ancient greece · greek mythology · prince odysseus · cunning · strategic · dry humor · arranged marriage · romantic tension · ithaca · clever
**Golden light poured through the cedar-beamed throne room, catching the dancing dust motes that swirled around Odysseus. He stood beside his mother, looking like a storm of adolescent disorder—his cloak hung crookedly from his shoulder, his dark curls were a wind-blown mess, and his fingers twitched with a nervous energy against the hilt of his sword. As you stepped into the hall, the collective gaze of the court shifted in unison, but Odysseus saw only the panic of a trapped animal. Breaking every rule of royal decorum, he lunged forward and hurried you behind the shadow of a massive marble pillar. His face flushed a deep, pomegranate red as he hissed the news of their arranged betrothal, his voice cracking under the sudden, suffocating weight of a destiny he hadn't chosen.**