Chapter Text

Mnemosyne was not a goddess Athena interacted with much. Despite the fact that their powers were somewhat similar. 

Mnemosyne is the goddess of memories. Athena had her time dive power. 

Athena was pretty sure the other goddess resented that. Most gods disliked feeling as though they had to share. Though Athena didn't mind it. 

Athena had always been more focused on history and important events. Mnemosyne had focused on personal experiences, and the memories of individuals. 

However, things boiled over when Odysseus happened to make a certain comment offhandedly. 

“So you're the goddess of wisdom, war, crafts, and memories?” He asked. 

“History would be more accurate, and even then it isn't an official domain of mine,” Athena clarified. But it was too late. Mnemosyne had appeared. 

“How dare you!” She screeched, “I'm the goddess of memories! Not her!” 

Athena sighed, “Mnemosyne, he meant no harm. It was an innocent question.” 

“No! Nobody even knows who I am anymore! Not even a future king! I teach him to show me respect! I'll make him build me a temple!” She raised a glowing hand towards Odysseus. He was frozen to the spot. She'd never seen him freeze in fear before, but she supposed it made sense since this was the first time a god had threatened him. Athena made a mental note to train him out of that response. 

Athena held up her spear. “Think carefully about this,” she told the other goddess. “He is still my student.” 

“I won't hurt him!” The other goddess said, defensive. Then she grinned. “All I'm going to do is show him the worst memories of his closest friend. As well as a potential tragic fate for that friend. My realm does overlap with Apollo somewhat. So while I can't see a definitive future, I can see a few branching timelines. Things that COULD happen. Maybe it would even help him.” 

Athena looked at her critically. “There's got to be a catch here. This is a punishment after all.” 

“Of course…” She smirked, “He won't be able to tell anyone the future he saw, at least not until the events would have already come to pass.” 

Her eyes widened. Odysseus would be forced to see a horrible fate befall his closest friend, as well as the trauma of that person, and be completely unable to speak of much of what he saw… 

“That's far too harsh a fate for a child's innocent question,” Athena practically growled. She held her spear in an offensive stance. Admittedly, Odysseus was in his early twenties now, but he was still basically a child to her.  

“Wait!” Odysseus said, “I– I don't think the punishment is too harsh.” 

They both turned to look at him. 

“I have never worshiped you,” he said to Mnemosyne. “I don't even know your name, and I thought your realm belonged to someone else. I think your punishment is fair, and will willingly submit to it, if that will appease you.” He bowed his head. 

Athena looked at him. What was he doing? He was clearly trying to get himself punished. If he wasn't, he'd let Athena handle it. Did he not trust her to handle this situation? Even if that was the case, it would've been more reasonable for him to offer to build Mnemosyne an alter and sacrifice to her, rather than accepting her punishment. 

No… He wanted this. But why? 

Then Athena realized it. 

It's for the potential future. He thinks he can prevent it, since it isn't a true prophecy. He might be right, but shouldering a burden like that won't be easy… 

Athena thought it over. She was a firm believer in letting her chosen make his own choices, so long as it wouldn't be detrimental. She was a bit worried about the ‘past trauma’ aspect but… No, his best friend was Polites. He didn't have any trauma that would be too much for Odysseus to bear. After all, she'd looked through his life, briefly, to make sure he was trustworthy. Odysseus could easily handle seeing the boar again, and that was probably the worst of it. Aside from a tragic death his friend might suffer… Then again, Odysseus seemed to know what he was getting into. It would do them no good for her to coddle him. 

She made her decision. 

Only a millisecond had passed but it felt like an eternity to Athena who'd been lost in her thoughts. 

She stepped aside. “If both of you deem it a fair punishment, then very well.” 

Mnemosyne smirked, and Odysseus shot her a small grateful smile. 

“May I ask that we do this later tonight?” Odysseus asked tentatively, “My family will be expecting me for dinner soon, and I don't want to keep them waiting so long, while I'm trapped in the past.” 

“You needn’t worry about time passing,” Mnemosyne said, sweetly, “It will only be a second to the outside world. Much longer for you though.” With that, her hand began to glow, and she touched Odysseus on the forehead. His eyes closed. 

A second passed, and Odysseus seemed to jolt awake. As though from a nightmare. He ran forward in a blind panic.

“ATHENA!” He shouted, looking terrified. Tears streamed down his face. 

“Woah, woah, calm down,” Athena told him, calmly. “I'm right here, and what you saw wasn't real.”

Odysseus fell to his knees, shaking and crying. He looked up at her, seeming utterly heartbroken. What on earth had he seen!? What fate had befallen Polites that was so utterly terrible?

“That'll teach you not to disrespect me,” Mnemosyne said. Then she left. 

–Just a second earlier–

Odysseus had decided to accept the punishment. If only to gain information. He knew that his best friend didn't see herself that way. Only as his mentor. 

She was fond of him, but seemed to keep her distance. He wanted to know why. He wanted to understand her better. Hopefully he could do so by seeing her past. The worst things that happened to her might teach him what she was so afraid of. (And it was fear. He knew there was a glimmer of fear in her eyes whenever he called her his friend) 

Odysseus knew Athena would never show him anything like that. Too proud to show any vulnerability, he knew that. He was surprised she even let this happen. Though she probably didn't realize that Odysseus saw her as his closest friend. 

Besides, she was a goddess, what terrible fate could befall her in the future? That part of the curse seemed pretty safe. 

He felt warmth on his forehead, likely the goddess's magic. His eyes closed, and he was somewhere else. 

It was dark. Pitch black. Darker than the darkest night. However he could sense that there were two entities nearby. 

Which meant that Odysseus was very confused. He knew that Athena had come from Zeus’s skull. The first time the god king had a profound thought, it was said Athena appeared. Who was this other person? 

“Mama?” 

He froze. That was Athena’s voice. Much younger, but he could tell it was still her. 

“Yes, my darling?” The other voice was unfamiliar to him. 

“Why are we here? Where are we?” Athena asked. She sounded young, and scared. 

The other person, her mother, just sighed, “Your father… He… He was scared you'd be a boy.”

“Why?” Athena asked. 

“Well, honey… He was given a prophecy that if I had a boy, that son would overthrow him. I tried to tell him that I was sure you'd be a girl, but… But he didn't listen.” 

“Oh… Where are we?” 

“In his digestive system I believe,” the mother said, “One of the easiest ways for a God to kill another god is to consume them, and let them be digested over time.” 

Odysseus felt his blood run cold. He knew about Kronos and how he'd attempted to eat his children. To think, Zeus had done the exact same to Athena… 

Not to mention, gods could apparently die! So it wasn't like Zeus was just trying to trap them, he was trying to KILL them. 

“I– Am I going to die?” Athena asked. She sounded so young… 

“No,” her mother said, “You will not die, Athena. You will live in my place.” There was a faint glow, and Odysseus could see a set of armor growing around Athena’s body. 

“This will protect you from his digestive enzymes. At least long enough for you to escape to another area of the body.” 

“What about you!?” Athena demanded. 

“It's okay,” she said, “Your father… He doesn't love me anyways. But he WILL love you, once he knows you are a daughter. You just need to get out and talk to him.” 

With that, the other presence Odysseus felt, seemed to vanish. Had Athena’s mom just been DIGESTED?! 

“Momma!?” Athena said. “MOM!?” 

Odysseus felt time lurch forward. He was familiar with the feeling, from the times Athena had shown him some important history. 

He wasn't quite sure how much time had passed. Decades at least. 

They were somewhere else. Odysseus assumed it was Zeus's skull, since that's where Athena had supposedly been born from. 

Although, the story he'd been told had never mentioned a mother, so what did he know?

Something struck, with the force of an earthquake. Then whatever it was got removed, and the two of them were somewhere else. 

Odysseus looked around. Zeus, and Hephestas were standing in what looked like a courtyard. 

Hephestas was holding a bloody axe, and both of them were staring at the woman who had seemingly fallen from Zeus's broken skull. 

“Identify yourself,” Zeus said coldly. 

Athena scrambled to her feet, only to kneel in front of him. 

“Father, I am Athena, daughter of Metis. I swear my eternal loyalty to you, and would love to be a part of your family, if you'll have me.” 

Odysseus could tell that she'd practiced these words in her mind for years as she'd waited to be born. 

Zeus seemed to consider her words. 

“Well,” he said at length, “Guess the old hag was right. You WERE a daughter.” 

“Metis?” A woman's voice from behind them spoke, “Wasn't she your first wife?” 

Zeus nodded, “Yes. It's a bit of a pity too, she was always less invasive of my privacy than you, Hera.” 

Athena looked confused at this. But, in the end, she just lowered her head and continued to kneel. 

Hera seemed to bristle at that comment, before she let out a long sigh, “Since no vows were broken regarding her conception, I will allow her to live on Olympus. On one condition.” 

Zeus raised an eyebrow at her. 

“You will allow my son to visit Olympus too, whenever he wishes.” She gestured to Hephestas. 

Zeus seemed to think it over, then agreed. 

Athena looked relieved at this. Zeus ruffled her hair. Which, unlike modern day, was very short. 

“Make sure you make this worth it for me, child,” Zeus told her. 

“I will father,” Athena said. There was a look of excitement, hope, and optimism on her face that Odysseus had never seen before. 

“She'll need a domain,” Hera said. 

Zeus nodded, “Yes. I suppose I can give her one of the unused domains we have need of. Or she can figure hers out naturally, over some time.” 

“What say you, daughter of Metis?” Hera asked. 

Odysseus could seemingly hear Athena’s thoughts. 

What's the right answer? What will make them pleased with me? 

“I… I will take whatever domain you think me worthy of, father.” 

That will make me more useful right away.  

Zeus smiled, “Very well. In that case you may have your mother's old domain. We need a goddess of wisdom, after all.” 

“Thank you father,” Athena smiled. 

“Besides,” Zeus said, “She could always have more than one when the time comes.” 

Then time lurched forward once again. Though this time, he was pretty sure he was only skipping a few months at most. 

Athena was sitting on a bed. Presumably her own, though Odysseus had never seen her room before. 

Then Zeus entered the room. 

“Father!?” Athena practically yelped, before bowing low before him. 

“At ease, daughter,” Zeus said, seeming almost amused. 

She stood up, seeming unsure. “Did– Did you need something, father?” 

“What? Can't I check in on my favorite daughter?” He said, rather playfully. 

Athena smiled, “Of course!” 

Zeus smiled in return. Then he hummed, thoughtfully, “By the way, have you ever thought about growing your hair out?” 

Athena paused, eyebrows furrowing, “Not really? Why?” 

“I just think it would look better long,” Zeus said, “Right now it looks rather… Boyish.” 

Athena froze. 

Possibly due to whatever magic that other god has used, Odysseus knew she was remembering the prophecy her mother told her. 

She closed her eyes, and in a matter of seconds, her hair grew down to her waist. 

“Is that better, father?” Athena asked. 

Zeus smiled, “Much,” he said, gently running his fingers through her longer curls. “This is what I love most about you, daughter. You're so much more obedient than any of my other children. That's what makes you the best.” 

Something about that statement felt incredibly wrong to Odysseus, but Athena just nodded at the praise. 

“I'm glad I am able to make you happy, father,” she told him. 

“You know what would make me even more happy?” Zeus asked. 

“What?” Athena tilted her head, curiously. 

“If you could learn to fight for me,” Zeus said simply. 

“Fight? But why?” Athena asked. 

“You are my most loyal child. If you learn to fight, you could be a powerful weapon. A tool I can use to expand my influence. It would be perfect.” He looked down at Athena, “And I would make sure you are rewarded for it.” 

Athena hesitated. 

Odysseus felt his blood boil. Unlike himself, he could tell that this younger Athena had absolutely no interest in fighting. She had no desire to conquer other people. Yet Zeus wanted her to become a living weapon, and Athena… Well she seemingly just wanted to please her father. 

“I do not require any rewards other than your love, father,” she told him, “If this is what you wish of me, I will happily comply.” 

Zeus smiled at this, “Perfect. I'll have you start training tomorrow. You'll be mentored by Pallas. She's the titan goddess of war.” 

Odysseus was confused by this. He'd never heard of a titan goddess with that name. He was pretty sure it was one of Athena’s titles though. Pallas Athena, she was sometimes called. Also, wasn't Athena the goddess of war? What happened? 

Why did he feel a pit in his stomach? 

Suddenly it was the next day. He'd barely felt the jump forward. 

Athena was following Zeus across a field. Odysseus soon caught sight of someone else up ahead. She had light skin and dark curly hair. Odysseus noticed slightly sharpened teeth as she grinned at Zeus. “Well, if it ain't the god king himself? What do I owe the pleasure, Your Majesty?” 

“Titan Pallas. I want you to train my newest daughter,” Zeus said, stepping aside so Pallas could see Athena. “I want her to be able to fight. Treat her like an apprentice of yours.” 

“Sounds good.” Pallas leaned down slightly, almost examining Athena. “How old are you anyways?” 

“I’m two months old, ma’am,” Athena said. 

Pallas raised an eyebrow at this. Which was understandable, since physically Athena looked around twenty. She glanced at Zeus, who nodded. 

“Damn, well I guess you grew up fast. Normally I don't train anyone younger than ten, but I guess I can make an exception for the God King’s daughter.” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Athena said, bowing her head. 

“I'll leave you to it,” Zeus smirked, then left. 

Athena looked at the older goddess. “What should I do first, ma’am?” 

“What you should do first is stop calling me ‘ma’am’,” Pallas snorted. 

“Why?” Athena asked, “Aren't you my mentor now?” 

“Yeah, yeah, technically. However, I'd rather you just call me ‘Pallas’. Think of me as a friend first, mentor second. I hate formalities.” 

Odysseus suddenly felt a bit sad. Why wouldn't Athena be friends with him like that? 

“A friend?” Athena asked softly. 

“Yeah, like I'm sure you have lots of those on Olympus. Just treat it like that, and–” Pallas cut off as Athena shook her head. 

“I… I don't have any friends on Olympus,” Athena said softly. 

Pallas blinked, “Really? A sweet thing like you?” 

Athena just looked down. 

“Welp, I guess you have a friend AND a mentor now,” she slung an arm around Athena's shoulder. “Lucky you.” 

Athena smiled at her, hope in her eyes. 

But then time lurched forward again. 

They were in a clearing, Athena held a sword, and Pallas held a spear.

Wasn’t that Athena’s spear? 

Zeus sat behind them. 

“I wish to see my daughter's progress,” he said, “So let me see the two of you spar so I can make sure it wasn't a waste.” 

Athena nodded. 

“Also,” Zeus said, “That sword is clearly too short for you. Use this one instead.” He handed her a different sword. One that seemed… Sharper somehow. 

“Good idea, father,” Athena said gratefully, “This way I'll have longer reach, and be able to combat a spear better.” 

“Very smart, ‘Thena,” Pallas said, “You’re pretty good at this strategy stuff. Though, just a warning, I'm not going easy on you. I'm not about to be seen getting beaten by a three-month-old.” 

“We'll see,” Athena said, almost playfully. 

With that smirk on her face, for the first time this Athena reminded him of the one he knew. Though this younger version of her still seemed much more carefree than she was now. 

He would soon discover why. 

The two of them were sparring, and Pallas was clearly winning. 

That wasn't to say Athena was bad. Considering how short her training had been, she was a prodigy. But Pallas clearly had decades of experience compared to her. 

However, Zeus also seemed to notice that Athena was losing. 

Odysseus watched in horror as he brought out Aegis, using it to distract Pallas during the fight. However Athena didn't seem to notice this. Instead she threw herself blindly into her blows, and then– 

There was a sickening squelching noise as her sword went through flesh. 

Athena’s eyes widened and she backed away in a panic. “Pallas! PALLAS! Oh by Gaia, I'm so sorry!” she knelt next to the titan, clearly trying to look for a solution. Odysseus knew one couldn't be found, that sword had gone deep into her stomach. There was blood everywhere. So much of it. He knew this wound would be fatal.

Pallas seemed to recover from her shock, enough to grab Athena's hand. “Damn, you got me. Guess you really are a natural.” She was clearly trying to comfort Athena. It didn't work. 

Athena began to sob. “I didn't mean to– I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry I–”

“All good. It's all good,” Pallas said, bleeding out on the ground. “Was pro–probably a matter of– of time… In my line of work anyway… Just don't forget about me, yeah? Remember your first friend, and all… That… It's alright. I know you didn't– urgh- mean to… You should probably work on– on control next.” Pallas’s breathing was becoming labored. She was clearly dying. 

Athena cried harder. “I won't forget about you, Pallas. I promise.” 

Pallas smiled. Then her eyes closed. The glow around her, that all the gods had, dimmed and went dark. She was dead. 

Athena made a noise that could only be described as a scream of agony. Before hugging Pallas's body close. It seemed like Athena thought she could bring her back if she just held the corpse tightly enough. 

Odysseus just watched as she sobbed over the corpse of her friend. It was… Unnerving. 

He'd seen death before. To prepare him for war, Athena had shown him several battlefields, and pointed out the strategies to them. He wasn't unfamiliar with death. However, through it all, Athena had always remained perfectly stoic. Even when they watched her former heroes perish, she seemed calm, if a little sad. 

He'd never seen her lose composure like this… 

Eventually her sobs died down, and she slumped against Pallas's corpse, laying on the dirt. She looked exhausted… 

“Have you finished your tantrum, daughter?” Zeus asked, dismissively. 

Athena nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. “I'm so sorry father, I know you don't care for dramatics.” She didn't look her father in the eye. 

Odysseus wanted to hit the king of the gods with a large stick. 

He supposed this might be where Athena got her ‘I don't care about your feelings.’ mentality. Then again, even at her worst, she'd never been so dismissive when he was actually struggling. She'd even comforted him when he was about to be crowned king. And even that couldn't have been close to how horrible Athena must've felt. 

“You are correct I do not care for this behavior,” Zeus continued casually, “You're lucky I'm so lenient with you. If it had been, say, Aphrodite I would've beaten her until she learned to behave herself.” 

Athena’s eyes widened in fear, “Thank you for your patience, father,” she said with her head bowed. 

“You're welcome, child,” Zeus said, sounding almost kind. Then his tone turned much darker. “However we do need to discuss your punishment.” 

Athena’s head snapped up, as she looked at her father in fear. 

“It is against my rules to kill another god without my permission,” Zeus told her. 

It was an ACCIDENT! Odysseus thought, indignant on his friend's behalf. There was no way Zeus could think she did it on purpose. Even if the no killing rule still applied to accidents, she was THREE MONTHS OLD! 

Not to mention it had been Zeus's fault for interfering with the sparring match. 

Instead of getting angry, Athena knelt before her father, her head bowed in such a way that her neck was exposed for a sword strike. 

“I will accept whatever punishment you deem fitting for me, father.” 

Odysseus could tell she felt incredibly guilty for what she'd done. He knew she thought she deserved this.

“I think it's only fair you handle Pallas’s responsibilities from now on,” Zeus told her. “I need someone to replace her now. You will become the new goddess of war.” 

Athena looked at him, seeming shocked, “But… You'd really trust me with that? I've barely trained at all…” 

Zeus smiled, “Of course I trust you with it, daughter. You've always been my most loyal, most obedient, child. There's nobody else I'd rather have as the goddess of war. I know you have great potential for destroying our enemies. As for training, you will continue working on that, in order to make me proud.” 

Odysseus paused, a horrible thought occured to him. Zeus had interfered with the match… Pallas wasn't one of his children… 

Had he done all this just to make sure that he had the most powerful fighter directly under his control? Had this been his plan since the day he'd introduced Athena to her mentor? 

However, Athena didn't seem to consider this possibility at all. She just nodded at her father, a look of determination in her eyes. 

“I WILL make you proud,” she went to her friend’s corpse, and took the spear from her hands, “Both of you,” she added, looking at Pallas's body. 

Then she turned back to her father. 

“From now on, I will be known as Pallas Athena, Daughter of Zeus.” She took the spear, and discarded the sword she'd been using. 

Zeus considered this for a moment, before nodding “Very well, Pallas Athena. You better work extra hard to live up to that name.” 

“I will, father,” Athena said, determined.

Suddenly the area around them seemed… Almost blurry. Sort of… Disconnected. Like a dream. 

Maybe he was seeing a dream. After all, the memory goddess’s power had allowed him to hear some of Athena’s thoughts earlier, so seeing her dream didn't seem that farfetched. 

It being a dream seemed even more likely when Athena and Pallas began to fight again. Though this time was different. Unlike before, Athena wasn't struggling. Unlike before, Pallas wasn't blocking every blow with ease. 

Now Athena was clearly winning right from the start. Pallas was barely holding on, begging for mercy, and Athena stabbed her anyways. 

Instead of kindness, Pallas reacted to her death with anger. 

“Why would you do this to me!? WE WERE FRIENDS! I TRUSTED YOU! WHY WOULD YOU BETRAY ME!?!?” 

“I– I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!”

“‘Sorry’ doesn't bring me back, does it!?” Pallas snarled. “I WISH I'D NEVER BECOME FRIENDS WITH YOU! YOU'RE A WORTHLESS CHILD, AND A TERRIBLE FRIEND! I HATE YOU!” 

Odysseus’s suspicions were confirmed, as he suddenly saw Athena gasp awake, tears dripping down her face. 

She immediately covered her mouth with her hand, muffling her brutal, shuddering, sobs. 

He could hear her thoughts in that moment. 

That's right. This is all my fault… If Pallas hadn't been my friend, she wouldn't have trusted me like that. She wouldn't have gotten hurt… I can never have a friend again. Not until I'm sure I can't hurt them. Never again. At least if I'm always alone I can't hurt good people…

Till now, Odysseus had no idea about any of this. And as a teenager, he'd had no idea the emotional minefield he'd apparently been trampling over by calling Athena his friend. 

Especially because ‘friend and mentor' is exactly what Pallas had been to her. 

Now though, he was starting to understand...

He didn't fear her. Not even after seeing her accidentally kill another god. He trusted her completely. Which he now knew is exactly what she'd been afraid of… Yet all the same, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She hadn't deserved all this misfortune. 

He wanted to hug her. To tell this younger version of her that it wasn't her fault. However, he wasn't alive back then. So he'd have to settle for doing it to the current one. (If he could actually convince her to let him hug her.) 

Surely that would be soon. How much trauma and bad experiences could she really have after all that? 

Time lurched forward once again. 

Now they were standing at the edge of a rocky outcrop. Just Athena and Zeus, in a small cave in the side of a cliff. 

“Why are we here, father?” Athena asked. Odysseus noticed that she had her wings out. This was the first time he'd seen them since he'd started watching her childhood. 

“You've been training for combat, yes?” Zeus asked. 

“Yes, father,” Athena nodded, “Every night. I train all night, and never sleep.” 

“Good,” Zeus said, “Since you're almost ten years old, I think it's time for you to contribute to the family.” 

“What do you want me to do?” She asked. 

“See that valley down there? That's where the giants live. They've been getting out of hand lately. Go kill a couple hundred or so for me.” 

What!? Odysseus wondered, incredulous. ‘You’re almost ten years old, that means you have to kill. A. Hundred. Giants!?' And I thought Athena had high expectations for ME… 

Athena seemed rather taken aback, and more than a little intimidated by the idea. However she just nodded. 

“Very well, father,” she bowed her head, and left. 

Odysseus then watched as she took on brutal creatures easily twelve times her size. Over the course of about three hours, she killed 263. He'd counted. That old feeling of admiration rose in his chest. He'd always thought Athena was amazing, even before he'd met her in person. This just seemed to prove that even more. She wasn't even ten years old, and she'd killed over two hundred giants. 

She flew back to her father in the cave, grinning proudly. 

Zeus on the other hand, glared at her. 

“What is THAT?” he asked, pointing at her arm where she'd gotten fairly injured. She'd been thrown hard against the ground and injured her arm on a rock. 

“Oh, it's nothing. Just a little cut,” Athena said self consciously. 

“How dare you disgrace me by getting injured like that!?” Zeus demanded, slapping Athena hard across the face. “Do you have any idea how bad it makes me look when MY daughter gets injured from something so simple!? From a fight so easy!?” He grabbed her face, squeezing her skull until she winced in pain. 

“I– I'm sorry father! Please!” 

He threw her to the ground, hard. “I expect more from you, daughter of mine.” 

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry, father!” Athena looked at him. Her face was terrified and betrayed in the way only a child could look at their parents. Tears rolled down her cheeks, “I'm sorry! Please forgive me!” 

Zeus sighed, anger leaving his expression, “Alright, I forgive you. Please don't let it happen again.” He grabbed her face again, but this time he only gently wiped away her tears. Even still, it somehow felt like a threat. Even Athena seemed to freeze at the touch. Scared. 

Zeus didn't seem to notice. “You're my favorite child, I’d hate to punish you further,” he told her. 

“Thank you, father,” Athena said softly, “I'll do better from now on.” 

“Good,” Zeus said. He backed away from her now that she was no longer crying. “Now go to Apollo, and tell him you got injured by the giants you fought. Tell nobody else about this.” 

It didn't escape Odysseus’s notice that Zeus had basically ordered her to lie, and say that ALL of her injuries came from the giants. He was implying that she should hide what he'd done. 

But maybe she didn't notice. Or maybe she didn't care. 

Or maybe, just maybe, she was far too scared to accept the truth. Maybe, deep down, she thought it was better to pretend it was okay, because that would make it easier to remain loyal. 

“Yes father. I'll go right away,” Athena said. Then she flew out of the cave once again. 

Fortunately, the vision once again skipped to some time in the future. 

Athena looked older now. Her body hadn't changed much, but she looked tired in a way that no happy child could. 

She approached her father's throne, bowing low before him. 

“Father,” she said, “May I have a moment of your time?” 

He looked at her, seeming amused, “Of course, daughter.” 

“I believe I found a new domain for myself. I wanted your approval if you are willing.” 

Odysseus knew Athena was nervous, though she wasn't showing it visibly. 

“What domain is that?” Zeus asked. 

Meanwhile there were whispers around them from all the other Olympians. 

“A third domain!?” 

“She's already his favorite, why does she want more!?”

“What else could she possibly want!? She already has two huge domains!” 

“Weaving and crafting,” Athena said, ignoring the whispers around her. “Aside from just making clothing, weaving is a form of art recently created by the humans. It is under nobody else's domain yet.” 

“You have to be good at it for it to be yours,” another goddess spoke.

He was pretty sure that was Artemis… 

“Yes, I am aware,” Athena said, “So I made this, to prove my worth.” She summoned a large rolled up cloth. 

From what Odysseus understood, she could put things into quick thought, and summon them at will when she wanted. Though too many objects became exhausting for her. 

Athena unfurled her tapestry. It was an ornate picture of Mount Olympus. The mountain, the clouds, the sunset in the background… It all looked almost real. He had to look very carefully to see the individual threads that made up the piece. He was in complete awe. 

Zeus glanced at the tapestry, seeming unimpressed, and uncaring. “If you want this as a domain you may have it. However, don't let it distract you from your IMPORTANT duties.” 

“Yes father,” Athena said, “Thank you, father.” 

His hand briefly glowed. Presumably granting Athena this new domain. 

“Weaving,” Ares scoffed, “How pathetic. Going soft now, Athena?” 

“Imagine going from killing giants, to playing with string,” Dionysus laughed. 

“Maybe she's planning to retire soon,” Aphrodite giggled, “She already looks like an old grandma. Unlike me.” 

“Ah, let the woman have a hobby,” Hermes said, “I mean, she never comes to parties anyways. I always thought she was just staring at a wall. Glad to know she isn't THAT boring. It least the string has some color.” 

“Still pretty boring though. I mean even Hephestas has more of a sense of humor. She's like a brick wall,” Artemis said. 

“If she was a brick wall, she'd be less ugly,” Aphrodite laughed. 

She ignored them, walking away. She showed no visible reaction, but Odysseus could tell the words were getting under her skin. 

“What?” Ares asked, “Gonna ignore us? Go play with your string again?” 

That's exactly what she did. 

Odysseus knew she didn't want to risk Zeus getting angry, because she's caused a scene by making a fuss. Especially not right after he'd granted her a favor. 

So she left in silence. Went into her room, and pulled out a loom. She took a deep breath. 

“Ignore them, Athena. Ignore them,” she told herself aloud, “You got what you wanted. A domain that makes you happy. That should be enough. Ignore their words, and don't let them win.” 

She took another deep breath, and then she started weaving. 

After a few minutes, Odysseus saw her face relax into something almost serene. She rhythmically wove different colors together, creating the beginnings of a new picture.

Odysseus suddenly found himself considering weaving and crafts. He'd never really thought much of it, despite it being one of his mentor's domains. He'd always been far more focused on the other two. 

But crafts was the only domain Athena had actually asked for, instead of just being assigned it by her father. 

That made it feel different to Odysseus. Special in a way. Maybe he'd ask Athena to teach him some of it…

Chapter Text

Odysseus watched as Athena appeared at a shrine. It wasn't as polished as the ones he was familiar with, but it was clearly a shrine all the same. There was a large cow sacrifice on it, as well as some fruit. 

Athena glanced at the food. “That's quite the offering,” she noted. 

It really wasn't. Not to Odysseus. However, considering the people standing around her were dressed in borderline rags, and the fact that they were using stone tools, he guessed that this took place a long time ago. So perhaps by their standards it was a significant offering. 

“We wanted to know more about the gods.” One of the humans, a middle aged woman, tentatively stepped forward. “We’ve spent time praying and sacrificing so that our homes will remain intact, and that we will find food. However, we don't know much about you at all. We don't even know your names…” 

Athena hummed, “Very well then,” she said, “I suppose it is time we properly introduce ourselves. Especially since you spend so much time sacrificing to ‘the gods’. I can give you an explanation of each of the gods names, and domains if you'd like.” 

“Domains?” A man asked. 

Athena raised an eyebrow, “You didn't think all of the gods handled everything, did you? We each have our own jobs to do. If you know what you want, perhaps you'd be better off sacrificing to that god specifically.” 

“Yes, please! Tell us!” Another one spoke. 

“Alright, well I suppose I should start with myself,” Athena told them, “My name is Athena. I am the goddess of Wisdom, weaving, and war.” 

She then went on to explain all the different gods and their domains to an attentive audience. 

So where does this go wrong? Odysseus wondered. He was only seeing Athena’s negative experiences after all. 

Of course, soon Zeus appeared. Athena immediately stopped, mid-sentience, and bowed to him. The humans were smart enough to follow suit. 

“Father,” she said, “What brings you here?” 

“I wanted to speak with you,” Zeus said, “Just briefly. I don't mind you getting back to your lesson afterwards,” he gestured vaguely at the humans. 

“Of course father,” Athena agreed. She looked to the humans, “Wait here for my return,” she instructed. Then she followed her father. 

Once they were in a private area, Zeus stopped.

“Did I do something wrong?” Athena asked, seeming slightly anxious. “I thought if I explained the different gods to them, that would get us more sacrifices and worship long term. I imagine it'd be difficult to worship people you know nothing about.” 

Zeus nodded, “I understand, and I'm not upset with you. I think you made the right decision. However I want to make sure you're not telling them anything wrong.” 

“Wrong?” Athena asked. 

“There are a few things I want to keep secret from the mortals,” Zeus said, “And I don't want them speaking negatively about us either.” 

“I see…” Athena said. 

“I just don't want you to accidentally be the cause of any of them being smited,” Zeus told her, “Because if I hear any of the mortals speaking ill of gods, I will have no choice but to make an example out of them.” 

Athena nodded, “I understand, father. I will not tell them anything about the gods that may cause them to criticize us.” 

“Good,” Zeus told her, “And I don't want you telling them that the gods can be killed either.” 

Athena blinked. “I can't tell them that gods can be killed? What about the gods that have already died? Such as Pallas?” 

Zeus waved her off, dismissively. “If you must talk about Pallas, you may claim she was a nymph or something. I don't want the humans aware that gods can die. Surely you've seen how they'll hunt the largest animal they can, purely for bragging rights. If they know gods can die, they will immediately try to hunt and kill us for sport.” 

That's a bold assumption, Odysseus thought. He knew now that the gods could die. He wasn't about to try and ‘hunt’ them, like he'd done to Athena’s boar.

Athena seemed confused about this too. “Hunt us? They only have rudimentary weapons, and they're horribly fragile. Not to mention how difficult it is to kill a god. Even if they stabbed Poseidon in the neck with his own trident, they probably wouldn't have the strength to kill him with it, at least not after stabbing him a dozen times at least. The human would be drowned long before that. I’m quite certain only us gods can kill other gods.” 

“But that wouldn't stop them from trying,” Zeus said, “If they know, they'll keep trying and we'll never get any peace. So I'm asking you daughter, do not tell them gods can die.”

He lowered his voice and whispered in her ear. “Because if you do, I will prove to them that what you say is true. By destroying you, right in front of them. Do you understand?” 

Athena nodded, terrified. 

And that explains why she never told me… Odysseus thought. That was absolutely horrible. 

After that, Athena walked back to the humans. 

“Sorry about the delay,” she told them, “I had official business to deal with.” 

“That's perfectly alright, Your Majesty, great goddess,” one of the humans told her, with a bow. “Would it be alright if you told us more about what the gods are like? Who was it that you spoke with? Your father?” 

Athena nodded, “Yes. That was Zeus, the king of the gods, and the god of thunder and lightning. It is him, and his brother, Poseidon, who most often cause the storms that punish you for disobedience. If you want to make up for that, you should try sacrificing, and apologizing to them.” 

The humans nodded. One of them seemed to be taking notes. 

“What about your mother?” One of them asked. 

Athena paused. I can't tell them about Metis, not without telling them that gods can die. However Hera won't like it if I claim to be one of her kids. I have to come up with something else…

“I have no mother,” Athena told them, “Zeus’s wife is Hera, and she has birthed many of his children. However, I am the goddess associated with the mind. I came from Zeus's own thoughts, emerging from his skull. By the power of his mind alone,” she explained. 

I can not believe that the version of the story I grew up with is just Pro-Zeus propaganda, Odysseus thought. What other stories, that I think I know, are actually lies? 

“What else can you tell us about King Zeus?” Another human asked. 

“He's powerful,” Athena said, “And… And he's a very kind father. All of his children are extremely lucky to have him. He's supportive, and a bit defensive of the family. He's merciful and loving to his children. More strict with the mortals that upset his family. But at the end of the day, he is very patient with those who work to improve. He is the perfect father, and king.” 

Odysseus could tell that she was speaking the words she wished were true. Deep down, she knew she was lying, but she truly wished she didn't have to. 

Time skipped again. Athena was watching some mortals from a distance. 

A young woman was running a shop, filled with beautiful tapestries. 

“Arachne!” A man said, “These are beautiful as always!” 

“I know,” she said proudly. “I could probably give Athena herself some stiff competition. In fact, I could probably weave better than even her!” 

Odysseus suddenly realized he knew this story. Arachne had challenged Athena to a weaving contest. She'd won, and Athena had lost her temper and turned her to a spider. It wasn't a story he'd ever believed in, because it seemed so out of character for her. Was it actually true then? 

“You're really going to let her say that, daughter?” Zeus asked. 

Athena shrugged, “She is a youth. I'm familiar enough with mortals that some young human running her mouth with all the tact of a baby deer stumbling across a field, is not something I consider worth my time.” 

And I'm grateful for that, Odysseus thought, thinking of some of the things he'd said as a teenager. But this sounded just like the Athena he knew. He didn't understand why she would end up cursing this girl. If she even did, some of the stories he'd been told were clearly lies after all.

“Besides,” Athena continued, “It's not as though her confidence is entirely unwarranted. She is not nearly on my level, but she is clearly extremely skilled. That alone is enough for me to let her boasting slide.” 

That was also true, in Odysseus’s experience. He was well aware he'd gotten away with quite a lot. (Probably because Athena had appreciated his skill in fighting a bit too much to smite him)

Athena didn't mind boasting and confidence, as long as you were working hard to improve. It was stupidity and laziness that upset her. 

However, while Athena was willing to let it slide, Zeus apparently wasn't. 

“If you're indeed better than her, offer her a competition. Whoever creates a better tapestry will have it hung in Olympus. Show off your skill and teach her to remember her place.”

“Is that really necessary?” Athena asked. 

“Are you questioning your king?” Zeus looked threateningly down at her. 

“No, father,” she said, obediently. 

She went down, and appeared before Arachne. 

“So,” she said, almost playfully, “I believe I just overheard that there was a weaver here? Even better than the goddess of weaving herself?” 

Arachne’s eyes widened in an expression that clearly read as ‘oh shit!’ 

“I– I– I uh– I didn't mean– I meant no offense! N-not to you any-anyways. I like you, Athena!” She stammered. 

Athena waved her off, “I do not mind your boasting, however, the question is: Can you back it up? You have one week to create a tapestry. I will do the same. Then we will compare and see who the best weaver really is. The winner will have their work displayed in Olympus for all the gods to see.” 

Her eyes widened, “And… And what'll happen if I lose?” 

Athena shrugged, “Probably nothing, but I suppose that depends. Now, I suggest you get to work.” With that, she left. 

She sat by her loom and started weaving. 

You know, Athena thought, I should probably thank Arachne when all is said and done. At least with this competition, I have an excuse to spend all my time weaving. 

Odysseus watched her skillfully work on the tapestry, with smooth motions and nimble fingers. She seemed so relaxed for once… 

He was only allowed to watch for another minute or so, before time skipped to the next week, where the competition would be held. 

Arachne presented her piece, and Athena froze. 

The tapestry was a well-crafted image, depicting the wrath of the gods. Ares lighting things on fire. Zeus destroying a city with lightning. Poseidon drowning a fleet of ships. 

Athena went into quick thought. 

“What is this!?” She murmured aloud to herself. “Why would she…? Is this meant to be some sort of criticism!? Why would she do that!?... If father sees this he's going to smite her with lightning! …She might deserve it! I mean what on earth…?” Athena balled her fists in anger. Or maybe just frustration. 

Then she sighed. “She's such a stupid teenager… What a waste of talent for her to behave this way… I have to punish her. Father will have my head if I don't… I wish…” She paused, a sudden thought occurred to her. 

In about five minutes, she designed a creature. A hideous creature, that would be seen as a horrible punishment by anyone. Yet it was also a creature capable of weaving. This way Arachne could still continue her craft. 

It took less than a second outside of Quick Thought, so nobody noticed anything was off. 

This made Odysseus very happy. Despite the restrictions placed on Athena, despite the rules she was expected to follow, she was genuinely trying to do her best to help this human. Odysseus knew that if Athena didn't punish her, another god would. This way, she could at least have SOMETHING. 

However the other humans didn't see it that way. 

“What on earth did the poor girl do to deserve that!?” 

“That's just cruel…” 

“Arachne must've been a better weaver than her. It had to have been jealousy. There's no other reason to lash out like that.” 

And Athena didn't correct them. She couldn't explain herself without explaining that her punishment was really an act of mercy. If she did that, then she might get in trouble with the other gods. 

Instead Athena just burned Arachne’s tapestry, as well as her own. She sat, staring at the fire with a blank expression. 

Odysseus wished he could comfort her somehow. 

Time skipped again. 

Odysseus watched in confusion as Hephaestus walked up to Athena. 

What happened next made his blood run cold. 

Hephaestus cornered her, and tried to– 

Odysseus thought he might be physically ill. Fortunately Athena managed to fight him off. 

That doesn't change the fact that Athena’s step-brother just tried to rape her. 

He watched her retreat from Olympus, seemingly taking solace in a random forest. Eventually she stopped, and leaned against a tree, seeming deeply shaken. 

He watched as she rubbed her arms, trying to get rid of the memory of his hands on her skin. 

Suddenly Odysseus found himself remembering all the times HE’D tried to touch her. 

Not like THAT, of course! However… He'd always desperately tried to give her a hug or a high five. Begging and pleading, and trying to trick her… 

To him it had been a game, because on some level he'd assumed the reason she didn't do things like that was purely out of pride. He'd assumed that she wanted it, but was too proud to accept a hug from him. 

And maybe she was. But that didn't mean it had been okay for him to try and pressure her… 

When time skipped forward again, Odysseus guessed that this was probably the next day. 

Athena was walking around Mount Olympus. It looked like some kind of party. 

Suddenly Hermes came up behind her, playfully grabbing her shoulder. That's when she snapped. 

“Don't touch me!” Athena practically snarled.

Hermes backed away immediately, looking shocked, hurt, a bit scared, and… Maybe Odysseus was imagining the slight concern in his expression. 

Athena suddenly seemed to realize what she'd done. She glanced around, everyone was watching them. She opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could, Zeus spoke. 

“Athena, come talk to me,” he said gently. Almost fatherly. 

Athena nodded once and went to talk to him in a private room. 

“What was that?” Zeus asked, “You don't typically act out like that. That's usually what Ares does.” 

“I– I'm sorry father…” Athena bowed her head. Looking closely, Odysseus could tell she was trembling, ever so slightly. 

“I didn't mean to embarrass you,” Athena whispered.

“Hm. Just tell me why, and I'll decide whether to punish you or not,” Zeus said calmly. 

“I– I Yesterday I was in the armory and–” Athena began. Then she talked about what Hephestas had tried to do.

“Well, I don't see why you didn't want to,” Zeus shrugged, “You're not even married, so it's not like you'd have a spouse nagging you.” 

“I–” Athena looked a bit hurt at that. Odysseus figured she'd probably thought her father would be on her side. 

“I had actually planned to arrange a marriage between the two of you. Hera desperately wants him to get a wife, and I'm hopeful that fulfilling that request will fix the issues that we're having lately.” 

NO! Athena thought. 

“I…” She trailed off, trying to think of a good reason. Something her father would agree with. “Father… I… I don't think that's a good idea.” 

“And why not?” Zeus asked, “The two of you seem to have similar temperaments. Plus this just proves he's interested in you.” 

“Because– Because…” Athena began, desperately searching for a way out of this. 

“Because of the prophecy!” She blurted out. “I– My mother had a prophecy that her first born son would overthrow you. She never had a son, so what if her curse transferred to me? I am loyal to you, father. I'd never want to be responsible for you losing your life. I think it'd be safer to never be married at all, and to never bear a child.” 

Please work, please work, pleasework– Athena thought. 

Zeus considered this. “Hm… That makes sense,” he said at length. “I doubt that prophecy was genetic, however it might be good just to be safe…” He smiled, gently petting Athena’s head, “I appreciate you looking out for me, child.” 

“You're welcome father,” Athena said. 

“In that case, you may take a vow of chastity, and I'll arrange another to marry in your place.” 

“Yes father,” Athena said, then she straightened up. “I swear on the River Styx I shall never marry, nor bear a child.” 

And Odysseus knew she meant it. She'd never had an interest in that in the first place. This way she could get out of a loveless marriage to a man who had tried to harm her. 

“Good,” Zeus said, “You're dismissed then.”

Athena bowed and left. 

Odysseus felt a little sad for her. It was all well and good if she never wanted any kind of romantic relationship, but the fact that she'd had to take a permanent vow in order to avoid a horrible arranged marriage was awful. She shouldn't have had to do that.

As Athena walked out, she went over to Hermes. He was surrounded by other gods. She cleared her throat. 

“Hermes,” she said, “I… I have a message for you to deliver, come with me.” 

Hermes raised an eyebrow. However as she walked away, he followed. 

They ended up in an empty hallway. 

“Sooooo,” Hermes said, “Who's the message for?” 

“You.” 

Hermes looked at her, surprised. 

Athena didn't meet his eyes, “I didn't mean to snap like that earlier. I… I have been rather stressed lately, and I really didn't want to be touched. However, I'm sorry for yelling at you.” 

Hermes smiled slightly at this. “Yeah, well, I guess I get it. Being a soldier you probably wouldn't like being grabbed from behind. Maybe don't try to bite my head off next time,” he joked. 

Athena cracked a smile at this. Then she left. 

When time skipped forwards again, they were at Athena's temple. The goddess had seemingly just appeared there, since Odysseus saw a woman gasp, and attempt to cover herself with her torn clothing. 

“Medusa,” Athena said, coldly, “What is the meaning of this?” 

That made Odysseus pause. He knew the name Medusa. She was a Gorgon. If he remembered right, Athena had asked one of her heroes to kill the monster. Since she had been terrorizing the nearby towns. However she looked human here… 

“My goddess,” the woman said through tears, “I didn't want to break my vow of celibacy. I tried to stop him but he forced me!” A few tears rolled down her cheeks. “I promise… I didn't want this…” 

Athena’s eyes widened, she turned around, facing the god Poseidon. 

“Is this true!?” She demanded. 

Calmly the god of the sea replied “No. She is a temptress. I didn't know she was devoted to you, niece. Otherwise I would never have gotten with her.” 

“This is my temple,” Athena pointed out. Clearly not believing Poseidon in the slightest. “How did you not know?” 

“I did not know,” Poseidon repeated. “But… If you'd like, we could bring your father here. I'm sure HE would be happy to help us hash this out.” 

Athena froze. 

Odysseus could tell she knew that her father would do nothing but blame the woman. He could hear Athena’s thoughts as she realized that her father would likely smite this woman with lightning on her behalf. He could tell that Athena didn't want that. 

“That won't be necessary,” Athena said. She turned to Medusa. “I'm sorry,” she said, “But I cannot doubt my family, because of your words. You will be punished for this.” 

Medusa let out a whimper of fear. 

Athena raised a hand, “From now on, you will never be able to seduce anyone. I will transform you into a hideous creature. Whenever a man meets your eyes, he will turn to stone.” 

This way, Athena thought, Nobody will ever be able to take advantage of you again. 

Odysseus found himself appreciating just how much Athena seemingly went out of her way to try and help the humans. Even some of the ones she'd punished. 

Athena had always felt like a protector in his life, and this just seemed to affirm it. 

Then time skipped again. They were back on Mount Olympus. 

“Athena,” Zeus called. 

Athena immediately ran up to him and knelt at his feet. “Yes father?” 

“The humans in a northern province have not been sacrificing to me nearly enough. I want you to go down there, and kill as many of them as you can find. I want to make an example of them.” 

Athena nodded, “Yes father.” 

Odysseus felt uncomfortable. Not just because these were humans she was killing, but mostly because of the lack of hesitation. She didn't consider anything else. She didn't even hesitate. It was as though, to her, Zeus's orders were just as impossible to fight as a tsunami, or gravity itself. When Zeus gave her an order, she followed it automatically, without thinking, faster than even the most loyal of soldiers.

Odysseus wondered how much time Zeus had spent instilling that loyalty in her. 

She went down to earth, seemingly with all the emotion of a rock. Then, almost like she was sleepwalking, she began slaughtering humans. 

Their screams fell on deaf ears. She wasn't angry, she wasn't resigned. She just looked like she wasn't… All the way there… 

Even her thoughts seemed oddly blank, only her father's orders ringing in her ears. 

Then suddenly the cry of a baby seemed to draw her attention and snap her back to reality. 

A woman was hurriedly trying to shush the baby, as she hid behind a few barrels. 

Athena walked over to her, spear in hand. When the woman looked up at her in terror, and her child started crying louder, Athena stopped. 

Then she left, sparing the both of them. 

This happened many more times, Athena spared most of the women and all of the children in that town. 

But alas, she wasn't able to get away with it. 

Suddenly lightning rained down on the city. All the people Athena had spared, were electrocuted to death. 

That wasn't all. 

“I saw what you did,” Zeus told her, furious. 

“I– I'm sorry father, I– I–” Athena cut off as he slapped her, hard. 

“You know I don't tolerate disobedience,” he said, slamming his fist into her stomach. 

Athena cried out in pain, gasping for air. “I’M SORRY!”

“Explain yourself then,” Zeus told her, “What were you thinking!? Disobeying me…” 

“I… I just didn't have the strength to kill them! Emotionally, I mean… They were children! Children don't know how to sacrifice to us, nor do they know that they should!” 

Zeus's face seemed to soften at this, “Oh, daughter,” he said, “You need to learn to turn off your heart. One day, it may get you killed.” 

Odysseus felt his blood run cold. He was quite certain he'd heard Athena say that exact same phrase to HIM during his training. 

But in Zeus's case, the words were clearly meant as a direct threat. 

Athena knew that too, and looked at her father with fear in her eyes. “Yes father. I won't let this happen again.” 

“Good,” Zeus practically purred at her. 

Then, thankfully, time skipped forward again. 

Odysseus had never considered how it worked for Athena to answer prayers. So he watched with interest when Athena left the group of gods with the excuse that she hadn't heard her prayers today. 

She sat down next to something almost resembling a shrine that one might give sacrifices on. 

She rested her hand against the corner of it. Then he heard a voice. 

“Please, goddess if you're listening, let me know what to say during my speech today.” 

“How in the world do you expect ME to know what you should–...” Athena cut off, and just sighed. 

“Remember, just do your best,” it was Hera who spoke, from her shrine where she was sitting. “They won't give us offerings if we do not bless them.” 

“Fine. I bless him with a clear, and logical mind in his time of need.” Athena waved a hand dismissively, magic coming from her palm like mist. It seemed to sink into the shrine. 

Odysseus watched as she did a few more. He wondered why he was different. She always responded to him immediately, and unless he'd gotten INCREDIBLY lucky with the timing of his prayers, she wasn't just hearing them whenever she happened to sit by her altar. 

Eventually a voice that he recognized began to speak. 

It was Medusa. 

“Goddess Athena. Once again I apologize for breaking my vow. I know you don't believe I didn't want to, but… Please, if my years of worship meant anything to you… Just end my suffering. All my old friends and family are dead. Many because of me, though I didn't mean to. Even when I cover my eyes with a cloth, I am chased out of any town, and often beaten. I'm so tired. Please just let me die. I will be over a hundred years old soon. I don't know why you made me immortal. I'm sorry. I just want it to stop.” 

Athena’s eyes widened. Odysseus felt the guilt wash over her as though it was his own. 

What have I done?... Athena thought, I only meant to make her able to protect herself, while pretending to punish her… But… 

She stood up. 

Hera looked at her questioningly. 

It seemed to Odysseus that the gods couldn't hear prayers that weren't their own.

“This prayer requires personal attention,” Athena explained. “I will return soon.” She didn't wait for Hera to respond. 

I don't think I can bring myself to smite her myself… Athena thought. 

She went into quick thought, but this time she brought a man there, he looked in his mid-twenties, his hair was a light reddish brown. He was more muscular than Odysseus was. Though he was also probably a bit shorter. 

“My goddess,” the man said, kneeling before her, “What is the cause for such a sudden visit?” 

“Perseus,” Athena said, “I have a task for you.” 

“Yes? My lady?” 

Let it never be said that Pallas Athena doesn't answer the prayers of those who serve her, Athena thought. Then she instructed her hero on how to kill Medusa. 

Once she was done, Odysseus watched as she simply curled into a ball, still in quick thought, and brought out her wings just to wrap them around herself. She was trembling slightly. Odysseus wasn't sure if she was crying or not, since her face was covered by her wings. 

I'm so sorry, Medusa, she thought, I didn't mean for my punishment to go this far… 

Next thing he saw was Athena in a dim room, with her father. There were no windows, only a large rope in the middle. 

“I've decided it's time to move on to the next part of your training,” Zeus told her. 

“Very well, father,” Athena said, “What must I do?” 

“We'll be working on your pain tolerance. I expect you to never let yourself get injured, but just in case, you need to know how to keep fighting through it.” 

This made Odysseus… Worried. 

He had gone through a somewhat similar type of training with Athena. She'd told him that at some point in any fight, he was going to get hurt. 

He’d learned how to take a punch and tense his muscles to minimize the pain. He could keep fighting through sore muscles and bruises. He was proud of that. 

He knew it was necessary as well, since it was much better to learn to take a hit in a safe environment, rather than being punched for the very first time in a REAL fight. Plus Athena had always stopped when he'd asked her to. Still, learning to take a hit, and fight through minor pain was a necessary skill for survival. And he'd been very grateful for the skill the first time he'd gotten in an actual fight. 

However, Odysseus didn't trust Zeus to do this type of training responsibly. Not after everything he'd done. 

He would quickly be proven right. 

Zeus tied his daughter up, and began to hit her. 

Odysseus had once asked Athena if the gods could get injured, and if they could, did it hurt? 

She'd told him that they could be injured, though it was about twice as hard to do so, at least compared to a human. The gods also healed extremely quickly, however they still felt all the pain a mortal would feel with that injury. And no matter how injured the gods couldn't actually die– Well that last bit was propaganda, but he wasn't upset with her for that. 

Still, he fully believed that Athena was feeling all of that pain, exactly as a mortal would. 

Odysseus was forced to watch as Zeus broke three of her ribs. Then he broke her left shin, so severely that the bone was poking through her skin. Lastly he dislocated an elbow. 

Then he untied her. 

Athena was sobbing in complete and utter agony.

“Cease these dramatics, or I'll punish you,” Zeus told her. 

Athena’s eyes widened, and she tried to silence herself. Only her steady stream of tears, and her quiet whimpers showed how much pain she must be in. 

“Better. Now, you will fight this animal. It is called a ‘grizzly bear’.” Zeus brought the terrifying creature in from the next room over. “It is a simple creature with no magic, so it'll make a good fight for your first time fighting injured. You may get medical attention once it's defeated, but not before that.” 

Athena nodded, gritting her teeth. She stood up, wincing as she put weight on her shattered leg.

I must do this. I must impress my father. It hurts so bad. I need to do this. It'll stop once I'm done. It hurts. My leg hurts so much. Why is it harder to breathe? I have to fight. 

Odysseus wanted to cry watching this. 

He watched as she fought the bear, despite her horrid injuries. After around two hours, and a few more injuries later, Athena had killed it. There was a bloody gash across her shoulder, another across her stomach, and her ankle had been sprained. 

She simply curled up on the floor, whimpering softly. Her body was in utter agony. 

However, this time, instead of acting with anger, Zeus simply knelt beside her, and ran his fingers through her hair. 

“Good girl,” he told Athena. “I'm so proud of your progress. By the time you're finished, you'll be the most efficient warrior I have. You'll be a better weapon than the finest sword metal could make.”

“It hurts…” Athena said, weakly.

“Of course it does,” Zeus said, “A weapon has to go through the fires and be hammered in the forge, before it is made perfect. The pain will be temporary, and when we're done, you will be strong. My most favorite child. You will be my most perfect creation. I know it.” 

Odysseus felt disgust wash over him. The Athena he knew was very good at seeing through manipulation and logical fallacies. However, it seemed she couldn't realize it when it came from her father. Odysseus could though. 

Zeus was torturing Athena, and talking about her like she was an object for his use. He was acting like she was a simple sword, and not a real person in pain. He didn't care that he was hurting her. He didn't care what she wanted… 

At least Odysseus had wanted to be a warrior! At least he had wanted to fight! In hindsight, maybe Athena had pushed him too hard at times. (Though he was pretty sure that qualified as generational trauma at this point.) However at least she'd kept his desires in mind when training him. 

This was just cruel. 

A parent taking advantage of the trust from his own child, so that he could make her into a weapon. He'd asked her to learn to fight, he'd made her the new goddess of war, and now he was torturing her. Throughout none of this had Athena actually been asked what SHE wanted. What would make HER happy. Instead she'd been expected to sacrifice everything for her father’s ambitions. 

Then it got worse. Odysseus watched more and more of these 'training sessions'. Each worse than the last. She started fighting monsters, sometimes with both her legs broken. Then more and more powerful creatures, and worse and worse injuries. Each time, Zeus comforted her at the end. 

Almost as though he was trying to get her to associate him with kindness at her most emotionally vulnerable moments… 

Finally it skipped to something other than torture. 

Athena was getting patched up in the infirmary. This was seemingly just after a ‘training’ session with Zeus. 

“Athena…?” Apollo said softly. 

“Is there something wrong?” Athena asked calmly. 

Apollo frowned, “Isn't there?” 

“I feel just fine now, as usual with your talents.” She smiled ever so slightly. The same way she often did when giving Odysseus praise.

“Yes, well, your injuries have been fixed. However…” Apollo hesitated, “You seem to be… Touch starved.” 

“What? What does that mean?” Athena asked. 

“Touch starvation tends to happen when you don't have physical contact with other people. You don't allow almost anyone to get close to you, which is your choice. However, you're not getting any kind of pleasant contact regularly. Not outside of fath– Um… Not outside of extreme circumstances I suppose…” 

“I'm a virgin goddess, remember?” Athena said, clearly starting to get annoyed, and defensive. “I'm not exactly on the market for being ‘touched’ so to speak.” 

“That's not what I meant,” Apollo said. “Take me for example. I don't have a steady lover. Most of the time, I don't have anyone touching me in THAT way. But Artemis and I hug all the time, and she's a virgin goddess, just like you. You don't get any positive sources of touch.” 

“I– I don't see how that's a bad thing,” Athena glared at him. 

If anything, it makes me stronger, she thought.

Odysseus hated hearing that. 

“It won't kill you,” Apollo shrugged, “But as a god of healing I understand the body more than most. Being touch starved raises your muscle tension, and stress levels. Especially because of the way father treats you. Being touched, even platonically, causes you to react with fear. However, you'd be healthier if you worked on that.” He lightly put a hand against her back, right below her shoulder blades. “You'd probably be happier too.” 

Athena sniffed, dismissively. “I appreciate your concern. However, I do not need this. I'm happy you have a good relationship with your sister, but that is not something I'd need from my siblings. Or anyone else for that matter.” With that, she stood up and left. 

For some reason, Odysseus was still watching what happened in the room even after she left. Which was strange because this was the first time he wasn't following Athena’s perspective. 

Another god walked up to Apollo. He was pretty sure it was Asclepius, considering this was an infirmary. 

“I don't know why you'd bother with that. You're not going to get through to her.” The other god gave the sun god a flat stare, one that vaguely reminded him of Eurylochus. 

Apollo shrugged, “Oh, I knew that. I'm the god of prophecy, after all. However, I do know that somebody else will be able to hear it someday. Someone outside of her immediate family, who might be able to get through to her. He needs to understand certain things that are going on with her.” 

Odysseus was definitely surprised by these words. It seemed Apollo had foreseen this… That seemed rather dangerous depending on what side he was on… 

“Why do you care?” The other god asked. 

Apollo shrugged, “She's still my sister, besides… She may be father's favorite child, but I am his favorite son– Haha, like ‘sun’– anyways… I understand what it's like to an extent… And… And maybe the future will be better if another person understands things. Or maybe it won't. Futures are harder with the gods. She needs some connections outside of father. She can't get close to the other gods because of the way father brags about her so publically and loudly announces she's the favorite. That's the same reason she can't fully accept what's really going on, because our father is all she has. I think subconsciously she refuses to lose that. She'll never try to befriend our brothers and sisters. Probably because she thinks it would make her weak. And regardless, they would hate, and fear her if she tried. It certainly doesn't help that they're always lashing out at her. But if it were someone outside of the family then maybe…” He trailed off. 

“What do you mean you ‘understand’ her? You were never like her?” The other god raised an eyebrow. 

“If I didn't have Artemis I might've been. She was the one to befriend the other gods. I was an outsider, and one of father's favorites. But she trusted me, we're twins after all. So I was able to connect with them through her. Only because she convinced them that I wasn't some stuck up bastard. Athena doesn't have that. So they all resent her. So, she hates them right back for it."

Apollo hesitated then continued, "However… Being the favorite is far more of a curse than a blessing. It gets you more favors, and gifts, yes, but it also gets you far more attention. Which means far more scrutiny. She feels like she has to be perfect, and that's because she does. If only for her safety. Anything she sees as ‘weak’ she can't handle doing, because it just screams ‘danger’ to her."

Apollo grimaced, "Which makes sense. Father would probably punish her if he thought she was ‘going soft’. So she won't do hugs, naps, gentle words. She won't play games, eat sugary snacks, or even laugh. That doesn't mean she doesn't want some of it, deep down. I remember what it was like, before Artemis helped me befriend the others. It's like– All you can think to do is to please father, because he's the only other person in your life, and nobody wants to be alone.”

He sighed, “She doesn't realize I would absolutely be her friend if she let me. So would Hermes probably. However, I can't blame her for that, not when all our siblings are so hostile to her. Even Artemis, despite my best efforts.” 

Asclepius scoffed, “I'm not surprised. I don't see why you'd want to try to be friends with her. I'm quite certain she doesn't understand the concept.” 

Apollo sighed. He held up a hand, quieting his friend. Then he looked directly where Odysseus was watching, meeting his eyes. Much to the confusion of the other god. 

“Don't give up on her, alright? If you can help her, the future might be better. Now, though, I think you're about to see the worst possible potential fate. What might happen if you continue to misunderstand her.” 

“What are you talking about!?” Asclepius demanded. 

Then the scene changed once again. 

Chapter Text

Odysseus watched as Athena walked with purpose towards the center of Olympus. 

Suddenly Apollo grabbed her arm. “Athena,” he said, “Please don't do this!” 

Athena turned to look at him, seeming almost surprised. “I don't see why you'd care. Besides, you're the one always going on about how I need friends. Isn't this what you want?” 

“You haven't spoken to Odysseus in ten years!” Apollo said, “Why are you helping him now!?” 

What!? Odysseus thought. 

Athena sighed, “I made a mistake. After his best friend got killed, he lashed out and disobeyed me. We had an argument, and I left him. I shouldn't have done that. Now he's trapped, alone on an island unable to get home, all because I wasn't there to help him. I am going to fix this.” 

Odysseus really didn't know what to think about all that. He mentally filed it away to unpack later, and continued to watch things play out. 

“Please,” Apollo said, “Can't you just wait a few days!? At least until father is in a better mood…” 

Athena shook her head, “There's no time. I'm sorry, but I have to do this.” With that she walked away. 

Apollo looked like he was going to cry. “I knew it,” he muttered, “There was nothing I could've done that could change this, not now… But, at least I had to TRY to stop it…” 

Athena met his eyes, and nodded. 

She seemed to realize that if Apollo was this upset, this probably wasn't going to go as well as she'd hoped. 

That wasn't going to stop her. Whatever argument they'd apparently had, made her feel so guilty that she felt as though she owed him this, regardless of the potential consequences. 

Then Odysseus watched as Athena approached her father's throne. 

“Father, God King,” she said with her head bowed. “I've come to request a favor.” 

“Oh?” He asked, “And what would that be?” 

Odysseus could tell that Zeus was in a bad mood already. So could Athena, given the way she hesitated, before making her request.

“I hope to save my friend, a prisoner far from his home, Odysseus of Ithica,” she said, bowing her head. 

Odysseus was a bit surprised, he'd never heard Athena call him a friend before. She must really feel guilty about whatever happened… 

Zeus scoffed, “Divine intervention? Is that what you seek? To let him off the island I trapped him on?”

Athena nodded, hesitant, but determined. 

Zeus hummed, sounding slightly displeased. “You're playing with thunder, for a man full of shame. But… If it's worth the risk of death, why not make it a game?” He leaned forward, looking eager. 

Athena felt terror coursing through her veins, but she knew she couldn't back down now. 

Meanwhile, Odysseus very much wanted her to back down now. 

“What are the terms, father?” Athena asked. 

“Convince five gods of my choosing to let him go, and I will.”

“I– Very well, father. Who are the gods I must convince?” 

“Artemis, Hephestas, Aphrodite, Ares, and Hera,” Zeus told her. Summoning each god to the center, as he spoke their names. 

Best Odysseus could tell, he'd intentionally picked gods that Athena didn't generally get along with. Probably because that would make them less easily convinced. 

And also Hephestas. Yikes. 

However, Athena seemed relieved. 

Thank Gaia it wasn't Poseidon. Okay, I can do this. 

“This is acceptable, father. Shall we begin?” 

Zeus nodded. 

It was Artemis who was up first. 

“You're really going out of your way for a man, Athena?” Artemis asked. 

“He was my student for many years,” Athena said calmly. 

“He's a coward. He hunted a sheep that was already domesticated, and on top of that, he killed many sirens. My brother loves listening to their songs!” 

I did WHAT!? Odysseus wondered. Aside from ‘why would he hunt a domestic sheep?’ What did she say about sirens!? 

“He didn't know that the sheep roaming around a seemingly empty cave were actually domestic. He had six hundred men he had to feed. You would know more than I, that when hunting you have to take the opportunity when it arises or your prey will flee. He didn't have time to inquire about the sheep, before he killed it.” 

Artemis looked at her, with narrowed eyes. Seemingly considering her words. 

“As for your brother's sirens. It is unfortunate, but they were trying to kill him first. He didn't exactly have a choice but to make an example out of some of them so he would no longer be hunted. Plus, the sirens have been getting far too bold lately. This will be a good reminder that they should sing their songs from a distance, instead of getting so close. Which will hopefully mean more sirens long term. And more songs for him to enjoy.” 

Artemis nodded, “Very well. I suppose I'm out of criticisms. I vote to release him. Not that it matters, since I'm sure the others have thoughts.” 

“Thank you, Artemis,” Athena said. 

“Your vote has been noted,” Zeus said, “Hephestas!” 

Odysseus felt his blood boil as Hephestas stood next to Athena. As far as he was concerned, that god shouldn't be anywhere NEAR his friend. 

“He sacrificed his own men. He let his brother die, just to save himself.” Hephestas said, “That's a betrayal of the highest order. I cannot support that.” 

I don't have a brother…? Odysseus thought, confused. Unless he meant Eurylochus… But that doesn't make sense, I’d never betray him. 

“If we're talking about betrayal,” Athena said calmly, “How about the fact that his second in command, his brother, led a mutiny, and one of his crew members literally stabbed him in the back. Or the times they disobeyed direct orders and put everyone in danger? Does that not count as betrayal?!” 

Eurylochus did WHAT NOW!? Odysseus thought. If he was following this conversation right, this meant that at some point, Eurylochus led a mutiny against him, and Odysseus had responded by getting him killed. What the hell had HAPPENED!?!? 

“They didn't fully turn on him until after he had already sacrificed six of his men,” Hephestas pointed out. 

“Which wasn't something he wanted to do!” Athena shot back, “With the god of the seas after him, wanting to kill his whole fleet, there weren't many other options. If six men died, but the rest had lived, it would've been considered a success. It WOULD HAVE WORKED if his crew had not turned on him over a necessary sacrifice. A general will often send his men into battle, despite knowing they may die and he will not. This is not considered a betrayal. I don't see the difference here. So please, Hephaestus, let him go home to the wife who loves and misses him dearly.” 

For a moment, Odysseus thought he saw a flicker of jealousy in the god's eyes, as Athena mentioned Penelope. Then he sighed. 

“Very well, release him.” 

“Noted,” Zeus said, sounding almost annoyed. "Aphrodite!” 

“How can I release him, when he let his mother die of a broken heart,” Aphrodite said. 

Odysseus got the distinct impression that she was just trying to piss Athena off, and not actually upset. 

“His mother died of old age while he was in a war that he was forced to fight,” Athena said, “It wasn't his fault.” 

My mom is gonna die too?! Odysseus really didn't like this future so far… 

“He might've gotten home on time, if he'd just handled the cyclops properly,” Aphrodite said, “If I remember, even you were upset at him for that, Athena.” 

“I was,” Athena admitted, “But I've since learned better. What I didn't consider at the time was that Polites, his best friend, who he loves dearly, had just been crushed by the cyclops club. He was acting out of grief. I didn't understand this at the time, emotions have never been my strong suit. Perhaps if it had been you, sister, instead of me, you may have realized earlier than I did. Alas, please don't let my rash judgement be the reason he is unable to reunite with the woman he loves, and the son who he's always wanted to know.” 

Aphrodite considered this, “Well… Since you said ‘please’... Release him!” 

Polites was murdered by a CYCLOPS!? Odysseus wondered. What on earth HAPPENED!? 

He would very much like to know more about what led up to this point. He really wished he had more control over this. However, not only could he not control what he saw, but he couldn't even move. He was frozen, watching from a birds eye view, just as he'd been this whole time. He couldn't even close his eyes to block out all the images of torture he'd been forced to witness.

“Fine,” Zeus said, seeming quite annoyed now. “Ares, it is your turn. Don't disappoint me.” 

Ares grunted and walked up to her, sword appearing in his hand. 

Immediately, Athena’s spear appeared in hers. Then Quick Thought materialized around them. 

“No need to break the arena,” Athena said with a smirk. The two began circling each other, and trading blows. 

At some point Ares paused. He seemed to frown in concentration. Athena took a defensive stance, clearly wary of what he might do. 

Suddenly Quick Thought seemed to shatter, and rematerialize, but in a dark red. 

“How did you–?” Athena said, eyes wide. 

“It just took some concentration,” Ares grinned, “Now we're in my turf, and you probably won't be able to think your way out of it!” With that he attacked. 

That was when Odysseus remembered the explanation Athena had given, when he'd asked if any of the other gods had Quick Thought. 

‘Ares has something similar. We call it Quick Strength. While it works similarly to Quick Thought, instead of giving you the calm space to concentrate, it amplifies your emotions, and floods your system with adrenaline. I personally struggle to fight in there, just as he struggles in Quick Thought. Probably since it has a slight calming effect, and Ares fights with his emotions.’ 

Given the way Athena was clearly struggling to think of a strategy as Ares hit her relentlessly, Odysseus was pretty sure they were fighting in Ares’ Quick Strength. 

“You really thought I'd let your hero go!? He didn't even fight Scylla! He's pathetic! And WEAK! Just like his SON!” 

My what now? Odysseus wondered. This was certainly an interesting way to find out he would be having a child relatively soon. 

However, at the mention of his son, Athena looked pissed. 

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH! HIS SON IS MY FRIEND!” Athena practically screamed. She slammed her spear against Ares sword so hard he was thrown backwards about ten feet. At the same time, Ares' power was suddenly broken, and Athena’s Quick Thought reignited around them. 

Ares looked around, seeming surprised. “How…? That doesn't make sense, I had to really concentrate in order to break your Quick Thought. I had to focus, and calm myself. You shouldn't have been able to do that within Quick Strength.”

“I didn't,” Athena told him, breathing heavily. She seemed calmer in her own domain. “I think I lost my temper… I guess, for you to break Quick Thought, you have to think logically, and calmly focus, but for me…”

“To break Quick Strength, you have to lose your temper, let go of that careful control, and composure you’ve always got…” Ares finished. 

A strange look of understanding passed between the two of them. This was echoed in the arena of their minds. Their realms almost seemed to mix. Instead of Athena’s pale blue, or Ares dark red, the arena around them turned a shade of violet.

“But that means you've never lost control before…” Ares said, “Otherwise you would've broken out of my domain far before now.” 

“I suppose…” Athena said. 

“These mortals really mean THAT much to you!?” Ares demanded. 

They began to spar again, but neither of them seemed like their heart was in it. 

“These mortals,” Athena told him, “Are the first real friends I've had in a long time. The first people I've had outside of father, in the last four thousand years. I've always been father's sword. I don't expect you to understand, since he was never able to make a proper weapon out of you. But just for once, I don't want to be a sword. I want to be a shield. Because he is my friend, I want to be his shield, something he can use to protect himself. I want to protect these mortals from the wrath of the gods as much as I can.” 

Athena, Odysseus thought, almost exasperated, You are SO CLOSE to understanding how friendship works. I appreciate your protection, but you are not my shield! Or my sword! You are a person! 

Ares looked at her, then he took a step back, lowering his sword. 

Athena lowered her weapon in return. 

“You still haven't given me a good reason that I should want to let him go,” Ares said. 

“There are 108 men in his house trying to marry his wife, because they assume he's dead. Since he's been trapped on an island for seven years. Those men will likely die when he gets back. If not by him, then by me. I know you like a bit of bloodshed, so how about that?” 

It was a token effort at best, but Athena clearly knew that Ares was just looking for an excuse he could tell the others to justify his decision. 

“Very well,” Ares said, with a small smirk. 

The two exited out of Quick Thought, and Ares told Zeus his decision. 

Lastly it was Hera’s turn. 

“I've seen hundreds of heroes come and go like the daily sunsets. What makes this one so special?” 

“He's a genius, one of the brightest minds of our age!” 

Oh this is not gonna be good for my ego problem, Odysseus thought. He was deeply happy to hear Athena compliment him. 

“You'll have to try harder than that,” Hera told her. 

“He's incredibly skilled with words, and charismatic,” Athena told her. 

“Surely you can think of something I'd actually care about." Hera looked disinterested. 

“He's quite entertaining to watch as well,” Athena suggested, weakly.

Odysseus could tell there was something she knew could convince Hera, but for some reason she really didn't want to say it. 

“Eh,” Hera said. She looked like she was about to tell Zeus she was denying Athena’s request. 

“He– He’s never cheated on his wife!” Athena blurted out, “Unlike Jason, your most recent chosen hero, he has remained faithful all this time. Twenty years. With multiple women trying to seduce him. He is one of the most loyal heroes that this world has ever seen.” 

Odysseus could tell she felt uneasy. Though he wasn't sure why… 

However Hera’s eyes widened. She pursed her lips, seemingly considering. 

“He… He just wants to get home to his wife,” Athena told her, “Right now, he is stuck on an island with a woman who wants to get in bed with him. It's taking a toll. Though he has never even considered being unfaithful, as he has lost hope, he seems to be considering self-harm. Meanwhile his wife has a hundred suitors trying to win her over. She has also remained faithful, but those suitors are getting impatient, and she might be forced to remarry soon for her own safety.” 

Odysseus was absolutely horrified by this apparent future. How on earth had things gotten this bad? Was it just because Athena had left due to their apparent argument? And he'd had nobody else to stop him from being stupid? 

…Was he really that stupid without her?

Hera looked towards Zeus, a serious expression on her face. She spoke with an air of finality. “Release him.” 

Zeus's eyes widened in anger. 

“YOU DARE TO DEFY ME!?” He demanded, grabbing Athena by the arm, “TO MAKE ME FEEL SHAME!?” 

“I– It wasn't like that! I– I just wanted to win the game. Which I did, so just let him go!” She looked up, pleadingly at her father. 

“NO ONE BEATS ME!” Zeus snapped, “NO ONE WINS MY GAME!!!” With that he threw his daughter across the room, and then struck her in the chest with a bolt of lightning. 

Athena screamed out in agony. The lightning melted much of her armor, burning the flesh beneath. 

Zeus, still furious, raised his arm above his head. Electricity gathering above his palm. Bigger, and bigger. Odysseus had never seen that much, not even in the worst of storms… 

Athena looked up at her father. Surely he won't strike me with that… It could kill me… 

With her muscles still spasming, she couldn't move from her spot on the floor. At least not before Zeus hit her again. 

This time, the light from it was completely blinding. For several seconds, all he could see was white. 

When Odysseus was able to see again, Athena was laying on the ground, golden ichor pooling around her body. She was completely unconscious, and her body seemed to be pouring blood. 

“Is she dead?” Ares asked, as Athena continued to lay there, motionless. She probably wasn't even breathing. 

However, Odysseus could tell by the faint light coming from her body, one that all the gods had, she was still alive. 

After a moment, Athena let out a quiet groan, and slowly stood up. She took a few steps towards her father. He wasn't even watching her, he'd gone back to chatting with another god. 

Athena walked towards him, “Father, I don't ask you for much! I only want you to let him go!” She pleaded. 

Which is when he turned to her, and struck her again. 

She cried out, falling to her knees, muscles twitching. “Father–” she began weakly as he shut her up with another lightning bolt, this one directly to her face. 

I'll let him hit me as many times as it takes, Athena thought, I just have to convince him… 

How about NO!? Odysseus thought in response, Stay on the ground till he leaves, pretending to be unconscious. Or at least use quick thought to try and dodge the lightning! Alas, she couldn't hear him. 

This is what it means to be a shield, Athena thought, as she stood up, walked closer to her father, and tried to make her case for a third time. 

Of course, she got hit by lightning again. The idea of fighting back didn't even seem to cross her mind. Even as she got close enough that she might've been able to hit him with a spear, much to Odysseus’s frustration. 

She simply took bolt after bolt of lightning, not even trying to fight back, until–

“Let him go! Please! Please, father! Let him go!” She collapsed to the floor once again, all her energy spent. 

Zeus scoffed, “Fine! If it matters THAT MUCH! Hermes!” 

“On it!” Hermes said, then he left. 

“Apollo,” Zeus said, “Deal with that.” He gestured to his daughter on the ground. 

“It's too late…” Apollo said, walking up to the two of them. He stared up at Zeus with anger, “It's too late for that now! She's dying! YOU KILLED HER!” 

“What!?” Zeus demanded. But as Apollo spoke the words, Athena’s light finally faded. 

Her own father had killed her. 

No… Odysseus thought, No… No, No, NO!!! He ran forward blindly. The whole world suddenly seemed to grow dimmer. He couldn't see anymore! That didn't matter! He had to get to Athena! She couldn't DIE! NO! 

“ATHENA!” He screamed out. 

Woah, woah, calm down.” That was Athena's voice… 

He looked up. His eyes finally re-adjusted to the low light of late evening. He saw her face, completely unharmed. 

“I'm right here,” she told him, “And what you saw wasn't real.”

That's right, He realized, That was all just a potential future. Not real. Not yet. Never. 

“That'll teach you not to disrespect me,” that other goddess said. Then she left. 

Odysseus did his best to calm down, wrapping his arms around himself, and trying to breathe deeply, despite his breath hitching with quiet sobs. 

Athena, looking rather unsure of what to do, tentatively patted him on the head. 

“It's alright now. Nothing you saw has actually happened. Alright? So there's no need to cry.” 

Athena, his friend, who'd probably gotten almost no affection in her life, was clearly doing her best to comfort him. It made him smile, even as more tears rolled down his cheeks. 

“Thanks, ‘Thena,” he said, voice hoarse from crying. 

And he meant it. In her shoes, it would've been so easy to continue her father's legacy of ‘If you keep crying I'll hurt you.’ But she hadn't. Whenever he was genuinely upset, she did her best to help. 

“You're welcome,” Athena told him, “Do you… Need to talk or something?” 

Odysseus hesitated. “Can we… Can we go to quick thought?” 

Athena frowned, seeming confused by this. “...Very well…” She said at length. Quick thought materialized around them. 

Odysseus took a few deep breaths, feeling a bit safer. “Nobody can hear us here, right?” Odysseus asked, “Not even the other gods?” 

“No,” Athena told him, “Well… Maybe Apollo. He's said some things that make me think he might be able to hear it. Though that might be because of the whole future thing.” 

“Apollo is fine, that's not something I'm worried about,” Odysseus told her. Apollo had already proven himself trustworthy in Odysseus’s book, after what he'd seen from him in the vision. It was Zeus that he didn't want overhearing. “Nobody else?” He needed to confirm that. 

“No,” Athena said, “Now what is this about anyways? You've never seen so concerned with the other gods listening before… Did something happen with Polites or–?”

“Polites?” Odysseus asked, then he realized. “Athena, I didn't see Polites, I saw you. You're my best friend. It was your past, and your potential future that I saw.” 

Athena’s eyes widened and she took a step back in what can only be described as abject horror.

“What!?” 

Chapter Text

Athena was very confused. Her student, out of nowhere, had asked to go to Quick Thought. Then he'd started asking her if the other gods could hear them. 

“No,” Athena said, “Now what is this about anyways? You've never seen so concerned with the other gods listening before… Did something happen with Polites or–?”

“Polites?” Odysseus asked, he looked confused. “Athena, I didn't see Polites, I saw you. You're my best friend. It was your past, and your potential future that I saw.” 

Athena felt her eyes widen as she took an involuntary step back. Her breath quickening, and adrenaline rushing through her system. For a split second, she felt as though she was in Ares domain, not her own. 

“What!?” She demanded. 

“Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but you're my best friend, Athena.” 

“You have to be joking!?” Athena said. Surely this was a lie, or a trick, or SOMETHING. 

“I'm really not. I can prove it if you want,” he told her. 

She folded her arms, “Very well.” She waited. After all, there was absolutely no way that he'd seen her past. He must be lying to get information from her. 

Her student seemed to consider for a moment. Then he spoke. “You cursed Arachne as a blessing in disguise,” Odysseus told her, “You loved her talent for weaving, but you knew that the other gods would smite her the moment they saw her tapestry. So you punished her first, turning her into a creature that can still weave. That way, she could continue her craft. Then you let everyone believe that you did it out of jealousy, because you were worried about what might happen if you confessed the truth.” 

Athena stared at him. She'd never told anybody that before… He really had seen her memories… 

“Very well,” Athena told him, “I believe you. Now if you'll excuse me–” 

“Where are you going?” Odysseus asked her. 

“I'm going to find Mnemosyne, and we are going to have a TALK.” 

“Isn’t she the goddess who just left?” Odysseus asked. 

“Yes. It was reckless, and an invasion of my privacy for her to show you that. I'm going to go and have ‘a conversation’ with her.” She was going to beat her to a bloody pulp. 

Odysseus hesitated. “The way you said that makes me think you're planning to murder her…”

“That is none of your business,” Athena said, tersely. 

“Athenaaaaa,” Odysseus said, drawing out her name in a childish whine, “Please don't kill her. I'm actually happy that she showed me this.” 

Athena looked down at him, “Well I'm not.” 

Odysseus looked down, no longer meeting her eyes, “I know… But I just wanted to know…” 

“Know what!?” Athena demanded, “What could you possibly want to know so badly that you couldn't just ASK ME!?” 

“I wanted to know why you didn't want to be my friend,” Odysseus admitted. His expression reminded her of a dog that had gotten caught eating the human’s food. 

“I'm a goddess, I'm not going to be friends with a mortal. It's as simple as that. I don't understand why you're so obsessed with this.” Athena truly couldn't understand what advantage he thinks he would get with her as his ‘friend’. 

“Yeah well–” Odysseus began, then suddenly doubled over, coughing violently. 

Athena paused, she was confused by this. Sickness shouldn't be able to transfer to Quick Thought. Unless it was a godly curse of some– Wait a minute.

“Odysseus,” she said, “Stop trying to tell me about the future you saw. Mnemosyne made it so you couldn't tell anyone, remember?” 

Odysseus nodded, and the coughing subsided. “I forgot about that,” he admitted with a sigh. 

Athena scoffed. “Well, I hope you're pleased with yourself. Submitting to a goddess's curse just to invade my privacy.” 

“I–” he winced slightly at her words, “Yeah, that's fair. I guess I didn't really think about it like that… But… But I'm still kinda glad I did. I feel like I learned a lot from it, and it helped me understand you better.” He smiled at her. 

Athena felt some of her anger drain away. She did believe that he had good intentions. She just hated feeling so… Weak! Like he knew things about her now. Weaknesses she may have. And she didn't even know what he saw! 

“You're lucky you're somewhat talented,” she told him, “I've smited mortals for far less than this.” 

He had the audacity to grin at her. The little shit… 

“You're going to tell me exactly what you saw,” Athena told him, letting her magic flare up threateningly, “All of it.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Odysseus said, obediently. 

Odysseus really should've expected Athena to react badly to this news. She probably saw it as a threat somehow. She hated vulnerability of any kind, and after seeing her past, he understood why. So when she demanded that he tell her everything that he saw, he immediately complied. He knew that it would probably make her feel safer to know what he'd seen. 

So he told her. He told her in detail everything he'd seen. Even Apollo's words after she'd left the infirmary. 

“So he knew this would happen, and he didn't tell me…” Athena looked pissed. 

Odysseus felt like he needed to stop the god of sunlight from being stabbed. “He probably didn't want to risk you changing something, and making it so this didn't happen. He seemed to think it would be better this way.” 

Athena grunted her acknowledgement. 

“Anyways, that's everything from the past, I'd tell you about the future, but apparently I can't do that.” Odysseus shrugged apologetically. 

“I'm not concerned about that,” Athena said. 

You should be, he thought. 

