd not shown the tiniest interest in Sibian girls, though, and it was thought that he might actually decide to pursue his own path closer to Baltia. The other family living in the village had already done something similar and had returned. Their eldest daughter, now nineteen, was expecting her first baby with the Timaean boy she'd brought back with her. They weren't married, but that was because it wasn't a widely practiced custom in either Timaeus or Baltia. Couples united and had babies, raised the children, and either stayed together and had more babies, or parted ways. There was no ceremony for it. Sibians, however, believed in matrimony. So, Valame and my father would go through the ritual in order to sidestep ridicule. I didn't care one way or another. Dolphus and I did not have a wedding and it changed nothing. We were mated for life and that was just the way it was. But I was excited about the wedding party. We weren't going to have many opportunities to attend one of those. Valame stitched a gown for me to wear to the party, and a very fancy top and skirt for Mari. It was a struggle to get her to don them, but Dolphus finally coaxed her into it. He and Lucius wore loin coverings. When we all were dressed for the first time, it was hard not to laugh out loud. We looked and felt very silly in clothing. Dolphus, however, had another feeling altogether when ogling me in my flowing, green gown. Much to my surprise, it made him unusually aroused. "I want to lift that skirt and take you, little one." His breathy growl in my ear sent tingles up my spine. My father and Valame were just a short distance away. I couldn't resist teasing him. "I am bare beneath this dress." I didn't know who was more aroused by what he was suggesting, him or me. Dolphus nipped my ear. "Don't tempt me. I don't live by the same rules as these humans." My inner thighs were moistening from my own quickening. Dolphus' nose was quivering from the scent that wafted from beneath the skirt of my gown. I was thankful that humans didn't posses the same sense of smell as satyrs. His hand crept up my side and slithered around to the front of my dress. I guided it back to my waist to remind him to behave himself. He was accustomed to touching all parts of my body without limits, so this was quite a new concept for him. "Everyone here is about to know what you're doing to me." I glanced down at his loin cloth. It was tenting obscenely. I stifled a giggle. "Okay, okay. Let's go outside for a walk." As we were walking outside, I noticed Mari talking to Finn. It was hard to judge how close in age they were. Mari was reaching full maturity but wouldn't come into season for a few more years. It was difficult to convert that to the human maturation experience. Emotionally, though, she was probably very close to Finn's age. Dolphus led us to a nearby grove of trees and shrubs, and wasted no time lifting the skirt of my dress so he could spread my legs and lap at the wetness that had pooled between my thighs. "What has gotten into you?" Dolphus shook his head and groaned. He pulled his tongue from deep inside me to flick the tiny nub at the top of my slit. I nearly lost consciousness as my climax rushed to take me. It was quick and sudden and powerful. The threat of being caught had once again worked in my favor. Not even waiting for the orgasmic contractions to subside, Dolphus lifted me up against the nearby tree trunk and speared me with his cock. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he drove himself deep inside over and over, grunting in rhythm with each thrust. It wasn't loud by satyr mating standards, but anyone within earshot would know without a doubt what we were doing. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks and I climaxed again from it, just in time for him to join me. He didn't expel as much fluid in the off season, but it was enough to trickle slowly down my thighs. I reached down to swipe it away but he blocked my hand by pulling my skirt back down. "Leave it. I want to smell it on you for the rest of the party." My knees buckled at the thought, causing him to chortle under his breath. *** By mid July, Lucius was still not showing signs of weaning. All the other lambkin his age were fully independent, but he insisted on feeding once per day still, sometimes napping only to wake and feed again. Dolphus was growing impatient with it and had chased Lucius off on more than one occasion. I couldn't refuse him, however. Holding him on my lap as he suckled from my breast completed me in a way I couldn't describe. When Lucius looked at me, all I could see, all I could feel, was an overwhelming sense of love. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Sometimes I would weep from it as he slept in my lap. I was careful not to let my emotions show around Dolphus. A satyr's attachment to their young was more practical. They nurtured them only until they could fend for themselves. Then they pushed them away. I understood the logic. It was vital for creating hearty offspring, and not as cruel as it looked. I was only human, though. Understanding something was not the same as accepting it. Dolphus insisted that he and I get away for a few days. I suspected his primary reason was to wean Lucius, but he maintained it was to get me alone for a private pre-anniversary celebration. We were coming up on our third. We informed Mari and Lucius of our plans, but Dolphus was very vague about which direction we were even headed. It felt wrong, even though I was aware that they were fully capable of caring for themselves. We left before dawn, many hours before Lucius would wake so he couldn't track us. We rested at the sight where Dolphus would go to watch for me when I lived in Sibiu. The sun was just beginning to light the eastern sky as I caught my breath. The walk to that spot didn't ordinarily wind me so much, but I'd grown thinner from nursing, and wasn't nearly as strong. "Tell me about the first time you saw me." "Again? Are you not tired of that story?" I patted the ground next to me as I shook my head. "I'll never grow tired of it." Dolphus gazed off into the distance and lifted his chin. "It was the agricultural outpost over there. You had been pulled aside, apparently being reprimanded for something. I could see from here that you weren't the least bit sorry for whatever it was you'd done." "Probably not." "You were wearing your green uniform, same as the others, but that was the only comparison. Everything about