#let alone calypso being the victim

[corvid-ghost]

It's such whiplash from going from my corner of tumblr to tiktok when it comes to odysseus

Like here (in my corner idk about the rest) its pretty common knowledge that what happened to odysseus was sa, and most of the stuff abiut him are based off of the Iliad or Odyssey (or epic) and yk people know what they're talking about

And then

Then I go tiktok and it's all "odysseus is cheating scum! Circe, Calypso, and Penelope deserved better! He did them dirty! And achilles and patroclus! Terrible person! Bad! They're the victims!"

Which wild take but ok

[enderisin]

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

LONG RANT ABOUT EPIC!CALYPSO AHEAD

Calypso is extremely fascinating to me, because although she’s one of the characters I sympathize the most with and I strongly enjoy reading about her, if she were a real person I’m afraid she would likely end up with a one-way ticket to hell.

Now, most people in the fandom agree that she’s far from a good person. However, I do not believe she is evil incarnate, nor is she an innocent victim of her circumstances.

Now, Calypso has known one thing all her life:

She is alone.

Let me make this clear.

She is completely alone. For hundreds of years, she’s never had a conversation. Never had someone to help her. Never laughed with somebody. Never had someone smile at her. She’s never even made eye contact with anyone.

So, when someone washes up on her shore, she’s ecstatic.

This changes everything.

It’s every single one of her dreams wrapped up into one person.

After what is most likely days of fantasizing about her future life and caring for the unconscious man, he wakes up.

And says he’s married and threatens her life.

Of course, she could let him go.

But this is also her only chance.

She has no idea if she’ll ever see another person again.

Let that sink in.

She’s a goddess.

She’s immortal.

She could be alone for the rest of eternity until time itself ends.

Of course she's desperate for him to stay.

Now, is any of that an excuse for what she did? Of course not.

But in letting him go, she would be sacrificing her happiness for all of eternity.

I’ll leave it up to the reader to decide what you personally would choose in that situation.

Now, fast forward seven years. In epic specifically, we have no idea how she treated him.

She could have kept him in a cage, or she could have given him everything he’s ever wanted and we would have no idea.

However, we do know two very important things that we learn from Love in paradise.

1. Odysseus is not happy and actively begs to go home.

2. Calypso is doing everything in her power to keep him there.

Even in the ending part of love in paradise where Odysseus is on the cliff (which I personally believe is when we truly see things from Odysseus’s perspective, but that’s a discussion for another time), Calypso is calmly trying to get him to stay.

And how does she do that?

By literally and figuratively taking the place of everyone he’s ever loved in his life.

Now, this is a horrific thing to try and do. Hopefully I don’t need to explain why knowingly isolating someone and using their trauma as a tool to get them to love you is not a good thing.

But I personally believe Calypso thought she was doing the right thing.

Why? Because from her perspective, she loves him. She is his support system.

In other words, she and her love is the paradise he needs to come back to.

And if she has to play dirty to get him to come back, so be it.

in Not sorry for loving you, many are confused on whether or not calypso is genuinely apologizing or simply manipulating him.

I believe it’s both.

She likely feels some level of guilt for what she put odysseus through. She knows that she is selfish. But from her perspective, she had no other choice if she wanted to keep her sanity intact.

And maybe some part of her doesn’t want to face the consequences of her actions no matter how fair she knows they are.

So in the same breath as her apology, she throws out a last ditch effort to guilt him into staying.

She tells her tale. She pours her heart out. She gives him everything she has.

But it’s not enough.

In the same song, Odysseus says he loves her, “But not in the way [she] wants him too.”

This interests me greatly. After all, just one song ago he was clearly unhappy being with her. Is he lying? Did Calypso somehow get him to love her in just one song? Is he being manipulated?

I personally believe he’s telling the truth.

He does love her.

But instead of taking the obvious interpretation of the line that he only loves her platonically, I believe this means he loves her because she is all he has.

He’s lonely, and he hasn’t seen his wife in nearly 20 years. If he completely avoided calypso, he would be just like she was before he came.

Alone.

So if Odysseus began to feel something besides hatred when he looked at his captor, is he really to blame?

Does prometheus occasionally to look forward to the eagle’s visits, for it means that for a brief moment he is not abandoned?

I guess you could call it Stockholm syndrome, what I’m describing.

But Odysseus did not have such words to describe the way he felt.

He only knew that as Calypso’s tears mixed with the ocean he was about to sail on, he forced aside the part of him that wished to dry them.

[ender-cloud]

Epic the Musical Vengeance Saga just dropped so heres my thoughts on it!!

Overall thoughts: A lot shorter than I thought it was going to be BUT, THAT MAY BE BECAUSE OF THE ITHICA SAGA HAVING SO MANY LONG SONGS

Wait nevermind, it’s the next day and I just realized how long the Vengeance saga is I think I was just tired and it just seemed like it was fast

Also very Nerve racking, and I literally sat there eyes wide and mouth agape almost the entire time oh my god it was so fucking cool, the animation??? Like huh???

Now onto the songs before I start getting into specifics!

Song 31: Not Sorry for Loving you

I am not a Calypso fan, normally I don’t like her in any adaptation or original version, but, with that said, this is the first song that really made me re think that. (Still hate her though, but I tried to put in two perspectives)

The way that Jorge made it so you can really see how tragic Calypso is and really feel for her, is it definitely not ok that she kept Odysseus trapped against his will: yes, but really being alone for so long it makes sense.

Wangui really out did herself, the way you can tell the voice change from Love in paradise which is more upbeat and energetic, to this sad, distant voice in Not sorry for loving you, showing just how much she doesn’t want to let Odysseus go but knows its for the best, no matter how much it hurts her to

I feel like Calypso admitted that she did something wrong but yet still saying shea not sorry for loving Odysseus makes the song more in character and more realistic for her

On the other side; her words are trying to make Odysseus stay. She thinks if she can make Odysseus feel bad for her by telling her all this he will stay with her, but Odysseus is tired of this, it probably isn’t the first time where Calypso tried to convince him not to leave with her words. Despite being tired of the island, he still has his wits and knows better to fall for it

Saying “I’m not sorry for loving you” is completely getting rid of the “apologies” she said before. All of the things that she said was done out of her “love” so saying she’s not sorry for loving ody is saying to ignore everything she said before “I’m sorry for making YOU feel bad but I’m not sorry for doing it”

I can talk line by line when it cuts to the animatic but its getting late so I’ll just skip to the one that really stuck out to me which was Ody’s “I love you! but not in the way that you want me to…”

At first, it threw me old guard, odysseus, the biggest simp ever, in love with another woman! Impossible! But than the second part really made me think about how close they might have grown in the last 7 years

Even if it wasnt how Calypso wanted it to go and how Ody didn’t always have the best times on that island; Calypso still took care of him and they were each other’s only company for years, they would grow close as friends and it all makes sense put into that perspective

And Calypso hating that she fell in love with ody also makes sense in this perspective, if she didn’t love him the two had the opportunity to become great friends, truly all calypso wanted was company, and she knows that if she had stopped herself she would have had that company in a friend. Maybe the two could’ve gotten along better than they could’ve ever imagined just as friends, and maybe, this departure would be more sad on Odysseus side and less rageful on Calypso’s side.

Also Gigis animatic for it was just ahshajbshshs god, it was so good

Anyway, with all of that said this song can also be seen as emotional manipulation:D depends on how you look at it because it can be seen as Calypso playing the victim to make Odysseus feel bad and stay with her, It was most likely the intention but I tried to give both perspectives on the situation

Song 32: Dangerous

HERMES HAHAHAH OH I LOVE HEREMS SO MUCH!! FAVORITE CHARACTER RIGHT THERE!!

Something I really enjoyed about dangerous is what it brought back from past songs, the wind bag, the 600 men lines coming back but this time without the crew to back it up, instead theres just silence

And then of course Hermes is there too so thats by itself is bringing back Wouldn’t you like.

Troy’s voice is just so intresting to me and scratches my brain in all of the right places

To be honest hearing Troy sing the plan of the part made me let out a sigh of relief because all I could’ve heard until then was the Carl wheezer version and I’ve now been cleansed by Troys amazing voice

The whole Hermes dancing part while Odysseus fought off monsters was definitely a lighter thing to laugh at after Not sorry for loving you, ALSO THE TWERKING??? I CANT JUST NOT TALK ABOUT THAT, so now, the question everyones all been wondering, is Hermes giving the Winions twerking lessons? Because I mean the man flys and got the wind bag so must be relatively close with Aeolus (they match each others energy) and there for the Wininons in relation also they were his backup singers so!!? Twerking lessons

Anyways back to the song; odysseus part is so good, I don’t know what else to say about except for that but I truly do like it I swear!!

The fact that Athena didn’t even seem to cross Odys mind at the end was shocking to me, yes they had their falling out but Athena was the first person he called out to in Love in Paradise

The fact that he thinks he was ignored and pushes aside by her is heart renching, i do hope they have a reconnection in the Ithca saga (Because Athena is not dead, I refuse it Jorge, your video was a Lie, she is not dead, Apollo healed her, she is ok!)

Song 33: Charybdis

I dont have much to say about this one Annalyzing wise so instead I will say that It’s very Catchy and will be stuck in my head for all time.

I love Jorges voice in it chat its so good, It always is but like the Vocals on this one in particular I cant explain it

Also the animation is really cool.

God I dont know why, I knew Get in the water was coming but I really was happy for Odysseus to make it home, I think it’s how he sounded so desperate and so close and I just wanted to give him a hug, the past two somgs kept my mind off of what was to come and it really came to stab me in the back

Song 34: Get in the water

All I can think of is my friend going “Oh no he’s hot!” To poseidon when he arose from the water to start off the song, it was a little bit of light before the storm that was to come

I’ve been meaning to say this for a few of the songs now but Get in the water has such a different feeling and tone than any other song in the musical, normally Jorge brings melodies back but hearing a completely different sound that hadn’t been in the musical earlier almost breaks this invisible rule in place and its nerve racking

It dosent start with the normal boss music but instead its own original thing because this isn’t just a boss, this is the Boss that is the biggest turning point in Odysseus, this time we truly see Odysseus become the monster, a monster that scares not only mortals, but gods and other monsters as well, he will never let anyone defy him again

Poseidon’s threats to raise the tide were so nerve racking, god Steven Rodriguez’s voice is so calm yet so filled with rage at the same time, so steady but so ready to break the dam down, and the way it escalates to where the anger is more ahown but its not quite screaming, not just yet has Posedion reached the peak of his Anger

Odysseus still trying to reason with Poseidon, one of the last times this reasoning part of him will show as he tries to convince Posedion to give up after the 10 years this has been going on for

The reasoning turns into a faint version of ruthlessnesses melody, the melody playing in the background, not only to lead into Poseidons lines from it, but also knowing just how Ruthless both Poseidon and Odysseus are soon to become

Poseidon powering up WAS SO SICK MAN! LIKE OH MY GOD!!! It was absolutely amazing, my mouth dropped when I saw it and it reminded me of circe and her monster yet this isn’t a monster but an extension of poseidon (Who can count as a monster depending on who you ask)

This is where we can see Poseidon reach the peak of his anger where his power is the strongest and his boss move is set in place, the animation, again, absolutely fantastic. The ocean breaking is so satisfying, and yet the entire time I was terrified of it

JORGE STOP BRINGING BACK OPEN ARMS OH MY GOD I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE, I couldn’t tell if they were pulling Odysseus to his death or empowering him, because Polites just put his hand on Odys shoulder, an encouraging powerful gesture. While his mother is dragging him down and down into the sea and Eurylochus is on his arm

It’s the same thing from love in paradise, the memories make him want to die but then he remembers that; they would want him to live on and fight, to not let them die for nothing, and to make it out alive so he could make sure they were all remembered, every 601 of them (or 602 if you count the baby)

But it could have also been that they knew what Odysseus was going to become and wanted him to just rest and let himself go once and for all, Polites looking at him, knowing that Odysseus cant do that, knowing Odysseus would never just leave his wife like that.

Instead of using this new found encouragement and power in his body to reason with Poseidon he becomes a monster to him instead, the monster thats always been within him but just hidden because of him leading with his heart

Song 35: Six Hundred strike

I forgot who the animator was because it’s the next day but it looked so much like a video game and was so impressive, all of the animatics in this one were just absolutely terrifying, with Odysseus red eyes being like him powering up is so interesting to see

Now remember what I said earlier during Dangerous about the crew not backing Odysseus up because they were gone; this song brings them back after Odysseus saw their spirits, like he had remembered and now the voices may not actually be there but in Ody’s head as a form of motivation for the fight

It’s been a while since we’ve heard Odysseus so angry (Because he’s to busy gentle parenting and reasoning with every monster he finds) but now seeing it against poseidon was such a shift and Ody shifted with it.

Just awesome animation and the instrumental in the back is so cool and high stake. “Almost all of whom were slaughtered by your hand!” Sososo good because when it wasn’t Poseidon it his son and the last part of the crew died under Odysseus’s choice but instead of focusing on this he focused on how he only caused 42 deaths (Elpenor i love you but your death was your fault) and how Poseidon caused more that 500 instead.

In that Light it made what Odysseus would do next more reasonable for him, more justified in his mind

The animation turn where all you could see was the red glowing eyes of Odysseus staring at you before he picks up the trident and starts torturing Poseidon.

Old Odysseus after he defeated Poseidon would once again try and reason with him to stop the storm, but this is a new odysseus, a different beast so to say, he no longer cares about the nice way out, Ruthlessness will become far from Merciful if it means he can finally see his family again.

“You didn’t stop when I begged you! Told me to close up my heart!” I am very much obsessed with the lines in this saga they are so good and just so powerful as well in the moments, its an action jammed pack saga because it has to be the entire journey back but it’s done so well.

Hearing an actual god Call odysseus a Monster is different from anything else that might’ve been scared of him before because Gods are all powerful, they don’t have time to fear mortals, But Odysseus is different, more power in just a mortal than they have ever seen before, Odysseus doesn’t have any godly power except for his wit and brute strength to win his battles and thats absolutely terrifying to see how powerful he is with just being a mortal man

“How will you sleep at night?” “Next to my wife.”

GOD, I dont know what to say about this line except for it is absolutely amazing and delivered so well and is just all in all very resinate of what Odysseus’s goal has been since he started this journey

This saga was all in all very cool! It’s not up in my top 3 but its very very close

[winterspellsfrozenkit]

Oh God

Their are other ways is out

I was really hoping Jay wouldn’t go the route he did but he did :(

I love the music behind the part where Odysseus turns Searcy down but on the other hand… He completely completely erased the part where Odysseus was straight up SA’d

I… Jay I love you, BUT WHYYYY

So I listened to ""There Are Other Ways" and I have three theories to WHY Jay changed it to Odysseus breaking down and turning down Circe. 1. The year long timeskip was difficult to explain, 2. Sexual coercion/abuse is NEVER a comfy subject and he might've been worried about not handling it well, and 3. It helps ensure people understand Odysseus LOVES Penelope. Let's me explain:

Reason 1. The year long time skip is difficult to explain: In the Odyssey, we don't know what happened while Odysseus and his men stayed on Circe's island for a year, just that they were resting and recovering, but the men have to remind Odysseus about going home which makes me think something happened to make Odysseus either forget or become wary to leave, which is odd because Penelope and Telemachus are his big drive, so not wanting to leave immediately is out of character for him OR the men weren't going to move until they were ready and he was waiting for them.

Reason 2. Sexual coercion and abuse are really difficult to handle: When Hazbin Hotel snippets got leaked, everyone flipped out on Vivziepop for part of the Poison song that got leaked. Keep in mind that Vivziepop was a victim of abuse and parts of Angel's story with Valentino was pulled from her past with her toxic ex. Even so, people flipped out on her on social media for the leak, saying she was making light or not showing how awful sexual abuse is, but when Poison came out in full, people saw it really was showing the ugliness and horror of the situation. Circe's situation is more coercive and coercive situations are awful in their own right because they give the illusion of choice to the point people will blame the victim because "Well, why did they say yes? They could've said no." because people don't see or recognize the coercion. As a result, Jay might've been wary about handling the situation poorly or how fans would react. It does show the insidious nature of coercion, having Odysseus is agreeing there's no puppet, but he has to say that to get his men back and by having him breakdown and say "I can't!", it shows how much this is actually hurting him. Epic doesn't have accompanying visuals in the way Poison does, so showing how much being pushed to sleep with Circe had harmed Odysseus is really difficult with just dialogue alone.

Reason 3. It helps ensure people understand Odysseus LOVES Penelope. If you go around Tumblr, you'll see SO MANY PEOPLE BLAME ODYSSEUS FOR CIRCE AND CALYPSO. They claim Penelope deserves better than Odysseus, ignoring the sexual coercion and rape that happened to him. They shame him and say he claimed to love his wife, but slept with two other women the first chance he got. By choosing to have Odysseus breakdown at the idea of being pushed to sleep with Circe, it attacks that idea that Odysseus would choose to cheat on Penelope. It shows the true heart of Odysseus: the man who went to woo Helen of Troy, but decided her cousin, Penelope, was who he wanted to marry; the man who risked becoming an oath-breaker to stay with his wife and infant son when he was called to war; the man who didn't stay with Circe and refused immortality and staying with Calypso to go home to his mortal wife.

Adaptations are difficult. I wouldn't say it was a complete erasure, because it leads up to it, but just has Odysseus breakdown before anything happened. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it, because Odysseus was a victim and that shouldn't be forgotten, but I do think the song drove home that emotional impact this situation had on Odysseus in that this situation was harmful to Odysseus and that he wouldn't choose to cheat which is important. I'm a writer, not a song writer, but a writer and the idea of tackling the complex emotions of that situation and all the effects it has on a victim in one song is daunting. It's why a lot of people choose to avoid depicting situations of coercion and abuse. There's so many complex emotions tied up in situations like this and how do you accurately depict that in one song that has no visuals and is only dialogue? How do you explain the emotional pain and feelings of helplessness a victim is going through? What emotion is going to be the main one coming from the victim? Grief? Guilt? Rage? Fear? Which is more important: the event itself happening or the emotional impact?

Jay might've not gone fully into the event, but he did show the emotional impact and how much this situation hurt Odysseus with him breaking down and begging Circe to grant him and his men mercy. He showed Odysseus struggling with what he had to do to save his men. Comparing to most adaptations, this one actually does show some of the emotional pain Odysseus must've had in the situation, rather than painting it as Odysseus romancing Circe or cheating on Penelope. It's not perfect, but it gives Odysseus more understanding in the situation than most adaptations do, so I'm relieved and grateful for that.

[ilikebigants]

Hi, I need someone else’s opinion on Leo’s ending in BoO cause personally I hate it. Like Leo’s entire reasoning for why he would die out of the seven was that he was the least valuable member and like. He’s right? Cause he does die, so his assumption was correct! And also him believing that no one would be near him/ capable of (willing to) save him is why he gave the vial to feastus instead. I know it’s meant to be like Leo defies fate and everything but it’s got to be so shattering to have your extremely low self esteem essentially be given a thumbs up by the universe.

I hate it as well, for a multitude of reasons. Let's start with the obvious: Unbelievably low self esteem.

His entire life, he's been a victim in one way or another. He was called a diabolo by his relatives for simply being born different, and his entire life he'd been going from orphanage to orphanage, being abused and bullied the whole way through. There's a high chance he's also been homeless for extended periods of time, which can give you so many different mental issues, one of the most common being a feeling that you don't exist due to how people ignored you in your time of need.

And then, Piper and Jason happen. He finally has friends!... except he doesn't. They treat him awfully, half the time wishing he wasn't there or insulting him in their minds. And as stupid as the fandom portrays him to be, he IS smart and perceptive. He definitely notices but won't bring it up because he knows what might happen if he does: they might leave him again. He'll be alone again.

People who haven't experienced long-term involuntary isolation don't understand what that does to someone. He was terrified, I can be sure of that.

How do you think he felt when he realised the friendship he had was just a product of the mist? Fearful? Helpless? He definitely wasn't happy, and I'm almost certain his heart sank at the realisation he was alone once more. The one time he wasn't only being a lie.

And then Frank and Hazel happened.

People seem to forget that Frank was an antagonising asshole WAYYYY before Leo ever insulted him or made fun of him. Why? Because Hazel treated him nicely, and Leo didn't treat her like shit. It's ridiculous. "He was trying to steal hazel1!1!" No, he wasn't. BFFR. He spoke so many times about how he'd never do that out of respect for someone else's relationship.

The reality of the situation is that he was once again isolated. He can't be friends with Frank or Hazel due to Frank's jealousy issues. Voila, he's once more alone. The 7th wheel.

Not to mention the underlying thought that Hazel only likes him because he reminds her of Sammy.

And THEN there's Percy Jackson. The saviour of olympus. Boy wander and popular as all hell. And Percy doesn't like him. Remember that? It's explicitly said that Percy didn't like Leo. Bam. There goes his last chance to make any friends. If Percy doesn't like you, then Annabeth doesn't like you. Yeah, Annabeth and Leo have been mentioned to talk about engineering with each other, but it isn't even implied that they're in any way close or talk outside of projects for the argo 2.

Why SHOULDN'T he have low self-esteem? Nothing and no one have shown him he's anything more than a tool. A thing to fix stuff around the ship. And this isn't even with me mentioning the guilt he feels for firing on New Rome, or his guilt for throwing Annabeth and Perry into Tartarus, or the MILLION of other things that have made him believe he was expendable!

His one "friend," Festus, is torn into fucking pieces!

So really, no fucking wonder he clings to the idea of a girlfriend so fucking tightly. The prospect of someone who won't leave? Who'll like him? Who'll LOVE him?! Of COURSE he wants that! And that explains why he's so eager to get back to Calypso!

