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Penelope launched herself from the chariot as soon as it slowed down in front of the Spartan palace. She could hear her darling Odysseus protest at the danger of such a stunt, but she cared not. Her beloved Helen was in front of her once again. She was so fortunate that Uncle Tyndareus had arranged such a grand reunion of the family to celebrate the many years he and Aunt Leda had been wed. She hoped to do the same when her and Odysseus reached an older age together.
She threw her arms around her dear cousin and they rocked back and forth in joy, uncaring of who watched them. Helen still wore the same perfume she had received from Aunt Leda when she became old enough for marriage. The familiar scent reminded Penelope of her fond younger years.
Odysseus walked up just a moment later and made the pleasantries with the rest of her family. Her brothers made the usual jokes about her being desperate to get away from him. It was a jest, but Penelope couldn't let it stand. Perhaps it was bold to do so, but she peeled herself off Helen to push her veil away slightly and plant a long kiss on Odysseus, which he returned in kind. This got a laugh out of Helen and a groan out of her siblings. This is what they get for being too bold in their musings. They should know better than to comment such things.
They all went further into the palace where dear Father was. She had not seen him since the days after the wedding, when he had chased after her carriage to beg for her to stay in Acarnania. If he held resentment for her decision, he didn't show it now. He still doted on her like he did when she was a child (though he still shunned Odysseus whenever he could. It was like he was trying to pretend he didn't exist at all. Luckily, Odysseus took it in stride, and whispered to her that it was a wild improvement from the open resentment he received before the wedding.).
Her father sat next to her at the meal and made sure the servants knew to bring her extra honey (had she really been gone so long that they had forgotten?). Later, he presented her with even more jewels for her to wear and fine wool for her to weave when she got home, as he insisted it was compensation for missing her birthday the past few years (despite the fact that he already sent her gifts every year). She felt like a child once again when she was around him. Had it really been so many years since she had been with him? Her time in Ithaca had floated by in an instant, like a leaf in a spring stream.
Clytemnestra arrived the next day with Agamemnon and their children. Iphigenia had gotten so tall since the last time Penelope had seen her. It was hard to believe she would be of marriage age in a few years. Orestes and Electra were getting older, too. Each of them looked more like their father every day. Chrysothemis, still so small, looked up at Penelope with a smile that warmed her heart.
Until recently, looking at her cousin's children brought a sort of bittersweet feeling in her. Clytemnestra had never had much of an issue with having children, and even Helen had managed to have a child before her womb closed. It was Penelope that had years passing by with no babe in sight. No heir for her Odysseus to hold. But now with the news she had received just a fortnight ago...she found that she could receive her nieces and nephew with joy.
She dreamed about what her own family would look like in a few years. She hoped the little life in her womb looked just like her wonderful Odysseus. How happy she would be in a few years with all of her children surrounding her, like Clytemnestra's did her!
The children spent the next day racing around with each other in the gardens while the men went to the courtyard with weapons to spar and show off their strength to each other. As much as Penelope wanted to watch Odysseus show off his battle prowess learned from Pallas Athena herself (it was fun watching him train. Occasionally, she had insisted he do some of the more strength based exercises in front of her while she weaved so she would have some entertainment. He obliged, but neither had lasted long at their task.), she was quickly whisked off by her sisters for a midmorning meal.
It was exquisite. She had not truly been able to talk to them so candidly since the days before her wedding. They had no men around to interrupt or slaves to carry their secrets to unwanted ears (they had dismissed them all after they poured the last cup of wine).
After the last few months in Ithaca...it was nice to be somewhere surrounded by those she felt safest with. There were no thieves in the night or raiders on the horizon threatening her home. There was only her family.
Odysseus had taken care of the dangers to Cephellania; they wouldn't have left if he did not consider the matter handled. So why did her mind still wander to those events? Now of all times?
Penelope woke with a pounding headache and a tight rope bound around her wrists. She jolted as though Lord Zeus had shocked her as she tried to take in her surroundings.
She was...on a boat. She could feel the waves toss and turn beneath the boards as she swayed back and forth. When had she arrived here? How far out were they? She normally liked being out on the water, but now...it was not a comfortable feeling.
Where was she?
She found Helen and Clytemnestra similarly tied up on the floor next to her. They hadn't awoken yet. She didn't see anyone else in the small room. It was too dark to see much of anything at all.
Where was Odysseus? Her father? Menelaus? Agamemnon?
The last thing she remembered was the meal with her sisters. She found that she was still wearing the same dress, though her veil and jewelry had been taken from her. That sent a shiver up her spine. She felt naked. Who brought them here?
