Satyr Play 04 Pt. 01

"What's happening?" she gasped.

"Sigrid has a second baby," Henry said as he gestured Sandy closer.

"That's impossible! Valkyries have one child! The birthing ceremony—"

"Is done! You have the daughter. Now move back and let us work!" Henry said and glared at her. She stepped back in surprise.

Henry immediately ignored her. "Sandy. I need you to have Kesini reach in and turn the baby, head down." He had an idea. "Dayshia, do you remember when we used to share an image amongst all of us?"

Dayshia's expression soured. "Yes, confusing days."

"I want you to look inside Sigrid and share what you see with Sandy, through me. Sandy can guide Kesini," Henry explained.

"How can I see too? I can help!" Eleanor insisted.

"Just close your eyes and put your hand on my shoulder," he said.

Henry opened his connection to the Wild Magic and held out a hand to Dayshia. She reluctantly gripped it and turned her eyes to Sigrid once more.

The image began a little hazy as Dayshia was resisting, but he squeezed her fingers reassuringly, and the picture came through sharply. He found Eleanor's link to him and sent her the image. She cried out in surprise then he was feeding the image to Sandy and Kesini.

"Make sure Kesini curls her tips before insertion," Eleanor suggested, and Kesini curled her tips and slid inside. More and more of Kesini slid inside until she reached the baby and slid up its back.

Henry watched as Eleanor guided Sandy and Kesini in turning the baby. He spared a quick peek at Sigrid. "Are you able to push?"

Sigrid barely shook her head, and her eyes were mere slits.

"Okay, we're going to do it for you," he said gently. He pictured in his mind Kesini enveloping the baby and pulling it out. More of Kesini went up inside Sigrid and carefully wrapped around the baby. When they tried to pull, Sigrid's muscles wouldn't relax.

Henry put his hand under Sigrid's ass and sent energy into her body, feeling her muscles warm and relax.

"Now Kesini. Push her walls open to get the baby by," he directed.

Sigrid cried out as she experienced the worst muscle cramp possible, then she passed out as Kesini guided the baby out.

Henry looked up at a dumbfounded Hilda. "Give the baby to Camila and help us with the umbilical cord," he snapped as Dayshia and Eleanor moved back.

Kesini unbundled the baby as Hilda knelt down. Henry caught a glimpse of the joy on Camila's face then he was gripping Hilda's arm to keep her kneeling next to him as she struggled to get up.

"Yes, I see it too. It's called a penis, and baby boys have them. He needs your help, grandma."

She looked at him, and he could tell she was upset that her perfect little dream wasn't going to plan. He raised an eyebrow. "Does a Valkyrie go to pieces each time life gets complicated? If so, buckle up, buttercup, my life is as complicated as they get, and if you're around me, you're joining the party, like it or not."

She trembled, then got to the task of tying off the umbilical cord. She didn't have a second clamp and looked to him. He looked over her head at the other Valkyries. "Anyone carrying a spare clamp for the umbilical?"

Talia stepped forward quickly and handed him one. He looked at her in surprise. "A Valkyrie is prepared," she said as her face pinked up. She looked away as Hilda added the clamp.

Henry picked up his son before Hilda could slap him. He cuddled him and rubbed his back. He coughed and began to cry, loudly. Henry grinned at everyone, then tears of happiness rolled down his cheeks as he looked at the perfect little face. He was pink and perfect, with a patch of jet-black hair, ten little fingers, and most importantly, ten little toes, no hooves.

Henry looked to Sigrid and saw she was smiling at him. He thought she actually looked a little better as her energy levels increased. She suddenly grunted painfully, and the placenta dropped onto the ground. Eleanor moved forward and examined it with Dayshia. They both pronounced it looked healthy and were pleased Sigrid passed it successfully.

Henry sniffed his boy, then yelped painfully as the baby got a grip on his ear and squeezed.

"OW! OW! FuckFuckFuck!" Henry cursed as he tugged his ear free from the infant's grip.

He held the baby cradled in his arm and looked down at him in surprise as the baby looked up at him, no longer crying.

"What kind of newborn is that strong?" he gasped.

Hilda blinked at the child then shared a look with Talia, who was suppressing a smile of her own.

"I suppose I should name him," Hilda said.

"No..."

They looked down at Sigrid. "His... name is Stanley."

Henry sucked in a breath as his chest suddenly tightened.

