Chapter 3: Trouble

The rest of the night the pair would sit and talk about anything and everything.

Fauna had dozens of questions about his home, and his powers. Atlas also had many questions about the various plants, and animals in the world. They both became fascinated with each other in such a short time.

It was peaceful, the pair had silently laid on the grass, listening to the peaceful world around them. Fauna then started to hear birds chirping. She took a peek at the time, noticing it was almost sunrise.

'Whoa, have we been out here that long?' Fauna thought looking at the distracted Atlas admiring the world around him. The sky was starting to shift in colors causing her to sit up.

"Atlas, it's almost sunrise!" Fauna says as Atlas shot up in a panic. He saw the sky changing and knew he was in deep trouble.

"Yea, I'm going to be in big trouble," he muttered to himself before turning to Fauna. "I hope to see you again Fauna, but I have to go, my mother is going to be very angry at my disappearance " Atlas quickly explained.

Fauna was sad he had to leave but nodded her head

"I understand, good luck with that" she wished him, pulling the boy into a hug. He hugged her tight before focusing to return home.

He opened his eyes again to see he was on the face of the Moon.

Without a moment passing Atlas took off running hoping he could escape his mother's wrath. Just as he crawled back over the window he was met with his mother's stern guard, Sten. Atlas looked up and Sten sheepishly.

"There's nothing I can do for you to not tell my mom I was out all night, is there?" Atlas asked but Stein silently shook his head and got the young prince on his feet. Sten started to march him to the throne room.

Atlas was embarrassed. All the guards his age snickered watching the prince get escorted by his 'babysitter'

They walked up to the tall, and intricate doors. It had gold and dark blue marble covering the edges. The moon phases were arched over the top the full moon had started to glow. The doors started opening and Atlas was met with the sight of his parents.

His mother, Empress Amira, and his father Emperor Alaric.

They sat upon 2 thrones, Amira's with the full moon on the top of the large throne and Alaric's with the new moon on a matching throne.

In the history of the Jericho Empire, the full moon symbolized that whoever had the moon phase above them, had the blood of the first emperor of Jericho.

While the new moon symbolized new blood being brought into the lineage.

Amria looked at Atlas with narrowed eyes, and Alaric only had a stoic expression. The atmosphere was tense as the door closed. You could cut the tension with a knife. Empress Amria broke the silence by dismissing all the guards, but Stein, from the throne room.

The Empress stood up and made her way off her throne. Her heels clicking on the marble floors. She stood in front of her son. Taking a deep breath she finally spoke.

"I'm going to ask this just once. No lies, where were you all night?" Amira asks eerily calm.

Atlas slowly looked up at his mother. He was met with his mother's intense glare.

"I went to visit Earth…" He says hanging his head, avoiding her stare

"Earth? Atlas please tell me you at least took another form. Not one soul must know of our people." She says standing from her throne and descending the small stairs.

"I did" He lied "I would never put our people in danger," Atlas says thinking about Fauna.

"Good, next time don't cut it too close on the sunrise, you know what happens when one is left on earth in the day," Amria says hugging her son.

"If I ever find out you we're seen, you will never leave this castle again" She whispers in her son's ear as his heart drops.