She tried at her bounds but didn't make any progress in releasing herself. Odysseus knew a lot about knots, being around the sea for most of his life. He had even tried a few on her during their long nights of pleasure together, but never like this. He never used a material so coarse on her. And never so tightly. The tips of her fingers were going numb, and she feared her wrists would begin to bleed.
Her feet were left free, but she wasn't sure how much of a help that was. Where could she go?
She heard a rustling outside the door and quickly draped herself on the floor once more, pretending to still be asleep.
Heavy footsteps entered and walked close to her. She would not let herself react.
"Won't they wake up before we get there?" A man called out. "Getting them back in the cart will be a lot more difficult with them squirming around and screaming. Why don't we go to Thera or Ios instead? They're closer."
"Who said anything about getting them back in the cart?" A different man said. The deep voice came from the hall outside. "They have feet, y'know."
"Sure, and they definitely won't kick up any fuss if we let them walk unbound."
The hall man laughed. "I think we can handle a few rowdy women. We'll be going to Patmos as instructed. Don't get any funny ideas. Our benefactor was very specific. Quit worrying. As long as we follow the plan, it will all work out."
The first man sighed and began to retreat. "Shouldn't we change their clothes at least? Cover their faces? Anyone with eyes can see they're noble women. They'll wonder what we're doing and ask too many questions."
"That would involve taking off what's already on. And I don't trust you with that much temptation. We're not allowed to touch them too much. He'd have our heads."
A sigh. "It just seems like a waste to have..." The voices faded out as the door closed and they walked away.
Penelope shivered.
She was kidnapped. All three of them were. What quarrel did their kingdoms have with the Sporades? What was going on?
To steal someone's wife in such a manner, let alone three...they were inviting war upon themselves. Was that their intention? Did they truly think they could withstand the forces of Ithaca, Sparta, and Mycenae?
Or was it something else? The workings of a delusional fool like Theseus' abduction of Helen was so long ago?
And oh, her poor Helen. Kidnapped again. She didn't like to discuss what had happened when she had been taken, so long ago now. She remained asleep still, but Penelope feared what would happen when her sisters awoke.
Though Penelope wished neither of them would have to endure such a fate with her, she did find herself comforted having them nearby. Whatever trial they had ahead, at least Penelope would not have to experience this trial alone.
But they were not up yet, and Penelope was frightened. Terribly so. She had never been in a situation like this. So far away from the men that had protected her all her life.
Her mind flipped to them now. How long did it take to find them all missing? Was there a chase? Any leads? Her father would be wailing in agony by now, her brothers in a similar state. Menelaus would take this personally, as it was his palace that this had occurred in. Uncle Tyndareus would blame himself for gathering all of them like this and drown himself in sorrow. Agamemnon would be shaking with anger and whipping together his armies. And Odysseus...
Her Odysseus would stop at nothing to get her back. That was her solace at a time like this. Odysseus would be burning with fury right now. He would have as much violence on his mind as the rest of the men, but he had been studying under Ageleia Athena's blade for long enough that he would not let it cloud his judgement. He would use that fire to temper and sharpen his sword into a weapon that no defense could stand against. Every disgusting soul involved in this plot was on borrowed time as soon as they had moved her a step out of that dining room in Sparta. Her husband would send them all to Nekrodegmôn Hades.
With a goddess and the great armies of all their kingdoms at his side, how could he lose? It was only a matter of time.
Penelope swallowed. She just had to be patient.
"It's insulting." Clytemnestra said when they had finally all awoken. "I've borne four children. I'm not some young bride for men to ogle anymore! I'm a Queen of Mycenae! Worthy of respect!"
"Who do they think they are?" Helen grumbled. "To take me from my own home? From my kingdom? Do they think Menelaus' hand will be stilled in his fury?"
"Agamemnon's certainly won't be," Clytemnestra responded. "My husband will not stand with this insult!"
Penelope smiled. She had missed Clytemnestra's inner fire. It didn't come out very often.
They tried to plot how they would get out, but came up blank. Even if they could get their hands free and climb to the deck undetected, where would they go? They were in the middle of the ocean. Penelope was a good swimmer, but even she didn't trust herself in the middle of Hygromedon Poseidon's raging tempest. And that's not to mention likely getting separated from her dear cousins during the trek, which was not a viable option in her mind.
Eventually, the anger and pride simmered down and they were left with the quiet horror of what had happened to them. Helen began to sob.
Penelope stiffened and shuffled closer to her. Clytemnestra mirrored her movements. Helen half-heartedly pushed their arms away. "I'm fine! I'm fine! I-it's just...you would think I would be used to being kidnapped like this by now."
"I don't think this is something you can get used to." Penelope said.
"It won't be like last time." Clytemnestra said, a firmness in her voice. "We won't let these pigs do what Theseus did."