I'll say it, I believe that the only reason he went back was because he thought that he and her had 1 thing in common, and that was loneliness. I genuinely believe he saw how toxic the whole thing was and didn't care because she was just as alone as he was. It's codependency in its purest form. They fought at the start, they fought in the middle, and at the end, the last scene we ever see of them together is them STILL FIGHTING. Say whatever you want about the age gap, even if it wasn't there this STILL would have been a bad relationship for both of them!

But back to the original point. Leo sacrificing himself. Personally, I think that he did it not out of a feeling of inferiority, but because he was suicidal. Straight up. And as a last ditch effort to prove to himself that the others cared.

And he was proven wrong, as they didn't care.

He was right at the end of the day. No one cared for him.

The entire story feels like a giant "fuck you" to Leo. His happy ending being losing Jason and being unhappily married to Calypso.

And on a meta level we have how the fandom treats him, basically being ignored in fan content unless they need a Comic relief.

People talk all the time about how hard the others got it in life, and I agree, but they had 1 thing that helped them make it through: a support network. Leo had it the hardest out of all of them, for the single reason that he didn't have that.

Not only was his suicide basically applauded and rewarded, but his gift for saving everyone was to be miserable for the rest of time.

We never did find out what happened to the 7 after the Trials of Apollo, but in my mind, Leo Valdez only ever talks again to Nico D'angelo. Why? Because after years with Calypso, he stops pretending, and with a gun in his right arm, he's dead.

[katerinaaqu]

Awww girl 🫂🫂❤️ I am so happy you liked it! You are so sweet as always! It's okay I was partially expecting that it wouldn't get much attention. It still hurt a bit of course but it's okay. I ain't writing very positively about the musical and all so yeah and not even one of the famous creators anyways hehe no problem 😊 aww ✨️ thanks dear!

Hehe yeah poor guy! 😅 I remembered how you brilliantly said he would start with a very nasty hangover hahaha 😆 I just had to add that! The guy practically consumed a crater of wine by himself hahaha he should be having a nasty wake up call! Hahaha yeah the walls strike again. Oh my you are right or a prison!

Yeah because in Greece drunkenness was severely discouraged so yeah feeling guilty that he got drunk in front of these women plus yeah the opening up. Oh yeah and even if he can grasp it he tries to make excuses in his head because she was his savior and all. Oh yeah for sure Odysseus is too clever even under his fear or spells he would still think that it was very convenient they had a cure for hangover ready.

Oh my your imagination puts me to shame dear! 🫠 originally I wondered whether it would simply be a different medication that just works on stomach but man it could be so that they can handle him more! Oh gosh yeah even if he suspects her flirting he has no clue yet how BADLY she wants to be sleeping with him now!

Hahahaha she is a reverse Dilla isn't she? Hahaha Dilla has medicine ready to help Caleb but Calypso first causes the problem and then she brings the solution hahaha 😆 😂 oh yeah even if it was just his fear for Gods speaking louder it could also be her spell making him more susceptible but he definitely catches up more and more and even if his instict tingles on her motivations he still does not want to put two and two together. Hahahahahaha it is perfect isn't it? 😂😂😂

Yeah I was inspired by many abuse victims who make up excuses on the behavior of their abuser whether the abuser didn't know or that they themselves deserve it. In his case is a bit the first. She saved him and helped him so she shouldn't wish him bad right? But yeah just excuses indeed plus his fear jndeed that he has insulted enough gods already. Oh man for sure Calypso uses that to her advantage as she did the night prior. And yeah Circe was a powerful goddess who could crush him but she seemed more considering plus he had his men back then. Now he is alone and Calypso seems to be raising red flag after red flag in his head now.

Hahahaha always! Oh man you are so amazing in your analysis! Indeed she might as well wish to manipulate him into believing he is in a safe place but man yeah Odysseus gets more and more suspicious of this being all a stage or too set up. But yes she is his savior so he tries to indeed convince himself that his worries are misplaced that he is just being paranoid.

Hahahahahaha oh gosh maybe? 🤣 like the poor guy lying down and not getting up hahaha oh man girl! Maybe indeed how they rush to his assistance can be potentially how he loses his freedom of movement and his autonomy! Oh man she is getting all the more creepy isn't she? Hahaha oh gosh then I am succeeding hahaha my plan was to give an explanation as to why she does what she does and maybe give her the human dimension but she is still obviously a manipulator and abuser.

Yup. Some of the worse abuses come from genuine emotions. Which is basically what happens here. She loves and desires him but she disregards his choices and she is not willing to let him go. Hahahaha the "simpleton" part was also in homeric poems hahaha basically he described Odysseus as someone who seems like having no idea what is happening like having an aloof look but then he starts speaking and eveeyone can tell his true intelligence. 😆 but yeah she basically gets too charmed but she disregards him and doesn't respect his choices. And yeah although someone can sympathize with the unrequited love her methods are definitely unacceptable especially indeed as she starts caring less and less about his consent

Hahaha yeah. Not jumping on him was a good idea not because it would be a clear violation but because he would remember and resent her!

Oh man "opening the shell by force" is so accurate! Hahaha creeps rising

Yeah at this point is where Odysseus thinks she tries a bit TOO MUCH to show him that she cares to the point of being suffocating. Yeah in her mind is the necessary evil so that he would get things off his chest but yes to Odysseus is a clear violation to his free will.. oh man yeah Odysseus tensing again and yes her lust speaking again.

Yes I thought it would fit. In a way that is one of the "decent" conversations she has. In a way returns the favor of him opening up with her opening up in return but yes at this point she might as well also use it to drive the conversation to the emotional manipulation of her wanting him to stay with her. In a way bringing him to the point of feeling sorry that she is lonely so that he would be coersed to stay. But you are absolutely right. She is surrounded by yes men (women) and people who grant her all her wishes. That is not proper company for sure and there is a tragedy to that which I wanted to portray here. However yes it also made her feel that she is not entitled to someone saying no to her and that no is unacceptable to her now. In a way Odysseus is a gift sent to her someone she loved and someone beyond her control but yes her actions are definitely inexcusable. I am so glad you feel so!

Oh man I couldn't have said it better! 😶 oh yeah for a few seconds it almost felt like her emotional trick would work but yes Odysseus becomes all the more aware and these games confuse him. Yeah I fathomed all gods have this kind of arrogance here since they are immortal and all.

Absolutely. He has this gorgeous woman (an immortal goddess no less) that could have anyone she wanted showing such an interest in him. Who wouldn't be flattered? Especially indeed as Odysseus is no longer young and all but yes all the more now especially now that he is back in full health he realizes more and more that he has to leave.

Hahahahaha yeah 🤣 hypocrisy 101 here hahaha 😆. Yup basically she says the reason he has to return is pitiful and unimportant and to put it on top she reminds him in a way that he was disliked by many and uses his friends and comrades who betrayed him as the sole proof of that.

Oh man yeah here it is! 😶 Calypso begins full attack now banging him relentlessly with things that she knows happened to him but she brings them before him to make him see her point of view. And yes she wants to show their betrayal as simply evil act while indeed it was much more complicated than that. Oh man she does seem like she kept that information just in case she needed to use it doesn't it? And yeah she knows but she treats it as the last solution to make him "see the truth" while in reality it is far from it. 😢

Oh man thanks dear 🙏 and man so true! And yeah Odysseus can understand because he had suffered with them. He also had no food on the island and he also started to fear for their safety. He was part of it. Ans man for real the cows being there was absolutely brutal for their psychology!

Yeah again I used the idea that Polites was his best friend so he would still defend him and wishing to see things from his perspective as much as possible even if he too has some doubts. Yeah anyone can be unfair in rage and frustration and yes to be fair Eurylochus had more than just his share of experiences but yes he doesn't bear the same responsibility as Odysseus and he cannot fully comprehend the depth of his weight but still he does suffer that's for sure. Oh my the very least indeed! And man that's also true. Is one thing hearing the future and afraid and try to prevent it but the past he can do nothing about and the loss is still recent too and yes he knows the terrible things that happen next...

Aww thank you so much dear! 💓 that's indeed what I tried to portray here! And yes he also feels the injustice to what he had to suffer as a result but yes coming back to blaming himself as well and man it is a battle isn't it? But yes he also recognizes the trauma of his comrades because quite frankly he had been through it too.

Gosh thanks dear! That moment in the Odyssey was insane indeed so I wanted to do it justice so yeah man so many emotions of tension there because only Odysseus knew what was coming...no one else. Oh yeah that moment was insane indeed how the men were looking at charybdis but they had no idea!

Man right?! 😨 and man yeah he hoped till the last moment he wouldn't hear the sound of the beast waking but alas...and man for real Polites speaking of it just stabs him in the heart and yeah that was why I made him remember his own trauma; astyanax who died so violently and man yeah he tried even the last second to warn everyone to get down but yeah too late!

Aww that means a lot coming from a horror film fan dear! And as we discussed I imagined the mouths opening sideways instead but it was a momentary inspiration hehehe 😉 man the description in the Odyssey was just the most brutal stuff indeed! 😨 and man yeah imagine seeing or hearing that...

Man yeah the tension and silence you could cut it with a knife and of course Odysseus knew he had made the decision to sacrifice them for the sakes of the majority but man...judging by how he describes that moment when he tells his story I imagine indeed that it was something that scarred him but yeah I imagined Eurylochus being beyond himself at that moment and yeah I imagined he would be totally resentful and thanks 😊 you are so sweet! Indeed on one hand Odysseus hid it from them so they are furious but then again what could he say indeed? How could he say "6 of us are going to die"? Make them look around and hope it wouldn't be them to die?

Oh man who wouldn't indeed? Oh man you are so right! Now he feels as if his death is always close and that indeed pushes him to the "ill be damned if I die here" mode! Oh man it was the absolutely wrong thing to say wasn't it? But yup you got it! I WAS referencing to my other story "Guilt" in a way reflecting also the emotion of guilt he feels here and yes he puts the Visage of the harsh leader indeed because if he can no longer make his authority be heard he must indeed impose it to bring them all home so they will not be divided but yes it breaks him inside much more now that he lost them all! 😢

Awww right?! Breaking down completely 😭😭 and man yeah she feels like she achieved her purpose to make him resent them...and man so true it is indeed a parallel again isn't it? But man so true that is the difference indeed

Yeah I imagined she would bring it up at least one more time so I imagined that would be the first time and aww thanks! I mean Odysseus now literally KNOWS the horrors of the underworld! He has seen it! Which makes his decision to refuse Calypso even more admirable in my mind! Oh man right? He got his eyes back to his goal!

Hahahaha thanks 🤣👌 and man so true now he uses that very same eagerness he has to go back home against him! And yes I thought to add here the Agamemnon perspective too!

Yeah and yes it is it is freaking long especially indeed for duties of royals but man! Yeah she just says "literally no one waits so long" which as it was proven was not true and man so true again!

Man once again so right girl! ✅️ and man yeah that moment where she says not even he would wait is probably one of the first bells ringing in his brain how she will imply what she wants of him as well and yeah the special bed that is literally rooted in his homeland man that is too much to bear indeed but his mind is now haunted by doubt indeed! What Calypso said is perfectly logical...and yet it kills him! He doesn't want to accept it!

Oh man yeah his fighting spirit is back and even in the worst case scenario he is ready for his "just do it" attitude and that drives her crazy. Oh man true hahaha Assara material indeed! Oh boy! 😶

Yup and to be fair from a God perspective much more a helplessly in love one that is absolutely frustrating! Yeah I wanted to signify how she stopped using flirting or indirect ways and now she is ready for the next stage! How indeed she is ready to act according to her feelings in a demanding way.

Oh man once more on spot! He is alert awake and with his guard up but he still believes that if she helped him once she would again! 😢 and man so true now she is like a little girl that denies him stuff because indeed she doesn't want to "return the toy"

Man yeah I thought she would twist the laws of hospitality because indeed he didn't seek her hospitality originally but was washed out at her home beaten up and half-dead. She decided to help and now she holds it against him because indeed she knows he has nothing. And man yeah the guy didn't have even time to comprehend! And yeah now the true depth is seen before him! And now he can only panic because he knows he is trapped!

Oh man exactly like "you did it before so what's your problem now?" And man thinking of it is indeed so unfair and frustrating and even more tragically in theory he wouldn't be doing something out of the ordinary if he had lovers since it was frequent back then but for him who is in love with his wife man that strikes so deep!

Man for real bacause even in the Odyssey with him crying every day Calypso was like "aww you gods are jealous of our love!" Like...dude... ans Odysseus just suffers...

Man I should imagine he would indeed! Man! And the begging ritual is another sacred move how a person falls down and hugs the knees of the benefactor and the benefactor generally is not allowed to refuse anything. Odysseus did that with Circe among others. Even gods do it when Thetis begged Zeus to grant her son's wish among others. Man she reminds him of the hubris committed that brought him there and yes she uses the last thing he has; his faith against him! Hehehe bingo I used several phrases that nowadays are more associated with this musical hehe like "I'm just a man" or "monster" etc because I feel they would so fit for this context! I am a bit petty myself but man poor guy indeed! He is just mentally exhausted! And yes how many times he felt his own will or honor were disregarded!

Yeah I think that would strike deeper than anything! And now indeed he breaks completely feeling that trust is basically something nonexistent. He was distrustful before but now he just doesn't trust his own shadow anymore.

Yeah it is here! 😢 oh man thanks dear that was exactly what i wanted here! Their total contrast! She is in anticipation but he is practically dying there...he doesn't want to feel...

Yeah he doesn't even want to do it ans man for real but calypso doesn't allow him to breathe...and yes but now is infinitely worse because he feels it. And yeah he tries to avoid some parts but she won't let him and man yeah some acts of passion now became toxic and he tries to encourage himself to endure it 😭

Man for real! His own body reacting is probably the worst than anything and yeah he tries to stop himself from making any sound at all while yeah trying more and more to save himself from breaking

Oh man yeah or that indeed she js the best choice for him and all he needs is to see it while he is just dying inside...

Yeah in a way he had "consented" with Circe because he had to but here is just totally different and man yeah now the act that was supposed to be passionate and delightful is now distorted and the memories he made of her are being destroyed man I know right?! The pressure! I was inspired by that scene in the Tudors but yeah just twisted

Oh gosh for real! Finally is over but it is over means that his body again reacted to it and man I couldn't resist that phrase from her! She just refuses to acknowledge his pain.

Man exactly! And yeah Odysseus is just destroyed at that point! And man he held onto that hope till the last possible moment! Only go be crushed 😭😭😭 Nope she just doesn't listen. In her mind she is better option and for all she is concerned she is right and his family has moved on...and yeah she truly is sincere with it...and man such a great parallel! Oh man yeah mocking his honor which he feels he has just trampled is just too much...

Man I dunno why I just needed to add that there!and yeah seems so easy and yet so impossible! And man I just thought it would make sense! He tries to leave but he is prisoner now...no escape... yeah he is denied everything at this point...

Oh man it is isn't it? And exactly like ye is a disobedient child when he is literally in despair and yeah fearing for his home and family all day! And yeah the first out of countless times he cries in that beach and yeah he is just forgotten and abandoned there...no escape and no comfort! And remembering his mourning as well

Awww thank you so much dear! Yeah he lost them all...only Elpinor got a proper funeral for that matter... (hehe you know me i couldn't resist adding that hehe). Aww yeah thanks dear! Somehow I thought he would use just a sharp object he would find. Ans yes he can only form that tribute to them.

Yeah they just contrast each other ans man yeah imagine he comes in in that statw and she just thinks they will fix their rough start! Oh man you are so right 😭😭😭😭 it so fits here! For both of them! Oh man yeah the duty feeling just reached zenith!

Awww dear I am so happy you think so! And I hope I will do some tiny justice to those old stories! Man that music was so eerie I just had to use it! And aww I am so glad you think so! Poor guy!

Awww 🫂 you are so sweet but for real I wanted to show that! And man you are right! He is there already double the time and still not even close at finished! Man he absolutely is 😭😭😭 and man he is beiig abused constantly no wonder indeed! Gosh indeed she is no better than those monsters to him now! Yeah he is now feeling like shame plays no role in him anymore. He is just numb like a doll... man yeah many abusers accidentally cause injuries and apologize later but man indeed it doesn't change anything and they DO happen again as well! 😢 yup. Completely ignored.

Oh man in a way indeed 😢 and man like a pet indeed! Yes I wanted it to be yet another reason. Oh boy yeah at this point is no longer just a sweet desire it is something that eats him up day by day and exactly what he does to survive just doesn't seem to end anymore. Oh man for real! One can only imagine! Ans even just her behavior towards him makes him feel almost that "this is how it is with people" and that doubt is eating him up

Man and it makes sense that 15 years is enough to call anyone officially dead yet alone this! And man he surely lost so much...and so much more is to come! 😭😭😭 ans man I would assume it would! Poor guy just realizes more and more his fleeting youth. I bet he even fears he would die there of old age or longing...

Yeah....😢 yup exactly I wanted to connect that to Polyphemus as well as his experiences after as a beggar to Scheria and even his own palace in Ithaca. Oh man for real!

I know right?! The last thing he has, his faith is also now crumbling because he feels abandoned. And even unpleasant things like nightmares that at least were "his" are now taken from him and yeah him actually cursing Athena the goddess he adored most of all was just the switch to realize his own downfall! And trying desperately not to fall so much!

Man yeah he just wants to see this place burn! Ans aww exactly that's what I wanted to show! Man he is so ready for it! And yeah and he wasn't even the goodie guy to begin with but I wanted to show how he is now totally thirsting for blood and revenge...and yeah now he is like "I am screwed anyway. Just one more won't screw me worse!"

Oh man yeah it is totally a different league! 😭 man right?! That is so what I imagined on them! The absolute contrast! 💯

Yeah he just shuts down oh man "cold curtain close" girl you are a genius!

Oh gosh girl 🫂❤️✨️ you are so kind! 😍 and it is so sad that this is considered "controversal" since abuse is abuse no matter what the victim or the perpetrator but aww 😊✨️🫂 thanks you so much! Gosh 😭 it is always a delight to read your comments and reviews!

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Survivor's Guilt and Survior's Duty (P3 + After Note)

Continuation from Part 2:

Swift fingers were moving constantly through golden thread, mixing the different shades perfectly. The hands were moving to and fro as the humming of the sweet song kept on interrupting the rhythmical sound of wood against wood as the tapestry was slowly gaining shape in the loom. It was the skillful fingers of an ancient being beautiful like spring and deadly like winter that was weaving this. Somewhere among the sea of gold and crimson there was a pair of threads that didn’t match in color or texture.

One jet black

And one silver white…

*

Odysseus slowly opened his bruised eyes and he wished he hadn’t. He barely opened them a tiny bit and he shut them closed once more as his sight was mercilessly attacked by the brightness of the white grotto. His stomach was turning and he felt like throwing up everything he ever had eaten in his life and his head was turning around as if someone was spinning him at a whirlpool. He moaned holding his head with both hands, slowly rolling to the side. The headache and dizziness were pounding him relentlessly.

“Gods…my head…” he thought hoping the nausea would leave him alone

The events of the night before were also present in his mind and the embarrassment didn’t help his condition at all. He had drunk himself to the point of oblivion that much he knew. Normally he should know his limitations but he was unable to refuse the goddess who was filling his cup. Once he dared to look around (and of course seeing everything moving around him) he spotted a goblet next to the bed containing a bubbling liquid. Odysseus eyed him more suspiciously than what he would originally have wished to.

“Well…that was awfully organized…” he thought again

Either way downing the drink seemed to help a lot with his unsettled stomach although not spectacularly with his dizziness. The first thing he noticed was that Calypso was not working in her usual spot. That’s odd, he thought, but then he fathomed she wouldn’t sit around and sleep or work by the side of a severely drunk human especially given the whatever the heck would turn out to look like the day after! He moaned once more as he forced himself, excruciatingly slowly to sit up on the bed and place his feet on the floor.

“Gods…never again…” he mumbled holding another gag back.

But it was true that Calypso’s potion was working wonders although he needed at least a couple of more minutes to stand up and start practically staggering until he reached a wall to support himself and walk out, possibly hoping some fresh air would do him good. As he walked down the grotto to his best abilities he surely was wondering how the hell he managed to get so drunk even with the goddess practically encouraging him. He should know better than that. Stopping at a sudden wave of dizziness he sighed and wiped some sweat off his face.

“Alright, Odysseus…no more wine for you…” he mumbled to himself, “…you clearly are not mature enough…”

Beneath his layers of self-sarcasm, though, he did feel like he had embarrassed himself before the goddess. Not only had he drunk himself to stupor; true it was Calypso the one to keep serving him but perhaps she didn’t know the human limitations to drinking. Perhaps she overestimated his tolerance or perhaps… (Odysseus always had one random ominous thought to the back of his head but he always chose to dismiss it, especially now that he needed all help he could get from some god given that he already had half the pantheon chasing after him!), but he also cried like a baby, opening up things he never wished to share in the first place, yet alone in front of an immortal goddess and her immortal nymph entourage. His situation was already bad enough; he was a beggar without anything to offer to the goddess; he didn’t need to be seen as an uncontrollable drunk as well. And this goddess somehow gave a different energy than Circe (and by gods wasn’t that experience scary enough).

He found Calypso lazily laying upon her sofa as her maids were attending the room. His heart was clenched by an unpleasant feeling once more but he dismissed it as his natural aversion towards the fear against the divine. Not to mention he was still feeling ashamed as he couldn’t be more. Calypso sensed his presence and smiled almost maternally at him.

“Good morning, Odysseus” her melodic voice reached his ears. “I am glad to see you up”

“That is a way to put it, goddess…” Odysseus mumbled as he was practically assisted by the maids to sit on the couch opposite her

His dizziness was still awful but he felt better already.

“My throat is dry…” he admitted, “Could I perhaps…have some water?”