you was different. The way you looked, the way you acted. The way you filled out your green dress." "Is that why you got so aroused by my wearing that green gown at my father's wedding?" "Perhaps. There is something about you being covered that increases the excitement for me. It could also have been related to your uniform, though. It is similar in color." "Tell me more about how you felt when you saw me." I hated that I needed to ask him to say those things to me. That I needed to hear it from him. It made me feel so needy and vulnerable. "Repeat what you told me when Mari was being born." "You remember that, do you?" Dolphus sighed. It was difficult for him to express feelings. It was not a regular satyr practice. "Like you, I was not yet mature. I wouldn't come to understand the stirring I felt in my groin for many seasons. It finally became too difficult to ignore, and soon I was drawn to this spot on a regular basis to watch for you." "Were you aroused by what you saw?" Dolphus gazed off into the distance as if he were reliving the time. "Non. Not in the same way as a mature adult, anyway." Dolphus chuckled before continuing. "It actually made me aggressive more than anything. It was how I came to win so many sparring matches." I wasn't getting what I wanted, but I refused to keep asking him for it. Obviously I needed to be on death's door before he'd confess anything emotional again. "I've caught my breath if you're ready to move on." Dolphus nodded and helped me up, and I once again pushed aside the emptiness. It wasn't a huge hole or anything. Dolphus gave me so much, this seemed like such an inconsequential thing to request of him. We continued on for another hour or so, most of that time forging our own trail through trees and brush until we came to a flat spot. Dolphus studied the surrounding area, sniffing for danger in all directions before making his decision. "This will do." I tested the ground with my feet before plopping down. I was fairly exhausted from the walk, and thoroughly covered in sweat. Dolphus handed me a pouch with water. "Drink. I hear a brook nearby. I will investigate and return." He wasn't gone terribly long. With him, he brought a fistful of pliable reeds. "There is an abundance of these at this elevation. We should take them back with us." I nodded in agreement. They were most useful as tethers, but also scarce in the higher elevations. "It's so warm here." "Yes. I was afraid you might get cold at night sleeping outside, so I led us down to this elevation." "You do think of everything." "I have another thought..." I checked his expression. A devious grin curled his lips. As my eyes drifted downward, I noticed his cock lengthening. Whatever he was thinking, I was sure to like it. "Would you allow me to bind your limbs so that I might have my way with you?" "You hardly need to bind me for that. We did come out here to be alone." "Yes, but I am aroused by this idea. I want to try it. If you don't like it, I will free you. Agreed?" How could I disagree with that reasoning? I shrugged. "Okay." Dolphus didn't waste a moment. He positioned me on my back and then bound my wrists and arms beneath my head and neck. Attaching a loop to each ankle, he tethered them to two strong saplings several feet apart so that my legs were spread wide. He did it with such decisiveness, it begged the question. "How long have you been thinking about this?" "Since last mating season. I realized how much I enjoy mounting you when you're being forced to be still and take it." "Oh!" His confession caused my inner channel to quiver. I liked it very much, too. Dolphus snorted, indicating that he knew precisely what I thought about it. "You are not going to lure me that easy. I wish to take my time." He placed his palm on my chest and then slid it down to cup first one breast, then another. I hissed as his rough fingers brushed over my sensitive and sore nipples. A drop of breast milk beaded on one of them. I held my breath, waiting for Dolphus to reiterate his stance on feeding Lucius. He said nothing. Instead, he fixed on the tiny drop, lowering his lips to my nipple so he could lap it up with his tongue. I arched my back as he pulled away, desperately wanting him to do more. He watched me squirm, contemplating for a moment before lowering his mouth to my nipple. His lips closed around it and he drew a mouthful of milk into his mouth. The sensation heated my core. There was something so sensual about watching him do that. He repeated it on the other breast, suckling for a brief moment. "I've missed that taste." I groaned, so frustrated that he'd stopped. "Don't stop. Please." Dolphus caressed the side of my breast. "Non, little one." He offered no explanation as to why he refused to continue. Shifting his focus, he traced each of my ribs with his fingertips, then covered my stomach in featherlight caresses until no part of my skin was left untouched. He was slow and methodical about it, as if he were memorizing every inch. I held still, even though I was aching to move. My insides were beginning to coil before he'd even touched me. There was something about being bound there, open like that...and the way he was in no hurry... The anticipation was maddening. His fingers reached the edge of my pubic curls and he locked his gaze on my eyes as his fingertip began to lightly trace my slit. I gasped and bit my lip and received a throaty chuckle in response. He was thoroughly enjoying toying with me. Dolphus shifted his position so that his face was mere inches from my apex. I instinctively tried to close my thighs, but was unable to do so. I lifted my head to attempt to sit up, but Dolphus quickly pressed on my chest to keep me down. He looked beyond my head and then at me. "I will bind your wrists to that tree if you try that once more, little one." I released a sigh of frustration. "This isn't fair." "Yes, I know. Yet your slit weeps." With that, Dolphus swiped his finger up my gaping opening. He then pressed his wet finger to my lips until they parted. A mild tanginess infused my tongue. It tasted nothing like Dolphus' excretions, like I'd expected. It wasn't unpleasant, though. Just different. "Do you see now why that is my favorite treat?" I stared at him wide-eyed. I much preferred his flavor to my own, but I sensed that it was not the time to argue. He chuckled when I didn't answer and went back to his position between my splayed thighs. I couldn't see any part of him except the curve of his horns but