It was a beautiful summer day just like any other. The cool breeze blowing, the sun beaming down, touching every inch of the earth. What was unusual for this day was that the Goddess Terra was giving birth to a healthy baby boy. She named him Ostus. Ostus was the first son to be born to Terra, and she cherished him dearly. Little did Terra know that another child was being born this day. A daughter, born to the wife of Fortis, the mighty hunter and one of the few enemies of Terra. This baby girl was named Lepida. The two children grew up completely separate from each other, most likely to never meet, but destiny had other plans for them.
Many years later, when he was about sixteen years old, Ostus ventured into the forest for a leisurely stroll. Ostus had grown into a very gentle young man that had never harmed another living soul in his life. He has never needed to. Until today. As he walked through the forest, Ostus began to hear a soft noise behind him. He thought nothing of it at first and ignored the sound completely, which proved to be a grave mistake. Before he knew it, a Grizzly Bear, north of seven hundred pounds, was on top of him and attempting to maul him. Ostus screamed out for help, not sure what to do and defenseless against the huge animal. Just as he was close to accepting his definite death, the bear screamed out in pain, and quickly leapt off of Ostus and away deeper into the woods, an arrow protruding from its back.
Ostus quickly got to his feet and looked around for the person who had just saved his life. He saw no one in the nearby vicinity. After a few moments of standing there baffled, a voice called out from the distance.
“You should really be more aware when hunting in these woods.” Ostus turned toward the sound and finally saw a tall girl, about his age he reckoned, emerge from the brush. She was breathtaking, with long brown hair and the brightest hazel eyes. She walked toward him gracefully but with an intimidating strength at the same time. Ostus couldn’t help but stare. When she had closed much of the distance distance between them a few seconds later, he realized he hadn’t responded to her and felt his face flush.
“Uh, sorry,” he stuttered, “I didn’t know it was so dangerous here, and I’m not hunting.”
“Then why are you here?” The girl inquired.
“It was just such a beautiful day, and these woods seemed just as beautiful. I wanted to go for a walk to clear my head. I didn’t know anyone else would be here.” Ostus was never good at explaining himself. The girl just laughed, and his faced must have gotten ten degrees hotter.
“That’s cute,” she said. “You’re lucky someone was here, or else you would be bear food right about now.” She smiled up at him before turning around and starting back into the thick woods.
“Hey!” Ostus called out as she got farther away. “You never told me your name.”
The girl stopped just long enough to turn back and say with the most flirtatious smile, “You never asked.”
Lepida. That was her name. The most perfect name to fit the most perfect girl. After that first day in the woods, Ostus returned there every afternoon to see her. He later learned that she ventured into the woods every day to hunt, not for food. Just for practice. Her father had apparently been a famous hunter and taught her when she was very young. She offered to teach Ostus, but he was far too gentle to ever kill an animal. He preferred to just watch her, and admire her talent.
As the months went on, Ostus fell in love with Lepida, and she with him. They spent all of their free time together. One day, as they lay together in a grassy clearing in the woods, they decided that they should finally make their relationship public to their families. Ostus suggested Lepida bring her family to his home for dinner that evening, and she agreed. After a few more minutes they parted to prepare for the big night.
When Ostus got home, he broke the news to his mother. She was ecstatic.
As the time neared closer, Ostus sat in the living room, a bit nervous to meet Lepida’s parents, but he couldn’t dwell on his fears for long, because just then he heard a knock at the door. He sprang up to open it. At the door stood lepida in a flowered sun dress. Behind her stood a tall masculine man, the mighty hunter he presumed.
“You look stunning,” was all he managed to say.
Lepida just smiled. “This is my father.” She said. The man stepped forward to shake Ostus’ hand.
“You can call me Fortis.” Her father bellowed. Ostus could see where his girlfriend had gotten her intimidating demeanor from.
“Hello sir. Please come in.” Just as Ostus said that, and the man and his daughter began to enter the house, Terra made it to the door, and both parents stopped in their tracks. Terra glared at Fortis.
“What on my earth are you doing here?!” The anger audible in her voice. Ostus had never seen his mother this angry before.
“I wasn’t aware he was your son. Lepida let’s go.” Fortis grabbed his daughter’s hand and began yanking her away from the door.
“Dad! Wait, I don’t understand!” Lepida fought her father’s grip, but with no success.
Ostus turned to his mother. “What is going on?”
“Fortis is my enemy, which means any kin of his is your enemy. I’m sorry Ostus but you cannot be with that girl.”
“What?! I love her mother. I’m going to be with her.” Ostus ran through the door. “Lepida! Wait!”
Lepida turned and finally freed herself from her father’s grasp and ran towards Ostus as well. Terra yelled after Ostus.
“Son, you have given me no choice.” She raised her arms in the air and began to mutter some type of incantation. Before Ostus could reach Lepida, the ground began to shake. Terra continued to speak the words of a goddess, and the shaking became more intense. A few seconds later, the land began to split apart! A great rift formed in the ground, and Ostus was suddenly separated from Lepida, the earth moving farther and farther apart and the ground continuing to shake violently.
“Mother!” Ostus called out. “What are you doing?!”
“I’m cursing you. I’m sorry son but it is for your own good. You two cannot be together. If you ever try to get close to her again, this same thing will happen, and your efforts will be futile.” Terra responded.
Ostus saw the tears running down Lepida’s face. “I refuse to give up on you my love,” He said. “I’ll never stop trying.”
And he never did. He was doomed for eternity to walk the earth in search of his one true love, and whenever he got close to being reunited with her, the Earth his mother controlled would begin to shake and rip him away from her, creating mighty earthquakes. Time after time. Again and again. Their love would forever be forbidden.