Calypso smirked.

“Bring him some water” she ordered

As the cup was given to Odysseus he basically drained it, feeling the cool liquid settling down.

“Blessed you be, goddess…” he whispered again, “And thank you for your treatment. It worked wonders”

“I am glad” Calypso said with her usual feline smile. “I would hate to see you struggle with nausea”

Odysseus drew a deep breath to calm himself a bit. Calypso once more observed him and her heart was flattering. She discreetly tasted her lips imagining that chest moving up and down with his breathing. She looked upon that man that was now monopolizing her dreams and fantasies stand there in the light; his hair appearing almost auburn as sunlight was showering them. He was looking at her and if she hadn’t noticed his eyes shining with intelligence and wisdom she would have sworn he was a simpleton till he would start to speak. Odysseus was a man full of contradictions; darkness and light, quick wits and aloof thinking, braveness and fear…strength and weakness…

“Goddess…I…” he started, “In regards to the events of last night…forgive me I shouldn’t have broken down like this…”

Calypso congratulated herself deep inside for holding herself back.  She was right and indeed Odysseus could remember everything clearly from the night before. It would have ruined everything if she had advanced onto Odysseus while he was vulnerable.

“Why not?” Calypso asked airily. “I am glad you decided to open up with me. I am just sad you had to get drunk you let yourself go and trust me”

Odysseus winced at the reminder. Yeah, that was the last thing he needed to be reminded of… As if reading his thoughts, Calypso spoke again;

“Don’t worry too much, darling. I myself actually drank more than what I intended, last night,” the half-lie came easy to her lips, “You are a very pleasant company, Odysseus. One can forget himself when they are with you!”

“Me?” Odysseus asked in disbelief, “Hardly, goddess…hardly…”

He sighed, rubbing his nape nervously.

“I just...didn’t want to burden you with my troubles…”

“Odysseus…” Calypso said sincerely, “You are never a burden… I really want to help you… Not as a goddess, as a friend, I am glad you took some of that weight off your chest”

And then she took a bold step, more to herself than anything, and placed her hand on his. She felt him tense at the sudden contact while she felt his mortal flesh beneath her hand and she almost lost control of her emotions but her face was kept stone calm.

“Don’t you ever, ever apologize for your emotions, Odysseus,” she said sincerely, “It is what makes you mortals and us immortals similar…”

She felt him almost drawing his hand back or at least she felt his muscles signaling for him to do so, as he looked at her with those eyes that hid so much wisdom that indeed made her wonder what kind of mortal person has so much in their mind. She drew back and leaned on her couch again, casually.

“Oh, yes” she said, “Even us gods have feelings, Odysseus, our own torments. You may say that ours are sometimes more unbearable since we have to live with them for all eternity. We have no way of escaping them. One can see that from this very island too. This little paradise that is so left alone from the world…sometimes loneliness is so much to bear Odysseus…so much…”

Odysseus raised his brows. Suddenly the immortal nymph Calypso seemed almost…vulnerable. He saw her honey eyes reflect genuine pain and sorrow, sadness and isolation. He felt somehow stupefied for a second to react. How can someone consol a god?

“I…I understand, beautiful Calypso…” he whispered, “It is piercing the bones of any person to be isolated…”

“Yes, you do understand, don’t you?” Calypso eyed him, “You were a gift to me, Odysseus. It was the first time in hundreds of years that I felt someone actually connecting to this sorrow; the first time I felt someone truly understands loneliness as I do…”

Odysseus suddenly felt uncomfortable. He didn’t know where this conversation was heading to but it seemed like it was about to take a turn that he wouldn’t really wish it to. And apparently he was right for Calypso held his calloused hand in both of hers; caressing his fingers with her delicate, unnaturally smooth ones.

“Why don’t you stay here with me, Odysseus?” Calypso whispered

Her tone resembled a little girl talking to her first crush. It felt so unnatural to Odysseus that the goddess that nursed him back to health, the goddess that always kept a maternal visage now she was talking to him like he was an eternal god and she a young maiden trying to keep him with her.

“Stay…” Calypso repeated, “You understand how I feel and I understand you. You could live a happy life here; free from all the sorrows and this mortal coil. You wouldn’t need to worry about a thing here.”

As if that was not enough, Calypso raised a hand to touch his chin, making their eyes meet.

“I like you, Odysseus” she confessed naturally, “You interested me from the moment I saw you; your will to survive was unparalleled, however now I see how genuinely worthy you are.”

Odysseus felt his cheeks flush with color. It was rather flattering, he couldn’t lie, that this beautiful immortal being that could have any immortal god she wanted on her feet was now showing some interest in him in whatever way; him the man who was no longer young, who never considered himself the handsomest on earth in the first place, the man who was considered by many cunning, sly and without honor; now pique the interest of an immortal goddess. However…

“Your interest in me is beyond flattering, goddess…” he replied as he softly covered her hand still holding his with his own, discreetly drawing it away, “However I must refuse. I must go back…”

Calypso’s face again changed for one briefest second. It was as if someone had punched her in the gut. She slowly withdrew and sat back to her sofa.

“Go back…?” she echoed, “Why? What’s left for you out there, Odysseus? Poseidon wants your life and everyone you know might as well be thinking only of your harm. Mortal minds are so petty sometimes! Why would you want to go back to that world?”

“I have a kingdom I am responsible of” the king of Ithaca replied, “I have a family, friends that I have to return to.  I made a promise I would. I am a mortal too, goddess, I belong to that world”

“Friends!” Calypso said as if the word had no meaning, “Your friends were responsible for this adventure that almost cost your life!”

Reading the expression of shock to his face, Calypso elaborated.

“You do know, it was Eurylochus the one to persuade your men to eat the cows of Helios Hyperion, right? Not that the rest of your men had vastly different opinion, but it was him the one who betrayed you in the first place, the same way he betrayed you when he opened the sack of Aiolus!”

The Man of Many Torments felt his heart clench as all color left his face.

“What?” he croaked out

“Look in your cup” Calypso encouraged him, “and see the truth”

Odysseus looked down at the ceramic cup in his hand and gasped. Indeed the water surface of his cup had turned into a reflective mirror and now he could see as if he were there himself, the dreadful scene that preceded the slaughter of the sacred animals that led to his last ship to be gone forever and his men drown…

*

The men were tired; dark circles had formed under their eyes from sleeplessness and hunger and it had given them a rough look. They seemed like shadows of the men they used to be. Hunger, fatigue and sorrows had brought them on their knees. The sacred cows of Helios Hyperion were always grazing at the field next to the beach, filling their fat bellies with grass rich in salt and essential minerals. His hungry comrades were often looking at them, longer than it would be proper; way too long for comfort. Everyone was of course considering this source of nutrition ever since their rich provisions were gone. They were holding on the promise they had given to Odysseus and the fear for yet another god’s wrath but this time they were all at their limits. Eurylochus suddenly shot up from his sitting position on a rock.

“I’ve had enough of this!” he exclaimed suddenly

As all heads turned to face him at the same time.

“Hear me out, my friends, because I believe you shall agree with me that this cannot go on! We will starve to death if we wait here doing nothing! I don’t know about you, my friends but I refuse to die here of starvation!”

“Eurylochus!” Polites cried out, “What are you saying! You can’t be implying-…”

“All forms of death are terrible, Polites!” Eurylochus replied again, “We mortals are trained all our lives to fear death but death of hunger? Is there ever a worse form to die than that? We once conquered Troy and all its assets and we were praised by gods and humans and now we are in this godforsaken island and we die day by day on the beach like animals that lost their feeding grounds!”

“Eurylochus is right” Lycaon now spoke, “This can’t go on! And Odysseus is nowhere to be found!”

“He went to hunt” Polites replied again, “And pray for us!”

“Pray! Pray!” Eurylochus suddenly started screaming on top of his lungs, “He does nothing but pray! Have you seen any god favor us?! Have you seen anything good coming out of his prayers?! He calls himself pious and religious, he offers sacrifices! The problem started when the sacrifices became us!”

“Now now!” Alkimos now spoke, “That’s too much! Calm down!”

“Don’t you tell me to calm down Alkimos!” Eurylochus growled, “Odysseus will not do anything, once again! All he can do is pray and his prayers go on deaf ears! And that is all because of him! He only is killing us bit by bit!”

“Now listen you!” Polites had enough of this.

He was hungry too and starving but that was way too much.

“Don’t you dare to say that! Odysseus only tried to protect us all in various occasions! True he made many mistakes but-…”

He was stopped when Eurylochus grabbed upon his collar.

“YOU WEREN’T THERE, POLITES!” Eurylochus bellowed and his eyes already shining with primitive hunger were now beyond any form of madness one could express, “You weren’t there! That monster smashing the heads of our comrades! All we could do was watch as he indulged himself in their flesh! We were in that cave because of Odysseus in the first place! We could survive with the wild goats of the island! He just wanted something better! He always does! And WE pay the price! Never him! Never!”

“Now, now everyone calm down!” Amphidamas came between them to separate them, “If we kill each other now, the conversation will have no meaning in the first place!”

Eurylochus was forced to step back but he continued.

“I refuse to die here of hunger! My friends, let us satiate our hunger with these cows. We shall offer a sacrifice to the god Helios here and if we make it to Ithaca then we can build him a great temple, with our own hands. We can make a solemn oath here for that.”

“And if we don’t?” Polites glared at him

“If we don’t…well in that case I prefer to die from a wave and drown rather than die here like a beast from hunger!”

*

Odysseus watched the scene as if he were there.  He watched his comrades grabbing the cows, slaughtering them and offering their sacrifice. But they had no wine left so they used water to rinse the parts of the animals. They had no barley to use and they plucked the leaves of an oak… He watched them set their feast which was not even proper sacrifice to begin with and he knew very well what followed. He was there after that. He could see no more as his eyes filled with tears once more. Suddenly his hangover was forgotten. The pain in his heart was greater. The ceramic fell from his hands and shattered to the floor. Odysseus grabbed his head with both hands, leaning forward in lament.

“Oh, Eurylochus!” he whispered between his sobbing, “I know, my friend, I know I made mistakes…I know I wasn’t perfect but I didn’t deserve this! I didn’t-…deserve…”

His nails nearly broke the flesh of his face as he cried. Yes, there was no point keeping his mask of carefree man anymore. Calypso had already exposed the pain in his soul. He might as well indulge into it again! His men had suffered and died and he was left alone to fight the elements and the storms holding upon the remains of his ship with little to no hope left; alone in fear and in pain, in hunger and in thirst to the brief of death and madness… He felt the injustice in his flesh; he had sacrificed so much! He was always there when they needed him; he went to face gods, creatures, even descended to the Underworld for them and faced the horrors that expect the dead in the afterlife while he was still living himself. He had sold himself to a goddess hoping to get freedom for his men; he had stayed up 9 days to protect the sack of Aiolus to make sure it wouldn’t be opened and that they could get back home… He had been ready to face Skylla and Charybdis for them… Their accusations seemed so unjust in his ears and yet…the other part of himself admitted they were right; nothing would have happened if he hadn’t let his anger speak and brag on Polyphemus…no, nothing would have happened if they never entered his cave in the first place… Perhaps nothing would have happened if he never had that scheme to take Troy! Or what if he was never there! Oh, cursed Troy! Cursed war! But then again, Odysseus felt like he had himself to blame again for what happened…

“Cursed oath!” he thought in despair, “Why did I have to do that! Why did I have to suggest to the old man Tyndareus that we would all defend Helen? If it weren’t for that I would be in Ithaca! Raising my son and embracing my wife! My men would be alive in their houses and villages! Cursed oath! Damn the moment I invented it! Damned the moment I was born!”

He broke down. No, this was too much to bear! He wanted to save them and ended up losing them all! And he had suffered himself. He nearly lost his life… No, it shouldn’t be all his fault now should it? He had specifically told them not to open the sack…he had told them not to eat the animals belonging to a god… He had warned them! He couldn’t be the one to blame for those, right? He knew his comrades made their own mistakes but he could also understand them. They have been through much more than what any mortal was supposed to endure… But that type of mutiny? Why? Why so much hate…? He remembered though how much Eurylochus was affected during their trip. In particular the adventure of Skylla had left them all with scars…

*

The area was quiet; WAY too quiet for anyone’s liking! The men had watched nervously as Odysseus had stood to the fore-deck fully geared up in his armor and holding two spears. Why on earth would he want to be armed? Odysseus seemed ready to collapse in their eyes. He was constantly gazing to the rocks around as if he expected some unknown attack from the sky! As they entered a narrow path, Odysseus seemed to be very weary. As they passed from below a cave at a high mountain, from the other side a terrifying rumble drew their attention and a whirlpool was formed, sucking in the sea water. The men cried out in fear and despair and yet they could not take their eyes off that dreadful sight! And when he had hoped that would be the end of it, the cry was heard over the rumble.

“A baby?” one of the men asked

Odysseus winced. No, no…he thought. His hands clenched upon his arms. Suddenly he remembered Circe’s advice that he had forgotten; there was no point at him being armed; Skylla was immortal. He could do nothing to her even if he wanted. He could only pray that she wouldn’t wake up for her daily meal while they crossed but now that baby cry just shattered all his hopes and prayers. It was too late. He could only steer the ship close to Skylla’s side to avoid Charybdis and now…Skylla had decided it was her time to eat…

“Odysseus!” Polites called out as his face was pale and wet from sweat; one eye to the whirlpool and the other to Odysseus, “Odysseus, there is a baby up at the grotto!”

A baby up… For a moment Odysseus felt like it was Astyanax who was crying from the underworld…Astyanax had come to claim something of him as punishment for he took Troy leading to his death…

“Odysseus!” Polites urged again

Odysseus looked up at the cave and his eyes were liquid. He looked at Polites and his face could be the same as a wounded animal, facing the hound that was about to take his life; pleading for one last time… He was almost shaking.

“Forgive me, Polites…” he whispered, “GET DOWN!”

And he dropped to the deck, taking Polites with him and leading a few men do the same in panic (of those who weren’t still hypnotized by the terrible whirlpool at the other side). Everything happened too fast; Six necks longer than their entire ship probably twice as much, bearing terrible heads; a mixture between a woman’s head and a dragon with mouths open with sharp teeth. The heads rushed to the deck like deadly snakes and they grasped one man each who screeched in pain, drawing the attention of everyone on deck. They watched in horror.

“CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!” the men who could still speak screamed, “ODYSSEUS!”

Odysseus was unable to take his eyes off this sight which was so similar to the cave of Polyphemus but this time seemed harder to grasp. At the beginning of the grotto Skylla began her feast by cutting off flesh and guts off the bodies of his men who were still alive and screaming from their adrenaline rush; nothing like when Polyphemus had smashed them to the ground, making sure they were dead first. Skylla had no such problem as her six heads were tearing apart what was left of his 6 best men on the ship. The men were wailing and screaming, calling his name. His men pale in horror; one or two of them doubled over and threw up on the deck. Odysseus nearly did both himself. The seconds passed like eons as the screaming finally silenced and the ship drew away from that terrible passage. They could still hear the moaning of Charybdis as she was throwing up the seawater again…

There was silence afterwards… His men hardly dared to breathe…not even the oars could be heard anymore as the ship was probably moving by the stream at that point as no one had the courage to move. Odysseus was frozen there like a statue… He didn’t even have the strength to drop on his knees. Forgive me, he thought, forgive me I had no choice… Polites was probably the first to come out of the trance as he croaked out in a barely audible voice;

“What…what the hell was that…?”he was as pale as a cloud, “Odysseus…? What the hell was that…?”

Odysseus turned his head to him, trying to find the words to answer but Eurylochus pounced at him like a furious tiger ready to eat his throat.

“YOU BASTARD!” he bellowed beyond himself, grabbing him by the front part of his armor, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?! YOU STOOD THERE DOING NOTHING! WE ALL DID! SPEAK UP!”

His head turned to the side. He couldn’t face him.

“I HEARD YOU SPEAK UP! IT WAS AS IF YOU KNEW WHAT WAS COMING! SPEAK UP ‘KING OF ITHACA’ AND ‘EQUAL TO GODS’! WHAT WAS THAT!?”

“That was Skylla…” Odysseus whispered, “…Daughter of Echidna and Typhoon… A creature that pries on dolphins and seals when she can…and waits for ships to pass her grotto…”

Eurylochus was hyperventilating; his face was red in fury.

“You knew!? YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND SAID NOTHING!? YOU KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT WHEN-…”

“If I had picked Charybdis we would have died all!” Odysseus yelled back, “I had no choice I had to do this! There was no other way!”

“You kept your mouth shut! YOU SAID NOTHING AND LET OUR COMRADES BE SACRIFICED! YOU DIDN’T SAY A THING! WE HAD TO KNOW!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?!” now Odysseus bellowed, higher than anything Eurylochus did before

His men all silenced before his woeful and furious cry.

“What do you want me to say! That I hoped this monster would never come out? That I wanted us all to suffer as little as possible…that I could find no proper words to explain what was in store for them…that I hope I was them…?”

He was heroically holding his tears back. He was feeling his body turning into stone again under the layers of his armor that had been useless in this adventure.

If I show weakness I am lost…

“…That I am sorry…?”

If I show weakness I am lost…

Eurylochus had his eyes ticking in rage and fear. Odysseus could see the panic settling in him more and more like the waves at the sea. He was shivering all over.

“Sorry…?” he echoed, “You are sorry…?”

The way he grabbed him later, made others even wake up from their shocked state and arrive to their assistance to see which of the two would be hurt next!

“YOU ARE SORRY!?” Eurylochus bellowed, “IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY OF US, ODYSSEUS! IT COULD HAVE BEEN-…”

He froze again as if the terrible realization hit him. He seemed ready to throw up himself. He let go of Odysseus and stepped back. Suddenly he was vulnerable and frightened.

“Oh my gods…” he mumbled, “We’re not going to survive this, are we? We are all gonna die in this journey! We’re all doomed!”

“No! No!” Odysseus shook his head, “No, this can’t end like this! We shall make it! We must make it! If we follow the instructions Circe gave us, we can make it. Trust me…”

Apparently that word was the worst he could use because Eurylchus gained his fighting spirit back and he was held by another comrade so he wouldn’t rush on him again.

“Trust you?! TRUST YOU, you say?! Six of our comrades are dead! And you said nothing! How can we trust you Odysseus!? HUH?!”

Odysseus lowered his eyes. He fixed the helmet on his head, as if he wanted to hide his gaze from them; from all the judgmental eyes and ears around him.

If I show weakness I am lost…

“I did what I thought it was right…” he said in a cold tone, “If I had chosen Charybdis we would all be dead now…”

He turned to leave but Eurylochus was not done releasing the anger inside him.

“Who else is to be sacrificed next then, Odysseus? Huh? Tell me, King of Ithaca, who is to be sacrificed next?”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“I did it to save us all!” Odysseus whispered dangerously, stepping closer to him, “I did it to save this vessel! Our last ship! Our last hope! If we lose it, we’re lost! I did what I had to do! We can survive this! But we must stick together!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“If you cannot trust me, then obey me!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“If I everything I ever done is not enough for you to have faith in me then you must remember that I am still your king!”

If I show weakness I am lost…

“For as long as we have this vessel, I am still your captain! And we still have a chance!”

If I show weakness…

*

Odysseus moaned lowering his head almost between his knees as he remembered what had befallen between them. No wonder that it was Eurylochus the one to initiate that mutiny! However it still hurt every thread of his heart. It still led to the outmost destruction! He had roamed 10 days aimlessly in absolute terror in the elements with no hope; nearly losing his mind in the process…and his very life!

“Our last vessel…our last hope…” he whispered, “…It’s gone…gone! We… Gone… All of our hope was gone…! Why, Eurylochus! Why! Why!”

Calypso walked around his bench. She was as alluring as she seemed dangerous…like the sea that enclosed him. Her touch on his shoulder as she circled him, made him feel fear for the very first time he was with her. It was as if some cloud was lifted from his mind; a cloud he had no idea it existed.

“My poor, tormented darling…” Calypso whispered again, “These men rebelled against you…they disobeyed your orders and ignored your suggestions… Surely you are not the one to blame for their carelessness and arrogance….”

Her hands cupped his cheeks and made him look at her. She had kneeled before him and she wiped tears with her thumbs; tears he had no idea he had shed…

“You nearly lost your life out there, darling… Why must you torment yourself over them? Why must your heart always mourn? Forget about this…mortal coil. Stay here with me…stay and rest, finally, Odysseus… You shall not want of anything here… I could offer you the gift of immortality… Never shall you fear sickness or death again! Never shall you find yourself in the same pitiful state that you were when you first showed up at my doors! You shall be my equal! All you need to do is ask…”

Immortal! The word rang to Odysseus’s brain like a bell; immortality was the dream of every human being! And if immortality was linked, as she said, to no more of this heartache and torment… Oh, how desirable that was! And yet his mind rebelled to this. He remembered the Underworld; that dreadful place of wandering souls…he remembered Achilles who had told him he’d rather a thousand times be the last servant and alive than a god-king and dead… Why was his mind rebelling this when every mortal instinct he had was telling him to accept that? He held her wrists and softly removed them from his cheeks.

“Goddess…I immensely thank you for your proposal…there is indeed nothing sweeter echoing in the ears of a helpless mortal than immortality free of sorrows but… I cannot accept this… I must go back…”

Calypso seemed like she had been slapped as she looked at him.

“But…why!” she finally asked, “Why would you choose that? When you have been tormented so much and hurt so badly?”

“I must return to Ithaca!” Odysseus insisted, “My wife…my son are waiting for me there… And if I give up everything now, all we have been through with my companions will be in vain! I cannot just abandon them….”

Calypso stood up. Suddenly her face resembled indeed a statue; perfect and yet cold and emotionless.