I could feel his hot breath on my exposed flesh. Then I felt just the lightest touch tracing the perimeter of my opening. I couldn't even tell if it was his tongue or his finger that was producing the sensation, but whichever it was, I was about to lose my mind from it. Slowly it circled the perimeter. First one direction, then the other. A gush of liquid heat trickled down between my buttocks and I squirmed. "You must hold still." "I can't. You're driving me insane." "Mmmm..." Dolphus lapped at the wetness to draw it into his mouth. "So succulent." My back arched. The saplings rustled from my attempt to bend my knees to deepen the contact. "Please, Dolphus..." He lifted his head in mock curiosity. "What it it, my sweet?" I wanted to hit him. Now wasn't the time to be playful. "I need you to..." Dolphus waited for me to finish my sentence but I knew it was no use. I groaned and relaxed my limbs. Agonizingly slow, Dolphus ran his tongue up and down my slit, slithering inside every once in awhile. I was coiled so tight, I was starting to see stars from not breathing. "I can't take this. Please, please..." "I like this begging. Do it some more. Tell me what you want, what you need." "Oh, dear Osmos...Please..." He flicked his tongue over my sensitive nubbin but then immediately stopped. I gasped. "Oh, no...please don't stop...please, Dolphus. I need to climax...I need your tongue." "You sound desperate, my sweet." I kicked my legs as best I could as I whimpered my exasperation. "Please stop torturing me. I'll do anything..." Dolphus tilted his head in amusement. "Anything?" My mind whirled with lust. I didn't care about anything except release. "Yes, yes...please, Dolphus...do it." Dolphus lifted his head until his face was in view of mine, his finger moving in maddening, slow circles around the sensitive tissue. "I can think of two things that I want. You must agree to both." I nodded, unable to utter a sound between panting. "First, you must promise me that you will gain weight before mating season. You are too thin." I huffed. I couldn't believe this was his first request. The average satyress had almost no body fat, and every nursing mother had ribs showing. "I miss your soft curves, the way your flesh yields beneath my fingers when I grasp your hips." A mental image of his fingers digging into my hips at mating season sent a fresh wave of arousal through me. I nodded as I panted through it. "Yes, okay." I was rewarded with a swipe of his tongue directly over that greedy bundle of nerves that was causing all this trouble. "Secondly, you must allow me to taste you at the hot spring." It was something he'd asked for a couple of times. I didn't want him to do it because satyrs rarely engaged in oral play during mating season, which would be the only time they'd feel the urge. That made it feel naughty to me, for some reason. Like it was taboo. Dolphus had tried to assure me that no one in the flock would care, but I still couldn't make myself take that step. "Do you agree to let me do this?" "Why at the hot spring?" "The water washes away your scent and I must wait until we are all the way back to the den to bring it out of you again. The wait is torture for me." I couldn't possibly relate to the sensitive olfactory system of a satyr. It was so connected to every other sense in a way that I simply couldn't comprehend. Dolphus interpreted my hesitation as me lacking proper motivation. He dipped his head to swirl his tongue around the swollen flesh, making sure to swipe it directly over the most sensitive part just enough to make my head spin with desire again. I screamed out, "Yes, yes, at the hot spring. Now, please..." His lips clamped down around the protruding nub, trapping it so his tongue could assault it mercilessly. I wailed as the entire area exploded, shooting millions of electrical impulses through my body at once. Dolphus released the nub to delve his long tongue inside me to draw out every drop of arousal. Then he did something rather unusual. Spreading the flaps of my womanhood with his fingertips, he pressed one cheek to my wet flesh, then the other, alternating until his face was coated with my essence. I lifted my head to watch him. His pupils were dilated, much like they were in mating season, and his cock was engorged and glistening from the fluid that had leaked from the tip. He pushed himself up to kneeling and closed his palm around his shaft. Then he pumped his fist furiously until ribbons of white, viscous fluid spewed from the tip onto my breasts, belly, face and hair, all the while growling as if he were angry. I held my breath, not sure if I should be frightened or not. This was a side of him that I'd never witnessed outside mating season. I searched his face for some reassurance but he gave me none. His thoughts were preoccupied with something. His pupils were still dilated, his cock a steel rod pulsating as if it wasn't finished. With a low growl emanating from deep within his chest, Dolphus smeared his semen over my skin, coating every inch of exposed area. Then he leaned over my body to bury his face in my neck, biting and nipping a little too roughly for my comfort level. "Ow! Dolphus you're scaring me." "Mine." He nipped my shoulder hard enough to draw blood and I gritted my teeth through the pain. I should've asked him to stop, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. This was his animal side, the one he was so careful to keep under control around me. I didn't want him to control it, though. I wanted him to know I could take all of him. "It's okay. Mark your mate." His teeth closed around a fleshy part of my neck and I saw stars from the sharp sting that followed. Then he lifted my buttocks off the ground to plunge inside me, commencing to pound me with a force equal to how he took me during mating season. A Satyr's Mate Ch. 11-12 I nearly lost consciousness from the climax that hit me. It tipped him into his own release, his cock pulsating long after all the semen had been ejaculated. It was several long minutes before it stopped, and another minute for his cock to begin to soften. I finally found my voice. "What just happened?" Dolphus removed his cock and let my buttocks rest on the leaves beneath me before collapsing onto the ground. It took him a few seconds to catch his breath. "My body's reaction to you is more intense, more focused somehow. I became overwhelmed with a need to claim you. I'm sorry." I struggled to free my hands. I wanted to touch him, reassure