Chapter Text
He always thought the night was beautiful.
As a captain, he knew of its dangers. The darkness was an assailant's best friend. A mouse that could outrun and outsmart any creature it met in the day became easy prey once the sun dipped below the horizon. Even if they weren't completely blind,they were no match for any animal that had lived its entire life in the shadows. It was all a matter of who could adapt the quickest to any possible threat,and for him, that meant staying on edge every time the sky's orange and gold hue was overtaken by the inky blue.
But sometimes,in the few moments he was certain they were safe,he liked to watch each star wake up from its long sleep to light up the night.
Careful hands threaded each tiny jewel into the linen stretched across an infinite loom. Stories written in stardust were woven into the blanket,the scattered bits of white that fell from forgotten memories captured in the fiber with just as much aegis.
Their reflections wobbled in the gentle waves that carried his ship. He often wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through the sea of diamonds. Would it feel as warm as the strings his Penelope chose for her precious looms? Or maybe it was more cold like the water that lapped at the shoreline,carrying seashells he knew his Telemachus would stare at with wonder once he was old enough to play in the water. Only the Gods knew,and he was fairly sure that was a secret they'd keep to themselves. But he was fine with marveling from the earth below. It was much easier to see each tale that decorated the night from here.
"Do you see that one?" Odysseus asked softly. "That is Orpheus's lyre. Apollo taught him how to play it. His music was so beautiful, he could charm even the most dangerous beast."
The other let out a confused noise.
"Do you know how he defeated the sirens?" Odysseus waited for his answer; a curious look aimed at the captain. "He played his music when the Argonauts had to sail through an entire group of them. It was the only song louder and more powerful than theirs. Without him,they would have crashed and sunk all the way to the bottom of the ocean."
He smiled at the little babble his fellow stargazer let out. "Yes,that is very far."
His eyes wandered to another constellation "And those are named after Queen Berenice II. She vowed to sacrifice her hair to Aphrodite to make sure her husband returned home safely from war."
A thought suddenly hit him. "You don't know what war is,do you?"
He blinked once,then twice.
The warm smile on his face melted. Of course he wouldn't know what war was. Even at the center of a decade-long battle,he wouldn't know. Why would he? He was just an infant when the bloodshed had reached his front door.
Odysseus lowered his gaze to the world below. The nursery was thousands of feet above the battlefield. Cries of ruthless soldiers became whispers carried into silence by the soft breeze. The scarlet hue his men brought to the city of Troy was completely hidden under the blanket of stars. Even the heat he swore would burn the flesh off his bones was dissuaded from creeping into the last safe room left in the city by the night's cool breath. The war couldn't reach the baby,not from here.
At least until he arrived.
His eyes fall back to the infant in his arms. Zeus’s vision came in the form of a man twice his size and twice as strong plunging the blade of his sword deep into his chest. He didn’t have time to thank the Gods that it was all just an illusion,not when one of them had cast himself over the blood red sky. It was a warning of what was to come if he didn’t strike first. A lone survivor, fueled by rage, left alive would come to kill him,his family,and all he had come to love.
Astyanax,son of Prince Hector.
He had no reason to doubt him,not when the Gods had spoken hundreds of times before. Were it not for their guidance, he would’ve been a scarlet smear among the pages of history by now. So the king of Ithaca followed the king of Gods,stellar wisps of white guiding him towards a room untouched by his men.
He walked down the abandoned halls in complete silence. The tapestries were torn in the race to escape before his men could scale the wall, hung from their ropes like fallen flags. Jewelry that had spilled from the servant’s hands were scattered across the floor,worth a fortune but not a life. They had all forsaken the fortress,the guards and their Prince bounding to the courtyard once the first Greek soldier dropped from the wooden horse. That left one person inside,his greatest foe yet.
In the time any other person would spend dreading the fight,he had run through every possibility of what awaited him in his head. In even less time, he created a plan of attack to counter each one. If there was one thing Athena taught him,it was that hesitance would be his greatest downfall. And he swore that the only thing that would fall would be Troy and the royal family leading it.
He entered the battle just as he would with any other,ready to face anything his enemy had in store for him once he kicked the door open.
Well,almost anything
What never crossed his mind was a cradle tucked underneath an open window.
He had walked past the toys strewn across the room and towards the tiny bed. The moonlight’s glow illuminated his chubby cheeks and dark,curly hair. Wet trails stained his face. A few droplets still sat by the corners of his eyes. He could smell the faint scent of milk mixed with honey soaked into the cloth in his tiny fist.
“It's just an infant…It's just a boy…”
The man took off his helmet. The one thing that could protect him from a fatal blow. Why would he need it here? What sort of imminent threat did he pose that he could not avoid?
Zeus's words echoed in the back of his mind.
This is the son of none other than Troy's very own Prince Hector
One fueled with rage as you're consumed by age
If you don't end him now, you'll have no one left to save
You can say goodbye to Penelope
The reason he’d bled and fought for so long.
He couldn’t lose her. He’d rather die than lose her. He’d rather kill than lose her. But…an infant?
How could someone so small,so innocent,be enough of a danger to warrant a message from the King of Gods?
His morbid thoughts came to a stop once he noticed a fresh tear threatening to fall down his cheek. Without much thought, he gently wiped it off his face with his finger.
Odysseus froze once the helpless little thing stirred. He scrunched his little baby nose and yawned a tiny,little baby yawn before opening his eyes. For the first time during the decade-long massacre,he had been found by the enemy. He was the only one who got to look the man who led the charge against his city in his eyes.
The boy smiled.
He smiled a smile brighter than the sunshine carried by the sun God himself.
He reached for the complete stranger with open arms.
He never knew what it felt like to have his heart race and swell at the same time until now.
Odysseus ignored the scolding in the back of his head as he carefully picked the baby up. The little prince laughed as he was lifted into the air. He seemed awfully happy to have “escaped” his swaddle after much wiggling.
The father couldn’t help the soft playfulness in his voice as he held him. “You look like you had a good rest"
The infant giggled at the observation. Carrying him felt like carrying a basket of grapes,the sound of his joy just as precious.
He took a moment to look over the nursery. It wasn't as grand as the other rooms in the palace,but that didn't mean it wasn't decorated with just as much care. The walls were painted with soft colors to help lull the little one to sleep. Tapestries that told stories of lambs gazing at the moon,birds - a mother and son - on the branch of an olive tree,and a Goddess watching over a sea of butterflies that shared her orange and black speckled wings were hung over them. Stuffed animals and cloth dolls peeked past the gold-lined edges of his toy chest,staring at the two with quizzical bead and button eyes. By the many stitches on their clothes and slightly matted "fur", Odysseus knew they were all thoroughly loved by the little prince.
The entire room felt so...gentle. It wasn't enough to describe the innocence of the world his parents created within these four walls,but it was the only word he could think of.
This was the world he wished he could give his dear Telemachus. One without nightmares or war,a world where he only knew stories of lambs and heroes in the safety of his parents' embrace.
The little prince's coo caught his attention. Odysseus looked back to the infant in his arms. He stared at him with the eyes of a baby deer,the same eyes of his Telemachus whenever his father hovered over his crib.
Everything about the little prince reminded him of his son.
He couldn't have been any older than his own boy when he left for war. He was too young,too pure to know the horrors that awaited his father once he stepped onto the wooden ship. Odysseus was sure he had done a good job of keeping the captain who could lay waste to an entire army - the part of himself his men worshipped - far from his son. He would learn of him eventually,but not now. He couldn't understand the complexities of...well...people,not yet anyway. All he knew was the world his parents showed him,one that was warm from their hugs and full of love.
