Satyr Play 04 Pt. 01

"Your daughter told me about the awesome work you guys are doing. I'm so impressed and glad to help. I just finished constructing a charging station for you guys. Just follow the tracks in the snow until you see the reflective ball. That's it. Just touch it and release when you are topped up."

Henry walked back with Ron, who glanced once at Henry then reached out a hand to touch the orb.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, then put his other hand on it and smiled at Henry. He lifted his hands no more than ten seconds later.

He grinned at the others. "That beats chasing storms!"

Dixie was next and only needed seven seconds before she pulled her hands back.

Henry moved aside with Ron and Dixie as each member of the group took their turn.

"Why do you feel like fresh lightning?" Dixie asked.

Henry smiled as he recalled the same words from—He froze as he saw four familiar faces in the group.

"Sam and Jeannie! Jake and Brenda!"

The Lagrange and Miller couples waved at him, and once they'd recharged, they joined Henry for a group hug. Jeannie was all giggles as she recalled the first time they did this with him. She gestured for Ron and Dixie to join, and suddenly there were seventy-seven Silver People all hugging one Satyr in the center. He let his Wild Magic flow through everyone, and they all grinned.

"Okay, people, we got rescuin' to do. We can't be wasting time hugging all day!" Ron called out and got a few boos but more chuckles.

As the group pulled back, Dixie caught Henry's eye, and he could see she was still waiting for an answer.

"I have a rift to the alternate dimension inside me. The Wild Magic Energy flows out of it. It's the same energy you get from the charging station," he explained.

"It feels smoother from you," Sam said with a grin.

"It's the filtration!" Jake offered.

"I'm just a filter?" Henry asked with a grin, and Brenda playfully slapped her husband's arm for suggesting he was.

Ron moved a little closer. "Would it be okay for us to come back to use the charging station from time to time?"

"Come back as often as you need. As long as you enter the property line at a walking pace and watch for playing children," Henry said.

"What happens if we run across the line?" one of the others called out.

"You'll get knocked back violently by the force field," Henry warned. "Also, from outside, you can't see anyone inside. Running in risks colliding with someone."

He had their attention. "You can run on the way out, though. It's inbound traffic that the field protects against."

"We'll all follow those rules," Ron said loudly, and the group nodded.

"Thank you for the energy," Ron said to Henry.

"You are most welcome. I'm just glad I can support your efforts," Henry said.

"Sorry to eat and run," Dixie said with a smile. Henry just nodded.

He looked to the four Midwesterners. "How did you get caught up in this group of the Silver Soldier families?" he asked.

"Who do you think helped the soldiers transform their families?" Sam said with a wave, and the four raced away after their new friends.

Henry was walking back to the house when he came across a group of kids from Tish's family. Layla smiled as she saw him.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"I just built a charging station for the Silver People. It's the reflective orb in the woods back there. Please let everyone know to leave it alone, okay?" he instructed.

Layla nodded as she accepted her mission to inform the others. Then they rushed off to take a look at the charging station. Henry rolled his eyes as he headed back to the house. Of course, they'd want to see it for themselves before they told others not to mess with it. There wasn't really much they could do to damage it, but caution was prudent. He could always add another shield around it to only allow Silver People to get to it, but he hoped that wasn't needed.

If the kids were here, it meant the adults were too, so he should help finish up the new dining room preparations. He also needed to speak with Sigrid,

He realized last night that some might feel uncomfortable with being in a cave, so he planned to add some windows that would show a live view of what was happening outside the real front living room and rear kitchen windows. He'd found a spell in Baba's collection, originally designed to disguise deadly pitfall traps with illusions. He thought of a way to source the illusion with the light from the selected window panes.

He went in the back door where Meixiu met him with a fluffy towel. He grinned at her as she dried off his legs and hooves. "How go the preparations downstairs?" he said quietly.

She smiled. "Very well! We placed Sandy's and Dayshia's items on the tables and added evergreen boughs and ribbons! It looks so beautiful!"

He gave her a kiss then called out as he saw Mary.

She stopped and wandered back to see what he needed.