him. "It's okay. Please don't be sorry. I love that side of you, too. It's part of who you are." I tried to free myself again. "Please release me. I want to touch you." Dolphus reached behind my neck to remove the bindings, and then suddenly stopped. "I want you to agree to one more thing." I sighed. "Whatever you need, my demanding mate." Dolphus cocked an eyebrow at me and I realized that I wasn't free, yet. Until I was, I should probably mind my manners. "I want to bring you to climax in front of Aeron and Lena." "I've already climaxed in front of them. Have you forgotten our last breeding already?" "In the off-season." "Whatever for? I thought you didn't want to do that in front of Aeron." "I think he should experience it. With Lena there." "Why?" "I think it might prompt him to embrace his human urges, too." "What makes you think he has any? You didn't before I came along." "I've observed his cock twitch in off-season. When Lena is near. I think they just need coaxing." "Why do you care if they have sex in the off-season?" "If they do, others will follow." I wasn't tracking why this was suddenly so important to him. "I have a theory. Just as your reproductive system has changed from monthly cycles to only a few times per year, your strongest being in autumn, like a satyress, I believe that ours must be capable of doing the opposite. Maybe our cycles are more flexible, able to be more human or more satyr, depending on our behavior. If I'm right, we might be able to train our systems to allow reproduction more than once per year. That would surely increase our numbers." He was right about my cycle changing, although I hadn't realized he'd been observant enough to track the progress. His logic was worth consideration. There must be more similarities in our reproductive systems than we realize. Otherwise, satyrs wouldn't exist in the first place. "Will you do it?" I'd forgotten that he was requesting something of me. "Oh. Yes. I'll try to do that." He untied my arms and released my legs, then pulled me into his lap so he could inspect the bite marks on my neck and shoulder. "Are you satisfied with your handiwork?" Dolphus smirked. "For now." "Good. Because next time you're going to have to catch me first." "You never make things easy, do you? You are a horrible slave." I craned my neck to look up at him, my jaw agape. Dolphus pinched my chin. "But a perfect mate." *** Our pairings were less intense over the next two days. We refrained from using tethers again, though I was certain it was going to come up in the future. He'd enjoyed that little session a little too much for it to be a one-time occurrence. Soon we were once again standing on the landing overlooking Sibiu, on our way back home. "I think this is my favorite spot of all." Dolphus tilted my face up so he could kiss me. Our time together had done a lot toward bringing us closer to one another. Just as he was deepening our kiss, we were startled by the sound of something crashing in the distance. We pulled away to turn toward Sibiu, where the noise originated. A large cloud of dust was rising from one of the buildings. Faint sounds of people shouting rose up the foothills. There were explosions and a fire broke out on the far east side, just before the Suddein forest. People were screaming and running in all directions. I gripped Dolphus' arms in horror. "Father. Valame." Dolphus wrapped his arms around me, never taking his eyes off the commotion. "They've destroyed the council building but they aren't attacking citizens." I buried my face in Dolphus' chest and uttered a silent prayer for my father and Valame. A few minutes later, Aeron appeared at our side. "It begins." I turned to watch the chaos, my back firmly pressed against Dolphus' chest. Guards stood at exit points around the city, indicating that this was no raid. They clearly wanted to keep people inside. This was a coup. "They are organized and well-trained." Dolphus nodded his agreement with Aeron's assessment. "I estimate around fifty." Sensai descended down the trail and flanked Dolphus on the other side. "Alert the others, shall we?" Both Aeron and Dolphus studied the scene unfolding before us. Aeron shook his head. "Non. Most of them already know by now. We will gather in council." Dolphus added, "We'll need a pair of sentries here." Aeron nodded his head in agreement and Sensai turned to head back up the path. "I'm going to see Ashira safely home first. I'll meet you at council." ******** CHAPTER TWELVE Change It was several days before we received news from Sibiu. The attackers had the city locked down tight with Father and Valame inside. Finally, they were able to convince the guards to let them leave. It helped that they were Baltian and not Sibian. And that Valame was pregnant. This last bit of news came as a surprise to me. "They're being led by a red-headed man from Lyonesse." Dolphus nodded once. "Trystan." My father tilted his head in surprise. "You know him?" Dolphus shook his head. "I know of him. His family lived in Sibiu many years ago. His parents were beheaded, if I remember the story correctly. Trystan fled." "Apparently, he has returned. This time with an army." "Ignatius?" "Dead. Along with the magistrate. Amazingly, very few others were even injured. Sibians aren't known for their bravery. Most ran." "It's a miracle they haven't been conquered before now. Then again, there is nothing of value in the land or the city." Dolphus sighed. "Sorry." "It's quite alright. It's not my home." "Did they state their intentions?" "No. Not in so many words. They did lock up the head clergyman and schoolmaster, though. Everyone is just waiting." "Did you get a sense that they were hostile?" "No. On the contrary, the guards were actually polite. Firm, but respectful. They weren't aggressive in any way." "This is good news. It sounds like Trystan merely wants to set things right." "Well, he's on the right track. Next to Grachhus, the schoolmaster and clergy leader were amongst the most corrupt." "He must've been receiving information from inside sources to know that." Father shrugged one shoulder. "The mines, maybe." I'd heard all I could stand. They were just going to stand there and throw around theories for the next hour, so I excused myself to find Valame. She was resting against the ledge by the window. "Were you afraid?" Valame turned to face me. "Not really. Concerned that you might be worried once you found out we were there." "I was. We watched from a ledge. Why didn't