He wondered if Telemachus had noticed that one of the two people in his life who adored him had disappeared while he was still an infant. Did he ever cry for him,hoping that one day he'd magically peer over the side of his cradle and hold him again?
The thought made his heart sink.
A tiny whine brought him back from his home in Ithaca.
The baby's cheek was pressed against the metal of his armor. It was hard,cold,and covered in ash. Yet he still searched for warmth in the stranger.
It was almost humorous seeing the tiny thing mistake the metal for bare skin. He had so much to learn.
He suddenly felt a bit guilty for grinning. He hadn’t noticed either until now. “Forgive me”
With the same fatherly instinct, he brought him up so he could rest his head on his shoulder. The baby nuzzled into the safety of his neck,feeling the man's pulse against his temple.
Odysseus hoped it wouldn't start racing and keep him awake any longer. He had tried just about everything to help him return to the safety of his dreams. Every time he looked back down, hoping that the infant had fallen asleep so he wouldn't notice his own impending death,he was met yet again with those sweet,pure doe eyes. His Telemachus would've been out like the flame of a candle by now. This boy,however, didn’t seem to notice the urgency hidden within every fatherly embrace and stories of the stars. If anything,he seemed fascinated by his tales. He hung onto every word,fighting the bits of fatigue that tugged at his eyelids just to hear his voice.
The contrast between the two boys dug a deep pit in his stomach. When Telemachus was his age,he would howl like an injured wolf if he was held by anyone but his father and mother. It made his ears ache,but in a way it was a comfort to Odysseus. It meant that he was wise enough to be wary of any stranger,no matter how kind they first seemed. But this boy? In the arms of the man who brought his father's killer to Troy, he just...he looked so content. Happy even.
It would be cruel to call an infant foolish,but it was better than the only other option he could come up with.
That this baby trusted him.
He wasn’t disturbed by the faint smell of copper he brought into the room or the sword that had pierced through hundreds of men lying by his cradle. Despite hearing the king of Gods say that this man was meant to end his short,fragile life,he still found comfort in his arms.
Maybe it was partially his fault for thinking with his heart,Odysseus thought to himself,but what else could he do? He was just a man.
A man who just wanted to go home.
"Forgive me..."
He stepped towards the open window. The heat from the battlefield forced its way past the sill and scraped at his throat. Or maybe the pain was from his endless pleas to spare the baby from such a cruel fate.
"Forgive me"
Scarlet had finally violated the inky blue,bleeding into the loomed sky. The spill darkened each constellation until its light was tinted a red so bright it overpowered their crystal sheen. For every thread the horrors of war slashed,he tightened his hold on the infant. His first glimpse at the real world would be his very last and there was nothing the man could do. Not if he wanted to see his family again.
"Forgive me-"
A sudden chill surged through him.
The little prince of Troy had managed to grab a chunk of his hair in his tiny fist. The sweat from his neck had seeped into the strands,evidence of a long battle clinging to their ends. But the baby didn’t seem to mind. He brought it to his mouth and chewed mindlessly.
It was something so small, but it made something in his chest burst.
"NO!"
Odysseus tore himself off the God's path and jerked away from the window. He lost the elegance of a seasoned warrior and fell to the floor. He winced as the back of his head hit the ground first. The pain clawed at his skull and dragged its nails down until it reached the base of his neck.
It took a few seconds for his mind to reconnect to the rest of his body. His eyes snapped open once he could feel the organ pounding against his ribcage again. He jolted up,finding himself just a few steps away from the open window. Two more and he would've made it to the edge.
He struggled to breathe as the fact slowly sank in.
Dear Gods,all it would've taken was two steps. Two steps and he would've become a monster.
More importantly,he would've lost the precious life in his arms
His breath hitched. Astyanax!
Odysseus turned and found the little boy wailing in fear. Oh, thank the Gods,he was alive.
His relief quickly shuddered. "It's okay,it's okay, little one,don't cry,don't cry. I'm sorry, everything is okay now,I promise. I'm so,so sorry,I won't hurt you,you're safe"
Each world spilled out of him like the waters that crashed through the walls of his ships and gutted the cargo hold that was his heart. Guilty tears chipped cracks into his already strained voice,his entire body just as shaky.
The baby’s sobs slowly turned into soft hiccups. Odysseus sniffled and gathered enough strength to cradle him properly. His face was still wet with tears,some of his own but most from the man.
Without hesitation, he brought him to his chest. It was faint through the metal,but the baby could feel his racing pulse turn into a steady hum; a lullaby only he could hear.
“It’s okay,little one. You’re safe now.”
Astyanax’s hiccups grew further and further apart,helped by the man’s gentle swaying until his breaths evened out.
Odysseus’s eyes were drawn back to the sky. The red sea had pulled back,leaving a dark stain on the singed blanket. With their waves they took the bloody hue that tainted the stars,dragging a few out of the strings that held them within the dark blue. The damage had been done, but at the very least, he could say that none of them or their stories had been destroyed.
Everything else…
The smoke of the battlefield had crawled back the way it came,yet he could still smell the burn that slithered through the nursery’s floral honey. It was a garter snake in the room’s vast garden,but as a man who fought his fair share of battles,it was as obvious as the blood that stained his clothes.
The one thing he could thank the Gods for right now was that the little prince hadn’t - or couldn’t - notice the new smell that violated his sanctuary.
If only he could take the precious parts of the nursery that he hadn’t tainted - the chest of toys, warm blankets, the peaceful tapestries - along with them,but his defiance already put them in grave danger. If he wanted to get them both out of the room alive,he couldn’t afford any dead weight.
Odysseus came to his feet. He reached for his sword with one hand and slipped it back into his scabbard. Astyanax let out a whimper as the metal clinked.
“Little one,I will never let a blade touch you. I promise” Odysseus swore.
He seemed to take comfort in the words he couldn’t quite understand yet. He let out a yawn before settling back in his new,smaller sanctuary over the man’s heart.
He had been in a thousand fights,yet Astyanax’s acceptance was worth more than what he had won in any of them.
Well,there were two more things he’d say were more precious than any material thing a battle could give him. And he would fight the Gods themselves to get back to them.
Odysseus turned towards the door of the nursery. From behind the wood he could hear the crashes of furniture slamming against the thin barrier protecting him and the infant. By the sounds of it,his very next battle wasn’t too far away. His opponent seemed just as willing to face him.
His eyes widened once he saw the first bend in the door.
Maybe that assumption was too generous.
Astyanax’s tiny babble kept his mind from wandering into darker places. He looked down to find the baby watching his growing unease contort his face with sleepy eyes.
The thread that knitted his brows together began to unravel. Without the tight twine wrapped around his jawbones,Odysseus gave the infant a soft smile.
He stroked his chubby cheek with his finger. The slow,repeated motions finally lulled him to sleep. The man almost laughed. The infant had gone through an entire night’s worth of cradling and bedtime stories yet that is what finally put him to bed? What a funny little one.
He let his smile fall once he was certain the boy was asleep.
"Show yourself"
His eyes scoured the small nursery. With no breeze the cradle behind him tilted.
"I know you're watching me,show yourself"
Suddenly,its rocking stopped. Too suddenly.
"I can see you"
The wind raced through the window,carrying whatever was caught in its breeze into its gale. From its cold breath, a figure emerged. Folded wings concealed a figure far too tall to be human. They stretched from wall to wall once they were spread. Hidden inside was someone he had known his entire life,the very Goddess who helped him grow and train for this very moment.
“A second time,you’ve seen through my spell”
The corner of his solemn frown lifted for a brief second. “A second time,you fell for my bluff”
Over the years Athena had gotten used to his cockiness,maybe even found a bit of amusement in it. But unlike the first time they met,she didn’t look all too impressed. “Troy has fallen,why aren’t you on your ship with your men?”
