Odyssea and her crew land on the cyclops' island and search for a missing person. Photo by Ben Dumond on Unsplash 6.1
That afternoon, after saying their goodbyes to Queen Alcina, the crew sailed off and headed north. Odyssea told her crew everything she knew about the cyclops’ island and they formed a plan to get Polyphema. After hours of sailing, Eurylocha remarked, “Look who we found, Ody!” Odyssea went to see what was going on and found a girl she’d never seen before, a scarf tied around her head and face. Her peplos and cloak was long and the folds hid her entire body. “You there,” Odyssea called. “Why are you covering your face? Sailors are to wear chitons. You can’t move around much in a cloak as lengthy as that one. How come I’ve never seen you before? Come on, show your face.” The young woman tried to run away but Odyssea tackled her to the floor and tore the scarf from her face. “Nausico!” Odyssea yelled, surprised. She was speechless for a long moment as Nausico’s blue eyes stared up at her. “What are you doing here?” she questioned him, tossing the scarf aside. “Hey, Ody,” he smiled at her. “I stowed away on your boat.” “Oh, I’m going to be in so much trouble!” Odyssea said. She heard some snickers and glanced at her crew members. They were all looking at her with smirks on their faces. She realized she was still hovering over Nausico, who was lying flat on his back. Immediately, she got up and helped him to his feet. “Girls! We have to turn back!” she said frantically. “We can’t turn back,” Polita explained. “The wind is moving this way.” “I’m a medic and I can assist your ship’s medic,” Nausico said. “Um…our crew doesn’t really have a medic,” Polita said. “We all know basic first aid, but it was hard finding an actual medic.” “Well, now you have me,” Nausico grinned. Odyssea stared at him, not knowing how to react. The last time they’d seen each other, she’d thought she’d be leaving him behind, and so she had confessed her feelings and given him a promise ring. Her duty to her kingdom had collapsed in that moment. But things were different now. She needed to keep her distance from him. The love between her and Nausico could never be, because she had a duty to her kingdom. Days later the island of the cyclops came into view. It was mountainous and rocky and they gathered their supplies together for the journey up the mountain. Odyssea took Nausico aside. “I can’t risk you getting hurt,” she said. “You should stay on the boat. Actually, I can assign a bodyguard to you…” “Ody, I’m not helpless,” Nausico said. “I do know something or two about combat.” “Right, it’s just that if something happens to you your mother will blame me. I’m responsible for you.” “No, I’m responsible for my own actions,” Nausico frowned. “I know,” Odyssea hung her head. “But I doubt your mother will see it that way. If you get hurt, she’s going to turn her wrath onto me.” “It won’t happen,” Nausico put a hand on her shoulder. “All right, come with us,” Odyssea relented, not knowing what else to do. “Please, Atheno,” she said under her breath. “Keep us safe. Keep Nausico safe especially.” As they hiked through the grass and up the mountain, they came across a large fortress. It was built out of boulders and the pillars were made out of the trunks of oak and pine trees. The interesting thing about the fortress was that it had no door, and the crew noticed sheep and goats coming in and out of the wide entrance. “Well, shall we go in?” Odyssea asked her crew members. They nodded and walked forward. The crew entered into a courtyard with numerous pens for the animals. “Are you the new shepherds?” a cyclop asked. “You’re awfully tiny for shepherds.” “Actually, we are here to see your leader,” Odyssea said. “All right, follow me,” the cyclop led them into a main hall and invited them to take a seat at the table. Several minutes later, another cyclop arrived. She towered over them by several feet. She had long blond hair and wore a red tunic. A red sash was tied around her forehead, framing the one eye. “Welcome to my fortress. I am Queen Cycla, the leader of this island. I invite you to stay for a few days. I’ll provide you with food and lodging.” “Thank you,” Odyssea said. “We are grateful for your hospitality.” Cycla offered them wine and honey, along