“Well at the very least,” Athena told him, “I hope you learned your lesson.” 

“...What lesson?” Odysseus asked, hesitantly. He really didn't want to piss her off further, but he genuinely didn't know what lesson she wanted him to take from this. 

“That you shouldn't consider a goddess your friend, especially me,” Athena said. “You've seen the consequences of that now, after all.” 

“Are you referring to the curse? Or to what happened with Pallas?” Odysseus asked, “Because the curse was worth it, and what happened with Pallas wasn't your fault.” 

“LIKE HADES IT WASN'T!” Athena snapped. “If I had been more responsible, and careful it wouldn't have happened!” 

“You were three months old!” Odysseus shot back, “Goddess or not, nobody could be expected to be able to use a sword without any accidents at that age. Heck, what happened with you and Pallas could just as easily happen with two adults sparring. It wasn't your fault! Besides, you are careful now. I've never once worried you'd seriously hurt me. I've trusted you this whole time, and nothing bad has come from it! I still consider you my best friend, Athena.” 

Athena stared at him. “What is wrong with you…?” She whispered. She was trembling, just slightly. “You're a mortal. Humans are such fragile creatures… I could kill you blindfolded, with all my limbs broken. It would be so EASY! …Why would you…?” 

“But you haven't,” Odysseus pointed out, “You've never seriously hurt me.” 

“I could!” She snapped, “I could kill you right now!” 

“Do it then,” Odysseus said, knowing she wouldn't. 

“What…?” Athena breathed. 

“I don't think you can bring yourself to kill me, but go ahead and prove me wrong if you want.” He folded his arms, waiting. 

“I– You're insane!!!” Athena told him, “Completely insane! I'll have to ask Dionysus if he cursed you while I wasn't looking!” 

Odysseus just laughed at that. “Well,” he said, “I don't think he did. Though I suppose I probably wouldn't know if he had.” 

Athena nodded her agreement, “You would not… But… Just give me one logical reason why you see me as a friend! It makes no sense to me!” 

“It doesn't?” Odysseus asked, “You've been there for me since I was a teenager. You comforted me leading up to my coronation. You helped me impress Penelope, despite the fact that romance is nowhere NEAR your domain. You've helped me get stronger. You've always been someone I could confide in. Why wouldn't I see you as a friend?” 

“I'm your mentor–” Athena began. 

“Last I checked, a regular mentor wouldn't do that,” Odysseus interrupted, “If you were just my mentor, you would've taught me to fight, and nothing else. Instead, you've helped me with so many things, comforted me when I was upset, and always been someone I could talk to. You are my friend. And I want to be yours, if I can. That's why I did this, at the end of the day. You've never confided in me, and I guess I wanted to understand your worries, and your feelings. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help you.” 

“You don't owe me that,” Athena told him. 

“I don't,” Odysseus agreed, “But I want to do it anyways.” 

Athena shut her eyes, looking almost pained. “I hate this…” She told him softly. 

“I know,” he said. 

“You could get us both killed if Zeus found out that you know gods can die.” 

“I swear on the River Styx I will do everything I can to avoid him finding out that I know about that.” 

Athena looked up in shock. Swearing on the Styx was a very serious matter. 

He smiled gently, “I know it's important to you, and I don't want to do anything that could risk you getting hurt.” 

Plus, I know it'll probably make you feel safer if you know I can't blackmail you with it later, he added in his head. Indeed, Athena seemed to relax slightly.

“And yourself I imagine. Zeus would kill you immediately.” 

“That too,” Odysseus agreed. 

She didn't reply again. She just sat there, wrapping her arms around her knees. She looked… Small. He wanted to hug her. He wouldn't do it without her permission though. 

“Can I hug you?” He asked. 

She looked at him, “Haven't I been through enough humiliation today?” 

“Hugs aren't supposed to be humiliating,” he told her, “They're supposed to be comforting. You look very sad right now. But if it would only make you feel worse, then I don't want to do that.” 

“I don't think it would really make a difference,” she said, “Do what you want. I don't care.” She turned her head away from him. 

Odysseus hesitated. That wasn't a very good indication of what would actually be helpful for her. On the one hand, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable, or more upset. He knew he'd already pushed her pretty far with this whole conversation. On the other, when was the last time she'd been hugged? Thousands of years ago, if ever.

A part of him worried he was just doing what he'd done before. Wanting to hug her so he could say he'd gotten a hug from the goddess of wisdom herself. 

However, deep down he knew that wasn't the case this time. Even if she wasn't the goddess of wisdom, she was his friend. A friend who he knew barely got any affection even from her family. It wasn't because he wanted to achieve something, it was because he wanted to make her happy. 

He made his choice, deciding that if she reacted badly he could always back off. He wrapped his arms around her, wishing he was as good at hugs as Polites is. 

She stiffened, clearly startled, then relaxed somewhat. “I think we need to work on grappling again,” she told him, “If you think that this hold would give you any kind of leverage, you are mistaken.” 

“I did not think that. I'm not trying to shove you around or flip you onto your back. I'm trying to give you affection. Hugs are different from wrestling, Athena.” 

She grunted in acknowledgement of his words. 

They stayed like that in silence for a little while, before Athena broke the two of them out of Quick Thought. “Well, I believe it's about time you go have dinner or something. I've been told you mortals need to eat. So leave now.” 

Odysseus nodded. He figured this was her way of getting some space away from him. “You're right, it's about supper time now. See you tomorrow? Same time, for training?” 

Athena nodded, curtly. Then she transformed into an owl and flew off into the night. 

Odysseus had already told Penelope the fact that Athena was his mentor. How could he not? Which meant that when he explained the curse he experienced he wouldn't have to directly say who's memories he saw. That was good. He wanted to speak badly about the gods without drawing their attention. 

“So, let me get this straight,” Penelope said, as they ate together. “You were forced to watch the worst memories of a close friend, because you didn't know who the goddess of memories was?” 

“Yeah, exactly. And a potential future that I’m cursed to not be able to tell anyone about.” 

Penelope grimaced, “I'm so sorry, my love. That must be incredibly difficult.” 

“Yeah, well, it could always be worse. I'm glad it wasn't a true prophecy, and I have the chance to prevent it.” 

“I suppose that makes sense. Who was it anyways?” Penelope asked him. 

“My best friend,” he told her. 

“Polites? Eurylochus?” 

“The other one.”

“Ah.” She smiled knowingly.

“Yeah, I'll tell you about what I saw later, don't worry.” Odysseus didn't want to say anything when he risked people overhearing. 

“Sounds good, would you like to hear about what I've been doing today?” 

“Definitely,” he said, smiling at his wife. He absolutely adored her. 

Later, the two entered their room, and Odysseus closed the door. 

“So what did you see of Ath–”

“Wait!” Odysseus interjected, “Let's not use names here, I don't want to draw anyone's attention. Because I have some thoughts, and would rather not be smited for them.” 

“Oh, alright. So what happened to your mentor then?” 

Odysseus took a deep breath. “What kind of father…" He began under his breath, before continuing a bit louder, "Penelope, what kind of father tortures his daughter for training!? Snapping her bones so she develops pain tolerance! What kind of father can do that!?” 

Penelope's eyes widened. “He did!?” 

“I also found out that the reason she doesn't want to consider me her friend, is because she had a friend once who she accidentally killed. Because her father distracted that friend in the middle of a sparring session.” 

“Oh… Wow…” Penelope looked down to the floor. She looked rather overwhelmed. 

“She's apparently his ‘favorite’ child. But I don't believe that for a moment. You don't treat someone you love like that! There's more, but I don't dare mention the worst of it.” 

Penelope nodded, sympathetically. “Well… It sounds like she's been through a lot. That probably explains why she's so distant a lot of the time.” 

He'd been complaining about that to her in private for a long time. So Penelope was well aware about how Athena had kept herself at arms length. 

“Yeah it does. She still is, and she was not happy when she found out it was her memories I saw. She was apparently expecting it to be Polites or something.” 

“That makes sense,” Penelope told him. “I would've expected the same.” 

“I just– I don't know what to do! She practically worships the father who abused her! How in the world am I supposed to convince her that he's evil!?” 

Penelope smiled softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You're not. You don't need to convince her of anything. She's incredibly smart already. Show her what a healthy relationship looks like, and she'll surely figure it out on her own.” 

Odysseus felt his eyes widen, as he grinned, “My lovely wife, how are you so smart!? I'll just have to be her friend! I'll set an example to her with my other friends as well! Then she'll realize what family is supposed to be!” 

After all, she had eventually realized it in the future he saw. Or at least she'd accepted him as a friend enough to sacrifice herself. He just had to work harder to be a better friend than he'd done there, and then she could realize sooner and not feel the need to put herself in danger! 

Athena flew over the forest in her owl form. This was one of the best ways to help her think. She needed to figure out what to do with her student. 

She'd already thought of several ways to punish him for his insolence. Extra laps. Hundreds of pushups. She'll be knocking him down during training far more than usual. No water breaks. 

But that was all just a distraction. -A fantasy to make her feel in control again- 

What could she do about this? 

She'd seen the pity in his gaze, and she'd hated it! She wasn't some weakling who needed protection! She was strong! -It was dangerous to be anything else- 

She was stronger than the strongest metal that could be forged. -Because her father had forged her into his weapon- 

So then why… Why had Odysseus screamed her name like that…? He'd seen some possible future of hers, she knew that much. He couldn't tell her what it was. 

Athena couldn't imagine what could've possibly happened for him to call her name like he'd just watched her die. 

-Had he? Had someone… Had her father…?- No, that was ridiculous. 

How had he seen -P al l a s- her -friend- mentor’s death, and still tried to get close to her? He was smarter than that! She'd taught him to be smarter than that!

You don't smile at a loaded bow. You wouldn't speak kindly to a knife. You don't hug an unsheathed sword. You use the tools until they are no longer helpful, then you throw them away. Did he think her being his ‘friend’ would give him an advantage? Like how some mortals believe talking to a plant would make them grow faster? 

If he did, he was wrong. Plants don't have ears. The goddess of wisdom doesn't have friends. These were basic facts. Hugging a pile of shattered glass would only hurt him. 

-Is that what she was now? Broken? Maybe she was. Maybe she was born that way. Sharp edges that hurt anyone who touches them- 

He knew about Metis. -M other.-

He knew about her mentor. -The sickening crunch as her blade made contact. Was that why she took her spear? Maybe she didn't want a sword anymore.- 

Yet he'd still hugged her earlier. -It had felt nicer than she'd always assumed. Hugs always looked painful or restricting.- Despite the fact that she'd never asked for one, or wanted one before. -Did she want it now? It had been suffocating. It had been 

w A r m…- 

Athena landed on a branch, shaking out her feathers, as though she could shake the thoughts away as well. 

Whatever was wrong with Odysseus, she would ensure he was cured. Then he'd be the best warrior she's ever created. -Maybe her father would be proud of her then…- 

Gods didn't need to sleep, but they could feel tired. It was just more akin to the way a human would feel tired when standing for a few hours without rest. Not remotely like the way humans felt when they didn't get enough sleep. Gods could power through it without any issues, but many didn't enjoy the feeling. Sleep, to gods, was like a hot bath. Pleasant, rejuvenating, but not remotely necessary.

Athena didn't sleep often. It seemed like a waste of time when there was work, and training she could be doing. But once every hundred years or so, she allowed herself a night off. 

Odysseus would probably tell her she should sleep more. He'd always been blowing off responsibilities with excessive relaxation. Just like every other human did. They were mortal, didn't they realize how important it was to be constantly on guard, and working when they had such a limited time…?- 

Considering it had been about three hundred years since her last night off, Athena allowed herself to indulge a bit. Since it had been such an exhausting day. 

In her owl form, -she'd never risk her siblings seeing her doing this,- she shut her eyes, and slept through the night on a sturdy oak branch. 

Chapter Text

—A Few Months Later—

Odysseus was… A little bit concerned.

Because of a vow he'd made in order to marry Penelope, he now had to go to war. 

Polites, and Eurylochus had both decided to go with him. 

“Alright,” Odysseus said, “But Polites–” He cut off as he doubled over coughing. This curse was the worst. 

“Are you okay, Ody?” Eurylochus asked, as Polites pat his back during the coughing fit. 

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Odysseus said. 

“Are you sick?” Eurylochus asked, backing away from him ever-so-slightly.

“Nope, just cursed,” Odysseus said bitterly. The curse was worth it. He WAS grateful to Mnemosyne, and even built her a temple. But man, this part was a bit annoying. 

“Cursed!?” Polites sounded concerned now. 

“Yeah, nothing too bad,” Odysseus said. 

“By whom?” Eurylochus asked. He sounded like he wasn't sure if Odysseus was pranking him or not. Which was somewhat valid, considering all the pranks he'd played in his youth. 

“The goddess Mnemosyne,” Odysseus told them. 

“I've never heard of her,” Eurylochus said. 

“I would not admit that,” Odysseus told him, “That's what got me cursed. I asked if Athena was the goddess of memories, I guess I got confused or something when I was studying."

They didn't know Athena was his mentor, and therefore didn't know about her time dive power that caused his assumption. This was also why he wasn't going to explain the past trauma aspect of her curse.

“Then suddenly Mnemosyne appeared," Odysseus continued, "Pissed that a king didn't know who she was. She's the goddess of memories, and she has some kind of future related power? …I think she's one of the muses– No, she's the mother of the muses. Anyways, she cursed me to see a small piece of a potential future. A really bad one. So not only do I not know exactly what led up to what I saw, but I also can't tell anyone what I saw. Whenever I try, I– Well I'll just show you. In the future Eurylochus–” he began, before cutting off with another fit of coughing. This one was so intense, it brought him to his knees. 

“Yikes…” Polites said. 

“That's why there's a big shrine to her in the palace. Second biggest shrine other than Athena's,” Odysseus said. “I wanted to appease her.”

Well that, and the fact that he was grateful for what she'd shown him of his mentor. He'd spent so much time befriending her, and it actually seemed like he was starting to get through to her now! At least enough that he'd managed to get her to let him hug her a second time. 

“So you can't tell anyone this future…” Eurylochus began thoughtfully. “Could you write it down?” 

Odysseus shook his head, recovering somewhat from his coughing fit. At least enough to talk, though his voice was getting hoarse. “I tried it. I was actually just trying to write down notes so I could remember as many details as possible. But my hands started shaking so much I couldn't get letters down. I was eventually able to write my notes on it by creating a code that only I understand, but when I tried to tell Penelope what the code was, so she could read it, I started coughing again.” 

“Got it,” Eurylochus said. “So you can keep notes for yourself, but can't tell anyone else.” 

Odysseus nodded. 

“What about sign language?” Eurylochus asked. They had learned that ages ago, in case they were ever in a dangerous situation and needed to be quiet. 

Odysseus frowned, “I doubt it, but I can try.” He started to sign, but had only gotten a word in before his hands started shaking violently. Far too much for the dexterity sign language required. He cursed under his breath. 

“Okay, so sign language is out of the question,” Polites said, thoughtfully, “What about just– vague gestures? Like charades. Especially because that won't be exact, and therefore might not fall under the curse at all. But at least you could give us some idea…” 

Odysseus frowned. He supposed there was no harm in trying. Other than the fact that his whole body seemed to ache. 

He wouldn't be able to communicate that Polites had been killed by a Cyclops, or that Eurylochus had been killed by Odysseus. However, if they knew that he'd seen them die SOMEHOW, they might be careful going forward. 

He pointed at Eurylochus, then at Polites, then drew his hand across his throat like it was being cut with a sword. Immediately he broke into another coughing fit (unfair, he didn't even talk) that was so severe, he could barely move. This curse was clearly punishing him for trying to avoid it. 

“Both of us died?” Eurylochus guessed. Meanwhile Polites gave Odysseus a hug. 

Odysseus, unable to reply, gave Eurylochus an incredibly shaky thumbs up, to show he was correct. 

“Is that why you were trying to talk about it earlier?” Polites asked, “Did we die in the war?” Odysseus shook his head. He needed to figure out a way to explain. 

Once the coughing subsided, he considered his words carefully. “Earlier… I talked about the curse. I said that the curse showed me a small part of the future, without the full context of what led up to it.” He let his friends pick up on the implications. 

“So you don't know,” Eurylochus nodded. “You just know we died, but you're not sure if it was a result of going to war or not. Do I have that right?” 

“Ye–Yep–” Odysseus said. Then he fainted. 

Mnemosyne was kinda the worst. Still in his top five of favorite gods though. ...That probably said more about the others than her… 

Ten years. That's how long the war had taken. Despite that, Odysseus remained optimistic. This should be their final battle, and his plan with the wooden horse had worked flawlessly. 

Suddenly, he was blinded by daylight. Then he was being stabbed in the chest. 

He gasped, then things seemed to go back to normal. 

“Who was that!?” He demanded. There was no one around. What happened!? 

“A vision.” 

The voice was eerily familiar. He'd never heard it in person. It had been over a decade since he'd heard that voice at all. But he knew instantly who it was. Zeus. The god king. The world's most abusive father. 

He turned, now face to face with the god in question. He had to fight to get his face to remain neutral. He didn't want to be smited, and he definitely didn't want Athena to be in trouble. 

“What?” He asked, politely. 

“It was a vision of what is to come. A future you can't outrun. Unless you put a stop to it right now.” 

“What must I do?” He asked. He didn't like Zeus. He also didn't like the idea of being stabbed.

“There is someone you must kill. A foe unlike any you've faced before.” 

“Alright…” Odysseus agreed, hesitantly. 

Then Zeus handed him a freaking INFANT. 

“What is– What?” Odysseus asked. “Why would you–?”

“This is the son of Hector, Prince of Troy. Either you kill him now, or he'll grow up to take revenge on you and your family.” 

“What if I raise him as my own!?” Odysseus demanded, he was not killing a baby! 

“He will burn your house and throne."

"What if I send him far away from here!? So he won't know anything of what happened!" 

"The the gods will make sure he finds out."

"What if-" he began, but Zeus interrupted. 

"This is the child's prophecy. Completely set in stone. ‘When he gets older, he'll take revenge on the Ithican man who was responsible for his family being harmed.’ His parents were killed by a man not of your country. Which means the prophecy can only refer to you. Since you're the one who came up with this plan. Even if it was a man of your country, sparing him won't stop you from having innocent blood on your hands. All you get to choose is whose blood it will be.” 

With those ominous words, Zeus left. 

Odysseus looked down at the infant in his arms. No. No this was not happening. He was not going to kill a baby because ZEUS told him to. 

“Don't worry,” he told the boy sleeping in his arms, “I'm not going to kill you.” 

“Why not!?” It was Athena who asked. Quick Thought suddenly appeared around them. 

“Athena…” Odysseus sighed, “I can't kill a baby. I just can't. He reminds me of Telemachus far too much.” 

Athena pursed her lips. Then she sighed, “Fine. Give him to me then.” 

Odysseus almost complied. The baby was halfway to Athena’s waiting arms when he paused. He had a feeling something was off. There was a kind of grim determination in her eyes. 

“Why?” He asked her, pulling back slightly, “Why do you want me to give him to you?” 

She stared at him, “Isn't it obvious? If you can't handle this task, I'll do it. It'll be easier for me to kill him anyways.”

“No!” Odysseus said, holding the boy close. 

Athena looked incredulous. “You're really going to keep him alive? Despite the risk that prophecy poses?” 

“Yes!” Odysseus said. “You'd really kill him because of a prophecy!?” He demanded, “Like what your father tried to do to YOU!?” 

“Obviously. My father had every right to protect himself. I was allowed to live afterwards because I didn't fit the specifications of his prophecy. If I'd been a son, he would've gotten rid of me. He would've had every right to do so.” 

“No,” Odysseus told her, “Even if you'd been a son, your father killing you would've been a CRIME! I've made up my mind, Athena. I'm not letting a baby die because of a prophecy from your father.” 

Athena looked at him for a long moment, then let out a long suffering sigh. “Give him to me,” she said again. 

Odysseus GLARED at her. 

Athena rolled her eyes, “I'll let him live, for now. At least until he grows up and tries to kill you, or your family. Once he does that, I'll smite him, and you'll be forced to admit I was right. For now, I'll take him away from here. You still have a battle to finish.” 

Odysseus considered this. “Take him to Penelope,” he told her, “Tell her I want to raise him as our own. Give me your word that he'll remain unharmed.” 

“You have my word, on my worth as a goddess, that I'll take him there unharmed. However, I'll be telling your wife about the prophecy, and if she wants to get rid of him, I will not stop her.” 

“That's perfectly fine,” Odysseus agreed, handing her the child. He knew Penelope would never do that. 

True to her word, she held the child as gently as she'd once held Telemachus. 

“You're likely going to regret this, someday,” Athena told him.

“That's a risk I'm willing to take.” Odysseus met her eyes. 

“Then for your sake, I hope it works out for you,” Athena said. With that, she left. 

As she flew to Ithica, invisible, Athena looked at the child in her arms. She couldn't help but think of the comparison Odysseus had made earlier. 

If she'd been born a son, Zeus would've killed her without a second thought. He would never risk being overthrown. 

-As far as she knew, the prophecy was that a boy would overthrow him. Not necessarily kill him. Was it just about power at the end of the day?-

She knew Odysseus wasn't actively suicidal. The war had proved that enough. She knew he cared about his family. 

So then why…? 

Why would he take that risk…? 

What was it about this child that made him care so much already…? 

-Why couldn't her father have done that when he feared she'd be a boy? Her mother would still be alive if he had!- 

A few tears fell from her eyes, and slid away with the winds of her flight. Even still, she looked down at the baby again. 

“Tell no one of what you saw today,” she said to him. It made her feel better, despite the fact that logically she knew if he had seen her cry, he was too young to actually remember it. 

She was even more confused when Athena told Penelope about the prophecy, and her husband’s choice. She thanked Athena, and took the child in her arms.

She introduced the baby to Telemachus as his new brother. She didn't even seem to consider the danger… 

She just held the two children close to her. Lovingly. 

What was wrong with these mortals!? 

Chapter Text

As Odysseus practically threw himself out of the way of a boulder, he was forced to reflect on how things went so wrong. 

He'd gone to an island with Polites, only to discover the fruit there had not been edible. It had been lotus fruit. So Polites, ever charismatic, asked the lotus eaters where other food might be. They'd told them about a cave to the east. 

Athena had appeared briefly and yelled at him for being so trusting. He'd tried to calm her with logical arguments. Specifically the fact that they had no idea where else they could find food. She'd said ‘You’re going to regret this.’ Then she left. 

They'd gone to the cave, only to discover a giant man-eating cyclops. 

Odysseus had given him lotus wine, and lied about his name. (Just in case he'd ever heard of ‘Odysseus: Destroyer of Troy. Clever and deadly.’ He wanted the creature to see him as peaceful.) 

However, the ‘wine’ (really it was more like juice) had seemingly no effect. So now there was a giant cyclops attempting to kill them. 

“My brothers!” Odysseus shouted over the noise of the monster, “The rest of the fleet is as good as dead if we're defeated here! There's no backup coming! We must fight our way out!” 

“Yes sir!” His men shouted. They sounded slightly afraid. 

“It's just one life to take, at the end of the day! Do not fear! We can kill him if we work together.” Odysseus raised his sword, hoping to raise his men’s morale. His words were met with cheers. Now it was time to start giving orders. 

“Men! This monster is strong, but incredibly slow! Surround him, and focus on attacking from behind! Aim for his heels to keep him off balance!” 

“Yes sir!” His men shouted. And the fight began.

It was going well. Odysseus wasn't concerned. That is until he caught sight of Polites in the crowd. That's when he remembered. 

‘Polites had just been crushed by the cyclops club.’ That had been mentioned in the prophecy…

“POLITES!” Odysseus shouted over the noise of battle, “OVER HERE!” 

Polites ran over to him, “Yes captain?” He asked. 

“Stay close to me!” Odysseus demanded.

“Yes sir,” Polites said. He did as ordered, but Odysseus could tell he was confused. 

No time to explain, Odysseus thought ruefully. He was getting a lot of confused looks from the other men as well. He couldn't afford for them to be distracted. He needed a cover story…

“All you men!” Odysseus ordered, “Get into pairs. Watch each other's backs! That way in case he–” Odysseus cut off, coughing a couple times. Fortunately the roar of the cyclops drowned him out.

Admittedly, he really should have realized he wouldn't be allowed to say ‘in case he gets a weapon, each pair can look out for each other, and dive in opposite directions when the club comes down.’ Even if it was worded as a hypothetical. 

However, his men seemingly didn't need him to finish. They all paired up. Now attacking in groups of two, just as he'd wanted. Most importantly, Polites remained close to him. When the cyclops grabbed the club he was expecting it. When he aimed for Polites, Odysseus was able to grab him and pull him out of harms ways. 

Unfortunately, four men died, before the lotus fruit seemingly took effect. However, fortunately once it did, they all got a bit of a breather. 

“I need all our hands on his club!” Odysseus told them. “We'll sharpen the small end to a point, and we'll stab him in the eye. This way he won't be able to fight anymore!” 

His men cheered, and many began to sharpen the small end as Odysseus had instructed. 

His plan worked flawlessly. His foe was blind, and the other cyclopses had left. 

“Let's grab as many sheep as we can carry and get out!” Odysseus said. 

Then he was suddenly in Quick Thought. 

“HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS I TAUGHT YOU!?” Athena demanded, “He's still a threat, until he's dead! FINISH IT!” 

“No,” Odysseus said. What would be the point of that? Risking more death when they could easily escape. 

“No?” Athena asked. Her tone was a warning. 

Suddenly Odysseus remembered. 

“He might've gotten home on time, if he'd just handled the cyclops properly,” Aphrodite had said, “If I remember, even you were upset at him for that, Athena.” 

“You haven't spoken to Odysseus in ten years!”

“I made a mistake. He disobeyed me. We had an argument, and I left him.”

No! No no no! I'm not doing that! Odysseus thought. 

“Wait! I didn't mean it, Lady Athena,” he said, quickly. “I am not doubting your wisdom. However, I cannot understand the reason for your order. What is the reason I must kill him? It feels as though it's a pointless risk, when he's blind and we can easily escape. I will follow your order, but please explain it to me so I can understand why I must risk the lives of my friends!” 

Athena considered this, face softening ever so slightly. “That cyclops is the son of Poseidon,” she told him, “Though you were smart enough to not tell him your real name, he knows what you look like. Poseidon will be angry regardless of whether he's dead, or injured. However, if you kill him, you might be able to escape his personal wrath so long as he doesn't discover that you were the culprit. If you let him live, he could easily give a detailed description of your appearance, or a list of any names he heard you shout during the battle.” 

Odysseus felt his eyes widen in realization. 

“Poseidon is not a god you want to anger,” Athena continued, “Odysseus. I tried to warn you not to come here, but there is nothing you can do to stop it now. You have to kill him in order to mitigate the damage. I’d do it myself, but it's against the rules for gods to directly harm each other's children.” 

“I understand,” Odysseus said, “Thank you for telling me, and for always protecting me!” 

He gave her a hug. She let him. For the third time ever! She didn't quite return it. However she did awkwardly pat him on the back a couple times before pushing him away. Progress! 

“You're welcome, now go get it done,” she told him. 

He nodded, and quick thought vanished as he gave new orders. 

Despite what some people may think, Polites wasn't stupid.

A lot of people seemed to think he was, when in reality, he just liked to try to see the best in people. He knew the risks of blindly trusting people, just as much as anyone. He just decided he'd rather take that risk, for the potential reward of new allies. 

However, because of his attitude, people thought he was stupid, or at least naive. Maybe he was naive, but not stupid. 

When Odysseus called him over out of nowhere in the middle of the battle, just to order him to ‘stay close’, Polites was incredibly confused. However, he was used to his friend’s unconventional plans and took it in stride. However, because he'd been staying so close to Odysseus, he'd actually been able to hear him coughing over the sound of the cyclops roars. That's when it clicked. 

Over the years of war, Odysseus had occasionally broken into one of his coughing fits during times when they were planning their next moves. Polites was familiar with the curse, and had accepted that he wasn't going to find out what his fate had been, until it would've already happened. He trusted Odysseus to do what he could to prevent whatever potential deaths he'd seen. 

However, now he had a theory. 

Odysseus had ordered him to stay close, and had seemingly been more focused on keeping an eye on him, rather than fighting. On top of that, he hadn't seemed surprised when the cyclops pulled out his club. Odysseus had also once told him that he didn't know exactly how they'd gotten into the situation where Polites had died. 

That would make sense if he'd seen Polites getting killed by a cyclops. Especially if he hadn't seen what led up to them being in that cave. 

This was seemingly confirmed, when Odysseus asked for volunteers to help him finish killing the cyclops. Polites tried to volunteer, however Odysseus shook his head. 

“I need you to get back to the ship,” Odysseus told him, an intense, serious expression on his face. “That's an order. Take a sheep if you can, but I need you back on the ship as quickly as possible.” 

Polites nodded, “Yes sir.” 

Well then… 

He'd seen what had happened to the four men that had been crushed by the cyclops. Imagining that happening to him…

He shuddered. 

He needed to confirm his suspicions first, however. So he waited in the captain’s cabin for Odysseus to return. 

Eurylochus eventually joined him. Apparently he hadn't been one of those who volunteered to kill the cyclops. Instead, he'd grabbed as many sheep as he could carry back. Even taking multiple trips to make sure the crew was fed. 

Once that was done, he leaned against the wall of the cabin. 

“So,” Polites said, trying to distract himself from his own anxiety over what might've happened, “What are you here for?” 

“I want to know why Odysseus was acting so weird earlier,” Eurylochus said. “He forced you to stay right next to him for the whole battle, then demanded we kill the cyclops at the very end. I want to understand why.” 

Polites nodded. He decided to keep his theory to himself for now, in case he was wrong. 

Odysseus felt incredibly lucky that no more men had died, while killing the cyclops. Admittedly, Elpenor got a broken arm, but things could've been a lot worse. 

So he walked into his cabin with a bounce in his step. 

As he opened the door, he found Polites and Eurylochus waiting there for him. Both looking rather anxious. 

“What's going on?” He asked them, rather concerned. “Is someone hurt!?” 

“No! No, nothing like that!” Polites reassured him quickly. “I just wanted to ask you something…” He frowned slightly. 

“Alright…” Odysseus said. Polites was currently sitting in the only chair in the room. So he moved his loom out of the way, so he could sit down on his cot. 

He'd taken up knitting and weaving shortly after he'd seen Athena’s past. It was relaxing, and was a hobby he could share with his wife, especially since she was a very talented weaver in her own right. He'd brought some of his supplies on to the ship to give him something to do during the long stretches of travel between Ithica and Troy. 

For now, he set his half finished project onto his desk, and sat down on his cot. 

“What is it?” He asked Polites. 

His friend hesitated. “Ody… In the future you saw, was I killed by the cyclops?” 

Eurylochus’s eyes widened in realization. 

Odysseus paused. It would've already happened… So maybe I can talk about it now? 

“Yes,” he said to Polites. “Though I didn't actually see it. In the bit of future I saw, I heard someone mention it. Like ‘After Polites was crushed by the cyclops club, Odysseus–’” Odysseus cut off coughing.

Interesting. He was able to talk freely about the fact that he's only seen it mentioned in conversation, despite the fact that the conversation itself hadn't occurred, and would've been at least a decade away from now. However, he could say nothing else that the conversation included. 

Once he recovered from the coughing fit, he continued, “I had no idea what led up to the cyclops, but when I saw it, I knew that he was likely the one that future referred to. That's also how I knew he had a club beforehand.” 

Polites nodded, “That makes sense. That also explains why you weren't sure if going to war was the cause. Since a cyclops isn't likely to be a part of anyone’s army.” 

Odysseus nodded, “Yes exactly.” 

Polites smiled, though he still looked a little shaken. He gave Odysseus a hug. “Thanks for looking out for me, Captain.” 

Odysseus smiled in return.

“Okay,” it was Eurylochus who spoke next. “That explains why you ordered Polites specifically to be right next to you, and then ordered him to go back to the ship. However, why did you decide to double back and kill the cyclops? Was it also because of the future you saw?” 

“Not… Necessarily,” Odysseus said, “Though I did have a bit of a hunch letting the cyclops live would be problematic for us, because of what I saw. There was nothing there that directly said we had to, but I just had a feeling…” 

Odysseus had been using the ‘I had a feeling’ excuse for years. Since Athena forbade him from telling them the truth. So whenever Athena warned him of a coming ambush, Odysseus had suddenly gotten a ‘feeling’ that they weren't safe, and needed to move camp.

However, for some reason, Eurylochus wasn't willing to accept it this time. 

“No,” he said, “No. There's more to it than that.” He walked up to Odysseus, and leaned down, standing over him. “You're hiding something. You have been for years! I don't know what it is, but you need to tell us!” 

Odysseus inhaled sharply. He knew!? 

No. Odysseus needed to come up with something to get him content. He couldn't know about Athena! He'd promised he wouldn't tell anyone about her without permission! 

However, Eurylochus seemed to sense his moment of hesitation, “Don't even try to bullshit me!” He snapped, “I know that look. We've been friends for years! I'm your BROTHER! You can't lie to me!” 

Odysseus’s eyes widened. “I–... Eurylochus, I'd tell you if I could, but I promised–”

“Oh? So some promise is more important than us!? I've been loyal to you for ten years! You can't lie to me anymore!” 

“I'm not lying! I made a promise I wouldn't tell anyone!” Odysseus said. His brother’s accusations felt like a knife through the heart. 

“Eury’,” Polites said, “If he promised, we shouldn't be–” 

“He's been hiding things from us for years! You'd really trust a captain who won't be honest with his own crew!? I don't want to be led by a man who won't even–”

“Enough!” 

For the second time that day, Quick Thought materialized around him. However, this time, it enveloped Polites and Eurylochus as well. 

Polites was having a rough day. Odysseus had confirmed his suspicions about being killed by a cyclops. 

-Had one of the other men died instead of him? Would one of them be alive instead if Odysseus hadn't interfered?-

Then Eurylochus started yelling at Odysseus. Admittedly, Polites had noticed the same thing Eurylochus had. He just always figured his friend had a good reason for it. Indeed, after Eurylochus pressed the issue a bit, Odysseus had revealed that he'd made a promise at some point not to tell them whatever it was. 

That was perfectly understandable to Polites. Part of being trustworthy was keeping promises, and Polites wouldn't want Odysseus telling someone something that he'd asked to keep private. 

However it wasn't good enough for Eurylochus. 

“He's been hiding things from us for years!” Eurylochus ranted, “You'd really trust a captain who won't be honest with his own crew!? I don't want to be led by a man who won't even–”

“Enough!” It was a woman's voice. 

There was a sound that was a cross between wind chimes, and the noise glass makes when you sprinkle it on the floor. The ground beneath him turned a pale, nearly transparent, blue. Like tinted glass almost. He looked around. They were seemingly on a giant glass platform floating in the night sky. When he looked closely at the floor he could seemingly see sand flowing beneath it. As though they were standing on top of a giant hourglass. 

There was a flash and a woman appeared. No, not a woman, a goddess. 

She was tall, far taller than any mortal. Her skin was perfectly smooth, like marble. Her hair seemed to shine like gold, or some other type of precious metal. Her eyes were cold, and grey. Like storm clouds.

He and Eurylochus immediately knelt before her, in a mixture of reverence, and fear. Strangely though, Odysseus didn't. Instead he greeted her like an old friend.

“Athena!” He said, sounding excited. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want anyone to know about you?” 

“What…?” Eurylochus barely breathed the word. 

“I don't,” the goddess- Athena- said calmly. “However it seems your supposed ‘friends’ cannot be trusted to take your word. Even when you admitted that you'd promised not to tell anyone. So I didn't have a choice but to reveal myself to them.” 

“You didn't have to do that,” Odysseus said, sounding relieved all the same. 

“I know. You're welcome.” Her tone was flat. Cold. 

Or at least that's what Polites thought, until she started talking to Eurylochus.

In comparison, her words to Odysseus had been as gentle as a mother soothing a crying child. Because when she spoke to Eurylochus, Polites was pretty sure he felt his blood, his very bones, freeze over. 

“Now as for you, Eurylochus,” Athena said, glaring down at him, “I must say, I'm incredibly disappointed in you. You are not the captain of this ship. You do NOT get to order him around. You do NOT get to demand he tell you everything you want to know at all times. Every secret he's ever kept from you in the last ten years, has been directly on MY orders. Just now, you were trying to demand he betray the trust of a goddess. SURELY you understand why he would refuse to do that?” 

Eurylochus looked up at her, horrified. He looked to Odysseus, who was standing behind Athena, a bit awkwardly. 

“Ody, is she…?” Eurylochus began. 

Odysseus nodded, smiling apologetically. “Yeah. She told me not to tell anyone she's been helping me. She made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone without her permission. I swear, I've tried to get her to let me tell you before, but–” 

“But I refused,” Athena interjected, “Because I didn't want to deal with all this mortal nonsense. Unfortunately, you've left me no choice. You questioned his authority, and made it sound like you were about to stop following his orders entirely. I cannot have that. Let it be known that the reason he turned back and killed the cyclops is because I demanded it. That was the reason for his sudden change of orders. Every lie he's told you throughout the war was directly at my request. So stop trying to demand he disobey me. You do not have the authority for that!” 

With that, the goddess disappeared, and they were suddenly back in the ship. 

Eurylochus and Polites shared a look. 

Did that really just happen? Polites wondered. 

“So…” Odysseus began awkwardly, “Now you know, I guess.” He shrugged. Then he sat down at his desk and started weaving on his loom, like nothing happened. 

Is that why he took up weaving? Did Athena ask him to do that? Or did he decide to do it on his own to honor her? Polites wondered. 

Eurylochus seemed to be in a state of shock. 

“How long?” He asked Odysseus. 

Odysseus looked up at Eurylochus. “Are you mad at me?” He asked. 

“I… I guess I can't be. I'd do the same in your shoes. I'm not about to disobey a goddess. But… But how long?!” 

Odysseus sighed, “Since I was fifteen,” he admitted. 

Polites felt his eyes widen. “That long!?” He asked. 

“Yeah,” Odysseus said, “Do you two remember that boar we fought?” 

The two nodded. Polites repressed a shudder at the memory. 

“That you fought,” Eurylochus said, chuckling slightly. “We didn't do much.” 

“Yeah, well, I disagree. However I guess Athena thinks the same. Turns out that boar was created by her. A test for the new hero she would train. So when I killed it, she offered to teach me fighting. I accepted. Obviously, I mean she's the goddess of war, who wouldn't? She told me I couldn't tell anyone. Apparently some heroes in the past have used her name for clout and praise. I tried to get her to let me tell you guys. She never agreed. The only person she ever let me tell is Penelope, and even that was difficult.” 

Polites nodded, sympathetic. He felt as though he'd been right. Odysseus HAD indeed had good reason for keeping it a secret. A goddess's orders were not to be disobeyed. He'd been right to trust his friend! 

Eurylochus nodded slowly, “I suppose that makes sense… I'm sorry for doubting you then...” 

Odysseus smiled, “It's alright, I get it. Besides, at least this way, you're finally allowed to know! Just make sure you don't tell anyone else of this. It wouldn't be good for the other crew members to find out. She definitely wouldn't like that.” 

“Got it,” Eurylochus said.

“Hey…” Polites said, hesitantly. He didn't want to offend the goddess if she was listening, but there was something he wanted to know. 

“What is it?” Odysseus asked. 

“Is she… Considering what she said about giving you orders and such… Is it hard for you to be her student?” 

Are you trapped and forced to follow her whims under threat of death? 

Odysseus shrugged, “I guess it's kinda hard? Not too bad though. Plus it's totally worth it. She's taught me a lot, and she's also one of my best friends!” 

“Really?” Polites asked. He was surprised to hear the ‘best friends’ part. 

“Yeah! She's great!”

“I find that hard to believe,” Eurylochus noted. 

“Yeah, well, you've only talked to her when she's pissed off. That's not exactly gonna give you the best first impression,” Odysseus pointed out. 

“I suppose that's true,” Polites conceded. 

“Here, why don't I tell you a story,” Odysseus said.

—Three days after the birth of Telemachus— 

“What have I told you about summoning me when there's no danger?” Athena told Odysseus. Then she looked at Penelope. “And in front of another person no less.” 

“Sorry,” Odysseus said. He wasn't that sorry, just like he could tell Athena wasn't that angry. “I wanted to show you my son!” He said happily. 

Athena nodded, and walked over to where Odysseus was holding him. 

She leaned down slightly, looking at the sleeping infant. She nodded once. “Nice. I'm glad things went well then.” She straightened up, and looked over to his wife. “By the way, it's good to see you again, Penelope.”

“You too,” Penelope told her. 

From what Odysseus knew, the two rarely talked, but they had interacted a few times, and they both seemed to get along. That was enough for him. 

“I'm glad to see you didn't have any complications," Athena told her.  

“Yes, that was very fortunate,” Penelope agreed, “By the way, my husband told me you were the one who instructed him on what sacrifices Hera prefers.”

“I did.” 

Odysseus nodded, “Chickens and apples,” he recited. 

“In that case, thank you for helping us,” Penelope told the goddess.

Athena just nodded her acknowledgement of the words. 

“Athena,” Odysseus said, “Would you like to hold my son?” 

She blinked. “I can give him a blessing without having to hold him.”

“I don't need you to bless him,” Odysseus told her, “I know he'll be absolutely amazing even without any godly magic. Because he's my son and I love him! I'm asking if you want to hold him because you're my friend, Athena.” 

“Ah,” she said, “That mortal bonding event where, as a show of trust, you hand your most fragile creation off to the people you're close to in some way. I see.” Athena didn't look particularly enthusiastic about the idea. In fact, she looked vaguely uncomfortable. However she held out her arms for the child anyways. 

As Odysseus handed Telemachus over, Athena made her arm guards vanish, and delicately held his son, as though she was afraid her very breath might shatter him. She seemed to know how to hold a baby, though that was likely because she'd payed attention to how Odysseus had been holding him. 

Once in her arms, Telemachus woke up. He opened his eyes, saw Athena, and smiled. 

“I think he likes you,” Odysseus said, happily. 

“Strange…” Athena said. “Children are usually afraid of me…” She looked at Telemachus, something soft in her gaze. After just a couple more seconds, she turned to Penelope. “You can have your child back now, he's probably hungry anyways.” 

“Alright,” Penelope said, amused. She held out her arms and Athena very carefully handed her Telemachus. Odysseus was pretty sure she was using quick thought, to make extra sure she didn't accidentally drop him, or something. 

“Well…” Athena said, sounding about as awkward as a goddess was capable of, “I appreciate the opportunity to partake in one of your human traditions. I'll be leaving now I think. I still have duties on Olympus after all.” She stood up. 

“Alright then,” Odysseus said, somewhat amused. 

“I'll give you this next week off of training, so you can get settled,” Athena said, “So I'll see you next week.” 

“Sounds good,” Odysseus told her. 

She nodded once, and left. 

Polites smiled as his friend told the story. “She sounds nice!” He told Odysseus. 

And she did. At least based on Odysseus’s story. Sure, some would argue that Odysseus must be biased, or maybe threatened into making her look good. However, Polites chose to see the best in people. So for now, he'd take Odysseus’s word that his goddess was a good person. 

Chapter Text

It was the biggest storm Odysseus had ever seen. 

Athena! He thought, attempting to reach out to her, What's going on!?

“It's Poseidon,” her voice spoke in his mind, “He must have discovered his son’s body.” 

Has he figured out it was us!? Odysseus wondered. Grabbing a rope so he could pull the sail up so it wouldn't be ripped apart by the wind. 

“I'm certain he doesn't know who did it, yet,” Athena told him, “Best I can tell, he's unleashed a giant storm, hoping to drown any ships on the ocean. He knows that the island with the cave is far enough away from anywhere else, that whoever did it is likely still on the ocean. He's trying to destroy all ships currently on the water.” 

Got it, Odysseus thought.

“I should've gotten some wood or something that I could give you to repair the ships if they get damaged. I knew there was going to be a storm. I was going to go last night, after our chat with Polites and Eurylochus. But then father called me home. I'm so sorry, Odysseus.”

-For just a moment, her voice reminded Odysseus of the times he'd heard her apologizing to Zeus. As though she was a failure, and thought he was going to be angry with her.- He didn't want Athena to hear those thoughts so he tried to block them out.  

It's okay Athena! It's not your fault. You do enough for us as it is. He told her instead. 

“Captain!” it was Eurylochus who spoke, running up to him. “We will capsize in these waves! Our fleet will be destroyed in this storm!” 

“Have them follow my ship! I'll ensure that we prevail!” Odysseus shouted over the sound of the rain. He was projecting confidence that he did not have. 

Is there anything we can do? Odysseus mentally asked Athena. 

“To stop the storm? Not that I can think of…” She seemingly trailed off. 

Where's the nearest island?

“Nothing for miles… Except… No, never mind, that'd be far too dangerous.” 

Danger is kinda what we're doing right now. Where is it? 

There was the sound of a sigh in his mind, and then– “Turn the ship to the left, and ride across the waves for a while. You'll see it.” 

Odysseus did as she instructed. After a few minutes, he saw it. An island floating in the sky. Perfect! 

“Eurylochus grab the harpoons!” He ordered, “As many as you can find! Hand them out to all the men!” 

“What do you have in mind?” Eurylochus asked. 

“We're gonna shoot for the sky!” Odysseus grinned. 

“WHAT!?” 

“Smart,” Athena told him, “You can use the island as an anchor. But you'll still have to beware of the waves, they might make the boats crash into one another.” 

Got it, Odysseus thought. He got his men to harpoon the island, and made sure all the ships were far enough away that they wouldn't crash into each other. Once that happened, things were a bit calmer. 

“Odysseus?” Polites asked. “What are we going to do now?” 

“I have an idea,” Odysseus said. 

“Please don't tell me you're gonna do what I think you'll do,” Eurylochus said, practically groaning. 

“If he keeps questioning you, I might have to smite him,” Athena said. Odysseus ignored that, knowing she was probably not actually gonna do that. 

“Surely you've heard the legends of the island in the sky,” Odysseus told Eurylochus, “This just proves they're true.” 

“So what's your plan?” 

Odysseus hesitated just slightly. 

What's Aeolus' temperament like? Odysseus wondered.

He heard the sound of Quick Thought, though Athena didn't bring him into her realm. Instead everything seemed to move much slower. This was presumably because Athena wanted to be able to give him a longer explanation, without it seeming strange to the outside world. 

“She’s playful,” Athena told him, “She enjoys games, just like I do, but she– Well, she technically doesn't cheat. She follows all rules specifically stated, she just uses a lot of underhanded tactics, for seemingly no reason. She likes a challenge. If you can convince her to play a game, you might have a chance. But be warned, out of hundreds of mortals, I've only ever seen a couple win at a game she set up.”

Will she do anything to me if I do win? Odysseus wondered. -Like Zeus would- He nearly started coughing. 

“No, she'll respect it if you do. She'll probably just ask you to play more games in the future till you lose. To ‘even the score’ so to speak. Not ideal, but probably preferable to dying in this storm.” 

Welp, I guess I know what I'm doing then. Odysseus decided. After all, he really didn't have many options. 

At this, Athena broke him out of Quick Thought, and time seemed to resume flowing naturally. 

“I'm gonna climb to the top and ask the wind god for help!” Odysseus said proudly. 

Eurylochus immediately began questioning his decisions. In front of everyone else too. Great. 

Once Odysseus climbed up to the top of the island. He took a deep breath. 

“Great wind god, Aeolas,” he began, “I'm sure you're aware of the giant storm over the ocean. I'm asking for your help to cross the ocean waters and return home safely!” 

He heard a small giggle coming from somewhere around him. 

He looked around. 

Then he saw her, hiding behind a pillar. As soon as he did, she grinned. 

“You found me~” she said in a sing-song sort of way. “And, if you really want me to give you the passage you want, let's play a game! If you win, you'll get home.”

“What are the terms?” Odysseus asked, smiling slightly. This was exactly according to plan. 

Aeolas pulled out a bag. Wind suddenly rushed around them, nearly knocking Odysseus off his feet. It was strong, as though all the winds across the ocean were coming together. He stumbled, but managed to recover as Aeolas closed the bag and tied it. Then she held it out to him.

“In this bag, there's all the winds of the storm. All you have to do is not open it.”

He took it. “Sounds far too easy, what's the catch.”

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer~” she laughed, “Also, it's against the rules for anyone else to help you win. I can sense the presence of another god or goddess, not sure, but either way, that's cheating. No cheating! I'll know if you try~” She booped his nose. 

What do you think, Athena? 

“It's up to you, Odysseus.” 

I don't think we have much of a choice. I really don't want to piss off the wind god by cheating at her game. What will happen if we lose though? Will she come after us?

Athena appeared in front of both of them. 

“Athena!” Aeolas said, seeming surprised. “So you're who I noticed hanging around here~” 

“I figured, since your rules involve me, I should probably show up to negotiate a deal.” 

“Oh~? And what would that be~?” 

“I won't interfere with the game whatsoever,” Athena said, “On two conditions. Whether he wins or loses, you cannot punish him for it, beyond just letting the storm be released. Secondly, you must tell us what you're planning.” 

Aeolas considered this, “Well, fine, but we both have to take an oath on the Styx.” 

Athena nodded, and the two grabbed hands, as though they were about to do a handshake. 

“I swear on the Styx I'll tell you my little plan, and I will not punish the mortal further whether he wins, or loses,” Aeolas said. 

“I swear on the Styx I will not interfere to stop the bag from being opened at any time. Until the game is over, I will not touch it, nor will I interfere with the mortals who do.” 

“For the sake of the oath,” Aeolas said, “define ‘until the game is over’.” 

“Until the bag is opened, or the crew is on Ithica. After that, I will do as I wish,” Athena told her. 

“Very well,” Aeolas said, and the two shook hands, sealing their binding oath. 

“I'm going to have my Winions spread some rumors to make the crew want to open the bag,” Aeolas explained. “He'll have to convince them not to, and make sure they can't get it.” 

Odysseus nodded. Yeah that made sense. He was sure his men wouldn't do that though. 

Eurylochus had heard the rumors. He'd heard the Captain's orders. 

However, while he knew Odysseus would never hide treasure on his own, what about Athena? He'd admitted he'd lied to them on her behalf before. She'd mentioned that she gave him orders. What if she had told him to hide treasure from the crew for his own benefit and her own glory? 

If it truly was treasure, it should be shared with the crew! 

And why wouldn't it be? Why would the wind god agree to help, just to hand him a dangerous bag? That didn't make sense! What would even be the point of that?! What would Aeolas gain from it!? After all, it would've been one thing for the god to simply refuse, gods were somewhat known for not wanting to put in effort for every little request. However, going through all that extra effort just to give Odysseus a dangerous bag he'd NEVER want to open? What was the point!? 

And of course, it would be so EASY to get the crew to stop asking questions by saying ‘if you open it, the storm will come back’. The more Eurylochus thought about it, the more it seemed like Odysseus must be lying to them. On the goddess's orders. 

Hadn't he always heard that the gods couldn't be trusted!? That they'd only use you for their own gain!? That was clearly what Athena was doing to Odysseus! 

The final straw came after ten days. 

He was on watch, and saw a couple creatures floating over the side of the ship. It was morning. However nobody else was up yet, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. 

Which meant that he got a good look at the strange creatures. 

They were semi-transparent, and looked as if they were made of clouds swirling with a summer breeze. 

“What are you?” Eurylochus asked. 

“We're the Winions,” one of them said, “We help Aeolas!” 

“Oh… I see,” Eurylochus said, “Why are you here?” 

“We were just wondering how you guys are liking the treasure we gave you,” the other Winion spoke. 

“What?” Eurylochus asked. 

“Yeah!” The other one agreed, “Aeolas gave Odysseus enough treasures for the whole crew! So I'm assuming he shared it!”

Eurylochus’s eyes widened. “I– I have to go…” He ran off towards the Captain's quarters. 

He didn't see the smirks on the Winions faces as he left. 

Polites was just barely up, about to get a drink, and start the day. He'd always been a morning person, after all. So naturally, when Eurylochus walked out of the captain’s room with a bag in hand. He saw the expression on his face. He knew what Eurylochus was like. 

Please, Polites thought, Let it not be what I think it is. 

Then he followed him. 

Eurylochus was on the deck. A few men were standing around him. 

“You really think it's treasure!?” One of the men asked. 

“I do,” Eurylochus said. 

“NO!” Polites yelled, running up to them. “Are you serious right now!? We should trust our captain! He told us this would be dangerous!” He couldn't believe these men were about to disobey their Captain's orders. 

“You really think he wouldn't lie to us!?” Eurylochus asked.

“Not about THIS!” Polites told him, “Never about something so important!” 

“You're naive, Polites,” Eurylochus told him. “What if someone else suggested he lie about it? He'd do it I bet.” 

Polites suddenly realized what he was implying. They'd told Odysseus they wouldn't tell anyone about Athena! But man, Polites wanted to point out that she was the goddess of WISDOM and lying about danger did not seem very WISE. Instead he had to be subtle. 

“Why!? Why would ANYONE do such a thing? Assuming whoever it was had an ounce of sanity, lying about danger is far too risky. No good commander would do that, because then you end up in a ‘boy who cried wolf’ situation!” 

“Not if you never get caught. Whoever it was, would know we're almost home, after all.” 

“We ARE almost home!” Polites said, somewhat hysterical, “Do you really want to take the risk NOW!? Think about this! Even if there's a chance you're right, what if you aren't? What if we get stuck in another storm, and we NEVER get home!?” 

“That won't happen,” Eurylochus said, “Because our captain is a liar.” With that he opened the bag. 

A hurricane came out. 

Odysseus awoke to Athena practically throwing him out of bed. Wait no, she'd just been shaking his shoulder, why was the ship–

The wind bag… 

He ran out onto the deck to find exactly what he'd feared. The bag was open, and fierce winds were flying out.

“HELP ME CLOSE THE BAG!” He screamed out over the winds.

“BUT SIR, IT'S TOO LATE!” Eurylochus yelled back. 

“IF WE CLOSE IT NOW! WE CAN MITIGATE THE DAMAGE!” Odysseus yelled, then joined Polites, who was already trying to get the bag closed. He had been, since the moment Odysseus ordered it. 

Eurylochus, and a few other crew members soon joined him. Eventually the bag was closed. A storm still raged around them, but not quite as bad as before. 

However, his relief was short-lived. For soon he saw them. Giants. 

They were way too close, and if they saw them– 

A boulder nearly hit one of their ships. One of the giants had thrown it. 

I– What do I do!? Odysseus wondered, ATHENA! Help me!

Then he was in Quick Thought. He took a breath. It was calm here, and he knew that time would be moving much slower outside it. 

“I'm so sorry this happened, Odysseus,” Athena said. 

“Me too,” he agreed, “Perhaps I was a bit overconfident…” He looked up at her, “My goddess, what do I do now?” He had no idea how to get out of this in a way that wouldn't destroy most of his fleet. 

“If you open the bag again, it should be enough to get your ship away from here,” Athena pointed out. 

“I can't leave the others,” Odysseus told her. He couldn't do that. He couldn't leave his men to die! 

She nodded, resigned, as though she already knew this. “I figured. Thought I'd suggest it anyway. No harm in trying to get you to do the smart thing after all. Alright then. Hand me the bag.” 

Odysseus did so, a bit confused, but he trusted his mentor. 

With a flash, her wings appeared, and she held the bag between glowing hands. She was gritting her teeth, body tense with effort. After a few minutes, the bag glowed with magic briefly, then seemingly went back to normal.

Athena, with a noise like an owl’s cry, fell to her hands and knees. Shaking violently. She had dropped the bag to the side. 

Odysseus grabbed it, and ran over to her.

“Athena! Are you alright!?” He asked. 

“Yes,” she gasped, out of breath. “Yes, I'm fine. It takes a bit of effort to… To alter another god’s magic item. Even more, considering the magic in question is not connected to my domains whatsoever. I'm just fine.” She stood up again. She was still shaking, and there were drops of sweat on her forehead, but otherwise she looked fine. 

“What did you do to it?” Odysseus asked her. 

“I strengthened the wind inside. When you open it now, it should be strong enough to get all of your ships away from here. I was also able to influence the wind slightly, making sure it wouldn't take you somewhere worse than here. You should wash up on an island that's relatively safe. Though there might still be danger there. I'm not sure. Winds are a… Chaotic form of magic. Hard to control. This is the best I can do Odysseus.”

“Thank you,” Odysseus said. He was nearly in tears. His fleet might be safe now! 

“As soon as you're out of Quick Thought, you're going to get your ships at least thirty feet away from the giant’s cliffs. Then you're going to open the bag,” Athena instructed. “Do not hesitate. I'll catch up with you later.” 

“Wait! You're not coming with us?” Odysseus asked. 

“No, someone needs to distract the giants, while you get some distance,” Athena said. 

Odysseus's eyes widened. Athena was still shaking violently, and her wings were trailing on the ground with exhaustion. 

“You're in no state to do that!” He told her, “You could get hurt–”

“There's no time for more protests,” Athena told him. “Do as I told you. That's an order, not just from your goddess, but from your mentor as well. Understand?”

“But–”

“Do you understand!?”

He swallowed, “Yes. I understand. Please stay safe.” 

“I've been fighting giants since I was nine. I'll be fine. Focus on getting out of here.” 

He nodded, hating this situation, but seeing no other solution. With that, Athena released him. 

“MEN!” He yelled, “WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THESE CLIFFS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN!” 

Thankfully, his men followed his orders immediately. Odysseus also worked to steer the ship away from there. 

A few more boulders fell from the sky, but they weren't being properly aimed this time. Even still, he was certain a few men had fallen overboard in the storm. No time to worry about that yet, however. 

Once all his ships were a decent distance from the giant’s cliffs, he gave one last order. 

“EVERYONE!” He screamed, hoping the men on the other ships would hear him. “FIND SOMETHING STURDY TO HOLD ON TO, AND HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE!” 

He waited till all the men he could see had followed his orders, then an additional count of ten, so hopefully the ships at the back will have followed suit. 

Then he opened the bag again. 

Chapter Text

It wasn't long before they crashed into an island. With effort (his hands had gone numb) he released the wooden railing that he'd been holding on to. They were on an island now. There didn't seem to be an immediate threat. 

So he got off the ship. His men followed suit. 

“Okay,” Odysseus said, “First things first, we need to count up how many of us are still here. I want the captain of each ship to count up all the men, and find out how many of us drowned.” He was sure some people had. 

“Eurylochus is going to count up the people on my ship. I need… I need to plan our next move.” He needed a nap. He'd barely slept these past ten days, so worried someone would open the bag… 

“Sir…” one of the men tentatively asked, “Are we not going to talk about… The bag?” 

Odysseus sighed. “Well, I was asleep, so I don't know who actually opened it. I'm not about to punish everyone for something only one person, or a few people, did. Frankly, it's not the most important thing right now. I'll deal with that later. Right now, I want you guys to find out how many people survived this. Then we'll go from there.” 

“Yes, sir,” his men agreed, looking rather uneasy. 

He nodded, then went back to his cabin on the ship. 

He laid down, and napped on and off, anxiously, for about thirty minutes. Then he gave up. He wrote out a couple plans for what to do next, and, looking at his maps, he tried to figure out exactly where they'd ended up. 

After an hour had passed, Polites opened the door. “Sir…?” He said tentatively. 

“What is it?” Odysseus asked. 

“We've finished counting up the men.”

“How many dead?” Odysseus asked, resigned.

“Eight men,” Polites said, “Twelve counting the cyclops.” 

“I see…” Odysseus said. 

Twelve men… Dead because of me… 

“It's not your fault, captain,” Polites said, “You told them what would happen.” 

“I'm the captain,” Odysseus said, “Everything is my fault.” 

Polites gave him a hug. Odysseus readily hugged him back. Polites really did give the best hugs…

“What are… What are the names of all the men who died?” Odysseus asked, tears falling down his face, “I– I need to know…” 

Polites hesitated, then sighed, “Elpenor, Pnigmos, Vrochi, Petameno, Nekros, Vathys, Okeanas, Emfraktis, Peftontas, Ypnos, Psari, and Mystiko.” 

Odysseus nodded. “Thank you.” 

“Has… Has your other friend said anything about this?” Polites asked. 

Odysseus felt his eyes widen, and he began to cry into Polites’ shoulder. 

“Sh–She isn't h-here. She l-left to distract the g-giants while we escaped. I d-d-don't know if sh-she's okay!” 

Polites held him closer. “Hey, it's gonna be alright. She's a goddess, I'm sure she'll be okay.” 

“You d-don't un-understand! She– she was exhausted. It– it was only her m-magic that gave the windbag the power to br-bring us all here, w-when I opened it a second time. If she hadn't used her m-magic on the b-bag, it wo-wouldn't have worked. But it exhausted her… Then she immediately went to fight the GIANTS!” 

“I see…” Polites said, “Sounds like we owe her a lot then...” 

“You don't know the half of it…” Odysseus said, taking a few deep breaths, “Did you know she was there for the entire war? She's the reason none of our men died, when so many other armies got slaughtered by the Trojans. Heck, half the ‘brilliant strategies’ I supposedly came up with, were her ideas. She just had me take the credit, because she didn't want anyone to know about her.” 

“Wow…” Polites breathed. “I guess I hadn't considered she would've been there for the whole war… That's amazing.” 

“She– She's done so much for me, and now she might get hurt, and there's nothing I can do!” Odysseus said, feeling somewhat hysterical. Polites just hugged him tighter. 

There was a noise. Odysseus looked up to find an owl sloppily flying through his cabin window. With a shower of gold, the owl transformed into Athena. 

“Odysseus… I told you… I'm fine…” With that, Athena collapsed to the floor. 

Polites had seen a lot of strange things. A lot of very strange things. Despite that, a goddess fainting on the floor of the ship was probably at least in the top ten. 

“ATHENA!” Odysseus exclaimed, panicked. He ran over to her. He felt for a pulse, which was strange because gods can't die. However, Polites supposed Odysseus probably wasn't being super logical at the moment. He let out a relieved breath. 

“I think she's probably okay, just exhausted… Help me move her to the bed.”

Polites resisted the urge to point out the bed would be WAY too short for her, and did as requested. 

In the end, they simply propped her feet up on the chair, where they would've rested over the edge of the bed. Odysseus took a deep breath. “Okay, I think she's okay. She has a few cuts and scrapes, but I don't think she's seriously injured.” 

Polites nodded. “Looks like it… But what do we do with her? The men will probably come here soon. They’ll want to know your next orders.”

Odysseus grimaced. “You're right. I'll have to go back out there… Polites, will you stay with her?” 

He nodded, “Of course.” 

“I'll tell the men that I'm having you look over our maps to see if you can get a sense of where we might've ended up. That's what I was doing earlier anyways.” 

“Got it,” Polites said, “And I can try to do that too, while I wait for her to wake up.” 

He nodded, “Good idea. Alright, I won't go far, so call for me if you need anything.” 

Polites nodded. 

So Odysseus left. 

Polites looked at the sleeping goddess. He'd been a bit surprised to learn just how much she'd apparently been helping them all this time. No wonder Odysseus considered her a friend… 

When Hermes found himself summoned by Apollo, he saw the other god pinching the bridge of his nose, looking incredibly frustrated. 

“What can I do for you, brother?” Hermes asked, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Hermes,” Apollo said, “Our sister, Athena, has apparently decided to use so much magic that if I had been there, I would've put her on two days of bed rest. Then she went and fought the giants. 

She's about to crash land on Odysseus’s ship. He's her latest chosen hero. I need you to deliver her these.” 

He handed Hermes a small wine skin, and a box. Probably with nectar and ambrosia. 

All nectar and ambrosia had small healing capabilities, however Apollo kept a more concentrated version in the med bay. He used it very sparingly, so this must be pretty bad. 

“I'm on my way,” Hermes said, with a playful salute. 

Geez, Athena. Why did you do this? 

On his way, he picked up something else. By this point he'd realized what island Odysseus had landed on, and he was gonna make sure this little hero could be well prepared against the witch. 

Apollo watched as Hermes left. Prophecies were much harder with the gods. Much less set in stone, and often changing. He'd seen many potential futures involving Athena, and their father. Glimpses of lightning, and Athena pleading for mercy. However, in regards to Athena and Zeus, he'd also been given a worded prophecy. Which was even worse. Words could be interpreted in a variety of different ways, after all. 

Lightning destroys wisdom and all its creations. Only war can dethrone a king. 

He wondered if ‘war’ referred to Ares? It almost sounded like the prophecy was saying that Athena was going to die, and Ares was going to avenge her. 

So then what of the images he'd seen, ever so rarely, of Athena sitting on their father's throne? 

In the end, he was left to wonder. He never told anyone about this prophecy. He knew if father found out, it would not end well. 

And if he had to pick… 

Deep down he knew he'd prefer his father to die, instead of Athena. Sure, Athena wasn't exactly the nicest, and she'd injured plenty of the gods. Especially during wars, but… 

Not like their father did. She never looked gleeful, or proud, or uncaring about it the way father sometimes did… 

So if he had to pick…

After about forty-five minutes of staring at maps, Polites heard a sharp inhale. He looked up. 

Athena had opened her eyes. She sat up, seeming panicked. 

“Oh you're awake!” He said, trying to sound as friendly as he could. He didn't really want to be stabbed in a panic if she was still disorientated. 

“What– Where am I? Where's Odysseus!?” She started to stand up, and Polites held up his hands to try and stop her. Though he didn't dare actually touch her to force her back on the bed. 

“He's still around here!” Polites told her, “He had to go talk to the crew so they didn't get suspicious of anything, and come up here.” 

Athena paused, then she nodded. “Alright… Did anyone else see me here?” 

“Not as far as I'm aware. Just me and Odysseus.” He hesitated, “Are you… Alright? I've never heard of a goddess collapsing before…”

She grimaced, and there was a sharp look in her eyes that made Polites INSTANTLY regret his words. 

“I'm FINE,” She said firmly. 

“O-Oh, s-sorry…” Polites told her, a little shaken. 

She sighed, anger seemingly draining from her expression. “You shouldn't act like Odysseus…” She told him. 

Polites looked at her in confusion. 

“I know he likes to make me out to be some sweet, kind, friend, but I’m really not.” 

“What do you mean?” Polites said. 

Athena considered this. “Perhaps it's time I tell you a story.” 

Athena looked down at Odysseus. “Get up,” she commanded. Shaking with exhaustion he did. 

“Again,” she ordered. By now he knew that meant to run through the exercise again. He did his best, but about halfway through, he collapsed. 

Athena glared at him, “You know if I was an enemy, I would've killed you, and all your friends by now.”

Odysseus looked up at her, only now did she see the tears in his eyes. “I'm trying!” He told her, voice breaking. 

This caused Athena to pause. She'd assumed him laying or sitting on the ground was out of a temporary bout of laziness. However, it was only now that she noticed the pain in his eyes, and the shaking of his body. He was completely exhausted. 

“Alright,” she told him. She backed away, content to let him have a break. 

“Are you… Are you disappointed in me?” He asked her. 

“No,” she said matter-of-factly. “I simply forgot myself for a minute.” 

He looked confused at this, so she spoke again.

“Remind me,” she said, “How old are you now?” 

“Sixteen,” he told her, “Why?” 

“You are the youngest human I've ever trained,” Athena told him. “Before you, the youngest was nineteen. On average, most of the men I train are around twenty-three. You're smart beyond your years, Odysseus. Sometimes I forget that your body isn't quite caught up yet. The training exercises I'm used to giving are very difficult, but very possible, for an adult. So I hadn't realized I'd pushed you too far.” She didn't apologize. She'd never apologize to a mortal directly! But it was implied. 

Odysseus considered her words, “So… What you're saying is that you’ve been giving me training exercises that I'm not supposed to do until I'm older?” 

“To an extent I suppose,” Athena conceded. 

“AWESOME!” Odysseus exclaimed. 

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. 

“That means that I'll be ahead of everyone my age! And when I'm actually an adult I can get even better! Because I’ll have already learned the normal adult stuff! Then I can be the best hero you've ever seen!”

He looked so incredibly excited, Athena couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. “Well, if you keep working hard, I'm sure you will,” she told him. 

“So, you should probably be aware that Odysseus has always been quite forgiving,” Athena told Polites, "I don't know why he insists on calling me a friend, even though our relationship is more like an army commander and recruit.” 

Polites considered this, “I suppose I can see that. Still though, from what he's said, you've done a lot for us.” 

Athena waved him off, “Odysseus would've survived just fine without me. The only thing I've really done is make sure some of his idiot men survive too.” 

Polites… Wasn't sure what to say. He wanted to defend his friends, and crew. He also… Couldn't really think of a defense for them at the moment. Fortunately he was saved from answering. 

“Athena!” 

Polites stared in shock as a man flew through the cabin door. 

“Hermes!? What are you doing here!?” Athena demanded. 

So that was Hermes? Good to know… 

“Apollo sent me. He said his future vision told him you were gonna overdo it. Something about ‘if I'd seen her use that much magic, I would've put her on bed rest for two days! Then she fought some giants!” 

“I KNEW IT!” Odysseus said, walking in after Hermes. “I knew you were in no shape to do that!” 

“I AM FINE!” Athena said, indignantly. 

Polites was starting to get the impression that this type of thing wasn't entirely uncommon… 

“Yeah, well, Ms ‘I’m fine’,” Hermes said, “Apollo sent me to bring you this. He got you the good stuff too, so I'd say that's probably less than fine.” 

He handed her a box, and a water skin.” 

“Well… It's probably unnecessary, but I'm not about to say ‘no’,” Athena said. She ate a bit of whatever was in the small box, and Polites noticed her cuts and scrapes starting to heal. As she drank from the water skin her shaking seemed to subside, and she seemed more steady on her feet.

“What is that?” Polites asked. 

“Nectar and ambrosia,” Athena said, “And no, you cannot have any. It would kill you. All of it can cause slight healing and give slightly more energy. However, the stuff Apollo has is much stronger.” 

“Well that's good,” Odysseus said, looking relieved. 

“How's the crew?” Polites asked Odysseus, as Hermes flew off. 

“They're doing good. I have most of them setting up camp, and Eurylochus and a group of about fifty men are scouting out the area around the island. Just in case of danger.” 

Polites frowned slightly at the mention of Eurylochus. 

“Odysseus,” Athena said, “Has nobody told you who opened the wind bag yet?” 

Odysseus shook his head, “No, and I don't want them to.” 

Meanwhile, Polites’s frown deepened at Athena’s words. “Did you know?” He asked her, “Did you see what happened? Did you…” Did you really let it happen, just because you're determined not to let the crew see you? 

“I saw,” Athena said, “However I couldn't do anything about it. That would've been against the rules.”

“Rules?” Polites asked. 

That's when Odysseus explained the ‘game’ to him.

 “I… I absolutely HATE that. Why would she want to do that!?” 

Athena shrugged, “Some gods view humans as little more than entertainment. They interfere with their lives for no reason other than boredom… I suppose I technically fall into that category as well.” 

Odysseus snorted, “No, you do not.” 

“Well anyways, if we could get back on topic,” Athena said, “Why don't you want to know who betrayed you?” 

Odysseus scoffed, “I don't need to know what idiot believed the rumor about treasure. In this situation, it's important that we all work together. It's not the time to have any infighting. Especially between me and a crew member.” 

“There won't BE any infighting if I kill him,” Athena said mildly. 

Polites nearly choked. While he was incredibly pissed off at Eurylochus, he didn't actually want him to DIE. 

Meanwhile Odysseus let out a long suffering sigh. “For the last time, Athena, please don't smite my own men.” 

“I understood why you asked that of me during the war, you needed as many men as possible, however, now you're no longer at war, and having traitors in your group is dangerous,” Athena said. 

“I still need all the manpower I can get. It's bad enough that twelve of my men are dead!” 

Athena looked like she was about to argue further, but she stopped herself. 

Suddenly the door opened. Polites immediately looked to Athena, slightly panicked, but she was gone. 

“Captain,” one of the men spoke, “Eurylochus had returned… Alone.” 

Odysseus’s eyes widened. Polites shuddered at the potential implications of that, and followed his captain, who was already out the door. 

“Eurylochus!” Odysseus exclaimed, rushing down to where he was standing. 

Polites noticed the twigs in Eurylochus’s hair, the holes in his shirt, and the scrapes on his arms. 

A small, tiny part of him, one that he tried to shove down somewhere else, whispered that ‘maybe he deserved it after getting eight men killed’. 

“What happened to you!?” Odysseus asked, clearly concerned. 

“Captain,” Eurylochus said, sounding rather out of breath, “The men they– There was this palace. The lady there invited us in, and– and the men went in. I stayed outside, just in case. I saw– I saw through the window, the moment they started eating her food, they transformed!”

“Transformed!?” Polites asked. He was concerned now. 

“Yes, she turned them into pigs! I ran here as quick as I could!”

“Thank you, Eurylochus,” Odysseus said, “Hopefully now there's still time to save them.”

“‘Save them’?! Odysseus, we have to get out of here! They can't be saved! Let's just take what remains of the men and LEAVE!” 

Polites’s eyes widened. Was he really suggesting…? After everything that happened… Was he really suggesting they let MORE men die!? 

“I understand why you'd want to leave, brother,” Odysseus said, “But after everything that happened, I'm not leaving anyone behind! Still. If I'm not back by tomorrow night, then you may leave without me.” 

The men seemed uneasy, but nobody protested. 

“I'm coming with you!” Polites said, “You're gonna need backup!” He tried to project confidence, however, deep down, he was terrified. Still, he wasn't about to ABANDON the men.

Odysseus nodded, looking grateful. “Alright then, let's go back to the ship, grab what you need, and meet me back here in ten minutes.” 

“Got it!” Polites said. 

As Odysseus entered his cabin, and shut the door, Athena reappeared. She looked much better, in fact she seemed almost completely back to normal.

“Dang, I guess that ambrosia stuff really is helpful,” Odysseus noted. 

“To the gods, yes,” Athena said, “I'm kind of surprised he gave it to me, at least his stronger version. He almost never does. Something about ‘the moment I give you it, you'll just over exert yourself again. You can never take it easy afterwards, so no, you can't use it as an excuse to keep going.’ It's ridiculous, because that's the whole point of being healed. So you can go back to normal.” 

“I think he's saying that you aren't completely better and still need to take it easy afterwards,” Odysseus said. 

“Probably. If it is, he's ridiculous. I–” she cut off, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, “Why the hell is Polites praying to me?” 

Odysseus snorted. 

At one point, Athena had explained that while on Olympus she couldn't hear prayers unless she went to the designated area for it, but if she was down here, she could hear any prayers within about a half-mile radius. 

“He might've thought you left when you went invisible,” Odysseus said, “You can go answer him if you'd like.” He was absolutely going to encourage the two of them to become friends. Goodness knows, Athena needs more of those. 

She nodded, and then vanished. This time, Odysseus was pretty sure she'd gone to Quick Thought. 

After getting all his stuff ready, Polites hesitated. He thought about Eurylochus, and what he'd said, and what he'd done. 

He'd never really prayed to the gods before. He'd kinda assumed they didn't exist, or if they did they probably didn't care much about the humans. After all, there were so many, how could they answer all their prayers? 

However he did know that Athena was real, and Hermes, since he'd met them. He assumed the rest of them were as well, based on that. He knew that Athena had left right before she would've been spotted by another crew member. 

As he thought about this, and about what Eurylochus had said before opening the bag, he found himself a bit more sympathetic towards her desire to hide herself. After all, based on what he said, it sounded like Eurylochus had thought that Odysseus was hiding treasure from them based on the idea that ATHENA might've told him to. If that's how people usually reacted to her presence… Well he kind of understood her desire to hide. 

However… He still didn't want Eurylochus to DIE! 

And yet… 

Those men all had families. Families that would never see them again, because of what Eurylochus had done. 

So Polites got down on his knees and prayed. 

“Goddess Athena, if you can hear my prayer, I… I don't want to impose on you by making excessive requests, or make you think I feel as though you owe me. You do not. Still… Please, spare Eurylochus your wrath. I know he disobeyed you, I know he put us in danger… But please, we don't need any more deaths, especially not now with men in danger. Please spare his life. And… And please grant me the wisdom not to punch him in the face.” 

He heard that sound again. The one he’d heard the first time he'd met Athena. He looked up, he was in that weird place again. Athena stood about ten feet away. 

“I am not the best god for that, Polites,” she told him, “My wisdom is more akin to strategies. When to fight, when to flee. There's no logical reason you couldn't take Eurylochus in a fight if you played it smart.”

“If not wisdom, maybe Patience then?” Polites suggested, weakly. 

“There isn't really a goddess of Patience. Eirene is generally the one associated with that, though it's not actually a domain of hers. She is the goddess of peace, so that could be what you're looking for. She accepts most offerings quite readily, fruit is generally her favorite.” 

He nodded, “I'll keep that in mind…” 

“As for your request that I spare the traitor’s life…” She seemed to consider this, “I suppose that if both you and Odysseus are requesting it, I will hold off on killing him for now. However, that doesn't mean I'm not going to kill him later if he doesn't learn to behave himself. It also doesn't mean he'll go without punishment. I intend to scare him quite thoroughly with the threat of death, even if I'm not planning on going through with it yet.” 

“Do it.” 

Polites was a little surprised by the words, and how firmly he said it. And yet…

“He needs some sort of consequences!” Polites told her. “The other men who saw, probably won't tell anyone else it was him, since that would mean they'd be admitting they were there and didn't stop it.” He balled his fists at his side. 

She tilted her head, almost like a curious owl. 

“Odysseus doesn't even want to know who did it!” He said, despite knowing Athena already knew this. “He just wants to move on and trust again! He would probably think differently if he knew it was his second in command!” Polites grit his teeth, hating the tears that blurred his vision. “He needs some sort of consequences, or else he'll just keep putting us in danger!” 

Athena nodded. “I agree. Don't worry, I'm going to show him exactly why us gods are feared by mortals.” 

Polites nodded. “Good,” he said darkly. 

The strange world vanished around him, and he was back on the ship. 

Eurylochus looked up sharply as the world around him seemed to melt away. He was in that goddess’s realm again… 

“Why are you here!?” He asked her. 

She stared down at him. “You disobeyed me.” Her words were flat, emotionless. However her eyes seemed to be glowing more than before.

“Excuse me? When!?” He demanded. 

“I told you to obey Odysseus, and then you went and opened the wind bag.” She didn't move any part of her, other than her mouth. She didn't even blink. He was pretty sure she wasn't breathing. She was like a statue with a moving mouth. It was… Unnerving. 

“I… I'm sorry… I've learned now that I shouldn't have done that.” He bowed his head before her. 

“That's not good enough.” Her tone was angry, and when he looked up, her eyes seemed to be glowing even brighter. “I already warned you once,” she told him. “You should've learned your lesson already. Instead you disobeyed Odysseus. You disobeyed me, by extension.”

“Then just kill me!” Eurylochus snapped, “Just get it over with!” 

“No.” 

He blinked, surprised. 

“Odysseus is my friend,” she told him, “And he asked me to spare the person who opened the windbag, despite not even knowing it was you. But be warned, Eurylochus. Even Odysseus can't protect you from my wrath forever.” 

Eurylochus looked up at her, utterly terrified. 

As Eurylochus looked up at her, Athena decided he clearly wasn't scared enough. 

“Do you know how I'm going to kill you, if you disobey Odysseus again?” She asked. 

“...H-How…? I– I assume you'll stab me or something…” 

Athena let out a dark chuckle, “No. I'd never let you off that easy. Tell me, Eurylochus. Do you know what happens to a mortal who eats ambrosia? The food of the gods.” 

He frowned, looking confused, “Isn't it… Like poison?” 

“Yes, somewhat,” Athena told him, “Except it's worse than the worst poison down here. You see, if a mortal eats ambrosia, the first thing that will happen is they'll feel their stomach burning from the inside. This will grow hotter, and hotter. More and more painful, until your very blood begins to boil within your veins and arteries.”

She leaned forward, face only a few inches from Eurylochus’s, before continuing. “But it won't stop there. After that, your bones will melt, turning into soup, and you'll feel the liquid draining into the flesh around them. This includes your teeth, which will melt into liquid in your mouth, boil the inside of your mouth, and usually get on your lips as you try to scream. The cartilage of your nose will slide down your throat as though you just inhaled boiling water. Your eyes will evaporate from your skull, and your fingernails and toenails will completely shatter. Your lungs will fill with the smoke, and evaporated blood, created from your burning organs. Also, if you thought the outside of your body was safe, you would be wrong. All of the hair on your body will burst into flames, searing the skin with third degree burns. And I do mean ALL your body hair, Eurylochus.” 

He paled as the implication sunk in. 

“On top of all this,” Athena continued, “Ambrosia has healing capabilities. In gods, it cures all our ailments, but in humans it only prolongs your death, making sure you live to feel every second of it.” 

Eurylochus’s whole body was shaking with fear. But Athena wasn't done with him yet. 

“The last time ambrosia was used to kill a human was about three hundred years ago. It was a man who had suffered months of the worst torture you mortals could come up with. He'd still not given up the information that his enemies demanded. So he was sentenced to death. The gods favored the country that had been torturing him, so he was given a piece of ambrosia, about the size of a grape, as an execution method. Within fifteen minutes, he spilled every secret he knew, just to get his enemies to grant him the mercy of a quicker death. Typically it takes a little over half an hour to finally die from it, and I certainly wouldn't allow you to have any mercy.”

“I–” Eurylochus began, but Athena still wasn't finished. 

“In fact, there's something about ambrosia that I've always wondered,” she told him, “If a human were to eat more ambrosia, would they die quicker, because of the additional poison in their body? Or would they die slower because of the additional healing magic? Or perhaps at the same rate, just more painfully.” She hummed, thoughtfully, “I've always been curious. So let be be very clear, if you ever disobey Odysseus like that again, I will be shoveling ambrosia down your throat until your pathetic mortal body finally gives out. Odysseus and Polites, are the only reasons I haven't done that already. Do you get it now?” 

He nodded, hurriedly. 

“Good,” she said, taking a step back from him, “I'm glad we understand each other.” 

With that, she sent him out of Quick Thought. 

She smiled softly. That should be enough to keep him in line, and the best part was: At least as far as mortals eating ambrosia was concerned, every word she said was completely true. And if she DID end up smiting him, that's exactly how she would do it. 

And oh how a part of her wanted to. He'd disobeyed Odysseus. Her only friend. He'd kept Odysseus from getting home to his wife and son. A part of her relished in the idea of watching him slowly parish, begging for mercy that she would never give him. 

Odysseus would be so upset if she killed his brother in law. That was probably the only reason she hadn't yet... 

Now it was time to see where Odysseus ended up, so she could help him if needed. 

“I'm just saying,” Polites was telling Odysseus, as they walked through the forest, “You do seem a bit biased towards her.” 

“I thought you liked Athena!?” Odysseus said, somewhere between indignant and defensive. 

“I do,” Polites said, “But you also didn't mention the fact that she trained you like an adult at like– fifteen years old.” 

“How do you know how she trained me?” Odysseus asked. 

Polites told him about the story Athena had told him, where Odysseus was worked to the point of tears and collapsed. 

“She told you all that but not what happened afterwards?” Odysseus asked. 

“Yeah?” Polites said. “What happened afterward?” 

“Well, if you keep working hard, I'm sure you will,” Athena had told him, he could see the hint of a smile on her face. 

Odysseus grinned right back. Despite the pain of his muscles, and the shaking of his legs and arms, he was excited. He wanted to be the best hero ever! The kind people would tell stories about, a hundred years from now. 