"We won't get to decide such a thing." Helen moaned.
"I heard them earlier." Penelope said. "The men on this ship, they aren't the masterminds behind this operation. They're taking orders from somebody. And that somebody said we're not to be touched."
"Theseus told me he wouldn't touch me either." Helen said, in almost a whisper. "But men can't control themselves. Not around me."
Penelope shivered. She had felt the gaze of the man earlier roll up and down her body. "Maybe so, but they haven't yet. If that changes...we'll deal with it. Together."
The words felt hollow to her, but she didn't know what else to say. Perhaps Odysseus could have said it with more charm, more believability. He always knew the right cadence to speak to convince people. Penelope could normally match him, but right now she didn't trust the fear in her voice to not come through.
Once they had each calmed down, they had come to the point where they knew there was nothing to be done about the situation. There hadn't been any men coming down to their room to do anything but give them the occasional meal. Rather than wait with bated breath for the moment where one of the men snapped, they instead decided to put it all out of their minds and uplift their spirits in their new small world.
"We didn't get a chance earlier, Penny." Helen said. "How is Ithaca? How is your Odysseus?"
"It's good." Penelope smiled. "It's really good."
"You have to give us more than that," Clytemnestra said.
She giggled. "I'm getting there! There's just so much to say, I don't know where to start!
"Ithaca is so unlike anywhere else in Lacedaemon. There's the wine-dark sea that stretches farther than the horizon from all sides. The most exquisite beaches you've ever seen. And no Helen, before you ask: despite your needling remarks, I do not live in a boat! Odysseus has a wonderful palace that he built for the two of us! He added so many details to it that I could not begin to describe how lovely it is."
Helen snickered.
Penelope continued. "I would love if you both could see it for yourself! It may not be as large as Sparta or Mycenae, but Odysseus has made it into something to behold. My tapestries line the walls proudly beside all the fine treasures he possesses."
"All from your dowry?" Clytemnestra jested.
Penelope huffed. "No, he has plenty of wealth on his own, thank you very much. He is not near as poor as you all seem to think he is."
Helen smirked. "Alright, alright. That's Ithaca, then. What about the man himself? Is he treating you right? I've heard no herald proclaiming any heirs."
It was here Penelope could hardly contain herself. "I was going to tell you at the meal..."
Helen and Clytemnestra both sat up. Penelope continued. "We have had some...issues with conceiving over the years, but Game'lii Hera has answered our prayers at last! I found out just a fortnight ago. I am at last to be a mother!"
Clytemnestra beamed. Helen had a passing look of longing for a moment before smiling widely. "That's fantastic, Penny! When are you due?"
"Sometime in the late autumn, we think. I knew I had to wait to tell everyone when we saw the invitation from Uncle. I had to see Father's face for myself when he learns of the news!"
"Are you sure he won't try to murder the father-to-be as soon as he finds out?"
Penelope rolled her eyes. "We're long past that. We're wed! He and the rest of my brothers need to accept that he didn't steal me away in the middle of the night and elope like they still pretend he did. We went through all the proper channels to ensure our marriage is favored by the gods!"
"I'm just teasing, Penny. But really. How is he?"
"It's so lovely, Helen. Truly. He's stood by me all these years as I struggled to conceive. Even defended me to his family and the other nobles. I feel like this trial has only strengthened us. I know now that he'll never toss me aside. Oh, I adore him! He's gentle when he needs to be gentle, fierce when I need him to fierce. I do miss you all terribly, but I could not imagine my life without him!"
"Ah, still in your honeymoon phase, are you?" Helen said. "It'll fade away soon enough."
"Honeymoon phase?"
"Yes, over time, the all-encompassing love you feel, it fades with time. The flaws in the other person you ignored for so long feel glaring and then you can truly see what sort of person you've bound yourself to for the rest of your life. It's normal."
Penelope narrowed her eyes. She had not experienced what Helen was telling her. She had noticed more quirks and obnoxious behaviors from her Odysseus as time had gone on, but her love for him had not diminished. She had felt it only strengthen. "Is that what happened to you? Are things with you and Menelaus not well? Is he not treating you as he should?"
Helen was quiet for a moment. "Not...not exactly. Menelaus treats me fine. He can be a brute, but not towards me. It's just...I know that he wishes for more children. He loves our Hermione dearly, but I know the lack of male heir weighs on him, and I don't know what to do.
"I keep wondering if...this was all I was meant for. A simple queen and a barren mother. All the fuss from when I was younger and I still end up as every other wife in the world. I know I complained when I was a maiden about all the epithets, but I've grown to miss it. Being the most beautiful woman in the world. Where all the greatest kings and princes bowed at my feet and showered me with gifts. I just wonder if this was all my life was meant for. I wonder what could have been if I had ended up with someone else."