with bread, cheese, and fruit. The crew was surprised to see a line of sheep coming in with trays on their backs filled with food. “Wow, your sheep are well trained!” Eurylocha remarked. “They are not common sheep,” Cycla said proudly. “They are very talented.” “Where do you hail from and what brings you to our island?” Cycla asked. “We come from Ithaca and are here to form an alliance with your people,” Odyssea said. “But we also have a more important matter. We’re searching for a lost person.” Cycla was quiet for a moment, then resumed speaking. “All right. We will discuss the terms of our agreement tomorrow,” Cycla said. “Please rest from your travels. My sheep will show you to your rooms.” Odyssea noticed the change in subject but didn’t comment on it. After the meal, the crew members began yawning. The sheep lined up and the crew members followed them to their rooms. Each room could fit 2-4 crew members. Odyssea and Nausico found themselves sharing a room. There was a window to one side overlooking the sheep pens. A few blankets were laid out on the floors and there were pillows made out of sheep’s wool. Odyssea closed the door and lay down on the blanket. The dark sky outside hid her blush at being roommates with Nausico. She should have asked to switch with someone. “Hey, Ody,” Nausico sat next to her. “Queen Cycla seems very kind.” “Yes,” Odyssea said. “We got lucky this time. She seems reasonable and hopefully we’ll find Polyphema soon.” Nausico extinguished the lantern and lay down a few feet away, his hands behind his head. “You made me a promise that day,” he whispered after a moment. “But now you act like you’re unhappy I’m here.” “I’m very happy you’re here,” Odyssea said. “I just wonder if my promise was made in haste. What will my father think about me trying to get out of the arranged marriage he’s set up for me?” “I suppose you want your ring back?” Nausico said slowly. “No, please keep it for now,” Odyssea said. “Actually, I don’t want to withdraw my promise.” Her voice ended with a tremor. “And I don’t want you to,” Nausico whispered. “But I truly hope it all works out.” 6.2 The next morning, the sheep led them back to the dining hall and brought them breakfast. “So, did you have fun last night?” Eurylocha grinned from her seat next to Odyssea. Odyssea’s cheeks turned red, but she managed to stamp her heel onto Eurylocha’s big toe. Eurylocha yelped in pain, glaring at her captain. “I guess not,” she said, then took her plate and moved to another seat. In the afternoon, they had lunch and the sheep and shepherds gave them a tour of the place. After dinner, the queen was ready for business. Odyssea went in to talk to her privately. “We’re searching for Calypse’s sister,” Odyssea began. “Her name is Polyphema. Do you know where she might be?” “I’ve heard the name before,” Cycla sat back and frowned. “I’m afraid Polyphema is dead.” “Dead?” Odyssea gasped. “What happened to her?” “She is no more,” Cycla said, and a tear trailed down her face. She had grown so quiet and Odyssea wondered what had happened. “Was she one of your close friends?” Odyssea asked gently. “She was the closest one can be to another,” Cycla replied. “Tell me how she died. Maybe I can avenge her death,” Odyssea said with resolve. “No, there’s nothing you can do,” Cycla said with finality. “Now, about the alliance,” Cycla shifted the subject. “What do you propose?” Odyssea explained about the prophecy and the upcoming enemy attack that would come to Ithaca. “We’d be happy to form an alliance,” Cycla said. “But we ask for human shepherds to look after the lambs. Can you provide that?” “I’m sure we can,” Odyssea said. “By the way, who’s that young man you’re with?” Cycla asked. “The rest of your crew members are young women. Why is there only one guy? Is he your lover?” “He’s our medic,” Odyssea said quickly. “Actually, he stowed away on our ship. He was escaping some unfortunate circumstances so we took him in.” “That’s very kind of you,” Cycla thought for a moment. That night, as they got ready for bed, Odyssea told Nausico what had transpired at the meeting with Cycla. “She doesn’t want to talk about it,” Odyssea said. “I believe she’s hiding something. Surely she knows how Polyphema died.” “Perhaps she’s still grieving,” Nausico said. Then