The Moon Goddess and Her Mate

Inside the worship room,

The three men walked into the destination area. Sunlight entered the worship room, so it was not difficult for them to see what was around the area. The young man occasionally looked to the left and right and was amazed by the six large and carved pillars like the ones in front of the entrance. When he looked ahead, Armen realized that there were two people standing near the Altar, as if they were waiting for their presence.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Is that not Mr. Archer and Atlanta? I thought Dad would ask to meet them after he finished worshipping Lord Athalamaya, but it was the opposite. That girl is really flirtatious, and her act just makes me nauseous. She is very different from Atvertha, who is calm and authoritative. If she expresses her feelings or perhaps acts excessively, then I will tell her to stop doing that, Armen muttered to himself.

The head of the Lugthna family smiled when he discovered that two guests had arrived. “When will Archer and his daughter get here, High Priest?” Lebrazht asked, nodding towards the bald man.

“They arrived thirty minutes before you arrived,” answered the white-robed man.

“I see. Thank you, High Priest.” Norah Bitnantzh’s husband was even happier because there was a father and his daughter in front of him who had arrived sooner than he expected.

I will arrange for Armen to spend some time alone with Atlanta. I understand that the girl is still young, so her feelings are more passionate, unlike my son, who remains calm. If they really do not match, I will be forced to consider the three names mentioned by my wife, a fifty-four-year-old man who has made a new decision for the love story of his potential successor.

When the three men had arrived near the Altar, Archer greeted them first, “How are you, Chief and Armen?”

Lebrazht smiled. He also turned towards a young lady who was standing next to the greeter and did the same action. The blonde woman smiled politely but still glanced at Armen, even though that young man was looking in another direction. “I am fine, Archer. Do you want to pray too?”

A man who had five children nodded in response. “Yes, Chief. Atlanta and I would like to pray to Lord Athalamaya.”

“What a coincidence that the four of us can meet here to pray. This must be a good sign from the gods and goddesses.” Lebrazht deliberately lied, even though he and his interlocutor knew the true situation, which was no coincidence, and definitely made the two middle-aged men come to the temple bringing their respective children.

“Yes, Chief. I hope so.” Archer did not want to elevate himself. He was a little disappointed because Armen did not respond nor see his daughter at all. In fact, the tall young man even looked at the statue of the god and his wife, which made Aife Gathmunth’s husband lose hope of having the tribal chief’s eldest son as his future son-in-law.

“You and Atlanta can sit down. Armen and I will be with the High Priest.” The man, who had a height of one hundred and eighty-five centimetres tall, glanced at Armen, and the young man turned to him.

“Yes, Chief.” Archer could only say that because he felt uncomfortable prolonging the conversation. Meanwhile, the High Priest, who had been watching the small talk, did not comment. He was relieved because he could continue the postponed activities.

“Son, let’s go!” Lebrazht signalled the other person, and the young guy nodded politely. Armen seemed to want to avoid visiting Atlanta, where the handsome guy’s actions made the girl disappointed and annoyed.

Archer and his daughter could not do anything apart from sitting on wooden chairs as ordered. Meanwhile, Lebrazht Lugthna, Armen, and the High Priest were walking together and did not pay attention to Archer and Atlanta. When he arrived in front of the statue of Lord Athalamaya and his wife, the white-robed man turned to Lebrazht. “Would you like to continue talking for the ceremony?”

“Yes, High Priest. What about the offering that Armen brought?” A man who had been married to Norah Bitnantzh for thirty-six years deliberately asked this because he felt sorry for his son, who, before leaving for the temple, had brought a basket filled with fruit, which was used as an offering to the gods and goddesses.

“If you already brought it, let me take care now. Is this offering only to Lord Athalamaya or for other gods and goddesses?” The interlocutor answered, but before he handled it, the man with the white beard had to confirm this so that there would be no misunderstandings.

“The offering is for Lord Athalamaya, then…”

A young man who was still in love with an immortal goddess was bored, so he was reluctant to listen to his father’s conversation with the High Priest. What is my girl doing? Is she okay? Let’s hope so. I know Dad lied when he talked to Mr Archer about our meeting them here by accident, but I had to keep quiet not to embarrass him, Armen thought and was still holding the basket in annoyance.

“Armen. Give the High Priest that offering.” When he heard his name called, the charismatic guy turned his attention to the caller. He acted normal as if nothing was strange.

“Yes, Dad. Here is the offering, High Priest.” Armen handed the basket to a man he had known for a long time, and he was well received.