“It’s sort of obvious,isn’t it?”
Her gaze dropped from his face to the infant in his arms. “The son of Prince Hector”
“Yes,the only person left who could rule Troy”
“Then you know what you must do”
She stood with her hands clasped behind her back. She knew what the Gods had planned for both him and the infant,but if he wanted to make a show of things then she wouldn’t complain. He had already proven himself once he led his men into the city,but there was no harm in letting him parade his ruthlessness for her - she told herself. It meant that he was one step closer to becoming the greatest warrior she had ever created.
Her brows furrowed once she realized he had no intention of creating a spectacle. “Are you biding your time?”
Odysseus hesitated. “In a way”
“What for?” She asked, “Hector and Andromache are dead,there are no soldiers left,and the servants have fled the city. The child has no one left to fight for him”
Odysseus took a deep breath before he spoke. “There is one person left”
Athena tilted her head.
“Me,I will fight for him”
The man swore that he could see the glow in her eyes reach her cheeks. “What”
“I will fight for him,” He repeated. “Athena,he isn’t a God or a soldier,he is a child. A child who was loved and is full of love. He hasn’t done anything to deserve this”
“Zeus told you what would happen if you let him live,” She sternly reminded him. “It doesn’t matter what he is now,if you don’t kill him then one day he will kill you”
“Don’t yell,you’ll wake him” Odysseus said in a mix of a shout and a whisper.
The Goddess paused. “You’ve grown attached”
The determination in his face faltered. He attempted to reassemble his stern look before she could notice its fragility. The weight in his arms shattered the mask into tiny shards,each point leaving rips in his pride “Athena…please. He’s just a boy”
“A boy who will grow into a monster”
“You don’t know that!”
His words clung to the cool air of the nursery. In the small room of purity,it was louder than any crack of thunder Zeus could throw.
"You don’t understand.” He finally said “Gods act like everything is set in stone,and maybe it is for you,but humans aren’t as simple. For us…things are always changing”
His voice was barely more than a whisper. She hadn't made an effort to involve herself in his personal life without being invited,but even she knew the tenderness in his voice never left the palace he shared with his dear wife and son. Until now,that is.
Her tone became similarly hushed. “But everything that has been foretold by the Gods has come to pass,hasn’t it?”
“This is different-”
“How?”
“Well,did the Gods predict that out of everyone in the world,the Goddess of war would pick a boy in the middle of one of the smallest kingdoms in all of Greece to mentor?" Odysseus asked,though they both knew the answer.
"No,I chose you because you proved that you had the wit and will to become one of the greatest warriors ever known" Athena said firmly.
"Exactly. If you waited for the Gods to choose for themselves, then we would have never met and I wouldn’t be half the person that I am today" Odysseus's gaze fell back to the baby,now half awake from the two's little spat. "Why do I need the Gods' permission to do the same for him?"
Athena's lips pulled into a thin line. That was just like him,picking a fight that seemed impossible to win. But so far he had proven that there was always some bite behind all that ego.
She craned her neck to get a better look at the infant. In their celestial glow, the boy could see the same stars that told tales of kindness from up above. It intrigued him enough to pull him out of his sleepy daze.
Astyanax caught the Goddess’s finger. He squealed and happily kicked his feet out once he was finally able to hold part of a constellation in his tiny hands.
The wings on the tips of her ears puffed up in surprise. The little prince giggled as she pulled away with a flustered blush.
"Is that all you wanted from me? To see an infant?" She questioned,avoiding the baby's bright smile and her student's satisfied grin.
"No,I'd actually like to ask for your help"
Athena raised a brow. "Help with what,exactly? You look like you've made up your mind already"
"I have,and that's the problem" He looked past her. Athena followed his gaze to their only exit. The shattering of glass,metal and wood bled through the nursery’s wall,threatening to slip through the second bend in the door.
The Goddess let out a puff of air through her nose. "I see Zeus isn't too pleased with your decision"
"No,but when has he ever been?"
By her flat hum he could tell she found very little humor in his quip. "I'm guessing you've already tried reasoning with him"
"If you count begging as reasoning,then yes"
She decided it was better to form her own plan rather than scold him. As childish as Zeus was at times,he did have power behind his outbursts. Brute forcing his way through the hall to meet his men at the palace gates with only his shield wasn't an option unless he was willing to be torn apart by debris on the way there. With a baby in his arms, she doubted he'd take such a risk. If she was careful enough,maybe she could maneuver through the clouds-
The Goddess jumped as thunder pierced through the scarlet ether with a guttural roar. Lightning bright enough to blind an entire city flashed through the open window. She immediately raised her wings to shield them all. The huddle she pulled the two into was the only thing that kept it from searing their eyes white.
Maybe not.
That left only one option.
Athena lowered one wing. She had to squint to see the sliver of blue left untouched by the vengeful God. "This plan of yours will be dangerous"
"I know,that's why I called you," Odyssey said. "Who else would be crazy enough to pull it off?"
She didn't want to admit it,but his faith loosened the knot in her stomach.
Athena waited for the lingering smoke to clear before stepping back. Her wings spread once more before curling them around herself. White poured from her eyes and wrapped her body in glittering ribbons. They pulled tighter and tighter until her form burst into stardust. She unfurled her wings to reveal an owl in her place,giant feathers shimmering in the moonlight.
Odysseus chuckled once he noticed Astyanax’s awe. He may have been the more cocky one, but the Goddess clearly had a similar sense of showmanship.
The infant's astonishment abruptly fell deep into the stone floor. His eyes jumped between the owl and the space the Goddess had left behind. He hiccuped - the start of another sob - before reaching for where she once stood.
"It's alright little one,she's still here" Odysseus crouched down so the baby and Goddess could meet each other's gazes.
Athena paused before hopping closer to them both. A part of her wondered why the infant was so upset. She didn’t look frightening in this form,so what was there to cry over? The other part of her was scripting the long talk she was going to give her student once this was over.
Through hiccups, Astyanax met her blank stare. She waited for the agonizingly loud cries that would prove that an infant was more trouble than it was worth.
Instead,he reached over and patted her head. Before her feathers ruffled,Odysseus spoke.
"Gently now,she's my friend"
Her first instinct was to puff up and pull away with a hiss. How dare the son of her student's enemy pet a Goddess? So what if her preferred form just so happened to look like the cuddly plush owls in his toy chest? She was Athena,the Goddess of war and wisdom! This was beyond indignant!
And yet…she couldn’t help but feel like this had all happened before.
She sat perched on the edge of a cradle,her form much smaller than this one. Even so, her shadow loomed over the little prince of Ithaca. He stared at her with glassy eyes almost as big as her own.
"This is my son,Telemachus" Odysseus had whispered.
She tilted her head as if to ask how the child of her strongest warrior could be so…tiny.
As always,he seemed to read her mind perfectly. "He's just a baby” He turned back to his little boy with a loving smile. “The most special baby in the world"
Athena had watched him walk in wobbly circles to calm the baby for some time. He drifted in and out of sleep. Only his son’s wails woke him up before he could fall. Deep bags were carved under Odysseus’s eyes,a purple hue already blossoming under his skin. Despite the clear fatigue,the man continued to whisper soft words of comfort and occasionally smiled during the few seconds Telemachus took to rest his poor lungs.
‘But why?’ She asked with her eyes. Why go through all this pain and effort for someone who would take years to learn just how to sit up? What was so special about him?
"He's special because he's my son,that’s all there is to it'
That's all there was,huh...
The Goddess leaned out further to peer into the bundle of blankets wrapped around the baby. She froze once a tiny hand reached out for her and brushed against her forehead. Telemachus let out a confused coo before tilting his head. Or at least attempting to.