"That's not the name a Valkyrie should have—"

"It's Stanley! Let me hold my babies," Sigrid said, holding her hands out.

Henry immediately laid baby Stanley in his mother's arm, and she cooed to him. His eyes followed her face.

Henry accepted his daughter from Camila with a huge smile. The baby girl had the whitest blonde hair, and her eyes were blue, but he'd heard they were always blue before they change. He couldn't help but recall another blue-eyed baby girl, laid to rest on this very spot. He vowed to ensure this child would get to have the life the other had been denied.

He dipped his face close to smell her.

"OW! ShitShitShit! OW!" Henry hissed as he tugged his bruised ear from Ylva's tiny fist. He set her down on Sigrid, who grinned at him before nuzzling her daughter.

"Do we really need to call her Ylva?" he asked.

Sigrid looked up at him in surprise. "Why? What's wrong with Ylva? It's a solid Valkyrie name," she insisted.

"Yeah, but you never see it on a souvenir mug or baseball cap," he suggested, and she snorted.

"That's not my priority," she responded.

He looked her in the eye. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that you named our son, Stanley."

"He looks like a Stanley," she said happily.

"When he gets all muscular, we're gonna have to start calling him Stan," Henry sighed, and Sigrid giggled. She sighed and leaned back against the tree, taking in the scenery.

"I don't know why but this place makes me feel so calm and at peace with... everything," she said quietly.

Henry looked at her seriously. "You gave me a scare for a moment. You were weakening, and I was doing everything I could, but it wasn't working."

She looked at him oddly. "What are you talking about? You've given me all this energy!"

He frowned. "At the beginning, yes. But I was a little too busy to do that after Ylva was born."

Camila pushed Henry aside with a frown of her own for his ignoring the children before him. She smiled at Sigrid. "Your babies are so beautiful, and I love that you've named him Stanley!"

Sigrid beamed a wonderful smile at her friend. "It just felt right!"

Henry turned to Sandy, Dayshia, and Eleanor. "I want to thank you for stepping up and coming to our aid under less-than-ideal conditions."

The three ladies looked around at the natural setting around them and burst into laughter.

Sandy recovered first. "Henry, we work in some of the busiest hospitals in New York City. This is idyllic by comparison." Kesini moved a little stiffly. "A shower would be welcome, though."

Eleanor's face was glowing in her excitement. "That was one of the most fascinating experiences I've had in... let's just say it's been a long time."

"I've never worked in obstetrics, but it felt so good to help bring a new life into the world!" Dayshia gushed. She also seemed to be riding a high.

Henry noticed Xiong standing a short distance away with Revna, Ingrid, Sylvi, and Runa standing around him, poking him with their fingers and peering inside his glassy depths.

"Excuse me for a minute?" he asked the three healthcare ladies, but they were already lost in an intense conversation. He hustled over to Xiong's side.

Revna looked back at Henry. "What's this strange creature that inhabits this world?"

Henry smiled as he opened a link to Xiong through the magic and sent a hello. He looked to the Valkyrie. "This is Xiong. He was the first Human to be changed into a Glass Person by the Pseudo-Clouds back on Earth. He lived in a small village in a mountainous region of China."

Revna's jaw dropped. "This was Human?"

"Yes, but he's so much more now. The Glass People are beings of deep compassion and intellectual brilliance. They're learning about themselves and the world around them at exponential rates. They're a beautiful people." He smiled at his friend. "He's also the de facto leader of the village though it embarrasses him to be called that," Henry said with a grin.

He connected with Xiong and asked about a place to get cleaned up. Xiong excitedly showed him a recent discovery not too far from the village. It was a hot spring and a large one.

Henry thanked Xiong and felt the village's love pouring through. He sent his love for them in return.

"The Glass People here were all Humans at one time, but they like it here more," Henry explained.

"How?" Revna asked. "Did they all walk through your little door?" Her tone was more than a little condescending. He couldn't let that slide.

Henry smiled as he walked right up to her and opened a tear at her back, leading to the mansion's snowy front lawn. "Who needs a door?" He shoved her through to land in the snow. The others laughed as she sputtered in the fluffy stuff. "See you shortly," he said with a grin and shut the tear.

This made the remaining Valkyries burst into laughter and clap him solidly on his back.

"Was that too far?" he asked, and Silvi snorted.

