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.

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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."