For 16 years, he was gone... The war had ended 10 years ago, but for 6 years, he was missing. You never heard from him, and everyone thought he was dead. Soon, men asked for your hand in marriage. You'd say the same thing to each one of them, "I shall think about it." But you never gave them an answer. Soon, 800 men had asked for your hand in marriage. To become the new king. They stayed at the palace, terrorizing and wrecking the palace. Some even tried to make advances onto you, but you were smart enough to get away. You weren't strong, but you were incredibly smart and quick.

Sure, you could handle one suitor...but...if all 800 were to come at you...you would be powerless...

You had finally given them a challenge. You loved to read, and namely, the Odyssey. Especially now, and how personal you felt with this story. Not many other people knew of this story, so you arranged the same challenge Penelope had in the Odyssey. Whoever could string your husband's old bow and shoot through 16 axes cleanly would become the next king, your husband. You had upped the number of axes to make it even more impossible. You know none of them could do it...that was the point... You still hoped and prayed that Derek was still alive...and that this...was buying him time...

One night, you got awoken by screams and the sound of fighting...what...what was going on... You took your husband's old shields and one of his old swords, cowering in the corner, prepared to fight off whoever came into your chamber. Even if you didn’t know how to fight...

Everything had gone silent...and then...the bedroom door creaked open. And there...stood a tall, muscular built man. Who...who looked like Derek, covered in blood...