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Hmmmmmmm!

Was the maiden’s hard grunt as she squeezed the last drops out of the rag into a wooden bucket. Then she stood up with both cloth and pail looking back at the now pristine hall. Giving a relieved sigh and small smile, the maid brought the back of her hand over her sweaty olive skinned forehead.

“Good job honey,” smiled Charis, to which her daughter beamed right back.

“This hallway’s finished. That’s all the help we need right now Aoede, we’ll prepare for tonight later.” planned the elder servant.

“Alright mother.” nodded Aoede.

Aoede walked through another hallway to return her two cleaning tools having looked over how spacious the interior was.

“He hasn’t returned…” was her only thought.

“I hope I’ll still get to the gardens today…” Rang in her mind, walking through her sweaty limbs, warm, head, and curly dark brown hair that stuck to her face.

Upon placing both items in a closet, a laugh caught her ear.

There was crown prince Telemachus, marching down an opposite hall and happily playing with his father’s faithful dog, Argos. His joy, elicited a small and endearing smile out of the servant.

“Not just his father’s spitting image, he has potential as our future leader…” was Aoede’s secret opinion as she walked towards the opposite hall. Argos noticed her and slowly trotted towards the young servant. Aoede saw him and gently placed her knuckle in front of his nose, happily petted his back and they both walked behind their crown prince.

Suddenly, an empty goblet struck Telemachus’ side. Alerting Aoede, she quickly went to retrieve it.

“When’s your tramp of a mother gonna choose a new husband.” Jeered Antinous, the self proclaimed leader of all 108 uncouth suitors dirtying the banquet hall. That insult of Queen Penelope vexed both prince and servant. Aoede slowly crouched down and wrapped an arm over Argos.

“How dare he!” thought the maiden already sensing her own legs freezing. As she slowly looked up, Telemachus appeared to have taken a fighting stance.

“Oh No!” widened her eyes.

After every loud taunt Antinous threw at the crown youth, those words were responsible for chilling the small servant behind him. It was the suitor who struck first.

Fight Little Wolf Fight!

He landed blow after blow, fast and fierce upon the crown prince’s neck, skull, and stomach. Every blow, widened Aoede’s eyes and kept her rooted to the hall like a dead oak.
Bite Little Wolf Bite!
While Telemachus kept his stance and tried to hit back his blows had missed, giving the larger noble the upper hand. It was as if watching a beast best a young wolf.

Die Little Wolf Die!

When Antinous finally knocked him down, Aoede swiftly shot up and ran for the medical room.

Once there, she quickly gathered a basin, a clean cloth, a small casket of wine, vinegar, and bandages. She held all 5 items to her chest and quickly returned to the banquet hall.

Nearly out of breath, the commotion before now widened her eyes in astonishment. Telemachus was still standing, his stance stronger, and Antinous was dumbfounded. In the light of the room, to Aoede it seemed that the crown prince had some faint bluish aura and glow in his eyes.

Now Telemachus struck back, and his hits were even quicker. When Antinous would attack, the crown prince swiftly dodged, amazing the young maiden behind him. Aoede silently cheered as Telemachus gained the upper hand. After unleashing many hits on the larger man, when it seems like he would finish… Antinous still struck him down and the crown prince had fallen back.

“Ow…” winced Telemachus.
“Your highness!”exclaimed Aoede rushing to help him up.

“Go back and cry in your corner, make sure your mother hears,” was Antinous final barb.
Yet that was lost on both crown prince and servant’s ears as Aoede helped him onto his feet. The two youths returned to Telemachus’ room, as Argos followed behind.

“Thank you…” breathed Telemachus his face and body adorned with bruises and cuts, and those two words had startled the servant.

“I-it’s alright, just please sit there your highness.” Aoede stammered and got to work with her medical equipment.

First she poured hot steaming water from the bath and filled up the basin. Then she poured in the wine and vinegar. All the while she was doing this, her own two hands were trembling like dead leaves on branches. That trembling caught the crown prince’s eye, but not the maid’s expression behind her dark brown hair.

Noticing both shaking, Aoede slowly took a deep breath, and softly exhaled. Then she got to stirring the water in the basin.

Hmm hm hmm hm hmm hm hm hmm hm hm hmm hm hm hmm hm hm hmm…

Was her gentle hum and she dipped the cloth into the basin. Then she walked back to the crown prince, carefully setting the basin as well as the bandages onto a nearby stool.

“Please hold still! I’ll clean the wounds on your face first.” Aoede instructed and so the crown prince did. When the cloth slowly contacted his sweaty pained skin,

AAAAOOOOWWWW!

He hissed and then he felt a palm calmly land on his shoulder

“Hold still,” was the maiden’s fierce whisper
“Sorry, this won’t be long.”

Aoede carefully ran the cloth over Telemachus’ face. Rubbing away the blood and stinging. Once finished, she went to tend his collar.

“I’ll have to patch up your cheek as well.” Revealed the maid.

She dipped the cloth back into the basin and her hands trembled as she ran the cloth along Telemachus’ collar.

“Why are you coming to my aid?” Asked the crown prince, and that alerted the maid once more. Exhaling a shaky breath,

“That cruel man is tainting your father and mother’s hall, as well as the others,” Revealed Aoede

“Your scuffle with him, frightened me when he got the upper hand. Even more when I thought you had passed.”

She turned her gaze away and returned the cloth to the basin. Lastly she cleaned his arms.

“Hey I’m still alive and that’s good.” Telemachus answered, as he gently placed his hand on Aoede’s shaking shoulder. That made the maid look back up and saw the crown prince’s soft smile, and she gave a small one in return.

“You are brave, and you never gave up before he got the best of you,” continued Aoede,
“You were so quick on your feet and attacked his weak spots.”

Aoede gently dried both arms and began to carefully bandage them.

“What’s your name?” The crown prince asked.
“It’s Aoede.” Answered the maiden, bandaging an arm.

“Aoede, thank you for aiding and tending my wound.” Answered Telemachus.
“I’m glad I could help, my mother would tend the wounds of my family and I,” explained Aoede
“I learned everything from her.

Once both arms were bandaged good, Aoede began to leave.
“I’ll grab more bandages for your face.” She called.

Then Telemachus was left with Argos, resting at his feet. The crown prince smiled in relief, and suddenly another mystical presence enter the room…

“Tell me Athena, why you came to my aid…?”