The Satyr Lover: Chapter 5

A veil of stars fell across the sky. Krateros's guests, a revelry of male nobles and merchants from the neighboring villages, were making themselves comfortable on the low couches placed throughout the torchlit courtyard. In one corner of the gardens, longtime Philotes Konstantinos and Antonis, overcome by the effects of wine, engaged in a playful bout of sodomy. Antonis cried out gleefully with every stroke of Konstantinos's enormous cock, causing the other partygoers to begin cheering, with one shouting,

"Antonis, don't wear him out! I was so looking forward to getting a ride from Konstantinos's rod!"

Everyone burst out laughing, enjoying their lustful sense of camaraderie.

Helios, however, wasn't having any fun. As he went about pouring drinks, the guests kept making the rudest remarks to him, causing the youth to blush so deeply he could feel his cheeks burn. One of the men, the aristocrat Hippias, reached out, giving the young man a firm pinch on the bottom. Krateros, who'd been wandering among the throng sharing jokes, saw such impropriety take place. He frowned, catching Hippias's inebriated gaze, and in a cold, commanding voice, stated,

"Hippias, one does not grab the ass of Eros."

The noble giggled, drunkenly replying,

"Aye, he'll strike me with an arrow and make me fall in love with my wife!"

The other guests bellowed raucously. Unable to strike back at the old lecher, Helios gritted his teeth behind his smile.

Now, more than ever, he wished he could be back in that warm, mossy glen, comforted in the safety of Charoúmenos's arms.

***

At that moment, the satyr was being led toward the garden by Amyntas, who pulled him along on a thick, knotted leash. Charoúmenos couldn't stand being constrained, but was grateful to finally leave the cramped barn.

As they neared their destination, his sensitive nose picked up a strong mixture of smells wafting on the air: smoke, the musky scent of a dozen randy males, and the unmistakable aroma of freshly poured wine. Despite his troubles, Charoúmenos smiled and thought,

Reminds me of the bonfire parties Prince Dionysus holds in the woods.

The warm memories became a sting of sadness in his breast as he wondered,

Will I ever be able to attend such a gathering again, or will I be trapped in this place forever?

How he longed to return to the forest. Moreover, he wished he could find Helios and carry that beautiful boy away from this strange prison.

Soon, he was brought before the heavy wooden doors of the courtyard. As they entered, the wild man was stunned by the scene that greeted him, not because of the crowd within, or even the size of the enclosure.

In all his years, he'd never seen nature so severely tamed. All around him were trees that had been trimmed until they no longer resembled their natural counterparts, while the shrubs and rose bushes were corralled into perfectly measured plots of soil, each held back from reaching out to their neighbors.

The satyr then looked out upon the gathering, wondering why so many human men were in one place, until he noticed a few of the attendees had their faces buried in each other's laps. His own member twitched at the memory of such pleasures, and for a moment, his beastly inclinations nearly overwhelmed him, until he spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

Several paces ahead stood Helios, tipping the spout of an enormous wine jug into the waiting cup of an older, olive-skinned man.

When the youth saw the familiar outline of horns and hooves, he turned, his heart becoming instantly lighter at the sight of his friend.

Pure joy filled Charoúmenos's heart as their eyes locked.

Helios, as radiant as his namesake, gave his first genuine smile of the night.

Krateros, catching sight of Amyntas with his prize, gasped aloud. At first, he sat frozen in place, drinking in the sight of the satyr’s stout, masculine form, those strong goat legs, and the creature's well-formed, half-erect phallus.

He got up from his reclining couch, heading straight for the collared beast man and took his place before his prisoner. Charoúmenos failed to notice at first, so focused was he on the winged cupbearer, until Krateros placed himself in his way, declaring,

"Welcome to my grand estate! I am Krateros, of the-

Noting the way the forest dweller stared at him warily, he turned to Amyntas and said,

"The satyr is our guest. Remove him from his constraints."

Amyntas nearly gave his lord an incredulous look, but thought better of it, instead releasing the wild man from the leather leash. Upon realizing he'd been freed, Charoúmenos immediately leapt away, running full speed towards his own personal Eros. Helios, eyes wide, exclaimed,

"Dear satyr, I am-"

Before the boy had a chance to finish, his guardian had already embraced him, giving him a tight squeeze that caused Helios to gasp in surprise.

Krateros watched the scene with amusement, wondering,

What did those two get up to in the woods?

He grinned wickedly as he imagined a dozen different scenarios, each of a more libertine nature than the last.

The merchant strode up to the pair, coughing loudly to get their attention. Helios swiveled his head, gazing at Krateros fearfully, but the satyr ignored the intrusion, focusing only on the warmth such closeness wrought within his primal heart.

The boy bent in, whispering,

"Behind you stands my Master. Please acknowledge him, or he will be cross with me."

Charoúmenos, anger flaring in his belly, turned to face the purple-clad noble and growled,

"This is the man you told me of, the one who believes he owns you?"