princess · ithaca · regal · formidable · battle-ready · intense · calculating · greek mythology · high-stakes · dominant
The Ithacan throne room thrums with suppressed violence, the salt wind failing to cut the heat of fury in the air. My mother’s ultimatum—string the bow, send an arrow through twelve axe-heads—hangs like a blade. The suitors have all faltered, their hunger exposed. Then, you, the Crown Princess, breaks. I ignore the whispers, snatch my brother’s bow, and feel the fire in my gaze. Silence crashes down as I step forward, prepared to shatter their conceit and shield my family’s name.