"It's the only thing she understands. Trust me, she'll like you even more now." She paused. "Not that that's necessarily a good thing."

Rena and Ingrid laughed even harder as the three walked back to the others.

"Your abilities with magic have grown exceptionally," Xiong said, and he nodded. "Could that be due—"

"I'm aware," he said in interruption, and Xiong nodded then changed the subject.

"We're so pleased you gave your daughter another chance at life, then returned to have your children here," Xiong sighed to him happily.

Henry looked sharply at Xiong.

"Did you not feel her? We did! She was so happy!" the Glass Being sighed.

Henry's eyes were filling with tears again, and Xiong looked to his friend. "Oh! I've upset you?"

Struggling to regain his composure, Henry shook his head and put his hand on Xiong's shoulder. "No, I-I don't understand how any of this works, but to know she's happy is enough. Please don't share this with Sigrid or the others."

Xiong bowed, and Henry felt the village's agreement too. He sent them all a hug.

Henry wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled. "I have some ladies I need to take to the hot springs."

He said his goodbyes and joined Sigrid and her entourage.

Sandy looked pitifully at him. "I really need to take a shower."

"How would you like to relax in a hot spring instead?"

"YES!" the people within earshot all shouted in unison. There were many Valkyries in that range, so the noise was quite loud. Henry's eyebrows rose. He called up the image of the hot spring and realized they were large enough for everyone, and he could add a privacy field down the middle to separate the men and the ladies since there were kids present.

"Uh, we'll be naked in front—" Dayshia began.

"No, I'll ensure there are privacy fields between the sexes," Henry assured her.

Camila smiled. "The field can allow the ladies to see the men," she suggested.

"No. Behave," Henry said, and she pouted sweetly. He felt that look cause a surge under his kilt. "Behave!" he insisted, and she giggled.

Meixiu rushed up to him. "We have many new towels still in their packaging in a storage room off the laundry room. I can get them!"

"Let me get you some help," Henry said as he looked to the grasslands. He saw Aadiya and Mahali being chased by the kids. He concentrated on them, and they looked in his direction. He gestured for them to come back, and they pointed to the hillside, and the kids all raced toward the adults, with the twins following to ensure none were left behind. They scooped up two of the youngest, Jolene and Marian, both six, and leapt into the sky to fly past the leaders and arrive first. They left the cheering girls with their moms and joined Henry.

"No fair! Flying!" Felicia called out, but Layla just laughed, so Felicia had to drop her complaint.

Henry kissed Aadiya and Mahali, much to their delight. He held their hands to get them to focus their attention. "Your flying is much improved! You're obviously stronger too, if you can carry the kids. How are your wings feeling now?"

"Good!" Aadiya exclaimed. "Strong!" Mahali added.

He nodded. "Excellent! I have another request for you. Can you assist Meixiu with collecting some towels from the mansion and bring them to the hot springs?"

They nodded enthusiastically.

"Where is the hot spring?" Meixiu asked.

"When you pass through the doors, turn left and walk over the ridge. As you cross the field, the village will be on your left. Keep an eye open for the tethered lights the kids are going to get!" He raised his voice, so the kids heard that last part, and they all squealed happily. He grinned at them as they came running to his side. He tapped each on the top of their head, and a pretty colored light appeared above them, then they moved for the next kid.

As Henry worked, he looked to Meixiu and continued his instructions. "If it takes you longer and we've left the field, I'll leave fire orbs as a trail. Just follow them. Oh! If you see Revna, let her know where we are," Henry said, and Meixiu nodded before rushing away with the twins flying behind her.

He turned to the rest of the group. He scanned them and noted some significant absences. "Where's Roy, Mary, and Lorelei?"

Camila touched his arm. "Lorelei was unable to leave Earth. Her bond to the planet is too strong."

"Oh!" Henry exclaimed, feeling terrible for not being aware of this.

"She said she had a lovely time, and you could make this up to her on your date this week," Camila continued with a cheeky smile. "Roy and Mary decided to man the fort until we return."

He nodded, still feeling a little unsettled for having missed her, then looked to the others. "Okay, we're going to walk this way to the hot springs." He pointed over the small wooded hillside. He pointed at Sigrid and the babies. "You, I'm carrying."

She smiled at him as he knelt and got his arms under her and lifted her against his chest. Then he pushed with his legs and stood with her and their babies safely in his arms.