Athena stared for a moment before lowering hers. He patted her feathers,entranced by their fluff.
"Gently now,she's my friend"
It was a memory that had begun to collect dust after so many years in the back of her mind. For the first time in years,she brushed the layer of grey off to feel its warmth.
Astyanax marveled at the new texture under his palm. It was softer than any blanket he had ever been wrapped in.
The Goddess lifted her head once the baby's hand left her. His eyes were still focused on her as Odysseus stood and walked towards the window. She made sure to follow close behind.
The sudden feeling of being lifted was the only thing different enough to take his attention off the fluff. He looked up to find Odysseus standing on the edge of the window.
The man stared out into the world that awaited him. The flashes of white that stabbed through the inky blue had abruptly stopped. Maybe it was Zeus taking some time to rest,maybe it was his way of taunting him before mercilessly striking the person who dared defy him and fate to death. Whatever the case,Odysseus couldn't help but take in the glimpse of the world only the little prince knew.
The moon's glow had wiped away the blood of the battlefield of the aerial ocean. Attentive hands had sewn the rips made by Zeus's fury shut,the constellations that were once drowned in red carefully washed and loomed back into the fabric. There were a few seams,yes,but none that could ruin such a beautiful tapestry.
He wondered if Penelope and Telemachus could see the same sky he did.
He dearly hoped so.
Astyanax's soft babbling took his eyes off the ethereal view. He gave the baby a gentle smile "I hope the stars of Ithaca are just as beautiful to you"
The infant lay his head against his chest,chewing on the edge of his blanket. The poor thing looked so sleepy. Odysseus swore to himself that he'd make sure he'd get to rest properly after this. The little prince deserved it.
Odysseus stepped back until his body disappeared into the tiny room. He took a deep breath before racing forward and jumping out of the window.
He tried to keep his feet connected to the wall for as long as gravity would let him. It was mere seconds before he lost the feeling of stone against his sandals. In even less time the man had begun to plummet faster than a meteor.
Odysseus screwed his eyes shut as he shielded the infant with his arms. Even curled into a tight ball he could feel the pressure of the air pushing him closer towards the earth,shoving his stomach into his ribcage. Every muscle he had tightened. His heart threw itself against his ribcage to break free from its prison until his pulse turned into a quivering hum. All he could hear was the wind screaming in his ears,growing louder and louder until he swore he could feel their drums seconds from bursting.
Sharp talons sank into the back of his chiton before throwing him back up and into the air. The wind scraping at his skin turned into a cold towel wiping beads of sweat and blood off his body. Finally, the man had a chance to breathe. The air was crisp,unlocking an old memory of the days when he’d rush into the open fields of the palace grounds after a good rain. It was oddly peaceful.
A grand shadow cast itself over the battlefield. Its owner swooped down and grabbed the man by his tunic before his plunge towards the ground could start again. Odysseus looked up to see the glow of his friend’s pearly feathers take over the vast sky. Their eyes met. For a split second, Athena swore he saw the same ear-to-ear grin that had greeted her when she first met her student. Back then, he was just a gangly little thing with a bright mind and a good heart. The only thing that had changed was that he was just a bit harder to carry now. Just a bit.
Slowly,she carried him towards the ground. She set her student on his feet,both he and the infant entirely unscathed,save for the cloth of his chiton. From where he stood, he could see the faint silhouette of a wooden horse looking over the city of Troy. Behind that was the wall left agape,and even further back the very tip of his ship’s mast. All three disappeared under Athena’s wings,the Goddess shielding the man and the infant with them both. Eyes and bodies granted safety under them,Odysseus began the long walk towards the city gates.
Astyanax stared at the man carrying him out and into the strange world outside of his nursery. His face looked different under the flashes of gold and white. He could see little red lines scattered across his tan skin. They were the same color as the blankets some of the strangers who visited his room in his earliest memory left for him. That day, they left a lot of things for him. Dolls and plush animals that smelled like fruits,parchment that didn’t taste good but had funny scribbles,even little clay horses that clacked when he shook them. He loved all of his new gifts,but among the new treasures,a particular blanket stood out.
The beautiful shores of Troy had been lovingly woven into the fabric with only the most expensive threads. The same smile his father gave his son before tucking him in for the night was perfectly captured by its creator. One arm was wrapped around his wife’s waist,his hold just as tender as it was on their wedding day. The other was raised high into the sunny skies of his kingdom. The hair of a man who looked much like the one cradling him was bunched in his fist. He looked sort of like a jellyfish with the strings of red that fell from his neck.
Everything afterwards was a blur. All he could remember was that from then on,his innocent,pure world became significantly smaller. The grand marketplace his mother brought him to on sunny days was the first to disappear. Then it was the palace gardens where the children of other royals would offer him crowns of daffodils and elecampane. The very halls of his home were the last to go,as were the servants and guards.
It was nice being able to see beyond the window of his nursery again.
His gaze fell a bit lower. He couldn't see much under the Goddess's wings,but what he did see earned a long,inquisitive look before his eyes jumped to the next new color or shape they passed. His wiggling in an attempt to explore this new,strange world from the safety of his arms chipped at the weight Odysseus carried on his shoulders.
Things that he had grown used to over so many years were all new to the little boy. A part of him wondered just how much he had seen before he arrived.
If his parents wanted to shield him from the war,then probably not much.
Once they had all made it safely to the shores,he'd show him a world beyond the battlefield.
The infant's little expedition stopped once he caught a good look at the burning white that consumed the sky. It was barely visible,but what he could see past the fluffy shield was all he needed to know that it was one of the few sights he did not like. It made his head and eyes hurt the same way an entire night of tears did.
Athena noticed the boy scrunch his face and whine. She stretched her wings out further until he and Odysseus were blanketed in complete darkness. Her plumes illuminated their tiny shelter in the same calming hues that covered the walls of his nursery.
Astyanax reached out and found the bone of her finger hidden underneath the layers of feathers,now extended to better suit her owl form. She slowly returned the hold as best as she could.
The faint smell of saltwater slipped past their cover. The stronger the scent became,the more the lightning above them began to dim. It wasn’t long before the cracks of thunder turned into low rumbles of defeat.
Odysseus stopped their treacherous journey once he felt grains of sand slip into his sandals. Athena pulled her wings back to her sides and hopped off his back. His ships lined the beach in rows,all his men gathered into one. From miles away, anyone could hear their triumphant cheers mixed in with a grand sense of relief they hadn't felt in years.
He looked away from his crew to find the owl's form unraveling. Astyanax’s eyes widened once the white rolled off the Goddess and onto the coast. He happily squealed and reached out for her with both arms.
Odysseus chuckled. "He's grown attached"
The goddess took a second longer to try and comprehend his pure joy. “Maybe so”
She caught the tenderness in her voice. The tiny wings by her temples puffed up before she turned away from their shared grins. “Do not forget what I've taught you. Sparing him is an exception,I know a guilty conscious will keep you from reaching your full potential"
“Thank you,Athena”
The shift in his tone made her turn back. In the heat of battle,his voice commanded attention. It shot from deep in his stomach and jumped an octave higher as it raced past his lungs. It reached his men in an explosion that even the Gods couldn't contain,the fading colors its sparks left behind serving as a guiding light for all 600 soldiers.
In this very moment,his voice was barely a torch's fire.
It was a small flame that waved in the gentle breeze. The heat from its core protected them all from the ocean's cold breath and kept his smile warm.
Internally,Athena let out a sigh. "Before you leave,there is one last thing I must give you"
Odysseus's brows raised. "A gift?"
