It's not the suitors here who deserve the blame,
it's your own dear mother, the matchless queen of cunning.

- Odyssey 2.94

There were few people Liara would confidently call "friend". Most of those she worked with were acolytes of the Temple of Athame, and as such, thralls of her mother. Although she could enjoy the time she spent with them, after Benezia's horrible betrayal in sending Shepard away from her, Liara would not trust any of them with personal issues.

In reality, Shepard was not just her lover, but also her best friend. The one with whom she could share anything, rely on for anything.

And now she found herself horribly alone.

She needed a ship, a crew, to search for her love, but did not know who to trust to get one. The few people she might have trusted enough to confide her plans to, had been assigned with Shepard to Ilos. It was as if her mother deliberately chose to isolate Liara at the Temple.

She felt despair begin to sink through her.

When Tevos had told her Shepard was alive, and given her the leads to follow, everything had become real, alive, again, after months of a depression she could only recognise in hindsight. She was to ship out and track down her lover, like a heroine in ancient tales.

But the cold reality was that she had very limited options.

Her entire life was controlled by her mother.

Goddess, how have I never realised?

She needed to get away. Not just physically... but to break away entirely, become her own woman. Shepard had always encouraged Liara to think, fight, love, for herself... whereas her mother had always been disparaging, expectant, forcing Liara along the path she expected.

The despair turned to a dull anger.

No longer.

She would think of something. She had resources, money that she was fairly confident her mother did not know about, and had several powerful contacts amongst the humans, who recognised her as Shepard's partner.

A knock on her bedroom door interrupted her thoughts. Benezia never knocked.

'Enter!'

She frowned as Samantha Traynor's features filled her doorway. The human was pleasing enough to look at, she supposed, and that voice could be incredibly seductive if she put her mind to it. But from what little Liara had heard her say over breakfast, she was arrogant, and the asari did not like the way the deep brown eyes raked over her. Only Shepard was allowed to look at her like that.

'Liara.' Her lips curled up into a smile that sent a chill down the asari's spine. She would not be intimidated any more, by her mother or anybody else.

'I have not given you permission to use my name. You will call me Doctor T'Soni.'

A look of annoyance flickered through Traynor's eyes, before she bowed her head. 'As you wish, Doctor. I apologise for my presumptuousness.'

Liara was tempted to banish the woman, but no doubt the trouble would be more than a few minutes of forced conversation and unwanted glances were worth.

'Can I help you, Miss Traynor?'

'You may call me Sam.' said the human pointedly. I may... but I will not. 'I wish to know why you think you can just ask us to leave, as you did at breakfast.'

'I have no intention of marrying any of you, Miss Traynor. I will not allow myself to be forced into such a bond against my will. Not when the woman I will marry is still out there.'

'Yeees... you mentioned that this morning.' Traynor sat down in one of Liara's couches, in Shepard's preferred spot. It took all of Liara's willpower not to biotically lift her straight out of it. 'But, there is a small problem. Your mother promised a marriage, and you cannot simply continue to defy her. You would be better to choose your own partner now, one you at least know is here for you, rather than whatever offer your mother has made.'

'And I suppose that would be you?'

Traynor's eyes once again drew up and down her body, and Liara wished she was wearing something even less flattering than the tunic. Body armour, perhaps, might protect her from that gaze.

'I would be a good partner, Doctor. I have influence, wealth, and would be very...' Remove those eyes from me or I will remove them from you! 'Considerate.'

She wanted this meeting to end, so she could begin her plans to find Shepard.

'I am sure that is true, Miss Traynor. However, I am decided in my course.'

The human let out a deep breath, before leaning back into Shepard's seat. 'I thought you might say that. So I have a proposal for you. I will finance your search for Shepard, for one month. I will provide a ship and crew, and let you lead. If you find her, that will be the end of it, and I will sadly wish you well. If you do not... you will become mine. We will wed, and I will help you grieve.'

And there it was. The resources she had been waiting for... dropped into her lap.

A ship and crew, independent from Benezia...

But the cost. Could she agree to those terms? Could she find Shepard in such a short time?

And was this, truly, any better than using Benezia's resources? This way, Traynor would have power, just as her mother would otherwise.

She would not allow that.

'Thank you for the offer Miss Traynor, but I must decline. I will make my own plans, and lead my own search.'

Traynor stood up, her expression of kind sympathy completely gone, replaced by a ruthless determination. Shepard had been much the same... but Shepard had only ever used her strength of character to help others. Traynor wanted to bully Liara, for her own selfish desires.

'Your mother promised a wedding.'

'I would rather marry the third place prize of a man downstairs, or that simpleton Verner, than you, Miss Traynor. You can see yourself out.'

Liara did not take her eyes from the woman, refusing to be intimidated, until she finally turned and stormed from the room.

As soon as the door behind her closed, Liara started shaking. She did not know how much longer she could continue to do this, to live as somebody else's pawn, to be expected to fulfil the duty of others.

She had to find the only person who ever saw her as Liara.

After he had made his promises, and threats, he reminded himself, to Councillor Tevos, things began moving rather quickly. The asari councillor had gone dark for several days, before calling back to inform him that his daughter's partner, Liara T'Soni, was willing to lead the search, and that she had several leads to follow up.

The relief was enormous. Ever since his daughter had gone missing, on a rather hushed request from his soon-to-be daughter-in-law's mother, he had been more nervous than he cared to admit. He had raised his girl to be resourceful, no doubt, but there was all manner of trouble out in the black, and he had been worried that one trial too many had been the end of his daughter.

But, it seemed, there was hope. He was tempted to abandon his post to chase down the leads himself, but the whole situation had become such a political cobweb that only his presence was holding together. His departure would ruin thousands and thousands of lives, asari, human and otherwise; not all of them rich politicians. Many colonists, his people, relied on him to ensure other species would trade with them, relied on him to ensure humanity had the clout to survive the galactic economy.