you tell us that you were pregnant?" "We haven't known for long. And I wasn't sure if you'd be happy or not." "I'm thrilled. I'll have a half brother, or sister. It's what I've always wanted." "Will you be staying?" "Non. I mean, no. Sorry, satyr language. Dolphus will want to relay the news to Aeron as soon as possible. I need to let Mari know we're leaving soon." Valame reached out to touch my arm. "Let her stay." She motioned out the window and my gaze followed. Sitting on a patch of grass was Mari and Finn. They were talking and laughing. "Finn has so few friends. I think he's lonely." "Mari is fully grown and can make her own decisions. I just want to let her know in case she wants to accompany us." Mari's voice came drifting through the window. "I can hear you from here, Mother. Go ahead without me." I heaved a sigh as I rolled my eyes. "Damn satyr ears." *** There was a lot of talk over the following days. I felt like I'd lost Dolphus completely to the council. The only person on earth with whom I was positive understood my situation, was Lena. Aeron was just as occupied as Dolphus. We became fairly inseparable, dividing our time equally between the perimeter of the council gathering, which including the entire flock most days, and our domicile. Neither of us enjoyed flock business so we were content with sticking to the outskirts and watching the lambkin play. Lucius was fully weaned and could be found playing with Ennus most days. Ennus was Aeron and Lena's third born, and Lucius' best friend. I found that interesting since they were conceived side-by-side. They probably would've been born at the same time had we not had to induce labor due to me being human. "Do you like mating season, Lena?" Lena's eyes widened in surprise. It was a bit of a random question. "Yes. Does you?" I nodded. "Very much so. Do you know that Dolphus and I engage in that activity year round?" I wasn't sure what others knew about our activities. We hardly hid it. "Non. How so?" "Do you mean, how is it possible?" Lena nodded. "Well, humans have urges all the time and satyrs are part human, so it can happen." Lena listened intently, nodding to let me know that she at least understood the concept, even if she wasn't sure she believed it. "If you had the choice ... If Aeron was, you know, capable of engaging in that activity ... would you want to? Do you think you might get in the mood if he were maybe in that mood?" Lena frowned as she thought about it, then a giggle suddenly bubbled to the surface, forcing her to hide her face to keep from drawing attention to herself. "What?" She nodded, smiling rather deviously. "Me think so, yes." "Does it make you tingly inside thinking about it?" Lena stifled a giggle and nodded. "Come on, we best get across the field before Aeron picks up your scent and asks questions." I didn't bring up the topic again for fear of sending poor Lena into heat. I could see what Aeron saw in her. She was enthusiastic and sweet, and cute as a button. I also got the impression that she liked sex quite a bit more than the average satyress. I had a feeling Aeron knew that about her, too. At any rate, I'd gotten the information I wanted out of Lena. Ever since I'd agreed to Dolphus' plan, I'd been worried that we might be starting something that she wouldn't want. Having that question answered was a big relief for me. It didn't matter much because nothing was going to happen as long as the Sibiu ordeal continued. No satyr thought about anything but that. *** "We need someone to make contact with them." "Why you? Why not Aeron?" Dolphus shook his head. "It's too risky. Aeron must stay here." "Then, Sensai." "He doesn't possess the verbal skills, you know that." I was finished arguing about it. My stubborn satyr wasn't going to budge on this one. "Then I'll go with you." "Non. That's not a good idea." "Why not? I used to live there. The only person I needed to avoid is already dead." "Non." I stomped my foot in frustration. He was being downright obstinate. "Father can escort us. What could possibly happen to me while I'm standing between you and him? Anyway, I'd be proof that the flock means no harm to humans. That this is a neighborly sort of place." Dolphus heaved a sigh. "Stubborn and brave, such a dangerous combination." I knew I'd won when he said that. It was what he always uttered before he caved. *** Time was of the essence with mating season rapidly approaching. Being as I was now part of the plan, I was thrust right in the middle of flock council affairs. I hated it, but if it won me a place at my mate's side, I would tolerate it. I wasn't about to let Dolphus go without me. I think on some level Dolphus had to know that it would happen this way. Being a mated pair changed everything about the way you saw things. I couldn't picture making a big move like this without him, and I was pretty sure he was experiencing the same phenomenon. Each day that connection grew stronger, too. It was a true partnership. The day before we were to leave for my father's house, we went to the lookout to make sure nothing appeared out of place in Sibiu. We noticed right away that the gates were no longer being guarded. Activity in Sibiu appeared to be back to normal, with the exception of the church and school. Vendors and townspeople flooded the streets, mining resumed, harvesting was commencing. Dolphus jumped suddenly and crouched in a defensive stance in front of me. I clutched my racing heart as I finally heard what he was reacting to. Men were approaching. Sibian men. Dolphus nearly knocked me over trying to guard me as they came into view. I peeked around Dolphus. "Number Two!" Dolphus startled when I called out. The Sibian slave that I only knew as 'Number Two' stepped forward. "We've come on behalf of the new regime." Dolphus eyed the two men. He could easily take them, if it came to that. I'm sure they knew that, as well. "What do you want?" Number Two smiled. "You are a direct one." He extended his hand in greeting. "I'm Otho, and this is Valens." Dolphus shook their hands. "Dolphus." I tried to step out from behind him, but he blocked me, keeping me firmly at his back. "This is Ashira." I waved from behind Dolphus' back, having no other choice. I could've sworn I heard Number Two chuckle. "We just want to be clear that what happened in the valley has nothing to do with your, uh, herd ..." "Flock." I reminded him. "...Flock, yeah. This is Sibiu business. There will be some restructuring, an election, a few things