Forbidden Child of Lady Artemis

3

THE MAIDEN HAS A SON.

Eastwood Apts Hollywood, California
Room 309
7:00 PM

“You are one curious child, son of Artemis.”

I froze. My whole body stiffened because of the impossible yet my suspected idea from what Professor Eugene have said. Out of the blue, the scenes from my dream rushed rapidly like wild tidal waves towards the shore. My head starts to throb so bad. I held my eyes wide open.

It was all like scrambled pieces of a puzzle and here I am trying to solve its darkest secrets, my life’s mysteries. I am trying to decipher the codes and it felt like I am the Rosetta itself. Solving the riddles my own father and mother had made.

It makes sense! All of it makes sense! I looked at Professor Eugene who grinned at me while leaning at the door frame crossing his arms. It was close to a smirk that he had the liberty and satisfaction from knowing it all while I am there, the whole time, playing clueless and acting like my life was in the palm of his hands. For he has a hold and even solved all my life’s riddles and mysteries. I went to the nearest wall to get support. My legs started to get wobbly as my breathing became ragged. Then, I noticed a pair of arms holding me back into place escorting me inside his apartment.

Professor Eugene left me sitting at his vintage and ancient-like couch. Not ancient-like, excuse me but real ancient. As I have calmed myself down, I looked around his apartment noticing that his room interior was Grecian themed style. The pillars in the corners were just like the temples I’ve seen in Greece; his walls were carved with cream-colored marbles. There are plants everywhere, some are common but most of it are rare and out of this world.

I stood up and roamed myself around. I forgot about being dizzy. There is no TV, no Wi-Fi router, no microwave an not even a single fan or air conditioner. However, how an it nay seem, if it could get any odder, the room is comfortably cold and it feels so cozy to be here that I wanna stay for a while.

Then I went into the furnace. Above it was photos of mostly about nature but there is one that caught my attention. It is Professor Eugene who have legs like a goat and the familiar woman beside her carrying a baby in a cream-colored satin. My head starts to throb again when I saw that picture and the dream flooded back into my head in a light-speed.

I held the photo and watched it carefully, not minding the throbbing head. I then noticed the carved words below the frame. It seems like it is written in Greek and surprisingly, I can read it.

Φίλο και τους εχθρούς για πάντα
It says, ‘Friends and enemies forever’.

What does that mean? I am disrupted from my thoughts when I heard a faint cough coming from my back. I turned around and saw Professor Eugene holding a tray of cup of hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. My stomach began to rumble when I saw those delicious treats.

“I see you’ve found that picture. I should have thrown it years ago but something inside me stops me from doing it.”

He then chuckled and offered me to go towards the living room. We sat down facing each other, waiting for each other to start the conversation. The photo is still in my hands but my full attention was focused back to Professor Eugene whose emerald eyes is staring at me intently.

“You look like your mother.”

He started, not able to take his eyes off me. I started to feel uncomfortable because of his stare but I know I must listen to him first because this might answer all my questions.

“You were looking for answers, right?”

I nodded eagerly, wanting to hear more from him. I noticed that my phone is vibrating. It’s probably my dad, wanting to get rid of me. But nevertheless, this is much important than him.

“Well, Artemis and I are not best of friends. We loathe each other because she is the goddess of the hunt and I am the god of the wilderness---”

“Woah. Hold up! You’re a god? You?” I looked at him from top to bottom. “a god?”

“Hey kid, don’t disrespect a majestic god like me! I am the Great Pan! The god of the wilderness. I can give you a punishment like you being eaten by wild plants but I will let this slide because I know that you’re totally outdated.” He exclaimed dramatically.

“So moving on... as I have said, we are enemies. She hunts animals while I resurrect try to resurrect them. One day, I followed Artemis with her Huntresses as they tend to do their daily routine which is hunting, of course." That's creepy. Pan - the god of wilderness and a... stalker.

I hope he cannot read thoughts. Oh, please.

"After days of following her, we stopped into a forest called Phloloe which was Artemis’ sacred place. I was about to leave when we saw a large car thing, slashing every tree in its way. My heart clenched when I saw how horrible humans are!”

I was still in the state of shock when I saw the different Professor Eugene. He was complaining like a child, with his hands swaying dramatically. I mentally laugh knowing that Professor still have a nerve on me. I then saw him slowly transforming to a goat-like human. I assumed he didn’t notice it because he keeps on blabbering about how horrible human species are. Well... I couldn't agree more.

“Anyway, too much for that. Back to the story! So, Artemis turned herself into a human and stormed towards the big crowd of humans. I clearly remember how pissed she was and it was hilarious. She angrily talked to the humans and demand to know who is their leader. Suddenly, a man stepped out.  It was a handsome young man. Artemis turned around and went completely frozen. I don’t know if it was Eros' doing... sorry, Cupid's I mean, we are in Greek point of view. But the water is decisively clear in one corner, I know it was love at first sight.”

I unconsciously smiled imagining how my mom and my dad met. Dad doesn’t talk too much about mom and I didn’t told him about my dreams but I know she loves my mother.

“As days passed by, the two became lovers but then took separate ways for a god and a human cannot have a long-term relationship specially Artemis, the goddess of virginity. But as I have suspected it she was already bearing a child and it was you! And the rest including you being abandoned by your own supposedly maiden mother, is history.”

His words ‘abandoned’ hurts like hell.  It felt like the word itself was pierced within me through thousands of knives. I looked down trying to find a way to comprehend all the things Professor Eugene had told me. But despite all of that, I still longed for my mother, especially for her love.

However, I am greatly aware how unconventional our family is. First, my mom is a god. Not a minor god, but one of the twelve Olympians. She was the daughter of Zeus which made me the grandson of the king. Amidst of that, my father is technically a destroyer of nature for he is a developer of land but the motive is to turn it into buildings and whatnot. And lastly, my mother, Lady Artemis, is a holy virgin that was supposed to stay maiden forever.

But how the Fates played with there life. And resounded into an Orien.

Basically, I am forbidden. Double… triple forbidden at that.

I am born from sin…

I am the abandoned…

I am the forbidden son… of Lady Artemis.