Loved By a Satyr

Natasha nodded, "Yes, my name is Natasha."

"I am Antero, this is my quaydquaydkirth, Serafima. Thank you for saving us. I was kidnapped as a young man, this is the only home I have ever known, and it was a bad one." He told her, putting a hand on her shoulder as Natasha felt the blood freeze within her body. Had he just said what she thought he said?

"I was more than happy to do it, I just wish we'd known about this place sooner. We thought satyrs were almost extinct." She babbled, he could not have said what she thought he said. According to Ailen, you could NOT have a quaydquaydkirth.

He nodded, looking at the woman at his side and kissing the side of her head, "We are hoping to go back to Finland with our flock, many of the males are from that area, it would be nice to grow old there."

"I am sure that can be arranged. I do hope that you get to live the rest of your lives in peace." She told him.

"We will. Thanks to all of you." He smiled at her and started to turn away.

"Antero." She couldn't stop herself, she had to know.

"Yes?" He turned back to her, a brow arched.

"You called her your quaydquaydkirth. I thought that was forbidden."

He smiled, "It is an old old custom. Most modern flocks frown upon them, yes."

She nodded slowly.

"I am very happy to get to meet you, Natasha." He winked at her and turned back towards his flock.

Natasha finally felt her lungs burn for air and she took a deep breath, it wasn't just a legend, an old tale. Quaydquaydkirths existed. But that didn't mean that Ailen's flock would ever be all right with one. She felt her skin shiver and heat, maybe...maybe there was a way that she could have Ailen, that he could have her. But she didn't know, she didn't know how it would work, and she was tired, and she didn't want to bother this male satyr who had just been through so much with her love life.

So she let him turn away from her and go back to his flock. She watched them both go and then for a while after, as her heart now hammered in her chest, she thought about Ailen, about returning to Vorhees and his anger with her, about the plane, and after, when he had just held her. She thought about his face when she took off on the back of the dragon. He might be so fed up with her by now that he no longer saw her as a quaydquaydkirth, but more of a nuisance he would be glad to be rid of.

Eventually, when her breathing was under control, she turned away from the flocks outside the cavern and made her way down the path that she had earlier walked up. Bodies were already being moved, all evidence of nonhumans on this mountain would be destroyed for the safety of everyone else. It would take a while to clean the entire area. Natasha would hopefully be gone by the time it was done, she didn't want to stay here. She desperately wanted to be home now. She wanted her daughter, and she wanted to feel secure. It felt like forever since she'd felt that way. She wanted to be home, she wanted everybody to be home.

Finally, the group she was looking for came into view and she watched as Ailen's eyes immediately noticed her and he shifted away from the men he had been standing by and moved quickly towards her.

"You will never do that again." He brayed angrily at her when he was in front of her.

Natasha worked to hide her smile, heated that he had been worried about her.

"I mean it, Natasha, what you did was dangerous, stupid."

"I was in no danger, Ailen." She told him, knowing he didn't believe her by the way he rolled his eyes and stomped on his big hooves. She could see Cynric and Colby approaching, and she moved away from Ailen who was not done yelling at her at all to hug the black satyr close.

"I guess I have you to thank for rescuing me." He grinned at her as he squeezed her close and kissed her cheek.

"And for getting you kidnapped, but you're ok. I am so glad that you are ok." Natasha smiled at him and he nodded at her.

"I am well, Natasha."

"Good."

"Natasha." Ailen brayed, he did not want to be interrupted.

"I should not have had Zheng bring me in alone. I will never do that again." She told him, knowing it just aggravated him to be placated.

"Natasha."

"Ailen, I-." She stopped talking and shivered a second, putting a hand over her stomach.

"What?" Ailen stepped close, putting his hand over hers, "Are you okay?"

Natasha felt the flicker inside of her once more and then smiled, "I am very okay, Ailen." She passed the feeling to him and watched his eyes widen and his smile broaden.

"It is going to take weeks to get these satyrs resettled," Cynric said, "we are going to need to stay until everyone is safe. It would be better for you to be home, near Vesper now."

Natasha looked over at Cynric, he needed her not to argue about this, and she knew he was right. More over, she wanted nothing more than to go home.