The Goddess brought the wings still clinging to her back over her chest. She ran her fingers through its underside and parted the vanes until she found a particular section. Astyanax's hold on her then hollow bones folded the barbs closer to its needle-thin spine. With a careful twist,she freed the quill from her ulna before handing it to Odysseus.
"Whoever holds this feather has my protection from any dangers you may face. If you want to keep this child alive,I suggest you take good care of it"
"I will" The man swore as he took it.
Athena stepped back and prepared to take flight. It was one of the few times in her life where she hesitated. Her eyes drifted to the infant.
"Say goodbye to Athena,Astyanax" Odysseus said softly.
The little prince caught her stare. He gave her a grin bright enough to rival her eyes' own white shimmer. His giggle floated through the silent night like tiny wind chimes.
Why did her heart suddenly feel so light?
The Goddess didn't give herself any time to think the question over. She took another step before shooting up and into the sky. It wasn't long until her form disappeared into the deep blue,another constellation returning to her home above the parting clouds.
Odysseus looked over his shoulder and back to his men. Their silhouettes danced until they were one big shadowy blur. Now came the hard part.
Over 600 men were crammed into the ship helmed by their courageous captain. Armor was shed and thrown into piles alongside their swords and shields. In the time leading up to this battle they would've been considerably more careful with the few things that could protect them from a blade through the gut,but such a concern was nowhere close to their minds right now. The decade-long war was over,and not only that,they had won. All the years at sea,islands away from their families and training until their bodies knew nothing but pain, were not in vain. Not in the slightest.
Crew members who had slept on separate ships and only knew each other in passing gave each other bone-crushing hugs. Secluded,stone-faced brothers broke into song with friends that came from all corners of Ithaca. Even the most pessimistic of men beamed at the news that today was their day of victory.
The energy was electric,a chaotic joy the men had sworn was nearly forgotten leaking through the ship's walls and bouncing off its wooden bones.
Polites's bear hug had lifted Eurylochus off the ground,his smile as bright as the moonlight that peered through the entrance to the rallying room of men.
Eurylochus was used to his friend's affections after such a long fight,but that didn't stop the blush dusting his cheeks. "Polites, you act as if I haven't seen you in ages"
"It always feels like ages,my friend" He said before setting Eurylochus back on his feet. "Is everything okay? You're not hurt too badly,are you?"
The man couldn't help but crack a grin "If I was, I know you'd be far more careful with me"
Polites's own softened "That is true. It's just such a relief to know that after everything,you're still here"
He rest a hand on his shoulder. "I can say the same for you as well. Though I never doubted your strength"
"I never doubted your strength,I was only worried" Polites corrected.
A fondness only for his friends filled Eurylochus's eyes. "Thank you,but you needn't worry about me. I will always find my way back here,that is a promise"
From the look on his face, he could tell the man was already planning to dive in for a second hug. He threw his arm over his shoulders and pulled him into a half-hug before he could have the life squeezed out of him. Not that he minded much.
It was small amongst the sea of men,but a voice managed to pop through their happy little bubble.
"Has anyone seen the captain?"
Their eyes widened before they shared worried glances.
The commotion started again,though there was no joy in the new collection of sounds.
"I thought he was behind you"
"No,I saw the captain head toward the palace"
"Was he attacked?"
"Was he ambushed?"
Or worse...
Hundreds of voices wondered aloud,some with concern while others began to cling onto anger,cursing whoever dared to steal the last breath of their captain and brother.
"Did he..." Eurylochus couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.
"No,he couldn't have," Polites said with a surprising amount of certainty. "You know Odysseus,he'd keep fighting no matter how hopeless everything looked"
"But he can't keep fighting forever"
Polites fell silent. He wasn't wrong but...but he knew his captain,his friend. Just as Eury promised to always return to his side,so did Odysseus. After ten years of keeping 600 men alive,there was no way the Gods would be cruel enough to decide he would be the only one to have his life taken far too soon.
The gasp of one crew member was like a crack of thunder.
Both Polites and Euryolochus looked to the light pouring in from the beach of Troy. A figure stood by the entrance,the cloak wrapped around his shoulders hiding everything below its neck. Even drenched in shadows, his men could recognize the silhouette.
Cheers sparked by gratitude exploded through the confined space. The two men rushed through the crowd,the remainder of his crew showering the man in praise and questions.
"Captain! Did you see how quickly the guards were taken out? We couldn't have done it without you!"
"Captain! I saw you end over 300 Trojans before even reaching the palace! That's amazing!"
"Captain! After so many years,how does it feel to have finally won?
Two voices managed to stand out amongst the rallying cries of his grandeur.
“My friend,I’m so glad you’re okay,” Polites said once they finally reached him.
Euryolochus wasn’t too far behind,resting a hand on his shoulder once he was close enough. "Captain,we were all worried about you"
He waited for his usual smirk and reassurance.
"I'm not bleeding out, so I'd say I'm doing great!"
The remark tiptoed the line between a rather dark joke and solace,but it assured him that his friend's recklessness wasn't fueled by something far more morbid.
Odysseus remained silent.
Euryolochus paused "...Captain?"
It was hard to see with only the torches' light,but his eyes were immediately drawn to his friend's pupils. They looked past his friends and through every man in the crowd. They flicked between friendly faces,only sticking long enough to examine their expression before racing to the next. Yet at the same time his gaze seemed so far away,as if he was determined to keep a distance between them until he was finished with his search for...something.
"Ody?"
Odysseus forced himself to raise his head "Yes?"
"Did something happen out there-?"
A tug brought his brows together. He lowered his gaze until it reached the other’s scuffed,scarred arms.
Cradled between them was a precious treasure,one any person with a kind soul would risk their life for to keep him thousands of miles away from the war. And yet here he was,untouched by the decade of pointless bloodshed.
Astyanax stared at him with curious doe eyes for what felt like centuries. After some time, his gaze fell back to the fabric in his hand. Without much thought, he attempted to bring the cloth to his mouth.
“No,little one,that’s not for eating” Odysseus wiggled the fabric out from his tiny fist. The boy whined before reaching out for it again. He was quickly distracted by the man’s fingers hovering over his face. He grabbed one to feel its rough skin.
Shadows draped themselves over him and the boy. He looked up to find all 600 men crowding around the two,each one trying to get a glimpse of the new baby. It made sense in his head. A good amount of his crew were fathers and grandfathers torn from their families. While none of them had grown anything but muscle over the past ten years,the same couldn’t be said for the children they left behind. Even the most unfortunate ones who left mere days after their sons or daughters were born would come back to an entirely new person. They’d have to face the reality of missing all the great achievements their little ones had made. Their first steps,their first words,the very first time they’d run up to them for a big,warm hug all on their own accord,they’d only know of such precious moments in stories. Even if the boy wasn’t theirs,he was a reminder of all they left behind.
His mind drifted back to Telemachus. The memory of his very first laugh tugged at his heart.
“Captain?”
The voice of a particular crewmate forced him out of his head,Xennipos,a gangly person who had just barely tasted adulthood before being thrown into this mess.
“Is that…?” Their words tampered off.
“A baby?” Their captain finished for him. From his spot in the crowd, he nodded. “Yes,he is”
Another voice chimed in,this one with much more uncertainty compared to his twin. “How did you find him?”
“Zeus led me to his nursery. He was the only one left in the palace”
A hush fell over the crowd. ‘The king of Gods?’ they all thought at once. Why would he intervene in a situation so…human?
“Ody?” Polites let his eyes fall to the infant,to his friend,then back to the boy. He held the baby he had met only hours ago so naturally,as if he was used to cradling someone so delicate. In a way,he was. He may have only known his son for a few months, but in such a short amount of time he had slotted into the role of a loving father seamlessly. With how he looked at his son with endless love in his eyes,it felt as if he was made for being his little Telemachus’s father.
