Forbidden Child of Lady Artemis

1

I HAVE A HUNCH.

Beverly Hills, LA, California
June 7, 2019; 11:59 PM

I woke up with a start.

I jolted straight upright from my typical dream. It has been what I am secretly visualizing ever since. I cannot decide even after years of dreaming that same old scene whether it was a sweet fantasy of me, being carefully held and carried by a young maiden, or a nightmare of being left; feeling viciously neglected at the dimly lit doorstep of a golden but void mansion.

I vividly remembered that it was a young but fierce medieval lady who carefully held me into place as if I am a fragile thing that can easily be broken with just a mere whisper of the wind.

That memory was both clear and vaguely etched in my mind.

She was clothed in a full-length woman's robe that they called chiton, with a cloak and a headgear that's depicting both the shadow of a crown and animal-pelt cap, and draped across her shoulders was the pelt of a deer.

The way her long fingers caressed the soft cream-colored satin that was wrapped around me sent shivers to my spine. And as I recalled that moment, she has the eyes and feels of a goddess. As far as I can remember, despite the fact that there was no room of forgetting it, I can describe that mysterious lady singlehandedly.

The young maiden has a set of silver yellow eyes that reflects the moon. Her auburn colored hair, as lit by the dim lights, sways gracefully with the calm moving wind. Swung at her back was a quiver and bow skillfully carved with faces of different animals screaming in horror. Her face does not resemble the aura of a huntress in this common days. But a face that mirrors the concern of a soulful mother.

If I weren't just a baby, I would've asked what was the stag for. The stag was golden and strong as a million-old oak. Surrounding us were women wearing knee-length tunic and all geared ready for a combat. They have a golden circlet in their heads similar to laurels of saints. However, those circlets were glowing - as shining, yet again, as the moon.

The stag, as the young lady snapped her fingers, run and was lost in my sight like a lightning speed.

A soft knock made me drift to my consciousness, back towards the present time. As I have checked the time, I realized that it is already 6 o'clock in the morning - awed and perplexed how I stayed up for six hours just to reminisce that one fateful night.

Beverly Hills High School
8:30 AM

I tapped my fingers in my desk as I continuously look at the clock. Professor Eugene, an old fat man wearing a loose button-down shirt that was too big for his size waved his hands as he blabbed at the front. I am not totally interested with what he is currently talking about.

Who likes to hear about World Literature for the whole two hours?!

Every time he is engrossed with his topic, he talks about it simultaneously. And now, he finds sharing Greek Mythologies fun but none of us were interested.

Until he spoke about this certain goddess.

"Artemis is known as the goddess of Hunt and she's one of the most respected of all ancient deities. She was the daughter of Zeus, king of the gods, and the Tastiness Leto. And she has a twin brother, the god of Oracles, Apollo."

Professor Eugene started his expected long discussion. I came into a halt and turned my attention to him which was totally surprising. Unconsciously, I began sweating really bad and carelessly wipes it despite the unknown idea behind. I am oblivious whether this is because of the broken air-condition or just me and my baseless conclusion.

"Not only Artemis was tagged as the goddess of the hunt. She was also known as the goddess of wild animals, wilderness and childbirth. In addition, she was the protector of young children and was known to bring and relieve diseases in women."

The professor then flashed the picture of the goddess in the wide screened projector. I was mesmerized by her beauty and overflowing power. As he moved on to the next slides where the goddess truly radiates a familiar aura, I stiffened.

"In literature and art, she was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrow as she is the goddess of the hunt after all."

He then again flashed the photo of the young maiden carrying the bow and arrow. That was not the exact bow I have seen in the past nor I had imagined. This is just a poor personification of the bow if my imagination was right. But then, the thought of Artemis holding me in that fatal night was beyond impossible.

She was just a myth, a mere illusion just as Professor Eugene had said.

"She was accompanied by a golden stag or a hunting dog with her own disciples, the Hunters of Artemis. They went forest to forest seeking to kill wild animals and recruit young maidens into joining the hunt."

The photo was awfully familiar. With the group of women all in tunic clothes and golden circlet in their head, I shivered. But then I neglected the idea for it is too unworldly.

I raised my hand, seeking for answers for my impossible questions. The professor was enthusiastic in entertaining me for this is the first time that I actually participated in his seemingly endless discussion.

My classmates looked at me, bewildered. They didn't peg me as one who asks questions more so with the boring Professor Eugene. I didn't mind the silent criticisms behind their eyes. I just stood up.

"Professor, did Artemis had children?"

From his happy and excited face, it turned into a sour smile and he chuckled sarcastically.

"Unfortunately Mr. Orien Gates, Artemis is a maiden. She is the goddess of virginity. She won't entertain men but only to turn them into a bunch of deers and bears. However, Orion... well that was another story to tell. See you in the next meeting."

I awkwardly sat down in my chair. He didn't quite give me a clear answer and dismissed the idea of elaborating another topic. It was odd hearing it from the professor.

He won't miss a chance of telling another story even with just five minutes in hand. And now we had still twenty minutes to finish - with a lot of questions unanswered in my mind.

I shook my head harshly. I am currently both in rage and annoyance in my own presumed thoughts. Imagining and concluding hypothesis that were both impossible and crazy.

But my mind carefully mapped things out from the very beginning. It has been years but still, I am clinging in that foolish idea.

What's that idea?

Well, I just imagined that the lady in my dreams and the almighty goddess we've heard in myths and read in books were the same. That she was Artemis.

And that Lady Artemis, the goddess of Hunting, is probably my mother.