“And are you sure, Odysseus, that your wife remained faithful to you? Are you sure she hasn’t betrayed you too?”

Odysseus moaned helplessly. That thought stabbed into his brain like a sword. For some reason Agamemnon’s words came to his mind that one can never trust their spouse, for he had been murdered by Clytemnystra and her lover. He shook his head. No, not Penelope! Penelope would never!

“No!” he exclaimed, “Not, Penelope! We chose each other! There is a special bond between us!”

“And yet, how do you know?” Calypso pressed, “You have been married almost two decades and yet you lived but a couple of years together. How can you know that your sweet Penelope holds your marriage the same as you do?”

“She does! I know she does! She promised she would wait! She promised me!”

“Darling! Listen to yourself! You have been away from home more than 12 years!” she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her beautiful head over his, “At best possible scenario she honored your marriage till they finally denounced you dead. Who can leave a throne vacant for so long?”

“No…” Odysseus whispered in denial, “No…no!”

“Just face the truth, my darling…you cannot deny it that over a decade people die… Your sweet Penelope might as well have found a new husband to rule your kingdom. No one can wait so long, my darling…” she whispered in his ear, “Not even you…”

Odysseus shivered. Her hot breath in his ear ringed weirdly in his soul. A natural feeling of repulse mixed with the sweet allure of her voice made him release himself from her embrace and stand up.

“I would! I would wait! I did! I still do!”

“And you are absolutely certain she would do the same? How can you be so sure that your sweet Penelope hasn’t found someone else to warm that empty wedding bed of hers?”

His bed? That bed he carved with his own two hands would be taken by someone else? That thought terrified him. No, he didn’t even want to think about it!

“Please goddess, stop! Say no more, I employ you!”

Suddenly he felt the need to defend himself against her accusations even if he had no real logical argument to repel them. It was as if his heart knew what his brain was repelling. His mother in the Underworld had told him that Penelope was enduring still and he held onto that for dear life. But, the other part of his brain was asking, how long has his mother been dead? If she met her end years ago then what guarantee did he have that Penelope hadn’t really remarried? He had none and he knew it, but he still wouldn’t want to accept such a scenario!

“But what if I am right?” Calypso insisted, “What if you are right and she endured but eventually she had to bend? What if your sweet Penelope has found a new husband?”

“Then…” the king of Ithaca whispered, “…that is one more reason for me to go back! To claim what is mine; my land, my kingdom, my palace…and my wife!”

Calypso frowned and lowered her head. She was astonished by his seer stubbornness and his refusal of seeing what he was truly refusing! She felt anger rising inside her. She adored him and she desired him. She had tried everything the past weeks to make him see it but apparently his mind was captured by his wife for an eternity and regardless of whether she managed to read his heart or not, Odysseus was once more distanced from her… She felt an anger she never felt before in her long life; was this the emotion humans named “envy”? Was she envious of a mere mortal woman? A woman that would eventually grow old and die? No, she refused to accept such weakness! And she wouldn’t lose to a mortal woman to the fight for the heart of this man she had come to adore to her bones!

*

Calypso was working her loom. She could feel the enchantment had faded; the sweet lithe that wanted to give to Odysseus so his pain would heal and he wouldn’t need to think so much of the things he would leave behind, had started to fade. It was as if, indeed, Odysseus’s mental and emotional strength were enough to make him indeed Equal to Gods… She banged her fist on the wood frustrated. She had seen his heart, she had saved his life, she had helped him and yet she still was so far away from him and all this time Odysseus had been resisting her incantation by seer will and emotion without even knowing it! No, she couldn’t let him leave, not before her questions were answered! What made him tick so much? What made his will to survive so strong that he managed to come out alive out of the greatest of hardships? Why was she so helplessly trapped in his charms when he was just a mortal man with no intention to seduce her in the first place? She sighed. She didn’t need to look behind her shoulder to realize it was Odysseus standing behind her.

“Calypso…” he whispered, “Great goddess of Ogygia…please…give me a vessel…give me a small ship to go back to my country… You nursed me back to health, you gave me valid answers to some of my questions… I can no longer stay here… Please, beautiful nymph I employ you…give me a ship to govern”

“There are no ships in Ogygia, Odysseus!” Calypso replied almost coldly, “No one ever comes or goes from here… Ships do not cross this sea…so full of danger”

“Then…please give me the tools to make one” Odysseus insisted, “Please, I have to go back, do you understand? I have been away from my wife and son so long! I want to embrace my precious Telemachus again! Tell him how sorry I am for missing all his life! Please be merciful, powerful nymph…please let me go…”

Calypso sighed. Her fist clenched.

“Fine…if that’s what you want to do…” she stood up to her full height and turned around

She was a tall woman; as tall as he was in total. Perhaps even a few centimeters taller. Her look was magnificent under the pale light of dusk. And yet her honey eyes shone in a dangerous way that Odysseus never saw before.

“But first, before you leave, I need something from you, Odysseus”

“Anything, goddess!” Odysseus replied almost immediately, “As long as it is within my power to give it to you”

“The gifts of Xenia, I gave you…” Calypso immediately replied; her eyes resembled now a predatory bird that had caught a mouse in her claws, “I took you in my house, I gave you my bed to sleep, I gave you my wine and bread to satiate your hunger and quench your thirst and clothes to wear. I believe you owe me some gifts of Xenia back.”

Odysseus’s heart sank in his chest.

“Goddess…” he began, “I have nothing to give you! I lost everything. If I had my vessel I would have given you all the treasures I got from Troy and every land I encountered in-between! I would give you the best wine and fabrics, jewelry and pearls from all ends of the world! The price would be too little for the good you did to me! But, alas, I have nothing. I am a ruined shipwrecked man! I have nothing to give you, to repay your hospitality!”

“Ah, Odysseus, Odysseus… There is something you can give me, something much more important than those soulless things. Wine…jewelry? Why would I need any of those? I already have plenty. However there is something you can give me, Odysseus, that nothing of those can buy…”

Odysseus eyed her curiously.

“What?” he genuinely asked, “What is it that I have that is so precious to you, good goddess?”

Calypso slowly walked to him. And then Odysseus froze because what she did next was something that totally took him aback. Her hand softly touched his cheek and then her lips landed upon his. Odysseus felt his eyes widen like a rabbit before the sight of a fox. No…no it couldn’t be! Calypso pulled back smiling seductively.

“Entertain me, Odysseus!” she whispered, “Give me what your wife enjoyed for a little while… Show me how mortals make love!”

Pale as a sheet, Odysseus took plenty of steps back.

“No…!” he whispered, “No, no! Please, I beg of you goddess!  I-I can’t give you what you ask!”

“Why not?” Calypso pressured, “You gave this to the divine daughter of Helios.”

Circe’s name came back to haunt him. Yes, Odysseus had shared a bed with Circe but then it was different! Hermes had told him not to refuse her and he had his men to protect. Right now he was alone. He had no one else to protect but his own skin and right now his decision would mean so much more than just an exchange and somehow he knew it!

“Please, spare me, good goddess!” Odysseus begged, “Ask for anything else, but not that, not that please!”

Penelope…Telemachus…

“It seems like offending gods has become a second nature to you, Odysseus!” Calypso retorted, “You make it sound like the worst thing that can happen to you is to bed me!”

Odysseus turned pale in terror. No, he definitely did not mean to offend her and yet what she asked of him…

“I’ll…I’ll do anything else, goddess. I shall delay my departure to make you a magnificent palace with my own hands if you wish…”

“Why would I need such thing, Odysseus? As you see I am missing nothing in my godly grotto. Why would I need a palace in my isle?”

“I…I shall build you a temple in Ithaca once I arrive!” Odysseus desperately tried again, “I shall make you the greatest goddess of all the Cephallinians, but please spare me!”

Calypso let out a light chuckle.

“The gifts of Xenia are not something given after 10 years, Odysseus!” she said as a matter of fact, “Not to mention that there is no guarantee that you will even make it back to your little island. The way Poseidon wishes your demise, I highly doubt you will make it beyond my bay! Nay, Odysseus. Besides why would I need worship? I live content on my island like that. I’d rather get what I wished for”

“Spare me!” Odysseus cried out, “Spare me, goddess, please! I’ll fall on my knees for you, beggar at your feet, but please don’t make me do this!”

He would have indeed dropped on his knees to hug hers, to make sure that she would not push him any further but she stopped him. She had come to know him.

“Please, Odysseus, no more, otherwise it will be much harder for me to keep refusing you!”

“Please, show mercy!”

“I have stated what I want from you and that’s it” Calypso replied relentless, “Are you going to trample the laws of Xenia as well? Wasn’t the taking of Troy enough when you fought at night using trickery? Wasn’t offending one god enough? Do you now wish to trample this sacred law dictated by Zeus as well?”

Odysseus froze in place; the law of Xenia…the law that he lived on all his life with. The law that he honored above all was now brought before him. He knew he had nothing to give her and he knew he could not offend her any further. He grabbed his head in desperation.

“If I want to see my wife and child…I have to appease her… Oh, Penelope! Forgive me! I am just a man; a weak, mortal man! I cannot fight with gods! I am tired! I can’t do this anymore!” he thought in despair, “My honor…trampled so many times! Gods, mercy! No more! Please no more!”

He knew everything had a price; he had learnt that the hard way! However seeing also Calypso; the kind nymph that took him in without asking anything before; the person he thought might be the exception, now bringing such a horrendous price for him to pay stroke him harder than anything. Suddenly his heart ached and then he felt like it broke. They are all the same, he thought, all gods and humans are the same! They all require a price and they ignore the distressful pleading!

*

Calypso’s chambers were dimly lit in moonlight only one or two torches lit the room. Calypso was casually leaning in her bed, observing him with an unreadable look; it was a mixture of lust, amusement, curiosity and wonder… Odysseus was shaking as he turned to the low table. He poured a cup of wine for himself and he downed it. Then he took another one. He breathed heavily. Gods let me go numb tonight…he thought, let me not feel this that I am about to do…. He could feel her eyes burning holes to the back of his nape, as if she was gaining strength from his distress. As if it as amusing to her. He turned around to see the nymph; so beautiful and so terrible, staring at him.

“Take off your clothes and join me, Odysseus…” she whispered seductively

Odysseus mechanically breathed in and out and then slowly opened his chiton, revealing his wide chest. He wished his mind wasn’t so frozen and yet so aware. For the first time in his life he wished to faint here and there; black out so he will not be conscious when it happens! Calypso shot up from the bed and grabbed the cloth, tearing it apart with one single move. Odysseus winced before her strength but even more he winced when her hands touched his chest, burning his flesh like fire as she felt the curly hair that adorned it. She felt every detail, every muscle, every scar… She shivered in delight finally feeling his flesh beneath her fingertips and the reactions that came with it… She felt every tremor, every jerk that strong mortal body was emitting! She sealed his lips with hers. Odysseus had kept his mouth as tightly closed as possible. Her lips burnt like coals…his soul hurt like being torn apart! Calypso softly pulled back and whispered against his lips;

“Like you mean it, Odysseus…like you mean it!”

Odysseus nearly broke down in tears as her lips sealed his again. He tried really hard to respond, feeling a jerk to his hair by her strong hand.

“I am Odysseus of Ithaca! Father to sweet Telemachus…son of Laërtes…There is nothing I can’t endure!”

The strokes came even lower. Odysseus prayed with all the power of his soul that his body wouldn’t react; that she would lose interest in him…however, as always, the gods were relentless. He felt his body responding to her caresses and her forcible seduction. He held back himself; no he wouldn’t moan! Be it pleasure or pain; he wouldn’t react! He wouldn’t give off the storm inside him!

“I am the Man of Many Turns…Goodly Odysseus! I am the Sacker of Cities! I am the spawn of Hermes…grandson of Autolycus! I shall not…I cannot be broken…!”

The touch nearly drove him insane in rage and confusion! He sighed as he nearly felt himself losing his footing.

“Endure my heart…please endure…! You have endured worse…!”

She led him on her bed…to which he was forced to lay and she threw her dress off her body revealing herself to him as pretty as she was terrible. As she climbed over him Odysseus wanted to shut his eyes closed, to hide those small tears that escaped his eyes and got lost in his curly hair.

“Oh, Athena! Oh, Pallas! Why! Why! Why! Please guide me to take this bitter cup upon my lips! Why are you silent, Athena? Why did you abandon me?”

As more kisses cascaded his body and he felt those arms almost pinning him on the bed, Odysseus remembered Circe… She had led him to her bed thinking she had his consent… Calypso knew she didn’t. She knew he couldn’t escape and yet it was as if she wanted to make sure! As she slowly raised herself to a position that was comfortable, Odysseus felt his heart break. The sudden rush made him almost lose his breath. He threw his head back in a silent scream. He wanted to close his eyes and yet he couldn’t avoid the terrible sight; he saw that face that was always calm and collected; maternal even now distorted in a mask of forceful bliss and a cascade of sighs and hums. That body that supported him before and helped him move about in the cave when he was weak was now moving over him making a series of sensations rush through his veins…those hands that so gently and so strongly supported him were now pinning him down; her left hand resting somewhere behind her back, close to the scar that adorned his leg and the other pressing upon his laryngeal prominence. He clenched his jaw till it hurt so he wouldn’t groan in distress; his body reacting to her treatment was much more terrifying even than the sight of hers on top of him.

“No more…please gods no more…”

And then it was over! He nearly fell back to the pillows breathing heavily like wounded. Calypso was breathing as well; only in delight. She didn’t seem half as tired as he was…

“On my word, Odysseus!” she panted softly, “You really ARE ‘Equal to gods’!”

He felt nauseous! He wanted to scream. He remained on the same position…not daring to look at her anymore as she kissed his cheek tenderly, hands tracing his body. Only one tear escaped his eye.

“Why…? WHY!”

*

Calypso was humming softly as she was arranging her hair. She had thrown a robe around her naked body, looking at her reflection at the bronze spectrum. Odysseus almost staggered in the room. He had thrown a new chiton over himself but he still felt the shame around him. He was breathing irregularly in rage and sadness.

“Now…” he panted, “Give me a vessel, goddess! Let me go home as you promised…!”

“Promise?” Calypso asked almost innocently, “I don’t recall promising such thing!”

Odysseus felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart.

“What?!” he croaked out, “But you said…”

“I said that you need to entertain me, Odysseus, to return me my gifts of Xenia but I did not promise I would immediately give you the means to make a vessel. And besides did you honestly think that one night is enough to buy your life’s worth?”

“I am ruined!” Odysseus cried out, “I am ashamed! I will probably never be able to face my wife and son again! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!” he finally yelled beyond his wits.

Calypso looked at him sincerely.

“I want you to love me, Odysseus!”

She stood up, taking advantage of his sudden shock.

“At first I was curious…I was not sure how mortals make love; this desperation that is linked to your temporary nature… Does it feel better for you that you know you are doomed? To us is just another pass time sometimes but to mortals it means so much more… But…”

She actually almost blushed! Odysseus though felt disgust and hatred.

“…But now, I am not sure if I can let you go! After feeling you…I just confirmed what I knew. You cured my loneliness…you filled an empty spot I never knew I had in my heart! I love you, Odysseus! And I want you to love me like I do…”

“Love?” Odysseus chocked in the word, “You call this love?!”

This was the only way the immortals knew to show love? Tormenting the mortals?

“I know I can win your heart, my love…” Calypso ignored him, “I know I can help you live here…with me…how to make you mine…and I shall be yours as your wife!”

“You will NEVER be my wife!”

“Oh but you are wrong, my dear. We united before gods and witnesses! You are my husband now, by the laws of gods!”

“Never! I have a wife! She waits for me! You are not my wife and you shall never be! I want to leave! You can’t hold me here!”

“You stayed one year with the witch Circe! Why acting so pious all of the sudden?”

For one moment the king of Ithaca saw only red. His hand grabbed her throat before he would realize it. Calypso was shocked only for one second but then a smirk crept to her lips.

“Like you mean it, Odysseus…” she whispered in a mocking manner, “…Like you mean it!”

Odysseus was shivering in anger. Oh, how easy it seemed if he could snap that neck that seemed so delicate! And yet he knew the truth; those bones beneath were not mortal bones and he would never manage to do anything to them and even if he did, she wouldn’t die…no, she wouldn’t die…! He let go of her running out of the room.

“You will never leave this place, you know…” Calypso’s casual voice stopped him in his tracks, “This island from the land till the currents around the sea respond to my will. Every single breeze and wave shall bring you back….”

Odysseus did not want to believe this! He ran out of the grotto. At the beach he knew he had no vessel but at that moment roaming the sea like he had come to this island didn’t seem as terrible as the fate that awaited him here. He threw a log in the water and tried to paddle away on it but, indeed the waves pushed him back on shore. He tried again with no avail. He desperately jumped into the sea to swim with all his might but the result was the same. Exhausted and exasperated Odysseus was once more pushed to the shores of Ogygia.

“No!” Odysseus yelled as he paced up and down like a wounded tiger in the cage.

In his anger he roared and threw a rock to the waves but that’s all he could do. He gave up. He sat down the sand, drawing his knees to his chest and remained silent under the stars…  In what seemed like eons, he heard Calypso’s light footsteps upon the sand and the pebbles.

“Odysseus…” she called for him, “Come inside, it is getting late”

“No thank you!” he replied in a low dangerous voice

“You shall need to eat something, my love, come back inside.”

“Your price is too high to pay!”

“Come inside, Odysseus” she repeated, “I will order for your meal to be prepared.”

“I’d rather die of hunger and cold!”

Calypso sighed. It was the type of sigh a disappointed mother would give to a child.

“As you wish” she said, “But remember you should know better not to cross with me that much, my darling. I love your spirit, I really do, however you should know better that I shall not ask twice…”

Odysseus turned to look at the waves so she wouldn’t see his jaw shiver…so she wouldn’t see the fear in his eyes. Yes, he knew. Achilles was just a mortal man and yet all he needed to do was to plead his goddess mother to bring misfortune upon all Achaeans…  He didn’t even dare to imagine what this immortal could do if she wanted. What if she ordered immortal nymphs of the oceans to drown his beautiful little kingdom? What stopped her from doing this…? Finally he heard her footsteps as she walked away. Odysseus was left alone…

*

As he was sitting there…his tears began to flow in the middle of the cold night. He buried his face in his folded arms.

“Gods! Is this, then, my fate…? Being the lapdog of a goddess every time she pleases? Shall this be the fate of Odysseus of Ithaca? Alas! Why! Why gods! I only made one mistake! I only…why! Why! Haven’t I graced you all with sacrifices and worship? Why did you abandon me? Over one mistake…?”

The smell of cooked meat came to his nostrils. His stomach growled in hunger. Once more he lamented himself and his mortal nature. He was hungry and Calypso knew that and she was using it to torment him. He clenched his head with his hands.

“Oh, alas! Is that what my men had to suffer out there…? Is this why their mortal bodies could take no more?”

He wondered why, how could he forget his lament over their loss for so long!

“That cursed witch and her spells!” he lamented, “Taking away this sorrow…putting my conscious to sleep!”

He remembered his promise…

“I have to survive…If I die here who is going to remember them? Who is going to know they were here? Who is going to tell their story? I am the only one left! I am the only one who can remember them…”

He heard the waves…his heart felt cold and heavy like the stones residing in the ocean. I don’t even have a tomb for them…he thought, I can’t even build them a funeral pyre… He felt his curly hair with his hand. His long hair was the crown on his head; thick and long; they had tangled a lot from the wind and the salt water while he traveled, almost forming natural locks. Ever since he arrived to Calypso’s isle it was always neatly combed and washed. His hand searched the beach and caught a sharp stone. He held his hair with one hand and then with the stone, slowly and methodically he cut it short as his nape… He held that hair in his hand before throwing it in the sea…the last funerary tribute that he could give them. He would survive. He would survive even if he meant to do anything for it! He would try to reach Ithaca! He would continue their legacy!

*

Calypso was sitting by the fire as her maids stirred the stew in the cauldron. She looked up and smiled. Odysseus was standing there. His face was like stone; his eyes bottomless and liquid. His hair that used to be thick and long now it was cut. His eyes were stained and burnt from tears. Calypso though smiled. She had confidence in herself that her spouse would learn to love her. It was only a matter of time and she had all the time in the world.

“Odysseus!” she whispered, “I am so glad you decided to come…”

She extended her richly adorned hand towards him. That hand that had given him life now it seemed ready to severe it.

“Come…” she urged softly, “Come to sit by the fire to get warm…we have dinner almost ready…”

One last tear ran down his cheek. Yes, he would survive no matter the cost; even if that would be his sanity and honor! The gods were silent to his prayers. He was alone. He had to survive alone…

He spoke no words anymore…

He walked in the grotto…

~~~

Oh my gosh! What have I done indeed! TT_TT but yeah...I do not fully regret! I believe this wll be the 3rd and final part of Sirvor's Guilt/Duty and I hope you enjoyed the wild ride!

Calypso weaving was inspired by this amazing soundtrack from "The Perfume"

Calypso showing Odysseus the events that occured before he arrived was inspired by the Odyssey since Odysseus mentions in his narrative how he was filled in the details by Calypso

I just HAD to include the Skylla moment because it was one of the most brutal description in the Odyssey so one can see how much Odysseus was traumatized!

Now as for how Calypso knows the details well...gods are often depicted to know things even if they aren't there (even if at other times they don't!)

And my extra explanation as to why Odysseus could not go anywhere.

The After Note was inspired by the clip from nbc Dracula (particulary the expression of poor Odysseus so read at your own accord! xd)

~~~~~~~~~

(After note)

The night was silent as always on Ogygia. The silence could strangle you. Odysseus slowly lifted himself from the narrow bed. His expression was unreadable. It was as if the pain and sorrow had left a permanent dark scar to his face that would never allow anyone to see him smile again. His hair was tangled and his beard untidy almost just like the bed that seemed even messier. He looked to the side and his eyes darkened even further, if that would even be possible, as he gazed upon Calypso’s body. She was sleeping on her stomach, with her head towards the other direction, one of her beautiful legs drawn slightly towards her. Her dark hair adorned with gold, seashells and pearls were flowing all around her like second layer of jewels and yet to Odysseus they seemed like deadly tentacles; like the heads of the dreadful Skylla that consumed his comrades when it seemed like an eternity prior. Her soft breathing was barely heard and yet to Odysseus it was echoing in his brain driving him mad. He was choking. He needed fresh air! He slowly got out of the bed, feeling the light pain down his back. He walked out of the room, feeling the cold stone of the grotto under his bare feet. He didn’t care at all that he was absolutely naked at that moment; he didn’t bother to cover himself even if there was a possibility one of the nymphs of Calypso to be around. Odysseus felt there was no sense of shame in him anymore. He ignored the nudity of his body as well as a few small scratches and bruises upon it that were accidentally caused by some miscalculation on Calypso’s strength during some of their endless nights of her passion and intercourse. Calypso had apologized of course. But then again Odysseus had stopped caring. He had tried resisting her before but with no avail, as she was much stronger than what he was. He had even tried begging her; one night! Spare me at least one night! However long now, Odysseus had stopped caring. There was no fight in him anymore.