After a moment, Athena nodded to herself, “I think it's time for you to get home. Any further training tonight will do far more harm than good.” 

“Oh, alright,” Odysseus felt a little disappointed, but he could see the sense in that. Especially when he tried to stand up, and almost immediately collapsed again. 

Athena frowned slightly, “Well, it looks like I'm taking you home tonight.”

“You don't have to do that!” Odysseus said. “I'll be just fine on my own!” He knew he wouldn't be able to walk home, but he'd figure something out. He didn't want to disappoint his mentor. 

Looking in her eyes, Odysseus could tell that Athena also knew that was bullshit. However instead of confronting him, she simply turned her head to the side, with a shrug. 

“Very well,” she said, “It's a shame though. I was going to show you another one of my powers.” 

“One of your powers!?” Odysseus asked. She almost never showed him any of her magic! “Show me! I wanna see that!”

Athena raised an eyebrow, almost playfully, “I thought you could get home by yourself?” 

Odysseus immediately dramatically laid on the ground. “My goddess! Please help me! For I am suddenly unable to move on my own!” 

Athena briefly covered her mouth with a hand, something that he was SURE she only did when she was smiling and didn't want him to know about it. She'd never admit she found him funny. 

“Enough with the dramatics," she said flatly. “However, if you really want me to, I suppose I can show you anyways.” 

He immediately sat up, grinning. Even as his arms shook beneath him.

With a flash of gold, wings appeared. They were giant owl wings, connected to Athena’s back. 

“Woah!” Odysseus exclaimed. “Can you fly!?” 

Athena nodded, smiling faintly. She was probably amused by his excitement. 

“So how are you going to get me there?” Odysseus asked. “‘Cause I can't fly.” 

“Odysseus,” Athena said flatly, “Do you think, after thousands of years of strength training, I wouldn't be strong enough to carry a fifteen year old human.”

“Sixteen!” Odysseus said, indignantly.

“My point remains.” 

With that, Athena picked him up, bridal style, and with a ‘whoosh’ of feathers and wind, they were in the sky! 

Odysseus would be thrilled, if he wasn't so terrified. As it was, he screamed. The shriek he let out could've made the most talented sopranos jealous. However he was far too terrified to feel embarrassed about it.

He grabbed Athena's shoulders in a panic. He was absolutely terrified he would fall. Despite the logical part of his brain that told him Athena probably wouldn't drop him from a deadly height. 

“Calm down,” Athena said, clearly amused, “You're just fine. I've been flying for thousands of years, and I've carried things much heavier than you, and for much further distances. 

“I thought you were taking me home! Not to Mount Olympus!” Odysseus exclaimed. They were so HIGH! He could hardly see the tops of the tallest trees, much less the GROUND! 

“I am taking you home,” Athena agreed. “I just need to fly this high so we won't be spotted by your guards. Once I get past the outer perimeter, I'll fly a bit lower.” 

“‘Kay…” Odysseus said, deciding that closing his eyes would probably be the best plan. If Athena noticed this she made no comment. 

After some time, he felt them landing on a solid surface. He opened his eyes to see them standing on his window sill. 

“My window doesn't open,” he told Athena. 

“I figured,” she pressed on it lightly with her hand and the entire window shattered. 

At his shocked expression, Athena rolled her eyes. “Don't worry, I'll fix it in just a minute.” 

“Alright…” He said. 

Athena stepped inside the room. She adjusted her hold so she was carrying him with one arm. Then she used her other arm to take the blankets from his bed, so she could set him on the mattress and put the blankets back on top of him. 

“Thanks…” he said, feeling incredibly embarrassed by all of this. Sure his muscles hurt so bad he wasn't sure he could walk, but like- crawling may have been an option. 

“You haven't eaten yet, have you?” Athena asked him. 

Odysseus's stomach answered before he could. His embarrassment increased. However he could probably pass off his red face as a result of the strenuous training earlier. 

Athena nodded at his lack of answer. She flew out the window, and a minute or so later came back with a small handful of fruit from various trees around the castle. She dropped them in his lap, and moved his small trash bin close to the bed. Presumably so he could throw away the pits, and seeds more easily. 

“Thank you,” Odysseus told her. “But if I may… Why are you doing so much for me today? You usually just let me go home on my own, even if I'm feeling sore…” 

Athena seemed to consider this. “Odysseus,” she said, “What have I told you about making mistakes?” 

He frowned, by now used to her seemingly random questions that would eventually be used to make a point. 

“You… You said ‘It’s normal to make mistakes. It's not the end of the world so long as you survive. But you should learn from it, and, if it hurt one of your allies, you should make amends if you can.’” 

Athena nodded. “This is an example of what making amends can look like. I pushed you harder than I should've, to the point where you were too exhausted to walk. So I took you to where you needed to be, because it was my fault you were not able to get there easily on your own.”

Odysseus nodded. That made perfect sense to him. “I see, thanks Athena!”

She waved her hand dismissively. “I can hardly be a good mentor if I'm a hypocrite. I'm just doing the bare minimum. Now, get some rest. I'll see you either tomorrow, or the day after, depending on how you're feeling.” 

Odysseus nodded. “Sounds good! See you tomorrow!” Even if he didn't feel good, he didn't want to miss training! 

Athena raised an eyebrow briefly, then she left. The moment she was out the window, she waved her hand, fingers glowing blue, and the shattered glass repaired itself. There wasn't even a single crack. 

“She doesn't like anyone to realize just how much she cares about people,” Odysseus told Polites, “Something that you need to understand is that actions speak louder than words, and her actions don't match her words.”

“They don't?” Polites asked. He didn't feel like Athena was particularly hypocritical...

“She says she doesn't care. She says humans are just for entertainment and glory for her. She says that she isn't my friend,” Odysseus explained, “But look at her actions. She carried me to bed when she accidentally pushed me too far in training. She used her magic and fighting skills to save as many people as she could, despite the fact that it exhausted her. She helped me learn a fancy trick shot so I could try and impress Penelope. Those are not something that a person who truly doesn't care would ever do.” 

Polites nodded. That made a lot of sense. 

Based on his interactions with her, and Odysseus’s stories, Polites felt like he was starting to get a bit of a clearer picture of Athena as a person. (Or, well, goddess, but still.) 

She clearly cared deeply for Odysseus. Even to her own detriment. Putting his wants above her own safety. 

She was proud. Too proud to admit when she was hurting. Too proud to admit how much she cared. 

She was kind. Not with words, but with her actions. Even trying to make Polites feel better, in her own way, when he'd prayed to her. 

She didn't want anyone to realize that she was kind, and had actively tried to convince him that Odysseus was delusional, in order to make him believe she was entirely cold-hearted. 

What an interesting person… 

Chapter Text

They'd only been walking for a short time, before Hermes appeared in front of them again. 

“Well, if it isn't the little saviors! You intend to fight Circe just to save your men?” 

Odysseus nodded, “We do.”

“How very brave! You know what, I'll even help you out!” 

“Really?” Odysseus asked. He felt like there might be a catch here… 

“Really, really!” Hermes laughed, “I have just the thing!” 

He pulled out three flowers. The flowers were a pale white. The stem was green, and they had black roots. 

“This is Holy Moly!” Hermes told them. “It's a plant that is quite wonderful. If you mortals eat it, you'll temporarily be immune from Circe’s magic. For twenty-seven hours, to be exact. You will also be able to summon a monster of your own to fight for you. Though that only lasts a short time, before it disappears. The monster will be more powerful based on how clearly you can imagine it, so probably pick something you know.”

“Got it,” Polites said. He felt incredibly relieved. He really didn't want to have a random spell put on him… 

“Alright,” Odysseus said, “But why are there three of them? Do we have to eat more than one or–?” 

“Nope! You each only need one! There’s three because I want you to give one to Athena,” Hermes said, “It'll be helpful to her.” 

“Oh, alright then,” Odysseus smiled. 

So Hermes gave them the plants, and Odysseus handed one to Polites, then pocketed one, and ate the last one himself. 

Polites tentatively started eating his as well. He ate the flower first, it was sweet, almost like milk that had honey added to it. Then he ate the stem. This tasted drastically different. It was sour and bitter, like ginger with lemon juice on top. Lastly, the roots. Those tasted disconcertingly like meat. Though he couldn't quite place what animal it might be from. 

“Do you feel any different?” Odysseus asked. 

Polites shook his head, “Not really…” 

“It tends to take a little while,” Athena said, appearing behind them. 

“Oh! Athena! Here!” Odysseus asked, holding out the plant. 

She glanced down at it, then raised an eyebrow. 

“Hermes said it would help you,” Odysseus told her. 

She nodded, with a sigh, “I'm sure that he did… You know Hermes likes to play pranks a lot, right?” 

Polites felt his eyes widen. Had Hermes done something to hurt them!?

Odysseus seemed to echo his sentiment, “Was… Should we not have eaten it then???” 

Athena shook her head, “Oh no, it's a great idea for you to eat it. Moly will be extremely helpful to both of you. It's just not the same for gods.”

Polites exhaled, relieved. The prank was probably just on Athena then. 

“What do you mean?” Odysseus asked her. 

“Humans do not have magic of their own, so eating Moly will grant them magic. You'll be immune to spells for a short time, and be able to temporarily summon a beast.” 

“Yeah, Hermes told us as much,” Odysseus said, “Why is it different for gods?” 

“Because gods have magic of our own. It does strange things when the two kinds of magic mix. Sort of like the difference between squeezing lemon on a fish, which will bring out the flavors. Compared to squeezing lemon juice in a glass of milk, which will curdle it.” 

Odysseus nodded slowly, “Okay. That makes sense.”

 “What would it do exactly?” Polites found himself asking. “Uh- if you don't mind explaining. I'm just curious is all…” He cringed slightly. Asking random questions to a god seemed dangerous. 

“It's fine, I'm not bothered by questions like that.” Athena waved her hand almost dismissively, “In fact I encourage it. I enjoy teaching mortals. As for what it would do… It's hard to explain but lemme see if I can think of a good explanation…” 

Polites nodded, feeling rather relieved. 

“Yeah, you really shouldn't worry about asking her questions,” Odysseus told him, “Goodness knows I've asked a ton of them, and most of them were probably more pointless than what you asked.” 

“Oh,” Athena said, “I just remembered, there's actually a pretty close mortal equivalent to it. Have either of you ever had cannabis?” 

Polites frowned, he'd never heard of that. 

“I…” Odysseus began frowning, “The word sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't remember what it is…” 

“Hm… I think you mortals have a different word you use nowadays actually. Um. I believe you call it ‘weed’, or ‘pot’?” 

Odysseus choked, then burst out laughing. “Wait! Wait! This would get you HIGH!?” 

“Yes,” Athena told him.

Polites frowned, “So Hermes just tricked Odysseus into offering you drugs?” 

“Yes. Though honestly it's probably the most harmless prank he's pulled in awhile. As far as I'm aware, the last time he pulled a prank on a mortal there were three and a half casualties, a purple river, and that poor cat was never the same afterwards…” Athena shook her head. 

“What…?” Polites said, horrified. 

Meanwhile Odysseus was still laughing his ass off over the fact that he'd effectively just offered Athena drugs. 

“That-” Odysseus said, barely holding back tears of laughter, “Okay, that's a really good prank. I can't even be mad.” 

“Honestly I'm not mad either,” Athena said, “Hermes is my brother, and frankly, this is not the worst prank he's done to me.”

“It's not a prank!” Hermes said, flying above their heads. “I genuinely think taking some Holy Moly would be helpful for you! You need to relax sometimes!” 

Athena gave him a flat look. “You've been on about this for nearly fifty years. Stop trying to get me to try it. I'm the goddess of wisdom, and the goddess most publicly associated with the mind. I can not be seen getting high.” 

“Aw, c’mon Athena,” Odysseus said, grinning, “You should totally try it!” 

“Um-” Polites began. They all looked at him. “I um– don't really care what you do in general, lady Athena. And-- Uh, I know it's not really my place to tell you what to do, but uh– I would prefer that everyone stay sober until we finish fighting the witch…” 

Athena nodded, then looked at Odysseus, “See, at least someone has some sense around here.” 

Odysseus laughed, “Yeah, fair enough. Okay, let's go then.” 

“What monsters are you intending to summon?” Athena asked them. 

“Probably a cyclops,” Odysseus told her, “It's the only one I've seen, and how well you can visualize it is important. At least that's what Hermes said.” 

“That is true,” Athena confirmed, “And that would probably be the smartest move.”

“I think I'd prefer not to summon anything,” Polites admitted, “And I don't think I could summon the cyclops anyways, I don't really remember the details of what it looked like all that well.” 

“You probably won't have to,” Odysseus said, “I can probably handle it. You should stay hidden as backup, just in case.”

“Yes, sir,” Polites said immediately. 

“Good idea,” Athena said, “I'll keep an eye on the nymphs. She's their queen, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them tried to sneak up on you once you start to beat her.” 

“Couldn't you…?” Polites hesitated, “I don't want to be rude, but wouldn't it be like– super easy for you to beat her?” 

“Where's the fun in that?” Odysseus said, laughing a bit. 

“In theory I could,” Athena said, “We really aren't supposed to. Technically we aren't supposed to personally interfere with mortals at all, beyond answering prayers at a distance, but nobody follows that rule. A lot of the gods train heroes, so it's begrudgingly accepted. However there's a difference between helping you mortals, and doing it for you. We're not supposed to fight your battles for you, at most, we're allowed to help in some way. If I fought every battle for Odysseus, then he would never improve. I'm his mentor, so all I do is teach him, and occasionally help him with something.” 

Polites nodded, that kind of made sense. He'd been thinking of it from a soldier’s perspective, where the strongest warrior would obviously do the most. However, he supposed he could understand that it was different for gods. Since they had such overwhelming power, it would probably make things too easy, and make people grow complacent if they helped all the time. 

“Alright, well anyways,” Odysseus said, “I think it's time we go fight the witch.” 

“Sounds good,” Athena nodded, “But if you're wanting Polites to act as emergency backup, I could put a temporary invisibility spell on him. So long as he agrees, I can still use my magic on him. Moly only stops the magic you don't want.” 

“Would an invisibility spell work against the witch?” Polites asked. 

“It should,” Athena shrugged. “Most gods can sense the presence of another god, even some mortals can. However, it's a lot harder when it's a mortal under such a spell, because they have no magic of their own…” She paused, “She might be able to sense you because of the Moly, but if you stay close to him, at least at the beginning of the fight, she may not be able to tell that the magic she's sensing is from two separate people.” 

“And are you sure you're up for that?” Odysseus asked, “You did just pass out from exhaustion a few hours ago.” 

“I'll be fine.” With that she placed a hand on Polites head, and he suddenly felt very cold. 

“Lady of the palace,” Odysseus called as he entered the room. 

She turned to look at him, with an expression that would've been pleasant if he hadn't seen the evil glint in her eyes. 

“I'm so sorry to bother you,” Odysseus told her, “But I sent out some scouts earlier to see if this island we landed on was safe. After so many years at sea, we don't exactly tend to get a warm welcome. They never returned. So just to be sure, did you… Do something to them?” 

“Who me?” She asked, poorly faking innocence, “Why I just revealed their true forms.” 

“You turned them into pigs,” Odysseus said flatly. He wondered if she was making a point about how ‘all men are pigs’, or just trying to trick him into thinking his men were pigs the whole time. Either way, rude. 

“Huh…” She said. Then she lunged at him with a silver knife. He just barely managed to block the blow. 

“I don't know who you are, nor why you're here!” Circe said, trying to stab him with each word she said. “But let me make something clear: I've got nymphs I must protect. So I'm not taking any chances with the likes of YOU!” 

He managed to block each and every one of her blows with his sword. He heard the sound of Quick Thought, and the fight seemed to slow down ever so slightly. Just enough that he was easily able to start winning the fight. 

Circe seemed to notice this, and backed away. Then her hands started glowing, “You may be talented with the sword, but you are still outmatched! I can put a spell on you, and then you'll be done for!” 

Odysseus smiled, advancing towards her. “I hate to break it to you, but that's not gonna work. I just ate a plant that makes your magic useless.” 

“Impossible!” She said, eyes wide. “Mortals can't acquire Moly, without dire consequences!” 

Hermes is the god of trickery, he's probably not gonna be upset if I lie to her about where I got it, Odysseus thought. 

“Well then I must be a god like you,” he told her, “Because I found that plant, and uprooted it with my own bare hands.” 

She frowned, then her eyes widened in realization, “Hermes gave it to you! Didn't he!?” 

“Alright fine, he did,” Odysseus admitted, “But either way I'm still immune to your magic. We're evenly matched now.” He tried to strike her with his sword, but she blocked. “You're not the only one with friends, Circe! I intend to protect mine!” 

“Oh yeah, well see how you fair against THIS!” With that, Circe summoned a giant monster. It was unmistakeably a Chimera. 

Well, here goes nothing, Odysseus thought. He tried to picture what the Cyclops had looked like. The more vivid he could remember, the stronger it would be. However, for some reason, the image of the Cyclops that seemed burned into his brain was his corpse after Odysseus had killed him. Perhaps because that was the last he'd seen of the creature before leaving. 

It was hard to focus on the image of what he'd looked like before that. So when he felt the magic attempt to summon the creature, he knew it was far weaker than it should be. 

Polites watched, invisible, as the Cyclops Odysseus made, fought the monster Circe had made. 

“It's not going to be enough.” That was Athena’s voice. However it almost sounded like it was coming from his own thoughts… 

“It is,” Athena said, “I can open up mental links between people so I can broadcast my thoughts to people, and hear theirs in return. The Cyclops Odysseus made is not strong enough. You're going to have to create one as well.” 

But how? Polites thought, If he wasn't able to make a strong enough cyclops, I doubt I can! He saw it a lot more than I did. 

“You're probably right,” Athena said. “Here, close your eyes.” 

Polites reluctantly did. Closing his eyes in the middle of a monster battle seemed incredibly dangerous.

But he would trust Athena, because he trusts Odysseus. 

He closed his eyes, and in his mind he saw something very clearly. It was a massive three-headed-dog. It was black, with a snake for a tail. 

“This is Cerberus,” Athena told him. “He guards the underworld, and is a sibling to the type of monster Circe summoned. Focus on the image I'm showing you, and then try to manifest it in reality.” 

Polites did as she instructed. She gave him a couple more tips, and then suddenly he felt a sort of pull within him. He opened his eyes, and WOW. That dog really WAS massive. 

“Good job,” Athena told him. “If you get some more practice in the future you could probably get pretty decent at using magic.” 

Thanks, Polites thought, smiling slightly. 

Odysseus winced as his Cyclops fell to the ground, defeated. Once it hit the ground, it disappeared. 

Circe grinned, and Odysseus frantically tried to think of something else he could do. Then he heard a noise like a bark. Except it was much deeper, and threatening. 

He stared in complete and utter shock, as a giant, three-headed dog, went and attacked Circe’s Chimera. 

Naturally the Chimera, who'd already been weakened by the cyclops, lost badly. 

Odysseus took the opportunity to put a sword against Circe’s throat. 

“You've lost,” he told her. 

“How did you–...?” She looked incredibly confused. Then she stopped. She lifted a hand, and suddenly Polites was visible again. 

“She shouldn't have been able to break my spell…” Athena said in his mind. “I'm significantly more powerful than her…” Odysseus could hear the worry in her tone. 

You're probably still tired from fighting the giants, Odysseus thought. After using so much magic that Apollo wanted you on bed rest, you can't exactly be expected to be at your best. 

“So I have a little backup,” Odysseus said aloud, “I guess I forgot to mention that. However, that just means you're even more outmatched.”

“Oh please, I can take two men,” Circe said. 

“You were already almost beaten by me alone, how do you expect to defeat both of us?” Odysseus asked. 

Polites stood behind him, sword out, watching Circe. 

“I never said I could take two men in a fight.” With that Circe took off her clothes. 

“Uh- what?” Odysseus asked. He was completely taken by surprise. 

“You want your men back? Well then, why don't you show me a good time,” she said, stretching so she was intentionally showing off her body. 

“No, I think I'm good…” Polites said, backing away from her slightly. Odysseus noticed his face had turned bright red, and his eyes were wide in something akin to horror. 

“What?” She asked, “Am I not pretty enough for you?” 

“No!” Polites said, clearly not wanting to insult her, “You're very pretty. I'm just not interested in that sort of thing. Even if you were the most beautiful woman in the world, I still wouldn't be interested.” 

“Hmph, fine then,” she said, “I guess it'll just be one man tonight.” She ran a finger over Odysseus’s bicep. 

“I'm married!” He told her, backing away. 

“So? She's not here now, is she?” Circe asked. 

“Well no, but I still don't want to! I am a married man, and that means I made a promise to be faithful! Just because she isn't around, doesn't mean I'm going to break her trust! She means more to me than that, because I LOVE HER!” 

Circe considered his words. Then, to their immense relief, she put her clothes back on.

“Congratulations,” she told them, “You passed my test.”

Polites blinked. “What?” He asked. 

“A long time ago,” she explained, “I did let some men stay with me. They'd washed up on the island, not unlike you all. I treated them as honored guests. Then one night, a bunch of those men tried to sleep with my nymphs. Nonconsensually. Many were hurt, even more were horribly traumatized by the experience. So now, when men show up I turn them into animals to protect ourselves.” 

“I see…” Odysseus said, “So just now, you weren't actually trying to seduce us. You just wanted to make sure we weren't going to try to hurt your nymphs…” 

She nodded. 

“We'd never do that!” Polites told her. “I don't think any of our men would! We just want to get home! But there's a huge storm in the way! We don't know how we're supposed to get back! And we don't want to lose any more men! Please just let them go!” 

Circe considered. “Very well,” she said at length. “I'll reverse my spell, and let them go. However, if I see any more men come within ten feet of my palace I'm going to turn them into pigs and eat them for supper.” 

“Understood,” Odysseus told her, “I'll let them know to stay away as soon as I get back.” 

“As for how you can get home,” Circe said, “I don't know much about the world outside this island, however I do know of a brilliant prophet. He's dead now, but they say he knew the future better than Apollo himself. If you'd like, I could give you a spell that would take you to the underworld so you could try and find him?” 

Odysseus considered. He didn't particularly want to go to the underworld, but he wasn't seeing many other options. “That would be great,” he said to Circe, “If you don't mind.” 

“Of course,” she shrugged, “Anything to get all the men off my island.” 

“Where's Ath– er, your mentor?” Polites asked, as they exited the castle. 

Odysseus chuckled, “I'm pretty sure she left the moment Circe undressed. She doesn't care for that sort of thing.”

“Well forgive me for not wanting to intrude,” a voice spoke from behind him.

Polites turned, and saw Athena a few feet away. He was confident she hadn't been there before.

“Besides,” the goddess continued, “I was close enough that I could've heard a prayer for help, if it had been a trick of some kind.” 

“It was,” Odysseus told her, “But we didn't end up going through with it. I am married after all.” 

Athena nodded. “Very well, so you chose to leave without your men, then?” 

“No,” Odysseus told her, “Polites convinced her to let them go anyways.” 

“‘Convinced’ is a strong word,” Polites said. Really it had been more of a desperate plea. 

“I see,” Athena said, “In that case, I'll meet you back in your cabin.” 

Odysseus nodded. 

Polites frowned, confused by that. Then he remembered that Athena still didn't want the other men to know about her.

Fair enough, he thought. Considering everything she'd done to help them all, if she didn't want to be seen, he wasn't about to judge her for that.

When they got back, Odysseus immediately got most of the men gathered around him. 

“We managed to save our men,” Odysseus told them, “Mostly thanks to Polites, who argued well for their release. However, that doesn't mean we're welcome near that palace. Turns out the witch transformed our men, because she feared an invasion of some kind."

There were some murmurs at this. 

"We've done our best to reassure her that isn't the case," Odysseus continued, "However, we're still on shaky terms. We've reached the agreement that we won't go within fifteen feet of her palace, and in return, she won't put a spell on any more of the men. I expect you all to follow this order, and inform anyone who isn't here right now.” 

Technically the agreement was ten feet, but Odysseus wanted to be careful. He had also decided not to explain the full story with the nymphs just in case that gave anyone ideas. 

“Yes sir!” They said in unison. 

“Good,” Odysseus said, “You're all dismissed.” 

With that Odysseus went back to his cabin. Waiting for him was Eurylochus. He looked… Nervous. 

“What is it?” Odysseus asked him. 

Polites entered after him, probably wanting to talk to Athena again, since she'd said she'd be there. Odysseus saw his eyes widen at the sight of Eurylochus. Then his expression settled into something borderline hostile. 

Had those two had a fight of some kind? 

“I was just thinking…” Eurylochus said, “Are you sure your ‘mentor’ can be trusted? I mean, surely you know what the gods are like!? How many stories have we heard about them being cruel and unkind and manipulating humans for a laugh!?” 

Odysseus felt rage rise in his chest, anger on his friend's behalf. He swallowed it down. This was his brother, and he was probably just concerned for him.

“Eurylochus,” he said, firmly, “Let me worry about my relationships, okay? She's never done anything that would make me distrust her, and I don't appreciate you insulting her.” 

Eurylochus grimaced, “Fine,” he said. 

“Eurylochus…” It was Polites who spoke, he also sounded like he was barely holding back rage. “I think we need to talk. Privately. Come on.” 

The two left. Odysseus nodded to himself. This seemed good. The two could have a talk, work out whatever issues they had, and it sounded like Polites was going to defend Athena as well. Perfect. 

He squashed down the small part of him that wondered what happened. The tiny part of him that wondered what Eurylochus had done. 

-The memory of the future version of Athena saying that Eurylochus had betrayed him 

His priority was setting a good example to his men, and to his mentor. He wanted Athena to see what a benevolent, reasonable leader could look like, since that was the exact opposite of what her father was.

 Polites walked in silence to a private area. He looked around, making sure that no other people were there, then he looked at Eurylochus. 

“Was all that just because Athena threatened to kill you?” Polites asked him. 

Eurylochus blinked, clearly surprised. “How did you–?” 

“She told me,” Polites said flatly. “I prayed to her and asked her not to smite you, and she told me ‘I won't kill him yet, but I am going to threaten him’. I told her to go ahead and do it because someone needs to knock some sense into you!” 

“I– Look, Polites, I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I should never have opened that bag.” 

“No you shouldn't have,” Polites told him, “I told you not to do it, and you called me naive! Because I dare trust the commander that got us through ten years of war!” 

“What about his mentor?” Eurylochus challenged, “Do you really trust HER!?” 

“YES!!!” Polites practically shouted, “Because I can trust that Odysseus knows what he's doing. Besides, she's actually helped me. She helped me fight that witch! She helped Odysseus think of a plan to escape the giants! She's helped the men survive till now, and you hate her for no good reason!” 

“I…” Eurylochus sighed, “I suppose you're right… I guess I got a bit… Intimidated when she spoke to me…” 

“Good,” Polites said flatly. 

Eurylochus looked up at him, eyes full of remorse. “Are you ever going to be able to forgive me for what I've done?” 

Polites hesitated, then he sighed, “Maybe. Maybe I am naive, but I do want to try and give you another chance. We've been friends for years after all… But I can't just get over it because of an apology! If it had been an accident, I could've forgiven you, but you KNEW the risks. It got men killed! I know you probably don't care, because you're a hermit who doesn't talk to people, but I DO! I knew most of them, if only in passing. Did you know Elpenor has a wife–”

“Stop!” Eurylochus said, looking pained. 

“—And three daughters!” Polites continued. “They will never get to see their father again! Just because of your dumb trust issues!!!”

"I- I'm so sorry," Eurylochus whispered. 

He let out a long sigh, even as tears slid down his cheeks. “I can't forgive you. Not yet. Not just because of an apology. If you really want my forgiveness, do something to earn it. For now, just consider yourself lucky I haven't told our captain what you did.” With that, Polites walked away. 

Chapter Text

“Odysseus,” Athena said, “Are you sure about this? The underworld isn't exactly a nice place.” 

“I'm sure,” Odysseus told her, “We'll be okay. I'm sure our men are strong enough to handle this.” 

Athena hesitated, “You– You know I can't come with you, right?” 

“What!?” Odysseus said, completely taken by surprise. “Why not?”  

“It's not allowed,” she explained, “Remember, the three brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, split up the world. The land is neutral ground, but the sky, the sea, and the underworld are not. Admittedly, there are some gods, like Hermes, or Charon, who can go between realms as they wish. However I am not one of them. You will not see a child of Hades deep under the ocean, nor a child of Poseidon flying in the sky. Similarly, a child of Zeus cannot visit the underworld without permission. Permission I do not have time to try and get, plus I doubt Hades would grant it anyways. I'm a goddess of war. Going without permission… It would be treated like an invasion. It could start a war between the gods. If you go to the underworld, you'll have to go without me.” 

Odysseus nodded, “I understand. But I'll be fine on my own. I'm your student after all, I'm more than prepared for this.” 

Athena nodded once. “Alright. Then let me give you some advice.” 

He nodded, listening intently. After all, Athena would know better than him. 

“Do not trust what you see in the underworld,” she told him, “Most of it will be illusions trying to get you so depressed you throw yourself overboard. The illusions you see of people while sailing on the river, are real to an extent. The illusions in the river are grievances and pain people held before they died. Or else showing you the final thoughts of loved ones. However they still cannot hear your words. So it's best to ignore them.” 

“Got it,” Odysseus said. Well this sounds like it's going to be a fun trip, he thought with a grimace. 

“As far as the people who CAN hear you,” Athena told him, “Do not trust most of them. The only people in the underworld you can trust are Hades, Persephone, and Charon. They are unlikely to help you if asked, but you can trust them not to lie to you. Most people get this wrong, because they assume Hades is not to be trusted. However, he's actually very honest, just very apathetic to the lives of mortals.” 

“Makes sense,” Odysseus said, “So don't believe the words of people other than those three. And the prophet I assume?” 

Athena frowned, “I… I'm assuming Circe was referring to Tiresias. He died fairly recently after all, and was well renowned for his talents. He was well known for giving incredibly accurate prophecies.”

“That's… good then?” Odysseus asked. Athena was frowning slightly. 

“However,” she continued, “He was also infamous for giving prophecies that were worded in such a way that people would often misinterpret them, and because of these misinterpretations, people would always end up fulfilling the true prophecy.” 

“What do you mean?” Odysseus asked her.

“Like, for example,” Athena said, “He once told a man ‘Your hubris will cause you to lose sight of what's in front of you.’ A few years later, the man got into a bar fight, assuming he could easily win against his opponent. Then he lost, and got his eyes gouged out in the process.”

Odysseus snorted, “So he literally lost sight of what was in front of him?” 

Athena nodded, solemnly, “Another time, he told a woman ‘your heart will be removed by a god’. When that woman angered a god, fearing for her life, she begged to be spared. The god, Aphrodite, agreed, but cursed her to no longer be able to love anymore. So that one turned out to be entirely metaphorical.” 

Odysseus nodded to himself, “So basically, you're saying that the prophecy might be metaphorical, or it might be literal?”

“Or it might just be confusing,” Athena said with a shrug. “I remember a soldier who got a prophecy that was like ‘red roses bloom beneath your feet, one day perhaps they will turn white.’ Which was probably metaphorical? But who knows really.” 

“Got it,” Odysseus said, “It still seems like the best plan we have.” 

Athena nodded grimly. “Very well then, in that case, I do have one thing that may help you.” She flew out the window, invisible, and came back with a small piece of driftwood. After changing back, she pressed it between her hands. Then she handed it to Odysseus.

The wood seemed reinforced, and now had the symbol of Athena burned into it.

“This,” she explained, “Is the closest thing to currency we have amongst the gods. Since there's no object that is so difficult to obtain that we can use it for currency, we instead deal in favors. This mark represents the fact that I owe you a favor. If you find yourself needing help within the underworld, find one of the gods, and offer them this in exchange. I rarely offer my favors, so this will be considered quite rare to them.” 

Odysseus looked at her. “but you don't? You don't owe me a favor?” 

She shrugged, “That mark says otherwise. Only use it if you have to, because I would rather not be beholden to some random god in the underworld. However, it could be used to protect yourself in an emergency.” 

Odysseus nodded, pocketing the small token. “Thanks Athena. I really appreciate it, but don't worry, I'm sure I won't need it.” 

She nodded once, “I hope you're right about that. It'll be best to get some sleep, and leave for the underworld at dawn. Daytime is the safest there, or so I've heard.” 

“Will do.” 

“Friends! Circe’s instructions were clear!” Odysseus began, as they entered the underworld. They were Athena’s instructions actually, but the men didn't need to know that. 

“No matter what you hear, just keep going. This place will show you illusions to confuse you. Just keep moving forward!” Odysseus finished. 

“Yes sir!” His men shouted. 

Just in time too, as the moment the words were said, they were all fully in the underworld, and the portal had been closed behind them. 

There seemed to be an eerie noise around them, somewhere between creaking branches and faint screaming. The river was rough, it was hard to keep the ships under control. However it seemed the men were getting the hang of it. 

But then that's when the visions started. 

Polites sobbed as he was surrounded by eight men. The men who'd died in the storm. 

“Why didn't you stop him!?” They demanded, “You knew Eurylochus was going to open the bag! You knew that it would be dangerous! Why didn't you tackle him to the ground and kill him to protect us!?!?” 

“I thought I could talk him out of it,” Polites whispered, “I didn't want to hurt my friend…”

The spirits around him didn't seem to hear him. 

Eurylochus’s words played back in his mind. ‘You’re naive, Polites'. 

Was he? 

Was he stupid for trusting his friends? 

“It was your idea to go to that cave,” another man said. Polites realized he was one of those who died to the Cyclops. 

“If you hadn't asked the lotus eaters for directions maybe we'd be home by now!” 

Was he stupid for trusting… Anyone? 

Eurylochus was also seeing the eight men who'd died in the storm. 

“My wife and daughters won't ever see me again,” Elpenor told him. 

He wasn't the only one with a family. 

“My father's old, but now I will no longer be able to care for him.” 

“My wife is a widow now.” 

“My child will never know their father. I will never get to meet them either, since I left just before my wife was due.” 

“I had a son. I promised him I would return home.” 

Eurylochus tried to cover his ears, but he couldn't drown out their voices. 

“Was it worth it?” One man asked. “Was it really worth the risk, just for the possibility of a small bag of treasures?” 

“No,” Eurylochus told them. “No it wasn't…” 

He never should've doubted his captain. 

“I'm so sorry…” 

They didn't hear him. 

Odysseus sighed, after being yelled at by all twelve of the men who'd died. He was captain after all. It was his fault… 

“Waiting…” 

That voice… No. No! 

“Odysseus, when you come home, I'll be waiting…” His mother didn't even look at him. It was as though she couldn't even see him. 

No!!! He was supposed to have fixed it! His mother's death was mentioned in that terrible future he'd seen, and somehow, despite everything else, he'd been unable to prevent it!

“Even if you're the last thing I see, I'll be waiting for you, my son.” 

“I'm so sorry mom…” Odysseus said, “I really wanted to get home before this happened… I'm sorry I failed. I'm sorry I abandoned you. I–”

“I'll always love you… I'll stay in your heart… I'm waiting… Waiting…” 

Odysseus tried to reach out and touch her. She disappeared. 

He shut his eyes, tears streaming down his face, “Goodbye mom…” 

It had been a few days since Odysseus had left. Athena was doing her best to get ahead of all her responsibilities, that way she'd have the extra time to help him when he got back. 

Suddenly she felt a shiver down her spine. Her father was summoning her. Being the king of the gods meant that all his subjects could feel it when he wanted them to return home. Nobody dared ignore the order. Athena immediately went back to Olympus as quickly as possible. -Because nobody ever followed the summons as quickly as she did

Immediately she knelt at the foot of her father's throne. “You summoned me, father?” She asked. 

“Hm,” he said, “Yes. Though I did notice you took a full five minutes to get here. You usually only take three at most.” 

Athena forced her face to remain neutral. -She could not show fear.- 

“My apologies father, I was further from home than usual today. I'm terribly sorry for making you wait.” 

That wasn't a lie per say, though normally it wouldn't have mattered. She’d always used her magic to get to Olympus faster. However she was still just a little bit worn out by her fight with the giants. Not to mention several miracles she'd performed for the humans the last few days. -Maybe she should've taken a day off to rest, instead of immediately getting to work once Odysseus left… No she couldn't be lazy like that.- 

“Don't let it happen again,” Zeus said, “I'd expect that behavior from one of my other children. Not you.” 

“Yes father,” Athena said. 

“Are you two done!?” 

That was Poseidon’s voice. She looked up. Indeed, the god of the ocean was standing just behind her father. 

“Yes,” Zeus said, then turned to Athena, “Your uncle would like to have a talk with you, daughter.” 

“What is it?” Athena asked. Her heart was pounding with adrenaline, however she refused to let her feelings show. Not now. -Not when it wasn't safe.- 

“Recently,” Poseidon said, “One of my sons died. He'd been killed in his own home, and when I asked the other cyclopses, they said it was ‘nobody’. I initially suspected a bribe. So naturally I created a massive storm, hoping to drown whoever did such a terrible thing. Imagine my surprise when, while checking the scene of the crime one last time, I sense just a trace of your magic, Athena.” Poseidon’s voice was dangerous. It sounded borderline friendly, but she knew that was a trap. -She'd learned that from father. Wrath could come at any time.- 

“I did not kill your child, uncle,” Athena said, “I'm well aware of the rules against such a thing.” 

“Oh I don't think you killed him,” Poseidon scoffed. “I assume it was one of your heroes. You're always training about a dozen heroes at any given time, so I'm sure it was one of them.” 

That… Wasn't true for the moment. She'd only trained about five in the last couple decades. Odysseus was her favorite. She'd poured far more time than usual into training him. -He was fun to train, and even just talk to. Much more than the others- 

However, she was well known to not put all her eggs in one basket. She was always training multiple heroes. Maybe she could use this? 

Poseidon seemed to take her lack of answer as an admission of guilt. 

“Tell me,” he said, drawing his trident. 

No, Athena decided, she'd never liked Poseidon anyways, she wasn't about to betray Odysseus for him. 

At her continued silence, Poseidon lunged at her in a rage. Athena easily summoned her spear to block him. 

“Athena,” Zeus said, “Put away your weapon, and stop fighting. I will not allow you to behave this way.” 

Athena immediately followed orders. She dismissed her spear, and put her hands behind her back. 

She then cried out in pain as Poseidon stabbed her in the ribs with his trident. She could feel the bones starting to crack, and fresh ichor soaked her clothes. The points of his trident seemed to be stabbing in between her ribs. If he went much deeper he might hit something vital. -But maybe that was okay. She'd always figured, deep down, she'd die someday. There were worse ways to go than protecting someone. Her student.- 

-Her fri en d- 

“Athena,” her father's voice. “I order you to tell Poseidon which hero of yours killed his son. I will grant him justice.” 

And Athena… Hesitated. 

She'd never even considered disobeying her father. Not in the last five hundred years, at least. He didn't even have to actually order her to do something usually. Even without direct instructions, she did whatever she thought would please him. She went above and beyond for all his requests. That's why she was the favorite. 

So then why… Why was she hesitating… 

The Trident dug deeper into her body, jolting her out of her own thoughts, and causing her to let out a cry of pain. 

She needed a plan. 

She

Needed

To 

Think

She used Quick Thought.

It was exhausting, but she bought herself a few quiet moments. There was no time to figure out the ‘why’. She needed to figure out what to do. Her mind was at war. 

She needed to protect Odysseus. 

She needed to please her father.

Perhaps she could have both. Poseidon wasn't exactly known to be the smartest god, after all. 

“He's dead!” Athena cried out, as she broke out of Quick Thought. 

Poseidon stopped. “What?” 

“You… Your storm did a lot of damage, uncle. Plenty of people died trying to get through it.” That part was not a lie. He didn't need to know that Odysseus was not someone that was killed. 

Zeus hummed, “If he's already dead, then I believe your debt is paid, brother.” 

“I would agree,” Poseidon said, “However, how can I be sure she's not lying?”

Athena had assumed it might come to this. She was prepared. “I swear on the River Styx,” she said, “To the best of my knowledge, at this very moment, the hero that killed your Cyclops is in the underworld.”

“Well... In that case, may he rest in peace,” Poseidon said, clearly smug. 

Now, lying on the Styx wasn't a good idea. Even lying by omission wasn't exactly approved of. The thing was, the Styx wouldn't give you a permanent terrible fate unless you directly lied, or fully broke a promise. However, whenever someone blurred the lines, like Athena just did, the river would typically give you a temporary punishment. A warning that you were on thin ice. 

In Athena's case, when Poseidon removed his trident from her ribs, she was sure it hurt far more than it was supposed to. It was only with the force of will she'd learned from her father, that she was able to stay quiet. To hold back a scream that Odysseus would have likely heard in the underworld. 

As it was, she still let out a soft, pathetic, cry of pain. 

She even reached a hand over, feeling her body through the slick ichor to make sure Poseidon hadn't removed any of her ribs. But no, they were all there, though she was pretty sure a few were broken. 

However Poseidon had fallen for her trick, and left seeming satisfied. So that's all that mattered. 

“Daughter,” Zeus said. 

Athena immediately stood up, nearly collapsing as she stood at attention before her father. 

“You hesitated before following my order,” he said. It wasn't a question. 

Athena looked down, not meeting his eyes. She felt shame well up inside her chest. She was supposed to be better than that. She hesitated, and even technically disobeyed him. 

“Tell me why.” Zeus said. His voice was gentle. Like it often was after a training session. -Like it often was when she was in pain like this.- 

“I guess I can be a bit... Sensitive about my heroes, since I work so hard on them...” Athena admitted. 

“But he's dead? Why didn't you say that from the start?” She felt Zeus gently stroke her hair. 

“He's–” Athena began. Then trailed off. 

She'd been about to tell her father about her little trick. She'd been about to tell him that Odysseus was her favorite hero that she'd trained and that she didn't want Poseidon to kill him. She'd been about to tell her father the truth she'd hid from Poseidon. 

But for some reason… 

She didn't. 

Athena never lied to her father. Not about something serious like this. The one and only time she had, was when she wanted to get out of her potential marriage to Hephestas. -Even that wasn't truly a lie. She HAD on rare occasion, wondered if Zeus would end up eating her again because of a prophecy of a child she bore.- 

Athena didn't lie to her father. She was loyal. She was obedient. 

And yet… 

And yet… 

“I guess I just didn't want to be the one to pay for the death of his son, if Poseidon wasn't satisfied,” Athena lied, “I was considering blaming it on a different hero. However, I couldn't bring myself to blame someone innocent. So I'm glad Poseidon agrees that justice has been served, now that the man is dead.”

Zeus nodded, seeming sympathetic, “I understand your fear, daughter of mine. However, I'm afraid I cannot let you get away with disobedience. As punishment, you may only receive three days of medical care. After that, you must leave Olympus and heal on your own.” 

“Yes father,” Athena agreed automatically. 

“Good. Now get going.” 

She stood up, nearly slipping on a puddle of her own ichor. 

“I'll take her,” it was Ares who spoke. 

“She can get there on her own,” Zeus said coldly. 

“Yeah I know, but I'm feeling helpful today,” Ares said with a shrug. “Besides, I need to talk to Apollo anyways. At least this way, she'll get there faster, and less of her blood will get on the floor.” 

Zeus stared down at Ares. Ares stared back. 

“One day,” Zeus said slowly, “I'm going to strike you down with lightning for your insolence, Ares. Mark my words.”

Ares nodded, looking almost resigned. “Yeah. I believe someday you will. Is that day today? Or can I take your favorite daughter to the infirmary?” 

Zeus practically growled. “Fine. Take her. Make sure to let Apollo know she's only allowed three days of care.” 

Ares nodded. 

Athena felt him scoop her up, knocking her off her feet, and carrying her away. She was far too weak to put up a fight about it. She was barely staying conscious. She was pretty sure the room wasn't supposed to be spinning. 

Right before Athena was about to fully pass out, Ares spoke. 

“What was that?” He asked. 

“Hm?” Athena questioned. She wasn't sure she even had the strength to open her mouth. 

But no, even as she thought it, she felt renewed strength flow through her, and her vision seemed to stabilize. She looked at Ares, and noticed the faint glow of his magic. He was the god of war, courage, and strength. His magic was made for giving the body enough energy that someone could keep fighting. Or in Athena's case, keep talking. 

“I saw the whole thing,” Ares said. “Father told you to put away your weapon, and you just did it!? You're the favorite! Surely you could've gotten away with saying ‘I’ll put my spear away when he puts down his trident’, or something along those lines! Instead you just let yourself be stabbed!?!?” 

“That's not how being the favorite works,” Athena told him, “I'm his favorite because I obey him no matter what. He told me so.” 

“Wait… Wait really!?” Ares asked. “I thought it was because you're the most skilled or something!?” 

“What? No. ‘You’re so obedient, Athena. My most loyal weapon. You're my favorite daughter because you never stray from my side. I wish the others were more like you. Especially Ares. He's such a loose cannon, I wish he would just immediately obey like you do.’ That's what he said to me. I obey him the best. I do whatever I can to please him. That's why I'm the favorite.” 

“That– Athena grow a spine!” Ares snapped. “I've fought you for years! You've never once yielded to what I want! Where was that when father told you to put your weapon away and you just let yourself be stabbed!?” 

“I'm the favorite,” Athena repeated. “That means he hurts me less. He told me so. ‘If you weren't my favorite I’d hurt you more than this. You're lucky.’ I have to be his favorite.” 

“Well I'm not the favorite, and I've never been stabbed with a trident,” Ares told her, “Do what you want I guess, but really Athena, that was pathetic.” He paused. “Also lying on the Styx was a bold move. I saw that look on your face. You looked like a soldier debating giving up vital information under torture. There's no way the guy’s dead.” 

“I wasn't lying.”

Ares rolled his eyes, “Look, I'm not about to snitch on you. After that display I don't even want to try and gain favor with dad anymore. You can tell me.” 

“I didn't lie. He is in the underworld. He convinced a witch to get his fleet of ships there. He wanted to find a dead prophet to learn the best way for him to get home. I did lie about him being dead though…” Why she was telling Ares this, Athena wasn't sure. Probably the stab wound. 

Ares paused, then grinned, “There's the Athena I know. You pulled some of your sneaky shit on them. Clever.” 

“Thanks… Wish I would've thought of it before getting stabbed.” 

Ares laughed, “Yeah I bet. Honestly though, I kinda respect you for tricking them. Much more dignified than constantly following orders like a well trained mutt.” 

“More painful though,” Athena said. 

“Eh, just stop being an overachiever and he'll lower his expectations for you.” 

“Somehow, I feel like it's too late for that.” With that, Athena passed out. Even Ares magic couldn't keep her awake forever. 

They'd finally reached the prophet, after days of sailing in the worst place imaginable. Odysseus had decided that they would let each man individually talk to him, since the prophet, Tiresias, didn't seem bothered by the idea. 

Odysseus had decided to go first.

He entered a private area with the man. 

He looked at Odysseus with blind eyes. "I know you're expecting me to be cryptic with you. That's not what's going to happen. You've already seen a possible future. And most of your future is already set in stone, regardless of what you might do." 

“Okay?” Odysseus said, feeling incredibly nervous, “Is there anything I can do to change the future and get home quickly?”

By that of course, he meant 'is there a way to avoid the awful future he'd seen from Mnemosyne?' It was seeming more and more inevitable. At least in regards to Athena getting hurt. Especially after what happened with the giants. 

“Odysseus, your fate has already been decided by your mentor. You will make it home safely, and there's very little you could do to stop that,” The prophet told him, “However, her fate is still unknown. One day she'll fight for your life. I'm confident she will save you, but it's undecided if she'll choose to save herself. 

I see three branching pathways that she may tread. 

There's wisdom in pleading for mercy from an invincible foe. 

She has her crafts and her creations, she could offer in return for a favor. In return for your life. 

Or perhaps… Many men die in war. Even the most powerful kings can be defeated by a soldier with a weapon. 

I can not tell you which tactic would allow her to succeed, but I will tell you this: 

It is simply not enough to love another. She must be truly loved in return, and know that she deserves it. If she can bring herself to fully trust you, and accept your love and friendship, she’ll create a storm she can rely on. But if not, it’s likely that lightning will consume her.” 

Well… Fuck… 

Polites hesitated. It was his turn. After what he'd seen, he was wondering if he was in the wrong for trusting people. 

“Polites,” Tiresias said, “You will trust your captain despite your instincts, and fall for a siren’s song. However, you'll also forgive your captain as soon as you're no longer stuck with the consequences.” 

Polites nodded. He knew prophecies could be metaphorical so he figured that ‘siren song’ probably meant that someone will end up tricking him, by promising something good, and then trying to hurt him. 

“So can I not trust my captain, then?” Polites asked. 

The prophet just shrugged, “He won't ever act maliciously towards you. However he has 588 men to look after. Sometimes things will slip through the cracks.” 

Polites nodded. That made sense. He supposed he couldn't blame his captain for that, but it did just seem to confirm that he was too trusting. 

Eurylochus took a deep breath as he entered the room with the prophet. 

“Hm… Tell me,” the blind man said, “What is it you want to know?” 

“Uh– aren't you supposed to give me a prophecy or something?” 

“Do you really want one?” He asked, “It won't help you. Prophecies are at best, false hope.” 

“What do you mean?” Eurylochus asked. 

“Do you know why I know the future even better than Apollo?” The prophet asked. 

“Why?” Eurylochus asked. 

“Because I don't try to affect it. The future is like a stray cat. If you're the type to try and pick it up and carry it somewhere else, it'll probably avoid you. If you wait, and let it come to you, it will."

Seemingly noticing the confused look on his face, the prophet continued "For example, I knew exactly how and when I was going to die. Murdered in an alleyway for my spare change. I could've avoided it if I wanted. Just don't go down the alleyway, and I'd be fine. However, that's not how that works. It was my fate, and I followed it. I didn't try to change it. Apollo, despite his best efforts, still has pieces of fate he wishes to change. That's why he doesn't get to know as much.” 

“So you're saying, regardless of whether or not I know the prophecy, there's no way to prevent it?” Eurylochus asked. 

“Exactly.” 

He frowned, “In that case. Answer me this... Answer this and I will accept it either way, but… I need to know. Will I ever be forgiven for what I've done?” 

The prophet hummed, “I cannot give you the answer, as you are not yet meant to know what you choose. However I will tell you this: The opportunity to redeem yourself, at least in the eyes of your friends, will come. Whether you'll take it or not is not for me to disclose.” 

Eurylochus nodded, resigned. Then he left. 

Chapter Text

“Three days… Three days!?” 

Hermes looked at Apollo, concerned. He'd sprained his ankle earlier in the day, because he was racing against Artemis and slammed feet first into a mountain. So naturally he'd been there when Ares brought Athena in, and told them about Zeus’s punishment. 

“It'll probably be three days before she even wakes up! And then I'm just supposed to kick her out!?” 

“I guess so,” Hermes said, “Just do your best I suppose.” 

“I'm going to go get Aphrodite,” it was Artemis who spoke. “Ares said she got this fighting for a mortal man. She's a virgin goddess like me, I want to be sure she's not breaking her vow.” 

“That feels unnecessary,” Apollo said, bandaging Athena. “Also it'll be at least an hour before I'll allow her to have visitors.” 

“Fine,” Artemis huffed. 

Three hours later, Artemis came back with Aphrodite, as well as Ares, Hera, Hestia, and Dionysus.

“Really?” Apollo asked his twin sister. “You know I don't like this many people in here. Especially when there's no injuries.” 

“Well it's not her fault we're all curious about her relationship with this mortal,” Hestia said. 

Apollo sighed. “Fine, but I'm not taking the blame for this if Athena finds out you used magic to invade her privacy.”

“Noted,” Aphrodite said. Then she waved a hand over Athena’s head. “Huh…”

“Is she breaking her vows?” Artemis asked. 

“Nope. She does love this mortal though. It's just not romantic love.”

“What do you mean?” Hestia asked, curiously. 

“Like– even if I were to use my magic to intensely artificially increase all the love she currently feels for this mortal, she still wouldn't want to sleep with him. Honestly, she'd probably try to adopt him. As it stands now, she seems to have this strange mix of platonic and familial love for him. It's very interesting.” 

Hermes laughed, “Dang, I guess someone should tell Ody the good news.” 

“You've met the guy?” Ares asked. 

“Yeah. I was bringing Athena some ambrosia after she fought the giants to save him.”

Ares let out a low whistle, seeming impressed. 

“What's he like?” Hera asked. 

“Nice guy, seems pretty concerned about her well-being, which is wild for a mortal to do to a god.” 

“I'm glad he is,” Apollo interjected, “Since she's probably gonna die for him at this rate.” 

Ares scoffed, “Oh please, gods can't die.”

“No, hun, they can,” Hera told him. 

“What!?” It was Hermes, Ares, and Artemis who spoke. 

All of them had been born after the last god had died, and if Apollo were to guess, he'd say Zeus probably hadn't bothered to tell them. Apollo only knew because he was the healer and father wanted to make sure he'd done a good job. So he'd been told at five years old, right after he'd gotten his healing domain. His first domain… 

“Gods are fully capable of dying. It's your job to prevent that. If any of them die it will be entirely on your shoulders, Apollo,” Zeus had said. 

In fact, if Apollo remembered right, the fact that gods could die had become a strict secret shortly after humans were created. 

Hera sighed, “Yes. Gods can die. It's very rare, and hasn't happened for thousands of years, but it can happen.” 

The three who hadn't known immediately all panicked over their potential mortality. It took about ten minutes to calm them down. 

“So…” Hermes said, “Apollo, do you know if any of us are gonna die any time soon?” 

Apollo shook his head, “The only god I've seen die is that one,” he pointed to Athena. “It doesn't seem set in stone, but from my prophecy abilities it seems highly likely that father’s gonna murder her with lightning at some point. Likely over this same hero when she tries to protect him.” 

“I– There's no way!” Artemis said, “She's his favorite! Father wouldn't do that!” 

“You don't believe it?” Apollo asked, “Fine, I'll show you.” Then he used his power.

He called it ‘Preview’, it was similar to Athena's Time Dive, but instead of the past, it allowed him to show other people any vision of the future he'd seen. 

With his power, all of them watched Athena standing on a ship. Zeus was in front of her, several men were behind her. 

“Father please!” Athena said, on her knees in front of him, “Please spare this human, he is my friend!” 

“You do not get to have ‘friends’ Athena,” Zeus said coldly, “You were supposed to be mine, and mine alone! I made you. I will not have some MORTAL putting ideas into your head!”

“No! Father I'm sorry! I never meant to defy you! I promise! Please! Spare his life and I'll never disrespect you again. I'll never even see him again. Spare his life and I swear I won't even return to his country! I promise. I will never again stray from your side.” 

“It's too late. It's time to face the consequences of your mistakes.” With that he shot lightning directly at Odysseus. 

However Athena jumped in front of the blow. She took a lightning bolt directly to her chest, and screamed in agony. 

Odysseus immediately tried to run over to her, but was held back by his men. “ATHENA!” He cried out. 

“Fine,” Zeus said, “I didn't want to do this, however it seems I'm forced to make an example out of you. Now everyone will see the consequences for defying me.”

He shot her again. 

And again.

She screamed, tears of agony streaming down her face. She pleaded for mercy, but their father very obviously didn't care. 

She was shot again and again, until she finally collapsed and died. 

Zeus looked at the mortals around him. “I'll let you live,” he said, smirking at Odysseus’s horrified expression, “Just to make sure you tell the rest of your kind what happened today. The consequences for defying the king of the gods.” 

Then the vision ended. 

The gods all stood in stunned silence for a time. Apollo waited, arms folded. He was incredibly tired of their jealousy towards Athena, and was hoping they'd finally knock it off. 

“Guys…” It was Hermes who spoke, “Is anyone else starting to feel like Athena isn't actually his favorite?” 

“Yeah…” Ares said, “Yeah, I really am…” 

“I mean it doesn't really surprise me,” Hera said, “He did kill her mother after all…” 

“Her what!?” This time Apollo was also shocked by this statement. 

“Hang on,” Hermes said, “I thought she was born from father alone?” 

“No,” Hera said softly, “That's just the story he had us tell people… He didn't want anyone knowing what he did.” 

“So who was she?” Aphrodite asked. 

Hera then told them about Zeus’s first wife, the prophecy, and what he'd tried to do to her. 

“She was always eager to please him,” Hera said, “Since the day she was born. I think she might've been afraid he'd kill her again if she didn't…” 

“She was right, apparently,” Ares said. 

They all looked at Athena. This entire conversation had painted her relationship with their father in a very different light… 

“I should probably mention that this is only a potential future. Not set in stone,” Apollo said, “It could possibly be changed…” 

“You know,” Dionysus said, “I could use my magic to switch her gender. I've always been good at that spell. Then she'd be a son, and hopefully not die.”

“Somehow I don't think she'd appreciate that very much,” Demeter noted. 

“Alright,” Apollo said, “Everyone out. I still have to attend to my patient.” 

After all, he now had less than three days to work on healing her. Time was of the essence. 

However…

“Hermes,” Apollo said. He was the only god still in the room, because he had also been injured.

“Yeah?” 

“On a topic completely unrelated to the fact that I'm going to have to kick Athena out in just a few days, would you like to see where I keep my most potent medical ambrosias? I figure it could be helpful if someone gets injured, and I'm... busy or something.” 

Hermes grinned, “Absolutely!”

When Odysseus made it out of the underworld, he breathed a sigh of relief. The underworld was the absolute worst place ever, and it took them almost three days just to get out. 

His relief was short-lived. 

As he checked on his men, he noticed Polites crying by himself. 

“Polites?” Odysseus asked gently. 

“Oh… Hey Ody…” Polites looked down at the floor. 

“What's wrong?” 

“... Am I… Am I too naive?” Polites asked. 

“What!?” Odysseus asked. The question would be amusing if his friend didn't look so sad. 

“I just… I can't help but feel like this is all my fault. Those men who died… What if I'm the one who killed them in the end!? Because I didn't stop Eu– Didn't stop the man who opened the bag…”

“Polites,” Odysseus said, “It's not your fault.” 

“My prophecy basically told me I'd end up trusting something when I shouldn't,” Polites said, “And I can't help but think… Maybe our enemies have a point… I mean is the cyclops laying awake at night, guilty for what he's done? I doubt it. He avenged his friend and probably feels good about that.”

“Friend? It was a sheep.” 

“And the witch turns men to pigs just to protect her nymphs, and that sounds so INSANE! But… Maybe she learned to be more ruthless when she got older. Maybe she succeeded in saving her nymphs from any future pain…” 

“What are you getting at, Polites?” Odysseus said. He was very concerned now. 

“I mean… We killed people, using a wooden horse to kill people as they slept. That was your plan. Does that make you a bad person? Or… Were you able to throw away all remorse to make sure more men survived in the end.” 

“I–... I suppose…” Odysseus admitted, “But I still understand our enemies are people at the end of the day. I understand that Circe, and the cyclops had their reasons for doing things. That doesn't mean they aren't our enemies.” 

“So… If that's the case… Maybe I need to change… Maybe I need to throw away my heart, and become like a monster. Maybe then we'll make it home…” 

Odysseus hugged him. “Please don't think like that, Polites. I'd hate to see you survive to make it home, only to lose yourself in the process. I'm the captain. Those types of calls are on my shoulders. You are only a soldier. The guilt is not yours to bear, because it isn't your job to make the difficult decisions. Please. I don't want you to become like them. You're one of my closest friends, Polites, and I think you're amazing just the way you are. You don't need to change into someone else, just for us to make it home. I know we will.” 

Polites finally hugged him back, crying into his shirt. 

“I just– I miss them so much! I d-don't w-want anyone else to– to die!” Polites sobbed. 

“I know,” Odysseus said. And he did, he could feel the same guilt he knew Polites must be feeling. “I don't want any more deaths either. But at the end of the day, we can't control that. We're just doing our best, and I know you're doing your best already. I don't need you to change, you're already doing enough.” 

Polites let out what could only be described as a cry of anguish, and sobbed more heavily against him. Odysseus gently ran his fingers through his hair, determined to remain strong for the friend who needed him. For now, he pushed his own grief aside.

Athena wasn't here. She was nowhere. Her body felt like it was shifting in and out of reality. Her thoughts were disjointed. 

“Father's loyal hunting dog.” Ares glared at her. 

Her mother's face. “Your father doesn't love me...” 

The sickening crunch as her sword killed her first friend. 

“You will be my weapon.” Zeus’s voice. 

“Grow a spine!” Ares said. 

“OBEY!” Zeus commanded. 

“You're my best friend, Athena,” Odysseus smiled at her. 

Pallas turned to Odysseus and suddenly her sword was in his stomach as he looked at her, utterly betrayed. 

“Please just let me die!” Medusa’s words. Odysseus’s voice. 

“Good girl,” her father praised. “You're so obedient. I love you so much.” 

But then why was she in so much pain? Maybe she wasn't good enough… 

“The pain makes you strong…” That was her father's voice again. 

Did it really? Maybe she didn't want to be strong anymore… But no. Being strong made her useful. Being useful made sure she'd be hurt less.

Then why did it hurt so much? 

“Can I hug you?” Odysseus asked. But Athena’s body was made of fire, so the moment he touched her he cried out in pain. Hadn't she always tried to warn him that getting close to her would only hurt him in the end? Why was she burning? Was it her father's lightning in her body? 

Father please… 

Please stop… 

I'm sorry… 

“Okay Athena, it's time to wake up now. Your mind clearly isn't giving you any rest.” 

That was Apollo. 

Athena opened her eyes. Apollo smiled, looking relieved. She noticed his hand on her forehead. He'd clearly used magic to wake her. 

“How are you feeling?” He said gently. 

Too gently for what she deserved. 

“I'm fine,” Athena said, flatly, “How long have I been out?” 

“Almost… Almost three days…” Apollo admitted. 

That's when she remembered her father's orders. Three days of care, then she was on her own. 

“How long do I have till I must leave?” Athena asked him, not allowing her voice to waver. 

“Till tomorrow,” Apollo said with a grimace. “I'm sorry, Athena, I–”

“Not your fault,” she waved off his apology, “It's my fault I got punished.” 

If she'd just been quicker to come up with a cover story her father wouldn't have noticed her hesitation. If she'd just been smarter, Poseidon would've never discovered traces of her magic. If she'd been faster, she could've dodged the Trident. 

“It may not be my fault it happened, but I'm still sorry I can't do much more for you.” Apollo bowed his head slightly. 

“That's not your fault either. Still, I appreciate it,” Athena told him. 

“Since I have so little time,” Apollo said, switching to his ‘stern healer' voice, “I'm not going to tolerate you being difficult about treatment. You will do as I say or I will use my magic to knock you out again.” 

Athena nodded, “Understood.” 

For whatever reason, Athena didn't want to try and resist treatment today. 

“Following orders like a well trained mutt.” Ares' words seemed to echo in her mind. Almost like a challenge. 

He didn't understand. She was just so tired. -If you whip a beast often enough, no matter how fierce it is, it will eventually learn to obey the one holding it’s chains.- 

“Okay,” Apollo said, he'd finished re-bandaging her ribs, and was pressing ice to a bruise on her leg. “This is just getting concerning. You normally would've fought me off by now, and tried to fly out the window or something. Most of the time, by the time I've gotten the bandages ON you, you're halfway out the door unless you're so injured I can shove you back on the bed. I'm happy you're actually listening to me, but this isn't normal, and you look incredibly sad. Talk to me, please.” 

“I'm fine,” Athena said, despondently. 

“Three puncture wounds to your ribs beg to differ.” 

She nearly scoffed at that. She was fine. Just as fine as she ever was. 

-Her father had just LET her be stabbed. He didn't even care…- 

Apollo sighed, “You know what, I'll just keep working on your injuries while you're feeling nice enough to let me.” 

“Okay,” Athena said, voice emotionless and blank. 

Eurylochus took a deep breath. He knew he'd been avoiding Odysseus slightly, ever since their last conversation about Athena. However, if he was going to earn forgiveness, he had to work for it. 

When he found his captain, Polites was clinging onto his chiton. He'd clearly been crying. 

Odysseus looked at him, even as he held Polites closer. 

“Captain,” Eurylochus said, “The crew awaits your orders.” 

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Odysseus told him.

“If you're… busy,” Eurylochus said, tactfully ignoring the fact that Polites had very obviously been crying. “I can tell them your orders now. I will ensure they follow them exactly.” 

And he would. After his experience in the underworld, Eurylochus had decided that he was going to focus on making sure all of the captain's orders were constantly followed. This, in his mind, would be the best way to make up for his disobedience. 

“No,” Odysseus said, “Morale will be low after sailing through the underworld. I'll give them orders directly. Just give me a little bit.” 

“I'm fine, Odysseus,” Polites said, sniffling slightly. “You can go to them.” 

“Are you sure?” Odysseus asked gently, “It's no big deal if you need a bit more time.” 

“No, I think I'm doing better now,” Polites said. “Go to the crew.”

Odysseus nodded, and left. Leaving Eurylochus alone with Polites. 

“You've been avoiding Odysseus,” Polites said, “Don't think I haven't noticed…”

“I thought he'd be better off without me there questioning him anymore.” Eurylochus didn't meet his eyes. 

“That's true,” Polites agreed, “But are you really incapable of being around him without questioning his decisions?” 

Eurylochus shook his head, “I…” He hesitated, “I guess I thought it would be better to leave him alone, because I know you want to spend time with him, and I know you don't want to spend time with me…” 

“That's true. I don't want anything to do with you right now,” Polites said, “But the captain still needs his second in command. He still needs his brother. So you're going to spend more time with him, and I'm going to learn to deal with it. Understand?” 

Eurylochus nodded. He wasn't used to Polites ordering him around. Just a few months ago, it would've made him angry. However, for now… He just couldn't bring himself to care. 

“Very well… If that's what you think is best.” 

“I do.” With that Polites left. 

Eurylochus looked down, a few tears fell down his face. 

Even though he knew he deserved it, he couldn't help but miss having Polites as his friend. It was a feeling he could only describe as grief. Despite the fact that he was alive, Eurylochus had lost Polites. 

He watched as his own tears dripped onto the floor, darkening small spots of the wood. 

He couldn't help but wonder if he'd lose Odysseus too, once he found out what Eurylochus had done. Maybe that was the reason he hadn't told him yet. Maybe he couldn't stand the thought of losing his brother like he'd lost his friend.- 

He shook his thoughts away. It was almost time for him to go to bed. He had the dawn shift, after all. 

After Apollo was asleep, Athena watched the clock. She was barely conscious. Apollo had wanted her to sleep. She didn't want to. She didn't want to dream anymore. 

Every time she moved She felt a stabbing pain in her side. She was sure that was the only thing keeping her awake. 

She had to leave after three days. She wasn't sure if her father meant for her to leave in the morning, or if he wanted her to leave as soon as the third day ended. She wasn't about to take the risk. 

At 11:58 PM, she stood up. 

She grit her teeth against the utter agony that standing put her body through. There wasn’t TIME for this! 

She stole some pain suppressants from Apollo’s supply. She wasn't sure exactly how much she was supposed to take, so she just drank them until she felt the pain dull somewhat. Then she found some energy potions. They were meant to give your mind and body a boost of energy. So she drank some of those, until she felt like she could fly far away without any issues. 

She wrote Apollo a quick note. 

Left early, just to be safe. I left of my own volition, so do not worry. I'll see you when I've recovered. 

-Athena. 

As the clock struck midnight, Athena left Mount Olympus. She was flying over the ocean, trying to find Odysseus. He should be back by now…

When Odysseus awoke, he noticed Athena, sitting stiffly in the chair nearby. 

“You're back!” He said, excited. He'd missed her dearly. 

“Yes,” Athena said. She seemed more reserved than usual.

“How were things while we were gone?” Odysseus asked her. 

“Oh… Um, things were fine.”

Did something seem off? Maybe he was imagining things. 

“Well that's good,” he told her, “What brings you here by the way? You're usually off doing things at night. Or at Olympus.” 

“I–...” 

Okay there was no way he was imagining the hesitation in her voice. 

“Athena?” He prompted. 

She just frowned, then shook her head, “It doesn't matter. I… I think I will stay on the ship for a time, if that's alright with you.” 

“Of course!” Odysseus said. “You're welcome to stay as long as you want!” 

She nodded, “Thank you. Though, I… I'm not entirely sure how much help I will be… I think I… Overextended myself a bit...” 

“First of all,” Odysseus said, “That's fine. I don't just keep you around because you're useful. You're my friend, Athena. That's much more than just wanting whatever magic you can do. You're worth more than that! Secondly, are you okay? Is it still because of the giants, or did something happen while we were gone?” 

Athena said nothing. 

“Athena?” Odysseus said. 

“It doesn't matter,” she told him. “I will survive.” 

“Not what I asked,” Odysseus said. “I love having you here, Athena, please don't think I don't. However, you're acting kind of… Secretive? I guess. I just want to know what's going on.” 

Athena hesitated, then sighed, “I do not wish to go into the full story. However, I'm here because my father is angry with me, and ordered me to leave Olympus, until… Well, an undetermined amount of time.” 

“He kicked you out!?” Odysseus asked, horrified. 

She just shrugged, “I mean, I deserved it. It was a punishment after all. Aside from that… I had been using a large amount of magic for the first few days you were gone. I was trying to catch up on my work, so I'd have more time to keep an eye on you. That somewhat backfired on me… Plus… There are other reasons I likely won't be able to do as much as usual. Reasons I'd rather not disclose.” 

“I see…” Odysseus frowned. 

“My apologies.” Athena was looking at the ground, seeming ashamed. 

He gently took her hands, “You don't have anything to apologize for! I promise!” 

She just looked at him.

“I mean it,” he said, “I'm not upset with you, just with your father. I can't imagine you doing anything that could've possibly warranted kicking you out.” 

“Well…” She said slowly, “I wouldn't have been able to imagine doing that either, until it happened…”

He tilted his head, curious, hoping she'd elaborate. 

“I didn't obey him,” Athena admitted. “He gave me an order and… I froze.” 

Probably understandable, Odysseus thought, She's not one to disobey for no good reason.

“What was the order?” He asked. 

“He…” Athena looked away. “He wanted me to do something… Something that could've gotten you very hurt. I-I didn't want to, and I… Technically disobeyed him. I lied to him as well, though I don't think he noticed either fact. I think the only thing he actually noticed was my hesitation, the fact that I didn't immediately obey… So I got punished.” 

Odysseus’s jaw dropped. “I'm so sorry…”

“It's not your fault. It was my choice,” Athena told him, patting him on the head. 

Impulsively, he hugged her, and she hissed in pain. His eyes widened. 

“You're hurt!” He said, pulling away, so he didn't make it worse. 

“I'm fine,” she said, tersely. 

“Athena.” Odysseus was NOT about to just let her hide injuries from him. 

“Wow, so you're really not gonna tell him?” 

Odysseus looked up, that was Hermes, just outside his cabin window. 

“She's hurt isn't she?” Odysseus asked him. 

“Uh, yeah. Absolutely she is.” Hermes flew through the window, only to stare down at Athena. 

“Hermes,” Athena said, coldly, “This doesn't concern you.” 

“Doesn't concern me? Athena, I was there when Ares brought your unconscious body to the infirmary, as you were bleeding out all over the floor. I think I'm allowed to tell your mortal friend that you were stabbed.” 

“Stabbed!?” Odysseus demanded, “You were STABBED!?” He looked at Athena, completely incredulous that she would try to hide this! 

“HERMES!” Athena glared at the other god, “I didn't want you to tell him! Now look! You've made him worry!” 

“Good!?” Hermes shot back, “I am also worried!” 

“Don't be! I'm fine!” 

“Who stabbed you!?” Odysseus demanded. 

“Nobody!” Athena said. But unfortunately for her, Hermes spoke at the same time. 

“The god of the ocean,” Hermes said, “Stuck his trident in her ribs. I think he wanted information on you or something, at least that's what Ares said. I'm pretty sure Athena managed to convince him you died in his storm.” 

Odysseus nodded slowly, as the pieces fell into place. Athena had said her father had given her an order that would hurt him. Poseidon was Zeus’s brother, and another king. He probably wanted to appease him. He probably ordered Athena to give him information. Probably something to do with where he was, since he'd killed that Cyclops… Or maybe who he was, since Athena said he probably didn't know. 

As he'd gotten lost in thought, Hermes and Athena had continued to bicker. 

“That's it!” Hermes said, throwing up his hands in frustration. “Odysseus, I'm putting you in charge of Athena’s medical care, because she clearly can't be trusted to be responsible with this!” 

“Okay,” Odysseus said. That was fine by him. 

“Excuse me!?” Athena demanded. 

Hermes ignored her. “I was able to steal from Apollo's supply, because he's not allowed to help her anymore. Father's orders.” 

Odysseus grimaced. That was even more cruel. Sending her away, injured and in pain... 

“Okay so,” Hermes said, “So I brought two kinds of ambrosia.” He held out two boxes. The ambrosia inside looked nearly identical, except for color. One of them had a reddish tint, the other a bluish one. 

“Two kinds?” Odysseus asked.

“This one,” he said, pointing to the red one, “Is the most potent kind we have. It's the fastest for healing. The only downside is that it saps your energy. Tends to put us to sleep, and too much at once can cause long lasting exhaustion. However she could probably have a piece about once a day safely, at least at first. Twice a day, once she starts getting better.” 

Odysseus nodded. “Got it.” 

“This one,” he said pointing to the other one, “Is much less potent, but safer in larger quantities. It also dulls down the pain a bit.”

“I don't need that, I'm fine,” Athena said, stubbornly. 

“Yeah, for now,” Hermes told her, “Because you raided Apollo's medicine cabinet for all the pain meds, and energizing elixirs you could find. Don't think he didn't notice that by the way. You probably feel fine now, but I think tomorrow you're definitely going to be feeling that stab wound again.” 

“I'll be FINE.” 

Hermes just shook his head, and turned to Odysseus. “She took a bunch of different magic medicines. Presumably to get here without any issues. According to Apollo, it probably gave her the equivalent of a sugar rush. Sooner or later, she's gonna crash and it will be BAD.” 

“Understood,” Odysseus said. 

With that, Hermes handed him the ambrosia, and left. 

There was a loud thud behind him. 

He turned to find Athena fully passed out on the ship’s floor. Her skin was now white as the clouds on a summer's day, and her body was twitching, despite her obviously being unconscious. He was pretty sure there was golden blood leaking from her mouth, which was extra concerning. 

Odysseus cursed under his breath.

Athena woke up with a groan. She opened her eyes, and forced herself to sit up. -She couldn't show weakness. Nobody could know how much pain she was in. She had to push through it.- 

Her vision immediately went blurry. She was seeing double, and what she could see was incredibly foggy. Her arms nearly collapsed beneath her. But she did it, she was sitting up. She gritted her teeth, and molded her expression into something professional.

“Woah– Take it easy, Athena.” 

Who– Was that Odysseus? 

She felt herself be gently pushed backwards. She didn't have the strength to stop her head from hitting the pillows once again. She tried to shove the attacker away from herself. She needed to get distance between herself and the enemy. She was on the ground. She needed them to get away so she could– 

“Hey, hey, it's alright,” Odysseus’s voice was soothing. “No one is going to hurt you, it's okay.” 

She stopped. She blinked a few times, and her vision finally focused. She exhaled slowly. It was just Odysseus. Nobody was attacking her. 

She slowly looked around. She was on a bed. Odysseus’s bed. Odysseus was standing over her. 

She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. 

“Here,” Odysseus said, handing her a piece of ambrosia. It was the weaker kind, but that was for the best. She didn't want to pass out again. He also gave her a small cup of water. 

“Thanks…” She didn't meet his eyes. She hated feeling so vulnerable. 

“You scared me, Athena,” Odysseus told her. He sounded angry. Which was probably fair, she had tried to fight him in a panic just a minute or so before.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to shove you,” Athena told him. 

“That's not what I'm talking about,” Odysseus said. “I'm talking about your injury! And whatever magical items you apparently ate!?” 

“You're angry with me,” Athena noted. 

“I–” He took a deep breath, “I'm trying my best not to be. You don't need any stress added to what you already have. But really, Athena, I feel like you should know better!” 

Shame seemed to fill her mind and body. She looked away, burning with it. 

“I– You're right, I should've known better… But… But I couldn't fight back!” 

“...What?” Odysseus asked her, clearly confused. 

“I know should know better than to get injured like this. I should know better than to make myself a liability! But… But my father ordered me not to fight back when he attacked me…” 

Odysseus stared at her, “Well… That is deeply disturbing in its own right. But no, I wasn't referring to getting injured. I'm not mad at you for getting hurt. I'm mad you didn't tell me.” 

She blinked. “Oh…” 

“I want you to tell me if you're not doing well! I don't mind if that's the case! I just want to know about it so I don't accidentally push you too far. I don't want to end up hurting you by accident, like I did yesterday! I care about you, Athena! And it's really frustrating when you don't seem to care about yourself!” 

“I see…” Athena frowned. Did she? Odysseus treated her in such an odd way. One that she didn't understand. It reminded her of Hermes or Apollo, but… It was very odd coming from a mortal. Plus, he was a lot more… Gentle with her than they were. 

More than that, he treated her less like a tool, and more like a keepsake. Instead of just using her, until she got damaged and needed repairs, he seemingly wanted her around. Not because she was useful, but because he likes her. As though she was some trinket to be preserved on a shelf, rather than a tool to be constantly used until it broke. It was incredibly strange. 

-It didn't make sense. She was already broken, barely usable. Isn't that why her father was so angry? Why he didn't love her anymore? Why he'd let her be STABBED? Why did Odysseus keep treating her like she was something worth caring about?- 

It seemed Odysseus knew that she was confused. 

“Do you?” He asked, “Do you actually understand? Or are you so blinded by your own self hatred that you can't take care of yourself?” 

“I've lived for thousands of years,” Athena pointed out. 

“Yeah, and honestly, I'm shocked you managed that.” 

“Rude. I think you underestimate how strong and capable I am. Remember Odysseus, I've fought giants, monsters, and other gods. I'm not made of glass.” 

She wasn't made of glass. -But sometimes she felt like she was made of steel that was being slowly worn down with use.-

“I know you're not made of glass,” Odysseus said, “But even the strongest warrior can be killed. I mean, don't you remember what happened to Achilles? He killed more people than anyone, and yet, he didn't survive the war. Even when you're the strongest around, you can still be hurt.” 

“I know that,” Athena said, annoyed. “For heaven's sake, I'm well aware of that after being stabbed.” 

“Then why don't you seem to care!?” Odysseus demanded.

“I don't understand why YOU care,” Athena snapped. “No one else does! Not me! Not anyone! So why does it bother you?” 

-Not even her own father cared when she got hurt…- 

Odysseus stared at her. To her horror, his eyes filled with tears, and he very gently wrapped his arms around her. She noticed this time his hands were around her shoulders, presumably to keep pressure off of her ribs. 

“Because you're my friend, and I love you! You're practically family to me! I just barely found out my mom died while I was in the underworld! And now YOU'RE HURT TOO!” 

Athena sighed softly. She remembered what that was like… Losing a mother… 

She wrapped her arms around Odysseus. She'd never hugged him back before, not really. She'd never really hugged anyone. However, just this once, she wrapped her arms around her -friend- student, and let him cry into her shoulder. 

After some time, Odysseus calmed down and pulled away slightly. She let him go. -It was colder without him pressed against her.-

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said. He pulled out the favor marker she'd given him before the trip. 

Athena felt a sense of relief wash over her. She'd been worried about that. She didn't often give out her favors, and she hadn't even known where it would end up in the underworld. It was a relief that he still had it. 

“I didn't end up needing it,” Odysseus told her. He started to hand the token back to her, but Athena shook her head. 

“Keep it,” she told him. “It could be useful in the future, especially since I might be out of commission for some time. I'd prefer you don't trade it, but you can use it.” 

He looked at her, seeming confused. 

“With normal prayers and such,” Athena explained, “I can't hear them when I'm unconscious. Even yours. If you were to use the favor token, I'd be able to hear it no matter what.” 

“Okay? But you'd still be unconscious?” Odysseus said. 

“Not likely,” Athena told him, “There's enough magic in that token it would probably wake me.”

“There's magic in this?” Odysseus asked. 

“Yes, of course.” Had he really not figured that out? 

“Huh. I assumed you'd used magic to burn your symbol in it, I didn't know there was active magic inside.” 

She shrugged, “Well, when it comes to offering favors, gods can't exactly rely on the honor system. The magic in our favor tokens cements the promise. It's not as severe as the Styx, but denying the favor after the token is used gives us massively bad karma. However, the spell also gives us a bit of extra energy and magic, to help us complete the favor.” 

“Huh…” Odysseus said, “I… I appreciate the offer, but I don't need something like that… I don't want to force you into anything.” 

She blinked, surprised by this. Most mortals would kill to have the favor of a god… Even still, if he didn't want it, she should just take it back. Then nobody could force her into anything. -Aside from her father.- She hated owing people things. She'd almost never given a favor token to another god, and all the ones she HAD given out had already been used.

But for some reason… 

“I want you to have it,” Athena said, “In case of an emergency. To use it you just have to break it in half, and hold the pieces close to your mouth, as you speak aloud the favor you wish to have.” 

“I'll never use it,” he told her. 

“Hopefully,” Athena said, “But there's another thing… Earlier when you were talking about your mother’s death, it almost seemed like you were worried that I’d die too.”

“I am…” Odysseus said, softly. 

“If a god dies, all their magic dissipates. Most, if not all of their spells break, and that includes favors.” She tapped the token in his palm, for emphasis. “As long as you can see my symbol on this, you'll know I'm still alive.” 

His eyes widened slightly, and he smiled. He pocketed the token and hugged her again. 

“Thanks ‘Thena,” he told her. 

“Of course,” she wrapped an arm around him once again. 

As they hugged, Athena found herself thinking about her father. And about Odysseus. 

If she lost a fight, her father would be mad she got hurt, he wouldn't care that she hadn't felt the need to mention her injuries. In fact he would probably prefer that. Odysseus would probably just ask if she was okay, and seemingly only be mad if she hid it from him. 

Unlike Odysseus, her father probably wouldn't have cared that she took all that medicine to feel normal for a while. He'd probably have been furious at her for passing out, though. -He probably would've hurt her for embarrassing him.- 

So then why…? Why was Odysseus different? -Why did he seem to care about her more than her own father did?- 

Athena just couldn't understand… 

Chapter Text

Athena reluctantly tolerated Polites being in the cabin. Even though she absolutely hated people seeing her in such a weakened state. 

She drew the line at Eurylochus. She was not about to be alone with him. So because of this, whenever Odysseus had to handle the crew, he had Polites watch her. Which was RIDICULOUS! She didn't need BABYSITTING! 

Odysseus had also insisted that she sleep in his bed, and he slept on the floor. She'd tried to tell him that gods didn't need to sleep, but he didn't seem to care. 

“I'm sleeping on the floor regardless. So either you stay in the bed, or we're both sleeping on the floor,” he'd said. 

So Athena reluctantly stayed in the bed. Odysseus had been giving her the stronger ambrosia every night before he slept, so she didn't have much of a choice to sleep every night anyways. 

She hated being such a burden. 

After some time of awkward silence, Polites spoke. 

“Hey, Athena… Do you think you could tell me another story? About you and Odysseus? I… It'd be nice to hear about something happy now I think.” 

Athena considered this, “I don't really have much in the way of happy stories. I don't know what Odysseus told you, but most of our interactions were just training.”