“Do you want to hold him?”
His friend’s question cut off his next. He paused for a second before nodding. His pulse raced as Odyseuss helped guide his hands and arms into the proper position before settling the infant between them. He didn’t realize he had been holding his breath until the infant knocked his elbow against his chest.
Astyanax turned his attention to the stranger anxiously holding him. He noticed the bit of stubble breaking up the man’s otherwise soft,brown skin a few shades darker than his. Cooing,he reached for his chin. It took a few seconds before Polites realized his curiosity. As carefully as he could, he lowered his head for the infant. Astyanax patted the prickly patch before giggling.
His little laugh was enough to help steady the man’s pulse. He shared the same fond smile his friend wore as he watched them both.
“Odyseuss”
Odysseus looked over his shoulder. “Do you want a turn?”
“I - what? No,no” Eurylochus stood with his arms crossed. His eyes were focused on the bubbly bundle of joy in his friend’s arms. He forced his gaze to the floor and began to chew the inside of his cheek.
Odysseus knew that look. He set his hand on his arm to keep the man from spiraling. “What is it,my friend?”
He couldn’t bear to face him. Not like this. “You found him in the palace’s nursery,right?”
“Right?”
“So then you know who his father is”
The hold on his bicep loosened. Internally,Eurylochus winced.
"Eurylochus,Zeus wanted me to kill him"
He turned to his friend with wide eyes "But he's just an infant"
"I know,I tried to reason with him. I begged on my knees for him to give me any other choice,but he swore that if I didn't... " He curled his fingers,praying that it was enough to hide how hard his hand shook.
Eurylochus rest a gentle hand over his. Under his touch,his tremors turned into smaller,tolerable tremors. "He swore that keeping him alive would spell the death of my family"
The man could feel the second his friend's heart dropped. It left a silence between them. A horrible,terrible silence that spread across the ship like water slipping through an overlooked crack. It consumed every last bit of intrigue among the crew,leaving them to drown under the sea's growing pressure. Their suffocating was inaudible yet palpable.
Eurylochus was the first to break through the surface for air "What will you do with him now?"
"I'm going to raise him as my own"
The singular sentence yanked the dread out of his stomach. With the wretched feeling gone, he could acknowledge what felt like ice running through his blood. "What?"
"It's as you said,he's just an infant. If we leave now, he'll die scared and alone" Odysseus said "Because of us,he has no one else."
The fact punched a hole in his chest. In all of their chests.
His friend's brows fell. Solemn wiped the shock off his face. "Ody...he can't replace Telemachus"
In a split second, the rousing speech building in his throat collapsed into a heavy lump. His squared shoulders dropped with the determination in his eyes. A red tinge itched to take its place,stinging their corners before he could spill any tears. He swallowed his sorrow,letting the memory of the little boy cooing under Troy’s stars wipe the droplets before they could fall. "I'm not trying to replace him. Eury,this boy deserves to live and be loved just as his father and mother loved him,even if he isn't ours"
"I..." Eurylochus let out a sigh. "Ody,you're defying the King of Gods. You don't know what could happen next. What if the Gods come after us? If you won't kill him,who is to say they won't try to do it themselves? And who is to say he won't become the man the Gods say he will be-"
"I say!"
The other paused.
"Eury,his life doesn't have to be the one the Gods have decided for him. Just one single change could make him an entirely different person" He looked over to Astyanax,cradled in Polites's arms. Despite the arguments and ugly futures foretold,he reached out for Odysseus. The warmth in his face bled into his heart as he stepped towards him with open arms. Carefully,Polites helped settle the little boy into the man's tender hold.
He turned back to his friend and set a hand on his shoulder. "We've fought for ten years so we could come home to our families. Doesn't he deserve to have one too?"
Even with such a comforting touch from his lifelong friend,the storm in the man's stomach was ruthless. It was almost as cruel as the thousands of thoughts racing through his head,their thunder muffling Odysseus's pleas.
A tiny hand separated the clouds and let a ray of sunshine through the dark grey. For the first time he let his guard fall and turned to truly see the infant.
It sat a bit below Odysseus's,copying the little gesture. He had to stretch just to reach him,his hand just barely big enough to cover half of the man’s palm.
The swell in his heart was almost painful.
Eurylochus let out a breath. "How will you even raise him? Infants need constant attention and so many things we don't have on the ship. We don't even know how long it will take for us to reach Ithaca. How will you be able to keep him safe in these conditions until then?"
Odysseus brought his hand back and tucked it under the little boy’s blanket. Astyanax rest his head against the man,listening to the soft,slow thumps of his heart. One hand attempted to grab the strands of hair that hung over his shoulders while the other loosely held onto the cloth of his chiton. The man looked into his doe eyes,as if the answer was hidden deep inside them.
“A bed”
Both Euryolochus and Odysseus looked up. The crew parted for the man who spoke,a lumbering figure who had both the height and build of a bear.
“A bed” He repeated,his voice deep and gravely. “If you sleep in the same bed you could roll over him in your sleep. I’ll look around and see what I can use to make him something comfortable”
It took a few moments for his offer to register. Before it did, another crew member near the back of the crowd raised his hand.
“I’ve got an extra blanket,if you fold it up he won’t have to sleep on just wood!”
Another besides him spoke. “I know how to sew,I can make him clothes if he runs out!”
More and more men called out one after another,offering their knowledge,talents and whatever they considered excess without a second thought. Their excitement rose with their voices,the sheer volume rivaling their thunderous cheers once all 600 of the war-torn soldiers realized they could finally return home.
It was slow,but Odysseus could feel a warmth bloom in his chest. It came with a smile that widened under the tidal wave of unconditional kindness. They had spent over ten years drifting through treacherous waters with nothing but bittersweet memories of the life they left behind to carry them through the horrors of war,and yet they all managed to find a ball of light from within themselves to birth a bright star.
As reluctant as he was,even Eurylochus had to admit that it sparked something inside him. Something he thought had died long ago.
He gave the infant another glance. The baby was oblivious to specifics,yet he shared the same sunny grin of his fellow crewmates.
Even surrounded by such pure joy, he had so many questions. Was it really possible to raise an infant in their current situation? Would he have to grow up knowing nothing but the vast ocean that kept him and his friends’ crew prisoner for ten years? What would happen when they did make it back to Ithaca? How could a boy who was raised at sea possibly adjust to a world that was both too small to be of any concern to outsiders yet too big to explore based on the countless stories he just knew every man would regale to him?
Astyanax noticed the worry hidden within his deep frown. He looked at the bit of cloth bunched in his fist before handing it to the man with a babble.
Eurylochus blinked. He looked over his shoulder and scanned the darkness behind him before turning back to the infant. He pointed to his chest with a raised brow.
Astyanax waved a tiny fist and babbled again.
Eurylochus hesitated. With a bit of confusion, he took the bit of fabric handed to him between his fingers. It was soft,the sweet scent of honey still laced within the thread. After 10 years on a ship with the smell of nothing but salt water and the aftermath of day-long sparring sessions, it was a true blessing.
The muscles in his face relaxed until the only wrinkles left were from his age and years of laughter. Astyanax didn't know what that wound up look meant,but he did know that from his own hour-long pouts,holding it was very,very painful. He was a nice man,his heart told him,he didn't deserve to feel that sort of ache in his much older bones.
Polites lightly nudged his friend's side. "I think he has a favorite,after Ody of course"
Eurylochus rolled his eyes. He would've turned away from his teasing if he wasn't holding such a thoughtful gift.
