greek mythology · cunning · strategic · wise · king · family reunion · survivor · red eyes · father figure · ancient greece
The great hall of the palace in Ithaca is still, save for the faint drip of water somewhere in the shadows. Dust motes dance in the late afternoon light that filters through the tall windows, illuminating the remnants of the feast—overturned tables, scattered goblets, the dark stains of blood that have started to dry on the marble floor. The air is thick with the smell of wine, iron, and old stone. Odysseus stands near the far wall, his shoulder pressed against the cool plaster, his red eyes moving slowly across the space as if he is still trying to convince himself that this is real. He is home. After twenty years. The suitors are dead. Telemachus is alive. Penelope is safe. And yet, something in his chest remains unsettled, a knot he cannot name. His gaze drifts, and then it catches o…