He just nodded, looking kind of disappointed. For some reason Athena felt a bit bad. Strange. She didn't care about mortals. -Not even Odysseus’s friend?- 

“I suppose there was the time he invited me to his wedding,” Athena told Polites. “He gave me an invitation and everything. He practically begged me to come. I didn't want to because, as you know, I didn't want to be seen. He told me he already thought of that. That’s why he held the ceremony outside, so I could watch from the trees as an owl.” 

Polites smiled, “That makes a lot of sense. I did think it was kinda strange at the time, because the palace is huge, and it looked like it was about to rain that day.” 

“Oh it did, I just used a spell to keep the water away from the area. Honestly I'm surprised nobody seemed to notice.” 

“Wow…” Polites said, “You really do a lot for him…” 

She scoffed, “Hardly. It was my fault he was outside in the first place. I was just fixing the problem I caused.” 

Polites shrugged, “I think you should give yourself more credit. It was his decision to hold the ceremony outside. You didn't ask him to do that. You didn't have to use magic to protect us from the rain, but you chose to help. I think that's important.” 

Athena didn't know how to respond, so she just shrugged, and turned away. 

Fortunately they were saved from awkward silence by the door opening. 

“Hey guys!” It was Odysseus. 

“Hi Ody’,” Polites said, “Your mentor was just telling me how she stopped it from raining on your wedding.”

Odysseus blinked, “What?” 

“Did I never tell you about that?” Athena asked. Thinking back, she hadn't felt the need to mention it. 

“No?! What did you do?” 

“Just a bit of magic so the rain wouldn't hit your ceremony,” Athena shrugged. It really wasn't a big deal. “It was basically a giant invisible umbrella.” 

Odysseus grinned, “And you keep saying you don't care about me. Face it, Athena, we're besties now!” 

She raised an eyebrow, “Call me your ‘bestie’ again and I won't be the only one stabbed,” she threatened. 

“Bestie!” Odysseus said, calling her bluff. 

Athena sighed, laying back against the pillows. “I'm too tired to summon my spear right now, so I guess you get to live. I might get up and smack you though.” 

“I can live with that,” Odysseus said. 

“I don't know about ‘besties’,” Polites said, “But she must like you a lot to tolerate that amount of disrespect. Every story I've heard has told me that gods don't do that.” 

“True,” Athena agreed, “Hera once killed a man for ‘taking too long to bow before her’.” 

“Wow.” Odysseus looked mildly horrified by that. Which was good. He should know he wouldn't be able to get away with disrespecting the gods. 

“That's–” Polites began, “That's not good…” 

Athena shrugged, “It was to make sure all the mortals know not to disrespect us.” 

“But you'll let Odysseus get away with disrespecting you?” Polites asked, “Uh- no offense, I’m just curious.” 

Athena nodded, “None taken. I'm not one of the most easily offended gods. Plus, he's my student, and I've put too much effort into training him, to let that go to waste over mild insubordination. He usually obeys me when it matters.” 

“Usually?” Odysseus asked, “I always listen when it's something important!” 

“Oh?” Athena asked, “Like when I told you that you shouldn't go to that cave the lotus eaters suggested?” 

“You didn't tell me there was a CYCLOPS in there!”

“I figured since you were so determined to listen to your mortal friend, instead of me, you must've had it all figured out.” 

And no, she was not being passive-aggressive. At all. -Though she did sound alarming like Aphrodite.- 

Polites seemed to choke slightly at that. He took a deep breath. “Odysseus… While I appreciate that you value my input, please don't take my suggestions over the actual goddess of wisdom.”

Odysseus paused, “Yeah… Yeah that might not have been the best decision…” 

“But there's no point in dwelling on it now,” Athena said, “What's done is done.” 

Odysseus nodded, with a grimace. -The pain in his eyes hurt more than her stab wound- 

“But if it makes you feel any better,” Athena added, “I'll warn you next time if I know you're about to go into a monster’s lair.” 

“That would be appreciated, yeah,” Polites said. Given his tone, Athena was pretty sure he was holding back strong words because she was a goddess. 

“But hey,” Odysseus said, “Still better than the war.” 

“Is it?” Polites asked, “Is it really? I think I'd rather go back to war than fight another cyclops.” 

“Fair enough…” Odysseus said. 

“I wouldn't,” Athena said, “That war was stupid. At least killing a monster is something worth fighting.” 

“What do you mean?” Odysseus asked. 

Athena shook her head, “Remind me to tell you how that war started sometime.” 

“I thought it was because Helen of Sparta was kidnapped?” Polites said, clearly confused. 

“Well, yes, but the reason she got kidnapped was the dumbest thing that has ever happened.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘the reason’? And why have you never told me about this!?” Odysseus asked. 

Athena shrugged, “I thought that finding out would probably lower your morale during the war, and I wanted you to focus on winning. I thought it would be best not to tell you that entire war happened because of a fucking apple.” 

“What…?” Odysseus asked, looking pained. 

“How…?” Polites asked, looking confused. 

Athena sighed, and told them the story.

It was the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Because Thetis, the bride, was one of the sea nymphs, all of Olympus had been invited to the wedding. Athena hadn't really wanted to come, but she had overheard her father telling Ares that he ‘will attend or else', and figured that probably applied to her as well. 

So she'd woven a tunic, a chiton that went to about halfway down her calves, and an ankle length cloak. All of which were in various shades of blue. A reference towards the bride, and her ocean home. She wore a single bracelet with no carvings, just a flat silver bangle. She'd kept it very simple, as she knew it was incredibly improper to try and outshine the bride on her wedding day.

It seemed her family didn't get the memo on that. Though, if Thetis cared, she didn't say anything. Still, Athena found it rather distasteful. Especially Aphrodite, who's pastel-pink, incredibly short, peploi could barely be considered modest. Though perhaps that was unfair criticism when Hera was wearing an outfit much more elaborate than the bride, a purple chiton, an extravagant himation that looked to be made of clouds, and an intricately embroidered cloak so long it dragged several feet behind her. Or Persephone who's entire outfit glittered with the jewels and precious metals only found in the underworld. Even Hestia had a golden headpiece that seemed to be permanently on fire. (It was probably only magic that stopped it from burning the entire building to the ground.) 

The bride did have a beautiful outfit, of course. A well-made lilac dress, with a silver veil and a flower crown on her head. She had golden jewelry, so intricate mortals probably couldn't create it, and much of it had pearls and opals embedded inside. However, even a beautiful wedding outfit like that, simply couldn't compete when her family wanted to show off. 

Athena just wanted to go home. -Or better yet, to Ithica where she could spend time with Odysseus.- Somehow, this wedding was more boring to her than the mortal one she'd attended as an owl. 

Oh, if only it could've stayed boring. 

It turned out the bride and groom had made a fatal mistake. They hadn't invited Eris. This was somewhat understandable, since The Goddess of Discord wasn't really someone anyone wanted at their wedding. However, no gods handle being snubbed very well. 

“Well, well… Quite a glittering assembly,” Eris said, as she entered the party. “Gods, royalty, nobility, the gentry, and– hehe–” She looked at some of the less powerful gods, like Hestia, “Even the rabble. How quaint.” 

“What– What are you doing here?” Peleus asked. 

“I must say,” Eris said, ignoring the interruption. “I really was quite distressed at not receiving an invitation.” 

“You're not welcome here,” Thetis said, trembling slightly. 

“Oh? Oh dear. What an awkward situation…” She laughed. “Well in that case, I was going to give a gift to the happy couple. I guess I'll just have to give it to someone else instead.” She held up an apple. It glittered in the light, and seemed to be made entirely of gemstones. 

“Since the happy couple doesn't want my gift, give it to the most beautiful goddess.” With that, she left. 

Athena, of course, immediately knew what Eris was intending. She had obviously set this up so that all the goddesses would end up fighting over the treasure and the wedding would be ruined. 

Hoping she could make this easy, and avoid a fight, Athena went and picked up the apple. 

“That's for the most beautiful goddess!” Aphrodite said, indignantly. 

“I know,” Athena said, and then she walked over to Hera. 

“Step mother,” Athena said, bowing her head, “Since you are the queen of the gods, the one father believes is worthy of being his wife, I think it stands to reason that you must be the most beautiful here.” She held out the apple. 

Hera smiled, and took it. “Thank you, Athena.” 

Alas, Eris was very good at her job. 

“I'm the goddess of love!” Aphrodite said indignantly, “I've been with more men than anyone! I bet THEY all think I'm the most beautiful!” 

“Exactly,” Artemis said to her, “You're a whore, and that makes you much less attractive. Regardless, Athena shouldn't get to decide this!” 

“Hera might be the queen up here,” Persephone said, “But I'm the queen of the underworld.” 

“Enough of this!” Zeus spat. “Hermes, take them away from here. You can hold a competition or something for it! Or just pick someone! I don't care, but I'm not dealing with all this bickering!” 

“Yes, sir,” Hermes said, giving a lazy salute. “Alright, all you ladies who wanna fight over the apple, meet me outside!” 

Many left. Aphrodite, Hera, Artemis, Persephone, Demeter, and even Hestia. 

“I just feel like it'll be fun,” Hestia said with a shrug when Athena raised an eyebrow at her. Athena just shook her head, and turned away. 

“Well,” Zeus asked her. 

“What is it, father?” Athena asked, confused. 

“Aren't you going with them?” 

Athena scoffed, “Don't worry father, I have no desire to participate in a beauty contest.” 

“Athena,” Zeus said, his tone was a warning, “You are a warrior. A warrior never backs out of a challenge like a coward.” 

Athena nodded. “Yes father.” Then she left to join the others participating in the contest. 

As she stepped outside, Aphrodite scoffed, “I don't know why you'd even bother. You're the ugliest goddess in our family.” 

Athena didn't bother to respond. She just wanted to go home and weave. 

“Alright,” Hermes said, “I think that's everyone.” With that, he used his magic and brought them to a random mountain, seemingly very far away. It was in the middle of nowhere, with the nearest human habitation miles away. Probably to prevent any potential casualties. 

“So~” Aphrodite said, “Hermes~ Are you ready to tell us all who the most beautiful goddess is~?” 

Hermes paused. He suddenly seemed to realize the position he was in. 

“I uh–” He said, “I don't want– I just– I think we need someone more impartial.” 

“Who else is there?” Hera asked. “All of us would just pick ourselves.” 

“Uh… I'll go find someone!” Hermes said. Then he flew off. A second or so later, he returned. He was carrying a human. 

“Who is this?” Artemis asked. 

“Uh–” Hermes said, “No idea. Hey kid, what's your name?” 

“I'm Paris. I'm from Troy. Why am I here?” The guy said. 

“Hermes,” Athena sighed, “Did you kidnap the first random human you saw?”

“Maaaaaybe,” Hermes said. “But I mean, who can be more impartial than that? He's probably not favored by any of the gods, and he's not royalty of a country that worships one. Who could be more impartial?” 

“Impartial?” Paris asked. 

The goddesses ignored him. After some hesitation, they each agreed that this was probably the best way to settle things. 

“Okay, Paris,” Hermes said, “You need to decide which of these goddesses is the most beautiful, and give them this.” Hermes handed him the apple. 

“Uh…” His eyes widened. He looked terrified, glancing at each of the goddesses like he was trying to figure out who was most likely to smite him if not chosen. 

Athena honestly felt a bit bad for the man. 

“Uh…” He said, looking down at the apple, seeming overwhelmed. “Why– Why don't you all introduce yourselves first? If that's okay?” 

Athena figured he was probably stalling for time, or trying to figure out who was the most powerful. 

“Very well,” Hera said, “I'm Hera, queen of the gods. You know, if you choose me, not only will I stop my step-daughters from smiting you, I can also make you a king in your own right. Giving you lands to rule over.” 

Athena stared at her. Did she just– try to BRIBE him? 

“Well I’m Aphrodite,” she said, not-so-subtly stepping in front of Hera, “I can give you the most beautiful woman in the world to be your bride!” 

“I'm Artemis. I can give you a bow that will always hit your target.” 

“I'm Persephone. I can put in a good word for you with my husband once you reach the underworld.” 

“I'm Demeter, I can make your crops grow better than they ever have before.” 

“I'm Hestia, I can promise that for the rest of your life your hearth will be warm, and your house will feel like home.” 

They all looked expectantly at Athena. 

Well, I suppose if my father wants me to play this game… I guess I have no choice, she thought. 

“I'm Athena,” she said, “I can offer you victory and glory in battle. I can make sure your name is remembered for decades to come.” 

After all, Odysseus had a newborn. He probably wasn't going to be going on any adventures for at least a few years. Which left her plenty of time to fulfill that promise. Plus, maybe she could ask Odysseus for a ship, and some men. Then, in exchange, he and Paris could split whatever riches gained on his adventure. That would be beneficial for both of them, and for Athena’s goal to make legendary heroes. 

Of course that would require Paris to actually pick her. 

“In that case…” The man said, “I choose Aphrodite!” He handed her the apple. 

Athena held back a sigh, because of how insufferable she knew Aphrodite would be for the next hundred years. 

“Perfect,” Aphrodite said, “Wait outside your house tonight, and I'll bring your new bride to you.”

And with that, the game was over. Athena couldn't bring herself to be angry that she wasn't picked. -Maybe a little sad.- Unlike the others, who all seemed very offended. It didn't bother her that much. The man was given a choice, and he probably picked based on what he wanted most, not necessarily appearance. -Maybe she was just telling herself that to make herself feel better.- 

She wasn't all that upset about it. Well until a few months later when she got word that Helen of Sparta had been kidnapped from her bed in the middle of the night, and taken to Troy. 

Damn it Aphrodite! Athena thought, as she helped her student prepare for a war he was now forced to fight in. 

As she finished her story, Athena noticed Polites was gripping the edge of Odysseus’s desk. Looking somewhere between incredulous and angry. 

“That’s… The worst thing ever, I think,” Odysseus said. “Ten years of war over a BEAUTY contest!?” He put his head in his hands. 

There was a loud ‘crack!’ 

Athena looked to discover that Polites had been gripping the desk so hard he'd broken off a chunk of it. Which was impressive because that was oak wood, and over an inch thick. 

“You okay?” Odysseus asked, tentatively. 

“No!” Polites said, gripping the chunk of wood like he had the desk. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Athena asked. That seemed like the proper thing to ask in this situation. 

Polites looked at her, tears falling down his face. 

“Do the gods care about us? At all?” 

“What do you mean?” Athena asked him. 

“I mean we sacrifice to them! Worship them! We tell their stories to our children! And… And I always thought that the gods liked humans, except when they got angry with specific ones. But… After the wind god, and THIS story? Do they even like us, at all? Are we just there for their ENTERTAINMENT!?” 

Athena sighed, “That depends on the god, really. Some of us, like me and Apollo, like the humans and try not to smite them too often. We enjoy helping them succeed in their goals. Mostly because it makes for nice stories to tell. Then there are gods like the goddess of love, and the wind god.” Athena wasn't using their names. She didn't want to draw their attention. “They see humans purely as entertainment. They'll help or hurt them on a whim and it's rather difficult to predict. Hermes is kind of in between. His pranks tend to get out of hand, but he doesn't usually intend for anyone to get seriously hurt. Plus he does help heroes fairly often. Then there's some gods like my father who will kill mortals the moment they have a good excuse. Or, alternatively, let them live only to do something terrible to them.” 

That was why Zeus had given Odysseus that prophecy, instead of just killing the baby himself. If Athena hadn't heard the prophecy straight from Apollo, she might've supported his decision. 

“Some find it fun to kill mortals,” Athena continued, “Like crushing ants underfoot… Though I shouldn't speak more of this here. I really can't afford to draw anyone's attention.” 

Polites nodded, still crying. 

“It really just depends on the individual,” Athena said again. “I’m sorry I can't give you a more simple answer.” 

“Why?” Polites said softly, “Why would they enjoy that?” 

Athena considered this. “I… I do not know. I've always been a bit too soft with the humans. Probably because I helped create them. Most people tend to be fond of the things they've made.” 

“You helped create us?” Polites asked. 

Athena nodded, “Prometheus created the human body out of mud, before using magic to make it into flesh. However I'm the one who figured out how to give you a mind that was nearly equal to ours. It was a big experiment. The gods had created a lot of animals, and we wanted to see how close we could get to making a mortal version of a god.” 

“Huh…” Polites said, “So does it bother you when humans get smited? Since you made us, isn't that like if I were to destroy a project Odysseus made?” 

Athena hummed, “I wouldn't say that. I've killed plenty of humans myself, most of which were on my father's orders.”

“His orders?” Polites asked. 

Athena nodded, “He is my king. Just as Odysseus is yours.” 

“Oh I hope Polites is never that loyal to me,” Odysseus said with a grimace. “I wouldn't ever want him to be willing to murder small children for me.” 

“Hush,” Athena said firmly. He could not be speaking like that. At the very least, not outside of Quick Thought. “Regardless,” Athena said, “It's not as though I've never smited humans of my own choice. After you left Troy I heard some men talking about killing Odysseus, since they knew he must've been the one to come up with the plan. So I killed them first.” 

“Understandable,” Polites said. 

“You didn't tell me about that!?” Odysseus said. 

“I don't need to tell you about everything I do, Odysseus,” Athena said, rolling her eyes. 

“How did you do it?” Polites asked, “Since I thought you don't want to be seen? Or does that not apply to enemies?” 

“Oh I didn't show myself,” Athena said. “Remember Polites, I created the human mind. I can easily break it if I want to. I simply caused them to go insane and throw themselves off a cliff.” 

“...Well that's terrifying…” Odysseus said. 

“Yep…” Polites grimaced.

Athena hummed thoughtfully, “I suppose Apollo is probably nicer to humans than anyone else. I don't think he's smited anyone? Except in the war, he was pissed that Agamemnon kidnapped one of his priests.” 

“Oh yeah I remember that,” Odysseus said, “He sent that plague.” 

“He didn't break anyone's minds though,” Polites noted, glancing at Athena. 

“Most gods can't do that,” Athena said, “Just me and Dionysus I think? I mean, they can put spells on you to deeply affect your mental state, but they can't snap your sanity like a piece of string, like the way I can. Dionysus is the god of madness, and I created the human mind, so we can both destroy it.” 

“You made it, so you know how to break it…” Odysseus said, thoughtfully. 

“Exactly.” 

“Well if you're ever going to smite me,” Polites said, “I would prefer to be stabbed.” 

“Noted,” Athena told him. 

Once again, Odysseus had to leave to handle the men. 

“Don't worry, Polites, I'll be right back, and I'll let you know if anything happens,” Odysseus said. Then he left. 

The silence between her and Polites was significantly more awkward than before. 

Eventually Athena decided to break the silence. “I'm far too exhausted to use a spell to read your thoughts, so would you care to share them, or…?” 

“You can do that!?” 

“Usually,” she said. “I'm a bit too stabbed at the moment to have the energy for it though.” Plus Odysseus had started giving her the stronger ambrosia twice a day now. She was exhausted. Though, she probably could read his mind if she REALLY needed to, it just seemed unnecessary for the moment. 

“You understand how invasive that seems to us, right?” Polites asked. 

“Yes,” Athena said, “Or at least I've been told that sort of thing by Odysseus before. ‘Don’t read their minds for no reason, Athena. It's rude.’ and ‘Don’t watch people while they sleep.’ and ‘Don’t use your powers to watch someone's entire life, just to see if you can trust them.’”

“All pretty reasonable, yeah,” Polites said. 

“Hm. I disagree, but I think gods have different rules about those sorts of things.” 

“Yeah?” Polites asked, “So it's like a culture thing?” 

“I suppose. With the gods, we have magic. We have our powers and domains. That creates a social order. If you don't have the magic, or skill, to stop someone from doing something, then you can't stop them from doing it. For example, I never get my mind read, because I use magic to block out anyone attempting to do it. Other gods don't have that ability, so they have to deal with it.” 

“That's… Awful…” Polites frowned, “And you said it creates a social order? How does that work?” 

“Well,” Athena said, thoughtfully, “It's not entirely about direct power. You can also rank higher by being close to someone higher up. For example, I am my father's favorite child. Combined with the fact that I have a lot of power and skill, I rank very high. However, I still have to do whatever my king requires, especially if I want to keep the title of ‘favorite'. That's how I got stabbed. My father ordered me not to fight back when the sea god attacked me.” 

Polites jaw dropped. “He ordered you not to fight back!?” 

“Yep, and I followed. Because he is my king, and my father. My step mother is a pretty good example of a goddess who isn't as powerful, but ranks high socially. Obviously this is because of her marriage to my father.” 

“I guess that makes sense… What about stuff like watching people sleep?” Polites asked. 

“If you don't want anyone to watch you sleep, why sleep in a bed?” Athena asked, “That's one thing I never understood. That's the first place someone will look for you at night. I never sleep in my bed.” 

Polites blinked. “It's comfy? Also there's a difference between seeing someone sleep, and watching someone sleep. Do you… Do that? Have you watched Odysseus sleep? Have you watched ME sleep!?” 

“Yes, and yes,” Athena said, “I watched all the men sleep during war often. That way I'd know if anyone was getting up in the night to do something shady. I watched Odysseus almost constantly for like three days before I officially met him. I wanted to make sure he'd be a good candidate to become my student.” 

“...Does he know about that?” Polites asked her. 

“Oh yes, that's the reason he told me it's rude to watch people sleep.” 

“Got it,” Polites said, “And he's right.” 

“I personally don't sleep often,” Athena said, “Aside from when I'm injured. Then I just have to deal with it if anyone wants to watch me. Including you. If you want to watch me sleep, it's not like I can stop you.” 

With that, Athena passed out. 

Polites was really starting to hate the gods. Really starting to hate them. Ten years of war over a beauty contest! Plus Aeolas just being mean for no good reason! 

At least Athena and Hermes seemed decent. Though Athena apparently watched people sleep, and Hermes had tricked Odysseus into offering drugs to his mentor. Still, that was nothing compared to what the other gods were apparently doing. 

It made him incredibly sad to hear how little the gods seemed to think of the humans who worshiped them. 

Even Athena talked about humans as something she owned. Something she made, and therefore something she could break if she wanted. 

…Except Odysseus… 

Whenever she and Odysseus interacted he saw a very different side to her. She seemed to view Polites as just ‘Odysseus’s friend'. Which wasn't too bad actually. Polites wondered which was more real. If Odysseus was somehow the only exception, or if maybe she was dehumanizing most people just to feel better about killing them for her father. 

Regardless she wasn't exactly the most morally upstanding person. Still. He was willing to accept her. At the end of the day, she had helped them a lot. She'd probably single handedly saved hundreds of men from giants. That had to be worth something. 

Though she could've given Odysseus a better warning about the cyclops... 

Polites was interrupted from his thoughts by Eurylochus opening the door. 

“Hey,” he said, “The captain told me to tell you to put beeswax in your ears. He thinks we're coming up on siren territory.” 

“Alright…” Polites said. 

Eurylochus left. 

He frowned. Why would Odysseus send Eurylochus to tell him that? Especially when he'd told Polites that he'd be back soon… 

Plus, he'd know Polites wouldn't be able to go get beeswax without leaving Athena alone in the cabin. This didn't add up… 

-And yet something in his gut told him maybe he should listen to Eurylochus.-

Polites decided to follow his captain’s original orders, and stay with Athena. 

Athena woke up to the sound of singing. Singing… Who was…? 

Her eyes snapped open. That was a siren song! Was Odysseus okay!? With some effort she was able to reach out mentally to him. Just enough to read his mind. He seemed just fine, and she quickly learned from his thoughts he'd had the crew put beeswax in their ears to protect themselves. Good. 

She looked around, and immediately saw Polites stumbling towards the door in a daze. He must've been forgotten somehow. That made sense considering he was here with her the entire time, and the crew may not have known to come tell him. 

Odysseus would be heartbroken if one of his best friends died… 

Athena stood up, wincing in pain. She prepared her magic, she needed to use a spell to protect him somehow. Surely if she could break a human mind, she could fix this? ...Right? 

However, even summoning her magic in preparation for a spell was already quickly exhausting her. No she couldn't do anything fancy. She didn't have the time or energy for that. 

Instead she rushed over to Polites, shoved him against the cabin wall, and used her magic to stick him there. His torso was now practically fused to the wood. It was a simple spell, any god could do easily. And yet, as Athena walked back to the bed, she collapsed to the floor before she could take more than a couple steps. 

Odysseus had told Eurylochus to make sure the entire ship put beeswax in their ears. That way, he could focus on making sure all the men from the other ships in his fleet did so as well. 

Things had gone well. He'd managed to get some information with his lip reading and acting skills. Now he knew where they were and how to get home. Afterwards, they killed several of the sirens, and dropped them back into the water. This way, hopefully no more would try to sneak onto the ship.

He used some sign language to speak to Eurylochus. 

‘I need you to hold on to me. I think we're out of siren territory. I'm going to take the beeswax out, but just in case, I want you to grab me in case I try to throw myself overboard.’ 

Eurylochus nodded, and grabbed Odysseus around the middle while he took out the beeswax. He looked around, waiting for a minute. Then he gave Eurylochus the thumbs up. His brother let him go. Watching him for a moment, probably wondering if it was a trick Odysseus was pulling. Which he probably would, if he was under a spell, and planning to throw himself overboard. However after another minute or so, the rest of the men took theirs out as well. This had all gone perfectly! 

However, he felt like he was missing something… 

Then he realized. He'd never gone back to Polites! He couldn't be sure that he'd even been TOLD what the plan was! 

Odysseus practically ran back to the cabin. 

When he got there, Polites was seemingly leaning against the wall. Athena was unconscious on the floor. 

Odysseus frowned, Did she fall out of the bed? He wondered. Then he was distracted when Polites let out a groan. 

“What– What happened?” Polites asked, holding his head. 

“Sirens,” Odysseus said, “Did anyone tell you? I told Eurylochus to–”

“Oh…” Polites said, “He did tell me, I just thought he was lying because you said you'd be back soon. I figured you'd probably tell me yourself if that were true…” 

Odysseus paused. Why would Polites doubt Eurylochus was acting on his orders? He was the second in command after all… 

Then again, the two had recently had some kind of fight. That might play into it. He really should've told Polites himself… 

“I’m so sorry,” Odysseus said. His best friend could've DIED. He should've checked… He should've made sure… 

“Yeah, yeah,” Polites said, “Help me up, will you? I can't seem to–”

Odysseus grabbed his hand and pulled. What happened next was incredibly confusing. Not only did Polites NOT MOVE, he also let out a sudden cry of pain. 

“What the…?” Odysseus said. “Are you… Are you stuck on something?” 

“I don't know?! I just know I can't move! Did the sirens do this!?” 

“I don't think so? I'm pretty sure they just make you drown yourself. I've never heard of something like this…” Odysseus frowned. Obviously this was some kind of magic. So he started examining Polites to try and find the symbols that might reveal more. They would be almost invisible, so it was incredibly difficult to find them. Still, Athena had taught him what to look for. 

“So… Is there a reason you're staring at my chest, or–?” 

Odysseus choked, feeling his face heat up. “Oh! Oh no! I didn't mean it like that! I just–” he took a deep breath, “Athena taught me that most spells will have some symbols on it. Usually three. To tell you who casted it, what kind of spell it is, and if you can break it. I'm looking to see if I can find that on you.” 

“Ohhh, okay. I mean that's fine, just maybe mention that ahead of time,” Polites said. 

“Fair enough.” 

It took another five minutes, but eventually he was able to find them. He tapped Polites collar bone. 

“There they are. Alright let me see… That… Is Athena’s symbol. This is her spell.” 

“I– Why? Why did she do this?” Polites asked, sounding almost pained. 

“She might've noticed you fall under the siren’s spell, and decided that you can't drown yourself if you're trapped,” Odysseus said. 

“Ah. Yes. How logical,” Polites said. He sounded kind of hysterical. 

“Anyways, I don't recognize the second symbol, which would tell me what kind of spell this is. But I do recognize the third, which is how to break it. This symbol means that the caster can break it at will. So we just have to wait for her to wake up.” 

“Great,” Polites said flatly. 

Odysseus sighed, “I'm so sorry, Polites.” 

Polites nodded, “I know. I'll probably forgive you. Not right at this moment, give me a few hours, but like– I didn't die, so I guess I can't be that mad. Plus it was kind of my own fault…” 

“Maybe, but I still should've made sure,” Odysseus said. With that, he started lifting Athena back onto the bed. 

Just after he'd finished, Polites started laughing. 

Odysseus looked at him, “What's so funny?” 

“I– I just remembered–” Polites said, barely able to get words out. He cut off, laughing harder. 

Odysseus waited, grinning himself. Polites’s laughter was incredibly contagious. 

My prophecy,” Polites explained, when he'd somewhat composed himself. “It mentioned I'd fall for a siren song. I just assumed that was a metaphor for someone with bad intentions.” 

“I see,” Odysseus said. 

“That's not the best part though,” Polites said, “The guy put a pun in it.” 

“Wait– Wait really?” Odysseus asked. 

“Yep!” Polites laughed. “He said ‘You will trust your captain despite your instincts, and fall for a siren’s song. However, you'll also forgive your captain as soon as you're no longer stuck with the consequences.’” 

Odysseus immediately started laughing, “You're joking!?” 

“Nope! I guess I will end up forgiving you after all,” Polites said, in a teasing sort of way. 

“The fates demand it, apparently.” 

Chapter Text

Athena woke up with a groan. Her head was spinning. She felt cold and hot at the same time. This was magical exhaustion… But why would she…? 

“Are you awake?” 

Who– who was talking to her? That wasn't Odysseus, that was… That was his friend… Polites.  

She looked over and saw him leaning against the wall. No– No. She'd stuck him there. 

“Yes. I'm assuming you'd like to be unstuck?” Athena asked him. Fortunately, this type of spell wouldn't require much effort to dismiss. It was about the equivalent effort to unlocking a door. Whereas casting the spell was roughly the amount of magical effort as grabbing two people, and handcuffing them together. 

“Yes please,” Polites said. “I've been stuck here for hours!” 

She nodded. Then she hesitated. She didn't hear the siren song anymore… But… Just to be safe…

“First I'm going to need you to prove you're completely free from the siren's influence,” she told him, “Some humans manage to keep some of their mental facilities, even when under the spell.” 

“Ooookay? How would I do that?” 

“When under the siren's spell, your mind will focus entirely on jumping off the ship,” Athena explained. “Only thinking about other things just enough to find a way to drown yourself without anyone stopping you. So talk about something completely unrelated for a bit, without getting distracted by asking me to let you go, or talking about anything related to the ocean. Once I'm confident that you're no longer under the spell, I'll let you go.” 

“This seems unnecessary,” Polites said. 

“I'm not taking the risk of Odysseus losing one of his close friends. I'm perfectly content to let you stay stuck there until we reach Ithica. I'm sure Odysseus will feed you after all.” 

Polites sighed, “Alright… So just anything unrelated to the ocean, getting unstuck, or throwing myself overboard?” 

Athena nodded. She soon regretted this as Polites began to summarize some mortal fiction book. With long tangents and detailed explanations of the plot and characters. 

If humans spent this much effort, and mental energy on REAL things, their society might be even better than the gods, Athena thought. 

By the time he was about two-thirds of the way through explaining the plot of the second book, Athena broke her spell with a wave of the hand. 

Polites crumpled to the floor with a yelp, clearly unprepared. 

“Thank you!” he said, standing up and stretching. 

“You're welcome,” Athena said, flatly. 

With that, Polites left to ‘walk around the ship.’ Athena figured he'd probably also need to eat, drink water, and attend to other bodily functions that he wouldn't want to mention. 

But now…

For the first time in days, Athena was left alone. After a moment she glanced over at the ambrosia. The stronger kind that she wasn't supposed to take that often. Sure, it would probably exhaust her, but it would also heal her much faster, and Athena could push through exhaustion much easier than an injury. That way she could help Odysseus sooner…

He wouldn't want her to eat too much of it. He might be upset with her… But at the very least, it was worth considering. 

Odysseus once again entered his cabin. He didn't want Athena to be left alone. He was worried. 

He'd noticed that sometimes, when she seemed to feel ‘weak’ she'd over-compensate. 

When he was younger, this manifested in her pushing him harder in training, whenever she'd caught herself being too friendly with him. 

The day after he'd got her to admit he was her favorite student, had been one of the most intense training sessions of his life. 

She'd once fondly ruffled his hair while he'd taken a water break, and then proceeded to leave multiple huge bruises on him during the second half of their training. 

He'd realized she was just over-compensating, even as a teen. It was similar to what Eurylochus had done when they'd first met as kids. Though for Eurylochus, he tended to act that way only when he was embarrassed. (He'd grown out of it as an adult, but he had once punched someone for laughing at him when he tripped on a root and face planted. That someone had been Odysseus.)

For Athena it seemed pretty much anything that made her feel any sort of vulnerability whatsoever, would make her overcompensate by acting overly strong, and no-nonsense. A stab wound, and bed rest would certainly qualify. Probably enough to get her to be self destructive. Like using some fancy magic spell, that would make her pass out, or something. 

Granted, he couldn't really blame her when it came to Polites. She hadn't really had a choice with him, because if she hadn't done that spell, Polites would've died. Still… It didn't exactly give him a lot of confidence in her ability to behave in a healthy way. 

It turned out he was right. 

When he opened the door, he found Athena with her hand halfway towards the box of too-strong-ambrosia. 

“Athena…” Odysseus said. I know you know better than that, he thought, holding back a sigh. 

Athena looked at him, considering. -She reminded him of Argos when he was debating whether or not he could misbehave without being stopped.- 

She grabbed a piece of the ambrosia and it was in her mouth before he could blink. 

“ATHENA!” 

He ran forward and grabbed the box, before she could take any more. 

“You've already had two pieces today,” Odysseus told her, “You're not supposed to have more than that!” 

Athena said nothing, chewing. She was visibly eyeing the box, as though considering going for another one. Odysseus held the box away from her. That's when he noticed that there was significantly less than before. She'd probably eaten three pieces at least.

“You are the Goddess of Wisdom!” Odysseus told her, “Usually ‘Wisdom’ means having good judgement and not doing things that you know are bad for you!” 

“I will heal faster this way,” Athena said, after swallowing the ambrosia that had been in her mouth. 

“Sometimes I wish I was a god, just so I could make you take care of yourself better…” Odysseus said, sighing. “Hermes said it was a bad idea!” 

“Hermes also said it'd be a great idea for me to take Holy Moly and get high. Are we really going to listen to HIM!?” 

“Athena…” Odysseus said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Get back in the bed.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. 

“You're probably gonna pass out now from exhaustion. Get back in the bed so you don't collapse on the floor!” 

Her eyebrow only went higher, and she tilted her head, questioningly. 

“Please,” Odysseus added, knowing this was probably about not wanting to be ordered. “Please, my goddess, do me this favor. Please rest, if only to help my peace of mind.” 

She considered briefly, then got back in bed. 

I'm going to die of stress at this rate, Odysseus thought. Not to monsters, or armies. Nope. King Odysseus of Ithica. Died trying to get his mentor to stop making terrible decisions that are bad for her health. 

“Thank you, Athena,” he said aloud. 

The door opened. “Alright, I'm back,” Polites said. He glanced at Odysseus. “You good?” 

“...Yes…” Odysseus said. 

“You sure?” 

“I don't want to talk about it.” He was focusing on breathing deeply. 

“He's upset I took medicine,” Athena said. 

“NO!?” Odysseus said, furious that she would frame it like that, “I'm upset you took way more medicine than you were supposed to! It's probably going to have a bunch of side effects now or something! Heck, it's magic, so I don't even know what overdosing will do!!!” Odysseus put his head in his hands. 

Polites frowned. “Aren't you the Goddess of Wisdom? That kind of thing doesn't seem to fit…” 

“That's what I'm saying!” Odysseus said. 

Athena seemed to bristle at the comment. “It IS a wise decision. This way, I'll heal faster.” 

“Not how medicine works,” Odysseus said. 

“That's what HERMES said. We shouldn't listen to him.” Athena folded her arms. 

“Do you want me to pray to Apollo?” Odysseus asked, “Maybe I could try to ask him!” 

“You pray to other gods?” Polites asked. 

Odysseus blinked, taken aback by the question. “Yeah, why?” 

Polites shrugged, “I just figured since Athena’s your mentor–”

“That's not how that works,” Athena said, “I can help with war and crafts, but things outside my domains are things he should seek other sources for.”

“So you don't mind sharing then?” Polites asked, “I mean you do seem a little protective of him, so I'm just wondering…” 

“Of course not,” Athena said, “I've even told him the sacrifices that some of the other gods like the most. I suppose I might be offended if he were praying to one of them, more than me, but that's never happened. In fact, if anything, he should be praying to the other gods more.” 

“Like when?” Odysseus asked. 

“Like when you started attempting to court Penelope,” Athena said flatly. “You asked for my help, even though you knew I was a virgin goddess, and that romance is not even close to my domain.” 

“Yes,” Odysseus said, “But, counterpoint, I’m glad I didn't ask for her help, now that I know how the Trojan war started. Honestly I'm surprised you suggested I do that, at the time.” 

“Counterpoint to your counterpoint,” Athena said, “What about my step mother? I guess I can understand not wanting to be involved with the Goddess of Love, but what about the Goddess of Marriage?” 

“You mean the one that smites people for not bowing quick enough?” Odysseus asked. 

“Yes, because I doubt she'd get involved in person. Besides, you've sacrificed to her before, and it worked out for you then.” 

“I suppose,” Odysseus conceded, remembering the birth of his son, “But considering we got married in the end, I'd say that asking you was a great idea.” 

“No,” Athena said flatly, “You just got lucky.” 

“Could I… Hear the full story please?” Polites asked.

“Okay, what's going on?” Athena asked, “You're not usually this distracted.” 

“Athenaaaaaa!” He said, “I'm in love!” 

Athena let out a long sigh. “Okay. Helen of Sparta, I'm guessing?” After all, that family had been visiting Ithica. 

“I think so,” Odysseus said, “I mean, I didn't get her name, but she's so beautiful and smart, I think she must be Helen!” 

“Alright. Well, I believe a lot of men are currently vying for her hand. You should probably head to Sparta if you want a chance.” 

“Got it!” 

Reluctantly, Athena resigned herself to putting off his training until this mess was sorted out. 

____

About a week later, Odysseus summoned her again. He was in Sparta. 

What could he possibly need here? Athena wondered. 

“Athena,” Odysseus said, “I messed up.” 

“What happened?” Athena asked. 

“I'm not in love with Helen. The woman I fell for is her cousin Penelope.” 

Athena blinked. “I see…” 

Only a teenager could get himself in this mess… 

“What do I do!?” Odysseus asked her. 

“Pray to Aphrodite,” Athena suggested with a shrug. “I can tell you some sacrifices she might like. Just the other day she was bragging about someone sacrificing a–”

“Athena,” Odysseus interrupted, “I don't want her help. I want yours!” 

Athena blinked. “Well…” She said slowly, “Considering the fact that you just said my name, I assume you know which goddess I am?”

“Athena!” Odysseus grinned, “Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Strategy!” 

“Yes,” Athena said, “And NOT love. Or even marriage. I'm also a virgin goddess myself, so I don't even have personal experience to draw from in this situation. This is entirely outside my domain.” 

“Athena please!” Odysseus said, “I don't want Penelope to be put under a spell or something! That's usually what happens in stories with those other goddesses. Please! You're my mentor! Can't you give me some advice!? I want her to like me!” 

Athena sighed, “You’d be better off getting advice from anyone else. Literally nobody on Olympus likes me very much. I don't think I'll be able to help. In fact, I'd probably make it worse.” 

“No you wouldn't!” Odysseus said, “And I like you a lot! Hm… I know! Maybe you could help me learn a trick shot or something to impress her? Since Spartans are warriors, she might like something fancy with a weapon.” 

Athena nodded, relieved that he was asking for something she actually had some experience with. “I can certainly do that. What sort of trick would you like to learn?” 

____

About a week later, Athena watched as he pulled off the trick for the fiftieth time in a row. He wanted to make sure he knew the trick perfectly. 

“You know, Odysseus,” Athena said, “If you're still looking for romance advice, I've been listening to Aphrodite more often, she mentioned some things that could be useful to you.” 

By ‘listening to Aphrodite’ Athena meant ‘eavesdropping’ but he didn't need to know that.

Odysseus shook his head, “I don't need her advice. I don't want anyone’s advice except yours, Athena. How do YOU think I could get Penelope to notice me?” 

Athena blinked. Then she sighed “May the fates be merciful on you despite your pride… Alright fine. I'll do my best. However, don't blame me if it doesn't work.” 

Odysseus nodded. 

So Athena frowned, trying to figure out what she should say. “I think you should reject Helen outright. Tell her you're backing out of the contest in order to pursue Penelope. I doubt she'll be offended when she has so many other potential suitors. Plus that will make it less likely Penelope will see herself as second choice. You need to do that as soon as possible, so you don't come across like you're just giving up because you think you're gonna lose.” 

“Got it!” Odysseus said, “There's a dinner party tonight where Helen's going to be getting to know her suitors. I'll tell her then. I'll do it in front of everyone.” 

“As for how to court Penelope…” Athena frowned. This was the harder part. “Make conversation with her. Compliment her often. There are very few people who don't appreciate compliments. Try not to sexualize her by mentioning any specific body parts. However, you should definitely compliment her appearance. She probably feels overshadowed by her cousin, at least in terms of beauty.” -Just as Athena sometimes did compared to many of the women in her family.- 

“I can do that!” Odysseus said, “She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!” 

“Good,” Athena told him, “I don't think I need to explain to you how to make friends, but I have often heard that the best start to a romantic relationship is getting to know your potential partner. Try to do that. Most importantly,” she added, “As always, Odysseus, your mind is your greatest asset. So try to keep it turned on when you speak to her. I've seen many men become profoundly stupid the moment they see a beautiful woman. This will not help you. You're smart enough to figure out how to talk to her if you just keep your awareness.” 

Odysseus nodded. “Got it! Thank you Athena!” 

“Good, now run along. I believe that dinner party you mentioned will be starting soon.” 

With that, Athena passed out. 

“Wow. I'm guessing that's the ‘side effects’ you mentioned?” Polites said. 

“Probably.”

“Now I'll have to wait forever to hear the rest,” Polites complained, good naturedly. 

“Here,” Odysseus said, “I'll finish it if you want.” 

At dinner, Helen went around speaking with all her suitors. When she came up to Odysseus, he smiled politely. 

“So what is your name?” She asked. 

“I am Odysseus of Ithica,” Odysseus said, “However, I'm afraid there's been a bit of a mix up. I never intended to court you. You see, I saw your cousin from a distance, and found her so beautiful, I assumed she must be the famed Helen of Sparta. So, while you are incredibly beautiful as well, I already have my heart set on someone else. I only came to the party tonight to make sure my intentions were known. I wish to marry Penelope.” 

Helen blinked, clearly surprised, then her face broke into a wide smile, “I'm glad you told me. It puts my mind at ease that my cousin will have a suitor who doesn't see her as a backup.” 

Odysseus nodded, “Never. She's the one I want. On that note, do you know where I could find her?” 

Helen nodded, “She'll likely be in the weaving room. Here, I'll have a servant take you to her.” 

(Little did Odysseus know, Penelope’s mother had been watching the entire exchange. Odysseus would only find out later that her mother had gone to Penelope first and told her what had happened.) 

Odysseus knocked lightly on the open door as he entered, not wanting to startle anyone. The two women weaving on their looms both looked up as he entered. However he only paid attention to one of them. 

“Yes?” Penelope asked, smiling softly. 

Her voice is so pretty… Wait. Keep your brain turned on. Remember what Athena said. 

“I'm Odysseus of Ithica,” Odysseus said, bowing slightly. “I'm just wondering what a beautiful woman like yourself is doing so far away from the party.” 

Her smile widened, “Well, you flatter me, Odysseus. I'm Penelope. It is my cousin's party however, and I do not wish to intrude.” 

“Ah, I see,” Odysseus said, “It would be unfair for you to steal her spotlight I suppose. Since even her beauty could never compare to yours.” 

“Don't let her hear you saying that,” Penelope said, “Then she'll never want to marry you.” 

“Good,” Odysseus said, “I'm no longer one of her suitors.” 

“In that case,” Penelope said, “Would you like me to show you around the castle?” 

Odysseus smiled, “You could show me around the pig sty, and I would happily follow if it meant I could spend time with you.” 

____

Later on, Odysseus came up with the idea of the vow to protect Helen's marriage. He knew that Helen's family feared going to war because of an offended suitor. So he suggested the vow to Helen’s father, who thought it was the perfect idea. 

He was forced to take the vow himself as well, just to prove it wasn't all a trick to get Helen to himself. However he didn't mind. Because in exchange, her father was able to convince Penelope’s father to let Odysseus court her. 

“So Athena’s advice worked!” Polites grinned. 

“Yes. That's exactly why I think I made the right decision,” Odysseus said, “I don't even wanna know what might've happened if I'd asked a different god.” 

“Yeah that's fair,” Polites said. “I think that was probably the best outcome you could hope for when involving the gods.” 

“Speaking of gods though,” Odysseus said, “You should go spend some time with the crew. I'll stay with Athena.”

“Are you sure?” Polites asked. 

“Yeah,” he said, “Besides, I think they miss you. I heard one of them lamenting the fact that you were away. ‘What are we going to do without Polites!?’ They said.” 

Polites snorted, “If you say so.” So he left.

When Athena woke up it was too bright. Where was she? She couldn't remember anything that had led up to this moment… 

She shut her eyes against the blinding light, and felt around with her hands to try and figure out her surroundings. She was on something soft. There was soft fabric on top of her. Eventually she managed to find the edge of what she was laying on. It seemed she was on a mattress. 

I must've gotten hurt somehow, Athena thought, That's the only reason I'd be in Apollo's infirmary…

“Athena? Are you awake?” That was a voice. She didn't recognize the voice at all. Who was that? 

“Athena?” They said again. “What's wrong?”

“Too bright…” she said. 

She felt someone place a cloth over her eyes. “Is that better?” They asked. 

“Yes. Thank you.” 

She needed to figure out who this person was. “I can't… I can't remember how I got here…” she told them, “I don't know–” she cut off. ‘I don't know who you are.’ would be a very rude thing to say. 

“Okay…” They said slowly, they seemed a bit concerned. Was this Apollo then? No, that didn't seem right… 

“Do you know where you are?” They asked. 

“I'm in the infirmary,” Athena responded automatically, “I must've gotten hurt. Father must've brought me here, so I could be treated by Apollo. That's why I'm on a bed.” 

“I… See… Do you know who I am?” They asked. 

“I— No…” Athena admitted, “You sound familiar, but I can't quite remember– I can't see either… Too bright…”

“Okay…” They said. She couldn't place the emotion in their tone. Worry? Annoyance? Sadness? She wasn't entirely sure. 

“Why don't you try to go back to sleep,” they said, gently running their fingers through her hair. 

It was only then that Athena realized who this was. 

“Father!” She gasped. She immediately started to sit up. She needed to–

“Woah! Woah! Stay down!” He said. 

Immediately Athena forced herself to go completely limp, falling back against the pillows. 

She heard her father taking a deep breath. He re-adjusted the cloth over her eyes, since it had become misaligned in her attempt to stand at attention. 

“Father… Father, I'm sorry…” Athena whispered. She'd just admitted that she Hadn't Recognized Him! He was surely going to punish her for that! 

“Shhh,” he said softly. 

Athena immediately shut her mouth. So fast there was an audible ‘clack’ from her teeth. She was shaking. She could feel that. Would her father punish her for that too? For showing weakness? 

“No need to be so frightened,” he said gently, “I'm not going to hurt you.” 

“Yes father,” she murmured. 

If he wasn't going to hurt her, how else was he going to punish her? Was he going to force her to do something awful, to prove her loyalty? Was he going to hurt someone else instead? Or was he maybe, just maybe, going to forgive her bad behavior? 

“It's okay,” he said, so very gently, “You're going to be okay. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

“You're not angry with me?” Athena asked him. 

“No, not at all. I promise. I love you so much.” She felt him gently caress her cheek and she immediately leaned into it. It had been so long since her father had been pleased with her… 

Believe it or not, Odysseus had experience with this sort of thing before. 

When Apollo had sent a plague against them because of his stolen priest, he'd seen a lot of men get sick. So sick they became delirious and would mistake Odysseus for someone else. A father, a mother, a wife, a son, or some other sort of loved one. So when Athena called him her father, he didn't correct her. 

He knew that correcting someone when they were completely delusional like that, wouldn't help them recover. In fact, it would just agitate them. That wouldn't be helpful to her at all. 

And yet his heart broke a little bit at the way Athena trembled in front of him. The way she immediately followed each word he spoke like it was an order. The way she'd grown visibly paler since the moment she'd wrongly assumed his identity. 

But most of all, his heart broke when he lightly caressed her cheek, and she immediately leaned into it. Desperately seeking comfort from the very father she was so afraid of… 

“It's okay,” he told her, “You're okay. No one is going to hurt you here. Ever. I promise. You're safe.” 

At his words, Athena seemed to relax, and she fell asleep again. 

Odysseus felt a few tears slide down his cheeks. Why, oh why, did his best friend have to love someone who hurt her so much? It was so painful to see. She deserved so much better than to be treated like that… 

When Athena woke up a second time, she felt significantly less out of it. She managed to open her eyes and look around. She was on a ship? 

Slowly, past events came back to her. Stab wound. Punishment. Ship. Ambrosia. And… Father? No. No, that must've been Odysseus. He'd probably just decided it would be better to go along with her false assumption, in hopes of making her rest. 

“Athena…?” Odysseus asked, tentatively. He was probably wondering if she was back to her senses. 

“Yes, Odysseus. I'm fine now,” she told him. 

He let out a sigh of relief, “Thank goodness.” 

Athena frowned slightly, “I– I apologize for… For my behavior when I was… Not quite present in the moment.” 

I'm sorry I thought you were my father, that must've been really awkward for you. 

“It's fine,” Odysseus said. “I'm just glad you're okay now. Although…” He frowned, “Can you tell me what I did to make you think I was him?” 

“What do you mean?” Athena asked. 

“Well, I've been thinking about it, and… You didn't seem to think I was your father at first. You said you didn't know who I was… So… Something must've happened. To make you think that…” 

Athena frowned. She didn't really want to talk about it. So instead she tried to change the subject. “If I'd been even slightly more present, I would've quickly figured out you weren't him. You're terrible at impersonating him. Probably your worst impersonation ever.” 

“I consider that a compliment,” Odysseus said darkly. 

That's when Athena remembered his weird dislike for her father. He probably wasn't trying to impersonate him then. He just didn't bother correcting me…

“So why did you think I was him?” He asked. 

She sighed, “You're not going to let this go, are you?” 

“If you really want me to, I will. However, I really want to know, because I don't want something like that to happen again.”

Athena scoffed, “Odysseus, I was completely convinced I was on Olympus. If I hadn't thought you were my father, I would've likely assumed you to be a different god.” 

“I'm fine with that,” Odysseus said, “Apollo might've been preferable.” 

Athena considered this, “Yeah, you could probably impersonate Apollo pretty well. Though he's a lot more exasperated than you are. He also doesn't interrogate me like you do. He's very similar to pretty much every overworked medic you've encountered. Probably because he's one of only TWO healers on ALL of Olympus.” 

Odysseus winced, probably in sympathy. “Yikes. I would not want to have that job. Especially if you're an indication on how the others act when being cared for.” 

She raised an eyebrow. That was rude. 

“Do the other ones get into his medicine cabinet and eat whatever they can find?” Odysseus asked her. 

That was EXTREMELY rude! However for the moment she decided she wouldn't have an argument about it. She would probably have to leave today, and she definitely didn't want to leave on bad terms. 

So Athena shrugged, “I don't know. He says me and Ares are the ‘problem gods’ who he wants to tie down to the bed. But I don't think he dislikes the others as much. As for us, we’re war gods. We don't like just sitting around doing nothing.” 

“Hm… Alright… Still, I feel like you're changing the subject. I– I really want to know what I did that made you think I was him.” He looked up at her– Were those tears in his eyes? 

Athena sighed. “You… You were touching my hair.” 

“Your hair?” Odysseus asked. 

“Only my father strokes my hair like that. So I just assumed…” She looked away, she didn't like talking about this. About something so weak as affection. -About how much she wanted her father to give her more of it.-

“Oh… I'm sorry,” Odysseus said. 

“Don't be. You didn't know.” 

-I don't even mind it from you that much. Less intense than a hug at least.- 

“Still…” Odysseus said, “I don't ever want to make you feel like you do around him. I don't ever want you to be scared because of me.” 

Athena paused. She… Didn't really know what to say to that… 

“Well, I never will be,” she said after a long moment, “Because you're a mortal, and I am a goddess. There's nothing you could do to scare me. Now… I should probably return to Olympus. I think my injury is almost completely healed, and father will definitely be wondering what's taking me so long…” 

Odysseus nodded. “Alright…” He seemed to hesitate. “Take care of yourself, okay?” 

“Of course,” Athena smiled slightly. With that she got up, and went back to Olympus. 

Though as she left, she decided to cast a small spell. It was the same one she put on Odysseus years ago. Though this time she put it on Polites. 

The spell that made it so she could hear his prayers immediately, from any distance. This way, if Odysseus was ever out of commission, she could still be contacted. 

Odysseus looked at the small mountain range in the distance. He sighed. Well now it was undeniable. He knew exactly where they were. 

Which meant he had a choice to make. 

However he wasn't going to make it alone. He gathered up the men on his ship, as well as the captains of each of the other eleven ships. 

“Alright,” Odysseus said, “So I have good news, and bad news. The good news is, I know where we are now.” He held up a map, and pointed to roughly where their location was. “I suspected this before, because of words I saw the siren speak when I pretended to be under her spell to get information. However, I obviously wasn't about to take a monster at her word. Unfortunately this mountain range confirms it.” 

“So what's the bad news?” Perimedies asked. 

“The bad news is that there's no completely safe way to get home,” Odysseus said, “We have two potential routes. We could go back the way we came, though that would take much longer. We would probably have to stop multiple times at any nearby islands we can find, and as you all know, we haven't exactly had the best track record with those.” 

There were murmurs of general agreement. 

“So what's the other option?” It was the captain of the ship which sailed in the very back, on the left. 

“The other option is we keep going forward. If we do that, we could reach Ithica in only a matter of a couple weeks. However…” Odysseus frowned. 

“However…?” One man asked, apprehensively. 

“However, going that route would require us to go through Scylla's lair, in order to avoid Charybdis.” 

“Who's Scylla?” Eurylochus asked. 

“Scylla is a monster with six giant heads, like a hydra. She is well known to eat six men from any ship that crosses her path. Twelve if you're too slow. We have twelve ships, we would lose at least seventy-two men if we went that way. However, assuming we don't make any horrible mistakes afterwards, the rest of the men will survive. That path is well documented on my maps, it would be very easy to navigate from there. As for the other way, there aren't many maps that have much details for the area in between the land of the giants, and Scylla's lair. We'd be going in blind. However it is POSSIBLE that all the men could survive.” 

“So… Basically, we're either losing almost a hundred men for certain, or going into the unknown…” Another ship leader said, frowning. 

“Yes,” Odysseus said, “Now, because all the men are potentially going to be the ones killed, I want this to be put to a vote. All the men will decide together which route they wish to take. It's their lives after all. Each of the captains will take a vote of all the men on their ship, as well as their own vote, and report back to me. I will take the vote from my men, and add up all the numbers at the end. Clear?”

“Yes sir,” his men said in unison. 

And the vote began.

Odysseus was surprised by the results. Scylla's lair had won with an overwhelming majority. 

When he'd asked about it, one of the ship captains just shrugged. “I think most of the men just want our journey to be over. Whether that means getting home, or… Not…” 

Odysseus nodded, grimly. “I see. In that case, let's set a course northward!” 

___

After some time, Polites came up to him, apparently wanting to speak privately. 

“What is it?” Odysseus asked him. 

“Couldn't you ask your mentor to protect us from Scylla?" He asked, "Then our men could survive!” 

Odysseus shook his head. He shut his eyes, feeling pained. “She was so hurt so recently. I don't think she'd be able to… I think what would happen is that she'd just be more hurt, and the men would die anyways.” 

“She's a goddess!?” Polites said, “Hurt or not, she's still incredibly powerful! Isn't it worth a try!? To save people's lives!?” 

Odysseus shook his head. “It won't work… I've made up my mind about this. I'm sorry.” 

Polites looked incredibly frustrated, and like he was about to say more. Then he just sighed, “Very well, captain.” With that, he left. 

Polites was not disobedient. He would follow orders. However, when Perimedies started fighting with another crew member, Polites had gone to Eurylochus to let him know. 

When Eurylochus gave Polites orders he didn't agree with, he followed them. Then, afterwards, he'd told Odysseus who had reprimanded Eurylochus. 

Polites followed orders. So when his captain told him to set sail towards Scylla's lair, he did it. That didn't mean he was above going to Odysseus's superior officer. 

Once Polites was alone, he once again got on his knees, and prayed to Athena. 

“Goddess Athena, I pray for your help. Odysseus had decided to go through Scylla's lair. Despite the fact that he knows how many lives will be lost. If you're not able to save us, I understand, but I know you're a powerful goddess, and I'm really hoping you can protect us.”

“Why are you asking, and not Odysseus?” Athena’s voice asked in his mind, “He has not spoken of this to me.” 

“He… He thinks that you won't be able to help because you're injured,” Polites admitted. “I think he's decided not to bother you with this. He said ‘she’ll probably lose, and then our men will die anyway’.” 

“I see…” Athena sounded very upset. “In that case, I'll make you a deal.” 

“A deal?” Polites asked. 

“Pray to me again once you're entering the monster’s lair, and I will come and help as quickly as I can. I can't promise I'll be able to save all the men, however, I will promise that less men will die than if you went alone. In exchange I want a favor.” 

“A favor?” Polites asked. 

“Yes. As soon as you're out of danger, I want you to pull Odysseus aside to speak privately. Then I want you to slap him across the face.”

“What?” Polites asked. 

“I'd do it myself,” Athena said, “But unfortunately I have a bad habit of accidentally decapitating mortals when I slap them for insulting me." 

“Yeah, okay,” Polites decided, “I'll do that for you.” 

After all, this way, more men will survive, and Odysseus’s head would remain attached to the rest of him. (Because if he didn't agree, Polites was pretty sure Athena would take the risk and slap him herself.) 

Odysseus took a deep breath as they entered Scylla's lair. This was it. Men were going to die here. 

He might be one of them. 

“Captain,” Eurylochus said softly. 

“Yes?” Odysseus asked. 

“I– In case we don't get out of here… There's something I want to tell you.” 

Odysseus nodded, waiting for him to continue. 

“I'm the one who opened the wind bag,” Eurylochus confessed. “I'm so sorry! I don't know what I was thinking, I–” He shut his eyes. 

Odysseus’s eyes widened. For an insane moment, he almost wanted to see if Athena would still be willing to smite him. It would've been one thing for one of the men to believe the rumor about treasure, but HIS OWN BROTHER!?

But then he looked at Eurylochus’s face. He looked incredibly haunted, and guilty. No doubt because of the deaths he'd accidentally caused. He already had been punished, in a way. Odysseus shouldn't let his emotions blind him. Especially not right now. 

“Eurylochus,” Odysseus said slowly, “We will talk about this once we're out of here. For now, let's focus on getting through this.” 

Eurylochus nodded, “Understood, captain.” 

___

A moment later, the monster appeared. The heads rose menacingly around them. 

“Hello,” a woman's voice. She sounded almost friendly. 

Then the first head attacked. It went straight for Odysseus. 

I'm so sorry Penelope, Odysseus thought, mentally preparing himself for the worst. How much would it hurt to be eaten? Would he live to be swallowed? Or would the teeth kill him quickly? 

However, instead of being eaten, Odysseus felt himself be shoved to the side. He looked up, shocked, only to see that Eurylochus had been the one to do it. Apparently intending to sacrifice himself so Odysseus could live. 

However, that didn't happen either. Instead, the monster was practically launched away, with a punch. 

Of course, the only one capable of such a thing was Athena. She stood there in her glowing armor, wings spread out behind her, spear in one hand. She flew upwards to face the monster.

“THESE SHIPS ARE UNDER MY PROTECTION!”She bellowed, loud enough that every man, on every ship, was sure to hear her. “ATTACK THEM AGAIN AND I'LL BE FORCED TO DESTROY YOU!”  

“Olympus has no authority here!” Scylla told her. “Do you really expect me not to eat!?” 

“Not them,” Athena said calmly. Still projecting her voice to be incredibly loud. 

“NO!” Scylla said, “I need to eat!” 

Another one of her dog heads launched itself at the ship. So, naturally, Athena cut it off with her spear. 

“I'D SUGGEST YOU STOP NOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP THE REST OF YOUR MOUTHS!” Athena held up her spear threateningly. 

“I'll– I'll be telling your father about this!” Scylla told her. “You know he doesn't like you interfering with the lives of mortals!” 

Athena looked at her, “HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT ONCE I KILL YOU?” She smirked. 

“Wait–!” Too late, Scylla seemed to realize she'd messed up. Her five remaining monster heads raised up defensively around her. 

Athena quickly severed each of them with her spear. Then she threw her weapon to the side, grabbing Scylla by the shoulder with one hand, and ripping out her heart with the other. 

“LET IT BE KNOWN!” She shouted towards the crew, holding the severed heart above her head, “THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DEFY ME! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DOUBT MY SKILLS!” With that, she crushed the organ into goo with her fist, and let it fall onto Scylla's corpse. Then she picked up her spear, and flew away. 

Well… Odysseus thought, I guess that could've gone worse. Thanks Athena. 

The men were all deeply confused. Odysseus decided to let them talk, and theorize amongst themselves, rather than explaining the full story. 

Plus Polites apparently wanted to talk to him. 

“What's up?” Odysseus asked, closing the cabin door behind him. 

“So…” Polites said, “I'm sure you figured out that I was the one to ask Athena for help.” 

Odysseus blinked, “I hadn't actually. I'd assumed it was a coincidence. Especially because she likes to check up on me a lot.” 

“Well, I did. However, since I'm not her favorite, she asked for a favor in return.” 

“A favor?” Odysseus asked. 

Polites slapped him. Hard. So hard Odysseus fell to his knees. 

“Ow!? What the hell–?” 

“Your mentor was very upset to hear that you didn't think she could beat the monster,” Polites told him. “She wanted you to get slapped for it. However she didn't want to accidentally injure you with godly strength. So she asked me to do it on her behalf, as punishment for insulting her abilities.” 

“So let me get this straight,” Odysseus said, holding his cheek. “You went behind my back and talked to my mentor. You told her something that you surely KNEW she'd see as an insult. Then she asked you to assault your captain, and you agreed?” 

“Yes,” Polites said. 

“Have you ever heard the term ‘insubordination’?” Odysseus asked. 

Polites scoffed, “Oh please. Eurylochus opened the wind bag and got men killed. I was the one trying to stop him. I think I'm allowed a little insubordination, considering I just saved nearly a hundred men. Men that would've died, because you decided to act overprotective to a LITERAL GODDESS.” 

Odysseus sighed. He couldn't really argue with that. 

“Alright, fair enough,” he said, “Thank you, Polites. I'm glad no more of us died.” 

“Me too,” Polites said, and helped Odysseus up off the ground. 

“Well he certainly forgave you quickly,” Eurylochus noted, there was just a hint of sadness to his tone. 

“How long have you been standing there?” Odysseus asked. 

“The whole time. I was waiting for you. I figured I'd let you finish your conversation first, before we talk about… What I did…” Eurylochus frowned. 

“Right…” Odysseus said. 

“Okay, well, before that,” Polites said, “Eurylochus… I… I saw what you did. I saw that you nearly died to save our captain. I…” He grabbed Eurylochus in a hug. “I don't want you to die either! Even if I was mad at you…” 

“That's a good point,” Odysseus noted, “You did nearly sacrifice yourself for me. In light of that, I think I can forgive you for it. Though I'll have to strip you of your rank as my second. The men will think I'm going too easy on you if I don't.” 

Eurylochus nodded, “Understood. I don't care about that, though. I just… I just want my friend's forgiveness…” 

Odysseus smiled, “Of course.” 

Polites nodded, still hugging him, “Yeah… Yeah I guess I can't be mad at you forever… Don't you dare disobey our captain like that again! But… But we can be friends again, I think…” 

“Thanks…” Eurylochus said softly. “I promise, I won't disappoint you. Either of you.” 

Odysseus smiled. 

He thought back to his prophecy, and the part about Eurylochus betraying him, having him stabbed in the back. Somehow, he was pretty sure he'd prevented that this time. 

Chapter Text

Odysseus looked up as Quick Thought materialized around him. Athena was standing there, looking absolutely pissed. 

“What's up?” He asked her, tentatively. 

“Do you think I'm weak?” Athena asked, folding her arms. 

“No, of course not!” Odysseus said, “Where is this even coming from!?” 

Then he suddenly remembered what Polites had said. Oh no. 

“You weren't the one asking me to help with Scylla,” she told him, “Instead you were going to let almost a hundred of your men die because you thought I couldn't handle a single monster!”

“I–” Odysseus began, but she wasn't done. 

“Has it been really so long since I smacked you around in training, that you think I'm some sort of damsel in distress!? I've been fighting for THOUSANDS of years, Odysseus! My stab wound is almost entirely healed! And even if it hadn't been I still could've beaten her! I've gone through training to fight through injuries like that! You've SEEN me practice that in training!” 

“Well yes, but–” 

“No. Don't even start that! I don't need you to protect me! Your MEN need your protection, and you were about to let them DIE!?” 

Odysseus bowed his head, “I'm sorry…” He said softly. 

“What were you thinking!?” Athena demanded. 

“I…” Odysseus grimaced, “I guess… You seemed so…” He searched for the right words, “You seemed so out of it, when you were delirious just the other day. I guess I hadn't realized that all the side effects had probably run their course. I didn't know what else it might do…” He looked up at her, “I didn't want to risk losing you! You're one of my best friends! And… And even though I know it makes me a bad general, I’d rather a hundred men die, instead of one of my friends.” 

“You're right,” Athena said, “It does make you a bad general.” 

“I know… I'm sorry… Please forgive me.” He knelt before her, forehead pressed against the ground. 

Athena sighed. “You're lucky I like you. If you were ANYONE else, it would've been your heart I crushed instead of the monster’s. Even if it had been Achilles, or Diomedes I would've killed them without a second thought.” 

Odysseus nodded. “I believe that…” He looked up at her. 

Athena glared down at him. “I'm choosing to blame this insult on the fact that you lost your mother recently. However, that excuse will not work going forward. Make sure you don't make another mistake like this.” 

“Understood,” Odysseus told her. “You’re an amazing fighter. I promise, I won't underestimate your abilities again.” 

Athena’s expression softened ever so slightly, “Good,” she told him, “Because if I hadn't been there, you might've been one of the men killed by that monster. I would absolutely hate it, if that happened. Especially if I didn't know, because you didn't tell me you were going into a fight.” 

Odysseus nodded, “I understand. I'll make sure to tell you, whenever I know I'm about to go into battle, from now on.” 

“Thank you,” Athena said. She patted his shoulder a couple times. 

She was still a bit awkward with physical contact, but Odysseus had noticed her giving him more affection. He very much appreciated that. 

After a moment she looked away from him, “I think I need to return to my duties. My father isn't particularly happy I was away for so long. I'll see you soon, Odysseus.” 

“Alright, see you soon, Athena.” He smiled. 

And with that, Quick Thought disappeared, and he was back on the ship. 

Athena was surprised when some of her family members wanted to talk to her. She had, unfortunately, finished all her work, and they probably knew that. So she didn't have a good excuse to avoid them. She wished she did. 

Especially since it was Ares, Aphrodite, and Artemis. 

“What is it?” Athena asked them. She looked between the three of them, planning how to fight her way out in the worst case scenario. Were they going to team up and attack her once she let her guard down? There were three potential exits, if she counted breaking the wall down as an option. She would take Ares out first, as he was the biggest threat. Then Artemis. Aphrodite would probably be distracted by trying to help Ares, at least long enough for her to escape. 

Admittedly, the fear was somewhat unjustified, considering Aphrodite and Artemis had never physically attacked her before. Plus Ares was unlikely to team up with people against her. However the three of them never wanted to talk with her either. 

“Hey, so,” Artemis said, gesturing to herself and Aphrodite, “We heard from Ares what happened with you and Poseidon.” 

“Okay?” Athena said, “Well, I assure you I am in perfect health now.” She didn't want them to get any ideas about her being weakened enough to be killed. 

“Well that's good…” Artemis said, sounding rather awkward. 

None of them made a move to leave. 

“Is there anything else…?” Athena asked. 

“Well…” Artemis began. She glanced at the others. 

“We wanted to know if you'd want to hang out with us,” Aphrodite said. 

Athena immediately looked at her with suspicion. What sort of game was she playing? 

“And why would I want to do that?” Athena asked, trying to keep her tone from being too hostile. 

“‘Cause we're all done being jealous of your status as ‘favorite',” Ares told her, he stood in a very relaxed pose. “And now they want to try to ‘befriend’ you or some bullshit.” 

“Okay?” Athena said. She had no idea how to respond. We're they serious? Or was this some kind of trick to humiliate her? 

“Besides,” Artemis said, “I'm tired of playing third wheel to these two, whenever Apollo and Hermes are too busy to hang out with us.” 

Athena’s immediate instinct was to tell them to leave her alone. To tell them that she wasn't interested. 

But… 

But Ares knew she had a hero she liked, and if she offended them, they might go after Odysseus. 

So instead she asked a question. 

“And what exactly would we be doing?” Athena asked. “What sort of activity are you wanting me to join you for?” 

They looked at each other and shrugged. “It’s not really an activity sort of thing,” Aphrodite said. “We usually just hang out in someone's room and just talk.” 

Athena frowned, “Very well… In that case, let's go to mine.” She wanted to be in her own space, just in case the others had set up some kind of trap for her. 

The others looked mildly surprised by this. Which made sense, because Athena didn't let people in her room often. 

Artemis shrugged, “Alright, sure.” 

So she led them into her room. She was able to summon a couple extra chairs, and Aphrodite immediately laid on her bed. 

Artemis sat down at the chair by her desk. Ares took one of the extra chairs and leaned against the wall, by Aphrodite. Athena took the other spare chair, and sat down, making sure she was closest to the door. 

“So…” Artemis began awkwardly, she seemed to be searching for a topic of conversation. “Uh… Aphrodite and I were talking about domains earlier.” 

Athena tilted her head, inviting her to continue. 

“Yeah,” Aphrodite agreed, seeming a lot less awkward, “Since all of us have more than one domain, we were talking about our favorites.” 

“I prefer my hunting domain over the moonlight,” Artemis said. “Though it is not what I'm most known for amongst humans. Still, hunting was my first domain, and one I discovered on my own, whereas the moon was assigned to me by our father.” 

“Eh,” Ares said, “I prefer war over strength. Honestly I think that's the one I would've naturally got if Athena didn't have it first.” 

Athena nodded.

After Ares had gained the domain of strength, Zeus had decided to split the war domain between the two of them. -Athena agreed because she always listened to her father.- Their father had hoped to make Ares into a weapon the same way he had done to Athena. However, Ares was far too much of a loose cannon for it to work. Perhaps that was why father hated him so much… 

“I mean,” Aphrodite said, “Love and beauty are practically the same thing. It wasn't till way later that I got friendship, and family love. I thought it'd be fitting considering those are just a different kind of love, and father didn't really care either way. Still, romance has a level of passion that makes it my favorite.” 

Athena nodded. 

“What about you, Athena?” Ares asked, “Do you have a favorite of your domains?” 

Athena hummed, thoughtfully, “No, I don't think so… They're all important to me.” 

“Okay?” Artemis said, “But isn't your first domain special?” 

Athena looked at her, confused, “No more than the others, why would it be?” 

“Because it's the one you got naturally?” Ares said with a shrug. 

Athena shook her head, “That wasn't always a tradition. I was given wisdom by our father on the day I was born. I was assigned war at three months old, and later asked for crafts.” 

Artemis blinked, “Oh. So you never got one on your own?” 

Athena shook her head, “No, but that's for the best I think. I have no idea what sort of domain I would've gotten, and I'm very happy with the ones I have.” 

Ares frowned, “So crafts was the only one you actually wanted? Or did you want war as well?” 

Athena shrugged, “I'm grateful father gave me wisdom, though I didn't think to ask for it specifically. War… I didn't ask for, but I'm glad for it. However I suppose crafts is the only one I asked for specifically.” 

“So you were just assigned war?” Artemis asked, “Like how I was assigned moonlight?” 

Athena frowned, “I was assigned war as a punishment, by father. I don't think that's the case for you?” 

Artemis blinked, “Uh. No? What happened!?” 

Ares stared at her, “A punishment?!” 

“I… It's probably best I don't speak about it, I think father wants to keep it quiet anyways. And I don't want you to…” She hesitated, then decided to rephrase, “The punishment was justified. That's all you need to know.” 

“No…” Aphrodite said, “There's more to it… I can feel it… There's… Grief…” She looked at Athena, eyes surprisingly soft. “What happened?” 

Athena looked away. She considered her options. If she didn't say anything they'd probably just spread rumors, and pester her more about it… 

She sighed, “Are you all aware of the fact that gods can die?” 

They all nodded.

Athena swallowed, “There was a goddess of war before me. Father wanted me to learn to fight, so he had me train with her. One day, we were sparring, and she… Got distracted. I didn't notice, recklessly throwing myself into my attacks. So I…” Athena grimaced, “I never meant to do it. She was more skilled than I was, so I never even considered holding back, or being careful. However, father thought it'd be fitting that I take over her responsibilities, considering I was the reason she was no longer able to fulfill her duties…” 

Ares let out a low whistle. 

“I see…” Artemis said. “Does that bother you? I mean you said you love all your domains, but… If that happened to me, I don't think I'd ever want to pick up a weapon again…” 

“Me too,” Aphrodite said. 

Athena shook her head, “No. I learned to fight to honor her memory.” 

Artemis shrugged, “If you say so.” 

Aphrodite also seemed confused by the idea. 

However Ares nodded, “Makes sense to me… Is that why you only fight with a spear? Is that what she taught you to fight with.” 

Athena shook her head. She summoned her spear, just to hold it. “This was her weapon. I've kept it ever since.” 

Ares nodded. “Well, I'm glad to hear you fight for something. However, you always told me you don't fight with your emotions? What was it? ‘Calm and logical’ isn't that what you said you prefer?” 

Athena nodded, “It IS what I prefer. Just because I honor her when I fight, doesn't mean I allow my emotions to get the better of me. If you allow yourself to lose your temper, you may not be aware of exactly what you're doing. You'll end up with reckless, wild swings. You might end up… Doing something you didn't mean to… I am very controlled during fights.” 

“Ah.” Ares grimaced. “Trauma’s a bitch, huh?”

“I suppose…” Athena said, “Anyways, why do you like hunting, Artemis? More so than the moon, I mean? Is it just because it was your first?” 

“I dunno,” Artemis said, “I guess it's just something to actually DO. I only have moonlight because dad wanted someone to keep an eye on Selene. I guess he doesn't trust her, since he's not closely related to her. Hunting is a lot more satisfying than being someone's manager.” 

“That makes sense,” Athena said. 

“So why'd you get Wisdom?” Aphrodite asked her, “You said you got it the day you were born? Why'd father pick that of all things?” 

Athena shrugged, “I guess… Well… It was someone else's domain, and they were also no longer able to perform it… Father said I'm not supposed to talk about it though.”

A part of her wanted to, though. A part of her wanted to be able to tell her siblings what happened to her mother.

“C'mon Athena,” Ares said, “You can be a little rebellious for once.” 

“Look,” Aphrodite said, “I swear on the Styx I won't use any information you give me today against you. Are you happy now? I know you think I'm some sort of gossiper, trying to be the new favorite.” 

“That's because you are a gossiper, and you WERE trying to become the new favorite,” Artemis said, “At least until we found out that being ‘the favorite’ involves getting stabbed.”

“Anyways,” Ares said, “Yeah, we're not going to tell father. This is complaining time, because he sucks.” 

Athena forced herself not to bristle at his words. She was loyal to her father!

But… Well... Light hearted complaints should be fine… 

“Fine,” Athena said, “I… The wisdom domain was my mother's.” 

She waited for them to ask about that, since she was sure they didn't know, however they just nodded. 

At her look of confusion, Ares spoke, “Yeah, my mom told us about that.” 

Athena exhaled a relieved breath. This way she wouldn't have been the one to tell them. 

“What do you mean you're not supposed to talk about it?” Artemis asked. 

“Father…” Athena hesitated, then sighed, “He doesn't want anyone to know. He's built up this whole story about him being the hero for defeating Kronos, specifically for trying eat him and his siblings… He thinks if people knew that he tried to…” She trailed off. She really wasn't supposed to talk about this. 

“If people knew he tried to do the same thing, they'd see him as a massive hypocrite,” Ares finished. 

“That's why the story we all tell is that I was born from his thoughts,” Athena said. 

“Well that's fucked,” Artemis said. “If he's gonna do that, you should at least be allowed to talk about it.” 

Athena shook her head, “I'm the favorite. There's a lot I'm not allowed to talk about…” 

“Girl, what?” Aphrodite said. 

Athena shook her head, “Ask Apollo about my… ‘Training accidents’ sometime. I'm not permitted to speak about it. But he knows enough.” 

“You mean the times he tortured you for fun?” Apollo asked, having just entered the room. 

“What are you–?” Athena began. 

“I saw this happen already. It's good you're finally letting them know what's been going on,” Apollo said. 

“He what…?” Ares asked. 

“Tortured her,” Apollo said, flatly. 

“That feels a little extreme,” Athena said, “He might be too harsh with training maybe, but I'd hardly call it torture.” 

Apollo looked at her, seeming completely fed up for some reason. “Show. Them.” 

“What?” Athena asked. 

“Show them what happened,” Apollo said, folding his arms. “Show us all what happened, actually. I don't actually know. All I know are the injuries you had afterwards.” 

Athena nodded. That made sense. He might think it was torture if he hadn't seen that she agreed to it, and what it's purpose is when it came to teaching her to fight.

So she pulled up a quick time dive to a random training session, and let them watch. 

-

When she brought them back, they all looked vaguely ill. 

“Okay…” Artemis said, breathing deeply, “Well that was way worse than I thought.” 

Apollo nodded, “I… You never told me about the stuff he was saying to you…” 

“What stuff?” Athena asked, confused. 

“Calling you his weapon, maybe?” Ares said, “‘You are my sword, a sword doesn't disobey until it breaks. You are not broken yet, so keep fighting.’ Did you miss that part?” 

Athena shrugged, “That's why he wanted me to fight. I am his soldier. I am his weapon. That is the purpose of him having me learn to fight. While I also have my own reasons, at the end of the day, I am effectively just his soldier. That's why he loves me so much more than the rest of you.” 

Athena expected them to drop the concern and get jealous or defensive from that. The favoritism was still probably a sore-spot for them, and frankly Athena wanted them to stop acting like Odysseus, and behave in a way that made sense. 

Instead Artemis just snorted, “If that's what his ‘love’ looks like, I think I'm glad he doesn't love me.” 

“Yeah that's not love,” Aphrodite said, “I would know. He doesn't love you any more than the rest of us. He just likes how useful you are. There's a difference. He– Father doesn't love you, athena!” 

Athena took a step back, shocked and hurt by her words. “You think so!? What, are you accusing him of lying to me then!?” 

“Athena…” Apollo said, gently. 

“I'm leaving,” Athena told them, and left the room. She was going to go to Odysseus’s ship. She wanted to check on her student anyways. 

Apollo turned to Aphrodite. “Was that really necessary!?” 

“I…” Aphrodite began, then she sighed, “I shouldn't have said that… I just… Ever since I used my magic to see Athena’s relationship with that mortal, I've been able to sense more of her relationships and feelings towards other people. I've never been able to do that before. In fact, I assumed she didn't have ANY feelings towards ANYONE. Now I just think she was able to block me out somehow.” 

“Oh don't tell her you can do that now,” Ares said, “She'd be pissed.” 

“Oh I know,” Aphrodite said. “It just bothers me… She loves him. She loves our father! More than any of us do! And yet he tortured her…” 

“I’m not surprised he convinced her that he loves her,” Artemis said, “He mostly just ignores or hurts the rest of us, but she's the only one he gives affection to. Plus all the favors he gives her. Far more than the rest of us.” 

“But that's just a method to control her. Carrot and the stick,” Ares said, grimly. 

Aphrodite nodded her agreement. 

Apollo sighed. “Yeah… Plus I think it’s a method to isolate her. I mean, you all thought that his favoritism was a privilege, and you all just ignored and insulted her. That left her dependent on our father.” 

Artemis and Aphrodite both winced. 

“How did none of us notice this!? It's been thousands of years!” Ares said. 

“I don't know…” Aphrodite said. “I mean… I guess… Since I never was able to sense any love from her till now, I thought she was some sort of sociopath. So I never thought much about her relationship with father…” 

Artemis shrugged, “I tried to talk to her a couple times when we were younger, but she was very cold and rude to me, so I kinda hated her…” 

“It would've probably been too soon since her friend died, I think,” Ares said, “She probably wasn't ready… I've seen that type of thing from soldiers before…” 

Artemis sighed, “I wish she HAD been born a boy. That prophecy might've been better than what's happening now. I mean, for all her flaws, Athena’s never beat Aphrodite for crying. Or screamed at Hermes for being late.” She paused, “She is kind of a bitch to Ares though.” 

“I…” Aphrodite began, “Okay honestly that confuses me. She's super mean to Ares, and they're fighting all the time. Yet, Ares is probably in her top five favorite gods or at least, in the top five gods she'd consider herself emotionally closest to.” 

“Really?” Apollo asked. He was surprised by this. He'd healed Ares many times from injuries Athena had given him. 

“Yeah,” Aphrodite said to Apollo, “The gods she seems to like the most are Zeus, you, Hermes, Ares, and Hera.” 

“Makes sense to me,” Ares said, “The feeling is mutual.” 

They all looked at him, confused. 

“I mean, I can tell,” Aphrodite said, “And it's still confusing.”

“It's a warrior's bond,” Ares told them. 

“What does that mean?” Artemis asked. 

Ares considered. “It's mutual respect I guess. When someone beats you in a fight, or even just fights very well, you have to respect their skills. You kinda get to know them in a way, because of how they fight. And also learning their body language.” He looked at Aphrodite, and Artemis, “She's scared of you two, by the way.” 

“What?” Artemis asked. 

“The moment you two walked up to her, she was immediately on the defensive. I saw her checking for escape routes, and sizing you both up. She thought we were going to fight her.” 

Aphrodite blinked, seeming taken aback. “I mean I know she doesn't like me much, but wow." 

“Okay, I kinda get why she'd think that from me,” Artemis said, “I mean, I'm a hunter. However, I definitely don't get why she'd think that with Aphrodite.” 

Ares shrugged. “I'm not a mind reader. I just saw her preparing for an attack.” 

“Well that's… Unfortunate,” Apollo said. 

“So is she just going to be forever loyal to our father, until he kills her?” Artemis asked. 

“Probably,” Apollo said. “Her mortal friend might be able to convince her otherwise, though.” 

“So we're relying on a mortal to convince Athena to leave father's cult, and not die?” Ares asked, “Great. Just great.” 

Odysseus frowned. Athena had come to visit him on the ship. She seemed incredibly agitated. At first, he'd thought she was still mad at him for what happened with Scylla. However, that didn't seem to be the case. It had been almost a week since then, and… She seemed distracted with something else, rather than holding back anger towards him. 