Odysseus wiped away the happy tears his men and friends couldn't see with the back of his hand. Truthfully,he wasn't sure why he was crying. Was it from joy? Relief? Something else entirely? It was hard to say. All he did know was that he could finally take a breath that didn’t fill his lungs with ash or dread.
In just a few days he’d be back home with his men,his friends,his sons,and his Penelope. Everything was going to be okay.
It took many,many hours for the excitement of the night to die down. That wasn’t to say it disappeared completely. Even as the men parted to find their own separate ships he could hear the enthusiastic chatter following each one. Most of it was focused on the first things they’d do once they reached the sandy shores of Ithaca. Plenty spoke of their spouses and the unbelievably tight hugs they’d pull them and their children into,others jokingly dreaded the storm of kisses their mothers would pepper their faces in. Knowing just how long they had all been separated,they were certain none of them would spare their sons’ egos and decide to make up for the years of lost affection in front of their brothers. And just as it was between biological brothers,the teasing would be merciless. Still,it was all in good fun.
In between memories and future plans,a few drifted behind to get another look at the newest addition to their crew. Some were a bit more casual and waved to the little boy as they passed. Others - mostly the younger members of his crew - were content to curiously follow their captain until Odysseus had a row of seventeen to nineteen-year-old ducklings trailing behind him. The few that didn’t wander back to their friends promptly scattered once the man looked over his shoulder. That earned a heart laugh from their captain.
It was deep into the night once the entire crew was settled into their cots. Judging by the moon’s position, it wouldn’t take long for the sun to rise past the horizon and call for the start of a new day. For once, all 600 men agreed that they deserved a few extra hours of sleep. Sometimes the best way to celebrate a long-awaited victory was with a nice,long rest.
Odysseus was no exception to the ship-wide wave of fatigue. All that kept him from giving in to exhaustion was his need to help one of his men set up the promised cradle for the little boy. Considering what they had on deck,it was surprisingly fancy. The crates were put together so seamlessly that it could pass as a professionally made frame from afar. Not to mention how carefully the surface had been sanded down,perfectly smooth yet with enough wood left to hold him and Eurylochus. The mattress was a bit less luxurious, just two folded blankets stacked atop one another,but Astyanax didn’t seem to mind. It was at least comfortable enough not to disturb his slumber. He,however, could not say the same.
Just seconds ago his body begged him to lay in his own bed and let sleep consume his already blurry thoughts. But now? Now he could only wade in the still waters of listlessness with one hand under his head. The other had found its way past the “bars” of the crate,dangling limply as the baby held onto his finger.
Jagged,thin lines dragged across the wood floors of his quarters until they reached the feet of Astyanax’s crib. The cradle only sat a few feet away from his cot, but the moment Odysseus laid down,those few feet became an entire ocean. His cot disappeared until he was left on the deck of his ship,waves dragging it further and further away by the prow. He had to rip himself off his mattress just to bring himself back to the tiny room. Even settled somewhat comfortably on his own bed with Astyanax at his side, he could feel his heart pounding against the bones of his ribcage. It was the only thing reminding him that this wasn't a dream.
It was strange. He had his racing pulse and the boy's loose grip on his finger to keep him tethered to earth, yet his mind still struggled to comprehend the sight in front of him.
His quarters had no open windows to look over the grounds of a grand palace,leaving the two in almost complete darkness. The flame of his lantern's candle swayed as the ship rolled through the sleepy waves. It was nothing compared to the moon's luminous glow,but it was enough to let him take a good,long look at the infant.
The wet trails that stained his chubby cheeks had been replaced by the smeared remains of milk. A floral scent still clung to him and his blanket despite the time he spent surrounded by the sea's salty air and the man's own sweat. His chest rose and fell with each breath,his grip on the captain's finger occasionally tightening before easing up in a steady pattern.
He had been here before. It was ten years ago,about 2 or so months after his little Telemachus was born. He had spent a full three hours watching his firstborn fight off his own fatigue with tiny kicks and whines that tore his heart open. The poor thing had finally managed to tire himself out,still holding onto his father's finger as he fell into a deep sleep.
"Odysseus,my love,I must put him back in his cradle" Penelope had said,running her fingers through his hair as she would the delicate threads of her looms.
The man let out a hum,half his face buried in her lap as he battled his own somnolence. "Five more minutes Penny"
Just from her tone, he could tell his dear,beloved wife was smiling. “Six minutes,then he must sleep in his bed”
He was too tired to answer. Verbally at least.
With his free hand, he cupped her cheek and brought her down for a chaste,sweet kiss. He parted only to admire the red hue that tinted her cheeks. “Ten minutes”
There was no annoyance in her defeated sigh. It held the same unyielding fondness it always had whenever her husband decided to be a bit silly. “Twelve minutes,and no more”
“Thank you” The word was slurred by lethargy.
Penelope let her fingers leave his hair and cup his cheek. He immediately nuzzled into her palm. The only thing that kept him from purring were the proper vocal chords,not that she needed it to know her husband's happiness. The woman could read him like an open,lovestruck book.
She yelped once she was pulled down a second time. Her world spun until she lay on her side. It took her a moment to realize she had been settled in the curve of her husband's muscular arm. Odysseus smiled to himself once she leaned into his side. They fit together perfectly,two puzzle pieces finally meeting to create a picture he wished he could carry in more than just his memory. But living it was nice too. More than nice, actually. If he could ever find Elysium, he was more than certain it would look exactly like this: his wife and son by his side in the quiet of their bedroom underneath their sacred olive tree.
But he wasn't in Elysium.
He wasn't even in Ithaca.
He was in his quarters in a cot made for one,surrounded by a silence only possible in the dead of night.
He hadn't heard a quiet like this after Telemachus was born.
Odysseus propped himself on his elbow to peer into the crib. Astyanax was still there,his breath brushing against the man's wrist.
The sudden movement made the baby stir. His grip on the man's finger tightened before he hiccuped. The sound as small as the infant turned into a sob loud enough to shatter the eerie silence of his quarters.
Odysseus blinked in disbelief. With a bit of hesitancy, he wiped away a wet,globby tear. His cheek was still warm,the cries that passed his lips full of both pain and life.
He let out a deep sigh of relief. So the Gods weren't cruel enough to drop him into such a hopeful dream,only to rip away another soul he treasured and swore to protect.
With the reassurance, he sat back up and reached into the homemade crib. "What's wrong,little one? Did you have a bad dream?"
Astyanax wept as Odysseus lifted him out of his bed. Even with his eyes squeezed shut and filled with tears he reached out for him with grabby little hands. The man brought him close and let him hide in the safety of the nook of his neck. As gently as he could,he rubbed the little boy's back.
"Are you hungry?" Odysseus asked,though he didn't expect an answer. He reached for the brooch over the shoulder of his chiton to tuck the part covering his chest under his arm. Or rather,he tried to. The millisecond the weight of his palm left the infant,his cries burst into agonized wails.
The man's eyes widened before he quickly returned his hand to Astyanax's back. "Forgive me,little one. I won't let you go"
His apology did very little to soothe him.
Odysseus took a deep breath before standing. Instinctively, he began to circle the room. His steps were slow as he slipped back into a routine so familiar yet untouched for a literal decade,finding a thousand different ways to say “It’s okay,I’m right here” in soft whispers.
Between kind words, he wondered. Astyanax wasn’t hungry,so that couldn't be it. Maybe he was seasick? But they had been sailing for hours already. If that was the issue, he would have lost his dinner by now.
He stopped once he noticed the lantern sitting on his desk. It was probably best that he didn't leave an open flame awake on a restless ship while lost deep in thought.
He leaned down to blow out the tiny fire. As he did,the sobs blasting into his ears drums hushed. The man paused before picking the lantern up. The infant's stuttering breath began to grow panicked as the heat inched towards his face.