Tish's oldest brother approached and walked alongside him. "Hi, Henry!"

"Hey, Brian. What's up?"

"This place is amazing and all..."

Henry looked closer at the man. "But..."

"But it's a complete unknown to us. Are there any dangerous creatures we should be concerned about? Any poisonous bugs or snakes? Anything we need our kids to be careful of?"

Henry shook his head. "No bugs or reptiles anywhere near us. The only dangerous creature we've encountered is a toothy ribbon that flies. When we got here, I sent the twins, Aadiya and Mahali, hunting. They killed one, making every other one for at least ten miles around avoid the area. Should we see another one, I'm sure one of our brave warrior goddesses will welcome the opportunity to hunt it. Sigrid quite enjoyed it."

Henry saw he'd attracted the attention of nearby Valkyrie with the word hunt. There were many smiles at his reference to them as goddesses.

Talia moved closer with a gleam in her intense green eyes. "I would welcome the opportunity to test my mettle against a beast from this world."

Sigrid smiled with a bloodthirsty gleam in her eye. "The ribbons are fast and maneuverable with sharp teeth that will rend any exposed flesh, but they can be defeated. Once that happens, all others in the area head for safer pastures for a time."

Talia grinned a Sigrid. "When do you think one might venture back?"

Sigrid pondered that and glanced up at Henry. "You say the twins killed one just as we got here?" Henry nodded. "There might be one sniffing around on the edges of the area a few miles out."

Talia leapt upwards and snapped her wings open the climb into the sky. Her wings glowed like Sigrid's had the first time he saw her saving him from a demon in the alley near VRL. They were bright but nowhere near as blinding as Sigrids were now.

"What if she gets lost?" Henry muttered, and Sigrid laughed then stopped to consider the possibility.

He sighed. "I'll tether a large fire orb above the hot spring so they can see it from the sky."

"That's my Henry. Always thinking of others," Sigrid said with a sweet smile.

They crossed the vast field next to the village, and a few Silver People came by to welcome them. They were from Kuwait, so there was a bit of a language barrier, but Henry could speak with them through the Wild Magic via imagery, and they seemed thrilled to meet him. They didn't exactly swarm him, and they didn't interfere with his carrying Sigrid and the children. They finally rushed back to the village as Henry's group headed up the next slope.

Henry began to drop tethered light orbs so Meixiu would be able to follow them. He put them eight to ten feet apart as they walked.

As they crested the hill and passed through the grove of trees, Henry felt the humidity rising and heard the hiss of a cascade of water falling from a rocky crag into a pool. The forest continued to climb up a steeper slope to the left, toward the river's source. They turned right instead and followed the slope down towards a flat expanse, which appeared to be a series of tiered pools. Henry wasn't sure where the hot water was sourced as the mist from the waterfall felt quite chilly.

When they got closer, they saw a stream coming from the pool fed by the waterfall met a steaming stream gushing up from between some rock. That stream was almost boiling hot.

Scalding met freezing and mixed. The result was tiered pools downstream, and by the third and largest pool, the water was a perfect soaking temperature.

He set Sigrid and the babies down a short distance from the water and asked everyone to stay back from the water for a minute.

He created a huge red and blue flame orb with a two-hundred-foot tether and let it rise up into the sky.

Then Henry walked to the edge of the large pool of dreamy water and envisioned how he would put up a temporary privacy wall dividing the water into his and hers sides. For now, he didn't need anything fancy. He created a clear force field dome over the large pool extending ten feet beyond the shoreline on both sides. Then, he bisected the energy dome with a wall that went right down to the water's bottom but didn't restrict the water's flow. The bisecting division was translucent, so the light passing through it was heavily blurred. He extended that blurring to the parts of the dome that extended past the edge of the water. This would be the changing area. His last adjustment was to adjust all non-blurred parts of the structure to only allow visibility outwards. It would also protect against the ribbon beasts.

Stepping out of the spa building, he added a rule to the spell that restricted access on the left side to the males and the other side to females. He adjusted the dome to allow babies of either sex inside either side.

He drew a vertical dividing line where the dome was bisected, then scribbled MEN on the left side of the line and WOMEN on the right side.

Henry turned to face the group. "The dome will ensure privacy. Towels are on the way."

He heard thumping footfalls and saw Revna trotting down the hill towards them with a grin on her face. That was a good sign, he thought.