"Are the dragons staying? Zheng has a plane, he could see me home, possibly?"

Cynric nodded, "That would be good. Mr. Hughes has all his aircraft in route to start transporting satyrs."

"There are so many of them, Cynric." She smiled, it was a good thing, and she could tell how pleased Cynric was.

"I have never seen so many of my kind. It's overwhelming."

"I met a few. They are grateful and anxious to see what their lives will be like now." She nodded at Cynric, she thought about telling him about Antero, but it didn't feel right. She couldn't force this on them, they had already been through so much because of her.

She watched Cynric nod before he turned away and tugged Colby with him back to the rest of the group that they had been speaking to before she had arrived. It made her raise an eyebrow, he had purposely left her alone with Ailen.

"You will go home?"

Natasha nodded, "Yes. I am ready to go home."

"Mr. Hughes has already had the construction started on your home. He felt like it should be done while the foundation was worked on for your brother. His is a massive project." Ailen told her.

Natasha nodded, "So I will have a real home of my own soon."

He smiled softly, "Yes, Natasha."

"I had sex with Colby."

"I can smell that. And Colby told us." He nodded with a frown.

"It feels so much more settled now, but..."

"Yes. And no. Things are not settled between you and I."

She shook her head as she looked at him with desire in her eyes.

"No, not at all."

~*~*~*~

Being five months pregnant with a satyr was not that unlike having a jackhammer stuck in the on position within her uterus. Natasha was not very comfortable with the child inside of her when he decided to give his hooves and horns some exercise. He had only cut through her uterus once, but Vesper had been there to keep them both well. It had only taken a moment for Natasha to then calm Vesper down after she was affected by her. Her powers had become much more refined, and she felt better about who, and what she was. She wan't sure how long she would be pregnant. Satyrs gave birth around six months gestation, but elves took longer. The baby was staying put for now, though, and Natasha spent most of her days decorating the home that had been finished a few weeks ago in the corner of the wood.

Elarinya had been excited to move, she'd been thrilled that the builders had created a new playhouse for her outside. She'd said that Vesper's soon to be born baby girl would love the playhouse at their house. It was fun to spend this time with her daughter, getting ready to build their family, choosing rooms, doing lessons, and even the minute tasks of figuring out which flatware and dish pattern she wanted for her kitchen...all of this was done with Elarinya, and she felt closer with her daughter than she had ever felt before. Natasha had been worried about the girl, about growing up with just a mother, but she knew she didn't need to worry. She knew that no matter what happened to them in the future, Elarinya knew she was loved, and she would be just fine.

Six months pregnant wasn't any better on her uterus, but Natasha knew that she was approaching the end of her pregnancy. She knew the baby was developing to the final stages that it needed to be born, and she began to get a little nervous. The satyrs had still not returned to the spa. Mr. Hughes and the others had, but there had been some issues helping some of the younger satyrs, especially those who had never really experienced true flock behavior, and adjusting to their new lives was difficult. She knew why they stayed, but she found herself searching daily to see if she could find them, but they were still so far from her.

Natasha was sitting outside on the back porch of her home that faced the woods. She'd had a white wooden swing installed on one side of the porch that spanned the back of the house, and it had become a favorite space for her to go and relax. Elarinya was playing by the edge of the creek that was only a few inches deep. It was warm, hot, even, and Natasha had shed her usual long-sleeved gown for a spaghetti strapped yellow sundress. Her belly was the size of a barge, she frowned down at it as she ran a hand across the mass. No matter how little she wore these days, she always felt so hot. He was taking a break from his almost constant kicking, and she was taking advantage and leaning back against the pillows around her and sipping a glass of lemonade.

Almost daily, Vesper would come to visit, or Mr. Hughes, or both of them, or Shi and Faeron. Or Samir, or some other resident of the spa who she had friended over her time here. Barely a day went by when someone wasn't checking on her. She appreciated each visit, it was why she had wanted to stay in this place, the way people cared about her. But today, today no one had come and she'd enjoyed the tranquility of the day spent with just her children. She had blocked out all else and just watched Elarinya be a little girl.

"Natasha." The unexpected, deep voice that sounded to her left made Natasha shiver a moment. She maybe shouldn't have blocked out absolutely everything. But she had not expected for the satyrs to return without sending word to Mr. Hughes that they planned to.