"You are my go-to carpentry person. Especially for framing!" Henry began with a grin, and Mary raised an eyebrow at him. "I need two frames built which mirror this wall of windows." He pointed to the windows on the kitchen wall that faced the gazebo and back yard. "And the wall of windows in the front sitting room. I'm going to mount them on two walls of the cave and project what can be seen from these windows in the new frames."

Mary nodded, impressed with his idea. "Seems simple enough, but I'd need tools, screws, and lumber. Do you have these?"

"No, but Roy does back at VRL," Henry suggested.

Roy was entering the kitchen, looking for Mary. "I heard my name."

Mary smiled. "We have a project. A quick one!" she added to defeat Roy's pout.

Henry walked with them to the vestibule and linked the spare door to a door in VRL's basement.

"We have it from here, Henry. When the frames are ready, I'll find you. Sigrid was looking for you," Mary said.

"Oh! Thanks!" he said and headed back upstairs.

There was a fair amount of noise coming from the dining room, which seemed to be the adults' default gathering spot. Most of the kids were outside though a few were in the front sitting room playing games.

Sigrid was seated at one end of the table with her ever-present guardian, Hilda. The mother saw him at the doorway and stood to approach him. Henry immediately felt himself tense up. Hilda caught this and frowned sadly.

She gestured for him to follow her into the kitchen where they'd be alone.

"I'm sorry for leaving you with the impression that I'm always on the attack. You have my word that you have nothing to fear from me. You've proven your mettle in battle and your compassion when you healed me. I have to thank you as I haven't felt this good since I was Sigrid's age!"

Henry relaxed a little and nodded to her.

She continued. "I've spent a few decades in my mountaintop villa in Italy. That last battle against the Archdemon who'd replaced the village magistrate almost finished me. I was left with knees that would fail me under pressure and hands with diminished strength. I had no choice but to retire." She took a deep breath as she seemed to be struggling with something.

"Those three decades were a self-imposed exile. I shut myself away from everyone, even my own daughter. She'd visit from time to time, but they were painful reminders of what I was no longer capable of being. When Sigrid came to me this time, she was pregnant, and once more, my world was shaken. There hasn't been a Valkyrie birth since Sigrid came into this world. We don't choose our partners lightly. I had to know if you were worthy or had used magic to somehow trick her into carrying your child. How you defeated me left me with questions. Honestly, you really aren't very skilled in battle. It was embarrassing to admit you'd won, but when you healed me, how you guided and goaded me to survive, I knew you understood. You've endured greater battles than the one with me, even with your feeble fighting skills."

She seemed to notice Henry's scowl as she quickly finished. "Valkyries define our worth on our ability to fight the forces of evil." She clasped Henry's big hand in an arm wrestler's clasp between them as she looked into his eyes. "You have my eternal gratitude for restoring me to my former strength so I can come out of retirement and stand side-by-side with my daughter once more."

He nodded to her and raised an eyebrow to let her know he was aware of her grip's increasing pressure. She didn't stop until he ramped up his own grasp. She pulled her hand back with a joyful bark of laughter.

"You are a suitable mate for my daughter! Tonight's birth ceremony will be glorious! The Valkyries I've summoned will be in for an amazing surprise!"

Henry blinked at the woman. "You've summoned Valkyries to join us here? Tonight?"

"Yes! They must witness the birth!" Hilda said joyfully.

"Is Sigrid aware of this?" Henry asked.

Hilda made a dismissive gesture. "It is the way of Valkyries!"

"How many are you expecting to show?" he asked.

She tilted her head to look at him, puzzled by his continued protest. "Between fifteen and twenty."

"An extra twenty people are going to descend on the mansion without any preparation for them? You have been under a rock for the last three decades if you don't grasp the logistical difficulties that just added to our Christmas Party!" Henry snapped.

He turned and went into the dining room, where he saw all eyes looking his way. "Did you hear that?" he asked, and Sigrid shook her head. "Fifteen to twenty Valkyries will be arriving tonight to witness a Valkyrie birthing ceremony." Sigrid's eyes flew wide in surprise then she looked to her mother.