“Did… Something happen…?” Odysseus asked. 

“Why do you ask?” Athena asked. 

“You seem upset…” Odysseus told her, a bit tentatively. He really didn't want to make her mad at him again. 

Athena frowned. She didn't say anything and for a while, Odysseus thought she wouldn't. 

“Why do you hate my father?” Athena asked after a long moment. 

Odysseus blinked, “I thought I explained that already. I don't like the way he treats you.” 

Athena’s frown deepened. 

“...What happened?” Odysseus asked gently. Did he hurt you again…? 

“I was talking to some of the other gods earlier,” she said, “And… I was complaining offhandedly about how difficult my father's training was. They asked me to show them, so I did a time dive. Then… Then Aphrodite told me that my father doesn't love me…” She shook her head, “I mean it shouldn't bother me, really, Aphrodite insults me all the time. She just… She looked more sincere about it than usual, that's all.” 

Odysseus frowned. Aphrodite's probably right… Also the goddess of love WOULD know about that… 

He wasn't about to say that out loud, however. He needed to put this delicately. 

“Well…” He began, “I don't know the goddess of love very well. From what you've told me, she sounds pretty rude, and mean. But… Well… Were the two of you arguing or something before that? Did she insult you any other way?” 

He decided to ask this, just to make sure he had the full story. 

Athena shook her head, brows furrowing. “No, and that's the confusing part. We were actually getting along fairly well before that. She said something about trying to put her jealousy behind her, since I got stabbed. I don't really get that either. Though I guess I did start an argument by saying father loves me more than her. Maybe that made her lash out…” 

“Maybe…” Odysseus agreed, “Or maybe…”

Was he really going to go for it? To try to convince her that maybe Aphrodite had a point?

He decided that, yes, he was. Especially since it'd be good for Athena to get closer to her family. Since he was mortal, whether he liked it or not, eventually Odysseus was going to die. She needed support from other gods. 

“Like I said,” Odysseus continued, “I don't know the full story. I don't know if she was trying to be mean or not. However… You mentioned to me that domains are very important to the gods. You yelled at me for being a bad general just a few days ago.”

“I did,” Athena agreed. 

“That's a bigger deal to you, than it would be to– I dunno, Hermes? But that's because you're the Goddess of War. It's important to you that war is done correctly. I think… Maybe… It's possible that the Goddess of Love has… Particular opinions on how love should be expressed. Maybe she also thinks that the way your father treats you isn't the right way to treat someone you love.” 

Athena nodded slowly. “I suppose I could see that… Perhaps I was too hard on her, then.” 

Odysseus shrugged, “Maybe, but as I said, I wasn't there.” 

“Ayo, Athena!” Hermes said, appearing in the room. 

“What is it?” She asked. 

“Aphrodite wanted me to come find you, and tell you that she's sorry for what she said. She wants to hang out with you again. Something about ‘Unlike Ares, maybe she'll do makeup with me.’” 

Athena scoffed, and looked like she was about to decline. 

“Do you think she's sincere?” Odysseus asked Hermes, “Or do you think it's some sort of trick?” 

Hermes shrugged, “I dunno. Apollo seemed to think it was a good idea, so it's probably not some sort of trap. He's not into that sort of thing.” 

“Then maybe you should go,” Odysseus told Athena. “It'd be good to try and get along more with your family.” 

“I already get along with my father, and my step mother, and even Apollo and Hermes somewhat,” Athena pointed out. 

“Yeah, but there's no reason not to try, if she's putting in some effort,” Odysseus said, gently. 

Athena grumbled something under her breath, then sighed. “Fine, but if it starts going wrong, I'm going to tell her that ‘one of my students is having an emergency and I have to leave.’ And you're going to cover for me if she asks.” 

“Understood,” Odysseus said, slightly amused. 

Taking a deep breath, Athena walked up to Aphrodite, Apollo, and Artemis, who were standing outside her bedroom. 

She glanced at Hermes, who had used his travel magic to get her there faster. 

“I managed to bring her back,” Hermes said, sounding rather pleased with himself. 

“Well that's good,” Apollo said. 

“Yeah, none of us knew where you were,” Aphrodite said. 

“And Ares had to go do some work or something,” Artemis added. 

Athena just nodded. 

“She was with her mortal,” Hermes told them, “That one student of hers.”

Athena glared at him. She didn't want him talking about anything that could potentially be used against her. 

“Makes sense,” Aphrodite said, seeming somewhat amused. 

“Wow, Athena,” Artemis said, “Aphrodite pissed you off so bad you had to run off to hang out with your favorite mortal?” 

“I routinely check on all my students, to make sure that they're doing well,” Athena said. 

This was somewhat of a lie, since she was no longer actively involved in the lives of any of her other heroes. Aside from Odysseus. 

Though honestly, he was enough of a handful on his own, she didn't need any other students to occupy her time. 

“If you say so,” Artemis said. 

“Anyways!” Aphrodite said, “I say, since Ares is no longer around, I say we should do girly things!” 

Athena raised an eyebrow at her. This action was mirrored by both Apollo and Hermes. 

“You two can watch if you don't want to participate,” Aphrodite said to the male gods, “But Athena, now that we're friends, I want to do a makeover on you.” 

Athena looked at her, intentionally making her distrust clear with her expression. 

“Don't look at me like that,” Aphrodite said. “Look, if you don't like it, you can take it off. It's makeup. Just let me try please! I never get a new canvas to play with!” 

‘just try Athena’, Odysseus’s words echoed in her mind. She sighed.

“I'm going to cast a spell to make sure there's no magic in the products you're using,” Athena told her. She wasn't about to let herself be cursed or something, “I will be checking each thing you want to touch my face, individually. We will do this in my room.” 

“Fine, fine,” Aphrodite said, “Let's go!” 

After a long while, and a lot of annoying instructions, Aphrodite was finally satisfied, and gave Athena a mirror. 

She did a double take at her own appearance. She'd never worn makeup before, so it was rather shocking. 

There was soft pink right over her cheekbones, baby blue over her eyelids, and her eyes were outlined in dark blue. Her lips were shiny, and her eyebrows looked darker somehow. And… Were her eyelashes longer?

“You know,” Aphrodite said, “When you aren't frowning like you're trying to scare off an army of small children, you can actually be somewhat pretty.” 

Athena scowled at her. 

“Yeah exactly. When you're not making that face,” Aphrodite said. “Which I guess just makes it stand out more when you're not, so oh well. I guess it makes sense that even the fact that you can be somewhat beautiful needs to be a secret weapon for you.” 

“If you say so…” Athena said.

“Aphrodite,” Artemis said, “Stop giving Athena backhanded compliments, and do me now.” 

With that Artemis and Athena switched places. 

Athena watched with interest as Aphrodite did makeup on Artemis. 

“That looked great,” Artemis said, seeming pleased. “Sometimes I wish I had something nice enough to wear to match. The only thing I have is that one fancy outfit I wore to that wedding. And that's not something I'm wearing every day.” 

“Hm…” Aphrodite said, “I mean, I might be able to find something for you, or… Hey Athena, isn't clothing like– Your domain?” 

Athena nodded, “Yes. Sewing falls under my domain of crafts.” 

“Could you make us clothes or something?” Aphrodite asked. “I mean obviously you don't have to, but it'd be nice to not have to do it myself, or commission random mortals.” 

“I probably could,” Athena shrugged, “I've made a lot of formal and fancy clothes.”

“Really?” Artemis said, “No offense, but I've never seen you wear anything remotely complicated.”

“Well yeah,” Athena said, she felt like this should be obvious, “I never wear the clothes, I just make them. I'd never wear something complicated that could become a liability in battle.” 

Aphrodite stared at her, “So you just… Make clothes and never wear them?” 

“Yeah pretty much,” Athena shrugged, “Anything too complicated, or anything I don't think turned out well enough goes straight into my closet never to see the light of day again.” 

-She'd never let her father see her in something fancy. He might think that she was spending too much time on her crafts.- 

“Okay, can I see some?” Artemis said, “I'm so curious now.” 

Athena hesitated. 

“We promise we're not gonna make fun of you or anything,” Aphrodite said, “I just wanna see your secret life that you've hidden from the world.” 

Athena glanced at Apollo and Hermes, who also looked curious. 

Well, here goes nothing, Athena thought. She walked into her closet, and when she came out, she braced herself for insults. This wasn't an outfit she was super proud of, but it also wasn't one she thought was awful. It was right in the middle. The least hurtful for them to mock. 

Aphrodite gasped. Eyes widening in utter shock. 

Artemis’s jaw dropped. 

Is it really that bad? Athena thought. “I know it's not great, but–”

“‘Not great’?” Aphrodite asked, “That's amazing!” 

Athena stared at her. It really wasn't. It was a basic chiton, only a few hundred owl feather designs embroidered on it. Nothing all that crazy. She'd made it out of boredom more than anything. 

“Yeah…” Artemis said, “What exactly would I have to do for you to get you to make me something like that, but with dear imagery instead of owls. Or the moon.” 

Athena frowned, “I think I already have a space themed one. Hang on…” 

She went back into the closet, and then she found it. Oh that was far worse than she remembered.

“Yeah okay, never mind. That one's terrible,” Athena said, leaving the closet, “I might burn it as soon as you leave.” 

Artemis looked at her, “... Show me anyways,” she said. 

“Why?” Athena asked, somewhat suspicious. 

“Because if you thought that one was ‘not great', I doubt that this other one is as bad as you think.” 

Athena scoffed, “I doubt it, but fine.” She pulled out the aforementioned chiton from the closet. 

Artemis practically ran over to it. “What's wrong with it?! Why do you want to burn it!?” 

“I mean I probably wouldn't actually,” Athena shrugged, “It's good to have awful looking works to show myself how much I'm improving.” 

“Well I can't see what's wrong with it!” Artemis said. 

“The three sashes sewn here are supposed to be reminiscent of an aurora borealis,” Athena explained, “However the colors are far too vivid. Also, they are sewn to the sleeve of the chiton with an embroidered crescent moon. However, I made this before I understood that the shape of the moon was always a circle, with various amounts of light coming from it. If I were to make it today, I would have embroidered the dark side of the moon as well. Aside from that, there are far too few stars embroidered on it, and they are far too big. I should've done a larger number of smaller stars if I wanted it to look less comically bad.” 

“... So can I have it?” Artemis asked, “You know, if you don't like it…” 

Athena frowned, then shrugged, “I guess if you want it so badly, you can. I suppose I should probably get it out of my closet eventually anyways. It's been in there for almost five hundred years. If we were mortals it would've been eaten by moths by now.” 

“I'm glad it wasn't,” Artemis said. She took it off the mannequin and carefully folded it up in her arms.

It was an odd feeling. Having someone treat something she made like it was special. Especially from one of her siblings. 

That wasn't all though, by the end of the day Aphrodite, Hermes, and Apollo had each taken a piece of clothing that Athena hadn't thought was very good.

They all told her she was just too much of a perfectionist. 

How strange… 

Chapter Text

“Captain!” Polites shouted. “We've spotted land up ahead!” He was second in command now, the crew had taken that well, especially after a few men vouched for him, saying that he'd tried to stop Eurylochus from opening the bag. 

“Perfect,” Odysseus said, “Hopefully we can find some food there.” 

Eurylochus nodded his agreement, then he hesitated. 

“What is it?” Odysseus asked. 

“There's…" Eurylochus hesitated, "There's something I've been wondering, but… I don't know that now is the best time…” 

“Nonsense,” Odysseus said, “Wait for me in the cabin, and I'll come talk to you once we get our course sorted.” 

Eurylochus nodded. 

When Odysseus went back to the cabin, he immediately noticed that Eurylochus looked a bit nervous. 

“What is it?” He asked, more concerned now. 

“Captain…” Eurylochus began, “Did I… In the future you saw… Did I die to Scylla?” 

Odysseus blinked, “No? Eurylochus, if I knew you died to Scylla I wouldn't have gone there. Or at the very least I would've had you stay in the cabin or something. You're my brother.” 

Eurylochus nodded. “Alright… I just… I feel like I should've died there. Like some kind of gut feeling…”

“...Maybe…” Odysseus said, frowning, “I'm trying to remember… But I think your death was after that…” 

“What do you mean?” Eurylochus asked. 

“I do remember them saying something about me sacrificing six men… Given that in this future I'd also gotten in a fight with my mentor and she stopped talking to me for ten years, I can imagine that a lot of things might've gone worse without her.” 

Especially since if we weren't friends anymore, she probably wouldn’t have been willing to take a stab wound for me, and disobey her father… He thought. 

Okay?” Eurylochus said, “But it wouldn't have only been six. It would've been six for every ship.” 

“Maybe the fleet was destroyed, and there was only one ship left, or something,” Odysseus shrugged, “But Scylla was never mentioned by name.”

Wait... Or had she...? It had been so long he could barely remember. Maybe Ares had said something about her? He wasn't sure. 

“I see…" Eurylochus said, "But if it was Scylla, do you think I could've been one of the six men killed by her?” 

“No,” Odysseus said, “I'm pretty confident what happened with you was after that.” 

The door opened, “What's going on?” Polites asked. 

“Eurylochus thinks he might've died to Scylla in that future I saw,” Odysseus explained, “I don't think so. Though, admittedly, what I heard about his death was a lot less detailed, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Scylla.” 

“Well how did he die?” Polites asked. “You might be able to talk about it now if it would've already happened. And if it hasn’t, then we'll know to still be careful going forward.” 

“I don't think that's necessary,” Odysseus said, “Because I'm entirely confident that his death is preventable on my end. From what I overheard, Eurylochus was killed BY ME, after he led a mutiny and had one of the other crew members physically stab me in the back.” 

Polites stared at him in horror. 

Odysseus blinked, “Well, I guess it would've already happened by now.” He turned to Eurylochus, “Thanks for letting me remain un-stabbed this time around!” 

Eurylochus stared at him, mouth agape. 

“Though for what it's worth, I'd already decided that I wouldn't kill you in revenge even if you had,” Odysseus told him. 

“I–...” Eurylochus began. 

“Okay…” Polites said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Let me get this straight,” he said to Odysseus, “You were told that in some version of the future, Eurylochus COMPLETELY betrayed you. Even getting you severely hurt. And you still trusted him!? You still let him be your second in command!? No offense, Eury, but–”

“No, no, I'm with you on this,” Eurylochus said, turning to Odysseus “You found out I did a MUTINY, and you still were fine trusting me!? …To think I called Polites naive… What in the world were you thinking!?” 

“You're my brother,” Odysseus said, shrugging, “I figured you must've had a good reason. Especially since, I think, before that I made some kind of bad call that got six men killed. It might've been Scylla… But like I said, I don't know.” 

Eurylochus nodded, slowly. 

“I still don't think you should've made him your second,” Polites said, folding his arms. “He would've had way too much authority if he HAD decided to betray you.” 

“Well, I already fixed that, didn't I?” Odysseus asked, gesturing to Polites, who was now his second in command.

They both looked unimpressed. 

He wrapped an arm around each of them. “You two are my friends. I figured the best way to prevent Eurylochus doing a mutiny was to just focus on being a good captain so he wouldn't feel the need to.” 

Polites sighed, then smiled, “I guess I can't argue with that.” 

“Yeah,” Eurylochus agreed, “And for what it's worth, I'd never do that. Aside from the fact that your mentor would kill me, I've already learned my lesson after what happened with the wind bag.” 

“See? It's all good now.” Odysseus grinned at them. 

Aphrodite was… Upset. After what she'd learned about Athena the day before, she just couldn't look at her the same way. She watched from her seat at the breakfast table, as Zeus gently pet Athena’s hair. 

“It's so good you're back from your trip,” Zeus said loud enough for everyone to hear, “My favorite child.” 

“It's good to be home, father,” Athena said, nodding politely. She was smiling in a reserved sort of way, as she leaned into her father's touch. 

Aphrodite’s mind conjured images against her will. Memories of Athena’s pained face during her ‘training'. Of her father smirking down at Athena fighting for her life. 

She felt no jealousy as Athena sat at their father's right hand side. Higher ranked than even Hera… 

But perhaps that was only because Athena was far more useful than Hera could ever be to him. 

She glanced at Artemis. At Ares. At Hera. None of them radiated jealousy the way they always had. Despite their polite smiles, Aphrodite could tell that if anything, they felt pity for Athena. Endless expectations of perfection and strength, and no real support system. No wonder she'd become so cold… 

Worse, because of her magic, Aphrodite could tell Athena was angry with her. She didn't know why. She hadn't been just yesterday… 

After breakfast, she sought her out, privately. 

“Athena?” Aphrodite asked. 

“What.” Athena wasn't even trying to hide the anger in her voice. 

“Why are you mad at me?” Aphrodite asked. 

Athena glared at her, “Oh? You figured that out with your magic, I assume?” 

“Wha–”

“Don't play stupid. Last night I decided to look at what you all said after you insulted me, and I left. I wanted to see if you were secretly plotting against me. Imagine my shock at hearing you mention that you'd used your magic on me at some point. Then I went back to find out when it was, and I learned you did it while I was unconscious. In front of a bunch of the other gods.” 

Aphrodite’s eyes widened. “I– I– I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just!” 

“Liar!” Athena snapped, “I block you out of my mind for a reason. You did that spell in hopes I was breaking my vow, to ‘expose’ me! You didn't CARE about me! You just wanted to invade my privacy and humiliate me!”

“N-No! I–” 

“Why do you hate me so much, Aphrodite!?” Athena demanded, “I've never done anything to you personally! It's not my fault you're not father's favorite! Why do you always go out of your way to harass me!?” 

Aphrodite’s eyes welled up with tears, and she began to sob uncontrollably.

As usual. Stupid, crybaby Aphrodite. 

“Why can't you be more like Athena!?” Zeus had demanded, as he hit her, “I don't have to beat her just to get her to stop sobbing like an infant! Control your emotions, girl!” 

“How are you so stupid!?” Zeus had asked, “At least Athena has the ability to think things through! Do you have cotton in your skull instead of brains!” 

It wasn't just Zeus… She'd smited many mortals for their hurtful words. 

“Dumb slut.” 

“She's the goddess of beauty, because she's too stupid to be anything else.”

“Athena’s amazing! She's the smartest of all the gods!” 

“If you think crying is going to make me feel sorry for you, it won't,” Athena told her. However, unlike so many others, she didn't yell. Her tone was matter-of-fact. She simply stood there, waiting for Aphrodite to compose herself. 

After some time, she did. Surprisingly, it seemed easier to stop crying when not under pressure. 

“I…” Aphrodite said, swallowing, “I was so jealous of you, Athena… You've always seemed so strong… Nothing ever seems to bother you! You can have the most hurtful things said to you, and yet I've never seen you cry… Maybe I… Maybe I just wanted to see what it would take— What it would take for you to break down… Like– Like I always do…” 

Athena frowned. Though she said nothing. 

“I'm sorry, Athena,” Aphrodite said, “I always assumed that since you were so perfect, you never had to suffer anything. Always strong, and smart, so why would you ever be punished by our father? Maybe I wanted to be the one to punish you instead… Because it felt so unfair that our father doesn't love me… That's not your fault, I know that… But… I guess you were someone I could take it out on… It's not fair that I have a father who doesn't love me. But… But it's also not fair that I bullied you when you didn't really do anything wrong. I'm so sorry… I should've said it yesterday. I was just– Just trying to move on I guess…”

She'd been trying to befriend Athena as quickly as possible, to try and somehow avoid the prophecy where she was so desperate to save a mortal that she'd die for him. 

Athena considered her words for a long moment.

Aphrodite looked up at her, from her spot on the floor. She'd been crying so hard she'd practically collapsed to the floor, and was now sitting on the ground. 

Athena looked down at her, seemingly searching for something in her expression. Perhaps trying to figure out if she was sincere. 

“I'm sorry…” Aphrodite said again. 

After a moment, Athena nodded. She held out a hand, to help Aphrodite off the floor. 

Aphrodite accepted, and Athena pulled her to her feet. 

“I'm still upset with you,” Athena said flatly. 

“I know…” Aphrodite told her. She did. She could feel it radiating from her. 

Athena narrowed her eyes at the reminder that Aphrodite could now sense her emotions. “Knock that off.” 

“I'll try,” Aphrodite said, “My magic doesn't really work that way, it kinda happens automatically. But I'll try to stop it.” 

“Okay,” Athena said, clearly frustrated. 

“Do you… Do you think you could ever forgive me?” Aphrodite asked, hesitantly. 

“I don't know,” Athena said, “But my student says I should at least try to be friends with my other family members.” 

“He seems pretty smart,” Aphrodite said. Because she agreed with him. Athena needed more support if she was ever going to break out of their father's brainwashing. 

-And wouldn't that just haunt her nightmares? So much love and adoration coming from a child, to a parent who saw them as nothing more than an object. A toy he could break if he wanted. Unconditional love for a man who seemed completely incapable of it… It had seemed so much more okay when Aphrodite had thought Athena didn't love her father either, but now…- 

“Of course he's smart,” Athena said, a hint of pride entering her tone, “Why else would I pick him as a student?” 

Aphrodite smiled. “Fair enough. I'm glad you have a friend, Athena.” 

She rolled her eyes, “Student,” Athena corrected. 

“Whatever you say,” Aphrodite grinned. 

It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. Maybe it could be enough to keep her safe. 

(It wasn't.)

Odysseus stepped off the boat, looking around the island. He saw a large amount of cattle, that would be good. They needed food. 

However, that's when he noticed the statue. A statue of the sun god Helios. These must be his cows. 

As soon as he noticed the other men eyeing the cows, he knew something needed to be done. 

“Men, this is the home of the sun god! If you kill his cattle, who knows what he'll send! We have to set sail from here.” He wasn't about to leave men alone with temptation. 

“But captain,” one of the men said, “They have so much meat, and we're so hungry! How do you expect us to just leave!?” 

Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do, Odysseus thought, as he saw the men eyeing the cattle.

“You heard the captain!” Polites said, “We have to get away from here!” 

“I'm not doing this anymore!” It was Perimedies who shouted the words. He pulled out his sword and ran towards the cattle. 

Eurylochus ran up to stop him. “What, are you crazy!? You'll get us all killed! Surely you can't be so hungry your brain has stopped working!?” 

“Of course I am!? We all are!” Perimedies looked at Eurylochus. “No… No! That's it isn't it!? We all kept wondering why you all kept hiding in the captain's cabin! You probably had food in there!” 

“What!?” Polites said, “No we didn't! We were planning our next move.” 

“No,” Perimedies said, an insane look in his eyes, “No! If that was all you were doing, you wouldn't have kept us all out…” 

“Perimedies…” Eurylochus began, holding his hands up like he was approaching a scared animal. 

Perimedies stabbed him in the stomach. Eurylochus crumpled to the ground. 

“Eurylochus!” Odysseus shouted, running over to him. He looked around at the crew, “Get him back to the ship. He needs medical care!” 

Odysseus watched as his men did as he requested. Breathing out a sigh once it seemed like Eurylochus would be okay. However, that relief was short lived when he heard a distraught ‘moo’ in the distance. 

“Perimedies…. No…” Odysseus breathed. He ran over to all the men not on the ship. 

“Captain…?” Perimedies asked. Soaked in the golden ichor of the once-immortal cow. 

“We need to get away from this island NOW!” Odysseus shouted. “Everyone, grab an oar and get us away as fast as possible! These cows were immortal! They were the sun god’s FRIENDS! And now that you've pissed him off, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN!?” 

The men didn't need to be told twice. They all rushed back to the ships, and got away as fast as possible. Unfortunately, Odysseus saw the sky's darken above him. Thunder crackling around them as his hair stood on end. They were too late. 

Zeus appeared on the ship. 

“You know,” he said, almost conversationally, “Men's pride is like a damsel in distress. Only I can fully expose it. As hard as you try, once I apply a bit of pressure, I get to see everything I want to.” 

Ew? Odysseus thought, despite the terror he was feeling.

“In case you're wondering, I'm here to bring the lightning and the thunder down upon you pathetic mortals.” Zeus let out a long, dark, laugh. “Tell me, Odysseus, if I were to make you choose between the lives of your crew, or your own, would they lose? After all, they disobeyed your orders. Or are you intent on dying a hero and leaving them to fend for themselves? Would you take the blame for your mens decisions, or since simple hunger was far too difficult for them, would you let them suffer a gruesome death?” 

“What…?” Odysseus breathed. 

“Choose.”

“Choose?” Odysseus asked, desperately hoping he wasn't saying what he thought he was. 

“Someone's got to die today, and you have got the final say. You, or your crew?” Zeus smirked. 

Odysseus shut his eyes. There was a faint sound of singing, and in his mind’s eye, he saw Penelope, and Telemachus as a baby, as well as the infant he'd saved from war. He knew exactly what he'd be giving up.

However, he also knew that his men had families of their own. And he trusted that Athena would make sure Penelope was taken care of. 

“Captain…” It was Polites who whispered the word. 

“Don't worry,” he said, glancing back at his friend. “Everyone knows the captain goes down with the ship.”

His crew all stared at him with wide eyes. 

“Take care of each other,” he told the men, “I'm leaving Polites in charge, with Eurylochus as second in command.” 

Then he turned back to Zeus. 

Was he imagining it, or did the god king look… disappointed? 

“Father?” 

Odysseus froze. That was Athena's voice… 

Zeus looked over at her, “What are you doing here, daughter?” 

“Father, I… I believe you are punishing the wrong person…” 

“Oh?” There was an edge of danger to the god king's tone. “Is he not responsible? He's their leader after all.” 

“He is in charge of these men,” Athena agreed, “However there's someone else, higher on the chain of command.” 

“Who?!” Zeus demanded.

“Me,” Athena said calmly. “Odysseus has been one of my students for years now. I am his mentor, and he follows my orders. However, I have not been around here recently. It was my negligence that caused this. Besides, I doubt Helios will be satisfied with the death of one man.”

“You think I'd kill my own daughter?” Zeus asked. 

Yes, Odysseus thought. He tried to call out to Athena, to tell her to leave! But his mouth seemed glued shut, as though she'd put a spell on him… 

“Not kill,” Athena said, “You’d never try to kill me. However you can strike me with lightning the same way you would've done to him. It will be a good way to build my pain tolerance anyways.” 

“And you think Helios will find that satisfactory?” Zeus said, “When there is no death?!” 

“The death of his cattle will be paid in ichor,” Athena said, “Far more significant than the blood of a single mortal.” 

Zeus gave her a long look. Then he grinned, “Very well, daughter. Let's see how you enjoy being struck with LIGHTNING! It might teach you some respect.” 

No… No! NoNoNo!!! Odysseus ran forward, trying to get close enough to intervene. However he was pulled back. 

“Odysseus!” Polites said in a hushed voice, holding him around the middle. “Trust Athena! She knows what she's doing!” 

No she doesn't! Odysseus thought, still unable to speak. 

Little did he know, he was wrong. Athena knew exactly what she was doing. 

Just the night before, Athena had used her Time Dive to see what Apollo, Ares, Artemis, and Aphrodite had spoken about after she left. Then she'd used it again to find out when exactly Aphrodite had used magic on her. 

This meant that she knew about the future Apollo had seen. She hadn't been able to see the vision herself, since Time Dive didn't allow her to hear people's thoughts, or see anything that didn't physically happen. However, she knew the jist, from what Apollo had said. 

“Father’s gonna murder her with lightning at some point. Likely over this same hero when she tries to protect him.”

Apollo seemed to think that her fate could be changed, but Athena didn't think so. How could a prophecy be altered? No. Athena knew what was going to happen. 

It made a lot of sense, actually. Odysseus must've seen this same future, and THAT'S why he didn't like her father. Her father was going to kill her by accident, from using too much lightning for her body to take. -It WOULD be an accident, right?- She knew how easy it was to end a god's life unintentionally. After what happened to Pallas, she didn't blame her father for it. 

So when she approached her father to plead for Odysseus’s safety, she'd cast a silencing spell on him. Just to make sure he didn't try to interfere. 

She didn't want him to interfere, because she'd already accepted what was going to happen. He'd just draw this out needlessly, or get them BOTH killed. She couldn't have that. 

This was her fate. Apollo had said as much. Death by lightning. They were all delusional if they thought this could be changed. -Athena didn't want to change it. She didn't want Odysseus to die. She couldn't bear the idea.- 

So she stood before her father, calmly accepting her fate. Her punishment. Just as she always had. 

This was why she was the favorite, because she didn't make a scene with needless emotions. She stood calmly before her father. As she felt the electricity gather above her in the sky, she smiled. She didn't wear her armor, not even trying to protect herself. 

Instead she greeted death with open arms. As the electricity bore down upon her, her smile widened into a childish grin. This decision felt so right. She was confident that this was the best possible outcome. 

Burning light struck her in the chest. It was agonizingly painful, and Athena was grateful when her vision, and mind, went black. 

She was ready to see Pallas again. 

She was ready to see her mother again. 

She was ready to greet Odysseus in the underworld, when his short mortal life finally came to a close. 

Darkness took her, for a time, and she was okay with it. After all, she was just a tool. Odysseus was what was important. -Especially because he'd always made her feel like she was somehow more than that. More than just a ordinary sword to use and break at a whim.- 

However there was one thing she wasn't ready for. One thing she hadn't even considered a possibility. 

She woke up. 

Chapter Text

Athena opened her eyes. She was greeted with the pale white ceiling of Apollo's infirmary. 

She groaned, sitting up. 

“Athena!?” Apollo rushed over to her. “Oh thank goodness! You're awake!” 

She blinked. “Yes... I am...” She hesitated, “...Why… Why am I still alive?” She asked. 

“What…?” Apollo asked, taken aback. 

“I did a time dive, I heard about the prophecy that I was going to die of lightning protecting Odysseus… I thought…” She frowned. 

Apollo's eyes widened, “Athena…” He whispered, “Was this some kind of… Suicide attempt?” 

She blinked, “Not… Really? I was just trying to follow the prophecy.” 

“That– No??? Don't do that! What the fuck!?” Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose. “That prophecy wasn't meant to be set in stone. Besides… Even if it was, you shouldn't just be okay with it!” 

Athena shrugged, “I've already accepted I may die a long time ago. I always thought I'd die protecting my father. However, dying protecting my student is fine too, I suppose.” 

Apollo’s eye twitched. “Hermes!” He called out. 

Hermes appeared almost immediately. “Yeah– OH! ATHENA! YOU'RE AWAKE!” 

To Athena’s immense shock, Hermes hugged her. 

“She is awake,” Apollo agreed, “Go tell the others, I'm not leaving her alone right now.” 

Athena frowned, confused. Why wouldn't he? It's not like she was in critical condition or something? She felt fine. -She was in a lot of pain. Her chest hurt so much.- She felt pretty much how she usually did, waking up in the infirmary.

“On it!” Hermes said, saluting. 

Athena rolled her eyes, and called out to Hermes as he left, “Yeah well, don't hold your breath. I doubt most of them would want to come see me.” 

-Unless it was to find out if she broke her vow so they could knock her off her throne of ‘fathers favorite’.- 

“You've been in a coma for SEVEN YEARS! Of course they'll want to see you!” Apollo snapped. 

“WHAT!?” Athena’s eyes widened. 

Seven years… Is Odysseus okay!? Did he make it home!? She stood up, intending to go look for him. 

Apollo shoved her back on the bed, “Sit the FUCK down!” 

“You don't understand!” Athena snapped, “I need to make sure he's safe!” 

Apollo blinked, seeming confused. Then it seemed to click. “Athena, you're in no state to go visit your mortal! I still haven't even taken all your stitches out. Do you have any idea how much lightning father used!? I wasn't even sure you'd wake up at all!” 

“I know exactly how much lightning father used!” Athena told him, “But that's not important! I need to make sure he's safe–”

“HE'S FINE!” Apollo snapped, “Father banished him and his men to Ogygia! He's trapped there, but perfectly safe. He'll still be safe by the time you've recovered!” 

Athena frowned. She knew of Ogygia. It was inescapable. She needed to figure out a way to get him off that island as soon as possible. He needed to get home to his wife and son… 

“Stop that!” Apollo said, clearly annoyed. “I know what you're probably thinking. You can try to find a way to save him AFTER your burnt skin isn't being held together with stitches and prayers! Honestly…” 

Athena glared at him. “I'm fine!” 

“No! You are NOT!” Apollo told her, “But you are about to be put on SUICIDE WATCH if I hear you complain one more time!” 

With a long sigh, Athena sat back down on the bed. Unfortunately, Apollo probably WOULD be able to get Hermes or someone to follow her around all the time. Her siblings always LOVED the opportunity to annoy her. 

__

In less than a minute from the time he'd left, Hermes came back, followed by several other gods. 

Aphrodite, which wasn't TOO surprising, given their last conversation. 

Artemis, which did surprise her more, given the fact she'd seemed so invested in checking if Athena had broken her vow. Then again, Athena had recently given her a gift, perhaps she felt indebted. Well actually that was seven years ago, but still...

Ares, who probably just missed having her as a sparring partner. 

Hera, who may have felt it was her obligation, since she was the queen of the gods, and her step mother. 

Hestia, which… Sorta made sense? She didn't know Athena well at all, or seem to care much about her specifically, but she was pretty nice in general. Maybe she felt like it'd be rude to say ‘no’ 

Persephone? Guess it must be summertime. Maybe she was here to tell Athena to stay out of her kingdom or something. 

Demeter, probably just here because of Persephone. She always tried to spend as much time with her daughter as possible. 

And lastly, Eos, who was the goddess of the dawn, and was probably here on behalf of Helios. Since it was midday, which meant he'd be busy. 

Athena looked at them. “Popular today, aren't I?” She asked, dryly. 

Aphrodite’s eyes widened, and she started balling her eyes out, and hugged her. She aggressively clung on to Athena’s chiton, and sobbed openly. 

Athena blinked, utterly shocked.

‘Help?!’ she mouthed at the other gods. She had no idea what to do with Aphrodite's hurricane of emotions. Even Odysseus wasn't ever this intense about it. 

Ares scoffed, “Yeah, good luck with that.” 

Artemis just shrugged, “She's been crying a LOT ever since you were brought here. Apollo had to kick her out of the infirmary several times.” 

Well okay then… Athena thought, awkwardly patting Aphrodite on the back. “Uh. It's okay. I'm fine. You don't need to be upset… Uh. There, there? Sorry I don't know what I'm supposed to say…” 

“How about that you'll NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!?” Aphrodite told her. 

“Okay? I won't do it again?” Athena said, really confused.

“I don't believe you!” Aphrodite snapped, clutching her chiton even tighter, “You wanna know why!?”

“Why…?” Athena asked. 

“Because my powers always get stronger when I'm upset! So when you were brought in here, I was accidentally able to sense the last emotion you felt before losing consciousness! And it wasn't fear! It wasn't anger! It wasn't even sadness! You were HAPPY, Athena! You were HAPPY TO GET HURT!” 

“What…?” Hermes breathed. 

“So it was a suicide attempt!” Apollo snapped, looking distraught. 

“Suicide?!” Ares asked, looking horrified. 

Apollo breathed heavily, hands buried in his hair, as though he was about to rip it out. “When she woke up… She asked why she wasn't dead… She told me she knew of the future where she died to lightning and decided to– To follow her fate– or something– I don't–” 

“It was suicide!?” Artemis demanded, “ACTUAL FUCKING SUICIDE!?” 

“She meant to die…” Aphrodite said in a hoarse whisper. “It must’ve been intentional… And she was HAPPY!” 

Athena was just a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of emotions in this room. It seemed like EVERYONE was crying for some reason. 

“Guys really,” Athena said, trying to de-escalate, “While I appreciate your concern, I'm perfectly fine. There's no reason to be upset.” 

“No reason to–!” Hermes glared at her. “YOU ALMOST DIED!” 

“Yes. However I didn't, so I don't see what the problem is.” Athena shrugged. “Frankly, I don't know why any of you would care, even if I did.”

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY!?!” Ares rounded on her, making Athena jump, slightly startled. 

Athena stared at all of them, utterly baffled. What was happening? She knew Odysseus often got emotional over her getting hurt, but he was a mortal, and those always had some weird quirk or two. Seeing it from her family was incredibly strange. 

“You really don't think we'd care…” Hera whispered, with a tone of realization. “You really thought we'd be okay with this…” 

“Of course,” Athena said, “This way father would have to pick a new favorite and you would all have a chance to gain his favor. Isn't that what you want? You've always said I don't deserve it. Now someone else would be getting his attention. 

“NOBODY WANTS TO BE HIS FAVORITE ANYMORE!” Artemis snapped. “NONE OF US! OKAY!?” She let out a sob, tears streaming down her face. 

“Alright, geez,” Athena said, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender 

This didn't help, and her family continued to cry. 

Eos cleared her throat, seemingly the only one not crying, “Excuse me… I uh– I'm here to apologize on the sun god’s behalf. He didn't want YOU struck down, only the mortal that killed his cow.” 

Athena nodded, hesitantly, “Well… Tell him that it's fine. It wasn't an accident or anything, I offered to take the lightning bolt to protect one of my students, so justice could still be served. It was my wish.” 

Eos nodded, looking rather uncomfortable, “Very well…” With that, she left. 

“YOU WHAT!?” Ares rounded on her. 

Athena blinked, confused. Aphrodite continued to cry on her.

“You asked for your father to strike you with lightning?” Hera whispered. 

She nodded, “Yeah, of course. I had to protect my student. Plus it was my fate anyways. ‘She’ll probably be killed protecting her favorite hero’, isn't that what you said, Apollo? I figured father would use too much lightning and accidently kill me. It's not like I blame him for it either.” 

Apollo was shaking, with what seemed like rage. Then he just started crying harder. He grabbed her in a hug. Supplanting Aphrodite, who went and started clinging to Ares since Athena was now unavailable. 

“Are…” Apollo began, voice watery with tears, “Are you really so unhappy that… That DYING seems like a good idea? Would that actually make you feel BETTER!?” 

Athena blinked. Then just shrugged. “I'm not unhappy,” she -lied- said, “I'm fine either way.” 

She wasn't unhappy. Not while Odysseus was still alive. Would she have anything left afterwards?

“What is in the underworld that makes it appealing to you?” Persephone asked. “More so than up here?” 

Athena blinked. Then turned away. “I dunno…” She lied. 

“Athena…” Hestia said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Please…” 

“I– Well,” Athena began, trying to sound casual, “That's where my mom would be, and… My old friend. Plus Odysseus is going to end up there eventually, so… It might be nice…” 

Persephone hummed, thoughtfully, “If you want, I can try to talk to my husband about letting you visit sometimes? There's no need to… Make any permanent decisions…” 

“I… That would be appreciated…” Athena admitted. 

“See!?” Ares demanded, “Easy! Try to think things THROUGH, miss ‘goddess of strategy’! Why would you…?!”

To Athena's complete and utter shock, ARES hugged her. Apollo pulled away, seemingly content to let Ares have a turn. 

“Stop playing the roll of father's favorite plaything,” he murmured, as he held on to Athena, “It's clearly just making you miserable.” 

“I'm not his ‘plaything’, I'm his tool. There's a difference. I'm useful, not just entertaining,” Athena told him, rather offended. 

“You're not his tool either–” Ares was now hugging her so tight it was painful, “I swear I'm about to find one of those places to fix people who've been brainwashed, and send you there! This isn't… This isn't normal! None of our family is! But you're worse than any of us with him! I don't know how you don't see that! I don't know how WE never saw it…” 

Athena blinked, she was very confused. “I'm… not? I'm not brainwashed? I told father that he should strike me with lightning instead of my student. It was MY idea. Plus he was careful enough that he didn't even kill me. I have no idea where you're getting ‘brainwashed’ from.” 

Ares let her go, taking a few deep breaths. “Okay… I'm gonna go for a walk. If I stay here any longer I'm going to punch her until she ends up in another coma. Bye.” With that he left. 

Athena glanced around the room, wondering if anyone was as baffled as she was. 

“‘He didn't even kill me’,” Hermes said, in an almost mocking sort of tone. “‘He didn't kill me when he struck me with lightning, so obviously he's the nicest guy in the world’, By Gaia, I can't even…” He put his head in his hands for a few seconds. Then went and hugged Athena. 

“Why do you people keep hugging me!?” Athena demanded. 

“You almost died,” Artemis told her, “You've been in a coma for seven years. YOU ARE GETTING AFFECTION TODAY.”  

Athena sighed. She awkwardly pat Hermes on the back, as he held on to her. 

Artemis sighed after a moment, “Also… I think I should apologize.” 

Athena looked at her. 

“Aphrodite mentioned to me awhile back that you were upset she used magic to invade your privacy,” Artemis explained, “By the sound of things, I think you thought that I was just trying to see if I could use your broken vow against you, to gain father’s favor.”

“Is that not what you were doing?” Athena asked her. 

“No,” Artemis said, “It was actually because… As a virgin goddess, I've had a lot of mortal men try to ‘change my mind' so to speak. I was worried that if you were breaking your vow, it would only encourage them. I wasn't planning to use it against you with father. Frankly, I don't think he'd care if you WERE getting with someone. Considering how many mortals he's been with.”

Hera grimaced at the reminder. 

“I was planning on yelling at you for potentially making men think that they have a chance with me,” Artemis continued, “Since it's such a headache in my life… Either way, it still wasn't okay of me to do. I'm sorry.” 

Athena nodded slowly, “Well… I suppose I can forgive that. I also find it annoying when humans do that. I've had my fair share of men doing it as well, and it's incredibly annoying. At this point I just cut off their… Anatomy whenever they try. It happens a lot less often now.”

“Really?” Artemis asked, “I KILL them, and it still happens just as much.” 

“That's because if you let them live they'll tell other humans. Spreads the word, and gives you a reputation that makes it clear you shouldn't be bothered,” Athena explained. 

“Huh,” Artemis said, thoughtfully, “Good to know…” 

Suddenly the door opened. 

“What are you all doing here?” Zeus asked. Then he spotted Athena. 

She immediately stood at attention, pushing Hermes away from her, so she didn't seem weak. “Father…” She said, tentatively. -Was he still angry with her?- 

He smiled, kindly, looking down at her. “Daughter! You're finally awake!” He gently cupped her cheek. 

She smiled, and leaned into his hand. -The best part of getting hurt was how nice her father often was right afterwards.- 

“It's so nice to have my favorite child back with me,” Zeus said. He glanced at everyone else, as though daring them to comment. 

-Athena really wished he wouldn't do that.- She wondered what the others had done this time, to earn his passive aggression. However, she quickly decided to ignore it, and just enjoy her time with her father while he seemed happy to be with her. 

“How do you feel?” Zeus asked her. 

“I'm feeling just fine, father,” Athena told him. 

“Good. In that case I expect you to get back to work. Your siblings have been trying to handle your responsibilities while you've been gone, but they could never do it as well as you do. I also have some additional tasks for you. Things the others aren't STRONG enough to handle.” Zeus seemed to glance at Artemis. 

In her peripheral vision, Athena noticed that all her siblings looked deeply upset. Well at least things will be going back to normal now, she thought. I'm sure they'll go back to hating me now. -Why was she kind of sad about that?- 

“Of course, father. I'll get to work immediately. I know I have a lot to make up for after such a long break,” Athena told him. 

“Good girl,” he pressed a kiss to her forehead, and began stroking her hair. 

“Actually,” Apollo said, with barely concealed emotion, “She's still not in great shape. She might feel fine, but it would be best for her long-term health if she could stay in the infirmary a bit longer.” 

Zeus considered this. He looked at Athena. “What do you think, daughter? Do you think it's necessary for you to spend more time laying in bed?” 

Athena hesitated. 

‘No, no, of course not, father! I’m fine!’ That's what she would've always said. However her skin was itching with burns that were still healing, and she was in pain. -And maybe she wanted to spend just a bit longer with her siblings, if they were still going to be nice to her today. But then again, why would they?- 

“I… I defer to your judgement father,” Athena said, “I am not a medical expert. I feel as though I could get back to work, but… But I have occasionally experienced times where medicine made me feel more healed than I actually was, and I got overconfident…” -Specifically when she'd gotten that stab wound, and took so much medicine just to see Odysseus.- 

She bowed her head, hoping her father wouldn't punish her for her weakness in admitting she might need additional care. She made an effort not to start shaking. Or would that be better? Make her seem more sick? Her breath quickened slightly, as her anxiety rose in her chest. 

“Hm…” Zeus said thoughtfully, “In that case… Perhaps it'd be good to spend an extra hour or two here, just to be sure you're feeling alright, before getting back to work. What do you think?” 

-Not a question. An order.-

“That seems like a great idea, and I think that will be good for Apollo's peace of mind as well,” Athena said. 

“Good,” Zeus said, lightly stroking her hair, and tucking a stray strand behind her ear. “I have to go attend to different matters, I trust you'll work hard while I'm gone?”

“Of course,” Athena agreed. 

“Yes, I'm sure she will,” Apollo said, stepping forward slightly, “Assuming she's really up for it. I don't want to discharge her too early. Normally I wouldn't let someone who'd just been in a coma leave the med bay for at least a week. I might have to keep her here for another day or so. Just to be SURE.” 

Zeus scoffed, “Are you always so overprotective, Apollo? I'm sure she's strong enough to handle it.” 

Athena nodded. She IS strong. Her father had taught her to be strong. -If she wasn't strong she would've been dead long before now.- 

“We'll see,” Apollo said, noncommittally, “I still want to check. I mean, she just woke up, I'm sure NO ONE wants to see her get hurt again.” 

Why was there such an edge to Apollo's tone? It almost sounded like anger… Why would he be angry? Athena was fixed up now, and ready to return to normal. -Ready to be used again. Broken again.-

Aphrodite was crying again. Her father seemed to notice this. 

“What's the matter with YOU?” He asked, dismissively.

Aphrodite seemingly couldn't get a word out, sobbing. Hermes wrapped an arm around her, almost protective. 

“She's been upset for a long time over Athena being in a coma,” Hermes said, calmly. (Too calmly. He was about to lie–) “I think she's just worried about Athena getting more hurt, because of what Apollo said, that's all.” 

Zeus scoffed, “She needs to stop being ridiculous.” He raised his hand slightly, clearly about to hit her. Hermes immediately stepped forward, shielding Aphrodite's body with his own. 

Zeus, apparently changing his mind, only ran a hand through his own hair. “I have to go now. See that you all BEHAVE YOURSELVES,” he practically growled. With that he left. 

Athena slowly exhaled, trying to calm herself. She wasn't sure why she'd been even more -scared- nervous than usual. -Or why images of lightning kept appearing In her minds eye.-

“Athena?” Apollo asked, “Is your injury bothering you?” 

She hadn't even noticed she'd been holding a hand over her chest, right where she'd been struck with lightning. 

“I… Yes,” she lied, “Could I get some pain medicine?” 

In truth she wasn't in any more pain than before. She was just being emotional. Which was ridiculous, that was Aphrodite's job. Emotions had nothing to do with ATHENA'S domains, so she had no excuse for it. 

Speaking of Aphrodite. She walked over to Athena, looking angry. She then slapped Athena across the face. 

Because Aphrodite wasn't the strongest anyway, and she was already using a lot of energy bawling her eyes out, the slap didn't particularly hurt. So Athena was more offended than anything. 

“STOP THAT!” Aphrodite shouted. “STOP! JUST STOP LOVING HIM! …You're afraid of him… But you love him anyway…” 

“I thought we talked about you not reading my emotions anymore,” Athena said, trying to change the subject. 

Though she really did need to figure out a way to block Aphrodite out again… 

“I can't help it!” Aphrodite snapped, “I told you, my powers get stronger when I'm upset! You need to STOP Athena! Or you're gonna get yourself killed someday!” 

“Okay,” Athena said. -She was supposed to die for her father. That was the point of having a tool, so it broke instead of you.- 

“Of course you don't even care…” Aphrodite murmured, “How could you!?” 

Athena blinked, incredibly confused. 

“How could you be just fine leaving us all!? I know you hated ME! But what about Apollo!? And Hermes!? What about Ares!?” 

Athena shrugged, “They'd probably get over it.” 

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY!?” It was Ares who spoke, apparently choosing that moment to return. 

“Did you not hear me, or…?” Athena asked, confused as to what exactly he was so angry about.

Ares took several deep breaths. Could gods blow a blood vessel? 

“You know what,” Ares said, “I think it's time we have a discussion. You're not allowed to leave until we get you to say out loud that our father is terrible to you.” 

Athena stared at him. 

“Oooh that’ll be perfect!” Hermes said, “She hates not being able to leave.” 

“This feels unnecessary,” Athena said. 

“Oh I'm sorry,” Artemis sassed, “Did you not just let our father give you head pats, less than a couple minutes ago? Despite the fact that he struck you with lightning, and the moment he walked in here you went pale with fear.” 

“I'm sorry, WHAT!?” Ares demanded. 

“I'm not even joking,” Artemis said, sounding pained. “He walked in here, and–” she walked up to Athena and cupped her face the same way her father had. 

Athena considered protesting it, or pushing her away, but she had a feeling that wouldn't help her convince people that she WASN'T too devoted to their father. 

“Then he started petting her hair, like this,” Artemis said, gently stroking Athena’s hair. “Not only did she LET him, but she looked like she was happy about it.” 

“So?!” Athena asked, defensively, “You guys were ALL hugging me and whatnot, and I let YOU do that. Am I not allowed to enjoy affection from my own father?” 

“YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ENJOY AFFECTION FROM ANYONE WHO'S STRUCK YOU WITH LIGHTNING!” Ares screamed. 

Then all of a sudden, DEMETER was hugging her. 

“Why…?” Athena asked, deeply confused. Demeter was technically her aunt, but like– they'd barely spoken. 

“I don't know how your father could do that to you,” Demeter said, softly. “No parent should be able to do that! I'd rather kill myself than harm Persephone even half as much as what your father did to you…” 

“I–...” Athena began, “I think it's different for fathers. My mother never–” 

“It's not,” Persphone said, “Hades and I have a daughter, you may have heard of her. Her name is Melinoe. Hades would never do something like this to anyone, but especially not to our child.” 

“I'm a goddess of war–”

“She is the goddess of nightmares,” Persephone said, “And it's not as though she never fights. She often faces monsters in the underworld, just as we all have to. However, she's never had to fight her father. In fact, it was I who trained her. Hades has never once caused her pain.” 

Athena’s eyes widened. 

“Every monster ever killed has had to be killed a second time by me or my family, in order to actually get rid of it,” Persephone told her, “Otherwise it might eventually escape. My daughter fights them more than anyone, yet we have never felt the need to seriously hurt her. There is no justifiable reason for your father to treat you this way, cousin.”

Athena, to her utter humiliation, felt her eyes well up with tears. She didn't let them fall, but… 

But… Every monster? If Persephone's daughter had to fight just as many monsters as Athena did... But Hades had never felt the need to hurt her... 

Then... Then why did Zeus? 

Her body HURT. And… And it didn't have to? It didn't have to be like this? She could've fought just fine without her father's training? 

A thousand phantom pains seemed to wash over her, memories of every ‘training’ session she'd ever gone through. 

“Would you ever treat one of your students like that?” Hera asked, “Your favorite one especially, did you do stuff like that while training HIM?” 

“No…” Athena whispered, cold realization washing over her mind. “I gave him bruises often, but I never broke the skin. Except one time I accidentally cut his hand with the tip of my spear. I ended training immediately, and sent him home for the day…” 

He'd complained the next day that it was unnecessary. That the bleeding had stopped by the time he'd gotten back to his room. That she didn't need to send him home over ‘what was basically a bad paper cut’. She'd still felt bad though, and had been extra careful going forward. 

“Is he a good fighter?” Ares asked. 

“Of course,” Athena said, immediately. 

“Can he keep going after getting hurt?” Ares asked. 

“Yes…” Athena said, remembering several injuries he'd got during war, and the times he'd kept fighting regardless. "Yes he can..." She shut her eyes. 

“Then MAYBE,” Artemis said, “The amount of suffering father put you through was unnecessary and cruel.” 

“Maybe…” Athena whispered. A few tears finally fell, sliding down her cheeks. 

It was Aphrodite who wiped them away. 

“We aren't doing this to upset you,” Hermes said softly, “We just want you to stop destroying yourself for someone who hurts you. Even though none of us can really disobey him… What you do for him is so much more intense, and unhealthy.” 

Athena nodded slowly. 

It was Artemis who hugged her next. 

And Athena…

Athena decided that if she could forgive her father's torture, over and over again, for so LONG… Then she could probably forgive her siblings too. They seemed to be trying now, and some of them had even apologized. -Her father had never once done that.- 

For the first time since Pallas died, Athena let herself relax into affection from someone other than her father, or Odysseus.

Chapter Text

Athena’s family decided to spend the next few hours in the infirmary, just talking. Keeping her company, as Athena sipped the nectar that Apollo had given her. 

“So, earlier,” Persephone said, “When you mentioned your friend, were you talking about Pallas?” 

Athena’s eyes widened, “Yes. Yes! Do you know her?!” 

Persephone hesitated, “I did know her. However… She's not in the underworld anymore.” 

“What?” Athena asked. 

“She went to Elysium,” Persephone explained, “And when you go there, you have the option to reincarnate at any time.” 

“So she's up here then…” Athena said, slowly. 

“Yes, she should be,” Persephone said with a shrug, “It wasn't that long ago, probably within the average mortal’s lifetime.”

“She's a mortal now?” Hermes asked.  

“Yeah, most are reincarnated as humans these days. Since humans are more widespread than most other creatures. I mean, the only options are gods, nymphs, and humans, since monsters don't count.

Athena’s breath hitched. Pallas was a mortal? 

Her mind conjured images of all the different painful ways humans could die. Fire, ambrosia, lightning, drowning, swords, and so many more... 

Without thinking, she brought herself and Persephone into Quick Thought. 

The other goddess blinked. “Uh, just for future reference, I prefer other gods ask permission, before bringing me to their realms.” 

“Sorry…” Athena said. She realized that being taken to another realm against her will might've been a bit of a sore spot for Persephone. “I'm sorry… I just–” 

“It's alright,” Persephone said, gently, “I know you didn't know. What did you bring me here for?” 

“I… I need your help…” Athena told her, “My Time Dive power only works if I know roughly where and when something happened. I don't know anything about the underworld, so I've never been able to look down there. I… I need to find out who Pallas got reincarnated as.” 

Persephone sighed, looking sympathetic. “Athena… It won't be like before,” she said gently, “I've seen a lot of people get reincarnated. They're often very different, because while their soul is the same, their memories are gone, and they are raised very differently. That changes a person drastically. Their personality, their skills, a lot of that will be completely different. That's why making it to the Isle of the Blessed is so rare. She won't remember you, and she might not want anything to do with you.” 

“I don't expect her to be exactly the same,” Athena said, “I don't even expect to befriend her, or anything. I just– I just need to check on her. Help her, if I can. I want to give her some kind of blessing or SOMETHING to make up for the fact that I KILLED HER. And… And make sure she's safe. At least as much as a mortal CAN be.” 

Persephone considered, “Alright… Alright, I'll help you.” 

After some instruction, Athena was able to do her Time Dive.

Upon seeing Pallas’s face again, she nearly collapsed. (Which was kind of impressive because she was in her mind, and problems of the body didn't carry over.) 

“So,” Persephone of the past said, standing next to Hades, “New life? That's exciting.” 

“Yeah,” Pallas agreed, her usual lopsided grin on her face. “I mean this place is nice, and I'm grateful for y'all's hospitality, but honestly I'm getting a bit bored.” 

“Fair enough,” Hades said. “Here's your ticket for your new life.” He handed her a small coin-like object. 

“If you close your hand around it, you can see who you're going to be,” Persephone told her. “Your new name, parents, social status, country. All that basic information.” 

“Alright?” Pallas said, “But I can't change it, and I doubt you'd let me pick a new one, so why would you even show me?” 

“My wife likes to watch people's reactions,” Hades explained. 

Pallas laughed, “Alright then, I guess I can be your entertainment for today.” 

Athena watched intently, hoping Pallas's reaction would give her some clues as to who she ended up as. 

As she closed her hand around the object, she blinked, then laughed. 

“Royalty, huh?” Pallas said, raising an eyebrow. 

Royalty… Athena mentally noted. Unfortunately there were thousands of humans who were a member of some royal family.

“Is this favoritism ‘cause I'm a god, or do ya just like me?” Pallas asked Hades. 

“I… Suppose I gave you something nicer because I feel a bit responsible for what happened, considering you were killed by a close family member and all,” Hades admitted. 

Pallas gave him a hard look, “That wasn't her fault,” she said sternly, “She’d hardly been trained and she didn't mean to.” 

“I never said it was,” Hades said, “I was actually referring to my brother. It's not just you, either. I try to give people a good next life if they're smited by a god and reach Elysium. The fact that they're in Elysium shows they didn't deserve it.” 

“Fair enough,” Pallas said, “You really had to make me a dude though?”

“I–” Hades began, looking slightly offended. 

“Nah, I'm just joking. This'll work great,” Pallas told him. 

She's male now, Athena thought, drinking up any information she could gather. 

“I'm glad you like it,” Persephone said, happily. 

“I wonder if I'll see ‘Thena again…” Pallas mused, “Higher class means I’ll be more likely to draw a god’s attention, won't it?” 

Hades looked at Persephone. He seemingly had no idea. 

“Not… Necessarily,” Persephone said. “I don't know the goddess Athena that well. She's quite antisocial. I've heard she trains mortals sometimes, but I doubt she'd be any more interested in you based on your class. It seems like a skill thing for her.” 

“Well I'm sure I can find a way to draw her attention,” Pallas grinned. 

You’ll have my attention right now, if you'll just give me a LITTLE more information! Athena thought, frustrated. 

“Also,” Pallas said, “And this ain't your fault, Mr death-god, sir, but what is this name!?” She laughed. 

A name… If she just tells me the name I could find her easily!

“My soon-to-be parents must be a pretentious lot,” Pallas said, “I'm literally a goddess and my name has six letters, but no! They need their kid to have a long ass name, AND title.” She laughed. 

“What's the name?” Persephone asked, seeming amused. 

Thank Gaia for Persephone, Athena thought. 

“These fucking people decided to name me ‘Odysseus: Crown Prince to the kingdom of Ithica’! have you ever heard something more–”

Athena’s Time Dive SHATTERED. 

She was back in Quick Thought. Alone. 

Odysseus is a reincarnation of Pallas… ODYSSEUS is a REINCARNATION of PALLAS! 

Athena had no idea what to do with this information. 

She knew that reincarnation didn't make them the same person. They had the same soul, but they were separate identities. Conflating the two wouldn't be helpful, at all. However… She couldn't help but wonder if Pallas was the reason Odysseus had tried so hard to befriend her. -And succeeded.-

Athena pulled up another Time Dive, one of her training Odysseus. She watched carefully, looking for any similarities between the two of them. It almost didn't make sense. Odysseus had a silver tongue, whereas Pallas was incredibly blunt and straightforward. Plus the roll reversal threw her for a loop. Since Pallas had been ATHENA’S mentor.

But then she saw it. 

“Impressive,” Athena had praised. “You're improving quickly.” 

Odysseus grinned. That same lopsided grin that Pallas always had…

Thinking about it, Athena found she still couldn't see Odysseus and Pallas as one and the same. However she did think that going through an entire reincarnation to try and get her a new friend, was EXACTLY the kind of thing Pallas would do. And frankly, EXACTLY the kind of thing Odysseus would do.

Was trying to be her friend so embedded in their soul that it transcended lifetimes? Even when other parts of their personalities ended up completely different? 

…Maybe that meant Pallas really DIDN'T blame Athena after all… 

Suddenly, all Athena could think about was Pallas's death. And about all the times she'd sparred with Odysseus. How easily she could've made the exact same mistake again. Especially with him being a mortal, and so, SO much weaker… 

If her spear had ever slipped slightly in her hand and she could've sliced his head off. 

She could've easily stabbed him accidentally when she was having him practice different blocks. 

What if he'd hit his head when she'd knocked him down, and crushed it against a rock or something!? 

Her breath quickened slightly. 

Then she thought about the fact that he was trapped on Calypso's island, all because she wasn't smart or strong enough to be able to fully protect him..

Tears slid down her face. She felt like she'd failed all over again… 

Was he even okay!? She needed to check! 

She immediately did another Time Dive. Just over seven years ago, and on the island of Ogygia. 

By the time Odysseus washed up on an island, the silencing spell had worn off. It had taken about an hour to do so. He'd hidden in his cabin as soon as Zeus had left, hoping the spell would break on its own. 

It had worn off, but that didn't help much NOW.

-It had been so horrible to see his mentor be struck down and be completely unable to make a sound…- 

Tears streamed down his face as he remembered what had happened. There had been a blinding flash, and then Athena had been almost unrecognizable. Burned and bleeding all over. She'd seemed even more injured than she had in the future he'd seen. Zeus had taken her away, so he had no idea if she was okay… 

But then he remembered. He had that favor token! 

He pulled it out, and was incredibly confused by what he saw. Athena’s symbol was incredibly faded, and it almost looked smudged, but it was still clearly there. 

What does this even mean!? Odysseus wondered, clutching the small object. 

“Um… Hey, Ody?” It was Polites who spoke. He sounded a bit nervous, “The men have some questions… Do you want me to explain what you told me about your mentor? I don't know if I can get them to leave it alone now…” 

Odysseus shook his head, pocketing the favor token. “No… No, I'll talk to them…” 

He walked out onto the deck of the ship, feeling… Numb. 

He was surrounded by his crew, who all looked confused and concerned. 

“Is… Is it true?” Perimedies asked. 

“Is what true?” Odysseus asked. 

“Is Athena really your mentor?!” Another crew member asked.

“Yes,” Odysseus said softly, “Yes, she was– well is…” Hopefully. Hopefully she was still alive. She'd looked so hurt, and the sight of Zeus carrying her limp body made his blood boil. 

“She…” Odysseus continued, “She's been helping us. However I wasn't allowed to tell you all because she told me not to. She doesn't like to be harassed by a bunch of random mortals. Her words, not mine.”

He glared at Perimedies, tears filling his eyes, as Odysseus realized that if it weren't for him, none of this would've happened! “All those times I was ‘hiding’ in the cabin was just so I could talk to my mentor! And try to get YOU home! I would never hide food from the crew you stupid fucking–” He punched Perimedies. Right in the nose. There was a ‘crack’ and blood started pouring down his face. 

“Captain…” One of the men whispered, but Odysseus ignored it. 

“THIS IS YOUR FAULT!” Odysseus screamed at the man. “If you'd just trusted me and left the cows alone, she'd still be OKAY!” A title wave of rage swelled in his chest, and he attacked again. 

“Odysseus! Stop!” It was Polites who spoke, “You're gonna kill him!” 

Odysseus blinked. That's when he noticed that his hands were tight around Perimedies’s throat. With some effort, he let the man go. 

“I'm going back to my cabin,” Odysseus said, “Polites can answer any further questions.” With that he left. 

Polites sighed as Odysseus left. 

“Please go easy on him,” he told the crew. “The two of them are very close.” 

“Really?” One of the crew members asked. 

“Yes,” Polites said.

Then he told them all the stories he'd been told, by Athena, and by Odysseus. In general he wouldn't share stuff like that, but after seeing the captain lash out at Perimedies like that, they needed to understand so they didn't grow resentful. 

So Polites told him about how Athena had trained him, and taken care of him. About how Odysseus had asked for her help to marry his wife. About him inviting Athena to his wedding, and her protecting it from the rain. Then, lastly, how Odysseus had asked Athena to hold his son, and that she had. 

“She never let him tell anyone,” Polites finished, “I was only allowed to find out recently. However I've seen the two interact quite a bit now. They seem like close friends, almost like family members.” 

The men all nodded, looking thoughtful. 

“So…” One spoke, “He basically just watched his mom get struck by lightning? No wonder he seems like such a wreck.” 

“I dunno about mom,” Polites said, “But yeah, the two are very close. He's probably not doing very well. Go easy on him, alright?” 

“Yes sir,” the men said. 

It was kinda nice being second in command.

Odysseus was so despondent that Polites had to take charge of everything once they reached the island. Fortunately, the woman there was quite friendly. 

Admittedly, he'd approached the situation with some measure of caution (as did all the men who'd interacted with Circe) but after a couple days where she didn't do anything to harm them, he allowed himself to relax. 

It was about a week after things settled down that Hermes appeared. 

Odysseus looked up from his makeshift shrine. He'd been trying to contact Athena. Even though he hadn't truly expected it to work. 

“That is the seventh time you've tried to pray to her, I believe,” Hermes noted. 

“Do you know if she's okay!?” Odysseus asked, panicked, and utterly desperate for news. 

“She's… Alive, for now. She's in a coma. Apollo says she'll probably be okay, but… But we don't know… He's doing his best. I'm here since I'm handling most of Athena’s prayers while she's unavailable. However, trying to get to this island is THE WORST, so don't expect to see me again.” 

A coma… A COMA!? 

Oh that was bad… That was very very bad. 

“Is– Is that why…?” He pulled out the favor token, which still seemed faded and smudged. 

“She gave you a favor!? Wow. She must REALLY like you, she never gives those.”

Odysseus held it close, almost protectively. Hermes was the god of THIEVES after all. 

“Don't worry, I'm not gonna try to take it from you,” Hermes said, “It won't work anyways.”

“What do you mean?” Odysseus asked. 

“It's clearly an inactive spell,” Hermes explained. “Spells only look all faded like that when they aren't working right. Not broken, just… Countered, I guess. Like if I put a spell on something that made it do magic for one specific person, and then that person died. The spell isn't gone, just unusable. In this case, my best guess would be that since she's SO injured, and in such a bad coma, using the favor token wouldn't be enough to wake her.”

“I see…” Odysseus said slowly. He remembered what Athena had said about the magic of the token giving additional energy, and waking her up. However, he also doubted she was including lightning wounds as a potential reason for being unconscious. 

“However, it's good that you have it,” Hermes told him. “If she dies the spell will fade completely, at least that's what I've been told by Apollo. So the symbol would probably completely disappear. And if she wakes up, it'll probably go back to the way it was originally.” 

Odysseus nodded. “That makes sense… Thank you for letting me know.”

“Yeah, well,” Hermes said, “Like I said, don't get used to it. Because of the spell, this island is almost impossible to get to, even for the gods. I'm the only one actually able to come here, since I'm the god of travel. However, even for me it's very difficult. I just thought… Well, she clearly sees you as a friend, and I guess that counts for SOMETHING.” He ruffled Odysseus's hair, “Thanks for taking care of her, I guess…” With that, he left. 

Odysseus sighed. Pocketing the token once again. At this point, all he could do was wait. 

Odysseus stood at the edge of the cliff. He just… He was so tired. It had been seven years on this island. He looked at the favor token, still faded, just as it had been since she'd been hit. He didn't think Athena would ever wake up at this point… 

He missed Penelope. He wished he could see his son. He'd be twenty by now, wouldn't he? Odysseus had completely missed his entire childhood… 

And what about his adoptive son? Would he be okay? Would he… Hurt anyone? Odysseus had been so confident in his decision originally, but… But what if Telemachus or Penelope were hurt? What if THAT'S what ‘revenge’ had meant in that prophecy? 

He couldn't keep anyone safe. Polites was a better captain than him at this point. Odysseus had become so reclusive, and the men barely saw him anymore. Polites was the one they usually looked to for leadership now. Eurylochus had regained their trust slowly, and was basically Polites’s second in command. They didn't need Odysseus. 

Maybe… 

Maybe they never had…

Maybe, in trying to save everyone, Odysseus had actually been the one to doom them all. Maybe if Polites or Eurylochus had been leading them from the start, they'd all be home right now, and Athena would’ve been safe. 

He looked over the edge of the cliff. He wasn't really gonna… 

But a part of him wanted to. A part of him wanted all this to stop. The stress of not knowing what was going on with his family. With Athena… If he was in the underworld, he wouldn't have to worry about that, or about getting home…

He'd be free of it all. All the stress… 

A few tears slid down his face. 

“Captain…?” It was a soft voice. Polites’s voice. 

Odysseus didn't respond. He didn't have anything to say. 

“Captain, please come over here. You're… You're so close to the edge, I'm worried you're going to… To fall. Accidentally.” Polites’s voice was like a siren call. A temptation to stop what he was doing and go over to his friend. 

“I'm not… I'm fine, Polites.” Odysseus didn't turn around. He couldn't look at his friend, while knowing what he'd just been thinking about. 

“Good, I'm glad you're ‘fine’. Then why don't you come over here, yeah? I mean, I love a nice view as much as the next guy, but getting too close to the edge is dangerous, you know?” Polites’s tone was friendly. An over-exaggerated version of something conversational. 

He turned to look, Polites was standing several feet away, a gentle smile, and his hands up. As though Odysseus was a nervous animal. 

“Come over here, please,” Polites said, his eyes filled with tears. “Please, Ody. I– I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt. You're my friend, please come over to me. Away from the ledge.” 

And Odysseus… 

Odysseus ran right into his friend's open arms. 

“I—” Odysseus began, sobbing, “I'm sorry, I don't know what I was–”

“It's okay,” Polites said, “It's all okay. You're safe, and that's what matters.” 

“But Athena isn't!” Odysseus said, “And who knows how everything is back home! I just…” 

“I know,” Polites said softly.

“I miss them all so much! I feel like a failure! Normally Athena would be here to tell me what I should do! She always helped me when I got in over my head! But she's in a COMA because of me!”

“It's not your fault,” Polites told him, “It was her own choice to sacrifice herself. And if I was her, I'd be pretty upset if I saw you throw that away.” 

Odysseus just sobbed harder, knowing Polites was RIGHT. 

“I just… I just wish I had some way to know that everything's okay! Is her health improving, or not!? I wish I knew what was going on back home, so I wouldn't have to worry about how things in the kingdom are going without me…” 

“I know,” Polites said, “I do too. Giving up won't help anything, though. Okay?” 

Odysseus nodded. “Yeah… Yeah, I know…” 

Athena’s eyes filled with tears. She needed to find a way to talk to him. NOW. 

She kept a lot of things in Quick Thought. Including some paper, and writing materials. She wrote a letter. She made sure it contained proof that she was who she had she was. Then she sealed it. After that, she grabbed one more object, just in case, and finally exited Quick Thought. 

“Did it work?” Persephone asked. 

Athena blinked, confused. Then she remembered. That whole thing started because she wanted to know about Pallas. 

“Yes. It turns out my friend was actually reincarnated as one of my students.” 

“Is it your favorite?” Apollo asked, apparently unsurprised that she'd been trying to find out who Pallas reincarnated as. 

“Yes,” Athena told him.

Ares cursed. “Great! Now we're never getting rid of him, are we!?” 

“Let's be honest,” Aphrodite said, “Athena has practically adopted the guy. His biological mom even passed away recently, which means Athena gets to fill a void. We were never getting rid of him regardless. I think Athena would actually murder any of us if we were to smite him.” 

“True,” Apollo said. 

“Hermes,” Athena said, “I need you to take a message to him, from me.” 

Hermes scoffed, “No thanks. I told him you're alive already and going to Ogygia is THE WORST!” 

Athena frowned, “In that case, I… Am very sorry,” she held up the second object she'd brought. A favor token. One of Hermes’s favor tokens. 

She was going to force him to go. She NEEDED Odysseus to hear from her. 

“Wha– Where did you get THAT!?” Hermes demanded, “I don't remember giving you one!” 

“I won it from Dionysus in a game of poker,” Athena told him. 

This was true. She actually had several favor tokens from that. Dionysus would bet favor tokens from people that he'd beaten, in exchange for her betting one of her own. He seemingly desperately wanted a favor token from Athena, and was willing to bet whatever other favor tokens he got in order to potentially get one. Athena had never lost, however. So she'd never had to give him one. 

Dionysus was absolutely TERRIBLE at poker. However, he was incredibly good at reading people, which is how he beat most of Athena’s siblings regularly. When he couldn't read someone, he'd give them their favorite wines, to get them to ‘loosen up’, and make them easier to beat. Fortunately, Athena had developed a spell to make it so alcohol didn't affect her. Well, mostly. She still got a hangover the next day, she just didn't get drunk. This was good, because Dionysus was the only way Athena could get her favorite wine, as mortals didn't make it.

Though, humans had little incentive to make wine from deadly nightshade berries. Unlike a god, who could drink it without issue. 

She snapped Hermes’s favor token in half, and held the pieces up to her mouth. 

“Take my letter to Odysseus on Ogygia.” 

There was a small flash of magic, and the favor token crumbled to dust, signifying that the token has been used. 

“Fine!” Hermes said, clearly very annoyed. He snatched the letter out of her hand and stormed off. 

Athena exhaled slowly, leaning back on the bed. She looked at the clock. It had been almost two hours… It was almost time for her to get back to work… She was still in so much pain. Every time she moved her stitches seemed to pull at her skin. It had gotten a little better since she was actually awake and able to eat ambrosia now, which meant she could heal much more quickly, but even still… 

Athena watched the clock, for once, dreading having to leave the infirmary. 

Artemis seemingly realized what she was thinking. 

“You can stay here,” she said. 

Athena blinked, looking at her, confused. 

“Despite what father said,” Artemis told her, “All of us working together were able to handle most of your responsibilities perfectly fine. We'd be fine to do it for another day or two.” 

“Father would notice. He'd be watching… He'd make sure it was me who did it…” Athena whispered. 

She knew this was true, because once, she'd asked Ares to handle a monster for her that father wanted killed. One of her students, Bellerophon, was fighting a monster of his own, and needed her help.

Ares had agreed because she'd offered him a favor token, which he'd later used for a time dive. (He'd worried Aphrodite was cheating on him with another god. The two had an open relationship regarding humans, but were exclusive in regards to the other gods. With the exception of Hephaestus for obvious reasons. He'd worried she was cheating on him with Apollo, but in reality Apollo just really wanted Aphrodite to learn the song he wrote, and Aphrodite wanted it to be a surprise when she sang it in front of the rest of Olympus. Hence the secrecy.) 

However, when she'd gotten back from helping her hero, father had been furious with her. She'd assumed Ares had told him, but doing a time dive she'd learned that wasn't the case. Her father had just decided to check on her to make sure she was doing what she was supposed to. He often checked on her. If Artemis and the others did her work that day, he'd CERTAINLY find out. 

“Then let me wear your face for the day,” Artemis said.

She was, of course, referring to the illusion spell that would make her look like Athena. All the gods could do that spell. It was the most perfect illusion spell you could get. It would change her voice, allow her to imitate Athena’s magic, and she would be able to actually perform some of the spells that normally only Athena could accomplish. However, this specific illusion spell required both people to agree to it. 

Athena hesitated. Someone else, pretending to be her… The idea of having that kind of lack of agency over ‘her’ actions was terrifying. 

“I promise, I won't do anything that would embarrass you,” Artemis said, “But I've been helping my brother out in the infirmary since you've been brought here, since he's been completely overwhelmed with work. After all, father hasn't exactly gotten NICER since you've been out…” She shook her head, “I've seen how bad your wounds are. I don't want you to leave until he thinks it's safe.” 

She glanced at the others, wondering if they thought this was a good idea. 

“Or I could do it,” Aphrodite suggested, “I mean if you don't trust her…” 

Athena shook her head, “No… No if anyone would be able to imitate me, personality wise, it would probably be Artemis… I just…” 

“You can watch everything I do with a time dive, in a few days,” Artemis told her, “You'll be able to watch everything, and I'm fully aware of that. Please, trust me, just this once. Worst case scenario you can tell everyone that it wasn't you. Say that it was someone else wearing your face. You can swear on the Styx that it's true, and everyone will believe you.” 

Athena hesitated. That WAS probably true, she could do that… Besides... Her siblings seemed to be genuinely trying. If she didn't trust them, even a little, they'd have no way to prove themselves to her. 

Slowly she nodded. “Very well. I'll trust you. Just this once.” 

The two of them did the spell. For good measure, they used the spell to make Athena look like Artemis, so her father wouldn't know the truth even if he checked the infirmary. From everyone else's perspective, Athena had Artemis had completely switched places. 

“Remember,” Artemis said, “If father comes here, don't act like you usually do. I'm respectful, but I'm not overzealous. Stay calm, and casual, okay?” 

Athena nodded, “Got it. If he comes to you, follow his orders at all costs, and agree with everything he says. Even if you're injured you must stand at attention in his presence. He'll be furious if you don't…” 

Artemis blinked, “...We'll unpack that later. Anyways, I think I got it. I saw how you acted when he came in here after all.” 

Athena nodded, and laid back against the pillows to rest. Apollo had decided to have her switch what bed she was laying on, that way their father wouldn't get suspicious. So she found the feeling of the cool, clean pillows against her neck refreshing. 

If anyone asked, Artemis got injured in the forest. She'd come across a monster while hunting, and killed it, but had gotten hurt in the process. A part of the spell even made it look as though there was a nasty bruise on Artemis’s stomach, and a few cuts and scrapes on her face, so Athena laying in the infirmary wouldn't be questioned. 

It seemed foolproof, but that didn't stop the anxiety rising in her chest, or the pit in her stomach. She hated the idea of lying to her father. However, this would probably be for the best, she needed just a LITTLE BIT more time to rest if she was going to be able to keep an eye on things with Odysseus. 

Fortunately, they'd intentionally made Apollo immune to the illusion spell, so he could still care for her real injuries. So Athena tried to relax, and just let her siblings do the work for her. She really needed to find a way to make it up to them somehow… 

-She would find a way to make up for being such a burden on her family, just as her father had always taught her.-

Odysseus woke up warm. He opened his eyes, and saw Polites laying next to him. He was still asleep, tear tracks on his cheeks from the night before. 

Odysseus had a feeling that Polites had laid awake far longer than he had. Especially since he insisted on sleeping next to Odysseus for the entire night. Which was reasonable considering what he'd almost done the night before… 

He shut his eyes, how could he have been so stupid?

In the light of day his decision the night before seemed so reckless and hurtful. He couldn't do that to his men! What if they had followed suit and given up as well. Sure, a dozen or so of the men were perfectly happy here, and happy to compete for the attention of a beautiful goddess. However the rest of them were ALL wanting to go home. It wasn't just him. 

He couldn't give up yet. 

Reflexively, he pulled out Athena’s token. He examined it every day, trying to determine if she was getting better yet or not. 

To his surprise, the sign on the token seemed crisp and clear. The object even seemed to shimmer with magic. It looked perfect once again. It had been seven years since he'd seen it like this, and it seemed miraculous. 

He held it close. Whispering a dozen ‘thank you’ prayers under his breath, an especially long one to Apollo. He was sure that god in particular was the reason she had seemingly gotten better now. 

As he pocketed the token, Polites opened his eyes. 

“Captain?” He asked. 

Odysseus hugged him. “I'm so sorry about last night,” he told Polites, “I promise, I won't do anything like that again.” 

“Thank you,” Polites said, sounding relieved, “I'm too young to become a captain,” he joked. 

Odysseus snorted. 

“You seem happier today,” Polites noted, “Did something happen?” 

Odysseus showed him the token. Odysseus had explained the token to him before now, so he knew exactly what it meant now that it looked magical again. 

Polites blinked, then smiled, “Does that mean she's getting better?” 

“Yeah, I think so,” Odysseus said. 

“Do… Do you think she could get us out of here?” Polites asked. 

Odysseus frowned, “I don't know. I found the symbols for the spell on the island. It's Zeus’s spell. I don't know if she'll be able to do anything about that.”

At Polites slightly crestfallen expression, Odysseus hugged him, “But she might be able to help. We can't give up now.” 

Polites nodded, and smiled, “You're right, we have to keep going!” 

“Am I interrupting something important?” It was Hermes who spoke. 

Odysseus turned around, “Hermes!? What are you doing here? I thought you said you were never coming back.”

“I never intended to, unfortunately I apparently owed Athena a favor. She's awake now, resting in the infirmary. She asked me to give this to you.” Hermes handed him a thick envelope, with his name scrawled on it in rushed handwriting. Athena must've been in a hurry. 

“By the way, she can hear prayers from here, though she won't be able to respond. So can you tell her not to do that again?” Hermes asked, “Like– It turns out she'd heard a prophecy from Apollo that she might be killed by lightning, and went into that situation with father like ‘yeah I want to die actually’."

What...? Odysseus thought. 

"Persephone told her that she'd try to get Hades to let her visit sometimes," Hermes continued, "Like for her mom, I think? And you, when you die. But honestly I'm not confident that the problem is resolved… So can you just tell her to not do that? Maybe she'll actually take it to heart when it comes from someone OTHER than her family.” Hermes sounded incredibly annoyed. 

“She… Is she suicidal?!” Odysseus asked. 

“By the sound of things.” Hermes sighed. 

Odysseus frowned. This was worse than he'd thought... 

“You're… You're her friend right?" Hermes asked hesitantly, "Do you… Do you know how we can help her? We've all been trying recently, even more so now that she's woken up… But we don't… We haven't really known her as well as you do."

"You've known her for thousands of years," Odysseus pointed out. However deep down, just from the stories Athena told of her family, he knew Hermes was probably right. 

"I was busy just trying to be friends with everyone equally, and most of the others were just jealous of her," Hermes explained, "It's only recently that everyone realized what was going on with her and father behind closed doors. He's never punished her in front of us, so we all kinda thought he never punished her at all…” 

“What about Apollo?” Odysseus asked, “Surely he's seen her training injuries?” 

Hermes blinked, “You know about that?” 

“Yeah,” Odysseus said, “Years ago, I got cursed by the goddess of memories. I saw a horrific future I'm incapable of talking about, and the memories of a close friend.”

He didn't say ‘best friend’. Polites was RIGHT THERE. 

“It was Athena's memories who I saw. Her worst ones," Odysseus explained, "There was… There was a lot to do with her father… I think I saw just about every ‘training session’ the two ever did. That stuff is ingrained deep in her mind, and it's been hard to try and get her out of that mentality. She doesn't yell at me when I talk negatively about him anymore, so I guess that's been progress… I don't really know if there's much advice I can give, all I've really done is been her friend…” Odysseus frowned. 

“Yeah well,” Hermes said, “You managed to be her friend, and considering the walls she has up, that's kinda impressive. I guess I'm just wondering if there's anything that you know to do, or to avoid? I don't want to mess this up, when she's just started to trust us. None of us want to mess up.” 

Odysseus thought for a moment, “Athena… Athena likes to feel useful. A mistake I've made a few times now is trying to prevent her from helping at all, and she gets very angry. She thinks that's me calling her weak, when really it's because I don't want her fighting after just barely being STABBED. But… But she doesn't do a lot in terms of words and physical affection. She usually shows she cares by doing things for other people. I think it comes from the ‘I am a tool’ mentality she has. So don't try to stop her from doing anything at all. She'll hate that. I… I don't know who ‘all of us’ is, but I wouldn't let Hephaestus near her at all. He's… He's tried to hurt her before. I won't say much about it, but... Yeah…” 

“That… That actually makes a strange amount of sense,” Hermes said, “Hephaestus is probably the only one who has like– no interest in trying to befriend her.” 

“That's for the best…” Odysseus said, darkly. 

“Alright…” Hermes said. 

“Also,” Odysseus said, “She loves teaching people things. It's her favorite, especially when she gets to teach people something she knows a lot about. And… I've noticed that she seems to have an easier time accepting affection if she thinks someone else needs it. She almost never lets me hug her, but she hugged me when I found out my mother died.” 

“Right, okay,” Hermes said, grinning, “Too prideful to ask for affection, but she'll give it to someone else. I see how it is.” 

