Chapter Text
“I’m just a man.”
If it wasn’t for the fact there was a dangling child in his arms, he would’ve said the view from the tower was the most beautiful he’s ever seen.
The sunset was the most breathtaking view he’d ever beheld. A beautiful blend of reds and oranges so stunning, that if he had the skill, he would’ve sat down and replicated it, like the artisans he’d commission to do his portraits.
He hears a small coo, snapping him back from his thoughts, and looked back down to the infant in his arms, dangling over the edge.
Odysseus might’ve been a little naïve, and for all his brains, he still wasn’t aware enough to know it. But he was no fool. He knew with war came death. Even for those not fighting in it. But he never once thought he’d be in a position like…like this. As much as he tried, and failed as much, he had never killed an innocent. Or at least innocent in his eyes.
And as he stares into the bright brown eyes of the infant, he sees the eyes of his son. The little one he’d been longing to see again. He suddenly recoils in shame. He feels his grip on the child’s arm tighten, causing it to fuss.
He couldn’t do this. But he had to. For he knew what would happen if he did not. The words of the king God Zeus ring in his ear- the prophecy of this child growing up to ruin him. Killing him and his family, destroying Ithaca, his kingdom, in the process.
He composes himself once again, and lifts his arms, leaving the child dangling over the edge.
“Forgive me.”
He had to look away, as he couldn’t bear to face the child. He couldn’t bear to face what he was about to do.
“I can’t. Gods, I can’t.”
Odysseus brings the child back from the edge, muses at his current situation, cursing himself for such weakness. He was able to slaughter enemy soldiers with such ease and skill his fellow men were almost scared of him. How was this any different? But of course, it was different? Was it? All he had to do was drop it. Like dropping a sack of apples for the horses. Gods, did he just compare a child to horse food-?
“Captain!”
Odysseus, startled by the noise, snaps out of his thoughts and subconsciously tightens his grip on the load, causing the child to stir.
The voice was soft and quiet, but he’d recognize it anywhere. It was Polites. Odyssues’s best friend since their childhood, his confidant, his third-in-command if the title was in existence. He had probably been searching for Odysseus for quite some time, as he could still hear the cheers of victory from his other men even from here. The other man had cuts and bruises on him that would definitely need medical examination, but that trademark smile still plastered on his face, bent over with his hands on his knees.
“Odysseus! You’re back, my friend. I was beginning to worry! Where have you been?”
Polties’s gaze trails down to the little bundle in the other man’s arms, which had started to move. His eyes widen in curiosity and wonder.
“Ah! I see you’ve brought something. What is it?”
Polites looks over Odysseus’s shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was in the little bundle. Odysseus didn’t mean to, but in an instinctive burr of protectiveness, he moves the child away from Polites’s reach.
“Oh, don’t be so secretive my friend- what is it?”, Polites asks again, a curious glint in his eyes. Odysseus doesn’t budge, keeping the child in his arms.
“It’s none of-”
All the commotion caused the baby to stir, a small whine escaping the small bundle. Hearing the noise, Polites arches a brow, and moves a little closer. His eyes widen with delighted shock at realization of the sight before him.
“Ah! It’s a child!”
And with no warning, Polites scoops up the child in his arms, leaving Odysseus startled.
Polites starts fussing over the child, cradling and cooing at him as if he was his own. Even though he never considered having children of his own, he adored them. Odysseus had to rip him off Telemachus when he was first born
“Ahh, such a cute child!”, Polites muses, looking over the infant, probably scanning it for bruises and other injuries. “How old is…he?”
Odysseus clears his throat, a small embarrassed look on his face. He hopes Polites didn’t catch him in his moment of rare weakness only minutes ago.
“Uhm..He is-”
“Is that a baby?”
Both Polites and Odysseus look back to find the voice behind them as belonging to Eurylochus, Odysseus’s second-in-command. Eurylochus stands over the two, almost towering above them, a confused and relieved look on his face. He had probably been looking for them for quite some time as well.
“I’m going to ask again- is that a baby you appear to be holding?”
Polites pauses for a moment, before nodding in earnest and musing over the child some more, practically shoving the infant in Eurylochus’s face. “Indeed! Isn’t he so adorable?”
Eurylochus isn’t as amused, his expression an air of both skepticism and slight irritation.
“Yes. Adorable.”, Eurylochus replies, looking over at Odysseus, expecting some type of explanation or…anything really. Odysseus can’t really give one, still debating whether to tell the truth or not.
“Hey, friends! Let’s bring on and raise the child of our greatest enemy, who we have just conveniently wiped the floor with in battle! Wouldn’t that be just lovely? Oh, and did I mention a god commanded I kill him?”
Odysseus can envision the horrified reactions of his fellow men if he were to reveal such news in such a crude manner. It almost makes him laugh, and if the situation before him wasn’t so dire, he might have.
“-so, what’re we going to do with it?”
Eurylochus’s voice cuts through Odysseus’s thoughts. He looks over and blinks a few times, rubbing his temples, a headache forming at the realization they’ll have to actually do something about this.
“We’re keeping him, of course!”, Polites replies to the more Captain-aimed question. “We are keeping him, yes?”
“Keep it?”, Eurylochus asks, an incredulous expression on his face. “We’re not keeping the damn thing!”
“He’s not a thing. And we’re not going to just discard him, right? Why else did you save him?”
Polites turns to Odysseus, a small pleading in his eyes, a ‘back me up here’ in his expression that Odysseus already knew he’d given up to.
“That is the plan, yes. We are keeping…him.”
Polites lets out a sigh of relief. Eurylochus with his mouth slightly agape.
“You’re joking, right?”, Eurylochus speaks up after some time. “You’re joking. Captain, we can’t-”
Odysseus raises a hand, cutting off Eurylochus. “But we are. We have to.”
“We have to?”
“Look around, Eurylochus. Where else are we meant to take him?”
Eurylochus opens his mouth to argue some more, then sighs in resignation before closing it, knowing Odysseus is correct. There wasn’t a structure in sight that wasn’t burned or thoroughly destroyed, and there isn’t much he can say to deter his captain’s made up mind. He makes to leave for his newly ordered errand, Polites following suit.
“This is going to be interesting”, Polites says. The baby had awoken and was now making noise, as babies do. “Don’t you think, Eurylochus?”
Eurylochus huffs in response, not very thrilled about their situation. This would be interesting alright. Interestingly disastrous.
Odysseus watches the two men leave, a bit of a pit forming in his stomach. He just made a very risky and very irresponsible decision. He thinks back to Zeus’s words- about the child growing up to kill him and his entire family. He feels another headache coming on, and rubs his temples in a soothing manner.
“I know, alright? I know this is a foolish endeavor”, he says to no one in particular, thinking out loud at this point. “But what else am I meant to do?”
Odysseus looks up at the now nighttime sky, looking for some reassurance in his decision. From what? He’s not even sure himself. He doesn’t feel those owl-eyes on him at the moment, which concerns him a little.
What would Athena think of this?
Odyssues lets out a huff and kicks at the rocks in frustration, before composing himself and making his way to his fleet. They had a kingdom to get back to, after all.