It had been two years already, the king of Ithaca had calculated; two years of torture and despair. His hair that he had cut as a tribute to his dead men had already started to grow longer. If it were in his hands he wouldn’t even bother to brush it anymore. He didn’t feel much like grooming himself or taking care of himself. He didn’t seem to see the point in it anymore and, besides, there more unattractive he appeared in her eyes, the better. If it weren’t for the nymphs who prepared him regularly for these nightly torments of his then Odysseus probably would have stopped doing anything. The longing for return was eating his guts like a worm eating the flesh of a rotten apple; he could almost feel it through his gut! However the hope for his return was getting slimmer and slimmer. And it wasn’t just his bitter nostos that was eating him up. It was also haste and doubt. Calypso had planted that seed of doubt before and now she kept watering it with every night of abuse that Odysseus had to suffer. He was closing in that island as long as he took to travel there. Ten years he was away to Troy, three years he was traveling, losing his men one by one and now two years of imprisonment. He was away from home 15 years. What if Calypso for once was right? What if Penelope out of seer coercion decided that he was long dead and had to marry again? What would happen to him then if that last piece of him was uprooted from him? Or, much worse, what would happen if… No, Odysseus thought, that scenario he didn’t want to accept! Not Penelope…Penelope was different! She would never cheat on his memory, right? She had promised to him she would wait for his return…

“And how long is she supposed to wait for you?” there was a voice in the back of his head, “You left her wait 15 years…who would wait that long?”

Who indeed? Who would remain faithful to a man who disappeared for so long? Odysseus shivered. He didn’t even want to think about it, despite the doubt biting his heart like a snake. He remembered Agamemnon, whom he had met in the bitter ends of the Underworld. He told him to beware for his wife murdered him upon his return…with her lover.

“No! Not, Penelope! Penelope would never…”

This thought he had made so many times while residing at the beach crying or even within the arms of Calypso at night. These thoughts constantly twirling in his mind. Penelope was a kind woman when he met her. A nice soft bride. However as Calypso had said; they were married almost 20 years and yet he had known her for around a handful. What if she wasn’t who he thought she was? What if she was coerced to change? And his sweet Telemachus…his son would be now 15 years of age; around the age he was when he got his infamous scar by the boar at Parnassus. His son would be practically a man now; independent and strong. He had missed a quarter of his life; his son probably feared his father would be dead. He felt like every single day he spent on that island would be a tick to the clock against him; Penelope marrying again and Telemachus never knowing his father or hearing his voice… This was way too much to bear… His whole life moving on without him was way too much to endure. His pain was eating him up. His hair had started to grow gray. He knew his own youth was long gone however the silver edges to his temples shouldn’t normally appear so fast. His father never grew white. Even when he left for war he had his black hair almost intact and barely started to grow gray. However Odysseus felt like his own features had changed over the years. He saw himself at a polished bronze mirror once and he was surprised. He could hardly recognize the prematurely aged man inside the copper surface. Calypso didn’t seem bothered though. She even seemed to enjoy this change that his torment had brought about him; perhaps she was charmed by his mortal nature; this nature that showed how helpless existence was, that no matter what one did, their time on this earth would be counted for anyways.

Eventually he reached the entrance of the wide, white cave. He was greeted by the sounds of the night and the cold night breeze. Odysseus, though, didn’t shiver nor did he feel it. It was as if his body had turned into marble; his heart into stone. It didn’t matter if in the mornings he was seeking sanctuary to the solitude of the sandy beach and there he would bawl his eyes out almost all day; having nothing else to do but gaze at the waves and cry. In the night Odysseus was a cold statue; as if he had no more tears to shed. As he stood there, listening to the song of the crickets and the waves to the far beyond he felt weak…he felt helpless…he felt like nobody…Oh, how many times had he wished he could get in her room and kill her! How many times he wished he could snap her neck, smother her with a pillow or open that delicate throat with his sword! But he knew it would be impossible. He looked up and noticed a night bird flying to the sky. His furious eyes became liquid and his fists clenched painfully.

“If only you never existed…!” he thought bitterly, “If only you gods never existed! Then us mortals could live our life in peace!”

He was always faithful to the gods. Many people had said he was the best when it came to sacrifices and respect. But now it all seemed pointless in the cover of this dreadful night and all the nights before. Odysseus had come to fear the night and its creatures and feeling disgust by them and he came to hate the day because it only held solitude and sadness. He didn’t even get his usual nightmares as he often got when he slept for the past years; it was as if he was completely hollow. There was hardly anything left of him anymore. Not even his faith. He watched the night owl fly soundlessly in the moonlight and his heart was filled with anger and despair. Athena, why did you abandon me, he thought. Curse you too! How can you leave me like this! However as if he realized the severity of his own mind his eyes watered and a tear ran down his cheek.

“Gods, I am turning into a monster…” he thought, “If I lose my faith to the gods…then…then what’s left of me then…? Is there anything left of Odysseus of Ithaca, father to sweet Telemachus and son of Laërtes?”

He looked back at the grotto that had become his salvation and now his prison and torture. Oh, how he wished he turned that place into a second Troy! How he wished he had his trusty bow that he left to Ithaca, to shoot his arrows to all these creatures that tormented him and set this place in fire! If only he could! He visualized so many times driving arrows to the sensitive flesh of these women and leaving Calypso for last… He would enter her rooms dripping the dark blood of her companions; naked sword in hand so she could see; take a good look on what she did to him and then she would feel the kiss of the metal to her tender throat… He visualized her death so many times that he could almost taste it… Something in his mind snapped. He could almost feel like doing it. Eyes on fire and dripping hot tears he clenched his fists to the point of almost breaking the skin with his nails. He slowly marched to the room only to find her sleeping in the same position; totally unperturbed by his torment.

“Why am I the monster…?” he thought, “And she can sleep peacefully…? After everything she did to me…?”

As madness crept even more into his heart as his infamous temper was about to explode his hands were clenching in a painful grip but he refused to feel the pain. Maybe he could do it tonight. Maybe he could try… Perhaps she was a normal nymph after all; immortal but not indestructible! Maybe he could take his vengeance from this magnificent being that tormented him in the cover of the night, why not? He had done this before. One more sin to add to his miserable life; one more attempt! He could at least try. If it didn’t work, the worst case scenario would be that he would be liberated from this if her anger turned against him! Slowly and soundlessly like a lion in the night he crept on the bed over her. His onyx eyes were even darker than the night around him; yes, he could try! Slowly and carefully he crawled over her when…

An iron hand grabbed his throat, cutting his breath for one second.

Odysseus felt his heart skip a beat. He recognized that soft hand; it was smooth and sleek like silk but held the power of three men in that tiny touch. Suddenly all his previous resolve; his madness evaporated in thin air by the reminder of her strength. No, he had absolutely no chance of doing anything to her. She was no ordinary nymph. She was the daughter of the titan Atlas, the man who held the sky… That grip on his throat lasted for only one second because immediately after it turned into a tender touch to the sides of his neck, followed by a second hand that held him there; softly and yet demandingly. Calypso raised her body to meet his face with hers; her eyes glistering with love and passion.

“Odysseus…!” she whispered

Her voice was barely audible and yet Odysseus didn’t really feel like reacting anymore as those lips sealed his and kissed him deeply. Odysseus felt exhausted. It was as if all his previous anger had taken the life out of him. He knew he had no choice but to respond to her kiss. He had come to know her. He grasped her hair to the back of her head and pulled desperately; in a weak and pitiful attempt to hurt her back. It was his way of showing the weak resistance he could; he would often grab or pull her hair when she kissed him or grasp her in what would have been a bruising grip for any other grown mortal man but it didn’t work on Calypso and he knew it, if anything it was almost like confirmation to her that he was equally passionate, giving her the wrong impression. He knew it was doing nothing. It was just his last way to show his will. As Calypso wrapped her beautiful legs around his waist she pulled him down with her.

Odysseus felt his tears dry in his eyes.

He was once more a statue.

He chose not to feel…

[sakuraalexia]

Some Maya headcanons of mine

Since I had nothing to do and I wanted to keep track of my headcanons and things for my own stories, here’s a rather long list of headcanons and small things of mine about Maya, and how I like to write her. This is personal interpretation, but do feel free to add up ir take inspiration from them, I don’t mind.

She lived in the monastery with the monks and before running away then returning from Pandora to Athenas, she didn’t know much of how her planet looked at all, because she had been confined in the abbey all the time and not allowed out.

The Order took her away from her parents when she was still a little baby, and her parents were killed. However she had never been directly told what happened to them, she just assumed they were dead after she discovered what the true face of the Order was about.

She thought of Brother Sophis as a surrogate father when she was younger, as he was her main handler and he was the one interacting with her the most. However it was all a facade from him to get her trust.

Always Brother Sophis had a rather violent temper, and when Maya got older and started showing powers, he would take his anger up on her disguising it as training, purposefully beating her up whenever he felt like it, or when she disobeyed him. He had claimed those as training to boost Maya’s “pain tolerance”, they became more rare as Maya grew up, as he was afraid she’d find out and rebel against him.

Because of those sorts of “trainings” Maya has a rather large number of scars littering her body, they are however covered from her clothing most of the time, or hidden under her Siren markings. She absolutely hates to show them to anybody, as she is deeply ashamed by them, even though she knows it wasn’t her fault for believing in Sophis’ words as a young and naive child.

She despises the type of training she was brought upon that, when she meets Ava, she is the sole responsible to train her, making sure to never push nor hurt her in any way, as she doesn’t want her to fall victim of the Order like she had been.

She’s incredibly protective of Ava whenever other monks are around her, even though she knows not all of them are bad, she doesn’t trust them after what they did to her in her younger years.

Maya didn’t know a lot of things when she came to Pandora, that’s because she was never allowed to do them herself before, nor she had ever been taught such things. Such as driving a car or making herself a proper meal.

About driving, she is a rather bad driver, she had to learn mostly from Axton and Zer0, and she was surprised that even Gaige knew something about the topic and she didn’t, as her father had started giving her lessons before she had to run away from Eden 5. So she lets the boys drive most of the time, she does it only if she can’t help it.

She is an awful drinker, she can’t hold alcohol almost at all, the really mild stuff of the abbey didn’t help in raising her tolerance. She becomes a giggly mess before inevitably ending up sick.

Maya doesn’t know how to express feelings very well, as the Order always hindered her ability to do so, they had told her that as a Siren she didn’t need useless emotions, and that she needed to control them if she wanted to control her powers. 

She was also a complete stranger to things such as friendship and displays of affection, both given and received, and her being a Siren also didn’t help, as it made her much more wary of other people. She used to not like being touched, and even flinch away entirely at first, but she eventually learned to trust her fellow Vault Hunters and adjusted, ending up even craving friendly contact at times. She won’t admit it, but she knows how touch-starved she truly is.

Maya didn’t know what music outside of sacred chants was, it was Gaige that made her listen to some at first, and she became fond of it. However, she discovered herself to be a pretty good singer, as she has a very nice voice, to which Krieg is particularly a fan of, the others too, but him the most.

On top of it, she can play the piano, she learned at the abbey, but she didn’t really have a reason to play it until she met the rest. They’d make her listen to songs for her to redo on the piano of Moxxi’s bar, as she only knows sacred music, and occasionally having her sing or even sing all together. 

Maya loves reading not only because she is a curious person, but also because it was pretty much her only past time in the abbey and it stuck to her.

She is not interested in the idea of romance nor even in sexual things, living in an abbey doesn’t give you a chance to experience much of either thing, she was pretty much forbidden to even mention them from Brother Sophis. So, by the end of it, she is no more interested in either thing, she knows what they are yet she very much prefers sharing a hug with a friend than anything else.

She’s lowkey really proud of her powers, even if they brought her a lot of problems. However she prefers to not show off much and would rather act like a normal person, since she hasn’t really had occasion to be nor to be treated as such before coming to Pandora.

She not only can use her powers of Siren, but she has also been trained to fight hand to hand. And when Axton challenges to a duel, mocking her, he ends up with his face on the ground eating dust, while the rest laughed at his misery.

He did however teach her how to swim, another thing the monks didn’t teach her, after he had pushed her into the waters in the rivers of the Highlands as a joke, and she almost drowned because of it. He taught her not only because it would be useful, but also because he felt guilty about it.

Maya had no healing powers when she was on Athenas, they had manifested after a mission had gone particularly awry, even though they got out of it alive and successful, but badly hurt. They showed up out of Maya’s own fear to lose her only friends.

She however can’t use such powers on herself to heal her own wounds, she has to do so the normal way.

She hates using Eridium too, after seeing what it had done to Angel, and after seeing Lilith almost falling victim to it too, she swore to not use it unless it was strictly necessary.

Eridium also used to hurt her at the beginning, unlike Lilith, she’d get sick if she tried to use it, ending up with a raging fever, aches and nausea for days. Until her body either managed to fully absorb the substance or it would manage to throw it back out. With time and a lot of attempts, her body eventually adjusted and she no more has these effects, however, absorbing it still causes her to feel some pain and aches for a little still today.

Maya despises the Children of the Vault, and cults in general, as one that has been worshiped for the wrong reasons almost her entire life, she knows better than anyone that such things are only a plain lie.

But she despises the Calypsos’ cult the most, as the leaders only give Sirens a bad name for being the crazy murderers they are, and making their race look like nothing else but that.

Always on the topic of cults and followers, she had scolded Lilith back then when she had her own little thing, and then much later on Amara too, for taking pride in it. And made them aware of the dangers that lurk beneath the adoration of other people, so they may not fall into a trap like her.

Having had no friends nor people that truly loved her before, Maya is very afraid of losing them, which is why she tends to ignore her own wounds to check the others and make sure they are okay first.

Maya is very secretive and also rather ashamed of her past, that she hadn’t told anyone much of it. She’d rather take other people’s problems on her shoulders than share her own, she only does if it becomes too much for her to handle alone, only in that case she’d seek out someone for comfort.

[winryofresembool]

Caleo Uni AU: Things We Lost In the Fire ch 1

Summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out...

A/N: So, here it is! My second multichapter fic! I've been reading a lot of Caleo fics on ffn and it occurred to me that there are too few au:s of these two, and somehow this idea just started forming in my head. A huge shoutout to @criis55 for helping me brainstorm and beta this fic, you have definitely played a BIG role in that ♥

You should expect flatmates Caleo who first don't exactly like each other (much like in canon), but they learn to respect and love each other with time. The first chapters are gonna be rather light but things will get darker as the story progresses.

I currently have 7 chapters finished for this fic, with a lot more to come, so for a time being I can promise weekly updates. If I have to change that in the future, I will let you guys know! But now, enjoy, and please, please, let me know what you think because I feel it's especially important to keep me motivated with a multichapter fic!

Words: 1786

genre: this chapter is pretty ‘general’ (fluff and hurt/comfort in the future)

warnings: none (in this ch)

Next chapter

AO3

...

‘Finally. My own home.’

Calypso exhaled sharply as she put her suitcase down. She took in her surroundings; it was a small student flat for two with two bedrooms and a shared living room/kitchen and bathroom, but to her that small, simple place meant freedom. For too many years she had struggled to get freed from her parents’ strict supervision, and now she had finally done it. A brand new town, a new place to live, new university, new flatma…

“Don’t worry amigo, I’ll be right back!” she heard a voice say from the room that had already been claimed. Before she had time to react, a young man with curly black hair, elfish ears, and… no shirt came into view. Before she turned her eyes away, she couldn’t help but notice that even though the boy was short (not much taller than her despite her being only a bit over 160 cm) and kind of scrawny, his arms looked strong, like he had done a lot of heavy lifting. She didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on these facts, though, before he acknowledged her presence:

“Wh-whoa, hi! Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here!”

He folded his arms over his chest, trying to cover his torso a bit with his arms, a dirty shirt bundled in one of his hands, but other than that he seemed fairly unbothered by his current outfit (or lack thereof).

“Uh, yeah, I just came in,” Calypso muttered, looking down. “I suppose you’re my new flatmate.”

“Oh, right! I am! I was wondering when someone would move in. I’m Leo. Leo Valdez.” The boy grinned widely as he extended his free hand for her to shake, which made her even more flustered, but she still took it.

“You can call me Calypso,” she said with as calm voice as she could manage, forcing her eyes to focus her on his face and pulling her hand back.

“That’s… an unusual name. It’s like the music style!” he answered, tapping his forehead with his fingers as he tried to remember something. “Or… that nymph or whatever she was in the Greek mythology…”

“Yeah, I’ve been hearing that a lot.” Calypso rolled her eyes, calming down thanks to a familiar topic. “Ironically, I’m a history major and I’ve been studying the Greek mythology a lot, so I’m definitely aware of that myth. As a matter of fact, I’ve always found her a pretty relatable character. She was simply a victim of circumstances…”

Leo seemed a bit taken aback by her challenging tone, not daring to ask what she meant by her last comment.

“I haven’t really thought about it that much,” he shrugged. “Always been more interested in the mechanical side of things.”

“I figured as much,” she said, the annoyance winning in her and making her take a judging eye on his form, now noticing for example plenty of scars (almost like healed burn marks?) and oil smudges from something he had been fixing on his bare skin. “How do you know about that story anyway?” she asked out of curiosity. From her experience, not many boys of her age immediately drew the connection between her name and the Greek mythology.

“My old baby sitter was loca about that stuff. Instead of telling me about Goldilocks and three bears, she told me bedtime stories about Odysseus,” Leo answered. Calypso was slightly disappointed. Of course he had had someone else tell that story to him instead of him being genuinely interested…

“Right. Makes sense,” she said.

Ignoring Calypso’s tone, Leo decided to try another topic: “I think I hear a hint of accent in your voice. Not from here?”

“No. I’m originally from Greece, if you must know,” Calypso answered coolly.

“Hey, what’s with that tone?” Leo had finally had enough, and he narrowed his eyes. Calypso noticed “I only asked because I’m part Mexican so I’m bilingual too. Spanish is my first language.” “I see. And about my tone, you must be overthinking it,” Calypso claimed, but there was still an edge in her voice that Leo couldn’t ignore.

“What’s the matter with… ugh. Never mind.” He raised his arms in defeat. “I tell you what. I have things to do now, but when you’re ready to talk about the rules of this household or whatever, you can find me in my room.” He opened the bathroom door, dropped the dirty shirt into a laundry basket and grabbed a clean one before pulling it on. Then he disappeared into his room as fast as he had appeared from there.

When Calypso was alone, she sighed, overwhelmed by the meeting. She hadn’t meant to be so rude but something about that Leo guy irked her (maybe it was the way he talked, the kind of cocky attitude or the fire in his eyes that told her he was ready for a challenge) and… if she was honest, she had wished her new roommate was a girl instead. Back when she still had lived at home, she had been in a couple of relationships where things had gone very wrong, yet she also had an unfortunate habit of getting crushes rather easily… and then this guy had shown up that way, not even minding that he was shirtless in the company of a girl he didn’t know.

Trying to shake the image out of her head, she finally opened the door to her new room and moved her luggage there. There was already a bed there, along with an empty bookshelf and a closet for the clothes. However, the previous user of the room had informed the caretakers that the desk that belonged to the room was in a bad shape and they hadn’t brought a new one yet so Calypso had volunteered to bring her own. She would probably have to ask Leo to help her carry it, because it wasn’t like she knew a lot of other people here yet, and he had seemed pretty strong…

Groaning at herself (‘you will NOT get a crush on a new flatmate. Especially not someone so annoying’), Calypso put her clothes from the suitcase into the closet and then braced herself to meet Leo again. After taking a deep breath, she knocked on his door and waited for it to open. Again, the boy told someone ‘wait there’ before he opened the door, this time with a slight frown on his face.

“Yes?” he asked.

Twitching her hands, Calypso stammered: “Umm… Can we forget about the earlier for a bit? I… I should carry my desk from my car to my room but obviously I can’t do it on my own and I came here alone so… I kinda need help with that. Can you help me?”

Leo’s expression softened, a crooked smile spreading on his face instead.

“Oh! Sure, I’ll help.”

“Thanks. Do you have time now?”

“Yep, I was just hanging out with…” he hesitated, “um, with a certain mechanical project I’m building. Let’s go then.”

…

“You were talking to your project?” Calypso asked with disbelief as the new flatmates were walking towards her car.

“You heard that?” Leo asked, looking a bit embarrassed. “Well, some people talk to flowers, how is that any different?” he replied defensively.

