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She chewed on the idea, moving it around in her mind.
It was an honestly decent question, especially after everything. And she was anything if not curious
Finally she took and breath and:
"Are you... pregnant?" Athena asked.
Telemachus whipped around. "... What?"
"You can tell me." She assured him.
She reasoned since he had been left on Ithaca for twenty years the other young women around him may have helped him cope with the loneliness. Humans were funny like that. But it was effective, just make another human when your lonely and then you are not lonely anymore. However it's not the most practical solution. Humans hardly ever were.
"I... I -no. I'm not." Telemachus sputtered.
"Are you sure?"
"Why would you ask me that?"
"Your head." She gestured.
"What about my head?"
"It's large. Very large. My father had the same thing happen to him."
"... I'm confused."
Athena sighed, "So I'm guessing Penelope never told you?"
He was quite uninformed in many areas of life. He was never taught to fight or use a weapon. However his mother was a clever and intelligent woman, surely she would've warned him about the risks of premarital relations. It was the least she could do as a duty as a mother.
"Told me what?"
"Where babies come from." She elaborated.
"Oh! No, I mean yes! I know! Believe me." He insisted, his face growing red.
She raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you do."
"... Why would my head mean I'm pregnant? Only girls can get pregnant." He reasoned, growing flustered.
He wondered why on earth she was asking this? What did she mean? Was this a riddle?
"That's not how it's been in my experience." Athena clarified.
"Have you ever had kids?" He asked.
"No. Never. Not planning on it." She stated firmly.
Not understanding how to navigate this conversation, Telemachus figured playing along might be the best way to remove himself from this.
"Oh. Okay... Well I'll, go and check and make sure I'm... yeah." Telemachus slowly walked off.
"Good luck." Athena called after him.
Hopefully it would be alright. He was a good kid, just deeply ignorant. Though he was a man, twenty years old to be exact, and had some experience to pass down to his offspring.
Come to think of it she wasn't sure how long it would take for the baby in his head to grow full term. Mortals grew unlike gods. She was never a child, some gods were from what she'd heard.
She wondered how big the child would be when it escaped the womb inside his head. Hopefully Odysseus would be home by then to help him.
...
Dried blood left unique patterns on the walls. It was almost a mercy letting them die in there, after all they wanted to live in the palace for the rest of their lives.
There was an odd silence after it all. After the darkness and bloodshed, it opened the door to open arms. Real, warm and shaking arms to wrap himself in. Ody wasn't exactly sure what was said during that reunion. That embrace could've been minutes or hours.
He prayed to his goddess that this wasn't a dream. She stood watching the scene, the knot in her chest now finally relieved. Now being replaced with calm pride and finality.
Days after the reunion, stubborn rusty streaks were still being hunted down and washed away by the servants. There was an uncomfortable celebratory air. Not that people were unhappy. But that it was a radical adjustment that people were still trying to process.
The morning sun rose above the waves, interrupted by a silhouette on the balcony.
Odysseus walked over to it and joined it at the railing it leaned on.
"I'm proud of you." Athena spoke.
Ody looked at the burning orange sun. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"True." She smiled. "Still, good job."
Birds began to sing and call to one another. One of the sweetest sounds Odysseus forgot he missed. The cry of any other birds than seagulls.
Athena shifted uncomfortably and finally said:
"Have you had a chance to talk with your son?"
"Kind of. He's grown so much I... I don't know what to say when I look at him."
"He thinks the world in all of you."
Ody let a sharp breathe escape his nostrils. "... Dunno if he should."
"I mean, he'll have some stories to tell your grandchildren." She pointed out, trying to get the conversation in the direction she wanted.
Ody laughed. "Yes that's probably very true."
She looked down, away from Odysseus' gaze and said cryptically. "And it might be sooner than you think."
Ody straightened. "What?"
"I mean. Well it's been twenty years and... his head is... well." She gestured vaguely.
Ody looked at her with utter confusion. "... Okay, now I'm confused."
Athena turned to him, "Odysseus I think Telemachus may be pregnant."
There was a beat before Odysseus uttered a "What?"
"I spoke with him while you were gone and well his head is quite large. I wasn't sure if he told you."
Odysseus could only stare in absolute bewilderment.
“What does his head have to do with…?”
"Do you seriously not know where babies come from?" Athena asked her tone bordering on concern and frustration.
"Ah -I... Athena," he gathered himself, unsure of what on earth she was talking about. "I do. Believe me..." He assured. "Do you?"
“Yes!” She insisted.
“With all respect, I'm not sure you do.” He carefully corrected her.
"Through the man's forehead obviously!" She answered exasperated.
Ody blinked, trying to process her words. Then realization dawned on him.
He nodded. "Ah! Yes that is one way it happens... but that doesn't work for mortals."
Athena paused. "Oh."
Her brow raised in consideration.
"Are you sure?" She asked, not fully convinced.
"Yes." Odysseus boldy nodded.
"I didn't know that." She softly admitted. "How do mortals give birth then?"
"Well..." It was his turn to shift around uncomfortably. Confused and concerned he'd have to explain what sex and childbirth was to a goddess. His quick thinking didn't fail him now. "Do you ever talk with Hera?"
"Occasionally, why?"
"She may be able to answer your questions."
"Oh." She said again, seeing the wisdom in his suggestion. Of course Hera would know how all that worked. "I'll do that when I get the chance."
...
The time came for Athena's audience with the Queen of Olympus. She stood at the large jade doors and took the ornate peacock door knocker in her hand.
After a few echoing knocks she called out.
"Lady Hera, I come to speak with you."
A voice replied from within. "Come in."
The large doors opened and Athena removed her helmet.
The room was decorated in various shades of jade and peridot, dark blues and pristine whites. Large, proud peacocks strutted around, some eyeing the intruder.
Hera lounged on a comfortable white daybed, a canopy of large peacock feathers above her.
"What is it? Another game?" Hera asked lazily.
"No. I simply have a question I need an answer to."
"Hm?"
"How is it that mortals give birth?" Athena asked, unaware of the taboo and unusual nature of said question.
Hera blinked and finally turned her gaze to her guest. "Pardon me?"
"I came to ask how mortals give birth. I was referred to your expertise on the matter." Athena stated.
Hera looked Athena up and down, studying the goddess of wisdom, trying to figure out if she was serious.
Hera sat up. "You... You don't know?" She finally asked.
Athena felt embarrassment creep up her face, "Apparently I don't." She growled.
"Oh." Hera replied, sharing the same confusion and concern as the two men Athena had spoken with prior.
Hera eventually adjusted her hair and stepped down off the daybed. "Well, I can tell you." She assured, her tone automatically becoming gentle and motherly before she could remind herself that this was not one of her children.
It was roughly an hour, thirty minutes of explaining the basics and the various processes. And another thirty minutes of questions.
Eventually Athena had been educated on another aspect of mortal life, along with another aspect of goddess-hood. In the end she was far more confident that her decision to stay a virgin was the wise choice indeed.