“Thank you, Armen. You can sit in your usual chair. Come on, Chief.” After saying these words, the two middle-aged men walked to the left side of the Altar, while the young man walked in the same direction, but he kept his distance from Lebrazht and the High Priest and sat in a chair which was close to the Altar, although a little far from the statue of the god.

Armen watched the behaviour of his father and the High Priest, who was involved in a serious conversation, but could not hear them because of the large distance between them.

I am glad I do not have to listen to Dad’s bullshit conversations. It is really annoying because I have to pretend to be nice to everyone, even though they are very annoying. Well, as long as they do not ask strange things or speak badly of my lady, then I remain calm and do not care, Armen said to himself in his mind so that no one could hear it.

***

One hour and fifteen minutes later

“Armen, wait!”

The owner’s name, who was walking out of the worship room, stopped in his tracks but did not turn around. Meanwhile, the three middle-aged men were seen having a conversation and acting as if they did not hear the girl’s loud voice. They seem to let the opposite sex act and continue chatting.

A beautiful girl was walking hurriedly towards Armen while the guy was already there. However, he was determined to convey something to the youngest daughter of the couple, Archer Detmotriath and Aife Gathmunth.

I am too lazy to meet Atlanta, but this is the only golden opportunity to tell me never to expect me again. I do not want to be rude to any woman because I have a mother, and she is a woman, too. If that girl still does not understand or is forcing her opinion, I will have to say something to her a bit harsh, thought Armen, holding an empty basket.

In less than two minutes, the young lady had arrived on the man’s left side. She seemed petite when she was close to Armen because the height difference was obvious, and her face seemed a little tired. Atlanta was disappointed because the man she loved did not want to look at her and acted coldly.

“Armen, where are you going?” asked Atlanta, who broke the ice between them.

“I am going home. What was wrong?” answered Armen, who did not want to look at the opposite sex.

Atlanta’s expression turned grim. She did not like this answer and wanted to make Armen stay longer. “You want to go home? Why do you so rush? How about we take a walk first?”

“No, I do not want it. I want to help Mom. If you still want to stay here, then do it.” The intonation of the voice used by the burly man was still the same, and there had been no change. However, Armen was very alert and seemed to anticipate all possibilities that could happen.

“Why are you avoiding me, Armen? You were not like this before.” Atlanta started to speak in a spoiled tone, while the other person did not show a happy expression, and he was still too lazy to look at that annoying girl’s face.

“I am not avoiding you. You are not my special lady, so do not expect more from me.” A man, who had a height of one hundred and ninety-two centimetres, could not bear to convey what was in his heart, but he still said it as politely as possible.

The blonde woman frowned. She felt that he had been rejected, even though she had not expressed her hidden feelings. Meanwhile, Armen continued walking because he felt there was nothing to discuss anymore. Meanwhile, Lebrazht started to glance near the door, and he was surprised because his eldest son had actually walked out of the worship room and left Atlanta alone.

“Armen, wait!” Atlanta started walking fast again, almost running, because she could not keep up with Agtheo’s older brother.

Damn! Armen even left me! Did the Moon Goddess cause this strange behaviour? Are they not no longer in a relationship? Atlanta grumbled softly, but the young man did not hear it.

Atlanta stopped in front of Armen, even though the distance between them was one meter. The guy with thick eyebrows was just observing the face of the opposite sex. He could not hide his annoyance, even though he had not said it openly. “What do you want?” asked Goddess Atvertha’s lover.

“Armen, I like you. Why are you acting strange?” answered Atlanta, who could not stand being ignored by the young man. She even expressed her feelings for the first son of the couple, Lebrazht Lugthna and Norah Bitnantzh.

“I only think of you as a friend. I told you not to expect me, right?” The green-eyed man still controlled his emotions to not yell at the girl, even though he was acting annoying.

A blonde woman could not believe the words that came out of the boy’s lips. She wanted to cry but held it in as best she could. “What did you say? A friend?”

“You heard me, Atlanta. I am not with you because I already have a special woman.” Armen still tried to speak good language, even though inside, he was very annoyed with that young girl.

“No, that is not true. You have to be kidding, aren’t you?” Atlanta was still in denial. She did not want to believe Armen’s words easily.

“No, I am not kidding. Goddess Atvertha is my lady, and we are still together. I wish you good luck.”

“I only want you, Armen. Please accept me as your future wife.”

That young man restrained himself from laughing. Meanwhile, Atlanta had lost her way to persuading Armen, so she begged her interlocutor to want to be with her and even make her his wife.

“Unfortunately, I do not want you. No means no, Atlanta. Accept reality and move on.” As soon as possible, Armen walked over and left the girl, who was still frozen in the same place. Without the guy realizing it, Atlanta’s tears fell, and she cried silently.

***