he smiled. “Why don’t you ask the sheep? I’m sure they can point you in the right direction.” Odyssea snickered. “The sheep are smart but I don’t think they’re that smart.” Nausico was about to extinguish the lantern when he saw Odyssea get up. “Where are you going?” he asked. “I’m going to snoop around and see what I can find out,” she said. “Would you like to come?” Nausico smiled and they went out the door. “Here sheep, sheep,” Odyssea whispered. She’d seen the guards stationed outside and didn’t want to be discovered. “Not like that,” Nausico said. “Here’s how you do it.” He gave a low whistle, which sounded like a pigeon call. Next, they heard pattering and a couple of sheep came over. “Where did you learn how to do that?” Odyssea asked in awe. “It’s how I call the horses,” Nausico grinned. “Turns out it also works on sheep.” Odyssea climbed over one of the large sheep and draped a blanket over herself. Once Nausico was similarly hidden on the second sheep, the sheep scampered forward right past the guards. After they’d gone past the guards, the sheep wandered into their pens. “I suppose this is where they sleep,” Odyssea said. “Now let’s see if we can find some kind of dungeon or tower. Perhaps Polyphema is locked up somewhere.” They made their rounds in the darkness, searching for anything suspicious. “What if she’d hidden in plain sight? Like maybe the barn over there?” Nausico suggested. They had searched for a couple of hours but hadn’t found anything. “Let’s check it out,” Odyssea said. When they entered the barn they saw it was filled with lots of sheep. After searching every corner, they headed back to their room. “Who goes there?” a voice boomed. “Let’s hide!” Odyssea hissed. She noticed a small alcove and pulled Nausico into the small space with her. They had to scrunch together to fit in the tiny space. A few stray sheep trotted by and one stopped right in front of the alcove, blocking it. Heavy footsteps passed by and faded into the distance. Odyssea’s heart thudded in her chest. That has been close. What would Cycla do if she found them sneaking around? The alliance would be off, surely. “Maybe we can hide under the sheep,” Nausico whispered. “If we walk with it. That one’s big enough to cover us both.” They bent down and hid under the sheep, walking with it. But where would the sheep go? They followed it and were led back into the hallway of lodging. “That was close,” Odyssea said. She and Nausico headed to their room only to find an angry cyclop inside. 6.3 “Cycla!” Odyssea said, shocked. The lanterns were lit and a shadow met them inside. The cyclop was pacing near the window, her arms crossed in front of her. She turned a glare on them. “What were you doing snooping around my fortress?” Cycla demanded. “Oh, we were just exploring the place,” Odyssea stammered. Cycla came right up to her so that she towered over her. “I think I know what you were doing,” she said. The glare faded and was replaced by a smirk. “So he is your lover,” Cycla grinned. “You two ran off to find a place to be alone. Wait. But why would you do that if you’re sharing a room here?” “Oh, well, it’s more fun when your privacy’s at risk,” Nausico jabbered in a rush. Odyssea thought he was adorable when he rambled. “Then if you have nothing to hide, you’ll have no trouble leaving him here while you sail off and get someone for me,” Cycla’s voice became a sharp knife. “Who is it that you want?” Odyssea was curious. “I want that horrible brother of mine! Calypse!” Cycla shouted. “He deserves to be punished for abandoning me!” “Wait a moment… you’re Polyphema?” Odyssea backed up in shock until the wall stopped her. “I told you already. Polyphema has died. I was her but am now Cycla,” Cycla said. “He sent me to find you! He cares about you!” Odyssea walked forward. “He’s been stuck on an island. That’s why he hasn’t been able to come to you.” “That odious brother of mine,” Cycla said angrily. “Never cared for me.” “Well, I lived on that island for several months and he wouldn’t let me leave,” Odyssea said. “I got to know him. I agree he’s arrogant, sneaky, and tyrannical at times. But if he asked me to find you, that shows he truly cares for you and has not forgotten you. In fact, he tried to steal this.” Odyssea pulled out her eye