are going to change, but nothing with regard to any of the surrounding civilizations or species. In fact, Trystan is firmly against discrimination. It's why he organized this. To stop the insanity in Sibiu and make it a place that welcomes all races and creeds." "What do you want from us?" "Nothing. I mean, when things settle, in the spring, maybe, we should sit down and discuss what we can do for each other. Until then, we'll leave you alone to do your thing if you leave us to do ours. Fair enough?" "Seems a reasonable enough request." "Do I have your word on that?" Dolphus nodded and extended his palm for a handshake. They shook and awkwardly nodded at one another for a few seconds before the two men turned to head back down the path. I couldn't believe it was over that quickly. "Oh! And, Number Four...Ashira ... In case you haven't noticed, we've stopped hunting satyrs." He emphasized the words exactly the way I'd yelled them that day. My face heated in embarrassment. The men chuckled as they continued down the path. I tried to think of something to say, but words evaded me. Dolphus turned to face me. "We're not the only ones who find that amusing, I see. Let's go see Aeron." It was quickly decided to cancel our visit to Sibiu. Dolphus and I still had to inform my father of our change in plans, though, so we headed down to the Baltian settlement the following morning, much as we had planned in the first place. It was honestly a relief to get away. I adored the flock, but I'd not had a moment alone with my mate in far too long. I was missing him even as he slept next to me in bed and walked beside me on the path. I would've done anything for another couple of days away with him. We didn't stay long. Neither one of us felt like visiting, and mating season was about to commence. Two good reasons to cut our visit short and head back up the trail toward home. We did stop at our usual picnic spot, and even followed the creek bed to where Dolphus had buried our dead son. It felt like a dozen years had passed since that time, the memory was so vague to me. As we were making our way back to the trail, we heard voices in the distance. I checked Dolphus' reaction to see if I should be alarmed. He was relaxed, with an amused grin on his face. He just shook his head and prodded me toward the path. He was as anxious to get back as I was, mentally exhausted from the recent events, and desperately needing some peace and quiet. Once back in our den, I crawled onto the bed to nap. Dolphus joined me, which was a highly unusual occurrence, since he never napped. He stroked my hair and nuzzled my ear. I drank in his affection, so thirsty for it that I didn't care if it drowned me. "Mari is no longer parthenos." I tried to remember what the term meant. Dolphus had explained it to me once before but I couldn't quite recall in what context. "Does that mean she is fully mature?" "A bit more than that, Shi. She is no longer pure." I rolled onto my back to face Dolphus. "I don't understand. She only just reached maturity and won't come into season for a few more years, I thought." "She has already had her first cycle." "What? She didn't tell me this. How do you know?" I answered my own question. "You smelled it." "The voices we heard earlier ... they belonged to Mari and Finn. They'd just finished coupling." "Did she hear us?" "I'm not certain." "That explains her being gone for hours at a time. Oh, Dolphus, what does this mean?" "That's up to Mari." "It must be hard for her to split her time between the two worlds. I'd so hoped that she'd become alpha satyress someday. She has such a mind for flock business." "I think we all hoped that, Shi. She's proven herself intelligent enough for the task. But if she accepted that position, by tradition, Aeron would have exclusive rights to breed her." I was very conflicted about that for so many reasons. I'd grown very fond of Aeron. I was also fond of Lena, and I couldn't help but feel in my heart that they were a mated pair. So, while Aeron and Mari would produce strong offspring, I couldn't accept it. Then there were the other reasons why I rejected the idea, having nothing to do with the practical side, and everything to do with how I was raised. "She's so young, Dolphus." "She is fully mature. You cannot measure the age of a satyr in human development years." "I'm not ready for her to take this step." "That is why I am telling you now. You must prepare yourself for these life changes." "Finn is a nice young man. How will you feel if she chooses him as her mate?" Dolphus frowned. "I will not feel anything. I am not the one who chooses him." I realized that I was asking the impossible again. "Would you accept their mating? Would Aeron?" "I have already accepted it. I do not know what Aeron's reaction would be." "He accepts Loomis and Haibu, doesn't he?" "He tolerates their ways because there are so many males. It does no harm to the flock for two bucks to couple. In Mari's case, Finn is taking away a valuable female. Worse...one that has strong alpha tendencies. I am not sure how Aeron will take that." "What will he do? Dolphus shook his head. "It is up to him." I let my mind wander back to Mari and Finn. They would produce beautiful, Baltian-satyr babies. If she mated with Aeron, their offspring might be darker than average, but the lambkin's fur would most certainly have reddish highlights. All Aeron's offspring did. I'd often pondered how it was that there was so much variation in the satyr coloring. Dolphus said that there had been a time when all satyrs were a dull gray, resembling more closely Loomis' fur color. This makes for excellent camouflage as it is very difficult to detect a gray satyr on the side of a rocky cliff. The flock, however, was a variety of colors ranging from near white, like Shala's coat, to Mari's jet black mane, with all variations of grays, reds, and tans in between. Aeron's line was distinctively auburn, while Sensai consistently produced sable colored offspring when he bred, and Dolphus, of course, produced the darkest lambkin. A Satyr's Mate Ch. 11-12 There were behavioral characteristics that seemed to be passed down through the generations, too. It was no accident that volatile, sickly, or skittish satyrs rarely found mates during the season. No satyress would allow herself to propagate those traits as it would mean certain death to the flock. They cropped up as anomalies every so often, probably due to inbreeding, which was difficult to avoid with so