Love Through The Dark

The Hunter and The Traitor

Seeing the two men stand before her made Junddin angry but seeing the goddess Bastet in place of her animal companion made her even angrier. Jundiin felt betrayed like the one constant she could rely on had lied to her. The truth was Jundiin was surrounded by horrible people and she wanted to shoot them all with the arrows she could now create at will. The woman was smart however and knew if she wanted to win this battle against Orion The Hunter she would have to work with the goddess Bastet. Setting aside any qualms with the cat goddess Jundiin readied her bow aiming it at her opposition. "Ready yourself to die Orion." The woman proclaimed to the empty meadow on which she stood. "Die?" Orion laughed in astonishment "dear lady I am akin to a god, I was placed in the heavens itself in honour of my deeds." Jundiin did not care for what she heard and continued readying herself to shoot her arrow but Orion being the skilled hunter that he was shoot first and his arrow soared through the air ready to pierce the young woman's heart. Bastet quickly flicked The Leo charm that sat upon her wrist and Jundiin's skin was covered in a shiny impenetrable layer saving her life. Jundiin looked over at Bastet who despite being a goddess looked timid to her gaze. This was when Jundiin truly saw that the cat goddess wanted to do nothing but protect her. This thought gave the woman the strength to continue.

Heracles leaped at Jundiin claiming her to be a cheater with her now protective skin. In return the woman branded him a traitor though she knew Heracles was never truly on her side to begin with. All Heracles cared about was Heracles. The demigods attempt at attacking the woman were to no avail. Thinking cautiously the woman summoned another arrow and stabbed it through Heracles's heart. The son of Zeus exploded into dust and Jundiin and Orion stood face to face. "Why are you doing this Orion? From what I can see you were living a perfectly content life in the heavens." Jundiin claimed as Orion scoffed and began positioning himself ready to shoot his arrow. "You took my chance of revenge from me your highness and now you must pay with your life." Jundiin shook her head confused "highness?" The word got caught in her throat like she was swallowing a rock. "Yes did your feline friend not tell you? You Jundiin are one of us. A goddess in human form." Jundiin looked at Bastet who was bowing her head in shame. "Is this true?" Jundiin shouted at the half cat half woman goddess. All Bastet could do was nod silently. Jundiin clutched her chest and slowly fell to the floor in shock. "But I have a family I have mortal parents. My Mother died when I was young but my Father was human." Orion laughed his giant voice could be heard across the entire meadow. "Your Father was mortal yes but he was still of royal blood. Your Uncle Malik was king of your kingdom." Jundiin's eyes widened in shock. She had no clue her Father had a brother. She knew of King Malik of course but how could she have known he was her uncle. "So I am a Princess." Bastet nodded and left her head to hang low "and your Father is King." Jundiin screamed at the air she pulled her bow causing the arrow to soar and hit Orion in the neck. The star man clutched his neck as he fell to the floor. Everything turned black for Princess Jundiin as she fainted on to the grass below.

As Jundiin awoke she saw Bastet looking down at her concerned. "Is it true Ziare?" Jundiin asked the goddess before changing Ziare to Bastet remembering her cat was a goddess. "It is Jundiin you are heir to the throne of Atalwabul." The woman sighed as she pulled herself up from the ground. Where her body had laid their was an outline almost as if the ground was made of sponge. "But how? My Father was nothing but a nobody how can he be king?" Bastet helped Jundiin to stand fully and looked her directly in the eyes "after you left" Bastet placed her hand on Jundiin's shoulder "your Father found out he was the secret older brother of King Malik. Upon discovering this he stormed the castle and murdered your uncle. He then sentenced the Queen to death but she survived and her and her son, your cousin went into exile. Strangely to the same Kingdom you ended up in. Your Father is a tyrant. He kills whoever he wishes and I am sorry to reveal he is the reason for your mother's passing." Jundiin could hardly comprehend what she had been told. Not only was she a princess but her Father had murdered her Mother, killed the King and now ruled over the kingdom she was from. Not just that but she was being told this by a goddess who had once been her animal companion. A thought suddenly crossed the Princesses mind. "What of my sister Jamal?" Bastet shook her head in sorrow. "He murdered her as well she was heard pleading for your honour to be restored." So her sister was dead too and because of defending her.

"Why did I do it?" Jundiin asked Bastet. "Do what your highness?" The goddess asked Jundiin who cringed at being referred to as highness. "Why did I have to kiss that girl. Why did I fall in love with another woman? you must think I am disgusting. I am worthless and I destroy everything I touch." Jundiin almost burst into tears but Bastet held her like a mother would hold her child. "No" Jundiin's eyes widened in shock. "You can not be?" As if the poor Princess hadn't received enough shocks she realised then something about herself she never knew. "Yes Jundiin I am your mother." Bastet claimed holding her daughter who now cried in her feline arms. "Now is not the time to cry my child. Gosh how I have longed to call you that. You are beautiful and made in my image if you are to love women that is no mistake. Some women love women and do you know what? That is good. Amun-Ra knows that every kind of love is beautiful. Man and Woman, Man and Man, Woman and Woman. Any love is beautiful so do not allow those thoughts to hinder our progress." Princess Jundiin looked up to see her mothers face looking down at her before turning back into the feline face of Bastet. "How are you my mother you said my Father killed her. "No child I said he was responsible for her passing. Your Father broke me down to nothing until I forgot who I was. I became a cat to hide from him and lost my memories. I thought I had been in cat form for centuries but now my memories have returned completely and I know this not to be true. I am your mother Jundiin. Now stop your tears and get out your book." Jundiin reluctantly did as she was told and took out the book that allowed her to travel anywhere with the scribble of a quill.

"I have a quest." Jundiin proclaimed. "Princess or not I must save my lover. I made a promise to release Prince Juventas from his tower and now knowing how thick with tar royal blood feels I refuse to break that promise and I wish to make a new promise." Bastet looked on confused. "Once I am done with my quest I will do onto my Father what he did on to my sister and my uncle. I will kill him." Bastet gasped in shock but before she could say anything in protest Jundiin tore the bracelet from her mothers wrist that held the charms and wrote the words The Heart of Capricorn in the book.

Jundiin appeared submerged under water alone holding the replenishing quill. The Princess now had the zodiac bracelet around her wrist and was alone. For the first time on her quest Jundiin was alone without Ziare who was the goddess Bastet who was also her Mother. A beast was nearby and this time Jundiin controlled her power. Princess Jundiin of Atalwabul was going to defeat the Capricorn beast alone without her mother holding her hand. After all at the end of the day she was the hunter hunting the beasts and her mother was the traitor who had lied about who she was.