necklace. “He wanted to come find you. And it took me the longest time to get this back! Imagine a small human like myself trying to succeed against an immortal!” “I suppose you did best him in the end?” Cycla asked. “Yes, I got this back,” Odyssea said. Cycla gave a small smile. “That I would have liked to see.” She reached out a hand and touched the pendant. Suddenly a flash of light filled the whole room and Cycla gasped. A light enveloped her and her form grew smaller. Then the flash of light disappeared. The lanterns had all gone dark and Odyssea could barely see in the darkness. Nausico went to light the lantern. “Cycla! Are you all right?” Odyssea hurried over to where Cycla had been and found her lying on the floor, gasping for breath. “I’m okay,” Cycla coughed a bit and sat up. Odyssea was startled to see two eyes instead of one. Plus, Cycla had shrunk back to a human size. “I’m Polyphema again,” the young woman said. She touched her face. “And I have two eyes!” “Polyphema, can we take you to your brother? Would you like to see him after all this time?” Odyssea asked. “Yes, I’ll visit him,” Polyphema said. “I never thought I’d be in this form again. Thank you, Odyssea. Count me as one of your alliances.” Odyssea took her hands and helped her to her feet. Odyssea watched as Calypse and Polyphema ran into each other’s arms. They held each other tightly and when they pulled apart, Odyssea noticed tears in Calypse’s eyes. He kept his arm around Polyphema and looked over at Odyssea. “Thank you for bringing her back to me,” he said. He invited her crew over for dinner and that evening he pulled her aside to talk to her privately. “I want to ask, have you thought about my proposal? Have you come back to choose immortality?” “I’m afraid not,” Odyssea said. “My heart is taking me a different way. I choose the mortal path.” “All right,” Calypse said, giving her one last hug. “Now we take you back to your mother,” Odyssea told Nausico. His expression immediately wilted but he got on the boat anyway. When they arrived, Odyssea accompanied Nausico into the palace. The king and queen were called and they hurried over, wrapping their arms around Nausico. “Nausico! We were so worried about you!” Queen Alcina gave him a fierce hug. The king wouldn’t let go of him. “Please…let me breathe!” Nausico said. The king and queen moved away and gave him space. “Thank you for taking care of him,” the king said. “I want to explain,” Nausico said. “None of this was Odyssea’s idea. I stowed away on her ship in disguise and they didn’t realize it until later.” “Maybe it was for the best,” Alcina said. “When the ruthless queen came to meet you, she saw you weren’t here and withdrew her invitation on the grounds that you are ‘capricious and impulsive.’ Those were her words, not mine.” They all chuckled at that. “Well, he’s definitely impulsive,” Odyssea grinned. Nausico seemed relieved that his engagement had fallen through. “I don’t have to marry that horrible person anymore!” Nausico’s smile was back. He gave Odyssea a hug before they parted ways. “I’m going back home,” Odyssea said. “I will talk to my father about us.” “I’m going to miss you,” Nausico said. “Can’t we just have a marriage ceremony here and then go to Ithaca together?” “I must speak with my father first,” Odyssea said. “I don’t know whether my marriage is set in stone or not. If it is, and I back out, it could mean war. I have to be careful. I will see you again.” She wrapped her arms around Nausico and kissed him. A tear slid down his face and Odyssea smiled sadly and brushed his tear away. A few days later, Nausico noticed his mother seemed very worried. She was pacing back and forth, holding a letter. “Mother, are you all right?” Nausico asked. “What is it?” “It’s a letter from Queen Reveka,” his mother said despondently. “She wants to go ahead with the wedding. Says she was too hasty and that she’ll give you another chance.” She handed the letter to him and shook her head, defeated. “I’m sorry about this,” she told him. “But we need this alliance. Desperately.” Nausico stared open-mouthed at the letter. He felt the energy drain out of him and stumbled back to his quarters. He collapsed onto his bed and a deep grief came over him.
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