Henry suddenly pictured in his mind a Valkyrie swooping down from the sky only to strike the force field like a beetle in a bug zapper. "Shit!" He ran for the front door and grabbed Hilda's hand on the way by, dragging her after him. They reached the drive, and Henry looked up. The snow was still falling steadily. He looked into the bewildered eyes of the woman. "Are they going to fly here or drive here?"

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because the entire property is under a force field that will keep them out. If they strike it from above, it might hurt them," he clarified at her disbelieving scowl.

"Some will fly, and some will arrive in cars—"

"The road in isn't plowed." Henry sighed. "Please come with me so we can adjust the force field to allow Valkyries through."

They walked to the end of the driveway, and Henry had Hilda step through and turn around. He saw her startled expression when she couldn't see him. He reached a hand outside and guided her back through slowly as he had the force field record the particulars about Valkyries.

"Can you do it again but with your wings and armor?" he asked, and she turned around and stepped outside. He reached out and brought her back in. Once she was in, the spell was ready, and he let the change go through. The fly-ins and the walk-ins would be safe now. Then he stepped through the field himself to see the road conditions outside, and she followed.

He looked at the winding lane through the trees and thought it looked truly lovely, but the snow would be too deep even for some four-wheel-drive trucks. It was at least two miles to the two-lane highway this lane connected to. He looked left and saw the road ended in a large circular area for cars to turn around. That would make a good parking lot. Maybe it was time to call in a favor of his own.

"Let's go back," he sighed.

As they walked back to the mansion, he felt her watching him. Finally, he stopped and looked at her. "What?"

"I don't understand you. I made a mistake, yet you are the one taking on the burden of fixing it," she said quietly.

He frowned. "The force field is my construct. It's meant to protect, but it can also harm. I would feel terrible if someone good were to hurt themselves on it."

She nodded as she thought about that. "I see, but it wouldn't be your fault."

"I'd still feel bad if I had the means to prevent it and didn't try," he explained.

"Okay, but the road, you have no control over the weather, and I didn't consider the logistics before inviting them. This isn't your responsibility."

"I'm assuming a Valkyrie Birthing Ceremony is significantly important since births are so infrequent." He looked into her eyes, and she nodded. "Then it's important for Sigrid, and I'll make any and all efforts to ensure she's happy." He paused as he thought about it.

"It's the way of Satyrs."

Once he got inside, he called the Sergeant, who was more than happy to loan him eight members of her team to shovel out the turning circle and the two miles of a country lane to reach the highway. The Sergeant said they'd bring their own snow pushers, so Henry opened a door between the garden shed and the bathroom door in the General's room for them. He told Mick where the charging station was, and she told him they'd call when they finished.

Henry joined the others in the dining room and saw Sigrid was having an intense conversation with her mother, so he let them be. He looked around the room and noticed some missing people. He poked his head into the kitchen and spotted Meixiu working with Steph and Jackie. Meixiu smiled at him. "We're preparing more food for the additional arrivals. Kristen, Dotty, and Ellen went back to their homes to prepare some dishes as well. We have many kitchens available to us."

He spoke with Layla and Felicia and asked them if they could quickly make some signs that said park here and a couple with parking and an arrow. They nodded and rushed away. Ten minutes later, they were back, and Layla had the bright idea to bring a staple gun. She was carrying their supplies in her backpack, so they went out to the turning circle and saw it was already clear of snow. In the distance, they could see plumes of snow from the Silver Soldiers working quickly.

They put up the signs and stood back to admire their work. Some of them had little stars and heart stickers on them. Felicia made those she informed him.

"This looks great! Thanks!" Henry said.

"What happens if a car turns into the driveway?" Felicia asked.

Henry thought about that. "It'll hit the force field... and fry the electronics."

"We need to block access and put warning signs up!" Layla said enthusiastically.

"One of those yellow and black striped sticks!" Felicia offered.

Henry moved to the edge of the field, closed his eyes, and pictured in his mind the warning Felicia was describing. He reached out and touched the energy field, walking across the width of the driveway. When he opened his eyes, he looked back and saw a wobbly yellow and black line.

"That is so cool!" Layla gushed!

He shrugged, then touched it again to envision it to be straight and six inches tall. The new shape snapped into place, and the girls clapped.

"Can we do that?" Felicia asked.

"If I help, yes," he said.