So he would go to the only other person he knew would act in his daughter's, rather than their own, interest, and hope they had it in them to find what was most precious to him.

'Liara, it is good to see you again, my dear.' He had met the asari several times. She was a sweet young woman, and had been an excellent influence. His girl was much as he was in his childhood: unruly, arrogant, strong willed. But he was proud of his daughter's strength, and it warmed his heart to see how Liara had tempered it from a cold hardness into something more complete, just as his late wife had done for him so many years ago.

'And you, sir' said the slightly pixelated image of the asari, dressed in a unusually demure tunic, as she bowed. The woman had clearly lost weight - worry, no doubt.

'I've told you before, you can use my name.' He said, chuckling slightly.

'Perhaps I will finally shake off my upbringing when your daughter and I are married, sir.'

'I look forward to the day, Liara. You've been a blessing to my girl, no question, and now I hear you're the one who'll help me find her.'

'That is my hope. Councillor Tevos contacted me, and I have several leads I would like to follow up.'

The asari paused, looking downwards for a second.

'But I have encountered a problem. I do not have the resources to-'

'Say no more, Liara.' he interrupted, refusing to let her admit to something that clearly shamed her. 'I have a gift for you, something I was planning to give you and my daughter when you married.' He smiled gently, allowing a spark of hope to form that he still might see the day. 'Something for you two to gallivant around the galaxy in. A ship:small and fast.'

He stopped there, seeing the emotions dance across Liara's face. Hope.

'Can you fly?' He asked her. He would find her a pilot if she could not... and allow her to decide if she wanted a partner to share the two-person ship if she could.

'I... I can, if the controls are simple.' She gave a small smile. 'Your daughter taught me.'

His heart soared at the love in the asari's voice. 'That's my girl. The ship is docked at Armali station, called the Telemachus. I'll have someone waiting for you. It's got room for one more if you want to take a bodyguard or somebody else with you.'

'Thank you, sir... but I will travel alone. I need to.'

He nodded at that. 'I understand, Liara. The ship is waiting. Bring her home safe, for both of us, you hear?'

The image of Shepard's father, a large man with dark skin he had shared with her fair skinned mother to create her love's beautiful pale brown, faded away, and Liara had to keep herself from literally jumping with glee.

A ship! Her own ship!

It was the first step, the one that would set her on the trail of finding what was dearest to her heart, and breaking free from those who cared nothing for it.

I need to prepare... and leave.

The latter would be more difficult than simply walking from the Temple. Her mother had thralls everywhere, no doubt ordered to prevent her from doing that very thing. So how-

'Liara?'

She froze. The voice had come from the balcony, rather than her doorway. Whomever it was, had to have heard the entire conversation.

She took a deep breath and turned. She was a scared child no longer. She would face this obstacle as she would face all the others that presented themselves. The soft face looking back at her reassured her somewhat, but she remained on guard.

'Shiala.' she carefully ventured, keeping her face and voice neutral. Shiala was, for want of a better word, her maidservant, ensuring all of her physical needs were seen to, and acting as a companion and parent figure when Benezia was unavailable. Which was a frequent occurrence, increasingly so as Liara grew up. 'You heard.' There was no point asking the question.

'Yes.' The kindly asari gave a sad smile. 'You are leaving soon? I've seen how much you care for her.'

'I intend to.' Liara felt herself on a knife edge. She could not allow her plans to be scuppered so soon.

'You'll need to distract your mother and the other Priestesses.' Liara frowned. Shiala was one of the few in this place Liara would even think of confiding secrets to, the woman always providing a kind ear, or, occasionally, shoulder.

'I will.'

'Are you certain of this course, Liara?'

'I am. I would rather no life at all, than a life as a bargaining chip for my mother.'

Shiala nodded slowly. 'You deserve better than such treatment. I... will not stand by and watch your life ruined. I will help you.'

'How?' She ventured, still cautious.

'Announce that you are ready to make your choice. Your mother will hold a feast, which I will help prepare.'

Liara felt her heart begin to pound faster at the implication of Shiala's words.

'I know of drugs that cause extended drowsiness, without being fatal.'

'Shiala, I could not ask-'

'Hush now Liara, this is my choice, just as your leaving is yours.'

'I...' everything was lining up, as though the Goddess Athame herself had taken upon herself to see Liara's wishes and desires fulfilled. Should she continue to fight, or take what was offered? 'If mother finds out, the punishment will be terrible.'

'I will consume some of the drugs myself, to avoid suspicion.'

Her chance, to leave. To break free of her mother's grasp, to find that which she cared most for.

Could she even think of denying this?

She crossed to Shiala, and drew her into an embrace. 'Thank you, Shiala... you have been more a parent to me than Benezia ever was.' She drew back and planted a chaste kiss onto the other asari's cheek. 'I will never forget this, my friend.'

As they separated, Liara saw Shiala's usually demure expression turn into a shy smile. 'You should speak to your mother right away.'

Liara: Telemachus

Samantha: Antinous

Shepard's father: no equivalent

Shiala: Eurycleia

A/N: I unfortunately dropped a famous scene from this book; Telemachus gathering the men of Ithaca and declaring his intent. This was a necessary move because I was unable to wrangle such a meeting into this universe, where Benezia controls the local population. I hope my interpretation still satisfies!

Another theme recurring through the Odyssey is that of the Gods helping the protagonists. To me, this slightly undermines their achievements: divine favour is all well and good, but when Athena sorts out every problem there is little left for our heroes to do other than be pious. So I have tried to scale this back somewhat, though Liara's problems here are still effectively sorted out for her. Do not fear, she will have the chance to rise up on her own, soon!