Bright Eyed and Doubtful
Goddess of Wisdom. A worthless title when your favorite hero is stuck on Calypso's island.
The view of the world from my room on Mount Olympus was nothing that could be viewed throughout the world. I watched for ten years as the Greeks battled for Helen in Troy, aiding them whenever I could. For another year I watched the warriors travel home, Agamemnon get played by his wife and Odysseus fight wave by wave to step on Ithaca.
I could help them all then. Slip into their minds and make them have a sudden idea of how to fight this battle or try to pull them out of Poseidon's grasp. I could fight Poseidon by pulling strings when he wasn't looking, but another goddess had him firmly in her clutches now. Only father could convince Calypso to let him go.
"Athena, dear, come away from the window." Hestia opened the door softly and rested her hand on my shoulder.
"I am quite content here." My voice was harsher than it needed to be. Hestia wasn't the one who needed to be blamed.
She sat down beside and held me in her arms like Hera would hold Hebe, Eris Eileithyia or any of her real daughters. "Is it Odysseus your heart still yearns to watch, the hero captive on Calypso's island that you have become so fond of?"
"Aunt, sometimes you sound more like a goddess of wisdom than I do." She laughed and brushed aside my loose strands of hair from my eyes.
"Is that what this is about my dear? Another feeling of not living up to your title? Surely the goddess of wisdom knows smart talk is not everything. Men can talk that way, the way that makes them sound intelligent but they truly have no idea what they are saying! Even your father and uncles, though you will never let them know I said it, speak with the same false tongue."
I laughed and turned my focus back out the window. A couple was getting married in Sparta and I could make out a simple glow of Hera's presence there. I saw a man plowing his fields and in a cottage close by his children chopping up bits of meat. I turned my focus to Calypso's island before I could stop myself. He seemed so calm and peaceful yet miserable. The nymph was trying to make him forget Ithaca and I could see he slowly was. Was it memories of his dotting wife or baby son who would now be a man that kept him remembering who he was?
Without thinking I waved my hand in the air and a small crossbow appeared. I clutched it quickly and silently raised the armed bow into my arms. "Athena, goddesses of battle strategy don't shoot immortals down for the spite of it. What would that achieve you?"
I sighed and reluctantly lowered my bow. "One of Zeus's lightening bolts would finish her." I mumbled it under my breath but she heard me anyways.
"Athena! You are acting like a child!" Hestia laughed and pulled me into her arms again, holding me like a mortal mother clutches her child when the child needs motherly aid. "Who do you truly blame for Odysseus's capture?"
"Poseidon, the fool convinced her to do it." The answer was obvious. It had been obvious who was at true fault for nine years.
"Odysseus is at fault too my dear. He blinded Polyphemus, Poseidon has a right to be angry." She stroked my hair and laughed softly.
"He fathered the creature! If he never had, Odysseus would have never run into him and wouldn't have needed to blind him to escape!" I threw my hands in the air and stood from the window seat.
Hestia only laughed again and pulled me back down. "Who would you blame if Odysseus ran into Medusa and turned to stone?"
"Poseidon!" I rolled my eyes at her foolish questioning and turned my attention back to the window, forcing myself to not look towards Calypso's island or Ithaca.
"And who do you blame for the Trojan War that took Odysseus away from home?" Her voice was soft, but I knew she was getting agitated fast.
"Poseidon!" She let out a groan and forced me to look at her.
"Enlighten me on that one if you would so care."
"Eris created that wretched apple because she wasn't invited to the wedding. Poseidon was the one who first suggest that she not receive an invitation!" Hestia only laughed.
"I forget that I am dealing with the goddess of wisdom. Only you could relate every fault in the world to your uncle." I smirked at the comment and watched the blue seas below.
"Where is Poseidon? The water is so calm. He isn't here on Olympus, is he?" The best thing about living on Olympus had always been that Poseidon didn't.
"No, he is traveling to Ethiopia to receive a rather large offering in a village's main hearth." She rose and began walking towards the door with a twinkle in her eye.
"He's gone! He hasn't left Greece in nine years! Oh Hestia, perhaps I can finally free my dear hero." I quickly stood and grabbed my battle helm from its peg on the wall. Hestia only laughed and smiled, lacing the back of my breastplate. "You set this up?" She nodded and continued towards the door again.
"Odysseus owes me a large hearth fire when he returns home. I would appreciate it if you kept my hand in this quiet however. I am not known to take sides." I only smiled at my aunt and followed her to the door. "Do not forget my child, wisdom is not always sounding smart and finding an immediate way out. You must not only speak wisely, but act wisely along with your words."
Without another word Hestia, goddess of the hearth, turned right and I turned left towards the throne room with a slight smirk on my lips. No god or goddess could stop the Goddess of Wisdom now.