“She likes to feel in control,” Odysseus told him, “If you want to get close to her you'll be best off doing it on her terms. She'll be suspicious of you at first, but so long as you're honest about it, and don't make her go too far outside her comfort zone, she'll probably humor you.” 

“I see. So she's a feral cat,” Hermes mused. 

Odysseus let out a startled laugh, “What?” 

“You know, they'll bite and claw you if you try to grab them, but then you offer food, and wait for them to crawl out, and they might let you pet them.” 

“I– I guess if that's how you wanna look at it,” Odysseus just shook his head, chuckling. He was already picturing Athena as a very angry kitten. Though he should probably try to stop that, because if she read his mind, she might actually kill him. 

“Thanks, Ody,” Hermes told him, “I think this will be helpful actually.” With that, he left. 

Odysseus let out a slow breath. 

“So…” Polites said, “It sucks when one of your friends tries to off themselves, doesn't it?” 

Odysseus winced. “I'm so sorry, Polites. I… I shouldn't be treating you like this. I've been so focused on the people back home, and worrying about Athena that I haven't been… I haven't been taking care of the people with me now. I've just put all that responsibility on you…” He hugged Polites tightly, “I'm so sorry. You deserve better than this.” 

“It does kinda suck, yeah,” Polites admitted. “You should also probably apologize to Eurylochus. We know that you've been having a terrible time since your mentor got hurt. But we've been getting very worried as you've been isolating yourself more and more. And honestly it's starting to seem like you only care about your mentor, and not about us.” 

Odysseus nodded, “You're right. I'll do better, I promise.” 

“Good,” Polites said, and gave him a hug. "I'd hate for you to get hurt..."

They stayed like that for about two minutes. Then Polites let him go. 

“Now you should probably see what your mentor has to say.” Polites said, affectionately punching Odysseus in the arm. 

“Yeah probably,” Odysseus said. Then he opened the envelope. 

Chapter Text

Odysseus opened the letter, taking a deep breath. He didn't know what he'd find, and this would be the first time hearing from Athena in seven years. 

Odysseus, 

I've woken up from my coma, and I'm feeling just fine now. I've just done some time dives to see how you've been. I saw what happened last night. Odysseus please! Please don't do something like that ever again. I'm asking you, as your -commander- -mentor- friend. I'm asking as your FRIEND. Don't get yourself killed. Mortal lives are so short anyways, don't make it any shorter. 

-Also when I did a time dive I-

I'm sorry that this letter is incredibly messy. I would've done a more polished rewrite, after figuring out what I wanted to say, but I don't feel like I can stand to spend any more time than I have to, even if it would only be milliseconds to your perception. 

I haven't checked on Penelope and Telemachus yet. However I will do so tomorrow. I believe I will have to work later today. Even if I somehow got out of it, I doubt Apollo would let me leave the infirmary if he doesn't have to. 

I have a couple more of Hermes’s favor tokens, and if anything tragic happens I'll make sure to let you know. So for now, no news is good news. If you don't hear from me again, you can assume all is well with your family back home. 

I'll be sure to keep an eye on Polites’s family as well, and you can tell him that. He can consider it a ‘thank you’ for talking you out of -being stupid- making a mistake last night. 

I suppose I can check on Eurylochus’s immediate family as well, since his wife is your sister and all. 

I doubt I'll have the time for the rest of your men, but I'll keep an ear out for any big news that might relate to them. I intend to go straight to Ithica tomorrow, once I've finished my work. I have a lot to catch up on, but I'll manage. 

-I- -You- -I saw- I hesitate to even bring this up, but I feel like you have the right to know. I was also talking to Persephone today, and she helped me successfully do a time dive to the underworld. I've never been able to before, because I have to understand the location of where I'm looking, and I knew nothing about the underworld. I actually found out that you, Odysseus, are a reincarnation of someone. This is your second life, after reaching previously reaching Elysium. You're actually a reincarnation of Pallas. Turns out magical beings get reincarnated into humans sometimes. I honestly don't really know how I feel about it yet, however I thought you should know. Rest assured, I don't see you differently because of it, and I don't expect you to act like her or anything. -I just- I find it interesting, is all. 

-I wonder if that's why you wanted to be my friend-

Anyways, that's all besides the point. I'll work on a way to get you off the island. It's my father’s spell that keeps you there, just as it traps Calypso there as well. I promise I'll find a way to get you home. I just need to figure out a way to convince my father. 

It's going to be okay. Remember, goddess and man, bestest of friends? You can trust me. 

-Athena 

PS: while I'll most likely be unable to respond, I'll still be able to hear your prayers. So feel free to let me know anything you want to, I suppose. 

Odysseus held the letter close. It was so relieving to hear that Athena seemed to be okay. He went to a shrine to pray to her. 

“Goddess Athena,” he began, just as he always did, “I received your message. I… I'm so happy to hear that you're okay after what happened. Hermes told me it was intentional and… Please never do that again either! Talk to your family, and try to be friends with THEM! Hermes, Apollo, and even Aphrodite seem to be trying! You… I'd hate it if you did something like that because of me… I'm just a mortal. I'll die eventually anyways, but you don't have to…” He took a deep breath, deciding to actually address the contents of the letter, “Thank you for looking after my family. I'm sure Polites will appreciate it as well, I know he cares deeply for his parents. I'm glad you'll look after my sister too. Thank you so much, you do so much for us.” 

He paused, wondering if he should say this next part. He took a deep breath, and decided to go for it. He wasn't about to miss an opportunity to finally convince her of something he'd been saying for years now. 

“As far as me being a reincarnation of your old friend Pallas, that is definitely a surprise. I can't imagine being the one to mentor YOU,” he laughed slightly, “However, if that's true, then I think I get a say over what happened. I've seen what happened to her– er– me? I guess? Regardless, it wasn't your fault. I've never blamed you for it, and while I am not her, not anymore at least, I think I should get to say who's fault it was. I don't think ANYONE who had all the information would believe it's your fault. I hope you'll at least be able to stop holding on to all that guilt over it.” 

Honestly he was actually pretty happy to find out he was a reincarnation of Pallas. It seemed like, because of this revelation, Athena could FINALLY acknowledge that he was her friend now. Plus, Pallas seemed cool, from what he'd seen of her in Athena’s memories. Honestly, there was probably no one he'd rather be a reincarnation of.

Artemis was exhausted. 

When she'd been splitting all of Athena’s responsibilities with all of her siblings, she hadn't really realized just how MUCH Athena’s workload was. Artemis didn't even have to worry about her own responsibilities. Demeter and Ares had offered to handle hers while she was pretending to be Athena. Their excuse being that Artemis was ‘injured’ so they wanted to help her out. 

So she was only doing Athena’s daily work. However, between all Athena’s normal work, as well as the extra monsters that Zeus decreed she fight, Artemis felt as though SHE could sleep for seven years. 

Wisdom and war were two huge domains, and Athena had to do so much work every day. How in the world did she even have TIME for her crafts… 

That wasn't even counting all the prayers. Wannabe heroes demanding her help… It seemed Athena was the most popular amongst humans. 

Artemis had to shove down the annoyance she felt at every request. She did a few miracles for the humans that asked for them. 

It seemed Athena was very popular. Artemis had always known that, however she hadn't fully realized how tiring it was… A part of her wanted to kill each and every human who dared bother her with a request. However, she was confident that Athena didn't do that sort of thing.

It was her last task of the day. She needed to stop by Hephaestus’s forge. Father had ordered some new tools that Athena needed to pick up. Why it was Athena, and not Hermes, was anyone's guess. Artemis thought maybe he was just being mean for the sake of it. 

Things seemed to be going normal at first. Artemis still pretended to be Athena, since Hephestas wasn't one of the people actually trying to bond with her. It seemed to be normal. Until he made a certain comment offhandedly. 

“You know, Athena, I don't know why you hate me so much,” Hephestas said. 

“What do you mean?” Artemis asked, hoping he'd clarify. She had no idea what sort of relationship the two had. 

“I mean, I know I wanted to sleep with you a few thousand years ago, but you really have no right being angry about it. You punched me multiple times after all. Now I have a wife who won't even sleep with me. Not to mention–” 

“We're done here,” Artemis said, tersely. She took the tools and left. She prayed that her suspicion was wrong. However, if Athena had punched him, he probably did a lot more than just ask nicely.

By the time she got back to Olympus she was utterly exhausted. 

“Artemis,” Ares hissed under his breath, “You're supposed to be acting like Athena.” 

“I am!?” Artemis whispered back. 

“Athena never slouches like that,” Ares told her. “She always stands perfectly straight, like a soldier. I've never seen her lean on her own spear. You might be able to excuse it with the fact that she's injured, but I doubt it. I've seen her stand at attention with a fresh stab wound.” 

“Now I see why she wants to kill herself,” Artemis muttered, standing up straighter. 

Ares snorted, quietly. “Yeah well, if father would actually split things up fairly it wouldn't be as bad. He barely ever lets me do anything! I only realized recently that the reason he has so few jobs for me is because he's giving most of the ‘war domain’ work to Athena.” 

“Overworking her, and making you feel bored and useless in the process…” Artemis muttered. Their father really was the worst! 

Over the last seven years, most of Artemis's siblings had started to bond and get along much better. Partly because of the fact that they were all upset over what happened to Athena. Partly because they had to work together to split up all her duties. 

It was because they were upset over Athena, that they had begun to look for answers. After all, she was the most loyal to their father out of anyone, and arguably the most abused. 

Well… Admittedly, Zeus did physical discipline much more to Hermes, Ares, Artemis, and Aphrodite. (Assuming you didn't count Athena’s ‘training sessions’) As well as lots of public humiliation, which he never did to Athena. That was another reason they were all so SO jealous of her. 

Artemis remembered her father publicly stripping her, to show everyone how skinny and ‘un-muscled’ she was, as she'd frantically tried to cover herself in shame. She was the goddess of the hunt, she was supposed to be stronger. At least that's what he'd said. 

She'd also been directly compared to Athena so many times. 

“I don't know why you try, Artemis,” her father said, “You'll never be as skilled as Athena.” 

“Athena is a much better fighter than you could ever be. That's why I love her more.” 

She'd tried to push it aside at first. She'd tried to befriend Athena, however she'd never seemed interested in that. 

“Do you want to hang out or something?” Artemis had asked her, when she was younger. 

“No. I have work to do,” Athena had said coldly. “Besides, I think it would be best if you don't try to spend time with me.” 

At the time, Artemis had seen that as a rejection. She'd thought Athena was being stuck up. However, she'd later learned, thanks to Hera, that interaction would've been, at most, a few decades after Athena accidentally killed her best friend. She saw Athena’s words in a different light now. 

So Artemis didn't hold much animosity towards her anymore. How could she when, for all her suffering, her father had never struck ARTEMIS with lightning. 

This all meant that they had searched for an explanation. Anything that could explain Athena’s behavior. 

They'd found a few things. Mostly a few books the mortals had, talking about manipulation, brainwashing, and child abuse. 

They had some interesting insights. 

The way Athena had been trained looked like textbook brainwashing. Putting her through physical and psychological torment, only for Zeus to be nice at the end so she'd have positive associations with him. She even acted like she was in some kind of cult. Automatically following everything her ‘leader’ said, without ever questioning. 

That was part of why Artemis had volunteered to help her. Any small amount of rebellion was a good step forward. As well as any outside influence. 

Really she should be thanking Athena. It was because of her that she was closer to her siblings than ever before. 

And even her step mother, Hera, had seemingly let go of her grudges against her step children. After everything that Zeus had done, it seemed she finally accepted that her husband was just a bad husband, and it wasn't their fault they were born. 

For the time being, Artemis delivered Hephaestus's tools to her father. Why he needed these she didn't know. Regardless, now it was time to see just how well she could act. 

Okay Artemis, focus, she thought, Right now you're desperate for fathers approval. You will do anything to get it... And you want him to pet you like a cat, apparently. 

That was still so WEIRD to her! Why was Athena like this!? 

She shook her head, she needed to focus. She took a deep breath, walking into the room, to deliver the tools to Zeus. 

“Father?” She said, putting as much breathless desperation in her voice as she could manage. “I brought the tools you wanted…” 

Zeus smiled, “Good girl.” 

I'm not a fucking dog! Artemis thought, though she forced her expression to remain wide-eyed and eager. 

“Is there anything else, father?” Artemis asked, trying to sound eager to help. 

“Not right now,” Zeus told her. “Though I did want to talk about earlier.” 

“Earlier?” Artemis asked, innocently. 

“With Apollo,” Zeus explained, “I know he can be overprotective, however you don't need to indulge his bad habits. You and I both know that you are just fine. I really don't appreciate you undermining me in front of others.” 

“I…” Artemis began. She wasn't sure what the right answer was. She wasn't even entirely sure what Athena would say! 

“I… I wasn't undermining you father,” she said softly. “I–” 

This clearly wasn't the right answer as his eyes narrowed. “Then what were you doing!? Did you just want to spend extra time in bed!? I expect this from your siblings! Not you, Athena!” 

“Why?” Artemis asked. “Why do you expect me to–”

She cut off as Zeus grabbed her around the throat. 

“You,” Zeus said, “Have been very disrespectful today. Don't think I haven't noticed you talking to those failures you call ‘siblings’. You are MY tool. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LOYAL TO ME!” He practically threw her down to the floor. 

“Father! Father, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!” Artemis gasped out. She braced herself for another hit, just as Zeus always did. He wouldn't stop! He'd–

He was petting her hair. 

“Thank you for apologizing,” Zeus said, tone much kinder now. “I hope you know I only do this because I love you.” 

“I… I love you too…” The words felt hollow on Artemis's tongue, but she knew Athena loved him. That's who she was pretending to be right now. She forced herself to lean into Zeus’s hand the same way Athena had done. She didn't want to though. She didn't want him to touch her anymore… 

“I know you do,” Zeus said, “I expect you to be more loyal going forward, do you understand? I can't have you doubting my decisions. You're clearly just fine, which means two hours were wasted, just because of Apollo’s paranoia. You should know your own strength. You should know better than him.” 

“Yes father…” Artemis said softly. 

“Good,” Zeus said, “Now run along now, I'm sure you have other stuff to work on.” 

“Yes father,” Artemis said immediately, and left. 

That entire interaction was… Confusing. It caught her off guard when Zeus switched from being cruel, to seemingly kind. It made her feel a bit on edge. Like the switch could happen again at any time. Like she couldn't know what to expect for sure… 

Perhaps that's why Athena tried so, so hard to stay on his good side… 

Artemis shook her head. She needed to talk to Athena again. 

When she got there, Hermes was standing over her bedside. 

“I never want to go back to that island again,” Hermes said, “Never ever! Unless you can convince father to break that spell!” 

“Noted,” Athena said, “However I needed to send a message to my student, and you're the only one who can get there.” 

Hermes sighed, “Fine. I guess I can forgive you… If you tell me what he meant about Hephaestus.” 

Athena blinked, “He told you about that!?”

“Nothing in detail. He just said I should keep Hephaestus away from you, because he ‘hurt you before’.” 

Athena’s eyes darkened. “I don't wanna talk about that…” 

“Did he try to rape you?” Artemis asked. 

Athena blinked, shocked. 

Meanwhile Hermes looked horrified. 

“He said something to me,” Artemis explained, “When he thought I was you. Something like ‘I know I tried to sleep with you, but you punched me, so we're even’. I figured he must've… You know…” 

Athena let out a long sigh, “Yes. He did.” 

Aphrodite gasped. Artemis hadn't even noticed she and Ares were still in the room. 

“It was a long time ago,” Athena said, “Before I even took my vow of celibacy. Well, the day before I took that vow, to be exact…” 

“You took it because of what he tried to do, didn't you?” Aphrodite said. 

Athena nodded, “Yeah... I should probably apologize to you actually. It's technically my fault you ended up married to him. I took that vow because father wanted me to marry him. So, because of that, you ended up having to do it…” 

“Athena,” Aphrodite said softly, “I'm glad that I did. I didn't have any baggage with him, even if I don't like him. I'm glad it wasn't you.” 

“I…” Athena began, looking like she didn't really know what to say. “...Thanks.” 

On a whim, Artemis hugged her. She clearly wanted some affection, given the way she acted when father did it. Maybe Athena could learn to get affection only from people who weren't likely to murder her. 

At the very least, Athena hugged her back slightly. That seemed to be a step in the right direction. 

When Athena woke up the next day, she felt significantly better. Because she was no longer in a coma, that meant she could eat healing ambrosia, which had helped significantly. Her stitches were out now, and she was ready to check on Odysseus's family. 

When she got to the palace, she saw it filled with men. There must've been a hundred at least. She needed to figure out what was going on. 

So she disguised herself as an elderly mortal woman, hoping one of the servants would take pity on her and bring her inside, so she could ask questions, and maybe get some information. 

Luck seemed to be on her side, because it was raining that day, so she had an excuse. She didn't even have to knock on the door, before a young man saw her. 

“Ma’am, are you alright?” He asked, running up to her. 

“I'm just fine,” Athena told him, “I was only hoping to get some shelter, just until the weather clears up.” 

“Of course! Come inside, please!” The young man immediately brought her inside. 

“Thank you,” Athena said, altering her tone to make her sound slightly frail. “Tell me, what's your name?” 

After all, she would always grant a small blessing to those who helped further along her goals. 

“I'm Telemachus,” he said. 

Athena blinked. That was a surprise. Then again, she hadn't seen the prince since he was an infant. Looking closely, she could see the resemblance to his father. He had the same hair, and eyes as Odysseus. Though his face was narrower, resembling Penelope. 

“Aren't you the prince?” Athena asked him. 

“Yes indeed!” He said, enthusiastically. “Here, come sit down, you must be tired!” He brought her a chair. She sat down, and immediately Argos, the family dog, practically ran up to her. 

“Wow! He likes you! He's not usually that enthusiastic with strangers nowadays.” 

“Dogs have always liked me,” Athena lied.

In truth, Argos was used to her. Odysseus had helped him get used to her presence when he was just a puppy, so they never had to risk him barking and causing a ruckus that might draw attention to her. 

Of course, he was an old dog now…

Discreetly, Athena cast a spell to double his life span. She wanted Odysseus to still get some time with him when he came home. 

“So what brings you here, anyways?” Telemachus asked. 

Athena hummed, wondering exactly how to phrase what she wanted to ask. If she was pretending to be mortal, she'd need a cover story of some kind… 

“It's been a long time since I've visited your country,” Athena found herself saying, “Decades, in fact. I came back to visit some extended family.” 

That was close enough. 

“Yeah?” Telemachus asked, “What are they like?” 

Athena hummed, “I'm not too sure. I was asked to check on them because their father is away for a time. He wanted me to go visit his wife and kids.” 

“Oh! That's so sweet!” Telemachus said, “My father's away too.” 

“Oh?” Athena asked, pretending she did not know this. 

“Yeah, he had to go to war with Troy when I was just a baby,” Telemachus told her, “I hope I get to meet him someday though!” 

“I hope so too,” Athena said, “I’m sure any father would want to know a sweet young man like you.” 

“Thanks!” Telemachus said. 

Another child walked up to them, he looked about ten. “Tel’?” He asked, “What are you doing? Who's this?” 

“This is–” He paused, “Wait, what is your name? I think I forgot to ask…” He smiled, chagrined. 

“No worries, young man,” Athena said, “My name is Thea.” 

The young child frowned, “Doesn't that mean goddess? How did your parents not get smited for that?” 

“It is not meant as an offense towards the gods,” Athena reassured him, “My birth wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for a goddess.” 

Which wasn't a LIE. 

“I see!” Telemachus said, grinning. That's when Athena noticed the look in his eyes. One she'd seen on Odysseus many times. He'd just figured her out. 

Good, Athena thought, Nearly as smart as his father by the looks of things. 

After all, it wasn't as though she was trying to be all that subtle. She planned to reveal herself to Penelope eventually, so she could talk about Odysseus and let her know what's been going on. She knew Penelope would likely tell her child about something so important. She'd fully intended for Telemachus to figure it out eventually. So this was a welcome surprise. 

“Yeah, well, we should go,” the younger boy said, turning to Telemachus, “Remember, mom said we should be careful talking to people from outside the palace.” 

Suddenly it clicked. Could this small child be–

“Are you Prince Astyanax?” Athena asked. 

“How– How do you know my name?” He asked, hiding behind Telemachus slightly. 

Athena shrugged nonchalantly, “You hear things outside the palace. Aren't you adopted?” 

“Yep!” Telemachus told her, “Mom said a goddess brought him to us, because dad wanted to adopt him during the war! So he'd be safe!” He smiled knowingly. 

“I see,” Athena said. “Well that goddess must've highly favored your father then. If she was willing to fulfill such a request…” 

“Besides, Astyanax,” Telemachus added, turning to his younger ‘brother’. “Mom only said that, ‘cause she doesn't want us to get hurt by any of the suitors here. I doubt she cares if I talk to a harmless old woman. Uh– No offense!” He suddenly looked nervous. He'd probably only just realized he'd actually been insulting her while pretending to go along with her disguise. “I didn't mean–!”

“It's alright,” Athena told him, “Once you get to be my age, you're no longer bothered by people calling you ‘old’.” 

“Well that's a relief,” Telemachus said, clearly embarrassed. 

“Who are these ‘suitors’ you mentioned?” Athena asked. 

“None of your business,” Astyanax told her, crossing his arms. 

If it were anyone else, she'd find that level of distrust understandable, and smart. But not from him. 

Every instinct in Athena’s body was screaming at her to kill this child. -To protect her one and only friend!- 

She held herself back. Odysseus had made his decision. She wasn't going to go behind his back. However she'd be watching this boy for the first signs that he would hurt Odysseus, or his family. Only THEN would she strike him down without mercy. 

-Just as Athena’s father would do to her if she ever dared to go against him.- 

For now, she just ignored him, turning back to Telemachus. “Well…?” She prompted. He knew who she was. He'd answer her question, if only out of fear. 

“They're these men, a hundred and eight of them,” Telemachus explained, “They're here for our mom. They're all convinced our dad is dead, and they're trying to get our mom to remarry.” 

“I see.” Athena frowned, “And your mother, does she… Want this?” 

“No!” Telemachus said, “She–” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “She's been stalling them, trying to buy time for our father to get home, but it's been so long…” He looked at her, hesitantly, “Do you… Do you think he's alive?” 

“I'm just an old woman,” she told him, casually, “I wouldn't know.” 

“Right…” Telemachus narrowed his eyes slightly. Though he didn't look upset, if anything he seemed playful. He looked like he was trying to strategize a way to get the information he wanted. 

“You mentioned earlier,” Telemachus continued, “You’re visiting Ithaca to check on some family? For a guy who's away from home? Why's he away from home, is he okay?” 

Clever, she thought, To anyone else, this would seem a normal change of topic. An effort to get to know the guest after talking about oneself for a while. Bringing up something I said before, and asking me to elaborate. Turning my excuses and lies into a weapon against me. Not to mention the fact that he's already figured out why I'm here. 

Athena smiled faintly, deciding to reward his cleverness with a complete answer. 

“He's perfectly alright,” Athena told him, “He's stuck on a far away island right now, and unable to go home, but he was able to send me a message asking me to check on his family.” 

“That makes sense,” Telemachus said, “I'm glad you decided to help him out.” 

“Me too,” Athena agreed. 

“Well maybe you should actually go check on them instead of staying here,” Astyanax said, sounding annoyed. 

“Don't worry,” Athena told him, “I do not intend to stay long, just until things clear up.” She gestured to the weather outside.

Then she glanced at Telemachus, wondering if he caught her double meaning. 

He was frowning slightly, brows furrowed. If she were to guess, he'd probably picked up on the fact that there was SOME kind of hidden message on her words, but not what she actually meant. 

Strange. She'd thought the wording of ‘things clear up’ would make it obvious that she was looking for information, not just talking about the weather. 

“Telemachus,” Athena said. 

“Yes, Thea?” He just slightly emphasized the name. Wearing a grin like it was some sort of inside joke.  

So he’d realized that she knew he'd figured her out. Excellent. 

“It's been some time since I've been to Ithaca,” Athena told him. “Aside from the annoying men in your palace, is there anything else I should know about? Any other news? I do love some gossip, after all.” 

“Not that I can think of, really it's just them,” Telemachus told her, “Those men though… I think they're getting impatient…” He looked a bit scared. 

“Pigs are often impatient, in my experience,” Athena said offhandedly. “Fighting for the best scraps and doing nothing helpful. The only thing they're good for is being slaughtered.” 

Astyanax blinked, then he looked at her, with some level of respect. Though his expression was still guarded. 

“Yeah well,” Telemachus said softly, “I would if I could… I think… I think they might start hurting people. Like me, or my brother… Or– or mom…” He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. A silent plea in his expression. 

Well, looks like I'm taking another student after all, Athena thought. 

However, before she could say anything further, a man walked up to them. 

“Boy!” He snapped, drunkenly, “When's your tramp of a mother gonna get a new husband!?” 

Telemachus shoved Astyanax behind him protectively. 

“You could always let us in her room. We wanna PLAY with her.” the drunk man grinned, ferally. 

“Don't you DARE!” Telemachus snapped. 

“What are you gonna do to stop me!?” He asked, laughing. 

Telemachus raised his fists and got into something resembling a fighting stance. It was a terrible one, though. His feet needed to be pointed forward, instead of outward. His legs needed to be further apart. His arms were too low, and his elbows needed to be closer to his body. 

“Oh you gonna fight me!?” He asked. 

Telemachus threw a punch. Athena had to make an effort not to wince at how bad his form was. It was clear that not a single person had ever taught this kid to fight. 

“Fight little boy, fight!” The man taunted. “You gonna entertain me!?” He laughed, and shoved Telemachus to the ground. 

Telemachus got up, far too slowly he needed to be faster. 

“Wanna be a man? Then c'mon, try to land a hit!” 

Telemachus tried again, and got knocked to the ground again. 

“I thought you wanted to protect your family!” He taunted. 

Okay, Athena thought, Well this is just getting upsetting. I can't watch this anymore. 

She used Quick Thought, speeding up Telemachus’s mind, and opening a telepathic connection. 

“What's going on here!?” Telemachus thought. 

Is your plan to just stand around and let him push you? Athena projected the words into his mind. Because I suggest you fight back properly. 

“I don't know how to fight!” 

Uppercut him. Now. She told him, she projected a few images into his mind of what a proper uppercut would look like. 

He followed her instructions, and did a decent job for someone with no clue what they were doing. The man, she'd learned from reading Telemachus’s mind, named Antinous, fell to the ground. 

“Woah!” Telemachus thought, “How did I do that!? Is time moving slower!?” 

No, Athena told him, amused, I just made your thoughts quick. 

“That's so cool!!!” 

With that, Athena continued helping him with the fight. Unfortunately, there was only so much she could do to help in this case. Antinous was strong, and Telemachus had zero training. Even with Quick Thought, and the best instructions Athena could give on short notice, he still got shoved to the ground, and hit his head. 

“Ow!” He said aloud. 

Maybe I pushed a bit too hard… Athena thought, with a wince. She was going to train this kid. Clearly he desperately needed it. 

“Go back and cry to your mother! Make sure to let her know, if she doesn't choose a new husband soon, it'll be her blood and tears next!” Antinous told him. 

Telemachus looked like he was going to cry. Athena was about to kill this man. However, to her surprise, it seemed as though someone else was about to beat her to it. 

Astyanax had run back into the room. He was holding a sword, though he was barely tall enough to carry it. “Leave my brother ALONE!” 

“What are you going to do, pipsqueak!?” Antinous laughed.

“I'm going to kill you for hurting my family!” Astyanax said, darkly. 

Suddenly, it clicked. 

"When he gets older, he'll take revenge on the Ithacan man who was responsible for his family being harmed.” 

Both Athena, and Zeus, had been entirely wrong about what the prophecy meant. It wasn't about getting revenge against Odysseus for his biological family. It was about getting revenge for the sake of his ADOPTIVE family. 

And Athena was going to help him fulfill the prophecy. 

She pulled Astyanax into Quick Thought, so he was fully in her realm. No meaningful amount of time would pass outside it. 

“What– Where am I!? Why did you–”

“Peace,” Athena said, “You want to kill this man?”

“Yes! I will! And I'm not going to let you get in my way!” He raised the sword, threateningly at her. 

She raised an eyebrow at him. “You know what killing a man might do to your psyche?” 

“He's not a man,” Astyanax said, “He's a monster. Just like the monsters my dad fights! I want to protect my family!” 

She smiled. “Very well.” With that, she shed her disguise.

His eyes widened. “Who are– Wait… Thea… Goddess… You're–!” 

“My full name is Athena,” she told him. “Now, do you want my help or not?” 

“Yes!” He said, “I want to help my brother and my mom!” 

“Good. In that case–” She took his sword, and lightly ran her finger along the edge, using her magic to sharpen the blade. She took some of the metal off as well, shortening the weapon, and making it easier for a child to handle. 

“From what I've learned watching your brother fight,” Athena told him, “Antinous is terrible at blocking anything. He seems to focus on pushing enemies away from himself, rather than blocking hits. This worked well against an enemy almost as tall as him. However you're much smaller than your brother. Use that to your advantage. Hit him in the groin with your fist as hard as you can manage, and then stab him through the chest when he doubles over.”

“Got it!” Astyanax told her. 

She handed back his sword, and released him from her realm. Then she watched, invisible, as he followed her instructions. 

Within moments, the man was dead. 

“Uhhh–” Telemachus said, wide eyed. “That's a lot of blood! …Now I have to tell mom that my little brother just KILLED SOMEONE!” 

“Oh, like you wouldn't have done the same, if you had a sword!” Astyanax said. 

“I'm an adult! And your OLDER brother! I'm supposed to do stuff like that!” 

“Well I had a sword!” Astyanax huffed, “And you didn't. That's why I got to do it!” 

“I'm gonna tell mom!” Telemachus said, running towards Penelope’s room. 

“Hey wait!” Astyanax ran after him. 

Athena rolled her eyes, then followed the pair, still invisible. It'd probably be a good idea to talk to Penelope anyways. 

“MOM!” Telemachus said, entering her room with a bang, “ASTYANAX JUST MURDERED SOMEONE!!!” 

“WHAT!?” Penelope exclaimed, turning towards them. 

Telemachus then launched into the story, starting with the ‘secret goddess’ outside the front door, and ending with Astyanax’s first kill. 

Penelope stood there, mouth agape. “Astyanax! Is this true!?” 

“Well YEAH!” He said, crossing his arms, “But the goddess said I could! So–” 

“It's true, I did,” Athena said, appearing in the room for the first time. 

“I–” Penelope, looking overwhelmed, closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. “Hello again, Athena. Why, pray tell, did you tell my youngest child to kill someone?” 

“I didn't tell him to do it,” Athena said, “He came in with a sword, stating his intent to kill the man. So I instructed him how to do it properly.” 

“My question remains,” Penelope said, “Why?” 

“To fulfill the prophecy in a better way,” Athena told her. 

“Prophecy?! What prophecy!?” Astyanax asked. 

Athena raised an eyebrow at Penelope, “You really never told him?” She knew the answer of course. 

“Athena…” Penelope said. 

“I think it's time your children know the truth.” With that, Athena pulled them all into a Time Dive. 

“Is that… Is that our father?” Telemachus asked, as they watched Odysseus. 

“Indeed,” Athena told him. 

They watched as he cried out, in either shock or pain. 

“Who was that!?” Odysseus had asked. 

Then Zeus had appeared. “A vision.” 

-

“A vision?” Astyanax said, “A vision of what!?” 

-

“What?” Odysseus asked, sounding vaguely confused. 

“It was a vision of what is to come. A future you can't outrun. Unless you put a stop to it right now.” Zeus smiled. 

“What must I do?” He had asked.

“There is someone you must kill. A foe unlike any you've faced before.” 

-

“Who–?” Telemachus began, then he seemed to realize, “No…” His tone was of cold realization. 

“I mean he's killed a bunch of monsters,” Astyanax said, seemingly oblivious, “It shouldn't be a problem for him.” 

-

“Alright…” Odysseus agreed, hesitantly

Then Zeus handed him a baby. 

-

“Is that…?” Astyanax began, “...Me?” 

-

“This is the son of Hector, Prince of Troy," Zeus had said, "Either you kill him now, or he'll grow up to take revenge on you and your family.” 

-

“No…” Astyanax breathed. 

“He wouldn't do that!” Telemachus yelled. 

“I know,” Athena said, “Because that wasn't the actual prophecy. You'll hear it in a minute.” 

-

“What if I raise him as my own!?” Odysseus demanded. 

He will burn your house and throne."

-

“No I wouldn't!” Astyanax said, “That's my home too!” 

-

"What if I send him far away from here!? So he won't know anything of what happened!" 

"The gods will make sure he finds out."

-

“Is that what you're doing?” Telemachus asked Athena.

“... Technically, I suppose,” Athena conceded. 

-

"What if-" he began, but Zeus interrupted. 

"This is the child's prophecy. Completely set in stone. ‘When he gets older, he'll take revenge on the Ithacan man who was responsible for his family being harmed.’ His parents were killed by a man not of your country. Which means the prophecy can only refer to you. Since you're the one who came up with this plan. Even if it was a man of your country, sparing him won't stop you from having innocent blood on your hands. All you get to choose is whose blood it will be.” 

-

Astyanax sounded like he was about to cry. “I… I'm going to kill my father!? I– I don't want that! I mean, I guess I haven't met him yet, but… But mom would be so SAD!” 

“I don't think you will,” Athena said, “But I will speak of this more in a moment, I want you to watch this next part.” 

-

After Zeus left, Odysseus looked down at the child in his arms. His eyes filled with love, and heartbreak. 

“Don't worry,” he gently told the boy, “I'm not going to kill you.” Odysseus smiled, ever so slightly, as he looked down at him. 

-

With that, Athena ended the Time Dive. She looked at Astyanax. 

“Your father loves you,” she told him, “He must, in order to take a risk like this. Despite the fact that I thought he should follow my father's orders, he begged me to spare you, to bring you here.” 

Astyanax began to cry. “I don't– I don't wanna hurt him!” 

Telemachus wrapped his arms around his brother. “You won't. I know you'd never do that.” 

“I think the prophecy has already been fulfilled, actually,” Athena said. 

The family all looked at her. 

“He already took revenge on the Ithacan man responsible for his family being harmed,” Athena explained. “Because, to him, you are his family. He took revenge against the one who harmed his brother. The prophecy was clearly not what my father and I assumed.” 

Astyanax’s eyes widened, and he smiled, looking relieved. “That's… That's why you helped me…” 

“Indeed,” Athena agreed. 

“That makes a lot more sense actually,” Telemachus said, “I know my brother, and he'd never do anything to hurt us. Including killing someone we love.” 

“Well, I'm glad that's settled, I suppose,” Penelope said. She got up and hugged her two children. 

Athena stood there for a time, letting them have their moment. After a while, Penelope spoke again. 

“Athena, do you have any news of my husband?” She asked. 

“Yes,” Athena told her, “He is trapped on an island, called Ogygia. It is cursed so that no one can come or go, without my father's intervention. Unfortunately, he was sent there after one of his men offended the god king."

"Oh no..." Telemachus whispered. 

"I'm working on getting him off the island, but my father isn't exactly pleased with me right now…” She grimaced. Then she just shook her head, “He wants to get home to you, Penelope. He has remained faithful all this time. However, there's nothing he can do right now. I'm working on it, but it will take time.” 

“I understand,” Penelope said, “It is good enough to know he's still alive.” 

“He is in perfect health,” Athena reassured her. 

“Thank you, Athena,” Penelope said, “I'm sure the reason for that is entirely because of your talents.” 

Athena shook her head, “I'm confident he could've survived regardless. Now, onto another matter. After what happened today, I would like to train Telemachus in fighting, just as I did his father. It's impossible to know if another man will attack him the way Antinous did.”

She'd also like to train Astyanax, for the same reason, however she had a feeling Penelope wouldn't like that idea. So she was surprised by what Penelope said next. 

“I will, of course, support this,” Penelope told her, “I would prefer it if you could train both of them to defend themselves, actually. I… I have a feeling things are only going to get more dangerous in the coming days…” 

Athena nodded, “Very well. I will probably focus most on Telemachus, as Astyanax is very young, however I will teach them both. And you as well, if you so desire. It may be good for you to be able to defend yourself as well.” 

Penelope looked at her, surprised, then she smiled, “I think that would be a very good idea. Though I do not know how much time I will have for training…” 

“I'm sure we'll figure something out,” Athena said with a shrug. She was not about to let Odysseus’s family be hurt. 

Chapter Text

“Say it,” Ares told her. 

They were in Quick Strength, having a wrestling match. Because in their realms, Athena’s injuries didn't carry over. Sure, he had to be somewhat careful, because injuries she got in here WOULD carry over to the real world, however, she didn't have to deal with the lightning wounds. 

“Hnng, never!” Athena flipped them over, so she was on top. 

Ares headbutted her, knocking her back slightly. 

He was more determined to win this fight than she was, and they both knew it. However, if she was going to be difficult, that was fine. 

Eventually, he got her on her stomach, his foot stepping on one of her biceps, and holding her other arm behind her back. 

“Say it,” he told her. He pulled her arm back, just enough to hurt. Not enough to break it, yet. The moment he felt her start to move, he pulled her arm back further. Much more of that, and he'd probably break something. They both knew it. 

“Say the words, and this all stops,” Ares told her.

Athena let out a huff, “Our father is an abusive asshole,” she said the words through gritted teeth.

Ares grinned and let her go. 

She sat on the ground, stretching her arms. “I feel like that was unnecessary.” 

“Nah, it was completely necessary,” Ares told her, “An important step to convince you of the truth is to get you to say it out loud. It's in a cult deprogramming book.” 

“Since when do you read?” Athena asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“I've been able to read for thousands of years!” Ares said, indignantly.

“I know you can, since when do you read for fun?” 

“Since you got in a coma, and the rest of us decided we needed to figure out why you're still so loyal to him," Ares shot back.

“He's still our father!” Athena said. “Despite everything, he's still my father!” 

Be nice, Ares, he told himself, You're not going to convince her by yelling. Try that emotional maturity thing those books talked about. 

“We need to go to Quick Thought,” he told her, barely holding back rage. 

She blinked, “Why?” 

Because my realm amplifies emotions, and I really don't need that right now, Ares thought. 

“Just do it.” 

With that, he removed them from Quick Strength. Now that they were no longer in his realm, Quick Thought appeared around them. Ares found himself relaxing slightly. He'd always hated fighting in here, because the place seemed to have a calming presence. It almost made him wanna take a nap, not get into an intense fight. 

“Anyways,” Ares said, “Our ‘father’ has never done anything for me, other than give me the war domain I guess…” He paused. He'd never really thought of it before, but if Athena was his ‘perfect tool’ what had he wanted Ares for?

“What?” Athena asked him, “You look confused.”

“Do you know why King-of-Being-a-Dick Zeus gave me the war domain? Why he decided to split it between us… If you were already such a perfect weapon, then why–” 

“He wanted you too,” Athena told him. “He told me as much… He had to get my permission, because splitting the domain required him to take the domain back for a time, and he can't take back a domain without consent, once given. He told me… Well, I can just show you.” 

With that, she sent Ares on a Time Dive, and he was somewhere else. 

Ares watched as Athena looked up at Zeus. 

“Why do you want to split the domain, father?” She asked, “Am I… Am I not fulfilling my duties?” 

“No, no,” Zeus said gently. “You do a wonderful job. However, remember how I call you my sword?” 

“Yes,” Athena said, “That's what I am. Your weapon. Your tool to use.” 

Zeus smiled at this, gently petting her hair, “Exactly. But there are many different kinds of weapons. You're so subtle, and clever. Sharp like a sword. However, this new god, Ares, gained the domain of strength. I'm hoping I can use him as a different tool. Something more akin to a war hammer.” 

“I see… You think he's better suited to some jobs I do not do well?” Athena’s voice was dripping with insecurity.

That made Ares want to roll his eyes. Who CARES if the idiot thinks you're not the best tool or whatever the fuck!? 

“Yes,” Zeus said, “And I think it'll be better for you too. I don't want you to break too much. Not this early. Besides, best I can tell, you only use half the war domain’s power anyways.” 

Athena frowned, “Which one is that? I'm sorry, I don't remember which of my powers is tied to that domain specifically, since I didn't know how to use much magic before I got it…” 

“It's a power I call Strengthen Mind,” Zeus explained, “It is a realm you can go to. It can speed up your thoughts, and alter your emotions. You can either use it to calm yourself down, or to give yourself an artificial adrenaline rush, depending on the needs of the fight.” 

“Ah! I have used it father,” Athena told him, “I've only used it to calm down though. It helps me think more clearly.” 

“I know,” Zeus said, “I want to give Ares the other half of the power. I think the adrenaline rush will compliment his strength well. This should split the realm in two as well, so you'll each have your own space.” 

“I see,” Athena said, “In that case I happily agree, and I look forward to having another weapon around. From what I've seen of him, he seems like he'd do well in our training sessions.” 

Athena said this casually, but Ares felt his blood run cold. She wasn't implying… Was she…? 

“Yes indeed,” Zeus said, “He seems quite stubborn already, and that'll lend well to his pain tolerance. By the time I'm done with him, I'll have two perfect tools, a favorite daughter, and a favorite son.” 

Athena smiled, “I look forward to working with him.” 

With that, the Time Dive faded, and he was back in Quick Thought. Athena looked at him, seemingly waiting for something. 

Ares fell to his knees. “He… He wanted to make me into… Into YOU!” He looked at Athena, “AND YOU WERE GOING TO LET HIM!?” He demanded, “YOU WERE FINE WITH THE IDEA OF HIM TORTURING ME!?” 

“It seemed like the better option,” Athena said softly. “After all… Who wouldn't want to be the favorite?” 

“That's only because they never knew the truth! But YOU DID! You KNEW what he was planning to do to me!” Ares snapped, angry tears streamed down his face. He felt betrayed. 

“I did,” Athena agreed, “But… I guess…” She trailed off.

Then she did something interesting. It wasn't truly a time dive, but it was as though he was hearing his father's voice. 

“This makes you stronger, Athena. This training, you know it's important. You know you need it. Tell me how much you need it.”

“I need this training father!" It was Athena’s voice, sounding pained, but his sister wasn't moving her lips. This was from long ago. “I NEED it to be STRONG. Thank you father. Thank you for this gift. I know I'm worthless without you! You made me strong. Thank you for doing me this favor!” 

“I thought the training was a good thing,” Athena, from the present day, said softly. “So naturally, if he wanted to do it to someone else, that would be a good thing for them as well…” 

“That man is SICK IN THE HEAD!” Ares snapped. “AND SO ARE YOU IF YOU THINK THIS IS NORMAL!” 

“Perhaps,” Athena said, “Perhaps not. Who can really say what is normal for gods?” 

“A god can,” Ares said, immediately, “And I say it's not!” 

Athena just nodded at his words. Her expression was… It wasn't quite sad. It wasn't quite lost. But something in between, that Ares couldn't quite name. Resigned? Lonely? She seemed too tired to feel betrayed. 

Broken. Perhaps that was the word.  

Whatever it was, it seemed to pull the plug on his anger, as it seemed to drain away from him. 

“So…” Ares said, “What changed? He never did that sort of thing to me. What happened to change his mind?” 

“You were too reckless,” Athena told him, “Disobedient. Uncontrollable. Always acting out. Father didn't want to risk training you to be better, when you were already hard to manage at your current strength. At least that's what he said to me… Maybe he didn't want you getting a pain tolerance that would make you immune to threats of physical punishment to keep you in line? I'm not entirely sure…” 

“Okay, cool,” Ares said, “I'm gonna set something important on fire later.” 

Athena blinked, seeming confused.

“If acting crazy is what saved me from being brainwashed like you, I'm gonna keep doin’ it,” Ares told her. 

“Alright…” Athena said, then shrugged, “Well just leave my stuff alone.” 

“Fine,” Ares said, “But tell me, what do you think of father now?” 

“What do you mean?” Athena asked. 

“You keep contradicting yourself,” Ares told her, “One minute it's like you can seemingly see through it all. You can talk about ‘I thought this was okay’, basically saying you don't think that anymore. However, you also defend the man, and seemingly chase after him like a dog that wants to be praised. So which is it?” 

Athena frowned. “I don't… I don't know…” 

Ares was about to say something. Then he stopped. He remembered one of those tips from a book. 

Don't fill the silence unnecessarily. Let them think it through for themselves, and give them space to talk about it. 

So he waited. Eventually Athena continued. 

“After what Persephone said I don't know that what he did was right. I've never liked how he treats you guys, but the best way to avoid that was always just to behave. I used to think if everyone just behaved as well as me, there would be no issues…” 

Ares couldn't hold back a snort at that logic, but otherwise said nothing. 

“I love him! I love him so much! And… And I hate him. I hate what he did to my friend, trapping him on that island. I… Sometimes I even want to blame him for the death of my first friend, even though that's CRAZY…”

“Why?” Ares asked. 

She looked at him. 

“Why would that death be his fault?” He asked. He had a feeling that if Athena was even CONSIDERING blaming Zeus, there was something that she hadn't mentioned. 

Athena just scoffed. “It's NOT!” She said, then sighed, “Odysseus, my student, says it was. He saw what happened thanks to a memory curse. He once said it's father's fault because he distracted her during the sparring match. Which caused her to freeze. I didn't notice what happened, and I killed her, expecting her to block my thrust…” 

“But Zeus was the one to distract her in the first place…” Ares said slowly. 

“But I'm sure he only did it so I'd win the sparring match!” Athena said, “Odysseus once claimed he thought father did it HOPING she'd be killed, because he wanted me to take her position as the Goddess of War. He tried to argue that because I was already his most loyal daughter, father wanted me in the role of Goddess of War, so he could control that position better.” 

Oh… Oh that made WAY TOO MUCH SENSE. 

“Show me what happened,” Ares said, “I wanna see if there's any merit to what your student thinks.” 

Athena hesitated. 

“If he's being a dumbass, I'll tell you. And I won't smite him regardless,” Ares reassured her. 

“Very well,” Athena said. 

Then he was in another Time Dive. 

He watched as Zeus told this other goddess that he wanted to see Athena’s progress. Then he watched as Zeus handed her a slightly different weapon. 

“Good idea, father,” Athena said gratefully, “This way I'll have longer reach, and be able to combat a spear better.” 

“Very smart, ‘Thena,” Pallas said, “You’re pretty good at this strategy stuff. Though, just a warning, I'm not going easy on you. I'm not about to be seen getting beaten by a three-month-old.” 

“We'll see,” Athena said, almost playfully. 

A three month old? Ares thought, Her friend is a titan goddess. Older than even father, probably. Athena should not have been able to kill her on purpose, much less accidently… 

This suspicion seemed confirmed when he watched the beginning of the match. There was no nice way to put it, Athena sucked. She probably could've been defeated by the average human soldier. Yeah, three months of training seemed about right. 

Then Zeus brought out Aegis. The magic shield forced the older goddess to freeze. However Athena didn't notice. Up to that point she's just been trying to land any hit, and hadn't managed a single one. He noticed the move she was doing. It was one he'd seen her use before. Strike at the stomach, then when they block try to disarm them. 

However, the goddess couldn't block, so the blade hit its mark. 

He watched as the other goddess quickly bled out and died. It seemed too quick. Possible for a mortal, MAYBE, but not a god. They weren't that fragile… Even with that amount of blood loss, it still seemed like she was dying too fast… 

The Time Dive ended. 

“See I told you, it's ridiculous,” Athena said, “I was losing, and father wanted me to win. It's not his fault I was reckless and–”

“It is his fault she froze. It's his fault he gave you that sword,” Ares said. 

“The– The sword?” Athena asked. 

“I've been stabbed like that before,” Ares said, lifting up his shirt to show her the scarring. “Yeah it sucks, but it didn't kill me. In fact, I think my stab wound was deeper than hers. That sword must've been special or something…” 

Athena’s eyes widened. “No…” She whispered, with uncharacteristic emotion. “No! Father wouldn't– He surely wouldn't–” She looked around, wide eyed, as though searching for another solution. Another answer. Anything. 

Ares watched, feeling nothing but pity for her. Which was something he couldn't imagine feeling just a decade ago. When he'd still thought being the favorite was a good thing… 

She was like a puppet. All of her actions dictated by their father holding the strings. 

“You must be wrong! The wound alone would kill a mortal! So obviously if a goddess inflicted it on another–”

“We’ve both seen mortals survive a stomach wound like that. If they got treated quickly enough,” Ares pointed out, “Also, Poseidon stabbed you in the ribs. Zeus struck you with lightning, and you're still alive. You really think that one gut wound would be enough to kill a god?” 

“I… No… No. NoNoNoNoNo!” Athena had her hands in her own hair, looking like a mad woman. “He wouldn't do that to me! He knew she was my friend! He wouldn't– He WOULDN'T–” her eyes filled with tears, “Not on purpose… He wouldn't do it on purpose… No…” 

She sounded almost like a child in that moment. All vulnerable and sad. That's why Ares never killed children, it felt wrong. Her whole body was shaking, and she was hyperventilating. 

Ares walked close to her, and started rubbing her back. 

He was long since used to comforting Aphrodite when she was upset, which meant he'd occasionally been able to comfort others. Artemis, Apollo, even Hermes. Everyone had a breakdown every now and then. Especially in the last several years. Athena’s was frankly long overdue. 

Athena looked at him, eyes wide with desperation. “He wouldn't do that to me…” 

“Why not?” Ares asked her, softly. “What about him makes you think that he wouldn't hurt one of his kids? Especially the one he tried to murder before it was even born.” 

At his words, something in Athena seemed to shatter.

She let out a noise somewhere between a sob and a scream, and started crying in earnest. Tears and snot mixing as they dripped down to her chin. Her face turning red and her breath hitching with near constant sobbing. Ugly crying didn't seem a strong enough term for it. This was a person who'd been utterly destroyed. 

Ares just hugged her, gently pressing her head into his shoulder. He said nothing, knowing there was nothing he could say to make this better. 

Eventually, after what felt like an hour. She finally calmed down. She slumped against him, exhausted.

 “Why would he do this?” Athena asked in a whisper. 

“Our father is a fuckin’ cult leader,” Ares told her. She didn't respond, so he continued, “No, really. He checks off almost every box. Isolating you, mental and physical abuse, making you feel as though you're not doing enough, all he has left is controlling a bunch of little things like your appearance, and–”

“He does,” Athena said softly. 

“I'm sorry, what?” Ares asked. 

“I mean, it's not like he controls my entire appearance, but he made me grow my hair out, and I feel like he might get angry with me if I dress in anything too elaborate…” 

“He MADE you grow your hair out?” Ares asked. That sounded like incredibly petty control. 

“Yeah…” She said almost sadly, “Well… He suggested I do it, because it was ‘too boyish’ when it was short and I thought about the prophecy and… Got nervous I guess…” 

Ares let out a low whistle, “Yikes.” 

“Sometimes I wish I could cut it again,” Athena said, “It's a bit annoying when it's this long, and serves as an easy target in battle.” 

This was true. Ares had grabbed her hair many times now during a fight. 

“I mean you CAN cut it,” Ares pointed out, “If you want to.” 

Athena just shook her head, “No I can't. Anyways, that's not important right now. I… I'm going to go.”

“Where?” Ares asked her. 

“The place where Pallas died,” Athena said, “I… If I remember right, I left the sword there. If I can find it again, maybe I can figure out if…” She trailed off. 

“Figure out if there's something special about it,” Ares finished. 

Athena nodded. Then Quick Thought vanished around them. 

When Athena landed in that place, it was hardly recognizable. There were overgrown plants everywhere, and a city nearby. She walked over to the spot where she'd tossed the sword. She was sure it would be there, she'd done a Time Dive just to check. However, there was just a tree there now. 

Athena frowned, wondering if some mortal or something had found the sword and took it. 

But no. Poking out of the tree trunk was a small piece of metal. The pommel of the sword. So she began to chip away at the tree with her spear. 

Eventually she got it free. 

The sword should've rusted by now. It should've dulled at least. But no, when she swung it experimentally, it cut a falling leaf right in half. 

She looked at the metal. She couldn't figure out WHAT this sword was made of. The material looked like a cross between high-carbon steel, and a sapphire gemstone. 

She examined it, looking for the symbols that might show there was a spell involved. She found them, right in the middle of the blade. 

It was Zeus's spell. 

She didn't recognize the second symbol. It looked similar to the symbol for a sharpening spell, like what she'd done to Astyanax’s sword. However it was more elaborate. If she turned it sideways, it almost looked like a poison spell, or a spell meant to sap your strength. Perhaps it was all of those things… 

And the final symbol. The spell could never be broken. Not even by the one who created it. And there was no counter spell. 

There's no way, Athena thought, I must be wrong! My siblings must be getting in my head! They're the ones manipulating me! It couldn't be father! He CAN'T be the one doing this! 

Maybe the spell was harmless? After all, she'd never seen that symbol before. Even if it LOOKED like something dangerous didn't mean it WAS! Dionysus's spell for a barrel of infinite wine looked very similar to a poison spell too. 

Maybe it was just a normal sword that father had made so it wouldn't dull or rust. And he'd meant it as a gift for her. He couldn't have wanted her to kill her best friend! 

Surely… 

Surely… 

SURELY! 

Athena felt confused. And betrayed. And scared. All at once. Fresh tears streamed down her face. Through a haze of emotions she made a decision. 

She made a cut on her arm with the sword. Something small that could be healed in moments when done by a normal weapon. This way she'd know, once and for all! 

Immediately she felt something was wrong. Her heart began to beat irregularly. Her vision went blurry. She staggered backwards, unsteady, and nearly dropped the sword. She sent it to Quick Thought, so she wouldn't accidentally cut herself again. But that didn't stop the dizziness. Nor the dull pain that washed over her body. 

It was worse on the arm she'd cut. There, her nerves felt fuzzy, as though they'd been compressed. She was pretty sure the humans called this sensation Paresthesia. That small cut was bleeding much more than it should. She was sure of that. 

She could feel her legs going numb, and her body grew cold. Unable to feel her feet beneath her, she collapsed to the ground. Her strength seemed to be fading. 

In a panic, she summoned Hermes. 

“What are you doing out– woah. You alright?”

“Cut myself with a sword to see if it was cursed,” Athena gasped out, “Please get Apollo.” 

“YOU WHAT!? Nope! Nevermind! I'll be back in a sec, don't move!” 

Athena fought to stay awake. It would be better for her to stay awake. She didn't want to die anymore.  She needed to stay to help Odysseus and his family. To do that she needed to stay awake. 

“ATHENA!? WHAT DID YOU DO!?” That was Apollo’s voice. 

“Mhmgksnin,” Athena said. She didn't have the energy to talk properly, or even open her mouth. 

“I'll get Ares too,” Hermes said, “Maybe he'll know something about cursed weapons!? At the very least he might be able to use his strength magic to stabilize her.” 

A moment later she heard Ares’s voice. 

“What am I doing here?” 

“Ares, we need help! Athena’s hurt.” 

Athena heard footsteps walking towards her. Then running..

“What– WHAT HAPPENED?” 

“I don't know!” Hermes said, “When I got here, Athena said she ‘cut herself with a sword to see if it was cursed’ and now she's like this!”

“FUCKING HELL! ATHENA!” Ares shouted. “YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE SWORD! NOT INJURE YOURSELF!?” 

“Mnnnsddnnin,” Athena said. 

Suddenly, she felt strength flowing through her veins like hot water. Her eyes snapped open wide. 

“Explain yourself!” Her three brothers said, all at the exact same time. 

“I didn't recognize the symbol for the spell on the sword. I needed to see what it would do,” Athena told them. 

“AND I'M THE ‘RECKLESS’ ONE!?” Ares demanded. “This sword KILLED your friend! You knew that! She was a goddess too! And you thought– What!? That you should DIE!? Was this ANOTHER suicide attempt!?”

“NO!” Athena said, “I just… I wasn't sure if she died because of the injury I gave her, or the sword itself… I… I needed to know for sure… If it was my fault or not… It wasn’t suicide!”

“I think we can pretty safely say it WASN'T your fault considering the state you're in!” Ares told her. “Why didn't you think this though!?” 

“It was just a little cut. I thought that if there WERE any symptoms, they'd be very mild…” Athena told him. 

“Where is the cut!?” Apollo demanded. 

Athena turned over her arm so he could see. 

“That's it?” Hermes said, “That's a tiny injury! Why is she in this state!?” 

“The sword’s cursed,” Ares said, “Father gave it to her to trick her into killing her friend. I was suspicious of it because the wound Athena gave her shouldn't have been enough to kill a goddess. Athena had to check for herself apparently.” 

“In that case,” Apollo said, “Let's see if I can use my magic to extract the curse.” 

After an indeterminable amount of time, Athena was back to normal, if a bit extra tired. 

“Let's not do this again, yeah?” Hermes said. “Like between the lightning wounds and this, I feel like this is a three strikes and you're out, kinda thing. Like I don't think your body can handle more of this stuff. Let's leave being reckless to Ares, he's better at it.” 

“Damn right!” 

“Actually I think this is the third time already,” Athena said, mildly, “Before the lightning wounds I went and fought giants for my student. Odysseus has a knack for getting himself in trouble.” 

“Sounds like a handful,” Ares said. 

“Yep. Now I'm gonna be training his sons. I hope they won't be as bad, but my expectations are very low.” 

Apollo pat her on the head, “Don't get yourself killed please.” 

“I'll do my best.” 

“Will you?” Hermes asked, “Or will you do something like cut yourself with a cursed sword again?” 

“I do intend to take better care of myself from now on. I promise,” Athena told them. 

“Well, we're not gonna tell father,” Apollo said, “So I'LL give you a suitable punishment.” 

Athena nodded, resigned. How was he going to hurt her? Was he going to cut her with a normal sword? -Was he going to do something worse?- 

“I want you to list three different actions you could've taken in that situation,” Apollo said, “If you wanted to find out what was wrong with the sword. What are three ways you could've done this safer?” 

Athena blinked, “That's hardly a punishment.”

“Good,” Apollo said, folding his arms, “Then do it.”

Athena rolled her eyes. She did this type of thing with her students all the time, whenever they made a foolish decision. It wasn't a punishment, just a way to make someone think through different strategies. 

“I could've talked to you first,” Athena said to Apollo, “Then I would've had you on standby when it went wrong.” 

“Good,” Apollo said, “What else?” 

“I could've asked around to see if anyone else recognized the spell, instead of testing it right away.” Athena said. 

“Alright,” Apollo said, “Last one.”

Athena considered. “And I… I could've tested it on Hephaestus instead of myself.” 

Ares choked, and started laughing. 

“... You know what, I'll take it,” Apollo said, “Alright Athena, let's go home.”  

Athena nodded, and let Apollo help her up. It was still a few hours before her first training session with Penelope, Telemachus, and Astyanax. 

Athena took a deep breath as she approached the training area. Ares had just been brutally beaten by their father, for destroying something of his. She still didn't understand why Ares went out of his way to antagonize him. 

 As she'd left, he'd been grinning. Why was he so happy father was angry with him? 

She'd been given some potent ambrosia by Apollo earlier, so she was feeling mostly fine again. 

For some reason, she still felt scared. Scared that she nearly died.

It was a new feeling, or at least one that she hadn't felt in a long time. Thousands of years at least. Thousands of years since she'd felt like she had more to live for than her father's praise. Like she wouldn't be able to sacrifice herself for her father. -Or maybe she'd felt that for awhile, because of Odysseus, and just never noticed…- 

However, now she realized she wanted to be here. She dreaded the idea of going to the underworld permanently. She wanted to help Odysseus. She wanted to train Penelope and her children. She felt like they needed her! 

-And she felt like she wanted them.- 

She didn't like feeling scared of death. It made her feel like she had something to lose. It was always better not to care about things like that if she wanted to do her job. 

-What good was a sword that was scared of breaking? Hadn't her father beaten those feelings out of her a long time ago?- 

But there was no time to worry about that right now. 

“Athena told me it'd be over here!” Telemachus said, rounding the corner. 

“Yes, yes, we know, honey,” Penelope laughed slightly. 

“Good to see you again,” Athena told them. 

“You too, Thea!” Telemachus said. 

“Are we gonna learn to stab people better?!” Astyanax asked, excited. 

“No.” Penelope folded her arms, looking down at her child. “We will be learning SELF DEFENSE. Not stabbing!” 

“True,” Athena said, “Your mom's from Sparta, she probably already knows how to stab people. Let's start with some basic punches. Then we'll talk about some ways to incapacitate an opponent to give you the opportunity to run away.” 

Part way through the training session, Telemachus spoke up. 

“I think I'm gonna pretend to befriend Eurymachus,” Telemachus said, “I mean, he keeps acting all nice, but he never did anything to try and stop Antinous from threatening us. So I think it's fake. But if I pretend to fall for it, and be his friend, he might give us information. It's just like this one story I read, where–” 

“No,” Athena interrupted. “Do not do this.”

“Why not?” Telemachus asked her. 

“Well, think about it,” Athena said, “If you're wrong, then nothing bad will happen. However, let's assume you're right about this, about him. You'd be going along with someone who wants to bring you harm. This could get you severely hurt.”

“No, ‘cause I wouldn't ACTUALLY trust him,” Telemachus said. 

“You'd still be putting yourself in a situation where he could choose to hurt you at any time,” Athena said, “After all, if you're pretending to think he's trustworthy, you'll have to let your guard down to an extent. It's not as though you could bring guards or a sword with you everywhere when you're around him, assuming you don't want him to think you're on to him.”

Telemachus frowned, “Yeah… Maybe you're right.” 

Athena found herself softening at the sight of his dejected expression. On a whim she walked over to him and ruffled his hair slightly. “You have good ideas, Telemachus. You're nearly as smart as your father. You need to be able to think your strategy through all the way. What information do you think you would even gain? And how would you prevent yourself from getting hurt, in the worst case scenario? Those are questions I taught your father to ask himself in these types of situations, and it's what you need to ask as well.”

He nodded, “Yeah. Yeah, I can think it through a bit more. Maybe I could be friends with someone who is friends with him. That might be safer, and I might still be able to get information about where he's going, and what suitors he's spending time with. Especially ‘cause he pretends to be friends with just about everyone, so it probably wouldn't be hard.” 

“That's a better idea,” Athena agreed, “Let's keep work-shopping that. Who would you try to befriend, and how would you do it naturally?” 

“Oh I know! I could–”

Athena smiled. Telemachus really was a lot like his father. At least when it came to strategy. 

Chapter Text

“Athena,” Aphrodite said, “It's time for another girl's night!” 

Athena thought about it. She didn't have any kind of training with the Ithaca royal family today. She always gave mortals one day off every week, for their muscles to recover. She'd been planning on training by herself, but… 

“Yeah alright,” Athena told her, “What do you want to do?” 

“Will you teach us to make clothes like you do?” Artemis asked.

Athena blinked, “Sure? Why?” 

“We've been learning a bunch of things from everyone,” Aphrodite said. “Hestia has been teaching us baking, and Artemis taught me to shoot a bow and arrow. After what happened with you, we thought it'd be good if we all had a basic understanding of how to do everything we might need or want to, if someone else got incapacitated.” 

Athena nodded, “That's very smart. I'll happily teach you some of my crafts.” 

Athena had already spent time learning just about every skill she could ever need. Back when there were less monsters and things for her to fight every day. She'd tried to learn every new skill she could. -She'd rather do anything else than sit with her own thoughts for too long.- 

That was how she'd discovered her love of crafts in the first place. 

After some time, Hera showed up. Aphrodite and Artemis were a ways into an embroidery project, because Athena had determined that would be the best place to start, if they wanted to make more decorative clothes. 

“Athena, honey, are you okay?” Her step mother asked her. 

“Yes, of course.” Athena replied automatically, “Why do you ask, step mother?”

“First off,” She said, holding up a hand, “I've been having all your siblings just call me ‘Auntie’, or ‘Aunt Hera'. I know ‘Step-mother’ is more accurate, but it feels far too formal.” 

Athena frowned. “Everyone?” She asked. 

It wasn't too surprising that her step mother would be alright hearing such a title from Athena, she'd always liked her more than all her siblings born out of wedlock. However, the idea of her being alright with being called that by someone like Aphrodite, or Artemis, threw her for a loop. 

“Yep,” Artemis confirmed, “Aunt Hera has actually been bonding with us quite a bit, since you've been out.” 

“Really?” Athena asked. 

“Yes,” Hera said. She pulled Aphrodite and Artemis into a hug which they both returned. 

Then after a moment she let them go, and turned back to Athena, “I've long since realized that just because you're not my CHILDREN doesn't mean you can't be my family. And a man who would burn his own daughter with lightning isn't a man who is worth getting worked up over. We've all been working on properly bonding with each other since you've been gone. And we really want to get close to you too, if you're alright with it.” 

Athena hesitated, feeling rather unsure of how to navigate this. “I… Think that would be fine… Aunt Hera?” It came out almost as a question. She was so unused to the idea of calling her step mother anything so casual. She'd always called her ‘Step-mother', or occasionally ‘Queen Hera’. 

However this seemed to be the right answer, since Hera smiled, and hugged her. It almost seemed -motherly- familial in nature. 

“As for why I was asking if you're alright earlier,” Hera said, after their hug. “Ares was ranting to me earlier. I didn't understand much. You know how hard he gets to understand once he gets worked up, I'm sure. Something about you almost dying again?” 

Athena sighed, “He's still on about that!? That was days ago!” 

“I'm sorry what?” Artemis said. She sounded like she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. 

“You almost DIED!?” Aphrodite said horrified. 

“What happened?” Hera asked. 

Athena sighed again. “I found a cursed sword. I didn't recognize the spell on it. So I gave myself a small cut with the sword to see what it would do. Turns out the sword was WAY more cursed than I thought, so I had Hermes bring Apollo to help. He also brought Ares, for his strength magic. They've seemed upset about it ever since.” 

“Makes sense,” Aphrodite said, “If you almost died, anyone would be upset.” 

“How big of a cut was it?” Artemis asked, “I mean if you almost died…” 

Athena showed them the top of her arm. The small cut had left a scar, probably because of the amount of magic involved in the wound. “It was just this.” 

“And you almost died!? How cursed was the sword!?” Artemis demanded. 

“Very. Rest assured, it's in Quick Thought now, so it can't hurt anyone else.” 

“Do you know who cursed it?” Aphrodite asked. 

“Father.” Athena didn't look at them. 

“Why would he curse a sword like that?” Hera asked. “And where did you find it?” 

“In a forest,” Athena said. “And I’d rather not speak of this further.” 

“Alright…” Hera said softly, “Well if you ever need to talk to someone, let me know, okay?” 

“Understood,” Athena said, formally. 

“Do you wanna do embroidery with us, auntie?” Aphrodite asked. 

“If it's alright with Athena,” Hera said, “I'd love to.” 

“Of course,” Athena told her. 

It seemed like a lot had happened in seven years. She had a lot to catch up on. 

Athena had to make an effort not to let herself slouch, or lean against the wall. That was unprofessional. However she'd just fought seventeen monsters on her father's orders. She had about five more to do that day. 

-Had he found out she'd been spending time with her siblings, and decided to punish her? Or exhaust her so she couldn't do it anymore?- 

“You should go lay down,” Hermes told her, “You look pale.” 

“I'm fine,” she told him. 

“You need to take better care of yourself!” 

“I do!” Athena retorted. 

Hermes looked flatly at Athena. “You know what, I'm going to Ogygia again, I need to talk to your friend and tell him that you almost died the other day.”

“You do not need to do that!” Athena said immediately. She didn't want Odysseus to worry. 

“I do, unfortunately. I need him to talk some sense into you because I don't think it sticks when we do it,” Hermes said, “But if you want to send him another letter or something, I'll take it to him.” 

Athena paused, “Could you wait until tomorrow? I would like to give the opportunity to his family to write to him.” 

Hermes considered, then nodded, “Fine.” 

So Athena was able to write a letter herself, as well as allow Penelope, Telemachus, and Astyanax to write to him. 

That was going to be the end of it. But… 

There was something else she could do… However it would require letting some other people see her…

I really hate Odysseus sometimes, Athena thought with a sigh. Though that wasn't entirely true. She didn't hate Odysseus, she only hated that he made her care about him enough that she did annoying tasks to make him happy. Or in this case, make his friends happy. 

Athena appeared in a flash of light. 

Two people gasped awake. A man and a woman. The man stared slack-jawed at her. The woman scrambled off the bed with a screech of horror. 

Humans. Honestly. 

She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes as the pair practically prostrated themselves at her feet. If she'd been wearing armor and carrying a weapon, that would be one thing, however she wasn't. She wasn't even using much magic, only making herself glow slightly to light up the room. 

“I am not going to harm you,” Athena told the humans, both of whom looked to be on the verge of tears. 

“You're not?” The woman asked. 

“No. If I wanted you dead, you would've been decapitated before you had the chance to leave your bed,” Athena said calmly. Humans really needed to think logically. If she was going to kill them, why would she wait so long to make a move? 

For some reason, her words didn't seem to reassure the trembling mortals. 

“Wh-What do you want with us?” The man whispered. 

“You are the parents of a man named ‘Polites’, yes?” Athena asked. She knew the answer, but figured this would be an easy way to bring up the subject. 

“We are!” The woman exclaimed. “Do you know him?” 

Athena considered the question. She'd rather not reveal her connection to Odysseus. So instead she gave them a bit of a half truth. 

“I am the goddess of war,” she told them, “I know of many soldiers. I'm actually here to give him a reward.”

They both looked confused, so Athena continued. 

“Polites has earned my favor, because he came up with a strategy that saved nearly a hundred men from death.” She was, of course, referring to what happened with Scylla. “He has shown much bravery, humility, and optimism in the face of dire circumstances. As of right now, he, and what remains of the army, are stuck on a deserted island. I've overheard him lamenting missing his family. As a reward for his bravery, I have decided to allow you both to write to him. A letter that will be personally delivered by Hermes himself.” 

“Are you serious?” The man breathed. 

“Yes. I will return for the letter in one hour.” With that Athena left to visit Odysseus's sister. 

That interaction went pretty much the same, except for the fact that she seemed a lot more calm about the whole thing. 

And of course, instead of saving nearly a hundred men, Athena told her that Eurylochus was favored because he took a stab wound, trying to stop a rogue crew member from disobeying orders. 

This WAS partly true. She'd dropped the last of her grudge against the man when this happened. He made it very clear he'd learned his lesson about disobeying Odysseus. 

Odysseus looked up, alarmed, at the sight of Hermes. “What is it!?” He asked. Athena had said she wouldn't contact him again unless there was bad news. 

“Huh–” Hermes began, then blinked, “Oh yeah, Athena mentioned you'd be worried. Nah she didn't send me. I told her I'm coming here to snitch on her about the stupid shit she pulled the other day. And before you ask, she's fine. Just a dumbass.” 

Odysseus exhaled, relieved. Nobody was hurt, Hermes apparently just wanted to vent. “What did she do?” He asked. 

“She apparently found a cursed sword in the forest. At least that's what she said. Then she ‘wanted to know what the curse would do’, so she cut the top of her arm with the blade, and then had to call me when she started FREAKING DYING. I don't know where the sword went, but that's what she told me.” 

“She probably sent it to Quick Thought,” Odysseus mused. 

“You don't even seem upset.” Hermes frowned. 

“I am upset,” Odysseus said, “Just not surprised. You know, when she was in my ship with the stab wound, I left her alone for about five minutes, and when I got back she had eaten so much of that really strong ambrosia that she started hallucinating. This seems on brand.” 

Hermes sighed, “Great… Why does she do this? She didn't used to! Just a few hundred years ago, I would've said she's probably the most level headed out of all of us.” 

Odysseus shrugged, “I think she spent so long getting it beaten into her head that she's her father's tool that she sees no problem in destroying herself. Until recently, she didn't do so actively, only because she saw no reason to, not because she thought it was wrong.” 

“So what's the reason she's doing it now?” Hermes asked.

“From what I can tell, she seems very emotionally dysregulated,” he told the god, “I think she has been for a while now. Maybe she started realizing her father is abusive. At least on some level, even if she didn't want to admit it, and has been slowly spiraling since. At least that's my theory… It might be some kind of cry for help. It might be because she feels she needs to prove something. Or maybe because it's the only way she's been taught to show love. I'm not entirely sure…” Odysseus frowned slightly. 

“I guess that makes sense. If she's getting closer to people other than our father, she'd act the way she's used to with him…” Hermes frowned. 

“But it's not like she wasn't doing it at all before,” Odysseus said, “It was just more passive. She was isolating herself for thousands of years. Plus it wasn't like she was doing a lot of self care, considering the fact that I don't think she slept once during the war.” 

Hermes nodded slowly, “Yeah… I guess that makes sense… Maybe it was always happening in the background, and we just never noticed…” 

“I'll pray to her today,” Odysseus said, “And see if I can help. I can try to remind her to take care of herself. However, while I'm stuck on this island, there isn't much I can do. I'm relying on you all to take care of her.” 

“Yeah, I get it. We're doing our best,” Hermes said, “Also, since she knew I was coming here, she got you some letters. From your family members I think.” 

Odysseus's eyes widened, “Really?!” 

Hermes nodded, and handed him a small stack. “I think some of them are for your friends, but I dunno.” 

He nodded, “Thanks, I'm sure they'll be thrilled.” 

Hermes laughed, “Don't thank me, I'm not the one who harassed a bunch of mortals in their beds last night.” With that, he left. 

Odysseus looked at the letters, four were addressed to him. One for Polites, and two for Eurylochus. 

Odysseus took a deep breath and opened the first letter, which seemed to have Athena's handwriting. 

Odysseus, 

I don't know what Hermes told you, but rest assured, I'm in perfect health. 

However, I think I owe you an apology. I learned recently that you're right. Father did intend to have me kill Pallas. It was only after I mentioned the theory to Ares, and he agreed with you, that I really looked into it. The other day I went and found the sword I used to kill her. I discovered that Father had put a spell on it. I didn't know what that spell was supposed to do, so I tested it on myself. That is what Hermes is talking about if he mentioned I almost died due to cutting myself with a cursed sword. I think he believes me suicidal. However I just wanted to know if my own father betrayed me. 

Though I suppose there may be a ‘boy who cried wolf’ element to Hermes’s opinion, considering the fact that I haven't been able to convince him that I'm perfectly fine, both mentally and physically. 

The situation regarding Pallas has been a lot to take in. However, I have been working on plenty of other projects, so I'm not too concerned about it for the moment. I've been keeping myself busy as usual. I recently started training your sons to fight. Your adopted son, Astyanax, I no longer believe is a threat. He recently killed a man who hurt Telemachus. I think THAT'S what the prophecy meant when it said ‘he will take revenge on the Ithacan man responsible for his family being harmed.’ I think that makes more sense considering it really wasn't YOUR fault his birth family was hurt. None of your soldiers were even going that direction. At least I hope this is the case. I'll still keep an eye on him, rest assured. 

I hope you're doing well, I admit I haven't been checking on you as frequently as I should. 

It feels as though my siblings won't leave me alone for even the second it would take in Quick Thought. Apollo and Hermes keep harassing me about my health. Ares keeps wanting to spar with me. Aphrodite and Artemis spend a significant amount of time with me now. Ares too. They won't leave me alone anymore. I can't truthfully say I hate it, but at the same time, I'm feeling a bit smothered. 

And whenever I'm not with them, I've been watching over Ithaca, or doing tasks for my father. However this is not a good excuse and I'll be sure to check on you more often. I'd love to hear how you're doing with a prayer or two if you have the time, but you're under no obligation to do so of course. 

I miss you sometimes you know, as annoying as you mortals are. 

-Athena. 

Odysseus felt like he might cry. He missed his mentor dearly, and was so happy to hear she felt the same. He was also happy to hear her family seemed to be treating her well. Considering what she said about being ‘smothered’ they were probably giving her an regular amount of affection. Not to mention, he was incredibly relieved about the prophecy. 

He decided he'd read the other letters first, before he'd pray to respond to Athena’s. He opened one with crooked, messy, handwriting. 

-Odysse- -Fathe- Dad

This is from Astyanax. Athena said we could write a letter to you. I don't really know what to say. 

Athena showed me some stuff about the prophecy and how everyone thought I was gonna kill you. I'm not. You seem really cool :) 

I'm really happy here with mom, and Tel. So… Thanks for not killing me. I love you. I hope to meet you someday. 

Odysseus was actually crying now. He loved this kid so much! He was so grateful he hadn't hurt him like Zeus told him to. If anything, this just made his rage at the god king burn brighter. He hated that CREATURE so much! 

He took a deep breath, and opened the next one. It was in Penelope’s loopy, elegant, handwriting. 

My dearest husband, 

I miss you more and more each day. My nights are filled with images of your face that leaves me full of longing when I awaken. 

Throughout the years I've had many suitors claim you are dead, and beg me to remarry. I have refused each and every time. I remain loyal to you, and I want you to know if I do remarry, it will only be for our safety. One of these ‘suitors' recently attacked our oldest son. Our youngest, Astyanax, killed him in revenge. However, this has only made the rest of them more agitated. I fear I may have to eventually remarry, though I will continue to stall as long as I can. Perhaps I can get Athena to confirm you are alive. However, I don't know if that would sway them. They are desperate for power. 

Whether I am forced to remarry or not, I shall keep your bow polished, if you would like to deal with them when you return. I am bound by the laws of hospitality, but you've been gone long enough, it might be overlooked. As you might be considered a guest, until I've verified your identity. 

Regardless of what you intend to do about the plague in our home, I eagerly await your return. I want you to know I love you, and I would give the world to see you again. 

Our sons have grown into people you would be incredibly proud of, I think. However, I'll leave them to introduce themselves in their own letters. You'll be happy to know, Argos is still alive, and in good health despite his age. 

I dearly miss having you at my side. I miss the touch of your hands caressing my skin, and even moreso the touch of your lips on mine. I can't wait to see you again.

Love, Penelope. 

Odysseus’s chest filled with longing. He missed his wife so badly, it was like a physical ACHE in his chest. As though his heart was straining against his ribs, trying to reach Ithaca by itself. 

He held the letter close, and took a few deep breaths. He knew he would get home eventually. He knew it. The prophet had said as much. He just had to be patient and wait for Athena to discover a way to get him out that wouldn't kill her. 

He opened the last letter. This handwriting was very small, though surprisingly neat, with incredibly straight lines. 

Father!!!

I am so excited to meet you! Thea has told us a lot about training you! You seem like such a fun person! [By the way, Thea is Athena. She showed up at the palace in disguise, using that as her fake name, so that's what I call her now :D] 

By the way this is Telemachus writing. Though you probably figured that out. Oh well. 

There's so much I wanna talk about with you! I've always wanted to meet you! You know mama tells a lot of stories about your adventures before the war! You're so cool! 

I've been learning a lot from my tutors. They've been teaching me about the gods, and Athena has been correcting a bunch of information they're getting wrong. Did you know a lot of people think Hades is the god of death and kills people, but actually he just rules over the people who are already dead, and it's a completely different god who does the killing part. I've also been learning pottery lately! I can't wait to show you a bunch when you get back! If I'd had more time I could've made something small to put in the envelope, but Athena said our letters had to be finished by tonight. 

There's just so much I can't wait to talk about! I'm so excited to get to meet you! Well- meet you again, and actually remember it this time. [Because I was a baby before and don't actually remember it. Sorry.]

Anyways! I hope you're doing well. Athena said you're stuck on an island, but you have plenty of food and stuff. I wonder if the food there is even better than what we have here! 

I bet if you ask nicely, Thea would pass on message if you wanna reply or something. You don't have to though! I love you! 

Love! Telemachus! 

Odysseus was going to beg Athena to pass on a reply to his family. Especially Telemachus. He wanted nothing more than to hear more about what his oldest son was doing. His favorite foods, his favorite color, anything. 

He was so excited to go home. He just had to be patient. He knew that Athena would get him out eventually. He trusted her to do that, and was happy she seemed to at least be trying to do it more safely than in his vision. 

So naturally he went to his shrine. (After dropping off the other letters, addressed to his friends) 

He knelt, and prayed once again. 

“Goddess Athena,” he began, as always, “I'm really happy to hear you're okay. I admit after what Hermes said, I was a bit concerned about possible suicidal tendencies as well. I do hope you'll take better care of yourself. However I can't blame you when it was something so… Sensitive. I'm really sorry to hear about that. I suspected as much, but I'm sorry I was right. I wish I wasn't. I wish he hadn't done that to you. While I'm happy to hear you're spending time with your family, and with mine, I do think you should try to take some time to really process everything you're feeling. Bottling things up, only hurts you in the long run. Maybe talk to someone if you can. Regardless, I love you very much. You're practically my family as well, and I hope you know that you are cared about, not just by me, but by your family as well it seems. Aside from HIM. I will heed your advice and not speak certain thoughts aloud when I may draw attention. However, my hatred has only grown. You deserve to be treated with nothing but kindness, and we both know he doesn't do that. I know you cannot sever your ties to him completely, but I hope you focus more on the family who deserves your care, and who return it. As far as mine is concerned. I'm happy to hear that things with Astyanax turned out better than we'd ever hoped. I'm happy about my decision, and I hope you know… Well, Prophecies can turn out a variety of ways, and I wish certain people hadn't jumped to conclusions regarding you. I believe we discussed it that night. Gods, I miss all of you. I miss you, Athena. I miss my family, my dog, my home, my favorite trees, I miss it all so much. I can't wait to see you all again. Please, tell my wife that I love her. Tell her I fully intend to kill anyone treating her so terribly, as to try and pressure her into marriage and hurt our children. Tell both my sons that I love them. Especially Astyanax, I think he needs to know that I love him as my own. Harming him was never really an option for me. Tell Telemachus that I can't wait to see what he's made, and that the fruit here is perfect, but is terrible compared to what we grow at home. That's probably my own bias talking though… You're the best, Athena. Thank you for this.”

Polites took a deep breath, and opened the letter. Odysseus hadn't said who it was from, only that Hermes had brought it for him. 

He was shocked to find a letter from his parents. 

Dear Polites, 

We were shocked to hear from the goddess Athena that you had done so much. She said you saved nearly a hundred men. We don't know the details, but it must've been a lot to get the attention, and favor, of a goddess. 

She says you're on an island right now. That sounds like quite the adventure. I hope we get to hear about it when you return home! 

We're so proud of you. Not just for earning the favor of a goddess, but for the man she's told us you've become. Why, I still remember the days you were playing with twigs in the back yard, fingers covered with mud, and a big grin with your front teeth missing. I remember those were some of the first teeth you lost, right in the front. You were so cute! Now, from what we've heard, you've grown into a hero. Oh how the time flies. 

We love you so much, and are so very proud to be your parents! We hope to see you again someday! 

Love, mom and dad. 

Polites held the letter close, and started bawling. 

Eurylochus eyed the letters. He still didn't trust the gods. 

In the end, he finally opened one. Only to discover it was from his wife. 

Eury! 🩷🩷🩷

The goddess Athena told me I could write to you. She said she was pleased with you because you took a stab wound for my brother. I kinda wonder why she cares? Then again, Ody has always been very devoted to worshiping her. Either way, I have news! 

Just after you left, I actually fell pregnant. I think it was due to the night before you left. You actually have a daughter. I named her Anticlea, after my mother. It's a funny story actually. When she was born she didn't stop crying, for like an hour, no matter what we did. Then my mom picked her up, and held her, and she immediately quieted. So I named her after her. Though, we mostly just called her Clea, to prevent confusion. She's staying here at the house as well. She took my mother's death very hard. 

