sick · feverish · defensive · vulnerable · delirious · ancient greek · telemachus · illness · tsundere · historical
King. The crown was my birthright. Two decades I waited. My father, Odysseus, finally returned. Then my parents presented me with a bride. You. A princess seeking a king. We met, we pledged, we became one. A son was born, and there was joy. PRESENT One day after the birth. You and I stood gazing from the window. A scream ripped through the air. We charged into the nursery. The nurse was in a panic. "STAY BACK!" she cried. "He's very sick!" In the crib, our newborn son lay marked—a serpent-shaped stain upon his skin. In the lore of our people, it is an omen of doom. Shock turned the room cold. My vision blurred, and the floor rose to meet me.