The smile failed.
“You deserve the world, wife. I could ne-”
“Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.” She growled, grabbing his wrist and pushing him off of her. “I don’t want the world. I have never wanted the world. I have only ever wanted you.”
Odysseus felt himself floundering. He should have kept his mouth shut.
“Odysseus, Zeus himself could present himself to me, try to convince me to share his bed, and I wouldrefuse.” She snarled the last word, “I don’t want a king of the gods. I don’t want some other man. I wantyou. All of you. Every day.”
She grabbed his face, forcing him to look at her directly. “You. Odysseus.” She rose on her knees, pressing her forehead against his. “No thrones, no gods, no history.”
A soft smile fluttered across his face.
“Odysseus,” she whispered, making sure she had his attention. “We will never doubt this again.” She echoed the words he had used to anchor her months ago, tucked away in a Spartan bedroom.
Instead of answering, he tilted his head up, pressing his lips to hers. His hands found her quickly, wrapping her up in his arms. “Never again, queen. You have my word.”
He pulled her back down onto the pillows, curving around her back, arms locking around her. The warmth of her body seeped into his limbs as he lay there, drawing lazy circles on her skin.
Penelope squirmed under his arm, backing closer into him. A low rumble formed in his chest. “My queen,” his voice darkened, “If you continue that, I will not be on time for my next engagement.”
She turned underneath his grasp, reaching up to run her fingers down the side of his throat. “Where are you going?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead before shifting to stand. Her fingers lingered on his wrist. He bent down, kissing the inside of her palm. “To see our son.”
It took all his willpower to remove himself from their bed. To remove himself from his wife’s arms.
Telemachus stood with his back to the door, speaking quietly to one soldier, when Odysseus entered the bustling courtyard. The ever present sting of grief flared up as he watched his son interact with the Ithacan people so easily.
A pang that reminded Odysseus, daily, how he had failed his boy. How he would never be the father he had needed.
But as he had been counseling Telemachus on the workings of leadership and running a kingdom, the ache had lessened, but only slightly. His son never needed him to teach him how to be a man, how to be a leader.
Penelope had shown him everything he needed to know. The rest… Well, Odysseus was just thankful that the suitors hadn’t been the only influence on his son while he was lost at sea.
“My king,” He called to his son, trying to inject some lightheartedness into his words. “Spare a moment for your senile father?”
“Of course,” Telemachus turned, dismissing the guard with a nod. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Walk with me, son.” Odysseus motioned for the younger man to lead, “I have a favor to ask of you.”
The men walked in silence for quite some time, neither one speaking, daring to sever the tension that weighed between them.
“Father-”
“Telemachus-”
They spoke at the same time, rousing a laugh from the older man. “You first, young king.” A smile tugged at his lips.
“I am worried about her.” He avoided his father’s gaze, eyes staring into the treeline in front of them. “I think she is hiding things from me. From us.”
Odysseus clapped his son on the shoulder, grinning. “Son, one thing you will learn about your mother… She is always steps ahead of us.” He let out a sigh, looking up to the clouds that covered the Ithacan sky. “She hides things, son. Not to trick or act in malice, but because it’s how she keeps us safe. Her secrets are how your mother believes she protects us.”
“And do they?”
“We’re here, aren’t we?”
The smile that his son offered him left an ache in his gut. It was sad, the way the corner of his mouth turned gently upwards, not quite reaching his eyes. “What favor do you have for me, Father?” He asked after a moment of quiet.