few females. "Where do satyrs get their almost aggressive mating habits? Big horn sheep appear pretty docile. Even during mating season." "You assume that it is a sheepish trait and not a human one? Humans are animals, too. Perhaps you should observe your own reflection this mating season. You, my dear, are no more civilized than I." *** We named our little buck Draco. It wasn't the name I had picked out, but coined upon birth when he knocked over a candle that caught my latest weaving project on fire. He was another Faustus, always in trouble for something. Mari continued to see Finn in secret. She was careful to visit the hot spring after each copulation so it went undetected by the satyr flock. She wouldn't discuss it with me, even though I could see how it was tearing her apart to split her time between the flock and Finn. There were other challenges, too. Every available satyr buck courted her, even though she wasn't in season by satyress standards. She cycled more like a woman than a satyress, experiencing menses fairly regularly. This made her scent confusing to the bucks. They believed her to be ready for breeding. She showed no interest in any of them, though, and I lost all hope of her becoming alpha. Then, just as spring was turning to summer, a miracle happened. Mari showed up pregnant. It was Finn's child, of course, and our Baltian side of the family, as we'd come to refer to them, were thrilled about it. Dolphus was ecstatic with the evidence that a satyress could be impregnated in the off-season. It gave us hope for the flock. Aeron wasn't as thrilled. I think it was a blow to his ego, in a way. The flock had practically crowned Mari as alpha. Not officially, but through whispered conjecture that I'm certain Aeron heard. It was hard for me to relate to the dynamics of the situation. Aeron wasn't attracted to Mari, but then again, he wasn't particularly attracted to Kira, either. It wasn't about attraction, it was about propagating desirable genes. I guess I was just a romantic at heart because I kept hoping that Aeron would ignore tradition in favor of taking Lena as a lifelong mate. No one suggested that it was even an option, but that didn't stop me from hoping. When Kira missed a breeding season, rumors really flew about what had happened, and my hopes soared far too high. Mari wasn't banned from the flock, but her status dropped dramatically. If she wasn't going to breed with a satyr, she was less valuable to them, somehow. The dual standard was very subtle, but still there. Dolphus could remain a second to Aeron even though he had a human mate, but a satyress was not afforded the same consideration. It seemed terribly unfair and I wasn't shy about voicing my opinion on the matter to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, this became a very heated topic, causing a lot of problems for Dolphus, who was caught in the middle of it all, but also endangering my life. I didn't hear the charge until just moments before impact. I only had time to spin toward the thundering sound before the horns connected with my torso. It was a low hit, across my lower abdomen. It knocked the wind out of me immediately, then I passed out. I bled for days, barely staying awake long enough to eat and drink. The satyr buck who'd struck me without provocation was banned from the flock. He'd been a good friend of Faustus' and this caused some real tension between us. The underlying sentiment was that on some level, I had it coming to me. The same way a satyr can tell when a female is impregnated, they can also tell when she is not viable. Apparently, my body was no longer releasing hormones that would allow me to produce eggs. I was sterile. I took the news hard. At first, I tried focusing on other things. Valame taught me how to weave clothing with threads they brought back from Sibiu. Mari kept a trunk of clothing in the grotto behind the picnic spot halfway to the Baltian settlement. She would don clothing there before arriving in the little village and then strip them off again before coming up the mountain. She'd never taken to wearing cloth on her body, and I'm quite certain Finn didn't mind that one bit, but it made some of the Baltian mistresses uncomfortable to see her bared. It was understandable. Mari was a statuesque beauty with full, round breasts, and the curvy hips and lean musculature of a satyress. No male could resist gawking at her beauty, regardless of species. I weaved clothing for Mari, and blankets for their baby's bedding, but it did nothing to quiet the nagging voice in my head. I'd failed Dolphus. All he'd ever really wanted was a mate to bear his children and increase flock numbers. I could not provide that for him. I came to realize that I was no longer needed by anyone. Mari had Finn and his family to care for the baby when it came. Lucius hardly showed his face around the homestead unless he happened to be in the area and was hungry. Draco, being forced to grow up very quickly due to my accident, had also found other interests outside home. They were satyrs. It was in their blood to be self-reliant. A restlessness grew inside me that felt like home-sickness. It didn't make any sense, because the only home I'd really ever known was Dolphus' domicile, and I was in it every day. There was another feeling beginning to creep over me, one that I was more familiar with. It was the same dark cloud that threatened to take me after we lost our firstborn. I decided I needed some time away, and so one morning, after Dolphus left to meet with Aeron, I headed out on the trail. I had no plan. I simply wandered where my feet took me. A couple of hours later, I found myself at the lookout that had once been my favorite spot in all the universe. Loneliness stung me on all sides like a thousand hornets. Laying out before me was the lonely city in which I'd grown up. A life that went nowhere until I was sold into slavery and bought by Dolphus. I tried to remember the things he'd said about seeing me for the first time, how it made him feel, but I couldn't recall any of it. Of course, he hadn't said anything about his feelings. I'd only imagined that he felt something. As I pondered our relationship, I realized that we'd come together by very different paths. Dolphus was first attracted to my physical attributes, my size, my long, dark wavy hair, so much like a satyresses curly tresses. It prompted his analytical mind to give him ideas about genetics and evolution. I was the only human available