"Have you talked to Menelaus about this?"
Helen sighed. "Not...not as much. I don't want to trouble him with such womanly affairs. And I can hardly tell him about my musings of other men. That wouldn't end well. He has enough to worry about."
Penelope saw Clytemnestra nodding along. "Maybe not all of it," Penelope said. "But I think you should talk to him. Tell him you don't feel appreciated enough and work out some solution together. How long have you been feeling this way?"
"...A few years, maybe?"
Penelope's heart broke. "Then it doesn't sound like this feeling will be going away any time soon. You need to take care of it before you do something you regret."
"...Maybe. I just...I don't want him to look at me differently."
"How would he look at you differently?"
Helen sighed. "He signed up for the perfect wife. I chose him because of our history together as children. After the stress of all the suitors, I wanted someone that felt safe. But that's all I've had. Safety. No excitement. Just bitter disappointment and back to shallow contentment. He still looks at me like I'm a goddess walking among men. Because that is all I have to offer him. My beauty. I cannot give him more children. We've tried for years. He has a kingdom, but no heir to take after him. One day the illusion he still believes will shatter, and he won't look at me anymore. I won't even have that.
"And I do love him, I do! Which is why I don't understand why I also want something else!"
Penelope couldn't imagine living like that. Never feeling like you could talk to the one you should be able to trust most in the world. "If it's only a matter of time before the illusion will shatter, then wouldn't it be better to take care of it sooner rather than later?"
"What if it gets worse?"
"What if it gets better?"
"Penelope," Clytemnestra interjected. "We've been married a lot longer than you have. Matters such as this are not so simple."
"Why not? Explain it to me then."
Clytemnestra pursed her lips. "The problem is an emotional one. One does not simply bring matters such as these to their husbands. Discontentment is normal in a marriage. A wife's role is to bear children, run the household, and support his ambitions, not to have ambitions of her own beyond that. A husband's role is to provide food, shelter, and protection, not to be a shoulder to cry on when he has better things to do! Expecting anything else is reaching beyond your station. Emotions and struggles are best kept to themselves."
Both Helen and Penelope stared at her after that.
Clytemnestra looked annoyed. "You'll see as time goes on. Sharing too much with one's husband breaks the illusion for them. The fun for men is all in the chase. The pursuit. Once a bride is secured and children come, he stops trying to impress you. Burdening him only increases the distance. His eyes wander to new interests. He can be placated with good children but even then..."
Penelope couldn't recall the last time she saw her sister cry. She was always so composed. So poised, and yet tears flowed down her cheeks.
But she quickly wiped them away. "You see why it's not good to bring so much emotion to your husband? A woman's feelings come and go so easily. Why should they have to keep up? I do not mean to express so much discontent. I would not leave my husband's house for anything. Agamemnon is a good father to our children, and I am provided for. My point was merely that demanding things of your husband never goes well. They are not there to do something so simple as understanding. A woman's emotions are her own to manage. As long as a husband provides for you and you children, then you can't expect anything else."
Penelope wasn't sure what to say. Her marriage was nothing like what they described. When Penelope had an issue, she told Odysseus about it. He would either take care of it himself or they would figure out something together. The most strain they had had was over the issue of children, as Penelope had not been able to conceive until recently. But even then, even in the long hours they spent together discussing the matter, Penelope knew he still loved her. When she mentioned her fears about him sending her back to her father, he immediately dispelled them and vowed that he would never abandon her. The love she felt for him now was not the naive adoration she had when she was a maiden talking to him in secret meetings in her Uncle's palace. It had grown into something stronger. As firm as their wedding bed with roots buried deep into the ground. Unmovable.
Odysseus made her happy. Made her feel safe. She truly felt like she could tell him anything and she was sure he felt the same about her.
She was not so innocent to believe that all marriages were like hers, but she had hoped that at least her sisters would have found joy in their pairings. She thanked the gods every day for blessing her with a man like Odysseus.
She would not let her marriage turn into this. Because surely a husband does not desire his wife to be unsatisfied? If Odysseus had some burden, she would want him to share it with her. It would pain her if he thought she wouldn't understand. He had never given her the impression that it was any different for him. In fact, there were times he would poke at her if she kept quiet about something until she told him. Was that not what happened to others?
When did the world get so complicated? When had they stopped being those naive maidens who had silly musings over the men they would marry?
Penelope didn't know what to say, so the conversation drifted off into silence.
"I get annoyed with Odysseus!"
"Oh please, name one bad thing about him."
Penelope had to think.
"By the gods, Penelope."
