Love
Characters in the Iliad belong to Homer and posterity. This little story also owes a small debt to the movie Troy. AU piece but I liked it then of course I'm prejudiced.
He hated being in the middle. As a smaller king he couldn't afford to stand against Agamemnon he just couldn't. But as a friend of Achilles as the one who had persuaded him to come here he could understand his friend's anger. He was glad to be away on a raid it gave his men something to do and he liked it more when he was given choices like this. His men had found a woman hiding in a temple. They brought her to him as his share of the spoils. He stared at her. Her hair reminded him of the darkest depths he had seen of the ocean. Her eyes too reflected the ocean and suddenly a horrible thought occurred to him.
"Please tell me you are not a priestess. What temple did my men pull you out of?"
"I am no priestess my lord king and your men did me no harm."
"You know why they brought you to me?" he said softly rising from his seat and crossing the tent to stand in front of her.
" Yes master. I know why I've been given to you. I am to be your body servant, bed companion, and whatever else you desire until you want me no longer. I only have one request, please don't beat me. I will do my best for you to never deserve it, it is all I ask"
"And I won't beat you." He smiled and ran his had down one side of her face.
She leaned into the touch and kissed his palm.
Months later…
"Well you certainly seem satisfied with yourself." A mocking voice said from the shadows. Odysseus jumped.
"Odd to find you wakeful especially after having put your friend to sleep, normally she is the one awake and you sleep."
"How do you know that? No wait let me guess to keep up your skills since you won't fight without your apology you spy on me."
"You are my friend Odysseus. Agamemnon sent you to get me because he knew no other would persuade me. I don't envy you your bed-mate she is lovely but do you not worry about another son one that cannot inherit your throne in Ithaca."
"To tell you the truth I hadn't thought about it. You know there are more similarities between your girl and mine both were found in temples but mine swears she's no priestess."
"Um, I think I do know what she is, " Achilles whispered, "Look!"
A soft blue glow surrounded the sleeping woman. A wave symbol appeared on her abdomen and flared brightly and then disappeared.
"I think you've been sharing your bed with one of the sea god's children. Does she have any powers?"
"Other than being amazing in bed, no but she's not left here since I came back from that raid several months ago. Why do you care?"
"Because unless the king of kings apologizes to me I've decided I'm going home. Maybe your little friend can ask her father for a blessing for my ships."
"Won't your mother help you more?" Odysseus whispered.
"My mother told me before I left I would have either old age and a happy life or glory beyond the ages. I chose glory beyond the ages, so I suppose going home is not really an option.
Odysseus watched his friend. He was playing with the woman's hair. She groaned and slapped his hand away. She moved away from Achilles laying her head on Odysseus' thigh and sighed slipping in to a deeper sleep. A deep voice rumbled from the shadows, "Having fun with my daughter King of Ithaca? I hope you weren't planning on joining in son of Thetis?"
"No of course not, ocean lord, I have a lover although at the moment…"
"She warms the bed of Agamemnon." The god said. "Agamemnon is a fool. He will give back your girl soon he must but not to you he gives her back to her father Priam of Troy. For in this case your lover has been the Princess Briseis who was serving her allotted time of service to Apollo."
Odysseus looked at Achilles his face was hard and then it softened slightly. "I will take my leave my lords." He said at last and disappeared into the night.
"You however are not off my hook, King of Ithaca. My child carries your child. I give this battle three more weeks and then the great city whose walls I once labored to build shall fall. And you must decide, whether you will go home and live out your life there or chose my daughter to live with."
"How do I do that? I cannot leave my wife all alone to raise our son. If I leave, my kingdom will be overrun. I've grown to care for your child deeply but I love my wife as well. She will not forgive me for this."
"Who says she has to know?" The god rumbled.
"That may be how you gods do things. I can not. I must tell Penelope and beg her forgiveness."
"What of your child and mine?" the god rumbled hints of anger in his deep voice now.
"I don't know. The man sighed in pain, wrapping his hands around the sleeping woman. "I want her. I wanted her since I first saw her."
"Do you speak of my child or your wife?"