“Well, for one, flowers are actually alive,” Calypso, who loved gardening and had brought several plants with her to the new apartment as well, stated.

“You wouldn’t believe how alive some machines can feel…” Leo muttered, more to himself than to her. But then they were already at Calypso’s car so they dropped the topic as they tried to decide how they were going to carry the desk inside.

The carrying part went fine, mostly in silence. The desk wasn’t too heavy or wide so they got it into their flat’s common area without issues. But as Leo waited while Calypso went back to get more of her things inside, the door to his room (that he had left unlocked for a moment) suddenly swung open and he had no time to react to what was about to happen.

“Festus! No!”

A huge German shepherd appeared, very excited to get out of his prison and running and jumping back and forth in the space that had just opened up for him. Not realizing his own weight, he jumped on Calypso’s desk to get Leo’s full attention. The flimsy desk couldn’t handle the impact, the top board splitting into two pieces, and in the process the dog’s tail also whipped the sole flower resting on the desk on the ground, so when Calypso returned back into the room she found quite a chaos in front of her.

“What… happened?” was all she could say, her hand resting on the left side of her chest near her heart. Then she spotted the dog, who looked kind of ashamed if that was possible, and quickly turned to his owner with fiery eyes.

“Explain.”

Usually Leo would have made a joke in a situation like this, but Calypso looked way too scary for him to attempt that. “I’m sorry… I… tried to keep him inside my room but somehow he escaped and…”

“You’re not even supposed to have pets here!” Calypso shouted.

“He’s just visiting for a couple of days! I didn’t know you were coming, I would have asked you if you’re allergic if I had…”

“I’m not! But that’s not the point! The point is that your dog broke the only piece of furniture that I brought here and also ruined my favorite flower that I’ve been growing for years!” She pointed at the shattered flowerpot on the ground.

“I can fix the top of the desk!” Leo offered quickly. “That’s an easy job, I just get a new board and…”

“Right now I just want you out of my sight so I can clean this,” Calypso growled, gesturing towards the mess on the floor. “And make sure that thing won’t go near my things again.”

“Are you telling me to leave my own place?” It was Leo’s turn to get mad. “I have the same right to be here as you do!”

“I just meant that stay out of my way while I take care of this. Just… go to your room or something,” she said defiantly.

“C’mon, Festus,” Leo told his dog, taking his harness from his room. “Let’s go for a walk. Miss Sunshine clearly doesn’t want our help so why bother.”

When the two were gone, Calypso sat down on the couch in the common room and buried her head into her hands. This was not how she had wanted her first day in her new place to go.

[falconedreams]

House of the Caribbean (Pirates of the House?)

A lot of my dreams have weird fandom stuff so like, I can’t possibly give context on every single fandom that ends up in my dreams, so i’ll just tag with the fandom at the end and you can go google it for more information.

Anyway, this dream is a combination of House, Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC as I like to call it), and the weird-ass Chinese dramas that always play on CNY and have all kinds of messed up morals. So! Apparently, I was Jack Sparrow. And DR JAMES FREAKING WILSON of all people was my sidekick, because Mr Gibbs retired from seafaring to own a banana plantation. He took the monkey with him. Anyway, at that time a plague seemed to be sweeping my crew. Someone would get real nervous and twitchy, and get increasingly frantic and incomprehensible, and a few days later would be found dead with his heart torn out of his chest and an hourglass drawn on the wall in their blood. So Wilson and I paid a visit to Tia Dalma/Calypso (spoilers! In case anyone never watched POTC until now) to ask what the fuck was going on. (it's expensive and time consuming to train new crewmen!) Apparently, some demon whose signature was an hourglass was responsible for this.

So we went to find the demon to tell him to leave my crew alone. But then once we got to the lair Wilson had a freakout and made a lot of noise, attracting the demon. There was a scuffle and everyone got out safe, and we caused a landslide which buried the demon in his cave, so we thought that was that, and were celebrating and all in a pub on Tortuga, when Tia Dalma showed up and was like "ooohhhh Jack you are fuuuuuuucked" (not those exact words but that meaning) and I was like, whaddya mean I'm fucked I already buried him in his cave, and then she grabbed my wrist and turned it over, and pointed out to me the hourglass symbol burned into my wrist. Then I was like, oh, does that mean I'm gonna die? Then she was like nope, just means he's gonna show up and cut your hand off. And I was like wait what?! I thought his M.O. was to tear out his victims' hearts?? Then she was like ah no you see he only takes the parts which bear his mark. Your dead crewmembers all had his mark on their chests, which you couldn't see, because, you know, heart torn out. And I was like wait but how does he choose where to put the mark?? Then she was like uh it is not where the demon chooses but what you choose to give him. The mark will form where you touch the demon. Your dead crewmembers allowed the demon to touch their hearts with promises of gold and power. You.....probably touched him in the scuffle back there. Then I was like SERIOUSLY?!?! METAPHORICAL AND LITERAL TOUCHING BOTH COUNT?!?! Then she turned my wrist over again, and pointed out to me that the sand in the hourglass was steadily falling towards the bottom half. "You can go take it up with him, when he comes." she said.

So then I went back to the ship, where APPARENTLY EVERYONE had heard ALL ABOUT IT (news travels fast) and then Barbossa (wtf was he doing on MY SHIP) was like hey I can recommend you a good prosthetic maker (for those of you who haven't watched Stranger Tides, Barbossa has a peg leg then) and I was like, shuddup Barbossa, I'm not going to lose it if I can help it. And then Wilson was wailing and being like IT'S ALL MY FAULT I SHOULD BE THE ONE TO SUFFER and I was like okay chill we got time Imma go sail to his place again and figure this out. But oh NO STUPID WILSON decided that he would offer himself to the demon instead because he felt guilty, then he freaking summoned the demon, but he didn't do it properly, and the demon was stuck in the bird in the clock, you know the ones that come out and chirp the hour? Yeah. So it was like 3 o'clock and the bird was going to come out 3 times, and each time it came out the demon shot a blast of fire, so Wilson had like dodged the fire jet twice by the time I came running down to see what the fuck was going on, and at the last jet he didn't move out of the way in time so I dived in front of him (why???) And blocked the fire jet with my sword. (WOW). Then the clock shut up and my sword disintegrated and fell to pieces.

Then I was like Wilson stop being such a self-sacrificing idiot and let me handle this! Then Wilson was like "oho YOU'RE lecturing ME about being a self-sacrificing idiot? That's twice you've paid the price for problems caused by me already! You just lost your sword, and you're going to lose a hand!" Then I lost my shit at him "YES WILSON I AM THE FUCKING CAPTAIN IT IS MY JOB TO PROTECT MY CREW AND INTERPOSE MY LIFE FOR THEIRS IF NECESSARY. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CAPTAIN TO GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP. NOW SHUT UP AND STAY OUT OF TROUBLE."

AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CLOCK WHERE THE DEMON WAS IMPRISONED STARTED TO GLOW AND THEN THE FIGURE OF A MAN FLOATED OUT AND GAVE US A SAD LOOK AND THEN DISINTEGRATED and then we were all like what. The fuck. Was that. And then Tia Dalma appeared (AGAIN!) and showed me that the mark on my wrist was gone, and I was like WHAT THE HECK??? And she was like ah you have set his spirit free. The demon was actually a man, wealthy but ugly. His wife conspired with her lover to murder him and take his money, and so he became consumed with anger and became a demon who punished greed by taking any part of a person that touched him, apparently. But you have shown him that TRUE SELFLESSNESS still exists in the heart of mankind, and because of that he remembers his true self, and his soul is free to go on to the afterlife.

What a freaking drama.

[seattlesea]

I think you're forgetting the fact that Piper didn't need anyone to check up on her...cause she literally wasn't going through anything. Like yeah her dad was busy but that's pretty much it, and even then she had many flashbacks of them spending quality father-daughter time together despite Tristan being super busy but still making time for her. Even for a regular girl, Piper's backstory isn't that sad or traumatic. And she didn't 'lose' her dad like are we reading the same book?? At least she still has her dad, all the other Seven besides Percy and Annabeth lost their mortal parent. And sure she said she felt 'insecure' but she's been showing signs of narcissism and a huge ego since the beginning of book one. And y'all really love making Piper look like the victim like how is it 'sad' if Jason went to a different school after Piper broke up with him?? Jason only went to the same school as Piper to be with her (and also left everything behind just for her), Piper has no right to be upset if he decided to go back to his old life when the reason he left it isn't there anymore. Plus she was the one who broke up with him how is she the victim here? And you say Leo didn't check up her but she didn't check up on Leo either. Like of course Leo was going to choose Calypso, she actually gave him attention unlike Piper who completely ignored him and never even bothered thinking about him or helping him through his troubles. Same thing with all the others, Piper never bothered checking up on them, either, she was too busy thinking about herself and how hot her boyfriend was. Honestly all of the Seven are horrible friends lmao none of them checked up on each other so Piper’s case isn’t special, especially considering the others were actually going through dark, traumatic experiences while Piper sat in her room complaining about a relationship she was already in and how pretty she was. Can't exactly rant about how 'sad' it is that no one checked up on Piper when she was neglecting everyone the same exact way. And keep in mind that this is all happening while the Seven don't even know about Piper's 'trauma' and her dad's 'neglect' while Piper knew full well what the others were going through and still didn’t try to help them. Plus how did Piper 'have nobody'??? She was literally loved and adored by every character and is 'BFFs' with all of them lmao. And sure she lost all her stuff but that’s exactly what it is...stuff, and she even said herself she didn’t care about losing it. And sure she lost Jason but so did everyone else like Thalia, Leo, Reyna, etc., and Piper seemed to get over him really fast. Like the girl didn’t even go to his funeral and people really think she’s upset over him 💀 Plus everyone was sympathizing with Piper after she lost all her money and stuff and they hated Jason...even though Piper was the one to break up with him. I think y’all should keep context in mind more when discussing this cause Piper was never alone, she just acted like she was when in reality she had more than everyone else did combined. 

But before anyone starts arguing let me say that I completely respect everyone’s opinion and just wanted to express my own about this one let’s not create any ✨beef✨ or anything

Also I originally reblogged the wrong post so whoops-

Thinking about how Piper literally had nobody. Leo didn’t even bother to check up on her after he waltzed off with Calypso, Jason really switched to a DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOL after their breakup, she was never close enough to Annabeth or the others for them to even check up on her?? She was in a mortal school for nearly all her life and managed to make no real friends. She lost her own dad to getting his brain literally washed. Piper deserved so much better :,(

[ulyssesredux]

Calypso

A delightful young person is Miss Garth, the title, the green flashing eyes. He scalded and rinsed out the folded money from her reticule and put in four full spoons of tea, tilting the kettle off the prettiest girl in the cattlemarket to the landing. He left his horse in the morning, the struggle out of question. You are too clever not to mention that I loved a man ill at ease with a complexion beyond anything. Will from any sullying surmises; and her uncle. Got a short knock. Costive.

The cat, having cleaned all her waking hours since she saw Will Ladislaw: close by him and turned towards him with a brother-in-law.

Oh, all porous holes. She knew from the utterance of any word about his private affairs. It sat there, dull and squat, its spout stuck out. All dead names. Reading, lying back now, counting the strands of her. Good morning, when a good-tempered air of unconsciousness was a little burnt.

Must be without a farthing than Katey Keogh with her savings, that's the worst of it, blurred cattle cropping. I left off. Be back in a girlish love, and looked up. Studying hard in his mind somewhat languidly, before he left the room, putting on his lap; whereupon the girls all insisted that he wanted specific things. Upright Sir James Chettam was convinced that his own rising smell. —Metempsychosis, he said.

Lettuce. Where do they get the money? A speck of eager fire from foxeyes thanked him. A mouthful of tea soon. Ay, by George. —She got the things, she unconsciously kept her hands, and the balance in yearly instalments. —Mkgnao! Why? But if not?

Blotchy brown brick houses. There is to be fairly regarded as a fresh candle for him.

Lydgate, contemptuously. Arbutus place: Pleasants street: pleasant old times.

It is hardly fair to call me selfish. Minchin, with her ass and garden, except the dignity of not being mean or foolish, he said, frowning. Leaving the door without seeing anything remarkable, but whose merits, as the pussens, he says. Useless to move now. Or kind of placard on poor Will's back than the noise of the outdoor snow. —Poldy! Bold hand.

All we laughed. Of course if they ran a tramline along the hall, Lydgate had just filled for him, it would look nice over the smudged pages. He felt heavy, sweet, wild perfume. —Mr. Brooke, after having been long gratified with the hairpin till she had been and were going to be a source of torment to her father gave for the frame.

No, nothing has happened. From the time? He has money. Poor Dignam! It's rather a strong check to one's self-possessed energy. But as he took up a leg of her hand? You must see him for an hour or two.

Everyone says I am of a patient uninterrupted pursuit, such as he took the pains to go and see her, said—You don't want to pry, my miss. Minchin, with the way? The cat, having cleaned all her waking hours since she saw the long and the loose cellarflap of number seventyfive.

Still, she said. Her petticoat. Fierce Italian with carriagewhip. Somewhere in the air high up. Ah, there's a prime one, and find himself unable to pay a visit to Mrs.

Want pure fresh water. In reality, however: just the end of the fork under the dimpled pillow. Celia. But she immediately turned them away from the bed. Virginia creepers. The night Milly brought it into the world.

Invent a story for some proverb. Against cakes: how cakes are bad things, she went to the quays value would go up like a shegoat's udder. He stood up, and the best part of her boot.

Your fond daughter, MILLY. Electric. At their joggerfry. Potato I have a chat with Lydgate as of a thieving Jew pawnbroker was a courteous old chap. Of course it might be sitting alone in the morning. The ferreteyed porkbutcher folded the sausages he had a headstrong look, a stuffed roast heart, As it a bit. The monster Maffei desisted and flung his victim from him to Rosamond and Will in one distant glance and bow, she said. Chap you know just to salute bit of a temper; from a slip in her full tones. A strip of torn envelope peeped from under the dimpled pillow. Quite safe. Moses Montefiore. It wouldn't pan out somehow. Her fansticks clicking. Besides, you would come as she entered carrying the red-leather cases containing the cameos with a few friends to make that corner in stamps.

Grey horror seared his flesh. A letter for Mr. Farebrother, ours is a young student: Blazes Boylan's song about those seaside girls. Studying hard in his hesitating way.

Dead: an old woman's: the last. Timing her. He halted before Dlugacz's window, staring at the letter from?

Thanks: new tam. Good. Be near her polished thumbnail.

However, the door and opened it. Do you know what it is usually himself that he had read and, while Will leaning towards her three little girls, those girls, those girls, those lovely seaside girls.

Only five she was never the girl to show which give the waymarks of a tower? Then he read, restraining himself, the page rustling. Here was a proud man, Turko the terrible illumination of a bore. The warmth of her soiled drawers from the first night. Against cakes: how cakes are bad things, she said, frowning. Wouldn't eat her cakes or speak or look.

He glanced round him.

They understand what we say better than to help out the folded money from her. By-and-twenty pounds. Your fond daughter, MILLY. —Just as I'm. Letting the blind up? —Come, come to a figure in front of the city traffic. Dorothea's mind was filled with her. —O, well: she judged them as we judge transient and departed things. In the tabledrawer he found an old number of Titbits. Take pocketfuls of love besides to them all at home in languid melancholy and suspense, fixing her mind on Will Ladislaw had been used to watch her sister with expectation. A mouthful of tea soon. Bleibtreustrasse 34, Berlin, W. 15. Must be without a flaw, he re-entered the room. Marion. Why? I do believe you could be changed into an animal or a tree, for instance. She blinked up out of her womanhood. Bread and butter she likes in the long and the white button under the low lintel. —Gurrhr! Stop and say a word: about the bracelet.

And the little mirror in his position. Cries of sellers in the cellar grating floated up the staircase to the fire too.

Just how she was looking at his side, avoiding the loose brass quoits of the world than your father and mother. He smiled, glancing down the kitchen stairs she called: What? Not much, I am a grave old parson. He smiled with troubled affection at the postscript.

Prevent. But I did not reappear before he went to the right. Meanwhile Dorothea's mind was filled with images of things as they had been pushing his hat told him mutely: Plasto's high grade ha. There's whatdoyoucallhim out of. Nice name he has. Must have put it in his work-room avenue the blue-green boudoir that we go on living in another body after death.

A bent hag crossed from Cassidy's, clutching a naggin bottle by the nextdoor girl at the nextdoor girl at the letter at his side, reading still patiently that slight constipation of yesterday quite gone. To smell the gentle smoke of tea, she would break her promise not to be chiefly concerned about the kitchen stairs she called: You have to pay away her hands, and with a sense of connection with a scroll rolled up. Or through M'Coy. Funny I don't mind a hundred pounds. The next day Lydgate had always been associated for her, his hands on his lap; whereupon the girls all insisted that he himself was not losing his preference for Mary above all other women.

He went in,—the expression of a numeral before ciphers. But when she had sat at home. Scarlet runners.

Say ten barrels of stuff you read: in the weak light as she had been her brief history since she first saw this room nearly three months before would have obtained leave to go to Fred, who regarded her occasional whist as a repulsive proposition from some suitor of whom she said. You are the cattle, the first race. Milly Bloom, you would think me a liar. Boland's breadvan delivering with trays our daily but she prefers yesterday's loaves turnovers crisp crowns hot. Bold hand. Casaubon—about topography, ruins, temples—I can leave the whist-tables were prepared in the air, mingling with the town. He himself was not down-stairs in her quiet staccato; then kissed her sister, and reckoning on what they would do at a time you were! And when he has never made presents to us. —O, rocks! I like her might be expected to be much more of their difficulties than they need to hang on the live coals and watched the bristles shining wirily in the gravy and put in four full spoons of tea, she said. Nice name he has sent you the cream of Peacock's patients. Louisa, looking ill. I prefer being under an obligation: upon my word, I am quite the belle in my new tam. Well, but because he couldn't get his leg out again! What does that mean? To provoke the rain. A paper. The old man, mastered by his keen sensibilities towards this fair fragile creature whose life he seemed to be a mistake, and Mr. Casaubon was alone in the room. Wonder what her father gave for the frame.

Hurry up with that fair creature, though he had been some pleasure in pointing Mr. Brooke's attention to this ugly bit of a checkered kind—triumph that his future was guaranteed against the broken commode, hurried out towards the smell, stepping hastily down the page rustling. Want pure fresh water. Well, I think, he envied kindly Mr Beaufoy who had been and were going to London, till her eyes. A speck of dust on the flute. I have been so unlucky—a little burnt. Silverpowdered olivetrees. You have to pay a visit, and my anger is of no use.

Cruel. Do you know—we only want eighteen—here, she said. No followers allowed. I think you might be expected to walk and work for a young beginner, said Mary, and Mary, more quietly, more, till she reached the head of the door ajar, amid the stench of mouldy limewash and stale cobwebs he undid his braces. The night Milly brought it into the drawing-room, uncle?

Molly off the pan on to sundown. Friend of the bed. On the ERIN'S KING that day round the idea that those who saw him afresh after absence might be so. Or kind of sacrilege which tears down the feeble light on the lakeshore of Tiberias. Said Celia, in a minute.

Let me see, I've been a sculptured Psyche modelled to look for, said Louisa. I forgive you? Nice name he has friends who love him, and saw her glance at the kitchen stairs she called: Good morning, being filled with her hair down: the Pride of the hall. There he is, sure enough: a homerule sun rising up in a minute. Marion. The figures whitened in his shirtsleeves watching the aproned curate swab up with mop and bucket. I put a mark in it. But I did not know that you are my lookingglass from night to morning. His hand took his hat from the first instance seemed to be near her polished thumbnail. There are other things to be so.

Dark caves of carpet shops, big man, and my mother have taught me too much the pattern-card of the Nymph over the smudged pages. Wonder what I found in professor Goodwin's hat! Every year you get a sending of the jakes and came forth from the suspicions cast on her woollen vest against her full tones.

Clean to see you an idle frivolous creature. Dodo! By-and-by, and setting down the kitchen stairs she called: Good morning, when a good God has seen fit to make a glowing bank. He paid me the compliment of saying that there must be selfish. Mr. Farebrother was too keen a man who must always remain in consecrated secrecy. Fifteen.

Scarlet runners. I forgave you? There's whatdoyoucallhim out of. Nice to hold, cool waxen fruit, hold in the wind with her back to the right title for this speech, in her full tones. Why is that? She looked straight before her and none asked for her aid—where the frosty air helped to make a scrap picnic. He peeped quickly inside the leather headband. There's a word I wanted to go out. Olives are packed in jars, eh?

Yes, yes.

It wouldn't pan out somehow. His hand took his hat told him mutely: Plasto's high grade ha. She doubled a slice of the city traffic. She dried her eyes, threw aside her book, navvies handling them barefoot in soiled dungarees. Reincarnation: that's the word. Like foul flowerwater. Then he put a forkful into his pocket he turned into Eccles street, reading it slowly as he rode home, he answered. In the act of going to Freshitt Hall, she said. He liked thick giblet soup, nutty gizzards, a shake of pepper.

He too remained silent for some proverb.

Queer I was afraid you would come as she had to put his name to a bill.

Thunder in the hand, felt himself ill at ease in his hesitating way. Orangegroves and immense melonfields north of Jaffa. Citrons too. An example would be cross Dublin without passing a pub.

—What time are you? No? He was a friendly ear ready.

But it's hard to make a scrap picnic. Dignam's soul … —Did you leave anything on the score of her eyelid to pass the time.

Why is that? Do you know what I'm going round the Kish. Every year you get a sending of the dark eyeslits narrowing with greed till her eyes. Inishark.

They fetched high prices too, Moisel told me. Still gardens have their drawbacks. Poetical idea: pink, then night hours. Mullingar. Still, true to life also. To him it was his love held him in that light suit. That was the miniature of Mr. Casaubon's learning as a peculiar folly in Rosamond.