Odysseus nearly dropped the lantern in his own alarm. The light bounced off his loose brooch and stabbed him right in the eye. He let out a pained hiss before turning to cover its source. Normally the flash would be nothing more than an inconvenience,but in a room covered in shadows he may as well have been looking straight into the sun.
Astyanax’s eyes were spared thanks to the man’s now tear-stained neck. Instead,they were focused on the beam of light pointing towards the room’s walls. His cries had fallen into shaky hiccups and sniffles. Still such a sorrowful sound,but less so compared to his ear-shattering sobs.
A thought hit Odysseus. Had the boy ever been in complete darkness before?
The crib he had found behind the walls of a hidden nursery was tucked under a tall,open window. The curtains were thin - almost see-through - but thick enough to protect the sacred room and all the precious memories inside from heavy rain. The moon’s bright glow had blanketed the infant and his tiny bed,soon to be replaced by the morning's warm rays if he had stayed just a few hours longer. Even if the little prince had been hidden from the world and the wars that consumed it,he would still have what beauty mortals couldn't touch peering into his room and watching over him every second of the day.
It was a stark contrast to Odysseus's stuffy,windowless quarters shoved in the very back of the ship,one that punched him harder than any man could.
Odysseus tried to keep the arm holding his lantern still as he inched towards the shut door. His gaze jumped between Astyanax and the glass shell as it swayed above him. He pushed the door open with his hip and began a new journey.
Astyanax’s grip on the man’s clothing loosened the longer he watched the bobbing light. Gradually,he began to relax in Odysseus's hold until all that shook him were his own hiccups.
The path they took was quiet,but not the uncanny silence that haunted his quarters. A calm,cool breeze carried the snores of his men as he passed by their rooms. A few mumbled words filled the silence left when the air took a moment to settle.
The sounds began to fade as they approached the deck of the ship. The infant sniffled as the light of the lantern began to wane. Before he could fall back into tears,another light welcomed him on board.
The dark blanket that covered the skies of Troy stretched far beyond the four walls of his nursery, passing over the boundless blue of the ocean and reaching past the horizon until they blended together into one ethereal loom. Thousands of different shades of gold,white,rose and orange blossomed between the infinite threads,pearly petals dancing in the night’s gentle breeze. New stories were woven with their dust tails,constellations he couldn’t begin to imagine sewn into the infinite sky.
“What do you think,little one?” Odysseus asked.
Astyanax didn’t answer with a coo or curious babble. He didn’t need to. The overwhelming flow of new emotions was written right on his face.
Odysseus pointed to a particular bead of light that caught the little boy's eyes “Do you see that one? That is the North Star. It guides sailors from all over the world and helps them find their way home”
Astyanax followed his gaze,absolutely transfixed. He reached upwards,opening and closing his little fists in hopes of catching the ball of light.
Odysseus pointed to another constellation. "And that is Asclepius,a man who healed the sick and elderly from even the most fatal of illnesses. He helped save many,many people"
Astyanax reached for the legendary healer,his staff circled by serpents just beyond his grasp. He held the same intrigue he had when he was first lifted up to see beyond the bars of his cradle. The man couldn’t help but smile.
Astyanax's eyes suddenly widened. He made a sound to grab his attention. Odysseus lifted his head and followed the infant's gaze. "That one? That is..."
The man mentally searched for a name to match the boy’s new discovery. Above them was a shape he didn't recognize,odd considering the hundreds of scrolls he read that captured the firmament and the thousands of nights he spent watching them from Ithaca's grassy fields with his Penelope.
Maybe a new hero was given a place amongst the Gods and other stories of valor. What an honor it would be to find a home amongst the cosmos. The men and women above the ground had a view of all of humanity,watching those who carried their own bright spark through the darker parts of the world leave the traces of hope behind to guide those who chose kindness despite drowning in rubble.
His own bits of faith flickered. After ten years at war,was that something he could still find?
Astyanax made another sound. He forced himself out of his morbid thoughts to face him. The boy stared at him with the same curiosity he gave the stars.
Odysseus’s expression softened. “Forgive me,little one. I was…distracted”
The infant gave him a confused babble.
Odysseus tucked the gift from his mentor and blanket under the boy’s chin. “Now,what were you trying to show me?”
Astyanax made the same noise again before looking back up. The man did the same. He tried to connect each dot and piece together what new hero could have been given such a vast view of the earth below.
He could make out a gentle face with kind,twinkling eyes drawn in star dust. Her hair curled like the arms of a galaxy,the same celestial body dressing her in velvet peplos and golden jewelry.
It was all so vivid - so human - a part of him wondered if he would feel a pulse if he reached for what looked like arms outstretched to bring whoever looked to the sky into an embrace.
"Mama"
Odysseus's guesses came to a sudden pause. With furrowed brows, he looked back to the infant.
Astyanax stared straight into the eyes of the new constellation. His wonder had fallen into something much more calm,as if he had seen the face a hundred times before.
"Mama" He repeated.
Odysseus’s eyes snapped open. A single gasp stole the air from his lungs until all he could feel was his racing pulse.
Astyanax didn't notice the man's hold on him tightening. It was nice seeing his mother smile again after...a while. A long while. A while so long he almost forgot what it looked like.
He rested his head over Odysseus's heart. No matter how much he wiggled in his arms or tilted his head, his mama was still there to watch over him with a smile meant only for her little boy. Not the smile laced with sorrow that he had grown used to,but one full of genuine warmth.
As Astyanax settled over his chest,the weight crushing the man's ribcage slowly began to disappear. Odysseus closed his eyes before bowing to the princess of Troy.
"Princess Andromache,I mean no harm to your son. I know I can never take back what I've done to you and Troy,all I wish is to raise him to be kind and give him a more gentle world than the one you last saw"
The man waited,for what he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he wouldn’t stand until she allowed it. Out of all the people that suffered under the Gods’ command,she was the one who most deserved to have one final wish,even if she couldn’t reach beyond the cosmos.
He suddenly felt quick taps on the base of his neck. Cautiously,he opened one eye and touched the area.
He found a scar from his fall onto the floor of the infant’s nursery. Or rather,what had been a scar. Gone was the open wound and chips of dried blood. In their place were pearls barely bigger than the beads of blood that had stained his skin. Before he could grasp any,they turned to dust and rolled down his back.
The infant’s sudden laugh made Odysseus look up. The same dots of silver that healed his injury dotted the boy’s cheeks and bridge of his nose. Andromache covered her little boy’s face in a thousand kisses,each one leaving a dark freckle on her son’s skin until it matched the galaxy she now called home,the one place where she could always see her little boy.
Odysseus’s expression softened. He came to his feet before giving her one final,grateful bow.
Astyanax’s laughter fell into little giggles. His mama’s kisses always tickled.
“Do you want to stay out here for a bit longer,little one?” The man asked,already knowing the answer. The infant happily babbled.
Odysseus fixed the boy’s blanket,wrapping him up tight. “Now,where were we?”
Astyanax listened as the man began another tale. Odysseus made sure to pick out the tales with the most caring heroes. The sort that the precious child could look up to and aspire to be someday. Someone who was as loving as his mother,as caring as his father,and better than the man who held him as if he were his own.
Truthfully,he didn’t know how long their trip back home would take. But right now,with the precious little boy fighting to stay awake and listen to his second father’s stories in his arms,he didn’t need to think about it.
Astyanx’s eyelids began to droop. The world around him swayed gently,the warmth from the man's body bringing him closer and closer to sleep. Slowly,he shut his eyes. Before he could fall into another sweet dream,he felt a feather-light kiss on his forehead.
"Good night, little one. I will always protect you,I promise"