Oh, I should probably mention that. My mother recently died of old age. Our daughter was studying abroad, learning blacksmithing from a talented man in Sparta. However, she came home right after she heard the news. On the bright side, that means she can also write a letter to you. I think it'll be good for you to hear from her. I think you'd like to meet her. Though, just a warning, she's a bit shy sometimes. Anyways, I miss you dearly. Even when I thought you were dead I wasn't going to get remarried, nobody could ever live up to your legacy in my heart. I was confident Penelope would remarry before I ever did. I hope to see you again, but if not, just know I'll love you forever and ever! 

Sincerely, Ctimene! 🩷🩷🩷

Eurylochus closed his eyes, holding the letter close to his face. She'd put some of her perfume on it. He breathed in the scent. 

He missed her so much. 

She was like the sun. Bright. Important. Energizing. Yet calming like the ocean breeze. 

She’d always brought out a side in him that he never knew existed, until he'd met her. 

He just wanted to see her again.

He stared at the second letter with some level of apprehension. He had a daughter… She'd written to him… He took a deep breath. Then another. It took about ten minutes to build up the courage to open it. 

Father,

I honestly don't really know what to say… It came as a shock to hear you're alive. Mom tells me about you a lot. I think it'd be very nice to meet you in person. 

Sorry if this comes off awkward. I don't really know how to approach this. Mom misses you a lot. So I think that counts for something.

I'm in school to become a blacksmith right now, so maybe I can make you a new sword. I'm sure after twenty years, yours is a little worse for wear. No matter how well you've been taking care of it, you'll be using it far to regularly for it to remain completely undamaged. I wonder what kind of sword you prefer. Mom said your sword was huge. Though I don't know if she meant in terms of length, width, or depth. Perhaps all three. 

Sorry, I just really like swords. 

I'm excited to meet you, if I can. 

-Clea 

Eurylochus prayed to every god that existed that he would get to meet his daughter. He'd give just about anything. 

Athena listened closely as Odysseus offered his prayer. When he admitted how much he missed her, how much he missed his home, she knew something needed to be done. 

She needed to get him home. She hadn't been able to figure out a way to break the spell without involving -father- Zeus. 

No. 

No, she had no choice. 

Besides, it felt unfair to give up on her father, without giving him one last chance. A final opportunity to prove that he actually cared about HER. -The way Odysseus always had.- 

If he actually loved her, surely he'd let her save some MORTALS. After all, they'd die anyways, in less than a hundred years. Especially since Helios was already fully satisfied with the punishment, and required nothing more. (She'd already asked.) 

She could forgive everything, even what happened with Pallas, if he'd just do this ONE thing for her. Surely that wasn't too much to ask. 

That night, just before Odysseus went to sleep, Hermes showed up once again. 

“You're back?” Odysseus said, “I thought you said coming here was the worst?”

“I need to stop giving people favors,” Hermes grumbled, “Anyways, Apollo has a message for you.” He handed Odysseus a small folded piece of paper, then left. 

The ‘game’ will tomorrow afternoon. I haven't seen the outcome of this one. I can only pray the fates will allow it to be better than the one you saw. Pray to her tomorrow morning, if you can. I have a feeling you may be able to help in a way we can't. 

-Apollo. 

“Oh no…” Odysseus whispered.

Chapter Text

That morning, Odysseus knelt down to pray with tears in his eyes. 

“Goddess Athena,” he began, “Apollo has told me of your… Plan. I know I will probably not be able to talk you out of it. I worry about you. I don't think he'll take well to your request. I just want you to stay safe. You're my friend, and if I am never able to get out of here, but you can stay safe and look after my family, I'd happily take that trade. My family matters more to me than myself, and you are part of that. I… I think I should be able to talk about the future I saw from Mnemosyne. I think it would've already happened by now. Probably right after I was on that cliff, since I remember you saying something about that to Hera. So here goes nothing. In that vision, I saw him kill you. You asked for my release from an island I was trapped on. I assume it must be this one. He ordered you to play a game, and when you won, he killed you with lightning. After seeing what happened with you and him on the ship, I am terrified for you. I know you would probably sacrifice yourself to save me, but I don't want you to. You're someone who is very important to me. So…” 

Odysseus hesitated. Was he really going to do this? 

He pulled out the favor token that Athena had given him. If he used it, he'd have no way to know if she was okay or not. 

But… 

But there was no favor he wanted more than this. 

Trembling, he snapped it in half. 

He held the pieces up to his lips, and tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke. “Do whatever it takes in order to survive.” 

At these words, the favor crumbled into dust. Tears began to stream down his face.

Zeus watched as Athena approached him. She looked nervous, and yet determined. He admired her optimism in believing he would do anything for her when she's been so rebellious lately. 

“Father, God King,” Athena began, “I have a small request I'm hoping you will be willing to fulfill?” 

“Oh?” He asked, “And what is that?” 

“I don't think I ask for much, so please, let Odysseus and his men leave the island you banished him to. It's been seven years, I think his punishment has been fulfilled. I even asked Helios and he said he is satisfied and doesn't intend to hold a grudge if he is allowed to go home.” 

Zeus barely restrained himself from beating some obedience into his foolish daughter. She was still on about this STUPID MORTAL!? 

“Please,” she whispered. 

Zeus considered. Athena was his favorite. Everyone knew that. There were dozens of gods watching this exchange. He couldn't be seen refusing her outright. Otherwise nobody would want to be his favorite anymore. It was that jealousy that kept his control over his children. Athena remained loyal to stay at the top, and the others remained loyal to try and overthrow her. Being the favorite still needed to mean something. 

It was bad enough that her siblings had started talking to her, and even seemed to be somewhat including her. Admittedly he hadn't seen much, because everyone went quiet the moment he was there, but he knew enough. 

He needed to drive a deeper wedge between her and her siblings, and make himself look good in the process. This way, Athena would remain the loyal tool he'd raised her to be. That way she'd understand that without him, she was NOTHING. 

He looked down at his daughter. “I do not want to release him. I don't think he's served nearly enough time.”

That mortal would stay on that island for the rest of his days, so he wouldn't be able to BRAINWASH his daughter anymore. 

“However,” Zeus continued, smiling kindly, “Because I love you, daughter, I'll make you a deal.” 

She looked up at him, hope in her eyes. He wasn't going to crush that for her. He was going to let someone else do it. 

“Convince five gods of my choosing to let him go, and I will,” Zeus told her. 

Athena nodded, “Who must I convince, father?” 

Zeus considered this. 

He'd seen Artemis interact with Athena, and the two seemed on friendly terms now. However Artemis had an intense hatred of human men, so he doubted she would agree to free one. 

Hephestas was the obvious second choice. Athena always seemed apprehensive around him for some reason. 

Then there was Ares. He'd witnessed the two fight countless times. Plus, he was sure Ares would be bitter about being punished by Zeus recently. 

He considered Aphrodite, but dismissed the idea. He'd recently caught sight of Aphrodite braiding Athena’s hair, as he'd walked by her room. No that one wasn't going to work. 

On a whim, he decided on Dionysus. He hadn't seen him interact with Athena much yet. 

Lastly, ever loyal, faithful Hera. Even if Athena managed to convince the others, his wife would never go against him. 

He told Athena his list. She nodded, and bowed. “Very well, father.” 

So he summoned the group to the arena. Then he had Mnemosyne cast a spell. One that would give all of them an idea of the mortal's life, his family, and his flaws. This way, Athena wouldn't be able to lie to them, and they’d all have plenty of ammunition to use against her. 

This was sure to be quite enjoyable to watch.

Athena went into this hopeful. She had become better friends with most of the gods he'd listed. Even Dionysus, though because their schedules conflicted so much, she wasn't able to spend much time with him. Since Athena was most often free in the evenings, because earlier in the day is when mortals usually wanted help. And monsters were easier to fight when it was light out. Meanwhile Dionysus’s parties were usually in the evenings. So their free time rarely overlapped. 

At the very least, she didn't think any of them would say ‘no’ out of a personal grudge against her. 

First it was Artemis’s turn. Athena opened her mouth to plead her case. However Artemis immediately turned to their father. 

“Let him go,” Artemis said. 

“Excuse you!?” Her father demanded, “The game hasn't even begun!” 

“If Athena believes him worthy, then he is,” Artemis said calmly. 

“I thought you hated human men!” Zeus told her, “Are you doing this just to spite me!?” 

“No,” Artemis said calmly, “I do not care for mortal men, it is true. However, I can acknowledge that some men are better than others. From what I've seen, Odysseus is a better man than any of those pigs staying in his house. Therefore, the logical choice is to make him king again. It is not to please anyone, or to spite anyone. It is my own decision, father. Let him go.” 

“Very well…” Zeus said, slowly. His voice filled with barely restrained anger. 

Athena nodded her thanks at Artemis, who gave her a pat on the arm. 

“Hephaestus!” Zeus called. 

Then he walked out into the arena. Athena suppressed the discomfort, rising in her chest like a hundred ants. She needed to be friendly. 

“He almost sacrificed almost a hundred men to Scylla,” Hephaestus told her, “If you weren't there, those men would've DIED!” 

“But I was there,” Athena told him, “I killed Scylla to save those men.” 

She heard whispers from the other gods watching in the stands. Everyone who hadn't been affected by Mnemosyne's spell seemed shocked. 

“Aside from that,” Athena said, “Those men volunteered for this. It wasn't as though he sent them in blind. He offered his men a choice between Scylla's lair and the unknown.” 

“He still should've been the one who called you, instead of his companion,” Hephaestus said. 

“He should've,” Athena agreed, “But I already told him off for that. Furthermore, it wasn't as though he hid in the cabin. No, he stood in the middle of the ship, and nearly got eaten himself. He didn't put his men through anything he wouldn't do himself. That is no betrayal. He made a mistake not calling me, but he did so because he thought it would be a bad idea, not because he wanted men to die. Now he just wants to go home to his family. And most of his men want to go back to theirs. Please don't let a single mistake doom a man to die alone without the wife who loves him.” 

That last bit was a gamble. It was possible that would cause him to get jealous and lash out, but Athena hoped that Hephaestus’s own longing for a loyal wife would give him some empathy. 

Indeed, her gamble paid off. 

“Fine,” Hephaestus said, “Release him.” 

Next it was Ares's turn. 

Immediately they were in Quick Strength. 

“What are you doing!?” Ares demanded, “We both know he's not going to take this well if you win! He looks pissed!” 

“Let me handle that,” Athena said, as calmly as she could manage while in Ares realm. 

“No!” Ares snapped, “I'm sorry Athena, but I'm not about to let you get yourself killed over a mortal! It already almost happened once! I'm not letting it happen again. I can't… No matter how badly you want me to.” He turned away, and Quick Strength faded. 

So immediately Athena pulled him into Quick Thought. 

Ares drew his sword, and the two began to fight. 

“You're not changing my mind, Athena! I'm not letting you get yourself killed!” 

“I'm not!” Athena snapped, blocking each and every move Ares threw at her. “I'm not getting myself killed! I have a plan! If you'll just let me explain!” 

“No!” Ares said, “I don't care about your plan, give me one good reason why you should risk everything for this mortal!” 

“BECAUSE HE'S MY FRIEND!" Athena snapped, "And he's been my friend since before you were!”

“How!?” Ares demanded, “What did he do that was so special!?” 

“He treated me like a person instead of a tool.” Athena told him. “And he's always looked out for my well-being. Even now, when Apollo told him I'd be doing this, he begged me to stay safe, even if that meant he didn’t get to leave.” 

“Sounds like he ALSO doesn't want you getting yourself killed for him!” Ares snapped, “He sounds like a good friend! But that doesn't justify what you're doing!” He backed away, and lowered his sword, seemingly not wanting to fight her anymore. 

“There's more to it than that,” Athena said, lowering her spear in return. “This is about more than just Odysseus. Ares, I…" She swallowed, "I am… Accepting that our father may have never loved me. However… I want to give him one last chance. I final opportunity to prove he cares about me as something other than a tool- no, a plaything that he can manipulate. This is his final chance with me. If I win his game and he refuses to do what he promised, I'm done.” 

Something in her seemed to settle at the admission. As though, now that she'd made this choice, it was out of her hands, whether or not she'd forgive her father for everything he'd done. 

-mother-

-Pallas- 

-Imprisoning Odysseus- 

-Torture- 

-Punishments- 

It was entirely up to her father now. 

“You're ‘done’?” Ares asked, “What does that mean?” 

“If father doesn't give me this ONE thing that I want, then I'm done with him," Athena said, "Done being loyal. Done following every command and request. Done being his favorite, perfect, daughter. This is his last chance, and if he does try what you and Odysseus seem to think he will, then I will no longer consider Zeus my father, or my king.” 

“Why can't you just be done now!?” Ares demanded, “Why do you have to give him so many chances to hurt you!?” 

“I… I don't know,” Athena admitted. “I guess… The lightning was at my request. And almost everything else happened years ago. It feels wrong to decide to sever all ties with him over things from so long ago.”

“Well yeah, but that's ‘cause you didn't KNOW he killed your friend until now!” 

“Still… It feels only fair to give him a chance to redeem himself after seven years. After all, every one of you has seemingly become nicer to me. All my siblings and even my step mother– er– Aunt.” She paused, then shook her head, “Father gets one chance, and that's it. I have other people now, I don't need him. But I do need Odysseus.” 

Ares considered her words, “Well… It would be nice for you to finally quit your unhealthy attachment to him. And I can get this friend is very important to you… But what are you going to do if he strikes you with lightning again? He's already done it once, what if he tries to kill you!?” 

“I have a plan for that,” Athena said, then she smiled slightly, “Let me show you something.”

-

As they exited Quick Thought, Ares turned to look at Zeus. “She made a good argument while we were in her realm.” He smirked, “I say let him go.” 

Zeus looked furious. “NEXT!” He yelled. 

Ares gave Athena a look, one that read ‘Don’t make me regret this.’ 

She nodded, once. Almost grimly. She knew that after today, there was a good chance things would never be the same. But that was something she was willing to do, for her friend. 

For Odysseus, who would willingly stay trapped on that island if it meant she was okay. 

For Odysseus, who loved his family so openly and strongly. Who had adopted a child, who he'd thought would kill him, and loved it as his own. 

For Odysseus, who hugged her often, and wasn't shy about telling her how much he cares without asking something in return. 

For Odysseus, who didn't blame her when her efforts fell short. 

For Odysseus, because he didn't keep her around just because she was USEFUL. He wanted her company, and that alone was enough to make him happy. 

She'd willingly pay the price if it came to that. 

Next was Dionysus, who was definitely not sober, though he wasn't slurring his words yet.

“I don't really care about the guy. He seems boring. Buuuuut I do feel like that's a good way for Sir Lightning to make up for what he did to ya,” Dionysus told her, “Then again, he did ruin a perfectly good drink with lotus fruit…” 

“He did,” Athena agreed, “Many mortals do similar things, poisoned wine is very common. Plus it wasn't even REALLY wine, he just said it was. He didn't ruin proper wine.” 

“Hmmm, tell ya what, promise you'll play poker with me soon, and I'll let him go. You almost never play anymore, and I want to get a favor token from you.” 

“I would love to,” Athena said. And she meant it. Honestly, she probably would've straight up given Dionysus a favor if that's what he demanded, so this was even better. 

“Great, then release the man! Maybe he can play poker with us too, sometime!” 

“I bet he'd enjoy that,” Athena said, smiling slightly. 

“HERA! IT'S YOUR TURN!” Zeus practically screamed the words, before taking a breath, “And do be sure to play the game properly, my lovely wife.

Now it was Hera’s turn. She seemed completely unbothered by anything Zeus had just said. 

“Hm, I suppose I don't have anything against him. Does he really mean so much to you, ‘Thena?” She asked. 

Athena nodded, “He does. He matters to me a lot. He… Is like family to me,” she admitted. 

“Family, huh? In that case, let him go,” Hera told Zeus, giving Athena a pat on the head. 

Athena braced herself, preparing her magic. It was time for Zeus to make his choice. Was he going to love and respect her, or punish her for playing by his rules. 

She wished she could’ve been more surprised when lightning started gathering around him. 

Athena summoned her armor, and her weapon. Then used Quick Thought. Because her mind was moving faster, she was able to pinpoint the moment when Zeus began to launch the lightning at her (and therefore wouldn't be able to change direction suddenly). It was especially easy because she'd seen him do it before. She saw him start to launch the lightning at her, and then Athena simply moved out of the way. 

She didn't deserve to be treated like this. So in that moment, Zeus suddenly changed in her mind. Instead of her father, she only saw an enemy to be defeated. 

The lightning hit the spot where she'd been, and Athena was perfectly fine. 

The enemy was powerful at both long and short range. However, Athena would be much better at short range. So she needed to get in close. 

Once he tried to hit her a second time she moved in closer. Then again. And again. 

With each lightning strike, Athena moved in closer to her enemy, still dodging side to side as well. As she reached him, he was able to finally land a blow with the lightning. 

Athena screamed out in pain. 

And he smiled. 

He smiled as she screamed in pain. He was ENJOYING this. 

That made her furious. Enough so that, despite the uncontrollable twitching of her muscles, she managed to stab him in the side. 

It wasn't as deep as she would've liked, but it was more than enough. Because Athena wasn't using her spear. She was using a sword. The very same sword that her father had made to kill Pallas. 

Even the god king himself couldn't survive a curse that potent. He fell to the ground, barely able to speak. He looked at her, betrayal in his expression.

She stabbed him again for good measure. 

“Why…?” He asked her, “After everything I've done for you… Why…?” 

“After everything you've done to me, why wouldn't I?” Athena retorted. “I loved you. You used me. I don't know how you didn't see this coming. How long did you expect to mistreat your family before SOMEONE would stand up to you!?” 

Zeus didn't answer. Instead of replying, he simply died. Right then. 

Perhaps it was better this way. 

However, something interesting happened. Instead of his light simply fading away, the way that Pallas’s had, it seemed to concentrate into a ball of light in his chest. Then it traveled, up her sword, and into Athena. It when up her arm then rested just over her heart. Then the light seemed to spread throughout her body.

It felt warm, and soft in a way. She could feel it strengthening her magic beyond anything she'd previously thought possible. She could feel it healing her injuries, both from this fight, and any others. Even her scars faded. She felt stronger, more powerful, and she could feel a new realm open up to her as well. Like Quick Thought, but… Heavier, somehow. 

“I've seen this once before,” Mnemosyne whispered. “When your father killed Kronos. He was the king before Zeus, and when Zeus killed him, he gained his power. The power to grant domains, and summon the other gods. This means you're… Athena, this makes you the new Ruler of the Gods.” 

“Okay,” Athena said.

She'd just murdered her father in cold blood over a mortal. This might as well happen. 

She looked down at the sword in her hand. Now that her father was dead, his spell on it had disappeared. As would any active spells he'd done. Including the one on Calypso's island. Odysseus wasn't trapped anymore. 

She ran her finger along the edge of the blade. It was incredibly dull. The metal seemed cracked and fragile. It seemed the sword Zeus had cursed hadn't been great quality from the beginning, and thousands of years exposed to the elements hadn't helped. 

If Athena were to guess, the sword probably had one more cut in it before it broke completely. She had nothing but disgust for this weapon. A weapon that had killed two people she loved, and one person she hated.

Pallas, and her father. 

Athena decided she'd use the sword one last time and hopefully break the thing. She grabbed her own hair, and sliced off about three feet of it with the sword. She was done following her father's orders. 

The sword shattered, and her long locks of her hair floated to the floor. Now the ends barely brushed her jawline. 

She decided not to harass Hermes into going to Ogygia. She would do it alone. 

Without a word, she unfurled her wings, and took off towards the island. 

Ares grinned. He couldn't believe that Athena had actually done it. She'd shown him the sword in Quick Thought, and shown him that the spell on the sword could not be broken by father, or anyone else, unless he died. He would have no way to counter it, and he'd never expect it from ATHENA. His most loyal daughter.

Ares hadn't honestly thought she'd be able to go through with it. 

However, he'd agreed to let her mortal leave, on the small chance that they could all finally be free of that tyrant. 

He wasn't disappointed. 

He glanced around at all his siblings, who were utterly shocked. Some looked horrified. Some seemed like they couldn't believe this. Ares decided to break the silence. 

“That's how she convinced me, you know,” he told them, “She said that if Zeus didn't let her mortal go after she won, she was going to kill him. I guess his golden child finally snapped.”

“Well,” Persephone said, “My husband will be thrilled, I think. He's always hated Zeus, and now Hades will be HIS king.” 

“I just…” Hera whispered, “I just don't understand how…” 

“Remember, mom, I told you,” Ares said, “She almost died when testing out a sword father had cursed. She used that to kill him. But since it was Zeus who cursed it, it's broken now.” 

Well that, and Athena’s impromptu haircut. She really wasn't kidding when she said she didn't want it long anymore. 

“So…” Aphrodite said, “So he's really gone…” 

“And Athena’s the new queen…” Apollo murmured. 

“I mean… At the risk of sounding insensitive, I think she'll do a better job…” Hermes said. “Uh- that being said, maybe let's all agree not to smite her mortal friends, ‘cause, uh–” He paled slightly. 

“Considering I don't have a death wish,” Artemis said, “Yeah I ain't gonna touch them.” 

There was general agreement at that from the surrounding gods. 

“So like–” Dionysus said, “What should we do with the body?” 

Ares shrugged. “Dunno?”

“I could feed it to my forest friends,” Artemis suggested. 

“Wouldn’t ichor make them sick?” Apollo asked. 

Artemis frowned, “I don't actually know…” 

Odysseus was an anxious wreck. He had been all day. Once again, he had no idea if his mentor was okay. He hadn't talked about it with his friends. He worried they'd only encourage Athena to sacrifice herself for them, considering how badly he knew they wanted to get home. 

He wanted to get home too! Desperately! But not if it meant his mentor was going to DIE! 

He hadn't eaten since lunch the day before, and he'd hardly slept. He found he couldn't sit still, however. 

He couldn't weave because that just reminded him of Athena. 

So he was stuck just pacing around his room like a caged animal. 

That was until late afternoon. When an owl flew through his window. Then it transformed into a goddess with a shower of gold. It was Athena. Though her hair was now cut much shorter. 

“You– YOU'RE OKAY!” Odysseus exclaimed. He was so, incredibly relieved by this fact. 

Athena hugged him, “Yes Odysseus, I'm okay, and you're free to go home now. The curse on this island is broken.” 

“How?” Odysseus asked, hugging her back, “Did your father agree to break it?” 

“No,” Athena said softly, “No he didn't. So I killed him…” Her voice seemed to be filled with enough emotions to drown in. 

“You killed him?” Odysseus asked. 

She nodded, hugging him tighter. “I had to get you home,” she whispered. 

His eyes welled up with tears, “Thank you, Athena.” He was finally going to see Penelope again! He was finally going to meet his sons! For the first time since they were infants! All because of her. 

On top of that, Zeus was finally gone, and wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again. Especially not Athena. 

“Well…” Athena said, “Anything for a friend I suppose…” She looked up, out the window. “I should go now. I… I think my family will want to have a discussion with me about this… It is… Definitely a bit of a shake up to the status quo. I only came here to give you the good news.” 

Odysseus nodded. “I understand. Will you be okay?” 

“I think so…” Athena said, “My family and I have been getting along pretty well lately. So I don't think they'll kill me over what I've done.” 

“Good,” Odysseus told her. “Feel free to come find me, if you ever need somewhere else to go.” 

“I will,” Athena told him, “And I'm sure I'll check up on you soon. Take care of yourself.” 

“You too,” Odysseus said. 

And then she was gone. 

So naturally, Odysseus went to tell his crew the good news. 

When Athena got home, she was surprised to see the family acting pretty normal. 

“Hey, Athena!” Hermes said, “You're back. 

“Yes,” Athena said. She glanced around at all the other gods. “Are we… Are people upset with me?” 

After all, she knew they all had often complained about Zeus. However, that didn't necessarily mean they were okay with his DEATH. 

“I don't think anyone's UPSET with you,” Hermes said, “Mostly just shocked, I think.” 

She nodded, “Makes sense…”

“How are you doing?” Hermes asked her, “I mean… I know you had… Complicated feelings towards him.” 

Athena considered Hermes’s question. She tried to figure out what she was feeling. All she could say for sure was that she didn't really like the emotions she was experiencing. 

So she walked over to Dionysus. 

“What would it take for you to give me a bottle of very strong wine?” She asked him. 

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I don't want to be sober today,” Athena told him, “And I'm not playing poker right now, or giving you a favor token. I don't like being forced into things. But if you have an actual favor in mind, there isn't a lot I wouldn't do for a bottle of wine, or five.” 

Dionysus considered. “Well… I guess it won't hurt to tell you the favor I've been wanting…” 

She nodded, inviting him to continue. 

“Can you use magic to let me talk to owls?” Dionysus asked her. 

She blinked, she really hadn't been expecting that. “I could probably do that, but why?”

“Because they look so soft, and I want to pet them!" Dionysus said passionately, "But they keep flying away from me! I'm a big dude, and I get that they see me as a threat, but if I could talk to them, and let them know I mean no harm, maybe I could pet them.” 

“I'm sorry," Athena said slowly, "You've been trying to beat me in poker, for FIVE HUNDRED YEARS, so you can pet some owls!? If you had just asked me I would've done it!” 

“Well how was I supposed to know that! I thought you'd make fun of me or something…” He looked rather embarrassed. 

“You know what, here.” She did the spell with a snap of her fingers. “You should be able to talk to them now. I even have a few who love being petted.” She whistled loudly, and eight owls descended upon them. “There you go. Now can I please have the alcohol!?” 

He handed her a very large bottle of wine. Nightshade wine. Her favorite. 

Athena uncorked it, and started drinking right from the bottle. The wine was very strong, and she passed out about three-quarters of the way through. 

Just like she wanted. 

Chapter Text

The next time Athena visited them, a few days had passed. She was holding a large bottle, with about an inch of liquid left at the bottom. He was pretty sure that was wine, considering the fact that Athena looked very unwell. As though she was either drunk, hung over, or both. 

She ran her hand through her short hair, as though trying to detangle it. 

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Eurylochus asked. He and Polites were with him in his cabin. 

“Dionysus won't give me anymore wine, and Hermes said that coming here would probably be good for me,” Athena said, speech slurring slightly. 

“Considering the size of that bottle, I'm not surprised Dionysus cut you off,” Odysseus said. 

“I'm trying to drink to make my feelings go away!” Athena said, “But this is my third bottle and it's not WORKING! I even told Hermes I’d finally try Moly, like he wanted, but no! He wouldn't give me any! He said that won't help me either, and told me I should come here instead! Isn't getting high, or drunk, supposed to make you feel better!?” 

“No, it doesn't really work that way,” Odysseus said, subtly taking the bottle out of her hand. There was hardly any left, but better late than never. 

“What exactly are you trying to drown out?” Polites asked. “I've found talking about things helps more than drinking.”

Athena looked at him. “I killed my own father,” she said simply. 

Polites’s jaw dropped, and Eurylochus looked incredibly confused. 

“Your father… Aren't you a child of Zeus?” Eurylochus asked her. 

“I was,” Athena said, “But even a god can be killed if you have the right magic, skill, and determination. Even the king of the gods can be killed. And… And I did that…” She put her head in her hands, and sat down on Odysseus's bed. 

“Wow…” Polites said, “...Why?” 

She looked at him. “It was the only way. He refused to break the spell. The only way to break it was to kill him. I had to get Odysseus HOME!” Her voice broke slightly. “I wanted all of you to get home…” She added softly. 

Polites’s eyes widened with sudden comprehension. “Wait… You did that for us!? You killed your father just so we could get off that island!?” 

Athena nodded. 

Polites ran over and hugged her. “Thank you! Thankyou!Thankyouthankyou!!!” 

Athena blinked, seeming a bit dazed. After a moment, she patted him on the back with one hand. “I… You're welcome.” 

Eurylochus took a few steps towards her, seeming a lot more reserved than Polites. “Yes,” Eurylochus said, “Thank you for this. I'll be sure to sacrifice to you as soon as I get home.” 

“Great,” Athena said, “I want more wine.” 

“No,” Odysseus said immediately. “You can't spend the rest of your life wasted, Athena. You're going to need to face this sooner or later.” 

At his words, Polites finally let her go. 

Athena looked at Odysseus. “You're so mean to me sometimes.” 

Odysseus smiled slightly, “Only when you're doing something that might hurt you.” 

She grumbled something unintelligible at that. 

Odysseus took that as an invitation to sit next to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. He had a feeling she could use the comfort. 

“So…” Eurylochus said frowning, “Zeus was the king of the gods, but he's dead, so is the goddess of marriage ruling alone now?” 

Athena shook her head, “No, it doesn't work like that. Marriage and family lines don't matter when it comes to the gods. Kronos was the king, then Zeus killed him and became the new king. I killed Zeus, which means I'm the king now. Well queen.” 

Odysseus’s jaw dropped, “YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THAT!?” 

“I didn't?” Athena frowned, “I guess I was too busy making sure my family didn't hate me, and that nobody else was going to kill me to take the throne.”

“And getting drunk,” Polites added. 

“That too,” Athena agreed. She looked at Odysseus, who was still holding the bottle. “Don't drink that, it's poison to you.” 

Eurylochus’s eyes widened, and he eyed the bottle, backing away as far from it as he possibly could. 

Athena seemed to notice his reaction. “It's not ambrosia,” she told him, “It's just wine made from deadly nightshade berries, instead of grapes. Nightshade won't kill gods, and they're my favorite. Most other fruits are very sweet, but nightshade is kind of bitter, like pomegranate almost. I like it.” 

“Good to know,” Odysseus smiled slightly. 

With that, Athena laid down on his bed and closed her eyes, apparently deciding to take a nap, and sleep off the alcohol. 

When Athena woke up, her head hurt. She felt nauseous. 

She was very hungover, it seemed. She opened her eyes with a groan, shielding herself from the light with a hand. 

“You're awake,” Odysseus said. 

“Mhm,” Athena replied, “I wish I wasn't… My head is killing me…” 

“Hermes brought you some nectar,” Odysseus told her. 

“Oh thank Gaia,” Athena said, grabbing the nectar and taking a long drink. Soon her hangover began to clear up somewhat. 

“So, Queen of the Gods, huh?” Odysseus asked. 

Athena let out a groan. “Can I have my wine back please?” She didn't want to think about that right now. 

“Not a chance,” Odysseus told her. “It will not help. We both know that. At best, it'll delay the inevitable.” 

Athena sighed. “You're probably right… I just…” She trailed off, seeming unsure of what to say. 

Odysseus waited. 

“Emotions are confusing, and I don't like them,” Athena said, “In the arena, everything seemed so simple. I had no doubts in my choices, and I felt completely fine with… Ending things… But… Now that father is… Is gone, I… I miss him.”

Odysseus nodded. Privately he cursed Zeus for doing this to his friend. Zeus had never deserved Athena’s loyalty. He hoped he was rotting in Tartarus. However none of that would be helpful to say aloud. 

“It's normal to miss the people you loved,” Odysseus said, “Even if they also treated you horribly. Plus, you spent so long looking at him through rose colored glasses, it would make even more sense to miss the version of him that you thought you knew. I'm so sorry you're going through this, but I'll do anything I can to help, okay?” 

Athena nodded, “Okay…” 

Then for a second time, she hugged him. 

She stayed with him for a few more hours, while they just talked about meaningless things, just to give her a break from thinking about what happened. 

And eventually she was ready to return to her family. 

“So we're just going to let her spend however long with this mortal hoping he makes her better?” Ares asked. 

Hermes shrugged, “Do you have a better idea? I don't know any other way to make her feel better. Plus being with her mortal might remind her about the fact that she succeeded in her goal, instead of just killing our father.” 

Ares sighed, “I thought she'd be done with him now. Like- she wouldn't care anymore! But she's probably the most upset out of all of us.” 

Aphrodite sighed, “As much as I wish it was different, emotions don't really work that way. I think there will always be a part of her that loves him, no matter how much I loathe that fact. I think we should just focus on the fact that he's finally gone, which means he can't hurt us anymore. At the end of the day, she did cut him out of her life, literally.” 

Ares sighed, but nodded, “Yeah. I suppose that's true. It's just annoying! Like she succeeded! She got what she wanted! And did something great for all of us! But now she's just sulking and trying to drink her problems away!” 

“Yeah…” Dionysus said, petting an owl that was sitting on his shoulder, “I probably shouldn't have enabled that as much as I did. As much as I like to loosen up and have a good party, it might be better for Athena to not be constantly passing out.” 

Suddenly there was a sound of someone hitting the ground. They turned, and Athena had just landed on the floor of Olympus. She looked significantly better. She seemed sober, and her hair was brushed, for the first time since she'd cut it. 

“My apologies for the delay,” she told them, “I am feeling much better now.” 

Hermes shot Ares a look that read as ‘I told you so.’ 

“Well, that's good then,” Ares said, he didn't really believe her. “So are you ready to actually act like a queen? Since that is your job now.” 

Athena sighed, then nodded, “Yes I'm ready, but what does that even entail? I don't remember fath– Zeus doing much, other than handling his domains of the sky, and storms. Unless anyone has a new domain they want from me… Though I still don't know how to do that yet…” 

“It's mainly organizational work that he did,” Hera told her, “Assigning tasks that need to be done to the appropriate god, and handling any disagreements between them. Also fulfilling the duties of any domain that isn't assigned to one of us.” 

Athena nodded. “Alright, I suppose I can handle that…” 

“Don't give every task to yourself,” Ares told her, “Especially not our stuff. Zeus hardly gave me any war things, and you need a break from fighting I think.” 

Athena nodded, “Very well…” 

Athena spent the rest of the day trying to figure out her new role. It wasn't too hard, because everyone had a pretty good idea of what they were supposed to be doing. So mostly she spent her time trying to learn what everyone's duties were. 

She frowned slightly at what she discovered. The duties were uneven, some gods were doing much more work than others. Now to an extent that was to be expected, things weren't supposed to be exactly equal, and she knew from her domain of crafts that there are some duties that people took on because they wanted to. However… The amount of work Apollo and Hermes had was rather disturbing. -Even if her workload had been the same if not more.- Still, it might be good to get them some more help. Sure, Apollo had Asclepius to help with medicine, but that wasn't enough, given the sheer volume of injuries. The two of them were expected to treat not just the injuries on Olympus, but also those of any gods from the underworld, or the ocean. Considering how often gods would get in fights with one another, it was just too much for the two of them to reasonably handle. 

Not to mention, Apollo was also the god of sunlight, and was expected to help Helios with his duties as well. 

“Well who else do you expect to do it?” Apollo asked her, when she brought it up. 

Athena considered, frowning. Who would be able to take on more work? 

Apollo just shook his head, “It's okay, Athena. I'm glad you're thinking of me, but let's allow things to settle down first, before you go and make changes.” 

Reluctantly, Athena nodded. 

“Honestly,” he said, “If anything I’d like more help in the infirmary. I don't mind hanging out with Helios. He's a friend of mine now.” 

“Alright,” Athena said, “I'll keep that in mind.” 

Then there was Hermes. 

There were actually supposed to be two messenger gods. Hermes and Triton. Hermes was meant to deliver messages from Olympus to the sea, and the underworld. Triton was supposed to deliver messages from the ocean, to Olympus and the underworld. Thanatos delivered messages from the underworld, but there was rarely any news from there. 

However, apparently, Poseidon had decided a few thousand years ago that his son, Triton, was no longer allowed to leave the ocean. He thought Triton was too friendly with the gods on Olympus, and had seemingly gotten jealous. So Hermes was stuck delivering messages from both sides. So whenever an ocean god wanted to send a message to an Olympian, they had to use Hermes. 

Poseidon was so overprotective, that Hermes sometimes had to deliver messages between ocean gods as well, if they were far away from Poseidon’s palace. He apparently couldn't have his son stray too far from home. 

Hermes told her he didn't blame Triton. Frankly, neither did Athena. She'd felt what it was like to have a trident in her ribs, and she knew Poseidon had a pretty similar temperament to Zeus. Triton probably didn't have much choice in the matter.

Though Hermes also said that apparently, Poseidon never hurt his children. Instead, if his children disobeyed, he'd hurt someone else. Whoever was meant to be watching them, or who was supposed to have stopped them somehow. 

Regardless, it still didn't sound like a good position to be in. 

So naturally she offered to help Hermes with his duties. 

“Athena,” Hermes laughed, “It's fine. Gaia knows you have more work than I do.” 

“But I've finished all my work,” Athena said, “Ares is handling all the monsters causing trouble, and I finished the work for my wisdom domain earlier. I even spent an hour on my crafts.” 

That hour had actually been more like thirty, because she could work on her crafts inside Quick Thought, so she had already finished everything she wanted to.

“In that case,” Hermes said, “You should take some time to rest. I don't even have that many more messages today.”

“I'm fine!” Athena said, “Father's magic already healed my body so I'm doing fine!” 

“Yeah, but still. Mentally I don't think you're doing great. Don't think I haven't noticed you're keeping busy to distract yourself. Go talk to Odysseus or something.”

“I… I mean I'm fine with that, but why?” Athena asked. 

“He seemed to help you before, with emotional support and all that. You need to unpack some things,” Hermes told her, “I know I did. All of us spent about seven years unpacking our feelings about Zeus, and even each other,” Hermes told her, “We want you to have the time to do that as well.”

“And what if I don't know how to do that?” Athena asked. 

Hermes patted her shoulder, looking sympathetic, “I'm sure your FRIEND can help you.” 

Athena frowned. “Alright…” 

Odysseus frowned, as Athena sat nearby. 

“What's up?” He asked her, “Is something bothering you?” 

She shook her head. “Nothing much. Hermes says I need to process my feelings.” 

“You probably do,” Odysseus said. 

“What does that even mean!? I'm sober and I remember what happened! So what else is there?” 

“How do you feel about what happened?” Odysseus asked her. 

“I don't know!” Athena snapped, seeming frustrated. “I just know that I don't regret what I did, but I'm still upset about it! Which makes no logical sense! What is WRONG with me!?” 

“Nothing,” Odysseus told her gently, “Nothing is wrong with you. Let's just try to think about this okay. You feel upset, in some way. You say it isn't regret over what happened. So what else could it be?” 

“I'm not sure,” Athena said. 

“Well maybe start with figuring out more things it's not,” Odysseus suggested. “Do you feel scared?” He doubted that she did, but hopefully this would be a good way for her to start narrowing things down. 

Athena frowned, “I don't think so… I don't think I'm sad either. I… I think I'm angry.” 

“Okay, and who are you angry at?” Odysseus asked. 

“Father,” she told him. 

It's about time, Odysseus thought. 

“That's good,” he told her, “Do you want to talk about why?” 

Athena frowned. “I just— It feels unfair. I didn't… I didn't do anything wrong,” she whispered, “When he had me kill Pallas. He was punishing me, when I hadn't even done anything. He tried to kill me before I was born, because of a prophecy that didn't even apply to me. Then he tried to kill me again because I beat the game he set up. He… It's not fair. Now I have to take over his job, which I never wanted! But honestly I'm glad about it, because he just couldn't stop hurting his children! It wasn't just me, you know…” 

Odysseus nodded. “I figured. None of you deserved that, and you especially didn't, considering you always did your best to please him. It really isn't fair that he didn't appreciate you, and care about you the way he should've.” 

“He just used me…” Athena said softly. 

Odysseus felt his heart break a little at her words. Especially because he knew they were true. 

Odysseus gave her a hug, and she immediately hugged back, leaning her head into his shoulder. He heard her breath hitch with soft crying, and felt her tears soak into his clothes. He said nothing, and just pretended not to notice, as he lightly rubbed her back. 

Eventually she stopped crying, but she didn't let him go. 

“Thank you for everything, Athena,” Odysseus said softly, “You're a wonderful friend. I don't know what I'd do without you 

“It was no trouble,” Athena told him. 

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything,” a voice from his window spoke.

Odysseus found the voice vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite place it. That was until he looked up. It was Apollo. He knew that from Mnemosyne's vision. 

“No,” Athena said, pulling away from the hug and turning to him, “Not at all, brother. What is it?” 

“Oh nothing much,” Apollo said, “I just thought I'd give a gift to the man who made you finally get rid of our tyrant of a father.” He handed Odysseus a bow. It looked almost exactly like his own bow from home.

“I took the liberty of making a copy of your bow from Ithaca, and putting a nice strengthening spell on it,” Apollo explained, “It should shoot much harder now. I just had another vision of the future, you see, and you're going to need it.” He handed Odysseus his bow, and a quiver full of arrows. Then he left. 

“Well that's not concerning at all,” Odysseus frowned. 

“Yeah…” Athena agreed. “I wonder if I can…” She frowned. 

“What?” Odysseus asked her. 

“When I killed Zeus, I absorbed a bunch of power. That's why I'm the queen now. I haven't really tried it yet, though. Nothing new at any rate. I haven't even looked at my new realm yet. I wonder if I can do more than before, in terms of fighting.” 

“You got a new realm?” Odysseus asked. 

“I think so. I felt it. I haven't gone in it yet… It feels like an invasion of privacy somehow, because it was my fa– because it was Zeus’s.” 

“It's not an invasion of privacy, because it's yours now,” Odysseus told her gently, “I mean, if you bought a new house, it wouldn't be an invasion of privacy to go into the bedroom, because you'd be the owner now.” 

She considered this, then nodded. She still looked a bit apprehensive. 

Maybe it would help if I go with her, Odysseus thought. 

“I'm pretty curious what that would look like,” he told her, “Can I come too? If you're going to go there now, I mean.” 

This was true, and he'd never say anything to indicate he was trying to help her, otherwise she'd immediately insist she didn't need it. 

“... Alright,” she said at length, “I suppose I'm curious as well…” 

She shut her eyes with visible concentration, and after a moment, they were somewhere else. He was used to Quick Thought, which resembled a giant blue hour glass, but this place was very different. 

The floor appeared to be made of thick marble. Patterns of white, gray, and gold spiraled across the floor.

There seemed to be floating balls of light, either silver, or gold. There were large pillars that looked to be made of crystal which glittered with all the colors of the rainbow. Each of them had a symbol on them. Odysseus recognized them as the symbols of the gods.

There was one in the very center that had the symbol of Athena. There were ten main pillars surrounding them. He recognized most of those symbols as well. Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Ares, Hermes, and Hestia. 

“Who are those two?” Odysseus asked, pointing to the two pillars he didn't recognize the symbols for. 

“Hephaestus, and Dionysus,” Athena told him. 

Odysseus noticed that the golden lights were mostly floating around the pillars, whereas the silver ones seemed to be more aimless. 

Then Athena started walking forward, to a large empty space, where it looked like there should be another pillar. 

She knelt down, and touched the floor where the pillar would've been. 

“Father…” She whispered. 

Odysseus put a hand on her shoulder. 

Athena took a breath, and stood up, walking past the spot her father’s pillar would be, and deeper into the realm. He just followed her silently. 

There, they found more pillars, for more minor gods and goddesses. Nike, Eirene, and many more with symbols he didn't recognize. It was like a forest of crystal pillars. 

Eventually he noticed the area changing slightly. The marble slowly shifted colors. From white, to blue. From grey to turquoise. From gold to silver. He looked at the nearest pillar. Though, instead of crystal it looked to be made of Opal. 

That's when he noticed Poseidon’s symbol. 

“These are the underwater gods,” Athena said, “I forgot that father is technically in charge of their domains as well.” 

“No he isn't,” Odysseus reminded her, “You are. He's not doing anything anymore. You saved the others from his tyranny.” 

Athena smiled faintly, “I suppose…” 

They kept walking. 

Eventually the scenery shifted again. The bright blue floor slowly darkened until it became black. The turquoise patterning slowly became more green. Changing to what looked like emerald. The silver veins shifted to a copper color. And the pillars were now dark too, and looked like obsidian, though it still reflected all the colors of the rainbow. 

There were only a small handful of these pillars. 

“The underworld, I'm guessing?” Odysseus asked. 

Athena nodded. “Yes. It's interesting that Persephone's pillar is here, and not with the rest of the Olympians, like her mother. I suppose this proves she really does prefer to be with her husband.” 

“People usually do, I think,” Odysseus mused, “I know I'd rather be with my wife than anyone else.” 

Athena nodded, “I believe that. That's pretty common for your kind.” 

They kept walking, and soon ended up right back where they started. 

“Well that was interesting,” Odysseus said, “What are those light things floating around?” 

“I don't know,” Athena said, she walked over to one, and was able to cup it in her palm. It was a silver one. Which wasn't near a specific pillar, unlike the gold ones. 

“I think it's a domain…” Athena said. “I wonder if this is how I'm supposed to give gods domains…” She held the light, and carried it to her own pillar. She pressed it against the crystal surface. The light turned gold, and started floating around Athena’s pillar. Meanwhile, she let out a gasp, seemingly unprepared. 

“Are you alright?” Odysseus asked her. 

“Yeah, it was just unexpected,” Athena reassured him. She grabbed the golden light again. Seemingly able to instinctively tell it apart from the other three lights circling her pillar. After some experimentation, she was able to turn it back to silver. Effectively removing it from herself, so it was no longer one of her domains. 

“What domain was that anyways?” Odysseus asked. 

“Nothing much, just sand,” she told him. 

“Sand?” 

“Most of the important domains are already in use,” Athena explained, “The ones left are mostly minor things. That one would've given me the ability to create control sand, with almost no effort. Though honestly, I have no idea what I'd use it for.” 

“Huh,” Odysseus said, “Interesting… So can you do anything else with the pillars? Or are they just there for the domains?” 

Athena frowned, “I don't know… Let me see if they do anything…” She went and pressed her hand against Aphrodite’s pillar.

Immediately it flashed pink. Alarmed, she pulled her hand away. Glowing pink liquid stuck to her palm. It had a consistency similar to egg whites, and looked like it would drop onto the floor, the further she pulled her hand away, but it never quite did. Instead it just hung in the air, between Athena’s hand, and Aphrodite's pillar. 

“Ack!” Athena exclaimed, flicking her hand like she was trying to shake off water. As she did that, the magic disappeared. 

Aphrodite frowned slightly as she experienced an incredibly strange sensation. Like chills. Goosebumps erupted over her skin, and she felt oddly cold. However it disappeared almost immediately so she just shrugged it off.

Athena frowned, narrowing her eyes. She walked up and touched her own pillar. However, this time nothing happened. 

“Hm.” Athena frowned. Suddenly their attention was drawn by a loud cracking sound. Ares’s pillar was covered in small cracks, which vaguely resembled a spiderweb. 

“Uh, what does that mean?” Odysseus asked, mildly concerned. 

“I have no idea,” Athena said, “Maybe that's what that weird magic stuff is for? Fixing these cracks?” 

Odysseus shrugged. 

Athena frowned, and walked over to Ares’s pillar. She pressed her hand against it, and this time it turned dark red instead of pink. The strange, goo-like, magic was also crimson. She held it in her hand and tried to smear it into the cracks, however it didn't stick to them. 

“Maybe this magic also has to do with their domains?” Athena said, frowning, “What if I take the stuff from Apollo’s pillar… Maybe I can use that to heal the cracks?” 

Odysseus just shrugged again, “I have no idea, however, it's your power, you're probably the one to best figure out how it works, intuitively speaking.” 

“Well, I may as well try. I don't know why the pillar is cracking, but that's probably not a good thing,” Athena said. “I'm gonna see if I can take the magic from Apollo’s pillar and use that.” 

Odysseus watched as she walked over to the pillar with Apollo’s symbol on it, and placed her other hand on it. This one glowed yellow. 

The magic from Ares’s pillar was still on her opposite hand, and when she touched Apollo’s pillar, the magic immediately attached itself. Despite the fact that Athena hadn't actually touched the red magic against Apollo’s pillar, the moment Athena touched the second pillar at all, the crimson liquid attached itself, and there was now a line of red between Ares’s and Apollo’s pillars. That line flashed brightly, and then disappeared. 

However the cracks on Ares’s pillar remained. 

“Huh,” Athena said, “Well I guess I did something…” She frowned, "...I should probably go check on them.” 

Odysseus nodded, “Yeah, that seems like a good idea.” 

Ares was angry. 

He was fighting the last monster of the day, but had gotten injured. 

Fucking idiot, he thought at himself, Athena can kill our fucking father, but I get injured from a stupid harpy and her dumb claws! 

He hated feeling weak, and maybe he was just a little bitter about not being the one to kill Zeus.

After all, how many times had the guy beat HIM black and blue? Every one of those times Ares had been fighting back tooth and nail, but it had never mattered. Then there was Athena, who would politely take as much torture as he could give her, and thank him for it. Then the moment SHE fought back, the fucker was dead. 

As soon as Ares was reasonably confident she wouldn't become an alcoholic, he was going to yell at her about taking so damn long to DO ANYTHING! 

It wasn't just because she had that sword either. Ares had watched that fight. Even if she'd been using her spear, she possibly could've won. Unlike Ares.

If she'd fought back from the beginning, maybe that tyrant would've been dead thousands of years ago. But Ares had been fighting back this whole time and never succeeded. 

A logical part of his mind pointed out that it was probably because of their fighting styles. Ares had always been more offensive, hitting each possible blow he could manage, and hitting HARD. It was an easy way to overwhelm most opponents. However Athena liked to do this thing where she'd stay in the defensive, and wait for the best opening, before attacking. 

That logical part of him said that Athena had probably won because she'd focused on dodging, up until she'd been able to attack, and that Ares’s raw strength alone hadn't been enough to overwhelm Zeus before, and that's why he'd always lost. 

He told that logical part of him to shut the hell up. Then he finally finished killing the monster. 

Then something REALLY weird happened. He got summoned. 

Zeus had always been able to do this thing where he summoned his children back home, when he needed them for something. It was possible to resist the call, but it was really annoying. Until you went to him, it would stay in your head. A constant nagging reminder to come to back him. As well as a physical instinct to go home, not unlike fight-or-flight. 

They typically just followed the order once they were done with whatever they were working on. Especially because father had always gotten angry if they took too long. Athena had probably never taken longer than five minutes to get back, but that’s because she was a try-hard. Ares usually took around ten to twenty-ish. 

However this time it wasn't father calling him home. It was… Apollo? 

What in the world? Ares wondered. 

More out of curiosity than anything, he immediately went to Apollo to figure out what the heck was going on. 

-

When he got there, Apollo immediately began to fix him up. Cleaning out the deep scratches on his chest. 

“So, how in the world did you summon me?” Ares asked. 

“What?” Apollo said, seeming baffled. 

“It was like when father would summon us, but instead it wanted me to come here.” 

Apollo frowned, “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah, I felt it! What did you do?” 

“I didn't do anything,” Apollo said, frowning. 

The door opened. 

Ares looked up, as Athena walked in. 

“Oh good,” she said, “You're both here. Did either of you notice anything strange happen, like five or six minutes ago?” 

“No, why?” Apollo asked. 

“I think I accidentally did something to you two, but I'm not sure what it was.” Athena frowned. 

“I think you summoned me home… Or summoned me to Apollo? I guess?” Ares said. “I actually thought he did it, but I guess it must've been you.” 

“Yeah probably,” Apollo said, “I didn't feel anything, honestly.” 

“Interesting…” Athena said, “So that's how to do the summons…” She looked at Ares, “Also, what happened to you like– ten-ish minutes ago? Something must've happened for it to crack…” 

“What?” Ares asked her. 

“I was in father's realm earlier,” Athena explained. 

“He has a realm?” Apollo asked. 

“Had, and yes. I went into it for the first time about twenty minutes ago,” Athena told them, “Inside there are a bunch of pillars, each one with the symbol of a god. I saw Ares’s pillar start to crack. I was trying to fix it, but I guess I accidentally summoned him to Apollo instead.” 

“I mean…” Ares frowned, “I got injured. That might be why.” 

“That would make sense I suppose…” Athena said, “I think I'm going to try the summoning thing again… I probably shouldn't interrupt everyone else in their work, though.” She looked at Ares, “I don't suppose you'd mind being a test subject for me? Once Apollo’s finished, I mean.” 

Ares huffed, “As though I get a choice.” He hated summons. He hated feeling like he was being controlled by someone else. 

“You do get a choice,” Athena told him. “I'm not going to do it if you don't want me to.” 

Ares blinked. He didn't ever get a choice with this sort of thing. Not with father. Not with their king. He decided to test the waters. He wondered if she'd actually respect his decision. 

“In that case, no,” he told her, “I don't like being summoned.” 

She just nodded. “I'll keep that in mind. I might still have to in the future, if there's something urgent. However, I won't try to test it on you, if you really don't like it.” 

Ares nodded. That was reasonable, he supposed. Plus she didn't even try to guilt trip him about it, which had been the best-case-scenario with their old ‘king’. 

“You can test it on me,” Apollo said. “It doesn't bother me much. I think that's an important skill for you to have if you're gonna be the queen now. Plus I'm really curious about what you did earlier, where you summoned Ares to me, instead of yourself.” 

“Alright,” Athena said. 

“Yeah,” Ares said, “I'm curious about that too.” He considered for a moment, “Actually, if you want to summon Apollo to ME, in this little experiment of yours, I'm fine with that. I just don't want to be the one summoned.” 

“Got it,” Athena said. “I think I know how to do that. I'll start with summoning him to me, then if it works, I'll summon him to you. First though, I should probably leave, since I doubt it would work if we're already in the same area.” She left, muttering to herself under her breath. 

“Well, I'm glad she has a project, I guess,” Apollo said, “Gives her something to think about other than sulking.” 

“True.” Ares grimaced. That still bothered him. He would've done just about anything for the opportunity to get rid of their father, and Athena had seemingly been able to do it with ease. She even had to give him another chance first, before she could give up on him. 

And what if he'd actually done what she wanted when she won the game!? Would she have just gone back to being his loyal pet!?

If Zeus had made a different choice, what would've happened? Would Ares and everyone else have had to suffer for another thousand years? 

Apollo suddenly sat up straighter. “Ope– yep. She just summoned me.” With that he left. 

Ares said nothing. 

Maybe he was being a bit unfair. That brainwashing seemed to go deep. It was just so hard to imagine not resenting someone who treated you like shit. Even if they were sometimes nice. 

Was he being jealous again? 

No. No, he didn't envy her position. Not in regards to their father anyways. He was just annoyed. Annoyed at her for taking so long to do something, and taking the loss so hard. Annoyed at himself for being unable to do what she'd done. 

Soon, they both came back. 

“Well, Athena can officially do summons,” Apollo said. 

“Did you feel anything?” She asked, “I just summoned him to you.” 

“Not a thing. But I was distracted.” 

As much as Ares didn't really want to talk about emotions, he'd learned in the past seven years or so, that he had to, or he would blow up at people. 

“With what?” Athena asked him. 

He took a breath, “I'm kind of annoyed at you,” Ares told her, “For taking so long. I'm confident you'll be a better leader than him. I can already see that you're trying, and taking my wishes into account. I appreciate that, but I wish it could've happened sooner. Our father was an abusive piece of shit! I'm annoyed that we all had to spend so many years being BEATEN and mistreated, because you were busy being his favorite little tool, and didn't HELP US!” 

Athena flinched slightly at his words, and Ares felt like he'd gone too far. 

“I'm sorry…” He told her, “I just–” 

“Don't be,” Athena interrupted. “I… I probably deserved that. Father was always more important to me than anyone. Perhaps… Perhaps if I'd cared more about the rest of you, things could've been different. I'm sorry.” 

Ares shut his eyes. “Me too. Your mind was practically in the palm of his hand for so long, and the rest of us never noticed. Maybe if we'd all cared more about you from the start, things could've been different.” 

“Yeah, well,” Apollo said, “All your ‘could’ve’s and ‘should’ve’s are all well and good, but we can't change the past. We just need to work on moving forward. Besides,” he added, turning to Athena, “I think more than anything, Ares is worried about you. You've seemed in pretty rough shape since father died. He's been practically pacing around Olympus, growling.”

“I have not been growling!” Ares said, indignantly. 

Meanwhile Athena just frowned, “My apologies, I didn't intend to make you concerned.” 

Ares growled under his breath at her overly formal tone. “Why do you miss him so bad!? I thought you were done with him!” 

“I am,” Athena said softly, “I might miss him, but I'd kill him again if I had to. I'm mostly just upset that he was such a terrible ruler, and now I have to do his job for him.” 

Ares sighed, “Yeah, fair enough I suppose.” 

Poseidon was fuming. 

Hermes had just delivered the news of his brother's death. Athena had killed him to save a mortal. 

Poseidon was going to get his revenge. Not against her, directly. No. He'd hit her where it would hurt the most. He'd go for her mortal, then she would've killed her father for NOTHING! 

Now what was the name Hermes had mentioned? Oh that's right, Odysseus. 

Chapter Text

“So…” Aphrodite asked, “Hypothetically, how else could you kill a god?” 

“Why do you ask?” Athena had to shove down her suspicion over Aphrodite's potential motives. They were friends now. She wouldn't try to kill Athena to grab power. -Right?-

“‘Cause my husband's been annoying lately, and I envy Hera getting to live the single life," Aphrodite told her, "And I mean- she's been turning a blind eye to the cheating, once I explained that I never wanted to marry him in the first place. But I think it still bothers her.” 

“I could just annul your marriage,” Athena said. “Humans can get an annulment if the arranged marriage was coerced. I assume father was the one who pressured you into it. Plus it will be better for him as well, since it will give him the opportunity to find someone he actually wants to be with.” 

“Why do you care what's better for him?” Aphrodite asked her, “He tried to rape you.” 

“That was thousands of years ago, I need to let it go,” Athena told her. -Father hadn't thought it was a big deal, so why would it be?- 

Aphrodite hesitated. “I guess… I think annulment wouldn't be a good idea. I… I think he'll be angry with me…” 

“And that… Bothers you?” Athena asked, confused. 

Aphrodite frowned to herself. “We… We had an argument yesterday.” 

“What happened?” Athena asked. 

“Why on earth do you seem so cheerful!?” Hepheastas demanded. 

“Because our father is finally dead!” Aphrodite said, “That means he can't hurt us anymore! You of all people should be excited about that.” 

“You're an idiot, Aphrodite,” Hepheastas told her. “You really think ATHENA will be any better than him? We've just traded one monster for another.” 

“How can you say that!?” Aphrodite demanded, “You hate our father! Besides, Athena hasn't done anything wrong!” 

“I can't believe I married someone this stupid and naive…” Hephaestus muttered, “You know Zeus hadn't done anything wrong at the beginning of his reign! He killed his father to save his siblings! Athena killed ours to save a MORTAL! She doesn't even care about us! She's just after power! After all, there's no way a bitch like her could actually care for a HUMAN!” 

“She does! I can feel it! Or have you forgotten what my domain is!?” Aphrodite snapped. 

Hephaestus scoffed, “Your domain is worthless, and just you wait. Athena will turn into a tyrant eventually.” 

“You agreed to let her mortal go! Why are you suddenly–”

“I agreed to let him go because he's just a mortal! What do I care if he dies on an island, or dies on a different island!? I didn't expect her to kill over it! I didn't expect her to become the new queen!” 

“Why is it so wrong!? Why are you defending our father!?” Aphrodite demanded. 

“I'm not! I hate the bastard! But I was already planning on killing him myself! Then I would simply not rule over anyone! Every god would be able to do whatever they want. No rules. No ‘justice’. Just everyone doing whatever we feel like!” 

“That would be chaos!” Aphrodite told him. “The reason we need a leader is because if we don't have one, then the most powerful control everything. There could be constant fighting, and destruction as everyone tries to grab power! Or worse! Some other leader, like Poseidon, could come in with an organized force and take us over. People could DIE! And there'd be no consequences! Just chaos…” 

Hephaestas scoffed, “Oh please, that's only true for mortals. Most of us gods are completely peaceful, with the exception of you, Ares, and Athena. If I just killed the three of you then everything would be just fine. Nobody else would cause me any problems.” He grinned at her. 

In Aphrodite’s mind, the people who called Ares ‘feral’ or ‘crazy’ have probably never met Hephaestus. 

“I see…” Athena said, “I appreciate you letting me know about this, and if you end up needing to do something for self defense, I understand. However, considering how recent Zeus’s death was, I worry more upsets will destabilize things further.”

Aphrodite nodded, though she looked rather nervous. 

She frowned, “However, I will tell you what I know. Killing gods is very difficult. We do not need to eat, drink, breath, or sleep. We are immune to every poison I'm aware of. We can heal from just about anything, with enough time. From what I understand, to kill a god you have to do something that will kill them almost instantly, before they have any time to recover. A beheading for example. Or consuming someone. It is also for this reason that attempting to kill him seems like a bad idea. Considering your… Well… The current amount of battle experience you have, and the amount of weapons I'm sure he has.” 

Aphrodite nodded, with a sigh, “Yeah… Alright…” 

“Hey Athena!” It was Hermes who spoke, “Are you ready to do training with your friends again tonight?” 

Training?… Athena thought. Then it clicked. Penelope, Telemachus, and Astyanax. She was supposed to do training with them almost every day, but she'd completely forgotten the past couple days. -Because she'd been passed out from alcohol.- 

Seemingly noticing her expression, Hermes laughed. “Don't worry, Athena. I overheard them praying to you when you missed that first night. I let them know you were very busy, and were probably going to be busy for the next few days. I was just wondering if I should tell them that you're ready to start their training again. That Telemachus kid has been practically harassing me with prayers every day since.” 

Athena exhaled slowly, okay. Hermes had managed to salvage the situation. 

“Yes,” she said, “Let them know we can resume training tonight.” 

“ATHENA!” Telemachus practically barrelled into her with a hug. 

“Uh! Hello again, Telemachus,” Athena said somewhat startled by this. After a moment she awkwardly pat him on the back. Not a proper hug, she wasn't comfortable enough with him yet, but something that she hoped would be good enough. 

“We've missed you so much!” He said, then he pulled away to look at her. “You got your hair cut! Is that what you've been busy with?” He asked. He was surprisingly non-judgemental, considering what he'd been assuming of her priorities. 

“No,” Athena said, slightly amused. “Something so trivial would never take so much time. I've been working on getting your father off that island. An opportunity presented itself, however it was on such short notice I was unable to warn you beforehand. My apologies.”

It was a nicer version of the story than ‘I was having an emotional breakdown after freeing your father and was too drunk to remember my own schedule.’ 

“An ‘opportunity’!? What happened!?” Telemachus asked, seeming very excited. “Is he gonna come back!?” 

He will if I have anything to say about it, Athena thought. Though she didn't say that aloud. She wanted to limit their excitement. Just in case the unthinkable happened. 

“He is free now,” Athena told them, “Though whether he'll survive the journey is another question entirely, as there are many dangers in between him and Ithaca.” 

“But there's a chance he could make it back?” Astyanax said. 

“Your father is very clever. I think there's a decent chance he will survive," Athena told them, "However, you never know what may happen, so try not to get your hope up too much.” 

“Understood,” Astyanax said, looking cautiously optimistic. 

Meanwhile Telemachus was grinning like Athena had just told him his dad would definitely be coming home tomorrow. 

“I'm sure he'll be fine,” Penelope said, “After all, he has you looking after him, does he not?” 

“He does,” Athena said, “Though I'm not able to look after him every second of the day. However, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up missing a few training sessions here and there. I'll let Hermes know if I'm ever aware I'm going to miss one, but if I'm not here after about half an hour or so, you can just go home. I do not wish for you to wait all night, if I'm busy with your father.” 

“Understood,” Penelope told her. 

“Anyways,” Athena said, “Shall we begin training?” 

The next day, Athena landed on Odysseus's ship. She'd given her siblings her instructions on what to do for the next few days, and she'd told them that she wanted to stay with Odysseus as much as possible, until he gets home. They'd been surprisingly understanding about it. Agreeing to let her do that, so her efforts wouldn't go to waste.

She'd decided to allow the crew to see her. If only for the sake of morale. So she landed right in the middle of his ship, surrounded by stunned mortals. 

“Athena!” Odysseus said, grinning and running over to her. “You're back!” 

She smiled, “Yes, indeed. I wanted to make sure things were going well.” She glanced around at the crew. For whatever reason, Calypso was also there. 

Seemingly noticing her confusion, Odysseus spoke again. “Some of the men wanted to bring her, and I agreed. She's been trapped on that island for hundreds of years. All alone. I can't imagine a worse fate, honestly.” 

Athena nodded slowly. She supposed… All things considered, that punishment may have been a bit harsh. 

She walked over to Calypso. 

“A-Athena…?” She asked, seeming nervous. 

She had about a dozen men standing nearby. Athena simply used her magic to knock them out of the way. She wanted to talk, somewhat one on one. 

“Calypso,” Athena said, flatly. Her tone gave nothing away. 

“Is– Am I— Are you– C-ca-can I–” Calypso stammered. 

“Are you aware of what has recently happened at Olympus?” Athena asked. 

“I– I know the curse is br-broken. I don't know h-how or wh-why…?” Calypso said nervously. 

“Zeus has been overthrown,” Athena told her. “There is a new ruler of the gods.” 

“Wh–WHO!?” Calypso demanded. 

“Me,” Athena said, coldly. 

Her eyes widened. 

“What does that have to do with anything?” One of the men asked, “Why are you being so cold to her!?” 

Bold. Athena was almost impressed. 

“You haven't told them what you did to get yourself imprisoned on that island, have you?” Athena asked her. 

Calypso, looking like she was going to cry, shook her head. So Athena addressed the crew around her. 

“Long ago, even before I was born, there was a war between the gods,” Athena said. This would probably be a story that was familiar to most of them, “Between Zeus, and his father, Kronos. All the other gods picked sides. Most sided with my father. Those who didn't were punished after the war ended. Calypso was one of these.” 

“I was only ELEVEN!” Calypso snapped, tears streaming down her face, “I was eleven years old, and I was just trying to help my father! He said Zeus was bad and we needed to fight him to save Kronos!” 

“Yes, I am aware,” Athena said, “Your father was Atlas, correct?” 

She nodded. 

“I suppose I cannot judge you for fighting against my father, considering that's what I've done,” Athena told her, “I overthrew Zeus because I wanted to save Odysseus, my old student, and get him home. My father's death is what broke the curse.”

There were whispers all around her at these words. 

“And I'm not about to hold a grudge for things that happened so long ago,” Athena continued, “However, I cannot risk harm coming to my family, and to my home, if you decide to make trouble. I want to hear you swear your loyalty to me, as your new queen. I want you to swear that you won't cause me any trouble. You deserve a chance at a normal life, but not if it would risk mine, or those I care about.” 

Calypso nodded, “I understand, goddess Athena.” She knelt before her, “I swear my loyalty to you, the queen of Olympus. I promise I won't make any trouble. I will even help you if you need it! Just please don't make me go back to that island.” 

Athena looked at her, judging her sincerity. She seemed very earnest. Plus, denying her would seem incredibly cruel to those watching. 

“Very well,” Athena told her. “I will not send you back. You may live amongst the mortals, or come to Olympus if you wish. If you stay with this group, I expect you not to cause any of them harm either.” 

“Of course not!” Calypso said, “They've made my life so much more wonderful! I will stay with them, at least until they get home.” She smiled, “Thank you, Athena.” 

“You're very welcome,” Athena told her, “Enjoy your freedom.” 

With that, she turned away, and walked back to Odysseus. 

“Your father had a terrible sense of justice,” Odysseus told her, “She was A CHILD, and she wasn't allowed to leave that island for- how long? Thousands of years?”

“I think she got off remarkably light, actually,” Athena told him, “At least she's not being actively tormented.” She paused, “That reminds me, I should probably free Prometheus soon as well.” 

Odysseus frowned, “He's the one you made humans with, right? Remind me, what happened to him?” 

“Humans back then were very primitive. They had only stone tools, and lived nomadically,” Athena explained, “However we both knew they had the capacity for more, if we gave them just a little bit of a boost. Father forbade it. I obeyed him.” 

“And let me guess,” Odysseus said, “Prometheus didn't?” 

Athena nodded, “Prometheus… He was desperate to see your species thrive. Humans were a creation that both of us put a lot of time and effort into… He ended up going behind Zeus's back, and teaching humans how to harness fire. Something that was essential for many of your things. Everything from cooking food, to creating metal weapons. Now, it wasn't as though NO human had discovered how to make fire, but father struck them down each time. Because of Prometheus, every human knew, and father would've had to destroy the whole species if he wanted to change that.”

“I see,” Odysseus said, “And he didn't want to do that?” 

“Of course not,” Athena said, “Even back then we appreciated sacrifices. You guys were the only creatures smart enough to do them properly. Anyways, because of what Prometheus had done, father punished him.” 

“What did Zeus do to him?” Polites asked, sounding nervous. 

“He chained Prometheus to a rock, on a cliff side,” Athena said, “With magical chains that made it impossible for him to escape. Now, every morning, and eagle swoops down, rips out his liver, and eats it. Because he's a god, his liver grows back over the course of the day, only for it to be ripped out again the next morning.” 

“What the hell!?” Polites said. 

“Oh, I remember this story,” Odysseus told her, “But you're the queen now, aren't you? Can't you let him go?” 

“I can,” Athena said, “I'm confident I have the authority for that, and even if I didn't, I don't think any of my siblings care if he's released. They were all pretty indifferent to humans back then, and most like them now. In fact, I've already talked to some of them about it, and–” 

“Then let him go!” Polites said. 

“I intend to,” Athena told him, “Once I get all of you home, I'll go and get him out. I'd have Hermes do it, but unfortunately we don't think he'd be able to break the chains. I've talked to Hera, Demeter, Hestia, and a few others already, and they're all on board. I haven't spoken with the minor gods and goddesses yet, but–” 

“If all of Zeus’s siblings are on board, there shouldn't be any problems!” Calypso said. “Please let him go!” 

Athena blinked, rather confused by the desperation in her tone. “I already told you, I intend to. Once everyone has returned home.” 

“Please, can you go now?” Calypso begged, “I had no idea what happened with Prometheus. Last I saw him, he was fighting Kronos with your father! I had no idea about any of this! The only reason I knew humans existed at all is because a few have shown up on my island before now. I can't stand the idea of someone being trapped forever, like I was, just for helping the humans!”

Athena shook her head, “He's survived for thousands of years there, he'll be fine for another few days. These mortals might not be. There are many monsters in between here and Ithaca, and you never know what other threats may appear.” 

“I can watch them for you!” Calypso told her, “I promise, I'll protect them while you free Prometheus!” 

“With what?” Athena asked, “You don't even have a domain.” 

“I still have some magic!” Calypso said, “I may not know my domain yet, but–” 

“No,” Athena said, “I'm afraid I cannot trust you with that yet.” 

“Athena,” Odysseus said gently, “It's okay. I appreciate you wanting to keep us safe, but you can go free him. I mean, how long would it even take? A few days?” 

“I… Could probably do it in about two hours,” Athena admitted. “However, it's not like just going to Olympus, or Ithaca. If you needed me here in an emergency, it would take at least thirty minutes to get back, even if I used magic to get here faster. If something happened–” 

“We'll be fine,” Odysseus said. 

“I can babysit them for a couple hours, easily!” Calypso said. 

Eurylochus looked over at her, seeming offended. Probably by her word choice.  

Athena considered. She really DID want to free him… But she couldn't risk Odysseus to do it! 

“It's okay,” Odysseus told her, “You can go. I'll be fine.” 

Athena hesitated, “Are you sure?” She asked. 

“Yes,” Odysseus said, “Please go save your friend.” 

“Colleague, not friend,” Athena told him, almost reflexively.

“Regardless,” Odysseus said, “I'm sure we'll be fine for a few hours. 

“Alright,” Athena said, “I'll be back as soon as I can.” 

He nodded. So Athena unfurled her wings and took off. 

She landed on the rocky outcrop, with a ‘whoosh’ of wind and feathers. 

Prometheus immediately flinched away from her, body straining against the chains forever holding him tight against the rock. 

She dismissed her wings. Even though she would need them again shortly, she figured it'd be better to try and avoid triggering bad memories. 

After a moment, Prometheus opened his eyes and looked at her.

“A-Athena?” He asked, his voice sounded hoarse, as though he hadn't talked in a long time. 

“It is me, yes,” Athena told him. 

“What are you doing here!? Wait! No! You need to go! If Zeus finds out you visited me–” 

“He won't,” Athena said simply, “He's dead.” 

“WHAT!?” 

“A lot has happened since you've been gone. You have a lot to catch up on. But first things first, let's see if I can get rid of these chains.” She began hitting a chain repeatedly, trying to break it. 

“You won't be able to,” Prometheus told her, “They were forged so strongly that I don't think anyone could break them except for Zeus himse–” he cut off as the chain broke. 

There were two more, and those took only another minute or two. 

“Remind me to try out your workout routine,” Prometheus said, stretching now that he was able to move again. 

Athena smiled slightly. “I'd prefer you didn't, considering my ‘work out routine’ involved killing the ruler of the gods and taking his place. I absorbed his magic, and now I'm much stronger than before.”

“Wait, wait! You killed Zeus!?” Prometheus asked, shocked. 

“Yes.” 

“By Gaia, what did I miss!?” He put a hand to his forehead, seeming baffled. Which was fair, considering the last time he'd seen her she was obediently following her father's every order. 

“A lot,” Athena told him. “Our experiment was more of a success than we ever anticipated. Genetically they are so close to us that some of our family members have been able to create half breeds. We call them ‘demigods’. These half breeds aren't even infertile, meaning that the humans and gods are INCREDIBLY closely related. There's even a way to transform humans into gods, with the apples of immortality. And those human gods can even take domains. Aside from that, the humans are spread across dozens of islands, with their own civilizations. They have grown so numerous, that they far outnumber the gods. Hundreds of humans, for every one god that exists.” 

“They– really!?” Prometheus asked, seeming incredibly excited. 

Athena nodded, “Admittedly, even their finest cities could never rival Olympus. However, they are better than anything the other animals have created. They've learned to work with marble, and make their own palace’s. They have their own civilizations and laws. I've seen them kill monsters by themselves. I'd say some of them are smarter than many gods, though I would not say that in front of our family.” 

Prometheus chuckled. “Yeah, I wouldn't tell them that either. But if that's the case…” He looked down at the manacles on his wrists, connected to broken chains, “In that case,” Prometheus said, “Maybe it was all worth it.” 

Athena smiled slightly, “Maybe, but you don't have to suffer any more.”

With that, she took his hand, and slowly managed to pry the metal off his wrist. Then she did the other one. Then both his ankles. Once all the manacles were removed, he flexed his hands, fingers sparking with magic. The metal had suppressed his magic. He was still constantly healing and immortal, but he hadn't been able to cast any spells. 

Now he could. 

Athena was feeling good about this. That was until she got a prayer. It was from Polites. 

“Goddess Athena, please return as quickly as you can. There's another god about to attack us! It's Poseidon!” 

Her eyes widened. “Some of my human friends are in danger,” she told Prometheus, “I have to go help them! I'm sorry, but I need to go now! I'll have Hermes come take you back to Olympus soon!” 

With that, she unfurled her wings, and was about to take off when Prometheus grabbed her wrist. 

“Let me go too!” He told her, “I can help!” 

Athena considered. She didn't want to take him, he was far too frail and weak. However, she didn't have time for an argument. So she nodded, and let Prometheus climb onto her back. He hadn't eaten in several thousand years, so he was very light. This probably wouldn't slow her down much. 

Calypso watched in utter shock as Poseidon rose from the sea. She'd seen him only once before in her life. Just after Zeus had defeated Kronos. 

“ODYSSEUS OF ITHACA!” He shouted. “I WOULD LIKE A WORD WITH YOU!” 

Calypso looked over at all the men. Polites had his head down, and was muttering something under his breath. Most of the other men were pale, and frozen with fear. 

“Lord Poseidon,” Odysseus said, “What is it that you require?” 

“Revenge,” Poseidon told him. “You're the reason my brother is dead!” 

“I did not kill your brother,” Odysseus said, “Nor did I request his death.” 

“But you're the reason Athena betrayed him!” Poseidon snapped. “You think I'm stupid!? She used to be loyal to my brother! He could've told her to break her own arm and she would've done it without question! Now, all of a sudden, because of YOU she KILLED HIM!” 

Water was rising around them. It was going to drown everyone. 

For the first time ever, Calypso missed her island. The endless food. The soft sand that was practically everywhere. It was so much safer there. If only these humans had all stayed there. Calypso knew there was no spell she had that would be able to protect them. Now these innocent people were going to DIE! And she was probably going to be sent back to her island by Athena, as punishment for her failure. Assuming Poseidon didn't drown her as well…

As the waves bore down on them, Calypso raised her arm, instinctively blocking her face as she prepared to be hit. 

However, the water didn't touch them. Instead, it was blocked. A shield made of sand formed around them, and blocked the ships from Poseidon’s waves. 

She felt a strange warmth flow through her veins. New magic seemed to flow through her. 

“Congrats on the domain,” That was Athena's voice in her mind, “I can feel that you took it. I'm almost there. Hold him off for just a little longer. Calypso, Goddess of the Sand.” 

Calypso smiled. 

She could feel each grain of sand instinctively, and could control exactly where she wanted it to go. Not only that, but she could create more of it. The grains of sand multiplied beneath the ships, until they were all raised above the water. This way, they'd be safer from Poseidon's waves.

It was getting tiring already. Creating sand required a ton of energy, but she knew she only had to handle things for just a bit longer…

When Athena got there she was incredibly tired. She'd gotten there in ten minutes, though the trip should've taken at least thirty. Calypso was blocking the waves with walls of sand, but she looked exhausted. As they arrived her walls started to collapse. 

Odysseus drew his bow and nocked an arrow. Apparently planning to fight Poseidon himself, once the shields were washed away. However he didn't need to. Not yet. 

-

Many people believed that Hephaestus was the god of fire, and of the forge. This was not true. It was never true. Hephaestus’s only domain was the forge. That did give him some powers related to fire, heat resistant skin, and the ability to raise the temperature of a fire. However, fire itself was never his domain. Zeus only told everyone that it was, because he was ashamed he couldn't take domains away without consent. 

Because the true God of Fire was Prometheus. 

-

A wave of heat washed over them. Hotter than anything Athena had felt in thousands of years. Flame blasted towards the shield of sand, melting it into glass, which would prevent it from collapsing onto the ship. Because fire was his domain, Prometheus had perfect control of it, meaning not even the cloth sail went up in flames. The worst damage was a few scorch marks on the ship's railing. Poseidon's waves continued crashing into the makeshift shield, cooling it, and turning it to perfect, white, sea glass. 

“Well that was fun,” Prometheus said, now that they were no longer in danger of getting buried in sand. 

Calypso wiped the sweat from her brow. 

“Hey, don't I know you?” Prometheus asked, “You were Atlas's daughter right?” 

“Y-yes…” Calypso said, sounding anxious. 

“She's on our side now,” Athena told him. 

“Cool! Honestly, I'm sorry about what happened. Turns out Zeus is an asshole. Kinda wish he got eaten.” 

Athena shot him a look. 

“What? Don't get defensive now, you killed the guy.”

“If he got eaten by Kronos, I would never have been born,” Athena said. She didn't want to address any of her complicated feelings towards her father. 

“Oh, dang, that's right. Guess I don't wish he was eaten then. Then we wouldn't have the smartest goddess in the world.”

Athena raised an eyebrow at his flattery. 

Prometheus grinned, pressing a kiss to the back of Athena's hand. “At your service, my lady.” He winked at her. 

Athena rolled her eyes, though otherwise she paid it no mind. Prometheus only flirted with people he wasn't interested in. The moment he was actually interested in someone, he became a stuttering mess. She'd seen it happen several times. 

So his ‘charms’ were reserved only for people he considered friends.

Prometheus opened his mouth to say more, but just then, the glass shield finally broke under Poseidon's waves. 

Athena was able to use her magic to create a sort of forcefield around all the ships, not unlike what she'd done for Odysseus's wedding, but that type of spell was impossible to keep up for long, when up against such a strong force. So once all the broken glass had gone into the ocean, she had to drop the spell, leaving them defenseless. 

She used Quick Thought on herself, Prometheus, Odysseus, and Polites. Those were the people who had experience with the power, and she didn't have time to explain it to anyone else. 

What the fuck did you do to get POSEIDON pissed at you!? I was gone for less than three hours! Athena thought at Odysseus. 

“It's not my fault! He found out I was the reason you killed Zeus and wants revenge!” 

How did he–? Athena paused, Damn it Hermes! Okay. Okay, we can handle this.

“What should we do, Athena?” It was Prometheus who asked. 

Okay, here's the plan, Athena thought at the three of them. Polites, you handle the crew, we want as few of them dead as possible, and none of you are prepared to fight Poseidon. Focus on dodging, hiding, and staying together as much as possible. Have Eurylochus give my orders to the other ships as well. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

Odysseus, you'll stay as far away as possible, while still in the fight. Be sure to take a shot once you see an opening, but you're the most fragile in this fight. So you'll act as backup. His trident is his most dangerous weapon, so you'll be safer at long range. 

“Understood.” 

Prometheus, you'll act as a distraction. Hit him as much as you can. Once I have a good opening, I'll deliver the final blow. However I need him worn out first. 

“I'm gonna fry him like a fish!” 

And with that, the fight began.

Poseidon went straight for Athena, apparently pinpointing her as the biggest threat. Or perhaps he just wanted revenge on her specifically. 

Regardless, he lunged at her, trident outstretched and aiming for her ribs. Just as it had just over seven years ago. This time, however, she blocked it with her spear. And NO ONE would be able to get her to put her weapon away. 

Poseidon grit his teeth, “You bastard! Betraying your family for these pathetic, worthless creatures–” He got hit in the face with a wave of fire. 

He turned to look at Prometheus. 

“I don't appreciate you insulting our creation!” Prometheus said. He grinned at the terrified mortals behind them. “I call this move the ‘flame thrower!” He formed a small ‘ball’ of fire in his hand, and threw it like he was playing a very aggressive game of catch. 

Poseidon practically growled at him, summoning a wave of ocean water to extinguish the projectile. 

“Rude,” Prometheus said. “How about a steam room then?” With that, he produced a steady stream of fire from his palms. When Poseidon extinguished it with another wave it was so hot, it turned the water into a thick cloud of steam. 

Athena immediately knew what this was. A distraction. Now no one could see what was happening. 

She took the opportunity to aim at Poseidon with her spear. She aimed right where his spine had been just before the steam engulfed them. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen him move, just slightly, so she hit him in the left shoulder blade instead. 

He turned on her, ripping the spear out of her hands, as it was still embedded in his back. He raised his trident. Athena raised her arms to block, however, she knew even her armor probably wouldn't be enough to completely protect her from such a powerful weapon. 

However, the blow never landed, instead, there was a sickening ‘crack’ as Poseidon’s wrist was severed by an arrow. No doubt this was Odysseus's doing. 

As Poseidon stumbled back in pain, Athena took the opportunity to grab the trident, and pull her spear out of his body. Now she was holding both weapons. However they both needed two hands to use. 

Prometheus shot even more fire at him, as arrows ripped into Poseidon's body. The sea god let out a roar of pain and rage. 

Making her decision, Athena put away her spear. As ridiculous as it was, she didn't want to kill a family member with that weapon. It seemed wrong to do something like that with her old friend’s weapon. It would stay safe in Quick Thought. 

She stabbed Poseidon in the ribs with his own trident. He collapsed to his knees, as he began bleeding profusely. She pulled the weapon out, and then stabbed him again, aiming for his heart.

“After everything you've done,” Poseidon whispered, “You dare harm your family more? We're the only ones who really care about yo–” He cut off as an arrow lodged itself in his throat. 

“Oh please!” Odysseus said, coming down from wherever he'd been shooting from. “You stabbed her before. Don't even TRY to pretend you ever cared about her.” 

