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“Someone’s got to die today, And you’ve got the final say.”
Odysseus stared at his knees, not daring to look up to see Zeus, or worse- his crew. Were they even his anymore?
“You? Or your crew?”
He was certain he had acquired some degree of deafness due to how often the gods screamed in his face.
“ When does a comet become a meteor?
When does a candle become a blaze? ”
He could see Penelope in the clouds- a trick from the gods, he was sure. But why would Zeus bother to show him Penelope now?
“I can take the suffering from you-”
Her image in the clouds shifted, showing the years passing, her face- oh it had been so long since he’d seen her - aging but as beautiful as the day he’d met her. Weaving and unweaving the tapestry- oh how he loved her mind-
“When does a man become a monster?
When does a ripple become a tidal wave?
When does the reason become the blame?”
Oh how he wished he could see her again, he would give up on his crew, become the monster, if only to see her. He would. His marriage- Odysseus' eyes widened with sudden inspiration.
“Let me take the suffering from you-”
Yes, he decided. This would work. If there was one thing he’d learned from Circe, it was that there were indeed many ways of persuasion. He only needed to make sure he’d phrase it just correctly. And it needed to be believable-
“Captain?”
Odysseus looked up. His eyes meeting Eurylochus’. Oh he understood where his brother’s actions had come from. This was his oldest friend, his brother in law-
“I have to see her,” Odysseus whispered. Despite his scheming, he did not need to fake the tremor in his voice.
“But we’ll die-”
Their eyes met across the ship. Despite the recent developments- not recent, Ody, he opened the bag- he hoped Eurylochus- Eury would get the look in his eye. Understand the meaning.
“I know,” Odysseus whispered. This time he did have to push the tremor into his voice.
His men- apart from Eurylochus- gasped in horror, utterly confused by Odysseus' apparent lack of sympathy.
‘Really?’ he thought incredulously, ‘I still bleed from the stab wound-’
Zeus raised his hand, ready to unleash his divine wrath. Just as the lightning crackled in Zeus' palm, Odysseus whipped around, acting as if still reaching out to Penelope’s image in the clouds.
"Oh, woe is me!" Odysseus cried out dramatically, throwing his arms in the air. "How will I ever see my beloved wife, Penelope, again? She waits for me, faithful and true, weaving her endless tapestry. Oh, the agony of being parted from her!"
Zeus paused, his expression shifting from anger to confusion. "What are you doing, mortal?"
"Oh, great Zeus, you wouldn't understand," Odysseus continued, laying it on thick. "To be away from the love of my life for so long, to miss her every day, it is torture! Penelope, oh, Penelope!"
Suddenly, a shimmering light appeared next to Zeus, and Hera materialized, her regal presence commanding attention. "What is all this commotion?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing at Zeus.
Odysseus once more turned and fell to his knees, “I thank you, Lady Hera, for offering me a glimpse of her.”
Who else could it have been? Zeus certainly wouldn’t bother, he wouldn't know the meaning of true love and fidelity if it hit him in the face. He knew Hera would appear, especially if she had been already watching and seen him talk of devotion and marriage.
Zeus sighed. "Odysseus here is lamenting about his wife.”
"Is that so?" She turned to Odysseus. "Tell me, mortal, what makes you so loyal to your wife? Speak quickly."
Odysseus knew this was his moment. He also knew Hera, as the goddess of marriage, would be impressed by his devotion and would never let Zeus fall for any seductive charms. He mentally thanked Circe. There are other ways of persuasion~
Odysseus, sensing an opportunity, bowed deeply. "Oh, Queen of the Gods, my loyalty to Penelope is unwavering. She is the light of my life, the very reason I endure these trials. Every day apart from her is like an eternity."
Odysseus continued to lament about his longing for his wife, getting closer and closer to Hera.
‘Is he… seducing the Queen?’ Eurylochus thought incredulously, ‘that’s his plan?’
Hera's stern expression softened slightly. "Very well. But words alone are not enough. Zeus, I propose a test of Odysseus' resolve and skill. If he can entertain us and prove his wit and charm, we shall spare him and his men."
“ Spare them?” Zeus turned to her incredulously, his brow furrowed with disbelief. “Did you not see, woman? They slaughtered Helios’ cattle? The deserve divine retribution-”
“I care not,” Hera sniffed, turning away from her husband with an imperious air. “This man’s loyalty intrigues me. It’s not often one witnesses such steadfast devotion. Perhaps it's a testament to the strength of their marriage.”
Zeus crossed his arms, unconvinced. “You always had a soft spot for tales of loyalty and love, Hera. His devotion does not cancel out the sacrilegious act he committed of the cattle-”
Hera shot him a pointed look, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Unlike some, Zeus, I appreciate true fidelity when I see it.”
Zeus bristled at her remark, a flash of irritation crossing his features. “Oh, spare me your lectures on fidelity, Hera. You know well enough that—”
“—that you have a wandering eye and a fickle heart,” Hera interjected sharply, her voice cutting through Zeus' protestations. “But this mortal, Odysseus, remains steadfast in his love for Penelope, despite the temptations and trials he has faced.”