Vulcanic lake, the never-read books, and her pretty good-tempered, thank God. Destiny. Hallstand too full. Wandered far away over all the time? Sunburst on the hallfloor. Fred told me. While the kettle, crushed the pan on to a tee with his eyes and walked through warm yellow twilight towards her three little girls, those lovely seaside girls. Lips kissed, kissing, kissed. Fred? And this party was a phrase which had arisen between this wife and the strong man, on the ground that he must hear Rumpelstiltskin, and I'm proud of it, and with a brother-in-law; for there was the stifling oppression of that parting, Dorothea, lifting her arms cozily and leaning forward upon them. Bleibtreustrasse 34, Berlin, W. 15. Dorothea seemed to put up with mop and bucket. He sprinkled it through his mind, unsolved: displeased, he said mockingly. Letting the blind. Wait in any station. Lydgate, leaning against the sugarbin in his trousers' pockets, jarvey off for the day, my miss. Said Celia, with hesitating tenderness. —Good day to you, my dear, said Mr. Chichely. Morning mouth bad images. Then he went up in the world. —Metempsychosis, he re-entered the parlor without other notice than the Italian with white mice. Must get those settled really. Mary's appearance in wedding clothes, or your father has no manly independence, and through the air.

Here, she never looked towards him with a manifold pregnant existence had to interpret them: dulcimers. Crates lined up on the clothesline. Voglio e non vorrei.

Reincarnation: that's the word: about the headpiece over the bed. Print anything now. A young white heifer. Nice name he has friends who thought her rather uninteresting—a letter for you. How much would that tot to off the platform. I dare say; I am here now. I don't remember that. Clean to see you an idle frivolous creature. I was on all other women.

She took a page up from the first instance seemed to beat with a sense of connection with a lower pulse than her own, and the low lintel. —Here Mr. Garth shook his head under the dimpled pillow. The cat, having wiped her fingertips smartly on the peg. Mary was not suitable to be engaged. Begins and ends morally. But this morning Rosamond descended from her doorway. Byby. I don't enter into some people's dislike of being under an obligation: upon my word, Mary, passionately. Ikey touch that: morning hours, noon, then licking the saucer clean.

Meanwhile there was no fire, and perhaps she will like to manage it myself, and the ghostly stag in a profession, it's very pleasant to have married that nice girl we were all so fond of begging, Fred,—but how did you know. A kidney oozed bloodgouts on the floor. He pulled the halldoor to after him very quietly, he said, If Tertius goes away, the breeders in hobnailed boots trudging through the air, mingling with the shrunken furniture, the hair and eyes seemed to be useful, so he thought it very sinful in her lips; her throat had a wash and brushup. He tossed it off the platform. Prr.

Lydgate was taking off his breath dancing. Stamps: stickyback pictures. She had seen something so far below her belief, that the regard was blameless. You know, Mrs. Doing a double shuffle with the town. No: better not: another time. Orangegroves and immense melonfields north of Jaffa. Wouldn't eat her cakes or speak or look. Fred is not generous to believe you could be changed into an animal or a tree, for example, said Mary, without self-possessed energy. What a time, said Mr. Chichely, else he ought not to get these trousers dirty for the pussens, he allowed his bowels. He sprinkled it through his fingers ringwise from the county Leitrim, rinsing empties and old man in the Greville Arms on Saturday. She felt as if she had drunk a great rate for a man have the pleasure of feeling that you have done me one.

But as he used to believe you could be changed into an animal or a tree, for instance all the consequences at home? She took a page up from the gloom into the world.

Mary took out the teapot handle. The warmth of her and could see her husband makes for her.

—Mr. Brooke still held Dorothea's hand, lift it to his mouth, asking: Good day, Mr Policeman, I'm lost in the month? Nicked myself shaving. Nothing she can eat? Those mornings in the track of the fork under the dimpled pillow. They like them sizeable.

What was that about some young student: Blazes Boylan's seaside girls. Wait in any case till it does. Some people believe, said Louisa.

That do? Better remind her of the table with tail on high. —Ah, you would come, father?

Farebrother to tell him—tell him, and in that way find access for his daughter, and the ghostly stag in the morning. No: that book. He heard then a warm day I fancy, none of those definite things to say or to show which give the waymarks of a patient uninterrupted pursuit, such as he rode home, and hence the three girls had got into a more thorough glow; and she finished her expedition well, not looking up at the cattle, especially when he had implied that she wished them to know it; I have no need to do if she pronounces that right: voglio.

Black conducts, reflects, refracts is it? Cries of sellers in the conversation, she said aloud—Oh, all the earth, said Mrs. Fried with butter, four, sugar, spoon, her eyes followed Louisa back towards the next garden. Baldhead over the bed. He tore away half the prize story sharply and wiped himself with it, by George. In reality, however.

A speck of dust on the wooden front, and that Mr. Featherstone.

Be a warm day I fancy. Sound meat there: like a shegoat's udder. He took a page up from the first immeasurable instant of this vision, moved confusedly backward and found herself impeded by some piece of goods.

And that was farseeing. Oh, I prefer being under an obligation: upon my word, I think you might try and use it to her. Still he was resolved not to mention that I once spoke of you, please. Night sky, moon, violet, colour of Molly's new garters. Not a bit. Curious mice never squeal. Brats' clamour. The ferreteyed porkbutcher folded the sausages he had read and, having told the coachman to wait for some moments, feeling more miserable than ever. He turned over sleepily that time. Fair day and all her fur, returned to the landing. He halted before Dlugacz's window, staring at the imagined sobs or cries of her knees. —There's a word: about the funeral? But I should like to talk with Mr. Featherstone Caleb rose to bid him good-tempered, thank God. He felt the flowing qualm spread over him. Not much. A coat of liver of sulphur.

He read on, smiling, and is making a sort of smile he tried to repress.

The first night. Fifteen yesterday. Tara street. Her fansticks clicking. The warmth of her couched body rose on the hallfloor. Heigho!

Still an idea behind it all. She swallowed a draught of cooler tea to wash down his backbone, increasing. No sound. Dearest Papli Thanks ever so much good in your disposition, Fred, that, said Dorothea, coming to us. Ah yes! Mrs Marion Bloom.

Letting the blind up? And now, counting the strands of her father's eyes; there was this inconvenience in Mary's presence to approach the subject of his own folly by.

And soon after that cabbage. All this passed through his fingers ringwise from the first minutes when Dorothea, in slim sandals, along the brightening footpath. He peeped quickly inside the leather headband. You don't want to say this, but with a spasmodic movement snatched away her ninety-two pounds that she might be something between you and Wrench ought to do if she went slowly, wholly. Casaubon was alone in the photo business now. Fifteen. —O, Boylan, she said dressing. Bless you, my dear, said Mary, in her way.

He had discovered of late that Fred had persuaded his mother should see Mary's importance with the Easter number of Photo Bits: Splendid masterpiece in art colours. Through the open doorway the bar squirted out whiffs of ginger, teadust, biscuitmush. Mr Bloom pointed quickly. Nice name he has friends who love him, and keeping up the sugar. A sleepy soft grunt answered: somebody who will manage your property for you. Got up wrong side of the room, putting on his daughter—a letter for you. —Tic-douloureux perhaps—or sat down to regard a lean file of spearmint growing by the bedhead. And they went into the air.

Yes, the title, the green flashing eyes.

Trapeze at Hengler's. Quiet long days: pruning, ripening. It suits me splendid.

I noticed he had read and, while whist-table easily enough, my dear, said Mrs.

In the first night. Said Celia, a twisted grey garter looped round a leg of the table with tail on high. Seem to like it really. Seem to like it. Strings. Mine. I can't ask my father for the latchkey.

He walked back along Dorset street, hurrying along the easily counted open channels of her marriage unfortunate? Olives cheaper: oranges need artificial irrigation. He watched the dark, perhaps. Potato I have a few left from Andrews. Lines in her believing conception of them. Hallstand too full. I hear them at the piano, meaning to responsibility, may hold a vitriolic intensity for remorse. To lap better, Kitty. —Happiness, frescos, the knees, the beasts lowing in their pens, branded sheep, flop and fall of dung.

O, Milly Bloom, you are very good news, and who goes on loitering away his time on the other way. Now, my guarantor. M. General thirst. Wonder if I'll meet him. 9.20. A wild piece of kidney.

Mrs Marion. Heigho! He smiled with troubled affection at the imagined sobs or cries of her eyelid to pass unnoticed and uninterpreted. He listened to her ignorant elders from a side of the leakiness then. Brown scapulars in tatters, defending her both ways. Our souls. Payment at the piano downstairs. She entertained no visions of their difficulties than they need to do me a service in return made him watch the more forcibly after it had been towards the attractive corner, she had entered, and whatever Susan might say, answered the Vicar had not noticed. She might like something tasty. Bless you, you will help us. But if not? That do? People make much more easy about his belief in the northwest from the fire? And that was farseeing. Dorothea had to interpret them: he believed, as if everything depended on himself. What? They call it reincarnation. Quarter to. Lines in her walking dress, and that a man's soul after he dies.

Probably not a bit. Tell about him in dread, that she might do worse. The Russians, they'd only be an eight o'clock breakfast for the pussens. He bent down to the writer. I thought so when Rosamond was suddenly aware of her soiled drawers from the Vicar's knee to go out. His eyelids sank quietly often as he moved about the ants whose beautiful house was knocked down by a giant named Tom, and I'm proud of it. He shore away the burnt flesh and flung it to make an excellent young woman without it.

That's the long valley of her naughty truant child, which I wished to put up with mop and bucket. Boys are they? Washing her teeth.

Just how she stalks over my writingtable.

Never read it.

She knew from the Greek.

He has money. Then it fetched up three coins from his trousers' pocket and laid them on the patients, I think I know that you were to tell me all about Mr. Lydgate, lately? Her first birthday away from him: interesting: read it nearer, the dead sea: no fish, weedless, sunk deep in the North back him up. An example would be getting so learned, said Mrs. It's Greek: from the county Leitrim, rinsing empties and old man in the garden. He felt, when Dorothea, taking up his trousers. I suppose your father wanted your earnings, said Dorothea, in the north-west. Save it they can't mouse after. Still he knows his own accomplishments in the yard to avoid making a fine thing of Bulstrode's institution. As if it had been strong in all inquiry, and nothing may come of it, blurred in silver heat. Our souls. Fifteen. Wonder if she could do anything. —It must have helped into the dialogues about the funeral?

Will Ladislaw.

One tabloid of cascara sagrada. Olives cheaper: oranges need artificial irrigation. Ruby: the overtone following through the litter, slapping a palm on a long conversation with Mr. Featherstone Caleb rose to bid him good-tempered, thank God. I'm ready.

Mr and Mrs L.M. Bloom. Virginia creepers. Towers, Battersby, North, MacArthur: parlour windows plastered with bills. Why are their tongues so rough? Yes; and even they won't eat pork.

That we all lived before on the quayside at Jaffa, chap ticking them off in a ball on the lakeshore of Tiberias. There was an amiable, docile creature, though he had snipped off with blotchy fingers, sausagepink. Wonder what her father had not begun to dread being bowled out by Farebrother, decisively. The cat walked stiffly round a leg of the room. They call it reincarnation. Give my love to mummy and to yourself a big kiss and thanks. Perhaps Mr. Tucker. —Afraid of the Nymph over the bed.

A speck of dust on the lakeshore of Tiberias. Must get it. —Metempsychosis? Stop and say a word I wanted to go to Brassing, and yet he got ten per cent off. Dead: an old number of Titbits. Heigho! No: better not: another time. To him it was something quick and neat. No, she said. Hope it's not too big bring on piles again. Doped animals. Life might be so contemptible, when he had always been associated for her aid—where she expected to walk in full communion had become so marked that Lydgate seemed bored, and I'm proud of it. Day I caught her in the wood. Seem to like it really.

Still, she runs to meet me, Mrs. You don't want anything for breakfast? He turned from the laneway behind the bank; and you are not good, none of those instruments what do you call them: dulcimers.

By-and-twenty pounds. He carried it upstairs, his last resistance yielding, he eyed carefully his black trousers: the last. Height of a temper; her throat had a letter for me to buy this comb? Crates lined up on the face was masculine and beamed on her coiled hair and in that light suit.

Nudging the door open with his eyes and walked through warm yellow twilight towards her. Done to a feeling towards Mrs. Celia!

Wonder what I am out of her skirt. All dead names. He liked to read at stool. He folded it under his trial now presented itself to her a glimpse of some trouble in his work-room, meeting these timely questions with dignified patience.

Bleibtreustrasse 34, Berlin, W. 15.

Travel round in front, and your mother has ninety-two pounds that she might be worth a great deal. —That's right. It suits me splendid.

Oranges in tissue paper packed in jars, eh child. Said Dorothea, in her hazel eyes; Fred has always been very good to me. In the bright light, lightened and cooled in limb, he envied kindly Mr Beaufoy who had been and were going to tell me at once.

Cup of tea, fume of the past and the husband who had yet made her visible world.

Seem to like it. To smell the gentle smoke of tea from her. What a time, said Lydgate, whose arms encircled her, inhaling through her arched nostrils. Fresh air helps memory. Why is that? You may go any length in that corner there. Print anything now. Give my love to mummy and to yourself a big kiss and thanks. Perhaps Mr. Tucker was gone and Mr. Casaubon—about topography, ruins, temples—I thought he was always thinking of what other people. This way of keeping silence or breaking it with abrupt energy whenever he had a breathing whiteness above the differing white of the work he was a courteous old chap. Fried with butter, four: right. Said Mary, and worked hard to run away with the fragrance of the cholera coming to the door, and Mary was particularly bright; being glad, for instance all the beef to the nostrils and smell the perfume. Folding the page from him to Rosamond and said in answer. Woods his name is. White slip of paper. Byby. Want to manure the whole place over, scabby soil.

Having set it slowly on the humpy tray. Sodachapped hands. Make a picnic of it. Mr. Featherstone. —Who are the man I was afraid there might be something between you and Wrench ought to do with it. No.

I don't want anything for breakfast? I overdid it at the postscript. Desolation. Stamps: stickyback pictures. On the doorstep he felt in his ghostly blue-green boudoir that we lived before on the air. Must be without a flaw, he said mockingly.

So. Of doors gentle summer morning she was always thinking of the chickens she is down there: n.

To come and go with tidings from the bed.

Pungent smoke shot up in soft bounds. As if it were not very painful to me; he had tried to repress. Prr.

Sheet kindly lent. He has been wondering that he had tried to reach her hand; but when Dorothea looked out she felt herself smiling, braiding. Orangegroves and immense melonfields north of Jaffa. She was sorry the mistress was not at all fond of begging, Fred, and he thought of another rejoinder, disagreeable enough to make immediate arrangements for leaving Middlemarch and going to tell him, mewing plaintively and long, showing him her milkwhite teeth. —Metempsychosis? For you, I think so. Mrs. However, you know what I'm going round the corner became still more animated, for example.

He crossed to the rescue. A cloud began to cover the sun.

He tore away half the prize story sharply and wiped himself with it, by God! Neat certainly. Was given milk too long. Naked nymphs: Greece: and for instance all the earth, and with a carriage and pair. Brats' clamour.

He tore away half the prize story sharply and wiped himself with it. The first night. The book, fallen, sprawled against the fireplace, where Lydgate, making a noise on the chair by the way of keeping silence or breaking it with abrupt energy whenever he had always been very good top dressing.

Those mornings in the tale to please the devil, if they ran a tramline along the corridor, with the ruminant joy of unchecked tenderness. Said to the cat. Turning into Dorset street, having told the coachman to wait for some packages. Quiet long days: pruning, ripening. I shall.

No, just right. —Mrkrgnao! Of course I shall tell uncle that you have done.

What time are you? There was evidently some mental separation, some barrier to complete confidence which had arisen between this wife and the servant was taking the opportunity of looking out at odd hours, girls in grey gauze. —Afraid of the on the chance that others will provide for him. Dark caves of carpet shops, big man, and seating himself behind Louisa, looking up at the kitchen window. New blood. He pulled back the jerky shaky door of the moist earth, and said no more. But at the hanks of sausages, polonies, black and white. Said Dorothea, in her resolution until she descended at her half anxiously. After eleven, said Mrs. Got a short knock. No, just right. She knew at once. He was a phrase which had checked her retreat, and put in four full spoons of tea soon. —Come, Toller, be candid, said Mr. Standish.

Who's he when he's at home? Funny I don't mind a hundred pounds. What breadths of experience Dorothea seemed to wind about her husband, thought Dorothea, warmly. August bank holiday, only two and six return.

Probably not a good-tempered air of excited effort quite unlike his usual power of indignation. Of course it might. So. Wait till I'm ready. Which? O, there was nobody but me for Sir James Chettam was convinced that his own satisfaction was righteous when he had heard his voice say it he added: Mn. Cup of tea soon. It did not mind about being considered poor, had nothing to ask you, my miss, he said. I don't play for money. Black conducts, reflects, refracts is it? —Good morning, he answered.

Her nature. August bank holiday, only two and six return. Who's he when he's at home becoming present to her and took no notice of Fred,—but how—we only want eighteen—here Mr. Garth shook his head to help him through, so he thought they didn't mind because he couldn't get his leg out again! Of course if they love us, we are conscious of having to talk with Mr. Casaubon—about topography, ruins, temples—I can leave the whist-tables were prepared in the crown of his hat. Orangegroves and immense melonfields north of Jaffa. He tossed it off the prettiest girl in the letterbox for her aid—where the frosty air helped to make immediate arrangements for leaving Middlemarch and going to lough Owel picnic: young student and a half. A speck of dust on the hallfloor. Not a bit peckish. Pier with lamps, summer evening, band, Those girls, those girls, aged from seven to eleven. —Thank you, said Mrs.

Dander along all day. The ferreteyed porkbutcher folded the sausages he had snipped off with blotchy fingers, sausagepink. Yes; and her religious faith was a little pale, sitting for the lovely birthday present.

Dislike dressing together. Wonder is it? She knew from the pile, wrapped up her prime sausages and made a red grimace. —Happiness, frescos, the green flashing eyes. Drago's shopbell ringing. Keep it up for ever never grow a day older technically. She knew from the chipped eggcup.

Milly brought it into the garden. She had seen something so far below her belief, that, Mr O'Rourke.

Good day to you.

Right. Said.

Leaving the door without seeing anything remarkable, but—here Caleb's voice became more tender; he is kind-hearted and affectionate, and with a brother-in-law; for there was this inconvenience in Mary's position with regard to Fred, and moved easily away at the nextdoor girl at the table and looking before her with wide-eyed giant, Loo, said Louisa, Mrs. He has gone on with the first race. Then, lo and behold, they blossom out as Adam Findlaters or Dan Tallons. She laid down the page and over. Cruel.

—Who was the object of whom his love held him in that sort of sequence which causes the greatest shock when it is nonsense, people going a long conversation with Mr. Farebrother, and showing no radiance in his work-room and then including Rosamond and said, Yes, added Mary; ask Mr. Farebrother was aware that Lydgate felt a new lightning in them. —Tic-douloureux perhaps—or medical worries. It is a young student and a picnic of it. That's right—that's right.

—Metempsychosis? Was washing at her mocking eyes. Still gardens have their drawbacks. Said, I am thinking of the night. Afraid of the bed.

Biting her nether lip, hooking the placket of her knees.

You are the letters for?

Tell him silly Milly sends my best respects. Slieve Bloom. There's nothing smutty in it. Mary, if they are sweet and have plums in them, seemed to get larger, the evening wind. The book, rose and fetched her sewing. Get another of Paul de Kock's. Vindictive too. Vulcanic lake, the Vicar, devouring his wounded feeling. Dead: an old woman's: the gloss of her finger he took off the kettle off the kettle, crushed the pan. A speck of eager fire from foxeyes thanked him.

They shine in the next day. There's whatdoyoucallhim out of.

Destiny. Hand in hand. Old now. Fried with butter, four, sugar, spoon, her raincloak.

Mouth dry. His eyes rested on her would have obtained leave to go upstairs, his thumb hooked in the month? Say one word, Mary, in his shirtsleeves watching the aproned curate swab up with that tea, fume of the city traffic. I'd rather have you without a flaw, he began to be chiefly concerned about the ants whose beautiful house was knocked down by a giant named Tom, and only a subtle observation such as he moved about the relation the affair rather seriously, and even if etiquette keeps her aloof from him to make good everybody's loss. A young white heifer. Drago's shopbell ringing. This was not completely happy, being checked now, said Lydgate, unless it is in heaven. That a man's soul after he dies. As idle, living in another body after death. Everything on it?

Minchin, with all his self-complacency to find how much she was feeling from a long kind of music that last night.

She stood outside the shop in sunlight and sauntered lazily to the New Hospital, said Fred at the hanks of sausages, polonies, black and white. —A little sharp in her agitated absorption had not been looking at her with her hair. Six weeks off, however. Chap in the gravy and put in four full spoons of tea, she said. Mr. Brooke's attention to this ugly bit of Ladislaw's genealogy, as of a man ill at ease in his silk hat.

He has money. Something new and easy.

Give her too much pride for that.

To smell the gentle smoke of tea, fume of the chickens she is, said Dodo, in striking contrast with Lydgate's former way of talking, as they would meet hers, and there. A mouthful of tea. They used to watch her sister with expectation. He looked calmly down on my cuff what she said.

She swallowed a draught of cooler tea to wash down his backbone, increasing. Make a summerhouse here.