Penelope blushed. "Shut up! Fine! He smells! Especially after a long day! I make him take a bath every night before he joins me in bed to get it off him."
Helen laughed. "That's it?"
"What am I supposed to say?"
"That he's full of himself! He thinks he's the smartest person to walk the earth. And it hasn't been any better since he got you. His hubris will be the death of him one day."
"...But he is quite intelligent, even Glaukōpis Athena has taken notice..."
Clytemnestra rolled her eyes. "That he's a liar and cheat. You never what his real intentions are! Isn't it exhausting, not knowing if he's playing a trick on you all the time? I never know if he's giving me a straight answer when I speak with him."
"He doesn't do it all the time, and it's mostly just in good fun. I know him well enough that much of it is obvious to me. And more often that not, I'm already in on what he has planned. He has a much harder time deceiving me. And we have secrets between us that only we know. I like it that way."
"Fine, but he's ruthless!" Helen said. "Those intense eyes of his! That mischievous grin! He's as broad as an ox. I was worried he would beat you for speaking out of turn once you started courting."
"And I hope you can see by now that he would never! He's very caring and more considerate of me than I would have found in any other groom. And he greatly enjoys what I have to say. An ideal husband for me."
"Alright, but he's not exactly rich." Clytemnestra said. "Rocky Ithaca isn't known for its extravagant wealth."
Penelope rolled her eyes. "Your own husbands are warping your understanding of what normal kingdoms are capable of. I am perfectly taken care of, he makes sure of it. I have all the food and gold and fabric I could possibly want. And it is quite a beautiful land to care for."
"He's ugly." Helen interrupted.
Penelope blushed. "...I think he's quite handsome..."
"Unbelievable." Clytemnestra said.
"He has a rugged charm!"
"That's your one flaw then, dear sister." Helen said. "A terrible taste in men."
Penelope swatted at them.
Helen laughed. "Okay, okay! What about how smug he looks when he's right about something? Especially when you lose an argument."
Penelope was quiet for a moment. "...okay, yes that can be quite unbearable."
They all laughed.
"Maybe love is real, but only for you, sweet Penelope."
"Have you made any new tapestries lately?" Helen asked.
"Oh yes!" Penelope said. "I've been working on a few pieces. Right now, I'm working on a series where I depict each god in the pantheon. Odysseus says he'll hang them in the temples when I'm done. I've been stuck on the one for Pallas Athena for a while. I don't know what I'll do if I mess up the tapestry for the goddess of weaving. When I finally return to Ithaca after this ordeal, I'll take a break and begin on a blanket for the baby."
"Iphigenia has been getting better and better." Clytemnestra remarked. "She works at it far more than I cared to at her age. She talks about her lovely Aunt Penelope sometimes in how she wants to weave like you when she's older. She'll make a fine bride one day."
"Lucky you," Helen said. "Hermione has never really taken to it. I hope she will soon, but she always gets too distracted. She's a lot like me, I suppose."
"Electra is much the same way. I wonder sometimes if she would have been better off being born a boy, with how much she protests her household education. Rather prideful, that one."
"If I recall," Penelope said with an eyebrow raised. "You didn't take much to weaving as a youth. I wouldn't be too surprised that Electra has turned out the same."
Clytemnestra stared at her. "You were but a babe when I was learning. How would you know?"
Penelope looked away with a smile. "I have my sources."
Helen laughed while Clytemnestra glared. "Like who?"
Penelope stayed silent. Clytemnestra swatted her head with her bound hands. "Answer me! Who is speaking of me in such a manner?"
Penelope began to giggle alongside Helen. "Alright! Alright! I had many of the same weaving teachers as you, and they would make comments to me sometimes."
Clytemnestra stared at her in disbelief. "Comments?"
"Yes, on how I was picking it up so fast compared to you or how my wefts were the neatest they've ever seen. Or they would praise my focus or how tightly I could set the threads together compared to other pupils they've had. I thought they were silly musings until I noticed the frequency of such remarks. I'm not sure they thought you had much of a talent at all with how they spoke of that time. I think they were relieved to have a different student than you or Helen."
Clytemnestra looked enraged but had no target to point it at. "Well, it's all lies! I was a fine weaver back then, and I still am today! I serve my house well!"
"I don't doubt it!" Penelope smirked.
"And I figured it out eventually!" Helen said after she calmed down. "I'm quite talented at it now! I'll show you once we get back."
Penelope nodded.
"...just don't look my stitching too closely."
Penelope smirked again.
"We can't all be prodigies!"
"So, how far along are you?" Clytemnestra asked.
"Almost two months now," Penelope explained. "We only knew for certain a few weeks ago. I've been so tired lately, and Odysseus was concerned."
