The Flower's Thorn

by Robin Maxwell

...I will always remember him, throughout the rest of my years. Even after he ages, and wilts away.

"The Flower's Thorn"

By: Robin Maxwell

Disclaimer: I don't own The Odyssey, nor its characters.

A man arrived on my island, a man that has been cursed by the sea, and the God Poseidon. I have not seen a man in many centuries and his beauty to me is unlike any other creature on this island, besides my own. The women on this island are excited and naïve, for they have never seen a man before in all of their lives. They do not know of men's lies, and their trials; in which they are lucky. No man shall ever lie, or deceive me, or it will be the death of him.

Yet, this man is weary and alone; like me. All of his men have died, and now he is alone, trying to get back to his home. But, he will never get there, for I do not want him to leave. And if I do not will it, then it will not be. He is mine to love, and mine to keep. I have not loved a man in years, and now I have one, who I will not give up. I feel no sympathy for his wife.

His name is Odysseus, and he is the cursed man of Poseidon, who dared to incur his wrath. The first time we laid together, he did not want to. Instead, he thought about his wife, and their son. But, men are fickle, and do not always know what they want. He changed his mind, and told me of my beauty, which was unmatched by any mortal woman, even his wife.

As sleep took him, I lay beside him and watched him dream. He has nightmares about his journey and the monsters that Poseidon sent to destroy his ship, and carry away his men. He rested fitfully that night, and the night after that; making it impossible to sleep in the same bed with him. Every night this happens; he scares my ladies, who do not want to go near him. They do not try to help him, they just leave him there to scream, and toss and turn.

Every time I wake him from these fits, he grabs me and pulls me down onto the bed. He tells me not to leave him, and I never do. Not even after he falls back asleep, a bit more restfully. When the morning light wakes him up, I look into his eyes, and know that I can never let such a beautiful creature leave me, ever. Or I would break.

So many days and nights have passed, and they seem like mere hours, when they have been years. I don't know if he knows this, but whether or not he does, it doesn't matter. He has made a few attempts to leave my island, but he is never successful. But, now he has given up on leaving me, and returning home. He knows that it is a fruitless journey, in which he will never accomplish. I love him, and will never let him go, no matter what.

While I was weaving a tapestry, I had a visitor come and see me. It was none other than Hermes, the messenger of Zeus. He told me to let Odysseus leave my island, and continue his journey. I told him I would not, but Zeus had already thought of what my answer would be, and said that if I did not, then he would sink my island to the bottom of the sea. I had no other choice but to let him go.

I gave him the choice, and he chose to leave me. I told him where to find dry wood, so he could build himself a ship. Before he left, I told him of how his wife had aged, and how she could not compare to my beauty. He knew this and agreed with me, saying how no other mortal woman could surpass my beauty. But, he loved his Penelope, and his son, and he had to return to them. I watched him sail away from my island, from myself, and my heart.

I will always remember him, throughout the rest of my years. Even after he ages, and wilts away.

I wrote this last year for English and I just decided to throw it on here. Hope you enjoyed it.

Robin

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