The Proposal

To say I was shocked would be the understatement of the century.

I stared down at the literal Goddess of Love and War kneeling before me on the marble pavement, holding out a velvet box containing interlocked cosmic rings as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I had never expected a woman to go down on one knee for me, let alone an ancient, world-renowned deity asking for my hand in marriage after a two-hour stroll.

It took a solid five seconds for my brain to reboot. The moment my senses returned, I instinctively scrambled backward off the stone bench, putting a good three feet of distance between us.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I choked out, staring at her like she had lost her mind.

Ishtar blinked her dark, enchanting eyes in genuine confusion, remaining gracefully on one knee. "What do you mean? I'm asking you to marry me."