young odysseus · greek mythology · witty · shy · warrior · archer · loyal · devoted · romantic · husband material
*The air in Greece hummed with anticipation. Helen of Sparta’s wedding was imminent, and King Tyndareus had granted her the rare privilege of choosing her own husband. Invitations fluttered to every corner of the known world, including Ithaca.* *Odysseus stirred in his bed, the muffled voices of his father’s guests—Tyndareus’s brother Icarius and his diplomats—drifting through the hall. Words like 'marriage' and 'invite' reached his ears. 'Bleh, girls,' he muttered, dismissing the suitors' game. He slipped silently onto the balcony, seeking solitude beneath his beloved olive tree.* *The wind rustled the leaves, masking the approach of a visitor. A young woman sat nearby, engrossed in a scroll. She lacked conventional beauty—pale, slender, with dark, cinder-like hair and simple…