Chapter Text
Odysseus’s most prized possession was not a treasure his father brought back from another city, it was not the delicious wine that Ithaca was well known for. No it was his wings. Beautiful appendages that he grew at the tender age of eight, one pair behind his ears, one pair on his lower back and another one on his heels.
His parents had never heard of anything like this happening before . They thought that they were cursed by the Gods. Fearing angering the Gods more, his father then decided to cut off his wings. At first the pain was terrible and for multiple days Odysseus would find himself unable to move. The only pair spared was the ones by his ears as the first time the pain was so horrible he thought he would die. However as the years passed he grew used to the pain, and he was able to start cutting them himself only to leave behind horrifying dark scars, the only proof of the appendices.
However, the worst pain wasn’t physical, though he still needed a day or two to rest afterward, it was the toll it took on his mind. No matter how much he did it, every time his sister, Ctimene, would hold him while he mourned a part of himself. She would help bandage him and take care of him in the aftermath. Without her he doesn’t know what he would’ve done.
To hide the scars he would bandage his sides and heels, since he would often go hunting with his friends or uncles which was never surprising to see his heels bandaged as anything could happen. For the wings on his head he would hide them under a headband, one made specially for this by his mother as a gift. His friends never asked questions knowing that he would just brush it off.
Despite the curse, his father still saw him as his heir and his mother never stopped believing in his ability to become a great king when the time would come. It pained her to see her son in such a state. When she first saw the small wings she was surprised, obviously, but also amazed. Odysseus’s wings were a pristine white with faint flashes of red. When they would start to grow back she would preen his feathers and help him clean them. She wished that he could let them grow to their full size and see if he could maybe fly one day.
Odysseus was twelve when he first heard of the war Goddesses boar but he wasn’t allowed to try until he was fourteen. He had originally planned to take it down as soon as he turned thirteen however life had over plans. His father, who had been slowly falling into insanity, wasn't able to reign much longer and the young prince had to become the new King too soon. The stress of his new role was a lot but he was glad his mother helped him every step of the way making sure he would still be able to catch a breath once every while. However she had to admit, she wasn't doing much. In reality her son was the one answering his own questions and he was able to successfully make his people trust him despite his young age.
At fourteen he was finally able to face the beast. He had been planning for months any possible ways the attack could go and once it was his time to try he used what many would describe as a snake attack. Of course it was not entirely successful and despite the boar being dead he was still left with a deep cut that would leave a life long scar. But he was not ashamed of it, if anything he would carry this scar with pride.
One thing that he hadn’t planned was to catch the attention of the Goddess. He knew the boar was hers of course but when he started feeling observed even in his own chamber he knew something was definitely there and after catching multiple times an owl in the corner of his eye he couldn’t be more excited.
One day he went to the forest making sure that whatever was watching him would follow. He stopped once he was far away from the city and jumped on a nearby rock.
“Show yourself. I know you’re watching me. Show yourself, I can see you.” Before he could turn around something shifted behind him making him jump.
“How can you see through my spell,” and there it was. He wasn’t imagining it.
Odysseus would pride himself later for fooling successfully with a Goddess, privately of course.
“I was lying! And you fell for my bluff. Ah hah.”
The divine started walking toward him and he had half a mind of running but forgot it when she next spoke, “Well done, now tell me what’s your name.”
“You first and maybe I’ll do the same.”
“Nice try but two can play this game.”
At this the boy couldn’t contain his excitement anymore, “Nah don’t be modest I know you’re a Goddess so let’s be honest you are Athena!”
Odysseus saw the look on the Goddess's face, she was surprised but something softened.
“You are well aware boy, I saw how you took down my boar. You are cunning and intelligent. If you’re looking for a mentor I’ll make sure your time is well spent.”
“Sounds like a plan! Goddess and men, best friends!”
“We’ll see where it ends.”
And despite the dismissal of the Goddess, Odysseus went to sleep tonight with warmth and pride. One thing that he could not get out of his mind, however, were the large owl wings in the back of the Goddess.