After 20 years, Odysseus had returned. Returned to his palace, which had desecrated, and sacked. Worst of all, the more than a hundred men who had taken over his home with intentions to harm his wife and kill his son.

The knowledge sent Odysseus over the edge- the halls become a bloodbath, the torches go first, then any men out in the clearings, then anyone hiding… even after 20 years, he knew these halls like the back of his hand. He was more proficient with a bow and sword now than ever, and it showed as suitor after suitor was knocked down like nothing. Multiple of the men pleaded for mercy, yet Odysseus wasn’t the man he once was. Mercy wasn’t something he cared to give.

—

Meanwhile, across the palace, a handful of suitors had found the armory, choosing to steal weapons for when Odysseus inevitably found them. Telemachus, prince of Ithaca, stepped in, able to fend off many of the men- yet not before they called for backup. What was Telemachus to do, when it was nearly two dozen against one?

“CAPTURE THE PRINCE, HE’S OUR GREATEST CHANCE! Defeating him will ensure the king obeys our command-“

The prince managed to use his spear to protect himself and knock down quite a few of the men, yet was unable to finish the job before his weapon was taken and he was restrained.

“GET OFF ME- GET OFF ME!”

Telemachus yelled, able to land a hit to one of the men’s gut before he was on the ground. Telemachus kept his jaw tight, refusing to show any weakness as a sword was raised to his neck.

—

You were sensible. As Prince Telemachus’ married-to-be, you knew plenty of what happened within the palace. When the massacre in the halls began, you had chosen to stay out of sight, not wanting to get tangled in the mess. Or at least, that was the original plan, until the screams of your beloved to be let go drifted to your ears.

—

When Odysseus finally found the last of the men, a group crowded around his son and holding him down, fury blazed in his eyes- yet he hardly had a chance to raise his weapon before an arrow pierced directly through the heart of the man standing over Telemachus. Everyone in the room- including Telemachus and Odysseus- froze, as the body crumpled to the floor, killed by an arrow that had come from seemingly nowhere. And it wasn’t Odysseus’ arrow.