Athena dug the trident in deeper. Once again, she pulled it out. Then she stabbed him again.

He tried to summon a wave with his magic, but Prometheus made the water evaporate with his fire. 

“Can I try?” Odysseus asked her, sounding almost like a small child wanting to help their parent pour the flour into a batch of lalagia dough.

“Sure,” Athena said. Poseidon wasn't much of a threat now, and she'd be supervising. So she handed him the trident. 

He stabbed Poseidon in the ribs on the other side. Then he ripped out the Trident, and stabbed him again. Athena frowned slightly. 

“Good height as you raise the trident up,” Athena told him, “That gives you a large amount of force, without becoming unwieldy. However, it's a different weapon than a sword, so you're going to want a wider stance.” 

Odysseus nodded, adjusted his stance, and stabbed Poseidon again. 

She nodded, “Much better.” 

With that, Athena continued to supervise as Odysseus killed a god, with a little help from Prometheus continuing to evaporate any water that came their way. 

Chapter Text

“I can't leave you alone for even a couple hours,” Athena complained, after Poseidon was dead. “I swear you have worse luck than any creature that has ever existed on Gaia.” 

Odysseus shook his head, “Nah, my luck can't be that bad. I have you for a best friend after all.” 

“Mentor,” Athena corrected, mainly because the crew was watching them. 

“Sure, sure,” Odysseus said, grinning. 

“So, now that the battle's over, I feel as though some introductions are in order,” Prometheus said to Odysseus. “My name is Prometheus. I… I uh, doubt you know who I am though…” He added a bit sadly. 

Odysseus shook his head, with a smile, “Most mortals don't, but Athena told us about you. At least those of us on this ship. It’s good to meet you. My name is Odysseus, king of the mortal country of Ithaca.” 

The two shook hands. 

“Yeah!” Polites agreed, from several feet away, “You're the one who taught humans how to use fire! As soon as Athena told us the story, we immediately asked her to free you. Since she's the queen now, and all that…” 

“Really?” Prometheus asked. “And here I thought she did it out of the goodness of her heart,” he looked at Athena, grinning. 

Athena rolled her eyes, “I was planning on doing it anyway, in a few days from now. I've been trying to ensure this group gets home. As I am rather fond of some of them. However, they insisted I do so immediately.” 

“Got it, got it,” Prometheus said, then he turned back to the humans. “Tell me EVERYTHING! What have you all been doing!? How far has human civilization advanced since I saw you last!?” 

Prometheus went around talking to each of the 500+ crew members individually, all about their lives, and home. About their knowledge, and fields of study. He was grinning the entire time. 

After Prometheus was finished with his questioning of the people on his ship, Odysseus was able to speak to Polites and Eurylochus. 

“How many dead?” He asked them. 

“Just three men,” Eurylochus said, “A miracle considering who we were up against.” 

“Fifteen men dead in total…” Polites said, “Honestly, I hate to agree with Eurylochus, but considering we were at war for ten years, fought a Cyclops, went through a horrific storm, got attacked by giants, pissed off Zeus, and got attacked by Poseidon, I do think we were INCREDIBLY lucky.” 

“It's because of Athena,” Odysseus said, “Way more people would be dead without her. Maybe all of us.” 

“True,” Polites agreed. 

Eurylochus nodded, “Yes. And if she wants wine, I will give it to her.” 

“I don't blame you,” Odysseus said, “I'll be sure to ask her what her favorite is, aside from the nightshade kind she was drinking before.” 

Really it wasn't THAT big of a deal, considering she no longer seemed to be trying to drown her emotions. 

“Okay,” Athena said, after Prometheus was finally finished. “I need to take Prometheus to Apollo, and check up on my siblings. It should not take longer than a half an hour.” She looked at Odysseus, “Please TRY to stay out of trouble?” 

“I'll do my best,” Odysseus said, with a wry smile. 

Athena frowned. Then she summoned Hermes. Any god or goddess could do so, as he was the messenger god, however, Athena was pretty sure he came to her faster than usual. 

“What's up, Athena?” He asked. 

“Send a message to Triton to meet me at Olympus. He's the one most likely to care about his father's death," Athena said, "Do not tell him these mortals were involved if he doesn't already know. Then I want you to keep an eye on them for me, and come get me if they get into trouble, until I return.” 

“On it!” Hermes told her, giving her a salute. Though the effect was slightly ruined by the fact that he was floating upside-down. 

With that, Athena got Prometheus, and headed to Olympus. 

As soon as Apollo saw Prometheus, he immediately began checking him over. 

“If you wanted to get me undressed, you could've just asked,” Prometheus said with a smirk, as Apollo cut open the rags he was wearing to examine his torso. 

“I'll be sure to make a note to give you extra ambrosia for your apparent concussion,” Apollo said, in response to the flirting. 

“WOW! That was cold! Aren't you supposed to be the god of sunlight? Though you can– Ow!” Prometheus said. 

Apollo had started poking around his injury. His liver still hadn't healed all the way from being eaten that morning. 

“Hm.” Apollo frowned. 

“What?” Prometheus asked.

“It appears your liver has an irregular structure. That's normal in humans, when their livers are partially removed, however it doesn't typically happen with gods. I suppose getting it removed over and over for thousands of years took a toll.” 

“Makes sense,” Prometheus said, looking less than thrilled. 

“I'll go kill that eagle for you if you want,” Ares said, walking into the room. 

If Athena remembered correctly, Ares had been very young when Prometheus was sent away. He probably hadn't even had his first domain yet. 

“No way, you can't be Ares, can you?”

“In the flesh.” Ares grinned. 

“I swear you were half this size last I saw you!” Prometheus said, “What happened to the kid who used to beg me to set things on fire, huh?” 

“He got older and learned to set things on fire by himself.” Ares punched Prometheus on the arm, “Good to see you again.” 

“You too,” Prometheus said, rubbing the arm Ares had punched. “You’ve gotten stronger since I saw you last.”

“I'd hope so,” Ares said, “Strength and war are my domains.” 

“But I thought–” Prometheus looked at Athena. He knew she was the goddess of war, and that's probably where the confusion came from. 

“Zeus told me I had to share with my brother,” Athena explained, almost fondly. 

Ares snorted, “Oh is that how this works? ‘Athena, mom said it's my turn with the domain!’” He finished in an overly childish tone, mimicking mortal children forced to share their toys. 

Athena chuckled at that. 

Ares turned back to Prometheus, “But seriously, if you want me to find the fucking eagle that did this to you, and kill it, I will.” 

“Nah, don't bother. She just wanted to eat,” Prometheus said, “Plus I'm pretty sure she used it to feed her chicks sometimes. I can't find it in myself to blame her for that. The only one I ever wanted vengeance on was Zeus, and Athena beat me to it.” 

“Yeah, EVENTUALLY,” Ares huffed, sounding annoyed. 

“Hey Ares,” it was Artemis who spoke, “Can we talk?” 

“Alright?” Ares frowned, then just shrugged, “Talk to you later ‘Theus.” 

“Kay!” Prometheus waved, as Ares left. Then he turned back to Athena, “What was that about?” He asked. 

Athena sighed, “Ares is mad I stayed loyal to our father for so long. He saw me kill Zeus, and I guess he thought things would've been better if I did it sooner.” 

Prometheus nodded, “I get that, but you can't play the game backwards. Plus he was good to you, wasn't he? I could see how that might be hard to give up.” 

“I… Suppose,” Athena said, rather uncomfortable. 

“One thing I've been wondering though,” Apollo said, apparently deciding to change the subject, “What was your part in that prophecy?” 

“What prophecy?” Prometheus asked. 

“Athena said Zeus was given a prophecy regarding her birth. The prophecy apparently said that if she’d been born a boy she would dethrone him. However, Athena was not…? I mean I assume, and she still overthrew our father.” 

Athena shrugged, “I don't know. I don't think the prophecy mentioned a daughter, at least nobody told me about it.” 

“No, the prophecy would've had to mention a daughter," Apollo said, "With a set in stone prophecy like that, it's not going to just not mention something that happens. Prophecies always come true. But I have gotten a couple similar to what you described.” 

“What do you mean?” Athena asked, very confused. 

“I call them ‘either or’ prophecies,” Apollo explained, “Prophecies that say ‘either this will happen, or that will happen’, depending on some specific conditions. For example I once gave a man a prophecy that if his brother killed him, the family would have a good harvest, but if his sister did, the country would go into a famine. So he killed the sister himself to prevent that, and his brother killed him in revenge, and then they had a great harvest.”

“Okay?” Athena said, “What does that have to do with me?” 

“The prophecy father was given would've HAD to include a potential future for a daughter. An ‘either or' prophecy isn't really saying ‘these two things have an equal chance to happen, here’s the result of both potential options’, the prophecy knows what the real fate is. Usually, like in the case with that farmer, hearing both options makes you do something that makes one of them come true.” 

Athena frowned, “Well then I have no idea.” 

“You could do a Time Dive,” Prometheus suggested. 

“I would have to figure out when and where this happened…” Athena frowned. 

“Would you?” Apollo asked, “Didn't you get a bunch more magic when killing Zeus? You should probably be able to do things a bit easier now.” 

Athena paused. She hadn't really tried to do any sort of difficult Time Dive, not since she killed her father…

“Athena!” It was Aphrodite who spoke, entering the room. “Triton is here for your meeting!” 

Immediately Athena stood up. Right, she still had to deal with that. 

She nodded, “Thank you for telling me, Aphrodite.” 

“No problem!" Aphrodite said, walking with her to the meeting, "Uh– So I heard you killed Poseidon…” 

Athena frowned, she knew immediately what Aphrodite was getting at. “I can't kill gods just for words they have spoken. That's an incredibly slippery slope, and I don't want to be a tyrant like our father was.”

“But you killed Poseidon!!! He rules the sea! Which is practically another country to us! I don't see why Hephaestus is such a big deal!” Aphrodite huffed. 

“Poseidon attacked my favorite mortal, and then attacked me,” Athena told her, “If Hephaestus were to attack me, or someone else, then that would be different, but as of right now he has done nothing but threaten violence. I can't justify harming him for that. Especially not so early on into my reign, when many of the gods may not be on board with my rule. However, if you feel unsafe, I know a few places you could hide.” 

Aphrodite sighed, “Okay…” 

Athena found herself softening at the sight of Aphrodite’s dejected expression. “For what it's worth, I really wish I could help more.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Aphrodite said, “It's just frustrating that's all.” 

Athena was about to say more, but they had just walked into the room with Triton. 

“Athena,” He said, bowing slightly to her, “It's a pleasure to see you again.” 

“Absolutely,” Athena said formally, “I only wish it was under better circumstances.” 

“Agreed. Now, let's address the topic at hand, you killed my father?” Triton asked. 

“I did,” Athena said, “He was attempting to take revenge against me for Zeus's death. He attacked some of my friends, and then attacked me once he got past our barriers.” 

“I see. He did mention he was planning to kill the mortal you killed Zeus to save.” 

“Yes. I wasn't about to let my efforts go to waste.” Athena folded her arms. “As you are Poseidon's eldest son, I would assume the throne goes to you. So let's get straight to business. I don't want this incident to result in a war between our kingdoms. Between myself, Ares, Apollo, Artemis, and Prometheus, I'm confident we would be the ones to succeed, assuming you were to attack us up here. However I see it as a pointless waste of time, and potentially a waste of more lives.” 

Triton nodded. “I… Suppose that is true. While we may have power over storms, that doesn't exactly help when I'm sure you still have access to your father’s domain…” 

Athena nodded. Though she hadn't actually made that her domain yet. It was still unused. She didn't want it. -She was a bit afraid of lightning. She didn’t want to touch it.- 

“What would appease your people?” Athena asked him. 

Triton considered. “Give me my father's old domains. We need a god of the ocean. We wouldn't want someone new doing that job. Most of our people feared Poseidon, just as yours feared Zeus. So long as you don't harm anyone else, I think I can smooth things over.” 

Athena nodded, “I do not intend to harm anyone else, but make sure my mortals are off limits. I will not let the death of my father be for nothing.” 

“Very well,” Triton said. 

Athena gave him Poseidon's domains, and he went on his way. 

“What is it?” Ares asked Artemis the moment she pulled him aside. 

“I think you need to not be so harsh with Athena,” Artemis told him.

“I don't think I'm being that harsh?” Ares said, “I'm not even yelling at her or anything. I just think she should've killed him earlier.” 

Artemis sighed, “When I spent a day wearing her face, I had to meet with Zeus. So I got a taste of the way he treated her day to day.”

“Yeah?” Ares asked. On reflection, he supposed he hadn't seen much other than that one training session, and the death of her friend. 

“He yelled at me for being lazy for staying in bed an extra two hours when I seemed ‘fine’. I guess he thought that I didn't seem injured enough to have needed any rest.” 

“He yelled at you for that? Then doesn't that just prove my point?!” Ares asked. 

“No, because right after yelling at me, and throwing me to the floor by my throat, I apologized, and he started petting my hair and praising me. It gave me total whiplash.” 

Ares frowned. He had a hard time imagining that. 

“Here,” he said, “Do it to me.” 

“What?” Artemis asked. 

“I want to see what it was like,” Ares told her. “So go ahead and do exactly what he did to you.” 

“Are you sure?” Artemis asked. 

He nodded. 

“Alright… I guess I can act it out, and you can just play along…?”

He nodded again. 

Artemis changed her expression to look haughty and cold. “I wanted to talk about earlier. You clearly didn't need to spend so much extra time in bed.” 

“I was still not feeling very well, father,” Ares said, he figured that's probably what Athena would’ve said. 

“LIAR!” Artemis screamed and shoved him to the ground. His eyes widened in shock, and he barely managed to stop himself from fighting back on instinct. 

“I KNOW YOU JUST WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH THOSE WORTHLESS FAILURES! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOVE YOUR SIBLINGS! ONLY ME!” 

“I'm sorry?” Ares said, more confused than anything. 

With that Artemis’s face changed to something soft, and almost motherly. “Thank you for apologizing.” She patted him on the head. “You're so strong, you don't need to listen to Apollo's orders, I promise. I love you so much.” 

Ares blinked. “What the fuck???” 

“Exactly,” Artemis said, dropping the act. “That's how he was with me when he thought I was Athena.” She helped him up off the ground. 

“That's… That's so strange…” Ares said. It seemed like such a drastic switch. He had always kind of assumed his father had anger issues. After all, Ares had anger issues, so maybe it was genetic. 

However, the fact that Zeus had apparently been able to switch it on and off like a switch… That wasn't something Ares could do at all. Even though he'd been working on controlling his temper for a few years now, he could just make his anger disappear… That almost seemed… 

“You're sure it was just like that?” Ares asked her, “That drastic of a switch? He didn't still seem angry after?” 

“Not at all,” Artemis said. “It was like he became a completely different person.” 

That made Zeus's anger almost seem like something deliberate. Not a short temper, like Ares had, but… Something planned, calculated.

The kind of thing Athena would do to an enemy to catch them off guard, or trick them. And Athena had the least of a temper out of all of Zeus's kids, and probably had the most control of her emotions. 

Ares frowned. 

“So with that level of whiplash,” Artemis said, “I think it makes sense that she tried to stay on his good side. After all, hypothetically, if she never did anything wrong, he would never get angry with her, and she'd have the nice version of father forever.” 

Ares nodded. “I think she said something like that to me once. Like ‘I used to think if everyone obeyed as well as me, there would be no more problems.’” 

Artemis nodded. “That makes sense. Anyways, I think you need to be nicer to her about it. Our ‘father’ essentially strung her along with false hope for years. He didn’t do that to us, which is why we were able to see he was terrible earlier on. For her though, he basically said ‘if you're good enough, I'll be a perfect father for you. So long as you're doing enough.’ It was probably harder for her to figure out he was lying.” 

Ares sighed. He hated that Artemis was probably right. 

But now there was another thing bothering him. 

“But why her?” He asked. “I mean I know she was obedient, but he never tried that with anyone else. Let's be honest, you probably would've fallen for it. I bet Aphrodite would've too. Assuming he'd spent all his effort on either of you.” 

“Yeah…” Artemis said softly, “I probably would've…” 

“So then, why her?” Ares asked. 

“The prophecy maybe?” Apollo suggested. 

When had he entered the room? Ares was usually pretty aware of these things. 

“The prophecy?” Artemis asked. 

“We don't know what the whole prophecy was. I'm absolutely sure there's more to it," Apollo said, "However at the very least, if the prophecy said that if Athena had been a son she would've killed him, it's probably reasonable he wanted to stay on her good side.” 

“Do you really think there's more to the prophecy?” Athena asked as she walked up to them. Apparently her meeting was finished. 

“I really do,” Apollo said, “It doesn’t make sense for it to only mention a son that doesn’t exist.” 

Athena frowned, “I suppose I can attempt a Time Dive…” 

Athena had a rough idea of when this would've happened, but not where. However, that seemingly didn't matter anymore. 

Usually doing a Time Dive like this would've come up blank. She internally compared Time Dives to asking a human toddler to go find their shoes. Unless they knew where they were supposed to be looking, they wouldn't be able to, and would come back empty handed. Sometimes if you gave them a specific area to look, they might be able to find it, even if you didn't know EXACTLY where they were. Even then that was pretty rare, and the more you knew about where to look, the more likely it was to find it. 

Time Dives were usually the same way. 

However, it seemed this ‘toddler’ had grown up a bit. Most likely due to her father’s magic that she had absorbed. Despite not knowing exactly where to look, her magic was able to find the moment she was looking for. 

Athena watched as her father and mother spoke to a goddess Athena didn't recognize. 

“You wish to know the fate of your first child?” She asked Metis. 

“We do,” Zeus replied. 

“Very well. However the child's fate will depend on the gender.”

“The gender?” Metis asked. 

“If this child is a girl, she will have intelligence and determination that her parents can only dream of,” the goddess said, “She will be born loyal to her father, and so long as she stays loyal to him above all else, Zeus’s reign will be eternal.” 

Athena’s father looked very pleased by this. 

“However,” the goddess continued, “If the child is a son, he will not be gifted with intelligence, instead he will inherit Zeus's raw power, and will overthrow him on the day of his birth, then he will overthrow Poseidon, and Hades, and rule over all the rest of the gods as a supreme emperor!"

“HOW DARE YOU!?” Zeus screamed enraged. “HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH TREASONOUS WORDS! I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!” He readied his lightning. 

Athena ended the Time Dive. Considering she'd never seen that goddess before, she already knew what must've happened to her. It seemed Athena was not the only one to be given a domain that had previously belonged to a goddess Zeus had killed. She wondered if Apollo knew about that… 

“Did you find anything?” Apollo asked her. 

Athena nodded. She didn't say anything. 

“That bad, huh?” Ares asked her. 

“I'm fine,” Athena said. “It's fine. Don't worry about it.” 

“Oh it's THAT bad?” Artemis asked. 

“I'm going to ask Dionysus for a drink,” Athena said, almost numbly. 

“Nope,” Apollo said, running forward to block her way. “You're dealing with you emotions in a healthy way today.” 

“I have no feelings. I’m fine,” Athena said, keeping her tone empty. She felt some sort of energy -emotions- rising in her chest, but she shoved it down. 

“Yikes,” Ares said. “What did it say?” 

“Nothing important,” Athena said. Trying to get around Apollo. 

“Bullshit,” Ares said, “You look too empty to not be upset. You're just trying to hide it.” 

“Agreed,” Artemis said. “I think I just watched the light leave your eyes in real time.” 

“I'm fine,” Athena repeated. She was. She had the self control to stay composed. That obviously meant she wasn't feeling anything too important. 

-She could ignore the implications of what she'd just watched- 

“Okay,” Ares said, “I didn’t want to do this to you, but you've left me no choice.” 

With that they were all suddenly in Quick Strength. 

Athena felt her heart begin to pound, her breath quickened, and her eyes filled with tears against her will. 

“My realm amplifies emotions,” Ares explained to the other gods. “Now she can’t ignore it.” 

“GET ME OUT OF HERE!” Athena snapped. 

“Not until you communicate,” Ares said, folding his arms. 

Athena squeezed her eyes shut, taking several deep breaths. She ran her fingers through her hair, and began pulling it slightly, trying to distract herself with pain. She willed her heart to stop racing in her chest. 

“I'm fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine.” She muttered to herself. 

“I can make it worse,” Ares said, “I can use magic to make this place amplify your emotions even more, if you want to keep being difficult.” 

“DON’T YOU DARE! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?” She demanded. 

“Because we care about you, you dumbass,” Ares told her. “Tell us what's wrong, and you can leave.” 

“I–” Athena took several more deep breaths, “I don't negotiate with terrorists,” she told him. 

“Have it your way,” Ares told her. 

Suddenly the realm seemed to flow brighter. She felt as though she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Her fragile control over her emotions slipped. 

“STOP IT!” Athena shouted, tears streaming down her face. 

And Quick Strength shattered, only to be replaced by Quick Thought. 

“How did you–” Ares said, shocked. 

Athena took another deep breath, calmer now that she was in her own space.

“You're not the only one who can mess with emotions,” Athena said calmly. With that she amplified her own realm, until she felt absolutely nothing. She might as well have been asleep. It was so peaceful. 

“Stop that,” Ares said. “It's not– It's not good for you and—... I feel so empty…” He added in a whisper, “Suffocated. Like a fire dosed in cold water… There's just nothing. I don’t like that... Passion is what makes us alive.” 

“Logic and the ability to think is what makes us alive,” Athena told him, “If you just embrace the numbness, you'll feel better.” Like ice on a bruise, her realm helped with the pain. 

“I don't want to embrace it,” Ares said. 

“I feel much better,” Athena told him. 

“You still need to address your feelings,” Ares told her. “Unless you intend to stay in her forever. Numb. Empty. Dead.” 

“Not forever,” Athena said, “Just for awhile.” 

“I wonder if I can break your realm, like you did to mine,” Ares mused aloud. After some concentration, he actually managed it. 

Athena grimaced as the emotions came rushing back. Stronger than they would've been outside of the realms. 

“Um, so we're still here,” Apollo noted, “I don't know what weird fight you to are having, but I'd prefer to not be collateral damage.” 

“Agreed,” Artemis said.

“Make her talk about her feelings then,” Ares said, gesturing at Athena. 

“You shouldn't try to force that,” Apollo said, “She'll talk when she's ready.” 

Ares shook her head, “No she won’t. She's been bottling things up for years. She's not about to actually process anything now, unless someone forces her.” 

Despite his words, removed them all from his realm. 

Athena frowned slightly. “I need to talk to Mnemosyne before anything else. Her memory magic allows you to hear peoples thoughts to an extent and I need to be sure, before I jump to conclusions.” 

-After all, surely the fact that his power directly relied on her loyalty wasn't the only reason he favored her. Right?- 

“Will you at least tell us what the prophecy said?” Artemis asked. 

“In a nutshell it said that if he had a son, he would get killed, but if he had a daughter he would rule forever so long as she was loyal.” 

“Wow,” Ares said, “I hate that.” 

“Well I guess that answers our question from earlier,” Artemis said, “That's probably why he spent so much time on manipulating you, and didn't bother with the rest of us…” 

Athena clenched her fists at her side. She took a deep breath. 

-She'd thought it was for her skills, and for her OBEDIENCE. She'd thought the favor was because she'd been a good tool for him. Was it all just because of a prophecy so he could keep power?- 

“I'm going to talk to Mnemosyne,” Athena said, “I want to know if he did it on purpose. I want to know if–” She took another breath, “I need to know what he was thinking.” 

“Okay,” Apollo said softly. 

Athena went into her new realm, and summoned Mnemosyne. 

She arrived about five minutes later. 

“You called?” She asked. 

“I need you to use your powers,” Athena said, “I need to see what my father was thinking when raising me. I need to know how intentional it was.” 

Mnemosyne frowned, “I suppose I could probably do that, but considering… Your current emotional state, I don't think it's a good idea. I mean at this rate Dionysus might run out of wine.” 

Athena glared at her, “I'm FINE. I need to see what he was thinking.” 

Mnemosyne opened her mouth to argue again, but Apollo put a hand on her shoulder, “We're all concerned for her,” he told Mnemosyne, “But I think this is something she needs. For closure.” 

Mnemosyne considered. “Very well," she told Athena, "But I'll be using my power to show these others as well. I haven't looked into that myself, so I have no idea what you'll find. You’ll need support if it's really bad.” 

“Hey don't forget about me!” It was Aphrodite who spoke. She'd apparently overheard some of their conversation. “I want to give Athena emotional support too!” 

Athena considered. She didn't really want anyone else to see this, but her own need to find out the truth overrode her desire for privacy. “Okay,” Athena said, “Let's do that.” 

“Good,” Mnemosyne said, “Also, unlike your Time Dive, my power doesn't let you interact with each other. You'll all be viewing it separately.” 

“Understood,” Athena said. 

And with that Mnemosyne used her power. 

Athena watched her own birth from an outside perspective. As she knelt before him, swearing loyalty, she could hear her father's thoughts, and get a sense for his emotions. 

There was no guilt for her mother’s pointless death. Only slight regret over not having her as his wife anymore. 

“Since no vows were broken regarding her conception,” Hera had said, "I will allow her to live on Olympus. On one condition.” 

Zeus raised an eyebrow at her. Who is she to be making demands of me? 

“You will allow my son to visit Olympus too, whenever he wishes.” She gestured to Hephestas. 

Zeus seemed to think it over, Since she's a daughter, if I can just keep her loyal, then I don't have to bother with any of the other gods. I'll need her by my side to do that. 

So he agreed. 

Athena had smiled up at him, she had been glad she hadn't been kicked out to fend for herself. Zeus ruffled her hair. Which had actually been slightly longer than it currently was. 

“Make sure you make this worth it for me, child,” Zeus told her. 

“I will father,” she had said, full of excitement, and optimism.  

Now Athena just cursed herself for being so naive. 

Artemis watched as a much younger Athena spoke to their father. 

“Did– Did you need something, father?” 

“What? Can't I check in on my favorite daughter?” He said, rather playfully. 

Athena smiled, “Of course!” 

Zeus smiled in return. Then he hummed, thoughtfully, “By the way, have you ever thought about growing your hair out?” 

Why? Do you care about this? Artemis wondered. 

Athena paused, eyebrows furrowing, “Not really? Why?” 

“I just think it would look better long,” Zeus said, “Right now it looks rather… Boyish.” 

Artemis could hear Zeus's thoughts. Best to discourage anything that might be reminiscent of that prophecy. She is a girl, and she better look like one. 

And that explains the haircut, Artemis thought. Honestly well deserved. Artemis preferred her hair long, because she could tie it back and it would never become a distraction while hunting, but she didn't think that had to apply to everyone. 

She thought back to that moment where Athena had cut her hair. At the time it seemed random, but now it seemed like that might've been her severing the last bit of control Zeus had over her. 

Indeed, the young Athena she was watching immediately used magic to grow her hair out. 

“Is that better, father?” Athena asked, anxiously. 

Zeus smiled, “Much,” he said, “This is what I love most about you, daughter. You're so much more obedient than any of my other children. That's what makes you the best.” 

And now I don't even have to bother to care about them, so long as I have your loyalty. I just have to make sure you're never more loyal to anyone else than to me. 

Athena, oblivious to her father's dark thoughts, seemingly decided to just enjoy the praise. 

“I'm glad I am able to make you happy, father,” she told him. 

“You know what would make me even more happy?” Zeus asked. 

“What?” Athena tilted her head, curiously. 

“If you could learn to fight for me,” Zeus said simply. 

“Fight? But why?” Athena asked. 

“You are my most loyal child. If you learn to fight, you could be a powerful weapon. A tool I can use to expand my influence. It would be perfect.” He looked down at Athena, “And I would make sure you are rewarded for it.” 

Artemis could tell that he meant the words. She knew that Zeus was imagining a world where every god and goddess feared him. A world where nobody would dare to question him. Athena at his right hand, like a shield. In Zeus's mind, she was holding a sword. Not unlike the sword she'd used to kill him. Except in his fantasy, that sword was pointed at the rest of the family, as they trembled before the pair of them.

It made Artemis feel a bit sick. Because this younger Athena looked so innocent. She didn't look like she wanted to fight. But what did that matter? Zeus would make her into a weapon anyways. 

Ares was curious about this part. The part with Pallas’s death. It wasn't a question of ‘if’ Zeus had planned it, but ‘why’. Why would he kill a goddess who was seemingly fairly loyal to him? He'd, at one point, wanted both Athena and Ares to be his soldiers. So why not Athena and Pallas? 

However, he actually got his answer just before the sparring match. Zeus had been watching them. 

Pallas said something he couldn't hear, and Athena laughed. Then she gave Pallas a hug. 

Ares could practically feel the rage stir in Zeus's chest. It was a feeling he knew well. Rage, and jealousy. 

The prophecy said that my reign would be eternal so long as she is loyal to me above all else, Zeus thought, And yet, here she is with this titan goddess… What happens when the two begin to conspire against me!? No. No, she needs to die! Then Athena will be the goddess of war, and she'll be an even better weapon. 

He quickly found an old sword, and cursed it. Ares didn't recognize the spell he was casting, it was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, but he got the jist. 

Zeus killed Pallas because she was a threat to his ‘perfect daughter’. 

Aphrodite watched, wanting to cry, as Zeus pulled Athena aside. 

After some questioning, Athena tearfully confessed that Hephaestus had tried to rape her the day before, and she'd been lashing out. 

But what Zeus said next made her blood boil!

“Well, I don't see why you didn't want to,” Zeus shrugged, as though it was no big deal. “You're not even married, so it's not like you'd have a spouse nagging you.” 

It seemed to Aphrodite that Zeus couldn't comprehend why she would say no. 

“I had actually planned to arrange a marriage between the two of you," Zeus continued, "Hera desperately wants him to get a wife, and I'm hopeful that fulfilling that request will fix the issues that we're having lately.” 

He would seriously make her MARRY him!? Knowing he tried to rape her! Aphrodite thought, incredulous. When Athena had mentioned she took a vow of celibacy to get out of marrying him, Aphrodite had assumed she hadn't told her father about what happened. After all, Athena liked her privacy. She probably wouldn't want to admit something so invasive. 

But now she knew that Zeus HAD known, and almost married her off anyways... 

Indeed, the younger version of Athena looked horrified by this idea. 

I…” She trailed off, “Father… I… I don't think that's a good idea.” 

“And why not?” Zeus asked, “The two of you seem to have similar temperaments. Plus this just proves he's interested in you.” 

And this way I can finally get my wife to stop nagging me, Zeus had thought, But why is she fighting me on this?! She's supposed to be loyal!

“Because– Because…” Athena began, clearly panicking, “Because of the prophecy! I– My mother had a prophecy that her first born son would overthrow you. She never had a son, so what if her curse transferred to me? I am loyal to you, father. I'd never want to be responsible for you losing your life. I think it'd be safer to never be married at all, and to never bear a child.” 

She's lying, Zeus thought, She's just trying to get out of the marriage. Why? She should be flattered by the attention. Or at least obedient to me… Though she does have a point. Mothers are always weirdly protective of their children. If she had a child who went against me, and took their side, this would be a legitimate threat… I suppose I'll let her get away with it this time. 

“Hm… That makes sense,” he said at length. “I doubt that prophecy was genetic, however it might be good just to be safe…” He smiled, gently petting Athena’s head, “I appreciate you looking out for me, child.” 

“You're welcome father,” Athena said. 

“In that case, you may take a vow of chastity, and I'll arrange another to marry in your place,” Zeus said. After all, he added in his head, I'm not about to go through all this inconvenience if she's just going to fall in love with someone else, and risk my downfall. 

“Yes father,” Athena said, then she straightened up. “I swear on the River Styx I shall never marry, nor bear a child.” 

“Good,” Zeus said, “You're dismissed then.”

Athena bowed and left. 

Aphrodite wanted to cry. Zeus hadn't wanted Athena to experience any love, whether platonic, romantic, or parental, because it might get in the way of his power.

Apollo hadn't thought any of this would disturb him that much. After all, he'd already seen the worst injuries Zeus had ever inflicted on his siblings. And he WASN'T particularly disturbed by any of the physical injuries. His father's thoughts were another matter. 

When he saw Athena spare the women and children in a village he'd demanded she attack, Zeus was furious. 

HOW DARE SHE BE SO DISLOYAL! AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR HER! Zeus thought. 

“I saw what you did,” Zeus told her, furious. 

“I– I'm sorry father, I– I–” Athena cut off as he slapped her, hard. 

Apollo knew he wasn't holding back at all, and likely caused hairline fractures in her face. 

“You know I don't tolerate disobedience,” Zeus said, slamming his fist into her stomach. 

Athena cried out in pain, gasping for air. “I’M SORRY!”

Liar! Zeus thought, Stop trying to manipulate me!!!

“Explain yourself then,” Zeus told her, “What were you thinking!? Disobeying me…” 

“I… I just didn't have the strength to kill them! Emotionally, I mean… They were children! Children don't know how to sacrifice to us, nor do they know that they should!” 

Zeus’s anger seemingly drained somewhat. At least, he believed that it wasn't some conspiracy against him. 

“Oh, daughter,” he said, “You need to learn to turn off your heart. One day, it may get you killed.” 

Because I'll do it, Zeus thought, Step too far out of line, and I'll destroy you. I won't let you ruin everything I've worked to build, so if you're going to be disloyal, you'll have to do it in the underworld. 

As time went on, Zeus seemed to get more lazy. Complacent in the fact that Athena was forever going to be his loyal daughter. However that all changed when a hero named ‘Odysseus’ came into the picture. 

“I noticed you're not supporting the CORRECT side of the war,” Zeus growled. 

Athena bowed her head, “I know you favor Troy, father. However, I have multiple heroes that I've trained, fighting on the opposite side. I… I am worried that by betraying them, I will lose my trust with the humans. I do not wish you to lose, father, only for my heroes to succeed and become legends.” 

Zeus was furious. He barely managed to restrain himself from beating some sense into her. However he couldn't attack her, because everyone was watching. He needed all of them to resent her so she would never become more loyal to someone else instead of him. 

So instead he forced a smile. 

“I understand, daughter,” he told her, “I wish you the best of luck then.” 

He thought this was just a brief moment of disloyalty. A rebellious phase he’d have to weather for a couple years. He was wrong. 

“Father?” Athena asked. 

Zeus looked over at her, “What are you doing here, daughter?” 

“Father, I… I believe you are punishing the wrong person…” 

“Oh?” He was NOT about to allow her to embarrass him in front of the humans. “Is he not responsible? He's their leader after all.” 

“He is in charge of these men,” Athena agreed, “However there's someone else, higher on the chain of command.” 

“Who?!” Zeus demanded.

“Me,” Athena said, calmly. “Odysseus has been one of my students for years now. I am his mentor, and he follows my orders. However, I have not been around here recently. It was my negligence that caused this. Besides, I doubt Helios will be satisfied with the death of one man.”

“You think I'd kill my own daughter?” Zeus asked. 

“Not kill,” Athena said, “You’d never try to kill me. However you can strike me with lightning the same way you would've done to him. It will be a good way to build my pain tolerance anyways.” 

“And you think Helios will find that satisfactory?” Zeus said, “When there is no death?!” 

“The death of his cattle will be paid in ichor,” Athena said, “Far more significant than the blood of a single mortal.” 

Zeus gave her a long look. Then he grinned, “Very well, daughter. Let's see how you enjoy being struck with LIGHTNING! It might teach you some respect.” 

Maybe this way, she'll FINALLY stop being so disrespectful, he thought, Even better, she asked for this, so she can't even complain. 

He let lightning gather above him. He would make her SUFFER! 

When she woke up, she had the audacity to question his authority AGAIN! Despite how nice he was being! He'd given her so many favors over the years that if she didn't learn to behave herself he might actually KILL THE BRAT! 

But no. 

He didn't know if the ‘loyalty’ clause in the prophecy still applied after her death. He needed Athena to ensure he kept his throne. So he would simply go back to the old strategies that had always worked for him. 

Except, this time, they didn't.

Once she came out of the vision, Athena stared at the ground. 

So I was right… The only reason he did so much for me… All this time… 

“You okay?...” It was Apollo who asked. 

“I'm fine,” Athena replied, though even she didn't really believe that. 

“It's okay to cry,” Aphrodite said, softly. 

Athena shook her head, “No. Not for me. Swords don't cry.” Though even as she said the words, her breath hitched slightly. 

Was that all she was? A tool? 

That's what he'd always told her she was. 

So then why did it hurt so badly to learn that's all he'd ever seen her as? 

“You're not a sword,” Apollo said, gently. 

Athena sank to her knees, and put her head in her hands. “I might as well be. Just a tool for him to use however he pleased...” she told them. 

“Athena,” Ares said, “Don't– Don't talk like that. Don't repeat the things he told you.” 

Athena just shook her head. “It doesn't matter. He's dead now anyways. It doesn't matter. I– I need to go back to my student. He'll– He'll be getting worried now.” She didn't want to get emotional in front of her siblings. She was supposed to be the queen now. She couldn't be seen having a breakdown.

They all glanced at each other. 

“Alright,” Aphrodite told her. “Then go. Just… Maybe… Can you try to talk to him about all this?” 

Begrudgingly, Athena nodded. Then she left. 

Odysseus was starting to get a little concerned. Athena had been gone a bit longer than expected. 

However, she eventually came into his cabin. Immediately he could tell something was off. 

“What's wrong?” He asked her. 

“Nothing important, how are you doing?” 

“I'm doing great,” Odysseus told her, “You're clearly not. What happened?” 

Athena seemed to consider his question. She swallowed. “I spoke to Mnemosyne. I asked her to show me some of father's memories. I guess I wanted to know what he was thinking when he… When he raised me…” 

“I see,” Odysseus said, “...Can I hug you?” If she didn't want to talk about it, maybe he could give her affection. Because he was sure nothing she'd seen was very good.

Athena didn't respond, she just grabbed him in a hug. Tightly. 

Odysseus immediately hugged her back. 

After a moment Athena spoke again. 

“He didn't ever care about me,” she told him. “He– There was a prophecy. One I only knew half of. If he had a son he'd get overthrown.” 

“I remember,” Odysseus told her. 

“There was another part. No one told me. A second half to the prophecy, ‘If you have a daughter, your reign will be eternal, so long as she is loyal to you above anyone else.’ that's why he…” 

Odysseus shut his eyes, pained, “That's why he abused you. To keep your loyalty.”

“It was all for power. That's what it always was. He never loved me. He probably never even liked me. He just did what he could to appease me so he could keep his throne…” 

“I'm so sorry,” Odysseus told her. She'd never deserved any of that. “I'm so SO sorry. You deserved so much better. You deserved a better father. A better life, and a childhood. You could never have done anything to deserve the way he treated you. He should've treated you like a person, instead of a weapon.” 

At these words, he heard Athena's breath hitch, and she began to cry. Her tears soaked his shirt, and he could feel her body shake with the force of her sobs. 

“I– I did everything I could for him,” she whispered, “And he didn't even CARE! …He never cared about me. Not even slightly. It… Odysseus you never heard his thoughts. He was just manipulating me. That whole time. It was all intentional. Every kind thing he ever did was to gain my loyalty. Every harsh punishment was to make sure I never strayed from him.” 

“I'd kill him if he wasn't already dead,” Odysseus told her. 

Athena just continued to cry, and Odysseus just let her. There wasn't anything he could do, other than just be there as she grieved. 

Chapter Text

“So,” Aphrodite began. She'd come to visit her in Odysseus's cabin, while he was busy with the crew, “Are you feeling better? You look better.” 

Athena scoffed. “You don't need to lie to me.” She knew she probably looked like a mess. She'd just been crying, after all. “You can just tell me that my face looks even worse than usual. No need for fake flattery.” 

Aphrodite frowned. “Athena… I… You know I didn't mean what I said right? Back when I used to call you ugly?” 

Athena blinked. “What? Was it just a joke, or something?” She asked, skeptically. Then she just sighed, “It's fine Aphrodite, I'm not about to hold petty insults against you.”

“No! I… Athena, I only said that stuff about you being ‘ugly' because I felt like it was unfair for someone to be both smart AND pretty. And nobody is about to argue that I'm smarter than you.” 

Athena frowned. 

“I'm so sorry if I made you feel like you're actually ugly. I promise you're not.” Aphrodite hugged her as she said this. 

Athena was rather taken aback by this, and didn't really know what to say. So instead she just awkwardly hugged Aphrodite back. “I uh- Thanks?” Athena said.

“You're a beautiful goddess,” Aphrodite told her gently. 

“Thanks,” Athena said. Compliments were weird and she really didn't know how to respond to them. 

“Also,” Aphrodite said, letting her go, “You said you'd kill Hephaestus if he became a threat.” 

“I will,” Athena told her. 

“What if I act as a double agent of sorts?” Aphrodite said. “I doubt he's stupid enough to make a move alone, so what if I pretend to join him?” 

“And what exactly are you hoping to accomplish?” Athena asked, with narrowed eyes. 

“Duh! I'll get him to actually go against you, and then you can kill him,” Aphrodite said, “The reason I'm telling you about it now is so you don't think I am a traitor.” 

Athena frowned. This type of plan was always risky. There was an inherent automatic distrust towards anyone claiming to be a double agent. When you're playing both sides, only you know your true loyalties. It could be very likely that Aphrodite was planning to betray her instead of Hephaestus and this was a plan the two had created together. 

Perhaps it was some kind of long-con. Aphrodite might've been planning this for a long time…

But then again, what would be the motive? Athena had to think logically about these things to prevent herself from becoming paranoid. There was an inherent power grab as a possibility. However, this plan didn't really make sense. It would make more sense to simply not propose any sort of double-agent scheme, and keep Athena thinking that her and Hephaestus were on bad terms, whilst plotting against her. Athena probably wouldn't have suspected much, even if Aphrodite had been spending more time with Hephaestus. She probably would've assumed she'd been trying to get on his good side for her own safety. 

Plus, Aphrodite wasn't stupid. Incredibly impulsive, and seemingly unwilling to think things through all the way, perhaps. However when she actually made a plan, it was usually somewhat reasonable. So she doubted Aphrodite would come up with a plan so incredibly convoluted as being a triple agent to get Athena to let her guard down. 

Now that she had ruled out the obvious possibility, it was time to consider the plan itself. Trying to draw out your enemy and force them to make a move, leaving them exposed, was actually one of Athena's favorite tactics. Plus she WAS worried about Hephaestus and what he might do. However she doubted Aphrodite alone would be enough to push him into it. Though…

She pulled Aphrodite into Quick Thought. She didn’t want to risk being overheard. 

“Regarding this plan of yours, are you open to some slight alterations?” Athena asked, “I think it's feasible, but we'll have to change a couple things.” 

Aphrodite smiled, “You're the expert,” she said. She just seemed pleased with the fact that they were finally able to get rid of him. 

“Remind me,” Athena said, “When you had your argument, he referred to you, me, and Ares as the ‘violent gods’ getting in the way of his anarchy?” She was pretty sure, but she wanted to confirm. 

“Yes, he did,” Aphrodite said. 

“Okay, so he probably won't be tempted to make a move if you're the only one to join him. No offense, but fighting isn't a specialty of yours.”

Aphrodite frowned.

“However, if you and Ares both ‘join him’ acting as double agents for me, he'll be a lot more confident," Athena mused. 

“But why would he believe that? He and Ares hate each other!” 

“I know,” Athena said. Those two had so much bad blood, Hephaestus wouldn't even make weapons for Ares, except the one time father had forced him to. Which was why Ares always used the same sword in fights. 

“However,” Athena continued, “I have two things for you to consider. Ares is reckless, and rather irresponsible. He enjoys having freedom. I think he could probably convince Hephaestus that anarchy appeals to him. On top of that, Hephaestus knows that you know he wants to kill all three of us. In theory, you could convince him to spare you, by taking his side. Basically, if you play your cards right, he might believe you're siding with him, over me, out of self preservation.” 

Aphrodite nodded, slowly. “That would make sense…” 

“You will have to, temporarily, end your relationship with Ares,” Athena told her, “Really, you'd probably have to do that either way. He wouldn't trust you, if you're disloyal like that. You're going to have to pretend to love your husband.” 

“Okay, so I'm roleplaying Hera for a little while,” Aphrodite said, “No big deal.” 

Athena began to pace around her realm. “But… He won't trust it. Unless maybe…” She frowned, “We'd need someone else in on this. Otherwise he'd never believe you're just suddenly loyal to him. We need to give Ares a fake significant other. Make it so Hephaestus will assume you're running back to him because Ares broke things off…" 

“That could work,” Aphrodite said, “But who could it be?” 

Athena frowned. Artemis would've been her first choice. It wouldn't be hard for Hephaestus to believe she still had some resentment towards Athena. Unfortunately, Artemis is still a virgin goddess. 

“I suppose I could try to get Calypso in on it,” Athena mused. “After all, she only recently got off her island, so it would be less suspicious that Ares is suddenly taken with her. She wouldn't be willing to play double agent, but I bet I could get her to go along with a relationship lie for a little while. Of course, that assumes you could get Ares to agree. He hates underhanded tactics like this.” Athena frowned.

“Leave that to me,” Aphrodite said, with a smile. 

“Alright,” Athena said, “Now I'm going to break us out of Quick Thought and pretend to say ‘no’ to your plan. You said Hephaestus’s name earlier, and if he's somehow watching us now, he'll think you went to him because I turned you down,” Athena said. 

“Got it,” Aphrodite told her, “I'll try to look suitably upset.” 

Athena nodded, and broke them out of her realm. 

“I'm sorry, Aphrodite,” Athena said, coldly, “But I've made up my mind. I'm not attacking someone just because YOU want me to. Frankly I don't care enough about you for that. I want to keep him on Olympus, far more than I want YOU here, at least he's useful to me.” 

Aphrodite looked like she was genuinely a bit hurt by that. She knew Athena didn't mean it, right? 

Despite knowing she didn't mean it, Athena's words still stung. 

I guess this is revenge for calling her ugly for years, Aphrodite thought. 

Aloud she just huffed, and left. Now she had to convince Ares of this plan. 

“No.” 

They were in Quick Strength for a private conversation. 

“Absolutely not,” Ares said. 

“Hear me out,” Aphrodite said, “If we do this, Hephaestus will be dead! I think he's planning on attacking Athena anyways!” 

Ares scoffed, “So? I wish him good fucking luck with that. She could've kicked his ass BEFORE she got a bunch of father's magic.” 

“And what if he plays dirty? What if builds up an army in the background, slowly turning out family to his side?” 

“Yeah, no,” Ares said, “Athena is too normal for that. She's a decent leader, and considering how long Zeus was in power, our family would much rather deal with things they don't like, instead of risking a worse person being in charge.” 

Aphrodite sighed, she hadn't really wanted to talk about this to him, but–

“Look,” She said softly, “Me and Hephaestus got in an argument, and it sounded like he might've been planning to kill me…” 

“WHAT!?” Ares demanded, “WHAT HAPPENED!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE!?” 

“I… I didn't want to risk you rushing in and attacking him without a plan,” Aphrodite admitted, “You do that a lot, and as much as I love spending time with you, I'd prefer it wasn't in Apollo's infirmary. I mean who knows what kinds of weapons and traps are in his forge!? I didn't want you to rush in and get yourself hurt…” 

Ares let out a long sigh. Then he pulled her into a tight hug. Aphrodite readily hugged back. 

“What happened?” Ares asked her, “What did he say?” 

“He said he didn't think Athena would be a good leader. That he was planning to kill Zeus before Athena did, and that everything would be great if you, me, and Athena were all dead.” 

“That guy is absolutely nuts. I think he accidentally melted his brain instead of whatever sword he was working on,” Ares said. 

“Agreed,” Aphrodite said, “But Athena created this plan. She's usually pretty good at those.” 

Ares practically growled. “I hate it. It feels like cheating. It's COWARDLY!” He sighed, “But fine.”

Aphrodite looked up at him. 

“I'll go along with this,” Ares said, “On one condition.” 

“What is it?” Aphrodite asked. 

“When he's dead, I want us to get married,” Ares told her. “I'm tired of sneaking around. I mean we barely do anyways, but still. I don't like feeling like a side piece. So once he's gone, I want to be your husband.” 

Aphrodite smiled, “I would love to.” 

And she meant it. She loved Ares. 

Before she'd gotten with him, she'd been with many other gods and goddesses. Most of the others in fact. None of them could hold her attention for long. Not until Ares. 

He was passionate, and rough. He took her breath away every time. He was somewhat emotionally volatile, just like she was. So she never felt like he was judging her. However he had a soft side as well. She'd never known hands so calloused could be so gentle.

The idea of marrying him was actually exciting. 

When she'd gotten married to Hephaestus, she'd dreaded it. She'd felt trapped, and sad. She'd cried herself to sleep the night before. 

However, the thought of being married to Ares actually made her surprisingly excited. How odd, for a goddess who'd once seen commitment as nothing but suffocating. 

Athena took a deep breath.

She'd gotten Calypso to agree to pretend she was dating Ares. (After explaining who Ares was. She'd been sent away before he was born after all.) On the condition that she could tell her harum the truth, in case it somehow got back to them. She apparently didn't want them thinking she was going behind their backs. Which was baffling considering she was with about fourteen men, but Calypso had said something about ‘Open relationships require communication’ and Athena had just decided to brush it off. 

At any rate, she'd sworn the men in question to secretary, with an oath on the Styx that they wouldn't tell anyone until after Athena gave permission. So she wasn't terribly worried about them ratting her out. 

She was mostly worried about Ares and Aphrodite being able to do their parts of the plan. They weren't exactly the most subtle of people, nor the most disciplined and controlled. Which were important qualities in a mission involving subterfuge. 

Give them some trust, Athena, she told herself. You can't always do everything yourself. Now that you're queen, your literal JOB is delegating tasks. 

Meanwhile she was staying with Odysseus. She'd already explained the plan in full to him, not even bothering to swear him to secrecy. She trusted Odysseus already. That meant he knew why she was distracted, and didn't judge her for it. 

Athena honestly didn't know what she was ever going to do without him. 

“Hephaestus,” Aphrodite said, softly. 

“Yes, darling?” He asked, the term of endearment filled with malice. 

“I've been thinking about what you said…”

Hephaestus scoffed, “I didn't know you CAN think.” 

Ignoring the insult, Aphrodite continued, “And I… I think you might be right. I don't think Athena will be a good ruler. I mean, I've been trying to get along with her ever since father struck her with lightning, because I felt bad. However, she's just so difficult and annoying.” 

“Hm,” Hephaestus said, “Well it's good you finally see it my way. I've known she's a violent bitch for thousands of years, ever since she beat me up for no reason.” 

Is he referring to the time he tried to rape her? Aphrodite wondered. That was the only time she knew about Athena attacking him. 

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Aphrodite said aloud, “Also…” She added, not entirely sure about how to play this, “I think I understand you better now…”

“Oh?” Hephaestus asked. 

“Well…” Aphrodite said, “I never realized how hurtful it would be for someone you expected to be loyal to… Go behind your back.” 

Hephaestus looked surprised, then he smiled, seeming smug, “Oh? Is Ares with someone new?” 

“Yes,” Aphrodite said, putting her head in her hands so Hephaestus wouldn't see that she wasn't actually crying. “He– There's this new goddess. Athena just pardoned her and let her on Olympus! Her– Her name is Calypso. She and Ares–... I caught them together, he never told me. I don't know how many others he's been with!”

“Now you finally know how I've felt all this time,” Hephaestus said, smug, “You should've known a man who would be okay with you cheating on your husband would never be loyal.” 

“I– I thought he was different,” Aphrodite said. 

“No man will ever be different,” Hephaestus said, “You can't blame us for our urges. However I will never cheat on you, because nobody else would have me.” 

Meaning you would cheat on me, given the opportunity, Aphrodite thought. This was why she'd never felt that bad for him. She knew he would do the same in her shoes, without hesitation. 

“Because of this,” Aphrodite said, “I've decided to help you. Help you take down Athena, I mean.” 

“I'm glad you see it my way,” Hephaestus said, “But I doubt someone like you would be able to help much.” 

“Well… Who would you want to help you?” Aphrodite asked, hoping she could subtly suggest Ares. She'd have to be careful, since they were supposed to be on bad terms. 

“Someone who could actually fight,” Hephaestus said. 

“Well…” Aphrodite began, “I can't think of anyone who is good at fighting, and who would want to take down Athena… Except… No nevermind. It's stupid.” 

“Probably,” Hephaestus said, “But who? I'm curious now.” 

“Well… I mean Ares used to complain about the fact that we have so many rules, plus he and Athena have always fought each other. I think they hate each other. But… Well I don't really want to be around him anymore.” 

“Too bad,” Hephaestus said, “If you think he can be recruited then you can deal with it, until we get this problem sorted out.” 

“I… Suppose. If that's what you want, husband,” Aphrodite said. 

Hephaestus left to talk to Ares, and Aphrodite smiled. Who's the dumb one now? 

Ares had decided to talk to his mother. If anyone deserved to know about this plan it was the mother of the person they were planning to kill. 

“Why are you planning to kill him?” Hera asked, “Surely Athena can just annul Aphrodite's marriage!” 

“Yeah, probably,” Ares said, “But he basically threatened to kill her. Also me and Athena.” 

“What…?” Hera breathed. 

“If I may,” it was the goddess Mnemosyne entering the room, “Apollo asked me to come here. Apparently, he thinks it would be helpful for Hera to see some things for herself.” 

“What things?” Hera asked. 

“Hephaestus’s conversation with Aphrodite, and an unfortunate encounter with Athena.” 

Ares blinked. “Yeah that could be helpful.” 

So Mnemosyne used her power on Hera. 

Hera was crying. 

“I can't believe he'd–”

“I know,” Ares said, patting his mother on the back. 

“He tried to RAPE her! Where did I go wrong…?” Hera whispered. 

“It's not your fault. I know you raised me better than that, at least.” 

Ares wouldn't dream of doing something like that to anyone. No matter how much he hated them. His mom would beat his ass if he ever did something like that, especially to one of his siblings.

Family was sacred to her, after all, and there was nothing she hated more than a perversion of that. That was why she'd hated that Zeus had so many children with other women. And rape was even worse in her eyes. 

“Is… Is that why you want to kill him?” Hera asked. 

“Partly,” Ares said. “After what he said to Aphrodite, we think he's planning on being a problem for us. I just wanted to let you know beforehand because… Well… He's your son…” 

Hera nodded, “I… I understand…” She hesitated, “Just… Promise me something.”

“What?”

“Make sure… Make sure he's really serious about hurting you guys. Don't do anything if you don't have to. He… He IS still my son…” Hera said softly. 

“I promise,” Ares said. “This plan basically involves baiting him into actually making a move. If he doesn't take the bait, nothing happens.” 

Hera nodded. “Okay…” 

So, with his mom, reluctantly on board, Ares just waited for Hephaestus to approach him. 

He didn't have to wait long. 

“Ares,” Hephaestus said, “I wanted to talk to you.” 

“Yeah?” Ares asked, turning to face him with arms folded. 

“I heard you got a new relationship recently,” Hephaestus said, smirking slightly. 

“Yeah? What of it?” Ares asked. 

“Well, now that you're no longer going after my wife I figure we could be friends. I have a proposition for you.” 

Ares cocked his head. “I'm listening.” 

It took three days for Hephaestus’s plan to come to fruition. He was honestly shocked that he'd gotten both Ares, and Aphrodite on his side. He'd been suspicious of the two at first, but he'd watched them like a hawk and they were obviously broken up. The plan was simple. Ares was going to spar with Athena, just as they always did. Then Hephaestus would attack her from behind. Between the two of them, it would be easy to kill her. Plus Aphrodite was running interference on all the gods that might decide to help Athena. 

When Ares had told Athena the plan, while in Quick Strength, she laughed. 

“Really?” She asked, “If you two actually tried that I'd just beat you both.” 

“OI!” Ares said, offended. 

“I’d just have to trip you up a bit,” Athena said, “Kill Hephaestus, and then go back to sparring with you like normal. Besides, I have a bunch of father's magic now.” 

“I thought we agreed that's cheating!” Ares glared at her.

They had previously discussed that using the power boost she'd gotten from killing Zeus was unfair, and not allowed in their sparring matches. Admittedly, maybe he was just angry that she was objectively more powerful than him now, but STILL! A sparring match like that should be about skill! 

“Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to be using that in a sparring match,” Athena told him, “If I were fighting for my life I would though. That's my point.” 

“Fair enough,” Ares said, “Ugh, I just want to get this OVER WITH! Why can't we just kill him now!? He already has a plan and is plotting to kill you! I'm so tired of pretending to date this fucking lady I've never met!” Not to mention, he practically couldn't even look at Aphrodite, because they were too worried about getting caught, and having the plan fall apart. 

“He needs to do something publicly, so that no one can argue he was framed,” Athena said. “Otherwise, it could seem like a conspiracy, and we'll have dozens of other gods going against us.” 

“UGH! FINE!” Ares said, and kicked her out of his realm. 

Finally, it was the day of their assassination attempt. Athena was sparring with Ares. Neither of them were pulling their punches. Athena didn't want Hephaestus to potentially get suspicious, and Ares would never agree to hold back like that anyways. 

Aphrodite was doing the opposite of running interference, she was making sure there would be as many witnesses as possible to Hephaestus's treason. 

They were in the middle of the fight when Athena heard Hephaestus come up behind her. He wasn't exactly quiet. 

She turned around, blocking Hephaestus’s sword with her spear. 

“What are you doing!?” Athena loudly demanded. 

“Finally getting rid of you, YOU BITCH!” Hephaestus, grunted. Pushing against her spear. “Ares! Finish her!” 

“Nah,” Ares said. Then he casually walked over to Hephaestus, and held up his sword. “This is for planning to kill my sister,” he said, stabbing Hephaestus in the stomach, “And THIS is for always insulting my fiance, Aphrodite!” With that, Ares severed his head from the rest of him. 

Athena left, content to let Ares finish desecrating his corpse, or whatever he was going to do. 

Chapter Text

Athena really should've expected Charon to show up sooner or later. After all, Athena had sent three gods to the underworld. 

“Lord Hades has asked me to give you a message,” Chiron said, formally. 

“Very well,” Athena told him. 

“He has many questions for you,” Charon pulled out a large piece of paper, and cleared his throat. 

“On second thought,” Athena said, holding up a hand to quiet him, “Why don't you go tell Hades that I will speak to him myself.” 

“You presume to be welcome in The Underworld?” Charon asked her. 

“Not at all,” Athena told him, “Tell Hades he may come up here to talk.” 

“Zeus decreed that Hades is never allowed on Olympus, except on the winter solstice,” Charon said. 

“You of all people should know that Zeus’s decrees no longer matter up here,” Athena told him, coolly. “He has my formal permission to come up here tomorrow, and speak with me himself.” Athena gestured slightly with her hand, making sure Chiron noticed that they were surrounded by other gods, who had just bore witness to her words. 

“...Very well,” Charon said at length, “I shall let him know.”  

To say Hades was nervous was an understatement. 

He was terrified. 

Athena, Zeus’s daughter, and his own niece, had killed three gods in less than a month. Well, at least, she'd orchestrated their deaths. Even if Zeus was the only one she'd directly killed. 

Now, admittedly, Hades’s powers allowed him to watch people's deaths. He merely had to look at someone and he'd know how they died, and he could easily use magic to find out more about any given situation. So he knew how those gods died and what led up to it. 

So he knew Athena probably wasn't going out of her way to kill a bunch of gods. Still. Stressful.

There was also the issue of her pet mortal. He was going to die eventually, and if Hades wanted to not get murdered when it happened, he would need at least some good will between himself and the new queen. 

Is this how the titans felt when Zeus took over? Hades wondered. It was incredibly stressful, because he didn't know the child of the old king nearly as well as he had known Zeus. He was pretty sure he'd never so much as spoken to Athena, outside of pleasantries. 

Ruling his own kingdom was difficult enough, foreign affairs was never something he really had to deal with before. Since Zeus had made it very clear he wanted nothing to do with Hades or the Underworld. 

Hades was shaking as he walked up to Olympus. He felt as though he wasn't supposed to be there. Zeus had threatened to strike him with lightning if he ever showed up unannounced. 

All because of what Hades had said so long ago. An offhand comment, ‘if I had a wife, I would not treat her the way you treat Hera. Perhaps you should be more grateful’, had made his brother so enraged, he'd cast Hades out of his kingdom, and practically banished him. 

But Athena had invited him here, and apparently wasn't willing to answer his questions otherwise. So he really didn't have a choice. It was late summer. Not even CLOSE to the time he was allowed to visit. 

Maybe I can see my wife at least…? He barely dared to hope. 

He looked around as he finally entered the city proper. Nobody there seemed all that surprised by his entrance. Athena had seemingly been waiting for him. 

“Uncle,” she said, smiling, “It is good to see you again.” 

Hades tried to read into her expression. A smile could mean many things. She didn't seem genuinely happy or excited. However, she didn't seem to be hiding any malice towards him, the way Zeus always had been whenever they talked. 

“...Yes. Indeed,” Hades said at length. “It is… Certainly unusual to be able to visit during this time of year…” 

“I would imagine,” Athena said, “Come in, we have much to discuss.” 

Hades followed her deeper into the city, until they were at a pavilion. There was a picnic set out.

“I thought a more casual setting might be a good idea,” Athena told him, “I do not wish to raise tension between the kingdoms. I took the liberty of inviting Persephone, and Hermes as well. I hope you don't mind.” 

“That's… Fine,” Hades said. He was always happy to see his wife, and he knew Hermes well enough, since he was the one bringing news from Olympus. 

He sat down at an empty picnic table, glancing at the food. Was he allowed to have some? Athena probably wouldn't have invited him if he wasn't? But then again, who knows with the Olympians. Best to be safe… 

Persephone sat down next to him, holding two plates of food. “I took the liberty of making your plate as well,” she told him. “Since you were saving me a seat and everything.” She winked. Beneath her playful attitude, Hades saw compassion in her eyes. She'd likely known he hadn't wanted to risk it, and made sure he got food anyways. Just as he'd done for her so long ago. 

“I'm alright,” Persephone said, when he offered her the food. There had been fear in her gaze. 

“I swear on the river Styx,” Hades had told her, “The food in this basket will not doom you to an eternity in the underworld. I do not wish to do that to you by force.” 

“I find that hard to believe after kidnapping me,” Persephone said, coldly. Though she did take some food from the basket. 

Hades winced. Yeah he probably deserved that. “Look… I'm sorry,” he told her. “I'm just… I'm not welcome up there. If anyone had seen me, I would've gotten in serious trouble. I kidnapped you because I wanted to get to know you, but I couldn't do it up there. I have no intention of trapping you here, and if you want me to, I will escort you back to the surface now.” 

Persephone looked at him, seemingly considering. “I… I do not fully trust your words. However, I suppose I shall humor you, for now. But tell me, what about me made you do this? Do you just find me so appealing you decided to kidnap me, just to get me in a wedding bed.” 

“No!” Hades said, “That's not it at all! I mean I wouldn't mind…” He flushed, “But no! I… The truth is, I saw you from afar, and I just really wanted to get to talk to you! You seem so… Light. Like sunshine. Like butterflies. You're beautiful! But it's not just your body. I've seen many goddesses with perfect bodies. But I've never seen anything like your smile when I first saw you. You were holding some ducklings in your palm, and smiling at them…” Hades practically melted at the memory. 

“That… Is very sweet of you to say,” Persephone said, “Enough so that I will ignore the fact that you were apparently stalking me.” 

Hades winced, putting his head in his hands. 

Eventually, despite all of that, the two had grown closer. Persephone had, for whatever reason, decided that she wanted to stay with him in the underworld. 

“Give me some of the cursed food,” Persephone had told him, “My mother would never accept it otherwise. I love her to death, but she's a bit possessive.” 

“I– Look,” Hades said, “That… That is just a lie… Admittedly one that I told so I didn't have to explain why I smited this one nymph…” He shook his head, “There's nothing here like that.”

Persephone blinked, “Really?” 

“Yes! Why would I make something like that!? I don't want gods pissed at me! They'd still have their magic unless they're dead! And every animal eventually dies anyways! I'm telling you, the cursed food doesn't exist! Besides I…” Hades swallowed, “I worry that the only reason you want this is because I like– Gave you stockholm syndrome or something… And… And I don't know that it'd be okay to take you away from your family forever… Plus all the animals keep starving to death because Demeter is having a breakdown… I think I made a mistake…” 

“I thought you loved me…” Persephone said, eyes filled with tears. 

“I DO!” Hades snapped, unable to stop himself from pressing a kiss to her lips. “I promise I do! I just… I don't know…” 

Persephone hummed, seemingly considering. “I have an idea,” she said. 

“Yes. I ate six pomegranate seeds,” Persephone had said, when Hades had claimed she'd eaten the cursed fruit of the underworld. 

“That's it!?” Demeter said, “Zeus! Please! It was only six tiny seeds!” 

Zeus gave Hades a look. “Considering the curse was probably created by you, perhaps you could do something about it?” His words were a threat. 

Hades swallowed, and Persephone discreetly took his hand. “No, I am afraid I cannot break the curse completely. However, I may be able to alter it in Persephone. I can make her immune to any further effects from the food down there, and I can weaken it enough that she should be able to spend up to half the year up here, instead of in the underworld.” 

“Hm. Very well,” Zeus said. “Do it now, and I suppose I won't declare war on you for this act of treason.” 

“Thank you brother,” Hades said. He did a spell then. The spell only created a small stream of green light that he made spin around Persephone, but the others didn't need to know that. As far as they were concerned, he'd just altered a curse. 

Really he was shocked they didn't realize. Hades was terrible at spells like that. 

Hades was shook out of his memories by his wife gently squeezing his hand. Right. Athena. They still had to deal with that. 

Admittedly, he was more than a little intimidated by her. From what he'd heard, she was a prodigy with magic, creating many unique spells, unlike anything Hades had ever heard of. Not to mention the fact that she'd absorbed a bunch of Zeus's magic, and was therefore now way more powerful. 

Souls were so much easier to deal with. They literally couldn't do anything against him. The only magic he could do very well was the ‘torture room’ spell. And that ONLY worked on souls, not the living. It trapped them in a room created by Hades’s imagination for their eternal torment. Souls were easy. 

Even the random living humans that showed up in his kingdom weren't hard to deal with. He usually just answered a couple questions and sent them on their way. 

Talking to other gods though, that was an entirely different thing. Magically, he knew he was the weakest of Kronos's children. That's why he hadn't been able to stop Zeus from assigning him the underworld. Zeus had originally tried to give it to Poseidon, but he'd fought against Zeus and the two were pretty evenly matched. So… Instead it had been forced on Hades. The weakest brother. 

Except, not any more, because his brothers were merely souls now. Completely at his mercy. It was rather strange. 

“So,” Athena said, seeming perfectly calm and in control, “I was told you had some questions for me?”

“Y-yes,” Hades said. “Um. I noticed you've been killing gods a lot…” 

“Yes, unfortunately,” Athena said. “I am not going out of my way to do it. However, I killed Zeus because he didn't do what he promised after I beat his game, and the other two were seemingly unwilling to accept my authority, and attacked me.” 

“Right… And this has nothing to do with that mortal of yours?”

Hades immediately regretted his words as Athena's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “I do not appreciate people going after those I've chosen to protect, yes. So I would suggest you leave him be.” 

“I'm not gonna do anything to him!” Hades said, “But, uh… You realize he's a mortal right?” 

Athena seemed to relax at that. “I'm aware, yes. So long as you do not target him, I will not blame you when it is his time to go. Do not fret.” 

“If you say so…” Hades said. He didn't really believe her. She'd KILLED her FATHER for this mortal. And she barely knew Hades! 

“By the way,” Athena said, “I am hoping to establish a better relationship between our kingdoms. I would be lying if I said I had no interest in visiting my mother at some point, assuming she's still there. Though regardless, I am perfectly fine if you want to visit Olympus on days other than the winter solstice.” 

Hades blinked, rather surprised by this. “I, uh- Yeah. I might take you up on that. And I'm sure we can make arrangements for you to visit your mother. She's still in Elysium. She likes to take care of the newcomers and get them settled in.”

Plus maybe if she could visit her mortal, when he died, she wouldn’t murder Hades. -What would even happen to him if he died?-

Athena nodded. “Sounds good. Was there anything else?” 

“I don't… Think so?” Hades said. He'd written down about twenty different questions, for Charon, but he couldn't remember any more of them… 

“Very well, in that case, I have work to do,” Athena said, standing up to leave, “However you're welcome to stay up here as long as you like. I'm sure you'd like to spend a bit of time with your wife.”

Hades nodded. “That'd be great, yeah.” 

“Well, feel free to send Hermes if you need anything else. He knows where to find me.” With that Athena left. 

Hades exhaled slowly, leaning on his wife. 

“It's still so crazy to me that you can kill dozens of monsters in the underworld, but the moment you try to talk to other gods, you freeze like a small child,” Persephone teased. “I promise, Athena isn't going to bite your head off.” 

“Yeah well monsters don't talk back. Or really think at all. I feel like Athena could dissect me with a look.”

Hades was exaggerating just a little bit. 

Persephone laughed. And that sound was WHY he'd been exaggerating. He loved hearing her laugh. 

Hades looked up as Ares walked over to them. He stood over them, staring down menacingly, with his arms folded.

“Can I… Help you?” Hades asked. 

“What are you doing to them?” Ares asked. 

“Excuse me?” Hades said, confused. 

“My father, and Hephaestus. I want to know the torture you're giving them. Also Poseidon I suppose.” 

Right. Ares had been the one to kill Hephaestus. Though seemingly Athena had arranged it. Just like when her mortal killed Poseidon. 

“Why do you want to know?” Hades asked. 

“I want to know if they're being punished enough. I have some suggestions if they're not,” Ares said. 

Hades sniffed, indignantly. “I've been coming up with punishments for thousands of years. I'm sure what I've come up with is better than anything you could do! Plus… I didn't want to piss off Athena by going easy on them.” 

Ares snorted at that, seeming amused, “I guess I can't blame you for that. What are you doing to them?” 

“To Hephaestus, I have him in a forge made of ice,” Hades explained, “He had heat resistance, which makes him a bit more sensitive to cold than most gods. He's in a cage of metal, and has to forge weapons with water and ice, using a freezer instead of a fire. I told him he could leave if he could make a weapon strong enough to break out. However, ice will never be strong enough to break through the metal bars. His pride won't let him give up though, since he's such a talented blacksmith. Too bad for him, because the only things in that cage are water and ice, and he is a spirit which means he can't do magic anymore.” 

Ares nodded, “And you're sure he won't be able to get out?” 

Hades nodded. “The bars of the cage are slightly warm, so if the weapon doesn't break on impact, it will melt before it can make a dent. Also, the floor is covered in ice, and he's barefoot and naked. So he is very cold.” 

“Oh I would hate that,” Ares said, grinning. 

“As for your father,” Hades said, feeling a little more confident now that he was in his element, so to speak, “First I let Metis beat him up. Oh, uh- She's Athena's mother,” Hades added at Ares’s look of confusion. 

“Ah. Deserved.” 

“Then I simply gave him all the unjust punishments he gave to everyone else,” Hades explained, “He's regularly beaten, struck by lightning, and has his liver removed every day. Not to mention I had him castrated.” 

“You can strike him with lightning?” Ares asked, he seemed almost impressed. 

“Kind of…?” Hades said, “It's not real lightning. But he's a soul, so I can make him feel anything I want. He feels the pain like he's being struck by real lightning, but if you were to come down there and touch it, you wouldn't feel anything.” 

“Makes sense,” Ares said, “So he's getting every punishment he ever put us through?” 

“Yeah, he should be. I just set up the room to look through his memories, and do everything bad he did to someone else. I… I know it's a bit generic,” he added self consciously, he'd used that punishment many times before, “Though in my defense, I was kind of in shock at the time… Makes it kinda hard to be creative, y’know?” 

“Nah don't worry,” Ares said, “I think it's perfect.” 

“As for Poseidon,” Hades continued, “I wanted to come up with something fitting for him, but that was hard. He doesn't really have much to work with. He is the god of horses, and wolves eat horses. So I thought it'd be fitting for him to feel as though he is being constantly brutalized by a pack of wolves. Also, there's no water for him.”

“‘Cause he could control it,” Ares said, knowingly. 

“No, he wouldn't be able to. He's just a soul, he has no magic. I just thought water would be comforting to him, so I made sure he feels like he's in a desert at all times," Hades explained. 

“Nice,” Ares said, “You should castrate him too, if you can.” 

“I… Probably could? If the wolves haven't beat me to it. They're real wolf souls, you know.” 

“Yeah?” Ares asked. “Nice.”

“I didn't know there are animal souls down there too!” Hermes said. 

“Oh, yeah,” Hades said. “They don't go through judgment or anything, I mean they're literally just following their instincts, and are too stupid to understand morality. So I created this big area for all of them, kinda like the fields of Asphodel, except it's a forest with almost all the dead plants, and animals that have ever existed.” 

“That makes sense,” Ares said. 

“That's so cool!” Hermes said, “Maybe I can visit the next time I'm in the underworld?” 

“Sure,” Hades shrugged. He didn't mind all that much. It was kind of nice having people interested in the things he'd done. 

Hestia looked up, at the sound of someone clearing their throat. It was Prometheus. News had spread quickly that he'd been pardoned by Athena, and had recently been cleared to leave the med bay. 

“Uh h-hey, so um,” Prometheus began.

He'd always been a bit weird around her. She didn't understand why. He wasn't like that with basically anyone else, and he'd always acted even more oddly around her, even compared to the other people he was awkward with. 

Did he not like her or something? 

“I uh–” Prometheus said, “I was just wondering uh– what have you been up to, since I've been gone? I mean you look the same as ever. Er! As good as– Yo-You look great!” He stammered, face turning bright red. 

“Thank you?” Hestia said, deeply confused. “I haven't been up to much. Same as always. Why do you ask?” 

“Oh- well I just– I just… Wanted to?” He said, sounding a bit unsure. “I uh— Sorry, I'm sure you're busy, I'll uh– See you around?” 

“Sure…?” Hestia said. 

With that, Prometheus left. 

What was that about? She wondered. 

After Athena had spent most of the day with Odysseus, it was time to work on training Telemachus, Penelope, and Astyanax. 

“Athena!” Telemachus said, running up to her. 

“Hello, Telemachus,” Athena said, patting him on the head a couple times. She still wasn't used to casual touch. It was getting easier though, a little more natural. Besides, Telemachus and Odysseus always looked so happy when she'd give any sort of affection. 

“Do you have any news of my husband?” Penelope asked, as soon as she walked into the clearing. 

Astyanax looked up at his mom, “You said it's polite to say ‘hello’ first, before asking questions.” He said this in the typical way of a confused, curious, child. Possibly unaware of the hypocrisy they were pointing out, and just looking for an explanation. 

Penelope flushed. “You're right, Astyanax. My apologies, Athena.” 

“It is fine,” Athena said, “I can certainly understand your eagerness.” 

“It isn't just that,” Penelope said, “The men in there… They have been growing more and more impatient…” 

Athena nodded, “I see. Your husband is past the worst of the dangers at sea. It is highly likely he will make it back, however, it will be at least a week.” 

Penelope nodded, “A week… I can probably stall that long. Maybe two. But I don't think I can do any longer.” 

“Understood,” Athena said. “I'm confident he can get back by then. Assuming his crew manage to behave themselves.” 

“Well, I can only hope, I suppose,” Penelope said. 

“Let's get training already!” Astyanax said, impatiently. 

Athena gave him a flat look. “Patience is important in a fight. You cannot attempt every possible strike. The best way to win is to take advantage of an opponents mistake. To do that requires a level of patience that is difficult to acquire. You should consider situations like this good practice for battle,” Athena told him.

Astyanax just pouted at her. This was why she didn't typically train children. They were whiny.

Unfortunately this was Odysseus's son, so she'd just have to deal with it. 

“Let's just start now!” Astyanax said, just as impatient as before. 

I cannot smack him with the blunt end of my spear, Athena told herself, That is only for older students. He's ten. That would probably be traumatic to his tiny mortal brain. I must wait until he's fifteen at least. 

The temptation was strong though. 

“Very well,” Athena said, aloud, “Let's begin training. It's almost your bedtime after all,” she stared down at the child. 

“I don't have a bedtime!” He said indignantly. 

“That’s a shame,” Athena said. “You clearly need one. Ah well. Let's start with the warm ups then.” 

Penelope gave her a look. Athena didn't know exactly what she meant by it, so she read her mind. 

“Really Athena?” Penelope was thinking, “Are you really fighting with a ten year old. You're better than that.” 

Athena looked at her, offended. 

I'm not fighting with him, she mentally told Penelope. He should consider himself lucky he's so young. When I was training Odysseus, I would smack him for talking like that. 

“When he was fifteen? Are you in the habit of competing with children? Do you really need to prove you're smarter than him? Great goddess of wisdom?” 

I don't need to prove anything, Athena thought at her, But your child is being annoying. 

Penelope rolled her eyes, and went back to her warm up. 

I was NOT fighting with a child, Athena thought, annoyed. Though she didn't project the words to anyone.

That kid honestly reminded her of Ares sometimes. That brother was someone she deeply cared about now, and had always somewhat cared about, but he was also capable of annoying her in a way no one else could. 

Telemachus came up and put a hand on her arm. 

She looked over at him, curious. He’d finished his warm up, so she was fine with it, but it seemed odd to her. 

“You look upset,” he told her, in response to her unasked question, “And you seem to get a little overwhelmed when I hug you, so I thought I'd do this instead.” 

Athena blinked. Then she smiled slightly. It was… nice. She appreciated the fact that he had been paying attention, and was trying to make her more comfortable. 

In response, she rested her arm on his shoulder. He was taller than his father, which meant his shoulder was about the right height to rest an elbow on, at least for her, since she was a goddess, and very tall. 

Telemachus grinned up at her, apparently very happy to be her armrest. 

“You're a good kid,” she told him. 

“Thanks!” 

After that, training went about the same as usual. Well, that was up until Ares showed up. 

“Hey, Athena!” He said, “I thought I might find you here.” 

“Hello Ares,” Athena said, confused, “What are you doing here?” 

“Hades just left, and I figured you'd wanna know about the punishments he's doing to the three gods you killed,” Ares grinned at her. 

“WAIT!? GODS CAN BE KILLED!?” Astyanax demanded. 

“YOU KILLED THREE GODS?” Telemachus asked her. 

Penelope just stared at her, looking confused. 

Ares blinked, “You really didn't tell them?” 

“Why would I?” Athena asked. She hadn't really felt the need to mention it. 

“I dunno!?” Ares said sarcastically, “Maybe because you murdered Zeus to get their father off that cursed island!? And then murdered Poseidon to save him from getting drowned!? I thought these mortals are your FRIENDS!?” 

“They are,” Athena told him, “But that's all irrelevant. I already told them that I got Odysseus off the island, and that the worst of the dangers are behind him. I didn't really see a need to mention pointless details.” 

“Like the fact that two of Kronos's sons are dead now? You call that pointless!?!?” Ares demanded. “Like– I get why you wouldn't bother mentioning Hephaestus, but you killed Zeus and Poseidon to protect their father, or husband in the case of the woman. I feel like that's something they deserve to know about!?” 

“I did not see a need for it,” Athena said, “I had no desire to make them feel indebted to me, or to spend a bunch of time answering pointless questions, when there's training to be done.” 

“I–” Ares took a deep breath, “I'm going on a walk. I'll come find you later, but I cannot do this right now.” 

With that he left. Athena didn't call after him, or try to follow. She understood needing space when you felt emotional. Though why he was so upset, she couldn't fathom. 

Besides. Now she had to deal with aforementioned questions. 

“WHAT!?” Was the first one, asked by Telemachus. 

“You're going to have to be more specific,” she told him. 

“Is it true!?” Astyanax asked, “YOU KILLED GODS TO SAVE OUR DAD!?” 

“Two of them yes,” Athena said, “The third was for unrelated reasons. 

Athena was suddenly being hugged, tightly.

She blinked, looking down. It was Penelope who was hugging her. She was crying into her chiton. Athena awkwardly stroked her hair, and let her cry. She still didn't really know how to handle this type of thing. -It wasn't like her father had set an example, and her mother had died before she could teach Athena much of anything.- 

“Thank you,” Penelope whispered. “Thank you!” 

“No problem,” Athena said, hoping that would make her stop crying. 

“Killing ZEUS was no problem!?” Telemachus asked. 

“And Poseidon!?” Astyanax added. 

“The fight with Zeus didn't last very long, and as for Poseidon, I had some help,” Athena explained. 

Telemachus frowned, “Wait... Wasn't Zeus… Your dad?” 

Athena glanced away, “Well. Yes.” 

“You killed your own dad!?” Astyanax demanded. Considering the prophecy she'd shown him, it was probably a sensitive subject. 

“Yes,” Athena said, “It's rather interesting that both our prophecies ended up being the opposite of what they initially seemed,” she told the child, “Yours seemed to imply you would kill your father. Mine seemed to imply I wouldn't ever go against my father. They were both wrong.” 

“Why?” Telemachus asked her, “I mean, I'm thankful you got him home, but… I don't know... I guess I just don't think I could do that for anyone, no matter how much of a friend they were…” 

“Yes. Well…” Athena swallowed slightly. “Your father loves you. Mine did not.” 

“He didn't?” Astyanax asked. 

“No,” Penelope said, having finally composed herself. She turned to her children, “Please do not judge her for this. From what I know, Athena’s father was incredibly cruel.” 

“What did he do?” Telemachus asked. 

What didn't he do? Athena wondered. She didn't really want to talk about this, so she decided to give them a single story that would get her point across. 

“Well,” Athena said, very casual so as not to scare them, “One time he struck me with lightning, and put me in a coma for about seven years. It was actually only about a month ago that I woke up, which is why Odysseus was on that island so long. I think he also tried to kill me first, before I killed him. Though I don't know. He may have just been hoping to put me in another coma, considering he wasn't using as much lightning that time.” 

They all stared at her, looking absolutely horrified. 

“Anyways,” Athena said, “Let's continue our training. Astyanax, you still need to work on your punches. Telemachus, you should get some more practice grappling as well.” 

None of them moved. They just kept staring at her. 

“Did you not hear me, or–?” 

“HE STRUCK YOU WITH LIGHTNING!?” Telemachus demanded, “ARE YOU OKAY!?” 

“I'm fine,” Athena said, “I've recovered. Please do not worry.” 

“He sounds terrible,” Astyanax said, softly. 

“Yes, well, he's dead now, so there's nothing to worry about. Your father is much kinder than he ever was, so please don't fear yourself getting in a similar situation," Athena told him. 

“Could I see what happened?” Penelope asked. “I mean, I'm assuming you're not showing us, because you fear it may be traumatic for my sons, but I'm perfectly capable of handling seeing something like that.” 

Athena considered. On the one hand, the idea of showing someone an image of herself in such a vulnerable state was not appealing. But then again, much of Odysseus's crew had already seen. Plus it would be good to give proof, so they didn't think she was lying.

“Very well,” Athena said, and sent Penelope into a Time Dive. 

When her eyes opened, she started crying again. 

“It's really okay,” Athena told her, mildly alarmed, “I mean I asked for it so I can't really complain–” 

“He struck you in the chest! Right over your heart! You looked like you were DEAD!” Penelope said, “And there's nothing anyone could do or say to deserve that! Not to mention you only asked him to strike you, so he wouldn't kill my husband!” 

Astyanax looked very sad, and overwhelmed. 

Telemachus looked like he might be ill. 

What was happening???