"Both, I suppose. Penelope was the cousin of Helen. Everyone chased the fabulous Helen of the Fair Cheeks, not one paid any mind to the mild mannered, somewhat plainer Penelope, when it was clear I stood no chance with Helen I began my courtship of Penelope. I didn't want to come to this damn war but to refuse Agamemnon was to invite death to my people, my father, my wife, and my baby son. I can't just leave them. I loved her then I love her now. Your daughter was a gift to me from my men, I know they meant well, for up until I met her I've touched no female captive. She understood from the first and asked only that I never beat her. I never have but I will hurt her by asking that you take her away now I can't hold on to her without tearing myself apart. And I don't think she would want that."
"No she wouldn't have you never asked her, her name?"
"It really never came up. She is always there with whatever I desired in her hands. What is it?"
"Aldara. Her name is Aldara and she hid from you a part of herself that up until she saw you she was always most proud of." He gestured and she gave a small cry and suddenly a gleam of white filled the tent.
"She had wings? Why didn't she tell me?"
"As you said it never came up. Did she not tell you what temple she was taken from?"
"No, she did not." Odysseus said softly stroking one of the gleaming wings. "You said she saw me when did she see me?"
"It was during your courtship of Penelope. She saw you and loved you then but she thought you would have nothing to do with a winged demi-goddess. She came to my temple on the night of your raid and begged me to take away her wings until she carried your child. Reluctantly I agreed. I hoped against hope you would choose my Aldara for she loves you greatly but if you must stay with your wife. You will not remember my girl or the child of yours she carries but if for some reason you find no peace with your wife and son may you find your way back to the one who loves you." And a great blue-green flash happened and Odysseus fell back asleep on his bed.
Years later…
He sighed heavily. He still hated being in the middle only know it was between his son and his wife and not quite the way he had ever imagined being. His son wanted to get rid of his mother because she was now carrying on an affair with a wandering minstrel. He wouldn't let his son do away with his mother.
"She will or will not be punished in due time, Telemachus. The minstrel will not stay long and if she leaves with him her lot will be no more or less than she deserves for all she has done I still love her."
"May the gods grant me a love like yours then Father." Telemachus said "For I find it horrible that she carries on with that fool. I almost wish I wasn't going to Athens but I must ask a favor of Athene and the prayer must be said in her temple in Athens. Please be careful."
The man smiled at his son. "Thank you for your well wishes and I too wish you find a love like mine. I too will pray to Athene to watch over you but I will ask the Earthshaker to grant you a safe voyage."
"Do you think he will listen? Especially after that business with his son?"
"I can only pray that he looks on you with favor my son for the good man you are if he has any grudges left he may take them out on me. May the gods go with you Telemachus."
As his son walked down to board his ship, Odysseus retired to his favorite spot on his island. It was the seat under the tree, the very same place that Agamemnon's soldiers had found him and asked him to go to Troy. His island was at peace now except for odd undercurrents he'd noticed among the people. They didn't show his wife the respect that they had used to do in fact they were more apt to gaze after him with sorrow and pity. They all believed he didn't see. He chuckled to himself, he knew well enough, Penelope hadn't shown her usual prudence in greeting her lover one day and they had made love quite loudly in the garden beside his bath. He had overheard the plot to murder him and try to kill Telemachus as well as set up her new love as king. Foolish woman he'd thought no sooner will you set that young ass in my throne then he will slit your throat and have a new younger queen in his bed. He bent his head and said softly, "Noble Athene, if ever I have garnered favor in your eyes please hear my prayer. Guard Telemachus and help him as you once helped me. Thank you as always lovely grey eyed Athene for your favor and aid."
"Poisedon, god of the sea, I ask you to forget past wrongs and protect my son as he travels in your realm. Bring him safely to Athens and safely home to Ithaca. Thank you noble one for hearing me."
He dropped his voice and whispered to the wind,"Father Zeus, give me justice! I'm about to be murdered and for all my cunning I see no way out of it. Give me justice, I beg you."
A gleaming white feather fell from the sky and landed on the old king's lap. He sighed happily and clasped in his hand and closed his eyes to rest. Then he heard a twig snap, "Do it now you fool!" came a voice he loved He felt a sharp pain in his chest and then nothing.