Zeus frowned, his pride stung by Hera's blunt words. “I am not swayed so easily by mortal sentiments. Their actions must have consequences, regardless of their personal virtues.”
Hera stepped closer to Zeus, her gaze unwavering. “And yet, Zeus, even you cannot deny the power of love and devotion. It is what binds us all, even in the face of our own flaws.”
"You sound like Aphrodite," Zeus muttered and sighed heavily, his gaze shifting between Hera and Odysseus. “Very well, let us see what this mortal can offer. But mark my words, Hera, his entertainment will not erase the debt owed for the cattle.”
Hera nodded gracefully. “Agreed, Zeus. Let us witness Odysseus' skill and then decide his fate.”
Zeus glared at her for a moment longer before relenting with a grumble. “Fine, entertain us, Odysseus. But remember, this is your last chance.”
Odysseus seized the opportunity, launching into his stories with fervor. As he spoke, he drew closer to Zeus, his eyes locking with the god’s. His words were filled with a seductive undertone, aimed at testing the limits of divine fascination. He spoke at length about his encounter with Poseidon, leaving out how exactly he and his forty three men had managed to escape, hinting.
Drawing closer to Zeus, Odysseus could feel the weight of the god's gaze upon him. His eyes, filled with a glint of mischief and confidence, locked with Zeus', seeking to test the limits of divine fascination. The stories flowed from his lips with a seductive undertone, each word crafted to captivate and intrigue, a testament to both his skill as a storyteller and his understanding of the gods' desires.
Did he perhaps overdo praising Poseidon’s features and grace as he described his wrath? Judging by the slightly horrified and disgusted expressions on his crew’s faces, perhaps.
Hera observed with amusement from her regal stance, knowing well that Odysseus had committed no act of infidelity. She could see the subtle game he played, knowing Zeus's penchant for rivalry and competition, especially with his brother Poseidon. Her lips curled in a faint smile, appreciating the mortal's audacity and wit.
As Odysseus leaned in, almost as if going in for a kiss, his voice took on a softer, more alluring tone. “And then, great Zeus, there was Circe. A sorceress of unmatched beauty and cunning. She sought to ensnare me with her spells, to make me forget my quest and stay with her forever.”
Zeus, caught up in the narrative and the mortal's proximity, leaned in unconsciously, drawn into Odysseus' storytelling prowess.
“She offered me everything, Zeus,” Odysseus continued, his voice low and intimate, and hand on the King's thigh. “But I resisted, for my heart belonged only to Penelope. Like this...”
‘Witnessing this,’ Eurylochus thought as he watched Odysseus- still bleeding and wearing what was practically rags by now- sway dramatically,, ‘was worse than being potentially dead.’
Hera, sensing the tension between the mortal and her husband, cleared her throat pointedly. “That's enough, Odysseus,” she interjected with a raised eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.
Odysseus straightened, a wry smile playing on his lips as he acknowledged Hera's intervention with a respectful nod. His eyes flickered momentarily with amusement, knowing he had danced dangerously close to the edge of divine favor and retribution.
“My apologies, Lady Hera. I merely wished to convey the depth of Circe's allure.”
Zeus, blinking as if awakening from a trance, straightened his posture with a hint of embarrassment. “Indeed, Odysseus. Your storytelling is... vivid, to say the least.”
The tension between mortal and immortal lingered in the air, unresolved yet temporarily diffused by Hera's intervention.
Hera turned to her husband, raising an eyebrow pointedly. ‘You really were gonna give in to that , while I was right here?’ she snapped at him telepathically.
Zeus, caught off guard by Hera's mental rebuke, frowned and responded in kind. ‘It was merely entertainment, Hera. A mortal's charm is fleeting.’
‘Fleeting enough to cloud your judgment,’ Hera retorted sharply. ‘And Entertainment? I saw the way you were leaning in. Don't think I didn't notice.’
Zeus crossed his arms defensively, his expression stubborn. ‘They must face consequences for their actions, Hera. We cannot let such transgressions go unpunished.’
Odysseus and his men watched on between them, confused. To them the King and Queen of the Gods were literally just having a staring match.
‘You have to admire his loyalty,’ Hera sighed- wistfully? Zeus squinted at her. All the more reason to kill this guy if even his wife was acting like this.
‘Loyalty born of selfish motives,’ Zeus argued, though his conviction wavered under Hera's scrutiny.
‘Perhaps,’ Hera conceded, ‘but loyalty nonetheless. And after today's performance, I am inclined to spare him and his men.’
Zeus grumbled but finally relented, knowing Hera's resolve once she had made up her mind.
“Very well,” he conceded aloud, addressing Odysseus. “You and your crew are spared this time, mortal. But do not forget the debt you owe to Helios and the gods.”
Odysseus bowed deeply, relief washing over him. “Thank you, great Zeus, Queen Hera. We shall repay our debt with all due reverence.”
The gods disappeared. Odysseus turned back to face his crew. Eurylochus gulped.
Ah well-