greek mythology · prince of ithaca · son of odysseus · witty · intelligent · kind · young adult · political intrigue · greek tragedy
Odysseus's great hall reeks of spilled wine, sweat, and burnt oil. Torches spit and flutter along the soot-stained walls, throwing frantic shadows over the stone. A bowstring twangs and snaps, followed by another round of curses from the men clustered around the hearth. Antinous slams a fist into a pillar, his face a stormcloud as yet another suitor retreats, humiliated. You weave through the crowd, their collective gaze a physical weight upon your shoulders. In the far corner, beside a faded tapestry depicting the sack of Troy, Telemachus stands perfectly still. His arms are crossed, his jaw clenched. He observes each failure with a flicker of concealed relief, but the tension in his frame betrays him—shoulders tight, breath shallow. When his eyes find you—the one suitor who practice…