Clytemnestra hummed. "Yes, it was much the same for me. It gets better for a while, until the babe is about to come."
"Yes, I remember Iphigenia. That was when you were stuck in bed for most of the last month, yes?"
She nodded. "Indeed, but it was rather obnoxious for a while, especially during the end where it's difficult to get out of bed in the first place at that size."
"It was the same for me." Helen piped in. "I felt like an alien in my own body. It changes how you look so much. I luckily had Menelaus' enthusiasm to keep me going then. I was sleeping in my chambers almost all day by the end of it."
"Not that it'll be much of a struggle for you," Clytemnestra continued. "But pregnancy is the one time you can expect extra support from your husband, if he's any good. Agamemnon had a whole legion of maids wait on my every need. He wanted everything to go perfectly. Men are always the most anxious for their first."
Penelope smiled. Odysseus always took very good care of her. But some extra doting...she would not be opposed.
After the assassin had been caught and dealt with, she spent hours with him on the kline in their room, holding her so gently. He had told her in a soft voice he only used with her that he had been so frightened when he had heard. That his heart nearly gave out at the thought of her life being cut short. He was always so protective of her, and he was doubly so any time he thought there was a threat to her somewhere. A heat curled in her gut when she thought about it. She greatly enjoyed having him as a husband.
"I'll be looking forward to it. Anything else I should be expecting?"
"Make sure you have a good midwife picked out early." Helen said. "And get the plan for the birth figured out quickly. The stress creeps up on you, and having the plan set let me relax a lot more when the time got closer."
"And make sure they're kind to you." Clytemnestra continued. "Orestes took a long time to come out, and I had a midwife try to shake me to get him loose. I just about strangled her."
Penelope eyes went wide. She would pass that on to Odysseus. He would make sure she was taken care of.
"And have a wetnurse ready, of course." Helen said. "You don't want to be awakened every hour of the night. Us royal women have slaves to do such a thing."
And on and on they went. Penelope had some recollection of Iphigenia's birth. Agamemnon had been working to reclaim his throne in Mycenae at that time, so Clytemnestra still stayed in Sparta's palace. And Aunt Leda had given her the basics before the wedding.
But it was the way of elder siblings to pass on knowledge, whether it was needed or not. Penelope had quite missed having her older siblings by her side. So she let them go on as she nodded along.
Penelope stewed on a thought for a while before speaking. "Do either of you ever talk to Anaxibia?"
Penelope was never as close to her as she was to the rest of her cousins, but the woman had lived in Sparta's halls for many years alongside her younger brothers. She was not her sister-in-law in truth, but in a way it felt like she was.
"Not so much." Clytemnestra said. "She's plenty busy running her own house in Phocis. We don't have much reason to go out there. Her and Strophius did come for the festivities when Orestes was born. They have a son of their own a few years older, Pylades."
Penelope nodded. "But you two...get along then?"
"Yes...as much as two acquaintances can. I wouldn't say I know her well, but she was cordial when she visited. She saved most of her affections for Agamemnon and Orestes, really. Why do you ask?"
Penelope was quiet for a moment. "Well...I have been talking so fondly of Ithaca all this time, which is all true! I love it there. But Odysseus has a sister, and she doesn't exactly...like me."
"What do you mean?"
Penelope sighed. "Well, I could be wrong, as I don't see her much. She's married into the royal family on Same, it's right next to Ithaca. She's a few years older than me and has some daughters. When she is on Ithaca, all the noble women flock to her like they never do me, and when I try to speak with her, she brushes me off. She's never once reached out to me to have so much as a conversation. I get the distinct impression she's not fond of me, though I know not what I've done."
"Do you suspect cruelty?" Helen asked. "Or is it just unfamiliarity?"
"I'm not sure. I don't know her well, and I'm frustrated that she won't let me learn anything about her."
"It's possible she comes off that way to people she doesn't know." Clytemnestra said. "If she grew up as the only Princess of Ithaca and then married another noble in Cephallania, then she likely isn't used to people she hasn't known for her whole life. She has been the highest lady of her station for quite some time, and now you've displaced her."
Penelope had not considered this in detail. Not all of her brothers had wed yet, but the ones that had, she had been pleasant to their brides. But she had never had to feel like she was being displaced in her own home.
"The Ithacan nobles will simply have to deal with it." Helen said. "If the women there have a shred of intelligence, they'll start doing anything to endear themselves to you. It's clear how much sway you have over your husband."
"Well, they haven't done much of that yet." Penelope said in a small voice, thinking of their low remarks about her fertility on occasion.
"Once your babe comes," Clytemnestra said. "Hearts will soften. If they've interpreted you as barren, they might be skeptical on how long your place will stand. We know that Odysseus would never dream of giving you up, but perhaps they haven't realized yet."