"I want to draw an arrow!" Layla gushed.

Henry put a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately dragged her finger along the field, but nothing happened. She looked back at him.

He smiled. "You have to use your will to envision the shape and invite the magic to play." Layla's smile grew wider, and she nodded.

The next time she tried, the wooden shaft of an arrow appeared on the surface of the field. Henry was impressed with how realistic it appeared. Then she added a silver triangular arrowhead and a brilliant white feather fletching at the other end.

When she pulled her finger back, Henry released her shoulder and stared at the oversized, three-dimensional arrow floating above the left end of his bar, pointing to the parking area. "That's brilliant!" Henry gushed. He looked at his poor flat warning bar in disappointment. Art was apparently not his forte.

"My turn!" Felicia said excitedly. She moved to the right side of Henry's bar and lifted her fingers in preparation. He put his hand on her shoulder and reminded her of what she needed to do. He wasn't finished speaking when she was already using all the fingers on both hands to draw a brilliant red heart.

Once again, it was three-dimensional, and it even seemed to pulse slightly.

When Felicia stepped back, Henry released her shoulder, and she squealed as the girls hugged each other and bounced in place, staring at their art.

Again, Henry's eyes were drawn to his feeble attempt, which paled in comparison.

"Okay, my ego has been bruised enough. Let's go back," he sighed.

That caused them to laugh hysterically, but they grabbed his arms and pulled him towards the house. They walked through their art, but it snapped back into place once they were through.

"You drew a very nice yellow and black bar. I'm sure it will prevent people from wrecking their cars," Layla said.

"2D is very retro," Felicia added, and the girls burst into giggles again.

Henry couldn't prevent the smile from appearing on his face from the happy sound.

"Thank you for your help," he said to them as they went in the front door. They flashed brilliant smiles at him as they rushed away to the sitting room to tell the others what they'd done.

He knew he was setting himself up for a day of art with the kids... but that didn't seem like a bad thing.

The door knocker thumped, so Henry turned around and answered it. He pulled the door open and saw a large woman standing before him. A second Valkyrie was putting her wings away as she set down just behind and to the side of the first.

The two women stared at him in surprise and took a step back.

"What are you, and how do I get one to answer my door," the closest one said as she ran her eyes up and down his body. She was tall and powerfully built, perhaps a little over-developed in her upper body as her arms were forced outward by her massive biceps. Her jet-black hair was long but worn in ringlets and cascaded over her wide shoulders. Her skin was very dark, she was pretty and had a wide mouth showing many very white teeth, and her eyes flashed hungrily at him.

The Valkyrie behind her was just a little shorter than her friend, and her musculature was closer to Sigrid's and looked more balanced. She also wore her hair loose, but it was strawberry blonde leaning towards red. Her expression was serious, and Henry got the immediate impression she rarely smiled. She just gave off the vibe of a serious person. Her lovely eyes were also roaming his physique, but she was calculating strengths and weaknesses. He was being evaluated.

"I'm Henry Gable. I'm a Satyr. You've come for the Birthing Ceremony?"

The musclebound one's smile just got wider, if that was possible. "Mmmm! I wonder if those stories of a Satyr's prowess in bed are true." She reached for the bottom of his kilt, and Henry stepped back.

"My dance card is full," he said in annoyance.

"Revna, this one is half beast. Do you not care what you lay with?" the serious girl said, her eyes locked on Henry's, gauging his reactions, always evaluating. Her accent was thick, but Henry had no idea where it was from.

"What a racist thing to say! Keep that up, and I'm probably not going to like you," Henry said with a frown.

"Is that Revna? Slut of the southern beaches? And Kari, Inhabitant of Revna's bunghole?"

Henry turned and saw Hilda striding towards the front door with a wide grin on her face. He stepped aside to give her unimpeded access to the two visitors. He watched their expressions to see how they'd react to Hilda's new look. They certainly responded to her words, their body language clearly indicating they were primed for World War Three.

Then they saw her, really saw her. They saw not a woman beaten by the ravages of her battles and hidden away for three decades, but a fully blooded Valkyrie ready to sink her teeth into the throat of anyone defying her anything she fucking wanted to do.