"Ailen." Her voice was breathy as she shifted to stand, her hand on her stomach as she took a few steps towards the brown satyr.

"You are still pregnant." He smiled, and she knew he was glad that he had returned before she'd borne his child.

"I would very much like NOT to be pregnant at this point. He's a kicker." She groaned as she felt the baby remind her of that fact.

"I want to touch him." Ailen's voice was quiet, almost as if he was talking only for himself to hear and she smiled and reached for his hand, taking it in her much smaller grasp and placing it solidly over her round stomach.

"How can you bear that?" He gasped, feeling the force of the kick in her belly.

"I've had to strengthen my uterus a number of times to keep him safe. My next step may be a titanium lining." Natasha chuckled as he guided her to sit back on the swing, kneeling in front of it, facing her instead of trying to see if it would hold his weight.

"Are you all back?"

He nodded, "We are home."

"For good?"

He nodded again, "We found safe homes for all the satyrs, in places where there are friendly nonhumans who can help guide them on their way."

"That is good, Ailen. I am glad that you stayed."

"We brought seven young adult males and about 15 women with us. Plus some of the children that survived." He told her and she widened her eyes. More males would make having him so much more difficult. They would almost be doubling the size of their flock.

"Were satyr flocks ever so big?" She asked.

He grinned, "They are a second flock, Natasha, they will be living to the far western edge of the mountain. The children with them, except for one little female."

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him, "Her mother died in childbirth, and her father died...violently. She took to Cynric while we were helping them and it made sense for him to keep her."

"Will she be accepted by the other children and the women in your flock?" Natasha frowned, she didn't know a lot about satyr family dynamics, other than she wasn't allowed.

He nodded, "Yes. Satyr women are very communal. They will accept the little one. They will accept our little one, as well."

She felt heat roll through her body as he put his hand back on her stomach and left it there.

"You are entirely too large to fuck, Natasha." He brayed as softly as possible as he fidgeted before her, she was making him aware of how she felt physically, and he had been gone a long time.

"I've been lonely."

"Colby said he told you that you needed to find a mate."

"Yeah, he did." She muttered, his fingers were splayed over her, rubbing gently, calming the kicking child within.

"He likes you."

"I like him, too. I like all of you."

"Do you realize that your water broke a minute ago?" He asked softly and Natasha's eyes widened. There is no way she could have missed that.

"Not a chance, Ailen." She scooted to sit up straighter and looked down. Sure enough, the bottom of her sundress was soaked.

"You are going to have my baby." He sounded like an extremely proud father, which was what he was.

Natasha frowned at him as she alerted her brother, sister in law, Vesper, and Mr. Hughes that she was in labor. "You are not going to want to watch this, Ailen. I can't birth a satyr, the horns are too wide." She watched him tense and his color paled a bit.

"You never said..." He sounded worried suddenly.

"You didn't need to worry. There is already a doctor on the way to get this baby out. And Vesper will heal me so fast, there won't even be a scar, but I want you to wait outside." She spoke a little firmer.

He huffed a moment and finally nodded, not really wanting to listen to her. "Can you tell Cynric? I don't want to leave here to let him know."

"I already have, Ailen. Your flock brothers are on their way."

"I wanted to spend the afternoon here with you and your daughter. I want to get to know her. To know you." He sounded frustrated, and a little sad, and she smiled, moving a hand to his cheek, Vesper was close.

"I know. But I finally get to get this power kicker out of my belly." She chuckled as he frowned down at her stomach and then turned to see Vesper come around the corner.

"This is so not fair, I got pregnant before you did, Natasha." Vesper complained as she walked closer to the two of them.

"I'll trade you for this kicker." She smiled at her friend and called Elarinya over.

A few hours later, Natasha was lying in the freshly made king-sized bed in her bedroom with her son asleep in her arms. He was light in color, like Ailen, but his hair was a slightly darker brown. His horns looked adorable above his little ears, with far fewer curves than he would have as a full grown satyr. He had come into the world braying in a way that had made her heart melt, and she had immediately sensed the magic inside of him. He would not be completely unlike his mother, and his ears had a little of them both. He was perfect. He had nursed immediately, only kicking a few times, tugging on her breast before he settled in and Natasha had loved the closeness she immediately felt with him.

