Seeing the storm off in the horizon made Penelope think. Yes it could’ve been just some random storm, yet this feeling inside her, what if it was him? Maybe it’s finally time for my challenge..

And Penelope set her heart on it, it just had to be him. So she gathered all 108 suitors in the dining hall, telling them her challenge.

“Whoever can string my husbands old bow and shoot through 12 axes cleanly, will be the new king, sit down at the throne, and rule with me as their queen.”

A knot formed in the queens stomach as she left, she hoped it was actually him. Otherwise she was just letting these men win.

Hours passed since she was in that dining hall, since then she heard faint screams. Despite the fact people in her palace might be getting murdered right now, she sat silently at her vanity, staring at her aged face.

More time passed by and footsteps came to the bedroom door. Telemachus’ soft voice came from the other side. “Mother. He’s here.”

Penelope’s heart sped up at that, knowing who her son was talking about. And soon enough there he was, standing before her. She almost thought she was hallucinating again, it had been 20 years. And he was alive.

The two stood there silently staring at each other, Odysseus was covered head to toe in blood. He spoke first, saying he wasn’t the same person he was before. He said he murdered a lot of people just to get back to them.

“If that’s true. Could you do me a favor? Just a moment of labor. That would bring me some peace.” She paused “See that wedding bed? Could you carry it over, lift it high in your shoulder. And take it far away from here.”

Odysseus was crushed by her words, offended even. He did everything to get back to his family and this is what he gets? Told to get rid of their wedding gift. Rage and sorrow filled Odysseus like a plague.