to carry out his plan. I, on the other hand, was not immediately physically attracted to Dolphus. It was his gentleness, his patience, his intelligence that won me over. I fell in love with him long before I was able to physically react to him. The difference was only apparent to me now. Somehow it didn't matter before. We had a common purpose, a shared goal. We both wanted lambkin. It was for different reasons, but I ignored that detail. I needed offspring so that I might feel loved and needed, and Dolphus needed them to add numbers to his precious flock. It never once occurred to me that I was merely patching a wound that would not go away. Now the patch was gone and the wound was exposed to the cruel elements. I heard movement behind me. I knew it was Dolphus without turning around. He was panting heavily, no doubt from running to catch up to where I was. He approached and stood beside where I was sitting. "I have been looking for you." I glanced at his hooves next to me, and then back at Sibiu. I wasn't sure what to say at that point. I knew it was time for me to leave but I was having difficulty forming the words. Dolphus crouched down to brush my hair behind my shoulder and expose my face to him. "Are you unwell?" I sighed. "I guess you could say that." Dolphus frowned in confusion. He deserved a better explanation from me than that. He'd never hidden his intentions from me. "You once told me that you'd set me free. I want you to do that now. I'm going to try and make a life for myself in Sibiu." Dolphus lowered his rump to the ground and stretched his legs in front of him. "Why would you do this?" "I can't keep going on with this empty space inside me. I need something I can't get from this place. I need to feel loved and needed." My declaration was met with silence. I knew it would be. Dolphus could never understand what I was going through. "It's not your fault. You've never pretended to be something you're not. It's just ... without a cosset's love, I don't think I can bear the emptiness." I could clearly hear Dolphus' teeth grinding together. He did that when he was very tense. "I can't ..." I looked up at him when his words broke off. His face was contorted like he was in pain. "I will come with you." "No, Dolphus. You don't understand. I need to try and move on. I need to find someone to love who will love me back. Who wants to be with me for me, and doesn't care that I can't have children." "You are my mate." "But I can no longer mate. I can't bear lambkin. I know how important it is for you to increase flock numbers. I can't help you." "This does not matter." I sighed at how stubborn he was being. I hadn't expected this much resistance from him. "Look, it's okay. I'm going to be fine." "I will not be fine." I was about to launch into a longer speech when his sentence stopped me. "I will die without you." It was a little over the top, especially for Dolphus. "Don't be silly..." "I do not want to live one moment without you at my side." I held my breath for fear of waking myself from this dream. I was sure I'd fallen asleep and was now putting words in Dolphus' mouth. The very sentiment that I desperately needed from him. "You believe that I bought you as a slave to give me lambkin, but you are wrong. I bought you so that I wouldn't lose you. Had you not come up for auction, I would have tried to court you, although I'm not certain I would have succeeded." "Why not?" "When I first came into contact with you in that alley, something strange happened. My mind scrambled and I could not form words. I had planned to tell you not to worry, that I would not let you go to the mines, or to that foul-smelling ogre who was stalking you. But your hair...your green eyes ... and you were less frightened of the auction than you were of me. I thought my assurances would not be welcomed. I struggled with what to say to such a strong, beautiful, Baltian woman." I remembered the scene as if it were yesterday. How it was difficult to see his face in the shadows. "Then you brushed past me, and any remaining logic escaped me completely. I wanted to grab you and steal you away right then. I might've done it, had the slavers not descended upon you moments later." "Why have you never told me this?" "What? Confess that I am known to lose my mind where you are concerned? It is hardly a practice to be proud of. Many times you have pushed me to the brink of madness, Ashira." "I've caused a lot of trouble for you." "Non, little one. You've made my life whole. I would not trade a moment of it." "I got myself attacked by speaking my mind." "That was not your fault. That buck was not right in the mind to snap like that. You mustn't blame yourself. You were defending Mari. Your protectiveness and bravery are two of your most admirable qualities." "You once told me that bravery was my weakness." "I was stupid. And overly protective. I didn't want anything bad to happen to my mate. But your bravery is what brought us Mari. And Lucius and Draco. I've come to rely on it as much as I do everything else about you." Dolphus leaned over and nuzzled my hair affectionately. "I'm not as strong as you think. I need to hear these things from you. I need to know that you love me." "Do I not show you all the time?" "That's not the same thing. Having sex is ... different." "Not for me. Do you think it possible for me to grow erect for anyone but you? If you recall, it was not so easy at first. It was only after becoming attached to you that it became easy. Now, I can hardly contain myself around you, regardless of the season, and it grows more intense each year. That is not sex or breeding. It is a sign of my deep affection for you. My love, as you call it." My eyes teared up as he spoke the word. Dolphus tipped my chin up so he could look me squarely in the face. "I love you, Ashira. The only reason I don't say it is because the words have little meaning compared to the depth of my emotion." I burst into sobs and Dolphus immediately pulled me into his lap, wrapping himself around me as if to shield me from the world. I'd had what I wanted and needed all along, I was just too blind to see it. I'd been so foolish. When my sobs subsided, Dolphus whispered softly. "You are free to do as you wish, Ashira. You have always been free. But if you leave, I will hunt you down and find you." I shook my head, nuzzling his warm neck. "I'm not going anywhere without my mate." "Hmmm. Just to be certain, perhaps I should tether you to our bed. Yes?" ********