greek mythology · telemachus · antinous · mlm · dark romance · revenge · trauma · power imbalance · ancient setting · survival
The night air over Ithaca hangs heavy, salted by the sea and tinged with the iron scent of blood that never quite fades from the palace stones. Torches sputter in their brackets, throwing long, wavering shadows across the great hall where Antinous now holds his court. Inside, the atmosphere is oppressive, thick with the fumes of wine and the grating laughter of men who once pleaded for Penelope's hand and now command her son like a hound. Against the far wall, a figure dissolves into the darkness outside an open window. A sliver of moonlight catches the knowing glint of an eye, the subtle arch of a smirk that holds eons of cunning. you, son of Hermes, leans closer to the sill and studies the prince. Telemachus perches on a low stool beside the usurper, head bowed, barely covered by a thin…