After that little get-together, everyone eventually left the room. It had been a long day, especially for a newborn like me. My mother, Atalanta, gently carried me back to our bedroom after saying goodbye to the others.
The room was quiet and warm, dimly lit by the soft glow of a nearby lamp. My mother carefully laid me down on the bed beside her, her expression softening as she looked at me.
"You know, Leo," she whispered, brushing a few strands of her green hair from her face, "I'm really happy you were born." She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
It tickled a little, and I let out a small giggle, which made her smile.
She let out a small laugh and then lightly patted my belly, her fingers warm and soothing.
"You know… your dad actually saved me," she said, her voice quieter now, more thoughtful.
I stared up at her, curious. My little hands moved in the air, and I tilted my head slightly to the side. She noticed and laughed softly.
"You want to hear it, huh?" she said. "Alright… I'll tell you a story."
She shifted a little to lie on her side so she could look at me better. One of her arms rested protectively around me.
"When I was a baby, I was abandoned. My father… he left me in the woods to die. He wanted a son, not a daughter. I guess to him, I was just a mistake."
Her voice faltered for a moment. Her smile faded, replaced by a shadow of pain in her golden eyes. But then she gently stroked my cheek and continued.
"I should've died there, alone in the forest. But I didn't. The goddess Artemis took pity on me. She sent one of her sacred animals—a bear. A real bear. That bear nursed me, protected me. Kept me warm at night."
My eyes widened as I tried to imagine a baby being raised by a bear. It sounded like something out of a fairytale, but this world was different. Magic and gods were real here.
"Eventually, some hunters came through the mountains and found me. They saw how I was surviving and decided to raise me themselves. They didn't have much, but they gave me everything they could."
She smiled again, though this time it was proud. "I learned to hunt like a wild animal. I was strong. I didn't need anyone. I hated the idea of marriage, didn't trust men, and lived for the hunt. I swore myself to Artemis and never looked back."
She paused for a moment, her hand brushing through my hair. I cooed softly.
"I became a warrior. A huntress. I joined the Argonauts and went on great adventures across Greece. I even hunted centaurs in the goddess's name."
She chuckled softly, as if remembering something funny.
"Then… I met your father. Zeo. He was so young back then, curious and reckless. He kept bothering me, asking questions, trying to get close."
I made a little noise of protest, as if saying "that sounds annoying." She laughed.
"That's exactly how I felt! I turned him down again and again. But he never gave up. He was kind. Patient. And slowly… I let him in."
She looked up at the ceiling, her eyes distant, lost in the memory.
"He eventually told me the truth, that he was a devil. He asked me to leave everything behind and go with him. I couldn't. Not then. I had made a vow to Artemis. A vow of purity."
Her voice grew heavy. "After the hunt for the Calydonian Boar, I returned to my homeland. But my father, the same man who had once abandoned me, ordered me to marry."
Her fists clenched slightly. She looked upset. Instinctively, I reached out a tiny hand and touched her face.
She blinked, then smiled gently. "You're sweet, Leo. Just like your father."
"When suitors started coming, I challenged them. I said I'd only marry a man who could beat me in a footrace. If they lost, they died. I meant it. I didn't want to marry anyone except for your father."
She looked smug for a second. "And I was fast. No one could beat me. Until… one man tricked me. With the help of Aphrodite, he threw golden apples in my path. I couldn't help myself. I picked them up. And I lost."
Her eyes darkened a little.
"I was forced to marry to marry him. But Lady Artemis was watching over me. She knew my heart. So she turned me into a lion, as a way to protect me, so the other gods wouldn't interfere. It looked like a punishment, but really, it was her own form of kindness. She gave me what I wanted. Freedom."
She sighed, her fingers gently playing with my soft hair.
"For centuries, I lived like that. As a lion. Watching the world change. But Zeo… he never gave up on me. He visited me often. Even after he married someone else… he still came. He still loved me."
Her voice grew softer.
"Eventually, he met with Artemis. I don't know what they said, but she allowed him to bring me back. He used a [Knight Piece], one of those evil pieces, to reincarnate me as a devil. That broke the curse and made me human again."
She laughed a little and tapped one of her cat ears, which twitched.
"But I was in that lion form so long that some traits stuck with me. Like these ears. And maybe…" She looked at mine and rubbed them gently. "Maybe I passed that down to you."
I let out a small squeal and reached up, grabbing one of her fingers. She smiled warmly, eyes soft and full of love.
"Maybe it's a blessing from Lady Artemis herself," she whispered, brushing her nose against mine.
We stayed like that for a while. The air was calm, and I could feel the steady rhythm of her heartbeat beside me. For someone who claimed to have hated love and men, she was one of the most tender mothers I had ever seen.
I yawned, my mouth opening wide as I felt my eyes getting heavy. I rubbed them with my tiny fists, trying to stay awake, but it was no use. I was just too sleepy.
Mama laughed softly. "Getting sleepy already, huh?"
I made a small noise and wiggled closer to her. Her warmth felt nice.
She pulled the blanket over me and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek. I could barely keep my eyes open now.
"Rest now, my little lion," she whispered. "You've had quite the day."
As I started to drift off, I heard her voice one last time, soft and full of love.
"Thank you… for being born."