Penelope looked down on her former husband, who'd have ever guessed the old fool would live so long. Thank the gods they'd never had more children then Telemachus of course he must die as well. The silly fool favored Odysseus heavily anyway it would be better for all concerned that he must die. The old fool had been praying to the gods when a white sea bird feather fell from the sky he must have taken it as a sign that the sea god had heard him. Of course, they had been listening to his first two prayers and then as he so often did these days he started muttering to himself. He had leaned back against the tree as if to sleep and it was then the dratted twig snapped of course the old fool still carried a sword but he hadn't be fast enough in his drawing of it. His blood trickled down the hillside, it had changed the gleaming white feather to a red one now and she picked it up and carried it away down the hill.
"You aren't even going to give him basic funeral rights?" her lover asked incredulously.
"Why should I? He gave up the best years of our marriage going off to war and taking his sweet time in coming back to me. Why should I give a toss for his soul?"
"Because he loved you greatly." Rumbled a voice from the windows.
Both turned and looked a winged man was staring at them. His green eyes hard.
Penelope recognized those eyes instantly, "So the one that came from Circe wasn't the only bastard he left behind. Whose child are you?"
"You are not worthy to speak my mother's name. She finally gave me leave to seek my father but I have arrived too late. You will not live long enough to enjoy what you have done here. My brother has gone to Athens but he has been warned of what you intended in a dream sent by my grandfather. He returns to avenge our father. I will leave that to him. With your dying breath you will tell my brother that our father was given all the honors he deserved. That is my gift to you. And as for you," he wheeled about to face the minstrel, "what hangs between your legs will not save you every time. And if you try to seduce your way out of your punishment beware of the consequences for there always are consequences."
And with that he flew away. He stopped and picked up his father's body. He carried it back to the island where he had lived with his mother. He laid the body on the pyre beside his mother. He placed the coins on his eyes and in his mouth and threw a flickering ball of fire at the pyre it consumed them both. He felt a hand on his shoulder he looked up through his tears to see his grandfather, he threw himself into his arms and wept until the fire burnt out.
"I hope they have better luck in their next lives Grandfather." He whispered
"I do to boy. A love such as theirs deserves another chance."
"Why he loved my mother did he chose to go back to the woman who eventually murdered him?! How does that prove he loved my mother?"
"It proves brother that he knew himself well enough to know that he could never be happy leaving my mother and I alone. He knew that your mother would be strong enough to wait for him and I think he hoped that you would be the one to avenge him." Telemachus said.
"I leave vengeance to the Furies and Father Zeus. They judge those things far better than I could and besides neither of us could have killed them without bringing down a horrible curse on our own heads. I did figure out that much."
"What will you do now brother?" Telemachus asked wiping tears from his eyes.
"Seek my fortune. I could not leave mother all alone. She set me free to go where I would when she died begging me only to give one of her wing feathers to Father. What will you do?"
"Rule Ithaca of course, Uncle Menelaus has given me one of his daughters for a bride. If he thinks I'm letting her play the same tricks on me that Aunt Helen does to him he has another think coming."
"Well I wish you luck brother." Telemachus said adding hurriedly "Won't you tell me your name?"
"My name is Darien. And I wish you luck as well brother, Goodbye to both of you. Thank you Grandfather. I will not forget all you taught me."
"See that you don't boy." The god said in a gruff voice. Telemachus noted that his eyes remained fixed on the pyre.
"Did you imagine such an end as this, when you took her away all those years ago." He asked.
"No, I didn't. I wished your foolish father to leave you and stay with Aldara and Darien but he wouldn't and here we are and you have a new wife to get back to. Pray that her grandfather doesn't take it in to his head that you are being cruel to his granddaughter or I pity you son of Odysseus. Be off with you, I have work to do."
And with a wave of his hand Telemachus was sent back to Ithaca and then a huge wave deposited two large stones on the shore. He tapped them gently and they cracked open to reveal Aldara and Odysseus as they had been on the night they had met. The sea god smiled and a warm breeze stirred the woman's hair it brushed the man's face and he started awake. Green eyes stared into sea-blue ones and two voices said, "Hello."