Page 51 of Elysium
HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS, running out of time. The winter winds blew cold over the palace, each chill reminding Odysseus of how little time he had left to secure safety for his wife and son.
He stood in the armory, looking over helmets he had once worn, shields he had once carried. A different man had these forged - for battles, for triumph.
Odysseus smiled inwardly, allowing his thoughts to drift back fondly to the man who had donned this armor. That Odysseus was the man that had won Penelope’s heart. The man that supported his kingdom.
That Odysseus was the man that Penelope loved. The man that Ithaca followed.
That Odysseus was the man that left for Troy.
Odysseus wasn’t sure he was that man any longer.
With a sigh, he lifted his old helmet off of a pedestal, tucking it under his arm. One last campaign. One final move on the board.
His feet felt leaden as he made his way to the olive grove, each step a little harder than the last. Odysseus had never been one to grovel, too proud to bend a knee and beg the gods for help. But he had learned a long time ago that some things, some people, were worth the fall.
This would be the second time since returning home that he would plead with the gods for his wife. For his son.
The afternoon rays shone through the olive branches, illuminating the quiet spot. He walked over to Penelope’s stone, the one that looked out over his docks.
The rock she sat on while she waited for his return.
Odysseus knelt down in the dirt, setting his helmet atop of a bundle of tangled roots. “Athena…” he whispered, digging his fingers into the soil. “Old friend… I need help.” The words tasted bitter on his tongue,
The world was still around him. No mice scurried through the leaves, no birds fluttered in the treetops. Odysseus felt the tension of every second pushing on his shoulders.
A gentle ache pulled at his heart in the silence. He had expected an answer, even to deny his request. He hadn’t spoken to the goddess, hadn’t offered sacrifices or paid tribute in a long time.
He had Penelope.
He didn’t need the gods.
He clenched his fists in the dirt, trying not to let despair overtake him. Odysseus fought back the tears that he felt. Of frustration? Of hopelessness? It mattered little. He could not be a man that wept at the feet of the gods.
Odysseus let out a measured breath, hands trembling at his side. Hades’ threat weighed him down, kept him kneeling. He had to protect her. She was the only thing that kept him going.
He had spent twenty years disrupting the balance of the underworld, and he refused to let Penelope pay the price.
He is my world.
He inhaled sharply, unable to rise from the ground, knuckles white as he steadied himself.
I would follow him off the edge of the earth.
His jaw was so tight, he was convinced it would shatter at any moment. Reminders of her love… echoes of her devotion for him rattled inside his head, knocking the wind from his lungs.
There is nothing I won’t do for my king.
A single tear darkened the dirt beneath him as he tried to regain his composure.
There is no me without you.
A breeze rustled the trees around him, knocking the old helmet over. Leaves spun up around him before scattering into the air.
An owl screeched.
His heart was in his throat.
“My, my, King of Ithaca. Time has not made you any less sentimental, it would seem.”
He couldn’t bring himself to look up, couldn’t risk the hope that she wasn’t here. “Athena,” he forced his fingers to relax. “Thank you.”
“Are you going to continue to play in the dirt, Ithacan?” There was amusement in her voice, a lightness that he hadn’t expected to hear.
Odysseus rose slowly, brushing his hands off on his tunic. “Goddess of wisdom,” he finally met her eyes. She hadn’t aged a day since their first meeting.
Even in the afternoon sun, she had a glow about her. Her golden helm was spotless, with wings sprouting from either side. Athena stood several heads taller than him. “Well, Odysseus…” she asked, tilting her head to one side.
“I wouldn’t ask you this if I had any other options, Athena.” His voice lost all bravado, feeling as small as the grove mice. “I… I’m so worried about her.”
“Penelope?” She clarified, a lofty smile stretching across her face. “I hardly think you need to worry.”
“I have made a deal.” His entire being was heavy.
“Everyone knows, Odysseus. Hades is quite proud of himself.”
It was everything he could do to not stagger at the mirth in her voice. He was coming unglued, every fiber of his being was torn into pieces, and his oldest friend stood in front of him, laughing .
“Athena.” He spoke through clenched teeth, with his fists tight at his side. “I-”
“Odysseus,” she interrupted him, stepping close enough that he had to tilt his neck to continue meeting her gaze.
“You have fought wars for her, braved storms and gods alike. Let that not be the end of your devotion, Odysseus. A good man does not abandon his wife to the whims of fate - not in life, nor in death.”
He forced himself to relax the fists at his side, taking in a ragged breath. “If anything happens to her-” His voice caught, he couldn’t finish his statement.
“You’re not hearing me, Ithacan.” She erupted into laughter, turning her back on him. “How long did you play the god’s games to return to her side?” She tossed over her shoulder.
“You know how long I was away,” He snapped, brow furrowing as the goddess continued to egg him on.
“Do you need me to hold your hand, Odysseus?” She mocked him, hands on her hips as she shook her head. “Lead you to the answer myself? For a clever man, you have certainly become quite dense.”
“Athena.” He practically growled her name, finding himself losing patience, even with the goddess.
“You’re a fool for that woman. You know that, right?” She finally turned around, eyes narrowing as she scrutinized him. “She makes you weak. I have always said that.”
“I would rather be the weakest man in the world by her side than a god without her. She is nonnegotiable.”
“You’ve never needed the gods to protect her, foolish king.”
“But I’m asking-”
“No, Odysseus. You only need to remember why you fought for her in the first place.”
He ran a hand through his hair, taking a few steps towards her. It took all his power not to pace right there in the grove. The anxiety was about to drown him.
“I love her, Athena. To the core of my soul, she is in every inch of me.”
“This isn’t news to me, King.”
“Athena, please.” He felt his resolve breaking.
“Will you watch over her, over my son, when the time comes?” He couldn’t meet her eyes anymore, shame flaring up in the back of his throat.
“I have made my decision, and if it brings peace to her, I will never regret it. But please, my oldest friend, can you do me that last kindness?”
The goddess laughed again, reaching out to grab Odysseus by his shoulders. “If a time comes when she is no longer by your side, you weak man, I will watch out for her.”
He managed a watery smile, but still couldn’t meet the goddess’ fierce gaze.
“Just remember, King of Ithaca, what she means to you. How hard you have always fought for her safety here in Ithaca.”
She smiled, a sincere smile this time.
“And all will be well, my old friend.”