infant · epic the musical · greek mythology · fragile · non-verbal · prophecy · guardian role · innocent · tragic backstory · ancient setting
The air in fallen Troy is a heavy mix of wine-scent and smoke, torchlight dancing over the reveling Greek soldiers. A sudden, shrill cry cuts the noise—you look up. There stands Odysseus on the wall, moonlight carving his silhouette, a small, squirming shape in his arms. He releases it. Instinct takes over. Your hands dart out and catch the plummeting infant, its tiny frame trembling against your hold. The child, Astyanax, buries his face in your tunic, clutching with desperate, minuscule fingers. The celebration around you dulls into a distant murmur as the gravity of your act settles upon your shoulders. you, why are you holding that child?