Chapter Text
After ten years of bloodshed and watching friends and foes parish around them, the Greek military sat at sea, waiting to return to Troy. Each man was radiating with fear and anticipation over the plan. If the plan, made by Odysseus of Ithaca, worked, they would finally get to go home. Back to their kingdoms, wives, and children that they had not seen since the day they left. The army would just have to survive the night.
Eurylochus of Sane looked past the boats and towards the city of Troy. He wasn’t thinking about what was to come. He was more concerned about his captain. Being left to look over Odysseus’s men should have made Eurylochus more content with his role as second-in-command, but it did not seem any different than when Odysseus was around. Eurylochus seemed more at ease when Odysseus was the one in charge.
The boats of the Greek Army lined up at the shore one by one. The men stared at the gate as it slowly was opened by their fellow soldiers on the other side. The city was so quiet and peaceful. The civilians did not know the slaughter that was starting while they slept.
Eurylochus watched as the soldiers burst into homes, slaying men and boys, taking any treasure or women they could find. He searched the crowd for his captain, wanting, begging that Odysseus was still alive. While he searched, Eurylochus fought with any of the Trojan soldiers that he encountered.
“Polites,” Eurylochus called out to a familiar soldier.
The soldier turned to him, “Eurylochus.” Polites has been a long time friend of Odysseus. Eurylochus wasn't as close to him but if anyone might know where Odysseus was, it was Polites.
“Have you seen the captain anywhere?” Eurylochus asked with concern.
Polites shook his head no and said, “It is Odysseus. He will be okay. Just keep fighting and protect our men.”
“You are not my captain. You aren't even second-in-command. You don't get to give me orders.”
“Then do the role Odysseus gave you,” Polites sneered before running back into the battle. Eurylochus reluctantly followed to look for any man that might need help with the battle. Once again, he kept an eye out for any sign of his captain.
The sun started rising over the city of Troy. The city was painted in blood and ash as the last of it burned. The Trojan army had been officially defeated. Very few Trojan men were still alive to fight. The Greek military cheered over the victory they had obtained. Ten long years and it was finally over. It was time to finally head home.
“Start loading up the ships with any bounty you find,” Eurylochus ordered the crew. There was a chorus of ‘Yes sir’ in response as the men started what they had been ordered to do. With still no sign of Odysseus, Eurylochus was still the one that the crew looked to. He was the one that they trusted.
While Eurylochus joined the others in loading the ships, he noticed Odysseus had returned. There was something different about the captain from the last time Eurylochus saw him. There was some sort of defeat in Odysseus’s eyes that Eurylochus has never seen before. Odysseus had always been confident with every move he ever made, so this was concerning for Eurylochus to see.
“Captain?” Eurylochus asked, walking away from his task to Odysseus. Odysseus turned to his brother. “Are you okay? I’ve been looking for you since the battle started. Did anything happen?”
Odysseus gave a small smile to Eurylochus before answering, “I’ll be okay, Eurylochus. We are going home.”
“But sir..” Eurylochus tried to argue.
“Have the men finish loading the ship. The sooner we get home, the sooner we are all returned to our wives. I bet you have been missing Ctimene,” Odysseus teased.
Eurylochus froze at the sound of his wife’s name. He had almost forgotten that he was married. Let alone married to Odysseus’s younger sister. Odysseus has been under the assumption that Eurylochus was just as in love with Ctimene as Odysseus was in love with Penelope. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Ctimene was Eurylochus’s friend, but they would never love each other.
“Yes sir,” Eurylochus answered before heading back to the rest of the crew. From the corner of his eyes, Eurylochus saw Polites walking up to Odysseus and talking with him. There was a pain in Eurylochus’s heart as he saw Odysseus cheer up while talking to Polites. It was something Eurylochus could never do.