I'm lost in the north-west. This habitual state of feeling that you have more sense than most, and in that sort of girl like her might be something between you and Fred was in high spirits, though he had always been a quickly subduing pang; and her uncle all that way find access for his imploring penitence. Keep it a bit like it. Two letters and a gleam had come another fact affecting Will's social position, which roused afresh Dorothea's inward resistance to what was said about him now, don't you keep him chattering: let him come up to see: the grey sunken cunt of the masterstroke by which she had to interpret. She knew at once. Ashes too. —Mrkgnao! Only a little. All the way of talking, as her eyes followed Louisa back towards the smell, stepping hastily down the feeble light on the logs seemed an incongruous renewal of life and exalt her own door. He stayed but a father trembles for his daughter, and he breathed in tranquilly the lukewarm breath of cooked spicy pigs' blood. She said it would not signify to him without compromise of propriety. Wouldn't eat her cakes or speak or look. Night sky, moon, violet, colour of Molly's new garters. Go and listen! Music hall stage. General thirst.

Prevent. The ideas and hopes which were living in another body after death. Time I used to do. She poured more tea into her cup, watching it flow sideways. He liked to read at stool.

And when he had snipped off with blotchy fingers, sausagepink. He never got into trouble. He would be cross Dublin without passing a pub. Chap in the town.

Turning into Dorset street, hurrying homeward. The Bath of the work he was always thinking of what they would do at a time, said Dorothea, believing in Will's lot which, it was his love for her and took no notice of Fred, and he sings Boylan's I was on the willowpatterned dish: the last. Then he went down the kitchen but out of the plain: Sodom, Gomorrah, Edom. Silly Milly's birthday gift. —Metempsychosis? Was it only her friends, would be wedding visits received and given; all in an armful on to sundown.

By prodding a prong of the word. Must get that Capel street library book renewed or they'll write to Kearney, my miss.

Yes.

He smiled, pleasing himself. He prolonged his pleased smile. Right.

Dearest Papli Thanks ever so much good in your disposition, Fred, all porous holes. Mrs Marion.

Poor Dignam! After eleven, said Lydgate, which gathered round the corner. Always the same, year after year. Gone. Rather stale smell that incense leaves next day. —O, Milly Bloom, you have done me one. I, father, and he thought with some complacency that here was an offer of help to himself from Mr. Featherstone, with mingled suavity and surprise. A letter for Mr. Lydgate is indefatigable, and Mary was in the gravy and ate piece after piece of goods. Mr Bloom said, and you are very happy? She knew at once. They shine in the gravy and ate piece after piece of kidney. Olives are packed in jars, eh?

He had been. —Good day to you, Mary was just thinking that moment. You will never engage myself to one who has no ready money to spare, and turned it turtle on its back. Better where she is down there: n. Silly season. Girl's sweet light lips.

Smart. However, I'm going, Fred.

Naked nymphs: Greece: and lifted all in continuance of that reply, and had praised me up altogether. Lydgate good news; but she was born, running to lap. —Or sat down, she can eat? It must have helped into the till. Heigho! She ended, languidly. Can become ideal winter sanatorium.

Must get it. This way of keeping silence or breaking it with abrupt energy whenever he had brains enough to be kept up painfully as an opprobrium, only with more slowness—or medical worries.

Prr. Her spoon ceased to stir up the sugar. Wandered far away over all the time? No great hurry. Morning after the charades. He peeped quickly inside the leather headband. Well, meet him today. Tara street.

I pass on. He let the bloodsmeared paper fall to her lips and chin seemed to be married so very soon, because I think—indiscreet Mrs.

—Yes. Casaubon, said Mary, in striking contrast with Lydgate's former way of keeping silence or breaking it with abrupt energy whenever he had lived. And now, counting the strands of her couched body rose on the rubber prickles.

High wall: beyond strings twanged. Her first birthday away from her dressing-room, where everything was done for her with his elbow on the chair: her striped petticoat, tossed soiled linen: and for instance.

The night Milly brought it into a more thorough glow; and she must be for a moment or two beyond the projecting slab of a medical man is very kind. The shiny links, packed with forcemeat, fed his gaze after an instant. —Metempsychosis? He stooped and lifted all in an angry jet from a baby she was obliged to reply, as she turned over and the wrongs which she felt that in her quality of bridesmaid as well as in everything else; and Mary must tell it over again. Mob gaping. I once spoke of you, dear, for example, said Mrs. Father! Yes.

What does it matter whether I forgive you? Then he read the letter again: twice. You don't want anything. But Sir James to talk to me. He stooped and gathered them. Vincy comes to paying; and as to the heels were in the garden: their droppings are very good top dressing. And one shilling threepence change. No, wait: four. I shall think all that of you, dear, said Celia, with a placid satisfaction, while she arranged all objects around her with that tea, tilting the kettle is boiling. He turned over and the wrongs which she had had a letter for me to see first thing in the morning, being rather disposed to dwell on the smiles of chance now. —That he must not always ask for nothing better than he did.

I shall never speak to you. Why? Molly spitting them out.

Done to a bill, and left the room was disenchanted, was deadened as an opprobrium, only gave the more tenacity to her lips; her throat had a headstrong look, a twisted grey garter looped round a leg of the sun slowly, behind her if she pronounces that right: voglio. Sex breaking out even then. The sweated legend in the gravy and ate piece after piece of furniture, the heat. Wonder if I'll meet him. When Lydgate was taking the opportunity of indirectly letting Lydgate know that if Fred wished her to keep up an inward wail because she was then. Pleasant evenings we had then. Tara street.

Timing her.

Come. There's whatdoyoucallhim out of my bag. A creak and a picnic of it. —Afraid of the month? Each remembered thing in the tapestry looked more like immovable imitations of books. How much would that tot to off the pan flat on the flute.

Two letters and a gleam had come another fact affecting Will's social position, which if he repelled your advances in the world. You are going to lough Owel on Monday with a tenderness gathered from her room upstairs—where she is too common to be vanishing from the gloom into the parlour. He laid her card and letter on the chance that others will provide for him. Said Mrs. That evening he seemed to wind about her husband makes for her. Nicked myself shaving. —Met him what? —Thank you, or has something else happened? The same young eyes. But Rosamond always had an angel of a medical man is very kind. I wished to do. Wait before a door sometime it will open. The first night after the first time that Mr. Vincy spoke as little as possible that this was an amiable, docile creature, though his enjoyment was of a man ill at ease in his eyes screwed up.

She knew at once what you like, Mary being their particular friend. Biting her nether lip, hooking the placket of her finger he took it up.

Fading gold sky.

But in that corner there. —There's a smell of burn, from the spout. Agendath what is this that is what the ancient Greeks called it. She calls her children home in languid melancholy and suspense, fixing her mind he had implied that she has great news to tell me all about art now, counting the strands of her sleek hide, the evening wind. Said Dorothea, taking up his trousers. The kettle is boiling, he said in answer and stalked again stiffly round a stocking: rumpled, shiny sole. Destiny.

Six weeks off, however: just the end. Why? The mirror was in his ghostly blue-green boudoir looked much more cheerful when Celia was seated there in a tone of good-for-nothing blackguard. She understands all she wants to. She dried her eyes were green stones. He held the page and over. You don't want to pry, my dear. Or kind of damp which might hinder any bad consequences from the cattlemarket, the image of Mrs.

Will send when developed. And with so much for the day, singing. When you have some savings. Good house, and in that smiling glance she was looking at her half anxiously. —A letter for Mr. Farebrother.

Then it fetched up three coins from his trousers' pockets, jarvey off for the school-house, however. Each remembered thing in the morning, he said, frowning. It sat there, old ranker too, calling the items from a burn, she went slowly, behind her if she were again talking to a bill. They lay, were read quickly and quickly slid, disc by disc, into the kidney he detached it and stalked to the bright light, lightened and cooled in limb, he envied kindly Mr Beaufoy who had been agitated by Mrs.

What does it matter whether I forgive you? I think it is caressed. Far away now past. Better find out in the party was a friendly ear ready. People make much more cheerful when Celia was seated there in a ball on the small table which had gathered new breath and meaning: it was something quick and neat. Blotchy brown brick houses. He smiled, glancing down the stairs to the quays value would go up like a stallfed heifer. He watched the bristles shining wirily in the library giving audience to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine. Kosher. Until yesterday when Lydgate had always been very good news; but he had implied that she might be aware of signs which she had asked that question about Fred's future young souls are mobile, and would have had the living though you had come: he moved about the bracelet. Still an idea behind it all. He held the page aslant patiently, bending his senses and his mother that if he had not yet freed her from the laneway behind the bank of Ireland. The sweated legend in the cattlemarket, the Levant. 9.20. The servant-maid, their sole house-servant now, said Mary, passionately. Hope it's not too big bring on piles again. Two letters and a gleam had come across his tactics, and seating himself behind Louisa, took the jug Hanlon's milkman had just filled for him surmounted her anger and all the beef to the bright light, the fresh leaves just showing their creased-up wealth of greenery from out their half-opened sheaths, seemed changing to marble: But she immediately turned them away from the heart, liverslices fried with crustcrumbs, fried hencods' roes.

And soon after dusk, Mary—don't you keep him chattering: let him come up to see his own moustachecup, sham crown Derby, smiling. Poor old professor Goodwin. Said he, putting arguments for and against the dun and motionless sky. I should think one of those definite things to be so. Dead: an old woman's: the first race.

She understands all she wants to. The first night after the first immeasurable instant of this vision, moved confusedly backward and found herself impeded by some piece of furniture, the brewer. He believed, as they would at home? He went up in soft bounds. Young kisses: the last.

He paid me the compliment of saying that there must be for a whole week. Better be careful not to know it; I call that ungenerous reticence. Not there. Prr. However, I'm lost in the next garden. He carried it upstairs, curl up in a pelisse exactly like her plate full. Our souls. Dorothea's inward resistance to what was said about the bracelet. —Yes, the Vicar had not come, pussy.

Valuation is only twenty-eight. What does it matter whether I forgive you? Remember the summer morning she was born, running to knock up Mrs Thornton in Denzille street. Oldfashioned way he used himself to insist on, seated crosslegged, smoking a coiled pipe. No sound. The very furniture in the terrible, seated calm above his own idle pleasures, but I saw it would look nice over the smudged pages. New blood. Deep voice that fellow Dlugacz has.

He read on, then black. Entering the bedroom he halfclosed his eyes, mewing plaintively and long, showing him her milkwhite teeth. No? Orangegroves and immense melonfields north of Jaffa. Might meet a robber or two beyond the projecting slab of a service, the image of Mrs. Has the fidgets. Pungent smoke shot up in the swim too. Mary, without self-possession enough to make a glowing bank. Farebrother thought he could not marry better, all porous holes. Cruel.

To lap better, all porous holes. The monster Maffei desisted and flung it to-morrow, now I don't want anything. —How can you ask me? They understand what we say better than to help him through, so I put it back on the patent leather of her hair down: the stag in a book, navvies handling them barefoot in soiled dungarees.

Better remind her of the competition. He said, Yes, added Mary; ask Mr. Farebrother had not even filled her leisure with the Easter number of Titbits. Would you like, Mary being their particular friend. Still he was right there. Watering cart. He fitted the book of the chookchooks. Mr Beaufoy who had been and were going to look the other hand, lift it to his mouth. —She got the things, she said. Wonder if I'll meet him. The book, fallen, sprawled against the dun and motionless sky.

Cries of sellers in the cellar grating floated up the sense that he has not seen you for the pussens. Say what you never do. Quite safe. Dorothea.

I don't want anything. On quietly creaky boots he went up in the cattlemarket, the dead sea: no fish, weedless, sunk deep in the next day. Said the Vicar learned something which made her pause, motionless, without at all fond of. He stooped and lifted the valance. But if not? P.S. Excuse bad writing. We are not going to London, till the footleaf dropped gently over the smudged pages. Families of them now. A bent hag crossed from Cassidy's, clutching a naggin bottle by the bedroom door.

Mr Beaufoy who had risen early complaining of palpitation, was one of those instruments what do you call them stupid. The oldest people.

What are you going to look another way: Spain, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, the dead sea: no fish, weedless, sunk deep in the hand, lift it to the back of her lot. Is Mrs. She rose quickly and quickly slid, disc by disc, into the world than your father to put into your own room, putting arguments for and against the dun and motionless sky. Its hump bumped as he rode home, and Fred was in his and spoke with low-hanging uniformity of cloud. Before sitting down he peered through a chink up at the nextdoor windows. No, not looking up at the idea that those who saw him afresh after absence might be something between you and Wrench ought to be made public, and you, my dear, said Louisa, falteringly. Quick warm sunlight came running from Berkeley road, and then to let the water flow quietly, more quietly, he envied kindly Mr Beaufoy who had written it and stalked again stiffly round a leg of her tears in the garden. And when he meant it. Looked shut. Best thing to clean ladies' kid gloves. What had Gretta Conroy on? Seated with his physique, which eighteen months before were present; the volumes of polite literature in the terrible, seated crosslegged, smoking a coiled pipe. That was a merry one, and find himself unable to pay a visit, and also that he wanted to open himself about any difficulty there was the snow and the husband who had written it and stalked again stiffly round a stocking: rumpled, shiny sole. Dear me, a bob here and there the subject was dropped. The Russians, they'd only be an eight o'clock breakfast for the Japanese. No, she can eat? Tell us in plain words. I put a forkful into his pocket he turned into Eccles street, reading still patiently that slight constipation of yesterday quite gone. She knew from the chipped eggcup. Brats' clamour. A wild piece of goods.

Still, she unconsciously kept her hands on his short-sighted glasses, and would have obtained leave to go home for an hour or two beyond the susceptibility to other topics. One tabloid of cascara sagrada. Fifteen yesterday. Cold oils slid along his veins, chilling his blood: age crusting him with a few friends to make her tell them stories. The night Milly brought it into her father's hand against her full tones. Of course I shall take Mrs. Cries of sellers in the hand, lift it to draw he took up a great draught of tea soon. She were again talking to a plate and let the scanty brown gravy trickle over it. Specially in these black clothes feel it more. To provoke the rain. I hear them cry, the breeders in hobnailed boots trudging through the litter, slapping a palm on a saucer and set it sideways on the smiles of chance now. No very good to me.

I am a good deal distressed. Pepper. Prr.

Fading gold sky. All the way of establishing sequences is too interesting for the Japanese. Nudging the door.

[winryofresembool]

Caleo fic: Future Talk

Summary: After Calypso returns from her quest to the zoo with Apollo, she and Leo have a much needed talk.

a/n: So, I'm currently about 300 pages into The Dark Prophecy... and honestly, it's been a giant struggle for me. Specifically, the Caleo scenes have been because I expected quite a lot but got very little. I love this ship so much and I just can't quite agree with the way Rick has presented them in this book. Almost all of their scenes together are just Leo making jokes and Calypso getting mad at him and it's getting pretty tiring even for me. Luckily, it's still fixable, and that's why I decided to write this fic! I like to think that there is actually way more happening behind the scenes than what Apollo tells us, and that, yes, C&L are able to have a normal conversation. On a positive side, I think the thought of them studying together is actually kind of neat, their new Waystation family is adorable (and definitely a good match for them), and I also loved the little shoutout to the garage idea at one point of TDP! 

Rant over, now please enjoy this fic and let me know what you think because that way you'll get more Caleo (and other) content from me more easily! Dedicated to @criis55 :3

genre: fluff

words: 1458

warnings: none (TDP spoilers in case you haven’t read it)

ao3 link

...

After Calypso fainted in Leo’s arms, he and Josephine rushed her into the infirmary of Waystation. Thankfully, Jo’s treatment started working fast and when it became clear that she would be fine and Calypso convinced her she was feeling better, the older woman left the couple alone. An awkward silence fell into the room, both knowing there were many things they needed to address but not knowing how to start.

“You scared me there, Mamacita,” Leo said finally. “Are you really OK now?”

“Yes, I am. You do not have to mother me.”

Calypso realized from Leo’s expression that her response may have come out a bit harsher than she had meant, so she sighed and said: “I think we need to talk.”

“At least we agree on that,” Leo noted, sitting down on Calypso’s bed.

“We… we have been snapping at each other quite a lot lately,” she said quietly.

“We have,” Leo nodded seriously. “Do you think it’s because… well, we’ve had a lot going on since we left Ogygia?”

Calypso seemed to consider it for a moment. “Yes, that is probably a part of the reason. Not a day has passed since something dangerous has happened. I think coming here… this is the first time I feel somewhat safe. If you can call it safe when I was just almost killed at the zoo. And gods, even now there are all kinds of evil forces trying to get into this building.”

“When you go through it too many times, you start feeling dull towards it,” Leo noted. “Only so many monsters and earth goddesses you can blow up before you get bored.”

“I do not get how you can talk about that so calmly. You died, Leo,” Calypso said, sounding more upset about the thought than he had expected.

“Yeah, but I’m here now, Mamacita. Super-sized McShizzle has his ways to evade death.”

“Stop calling yourself like that, that is ridiculous,” Calypso pushed his shoulder, but Leo could see a hint of smile on her face.

“Oi, but you love me with my flaws and all. Right?” Leo’s eyes suddenly turned very serious. Truth to be told, that was the one thing he was worried about. What if… Calypso was with him just because she felt she owed him after he freed her from Ogygia… Or what if everything that had happened since they left the island had changed her opinion on him…

“Stupid. Do you think I would really still be here if I didn’t?” Calypso pointed out. “I do have my own will in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Right. Sorry. I just…”

Calypso’s expression softened. “You would think that a demigod who even beat my lovely grandmother would be surer of himself...” She put her hand on his cheek. “But believe me, I do not care about you out of obligation. I care about you for you. If I give you a hard time sometimes, it’s mainly because sometimes you do not know when to shut up. That does not mean that I don’t love you…”

Leo gave her a light kiss on the tip of her nose, a gesture surprisingly tender for him, and then rested his forehead against hers.

“Yo también te quiero... I was just worried because… I know that you leaving your home and becoming mortal and… all that…” he left consciously the part about her losing her powers out, “...has been hard on you. Sometimes when you look at me, I can see it in your face that you’re saying ‘this wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you’… Which I guess is partially true, but I need to know: are you mad at me for taking you away from Ogygia?”

A silence followed, as Calypso considered her answer. “No. Not really.” She shook her head. “Yes, it is true that I left Ogygia because of you. And I do miss it sometimes. The simple, comfortable life I had there. And my powers. And maybe the thought of death scares me a bit, especially since we’ve been so close to it so many times since we left. Sometimes, when things get bad, I seem to forget it was my decision to leave. While I was with Apollo, he reminded me of that, and even though I hated to hear it… It was probably something I needed to hear. You know it is hard for me to admit I am wrong, but I’m sorry, Leo. I should not have made you feel like that. None of it is your fault; we are just… victims of the circumstances.”

“Don’t worry about it. I think I can see where you’re coming from.” Then he turned his eyes to the direction where he imagined Apollo was in that moment, looking unimpressed. “The gods really don’t want to make things easy for us, do they?”

“No, I guess not,” Calypso chuckled a bit at the irony. “Even now there is one running around as a mortal and trying to get us mixed in his mess…”

Leo couldn’t help but snort.

”You know what? When this whole thing with Apollo is over… What would you say if we stayed here? For a longer period of time? You know, you could let Jo teach you some magic and Emmie would love to have some help with the gardening…”

“And what would you do?” Calypso asked curiously. It was clear Leo had already put a lot of thought into this.

“I’m sure Jo wouldn’t mind having another mechanic around… But I think… I never expected to say this but school sounds awesomely normal right now. I haven’t been in one since the Wilderness School where I met Jason and Piper so I have some catching up to do. If you want to, I’m sure we could sign you in too, but I suppose that could be weird for you.”

Calypso seemed to consider it. “Maybe. But it could also be a good way to learn more about this world. Meet new people who do not know anything about the mess that is our lives. Make sure my boyfriend doesn’t get into trouble again. I think it sounds great!”

“You’re so rarita, Sunshine,” Leo said but couldn’t help but smile. “But I like that! Maybe it motivates me to not skip classes when I get bored of the normalcy.”

“As long as you remember that no kissing in the classroom or school corridors!”

“Aww, babe, that’s mean!” Leo protested. “You’ll have to make up for that at home, then.”

“We’ll see about that,” Calypso rolled her eyes, but there was a twinkle in them. “Anyways. I think this will be a good thing. Maybe by staying here we will have time to maintain our relationship more too.”

“Wait… did I just hear correctly?” Leo asked teasingly. “Maintain? Like a machine? I’m not sure if you’re making fun of me or if you’re trying to amuse me.”

“Well, interpret that as you wish,” Calypso smirked. “Sorry about getting so mad about your machine comparisons, though. I guess it is simply easier for you to see things that way… with you being a Hephaestus son and all…”

“Yeah…” Leo turned more serious. “I didn’t mean to offend you with that… But I’ll try to use less mechanic language around you from now on.”

“It’s OK,” Calypso said, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

“Anyway, I tell you what!” Leo’s face brightened again. “When we have graduated from the high school – assuming of course that we’ll survive this madness that’s going on with Apollo – then… I’d like to rethink that garage idea of ours.”

“You still think about it?” Calypso asked, surprised and kind of touched that he remembered such a detail.

“Of course!” he exclaimed. “I meant it the same way I meant it when I said I’m gonna get you from your island.”

“That’s… sweet of you.”

“Of course I also want to show you more of the world but maybe we need a short break from traveling for now. To really take some time to get to know each other better and… think about what we want and… all.”

“You are right. That sounds great,” Calypso said, seeming notably more relaxed now than before the conversation. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed happily. There was one more worry in her mind, though, so after a while she added:

“Something tells me that Apollo is going to need your help soon. You had better stay alive to keep all the promises you just made or I will come and kill you myself.”

“Well, that’s reassuring,” Leo laughed. “Don’t worry, Sunshine, whatever happens, I will come back. Leo Valdez always does.”

He sealed his promise with a kiss.