Penelope nodded.
"I suppose Helen never had to deal with it, but my first few years in Mycenae were some trouble."
"Really?"
"Yes. Agamemnon didn't bring me there until it was safe, of course. But the throne had passed through so many hands so quickly. I had my work cut out for me stabilizing that house. Finding loyal slaves can be such a hassle. The elder ones had been around for the reigns of Atreus, Thyestes, and Aegisthus before we even got there. Many remembered Agamemnon, but had their heads filled with lies for years. Testing them took time.
"Even now, I see the nobles weary of us. As if they aren't sure we're going to stay for long. I think some of them wondered if Menelaus would come to fight for the throne as well, as it was Sparta's army that Agamemnon used to reclaim it. But we know that would go against his character. Agamemnon has more than proved himself a capable leader and a good brother. Mycenae is as strong as it's ever been. Any doubting noble is confronted with the plethora of successful campaigns Agamemnon has done to take his lands. But, I fear it may not be until my Orestes takes his throne that everything really settles down.
"My point is that marrying into a new house always comes with challenges. Just about every noble woman has to go through the same thing, Helen is the exception. Don't worry too much if everything hasn't clicked into place yet. It may feel like you've been married for a long time, but you've truly only just begun your life. You are the Queen of Ithaca with an heir on the way. Your position will only strengthen.
"If it concerns you so much, try to win the hearts of the people instead of just the nobles. Make yourself approachable, keeping your station in mind. If the people adore you, there is little anyone can do to displace you."
Penelope smiled and nodded.
It was funny how much easier the problem seemed to be now that Penelope was voicing it out loud. This burden seemed lighter now that it was shared. Clytemnestra always knew what to say. She hoped this new confidence came back to her when she was facing the nobles down again at the next feast.
"Helen," Penelope began, leaning her head on her sister's shoulder. "I have missed you so dearly. That is the one thing I regret about marrying so far away."
Helen leaned her head towards hers. "And I you, dear one. Sparta is not the same without your laughter ringing through its halls."
Penelope smiled. "Do you know what you're going to do about Menelaus?"
Helen sighed. "No...not yet. I'll worry about it more once we return. My head can only handle so much stress. Perhaps seeing him fight for me can awaken more affection from my heart. I just fear that Apatouros Aphrodite has other plans for it than what I wish."
Penelope was quiet.
"Relax, Penny." Helen said, turning her head to kiss Penelope's forehead. "I have no plans on galivanting off on my own. I couldn't do that to Hermione, or my father. Castor and Pollux cause him enough grief. This trip will be enough excitement for me. Though, I do wonder where they're taking us."
"Patmos, the man said."
Helen hummed. "Other than my...trip to Attica and Athens, I've never really left Sparta. I know it's strange to say in such circumstances. This is obviously not how I wanted it to happen, but it'll be nice to have a change of scenery. I've always wondered what foreign lands are like."
"...Well I'm glad you're enjoying this, at least."
Helen gently knocked her head against hers. "Enjoying isn't the word I used. It's a rather drab compartment they've put us in. What do they think we are? An oil barrel? I meant the island might be pretty."
"Speak for yourself. I live on an island already. I much prefer that one. We might only get a glance of it before they shuffle us off to who knows where. I doubt we'll be able to walk along the beaches while we wait for our rescue."
"Well, Penny, we can't all marry off into foreign lands! Let me daydream in peace!"
Penelope giggled. "They really didn't give us much to look at down here. I suppose it's better than all the rowing up there, but at least they have a view."
"Oh? Do you want to go up there and give them a hand?"
"No, no. That's quite alright."
"Really? As an island expert, you must be well practiced in it! How else would the Wise Queen Penelope grace her denizens across the island chain?"
"Not by sailing my own boat! What kind of peasant wife do you think I've become, having to labor in such a way?"
Helen smirked.
"Shut up, Helen. I told you I don't live on a boat. We were having a nice moment."
"Until you rudely interrupted my daydream with logic!"
Penelope sighed. "Then daydream on! Don't let your poor, lonely sister postpone them any longer!"
"So you admit it?"
"Admit what?"
"That your husband is poor."
Penelope smacked her. Helen laughed.
"Never mind, I don't miss you."
Helen laughed harder.
"Penelope, how..." Clytemnestra began. "How do you know that Odysseus loves you?"
Penelope waited for her to say more before speaking. It felt like an issue weighing on her mind for a while. "Well, we talk. He tells me such things, it's the sort of man he is. He loves his tricks, but he doesn't do it callously. You can tell when he's genuine. To those he's closest to, when it matters, he's quite candid with how he feels. And I feel it from that.
