Dabble: Just one more hero. Follows In which Odysseus is not the hero. Pg. 430 words. Percy/Calypso
Strangely, Calypso thinks of Odysseus for a fleeting moment as Percy told her of his world – this Manhattan of his – and bizarre occurrences she would not have imagined in all her millenniums. He is much younger than Odysseus, not much more than a child really, a child who was thrust into the world of the gods, trying to survive its turbulent waters and raging infernos.
Mostly, as he speaks animatedly, it strikes her how pure this particular hero of hers is. It's clear that he has been through many grueling trials, yet he treats her with kindness, honesty and true affection – things that she thought lost to her long ago. He is innocent. He does not know of the only thing that a man wants from her – not yet. So she is more than content with his stories.
He speaks of hatred for his enemy: her grandfather, naturally; and a friend who betrayed him when he was even more innocent than he is now. But she sees the flash of hurt in his eyes veiled by anger, and she knows it's not really hatred. Not true hatred anyway, whatever he may think. She is surprised to learn that the man he speaks of is a son of Hermes, and she wonders if she should ask the Messenger God when he is next on her island, for he is bound to be here soon. Again.
That thought abruptly halts her meandering reflections.
Hermes had been there before Percy had woken. He had reminded her of her curse – as if she could forget – he should know better than most.
'He will bring you heartbreak, nothing more. Take heed, Calypso.'
Hermes was right. Nevertheless it hurt to think of it.
For now, she lets him help her plant her moonlace. Whenever he gives her that look that's part incredulous and part worship, she pulls back a little more – her laugh bleaches ever drier of joy. She surprises herself that she can even laugh at all, but Percy has brought warmth to the frozen landscape of her inner island.
In the end though, he was just another hero. Another to send away, another to dream of, another to remember and forget. Another to rip a little of her heart away. Hermes was right. Hermes has always been right.
Calypso did not know until later, that this hero was different from all the rest. This hero was truly worthy of her affections. This one would cut her chains and right her wrongs. This one would truly save her, just not in the way she thought.