Vesper had healed her and Natasha had had to have Mr. Hughes drag her back over so that she could calm the woman down. She'd been heading out to Ailen, of course. Finally, she felt ready to have Ailen come and meet his son, and she had sent the angel and his ayperi out to send him in.

When Ailen had knocked softly on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer, she had looked over and smiled gently as she watched him come in the room, Elarinya in his arms. The view of them together was overwhelming to her and she began to cry, big, wet, sobs and he frowned and came close, carefully setting Elarinya down on the bed.

"Natasha, are you hurt?" He asked, his hands on her to check her over.

She frowned and wiped at her eyes, "No, no, I'm fine. There is nothing wrong with me."

"Then-?" He asked, his eyes on the child in her arms.

She shook her head, not now, not here, "Ailen, this is your son. His name is Gondien."

Ailen's chest puffed up with pride as he bent and accepted the little baby into his hands and raised him towards his face, looking him over closely.

"He is beautiful, Natasha." He murmured.

"Nana, I am happy." Elarinya scooted towards her mother as Ailen sat on the edge of the bed, bringing the baby down to rest him on his chest.

"I'm happy, too, Elarinya. What do you think of being a big sister?"

"I like him. He smells good." Elarinya scooted up against her right side and peered over at the baby sleeping contentedly in his father's arms.

Natasha watched as Ailen shifted himself to lie above the covers against her left side, and carefully keeping Gondien from being squashed, he put his left hand on Natasha's lap as she scooted down to lay facing him, Elarinya cuddling up to her back, her little arms surrounding her mother as she closed her eyes.

"Ailen..." She whispered, knowing she was crying again, but quieter, "My heart is breaking."

He knew that she was talking about him, knew he understood as he rubbed her gently. He didn't speak, he just held them together until she fell asleep. There wasn't anything he could tell her that she didn't already know. No matter how much she wanted this man, this satyr, to belong to her, to be a father to her children, to belong to him, to live in this house together, it would never work that way. They were both nonhuman, yes, but that was where their natures seemed to end. Cynric did not agree with the idea of quaydquaydkirths. And she could never ask these satyrs to accept something that went against their beliefs. But it left her very very alone.

~*~*~*~

The next few weeks were filled with the activity of a new baby, and Elarinya had proven to be a very capable big sister. Gondien was frustrated because he couldn't kick around the way he could while in the womb, his upper body wasn't quite strong enough, and wouldn't be for several months. His little brays filled Natasha's heart with so much love, she thought she might burst from time to time. She had fallen instantly in love with the dark haired, light brown-eyed satyr baby. He had yet to sleep in the crib that she had bought him, opting instead to sleep cradled in her arms, or in a bassinet beside her bed.

Natasha was sleeping through the night, exhausted from taking care of her children. The nightmares had stopped, at least for now, but her heart still felt tugged into sadness whenever she sat and thought too long on Ailen and the satyrs. He was around whenever he could get away from the flock. They were working again, and things had seemed to transition well with the new flock that they had brought to the mountain. She'd learned when she'd arrived at Vorhees after the fight with the minotaurs that the female satyrs in Cynric's flock had been furious about her being pregnant. They were fine with the sex the satyrs had with the clients, but those children were never born. They had been very upset about her keeping a satyr child.

Mr. Hughes had, however, convinced them that any attacks on her or her children would be met with severe punishment. So far, they had stayed away, and Natasha hoped they would continue to do so. Still, she kept an ear out for any of them who might leave the mountain. All of the male satyrs, however, had come down from the mountain since the birth to meet Ailen's son, and had beamed at the child proudly. She could see why, there didn't seem to be anything but absolutely perfection in the little boy. He had a wonderful attitude, if not a little stubborn. He was a satyr, after all.

Natasha knew that she did not sleep alone every night. When she climbed into bed, she was always by herself, but there were times when Ailen would come inside and take care of Gondien's needs, and he would sometimes climb in and sleep with her pulled tightly against him. He was never there when she woke up in the morning, only his scent, and she would move to where he'd been sleeping and breathe him in for as long as she could. She felt ridiculous, pining like this, but she didn't know what to do.