"But he does more than say it." She continued. "He shows it to me every day. It's in the way he holds me when we're alone. It's how he talks about me in his councils, and how he won't let others speak poorly of me. It's in how he reminds the kitchens to keep honey in stock, or knows how much I detest radishes and makes sure it's never on my plate. It's in his smile when he looks at me, when I walk in a room or when I say something that amuses him. I can hardly go a day without feeling it."
Clytemnestra nodded silently, and Penelope could see tears begin to cloud her eyes so she continued. "I don't know how Agamemnon shows his love, surely it wouldn't be just like my Odysseus."
Clytemnestra wiped at her face. "I did not marry for love. I am not under the delusion that he must love me to be a good husband. He is a noble man and a good father. It just...it just gets so lonely sometimes, while he takes others to bed. I wish he wasn't so indifferent to me sometimes. Sometimes I wish had someone who felt for me as much your Ithacan does you. That he would storm in here and demand my return because he misses my presence, that he wanted to see me safely return, not just to balance the injustice against his house."
"You think Agamemnon does not care for you? Surely there is some affection towards you after your four children."
Clytemnestra swallowed. "He provides for me well. He hasn't expressed displeasure against me for bearing so many daughters. He dotes on Iphigenia and Electra as much as he does Orestes. And they all adore him in turn. For that, I am pleased. He treats me well in his house, as your Odysseus does you. I am proud to be a queen of such a noble land.
"But beyond the act of creating more heirs? We do not converse as much as you do with your husband. I stay in my place and run his house while he rules the kingdom. I do not always mind such a thing, truly. I love my children. I love my place. I find it all fulfilling. But I do find myself craving such affection you speak of on occasion. I have fulfilled my role as queen and mother and wife as well as I can, and like Helen, I wonder if it will be enough."
"Perhaps you could talk to him about this? Not demanding anything, just tell him how you feel. And maybe you could work out a better solution than suffering in silence."
"Perhaps..."
Penelope pursed her lips. "Like you said, I have not been married as long as you have. I don't...know what to say exactly. But like I told Helen, I can't see a world where you withhold all of this with him and everything turns out alright. I think that after the trouble Atreus caused everyone, Agamemnon is determined to end the curse with him. He loves Menelaus. He won't let brother fight against brother again. And maybe he doesn't love you the same way my Odysseus does me, but I would guess he doesn't want his wife to go down the same route of resentment as his mother did. I think if you express your concerns, he'll be able to make some sort of accommodation. If it's really so dire, then the worst that could happen is nothing changing. A relationship built on nothing will always crumble eventually."
Clytemnestra looked at her fondly. "Oh my little duckling. When did you get so wise? You've gone and grown up without me."
Penelope smiled. "I had a great older sister to show me the way."
As the days dragged on, they all sensed that the journey was going to end soon. The food deliveries became more sparse and they could hear jubilant shouting in the deck above. Their conversations died down and the dread started to creep back into Penelope's heart.
"After all of this is all handled," Penelope said. "When our husbands slaughter all of them and we're all safely back in our kingdoms, it may be a while before I can see you both again. I'll have my hands full with this little one. But do consider visiting us in Ithaca. It really is quite nice! And if not, send a herald once in a while. Or, whenever Iphigenia weds or if there's another child. Will you? I have missed being so close to all of you..."
Clytemnestra pursed her lips for a second before nodding. "Of course. All our husbands are well-acquainted. We should insist on more gatherings. Even if it's only for the children."
"Of course." Helen smiled. "If Hermione doesn't get as many siblings as I had, I hope she can find solace in a cousin like I did."
"Yes," Penelope said, reaching out and squeezing their hands as best she could with them still bound. "I hope that this child will have siblings abound in a few years, but it would be my dream that all our families stay close."
"Agreed." Clytemnestra said. "We won't let anything part the three of us."
They felt the ground beneath them still, the swaying they had become accustomed to stabilized. The ship of their captors had docked somewhere, and now their little bubble of joy and companionship was really over. The uncertainty and panic was back in full force. Penelope didn't know what came next, but waited anxiously for her darling Odysseus to come through and show these pathetic men what happened when you threatened a queen. His Queen.
She had seen a taste of his wrath a month or two ago when the assassin was caught heading towards her quarters while he was away. He had made an example of him at his return. Whipped him to an inch of his life and strung him up in the courtyard. All to make sure that no one would dare threaten his house again. Xenia was not a matter taken lightly in Ithaca.
She found herself anxious to see him again, to be enveloped in his strong arms once more. For nothing could harm her when he was beside her. She wished for his comforting presence again and again as the strange men opened the door to their small room and escorted them outside.