Atlas’s eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. Venusa broke the kiss and smiled intoxicatingly.
“P… princess…”
Venusa hummed and collapsed in his arms. Atlas stared down at the weird woman he was holding.
“What just happened?” Atlas wondered, unable to believe what Venusa just did. He adjusted and carried her in bridal style.
“You’re one hell of a princess, Venusa.”
Venusa murmured something and snuggled against his chest. Atlas held her tighter and proceeded to take her to her house. She met the Chief and Great mother pacing impatiently. Atlas guessed they are waiting for their daughter.
“Venusa!” Great mother yelled as soon as she saw Atlas approach with her daughter.
“This girl!” Umbria scolded as she took Venusa from Atlas.
Venusa gasped and hugged her mother. “it’s my mama!” She slurred.
“Venusa, are you drunk?” Her father questioned angrily.
“Hey, father.” She spread her arms open and pouted. “Come on, father, hug me.”
“Umbria, get hold of that girl.” Hank, Venusa’s father, said to Umbria and faced Atlas.
“Thank you, young man. How can we ever repay you?”
“It’s fine, your majesty. I just did what anyone would have done.”
“No. You saw a vulnerable girl and instead of taking advantage of her, you brought her here. Thank you so much.” Hank said appreciatively and Atlas smiled.
“What’s your name?” Umbria asked him.
“Atlas.”
“Atlas…” Umbria whispered. She stared at Atlas like she knew him from somewhere.
Just then, Venusa gasped. “Mother!” She shrieked.
“You brat! Be quiet, it’s late in the night!” Umbria scolded, giving Venusa a slight pat on her bum.
“I see you’ve met Atlas! Atlas, this is my mother. Mother, meet your son-in-law.”
“Son-in-law?” Hank exclaimed and Atlas quickly cleared the misunderstanding.
“No no. It’s not like that. I only saw her in this state and brought her home. We are not-”
“Atlas, you are breaking my heart.” Venusa whined. “We even kissed, remember?” She whispered but her whisper was loud enough to be heard by her parents.
“You did what to my daughter?” Hank fired, grabbing Atlas by his collar.
“N.. no, we didn’t. I mean… yes but-”
“Yes? You took advantage of my daughter?” Umbria shrieked and Atlas quickly got on his knees.
“Mother, don’t be harsh on him. We kissed but he didn’t kiss me. I was the one that kissed him.” Venusa revealed. Hank and Umbria exchanged expressions of disbelief. They looked at Atlas who was still on his knees.
So this man did not take advantage of our daughter, rather, our daughter took advantage of him.
They couldn’t believe their daughter.
“Um… young man, you go.” Hank said and Atlas didn’t waste a minute before zooming off.
“You are in big trouble, Venusa.”
Venusa grinned at her father, who didn’t look like he was in for her jokes. He took her from her mother and carried her inside. He gently placed his daughter on her bed and tucked her in. He knelt beside her and caressed her hair.
“You’re such a trouble maker.”
Venusa hummed sleepily and Hank chuckled. He just can’t get mad at her for too long. He pecked her forehead and left the room. When he got out, he met his wife in deep thoughts.
“Everything okay?” He asked and Umbria shook her head.
“It’s him.” She said, confusing Hank.
“Who?”
“Atlas. He’s the man chosen by the moon goddess. Our daughter’s soulmate.”
Hank frowned. “Him?”
Umbria nodded. “I thought he would be a great warrior or powerful shaman but he’s just an ordinary human. I couldn’t feel any unique powers from him.”
“What should we do?” Hank asked and Umbria shrugged.
“What can we do? He’s the one chosen for our daughter. Is there anything we can do about it? And looking at it, our daughter seems to fancy him.”
Hank nodded. “True.”
“But I don’t trust him yet.” Umbria said and Hank nodded in concur. “Me too. We’ll have to scrutinize him well before he can have my daughter.” He said protectively.
***
“Ah,” Venusa winced as she sat up. Her head throbs badly. She looked around, wondering how she got to her room.
“Did Helen bring me?” She wondered aloud. Just then, her dad came in and leaned on the door frame.
“Awake?”
“Yeah. Dad, did you bring me in here?”
Hank raised his brow. “You can’t remember how you got here?”
“Huh?” Venusa scratched her hair, trying to remember what happened the night before. Her eyes widened when an unexpected image flashed in her head.
Atlas and her under the stars. She kissed him!
She gasped in disbelief and covered her mouth with her palm.
“Holy cow!” She exclaimed, startling her father.
“What?”
“I.. I…”
Just like that, images started flow into her head. She recollected everything. Her crazy show with Atlas and her parents, her kiss with Atlas and how she embarrassed herself in front of him.
“I’m done.” She said and Hank chuckled.
“Did you finally remember?” He asked and Venusa nodded shamefully.
“How will I face him?”
“The same way you’ve been facing him.”
“You don’t understand, father, I…”
“Kissed him?”
Venusa gasped and Hank laughed. “You told us what you did yourself. I have no problem with you but be ready to receive an earful from your mother. She has been fuming since last night.”
Venusa gulped. She knows how scary her mother is when she’s infuriated. She hid under her blanket and Hank pulled her up.
“Don’t run away from your fears. Face them.”
“I don’t think I can face this one.”
Hank shook his head. “A princess should fear nothing.”
He pushed her out of her room and the first person she saw was…
“Atlas!” She yelled in surprise. She quickly hid behind her father in embarrassment. She couldn’t face him. Not after what she did the night before.
“The troublemaker is up.” Umbria said as she emerged from the kitchen. Venusa peeked at her mother. Seeing the rage in her mother’s eyes, she shrunk back.
“Good… good morning, mother.” Venusa greeted nervously. Umbria went to her and pulled her away from Hank’s back.
Umbria felt Venusa’s forehead and sighed in relief. “Thankfully, you’re not running a fever. Here, drink this.”
She directed a cup filled with medicine to Venusa’s lips. Venusa took a sip and cringed.
“It’s bitter.”
“Serves you right. Drink the rest.”
Venusa forced the medicine down her throat and gagged.
“You vomit it and you’ll drink a new one.”
Venusa swallowed it and Umbria smiled in satisfaction. Umbria returned the cup and came back to the living room.
“You all should sit.”
Venusa made to sit beside her father but Hank pushed her to sit beside Atlas.
“Hey.” Atlas greeted but Venusa was too embarrassed to speak. She turned away from him and faced her mother.
“I’m sorry for calling you here on such a short notice, Atlas.” Umbria said and Atlas shook his head.
“It’s fine. I had already planned to come here this morning to check on Venusa.”
Umbria smiled. “We’re sorry for last night too. Venusa just doesn’t understand that there are some certain things a princess shouldn’t do. She’s a princess but elegance and grace is not part of her qualifies.”
Venusa glared at her mother in displeasure. Did she really have to say that in front of him?
Atlas chuckled. “it’s fine. She’s actually unique the way she is.” He said and Venusa blushed.
“I called you here today to pass a very important information.” Umbria said and Venusa became interested.
Umbria went straight to the point. “You’re the one for my daughter, Atlas.”
Venusa and Atlas stared at each other in confusion.
“What do you mean, mother?” Venusa asked.
“He is your chosen mate, princess.” Hank said and Atlas’s jaw almost fell to the ground. Venusa turned to her father which in turn nodded in confirmation. Venusa thinned her lips to stop the smile that was building. Her insides danced for joy as her father’s statement echoed in her head.