Of Waves and War

13: he reached the distant island

Eulises

I wake in the sand of the beach. I only barely remember being pulled from the waves. I dreamt of my wife's arms, on which note I'd like to dream again. I imagined her holding me, wrapped in the white silk sheets of our bed, her face smiling down at me as her hair made curtains around us, her cool hand on my cheek. Her planting a kiss on her fingers then putting them to my lips. Yes, I'd like to dream again.

Something smacks me hard in the side and I cough, rising. Not an unusual way for me to wake up in this cursed place.

"I served you goddess. I can lie where I like," I mutter, not rising, but slowly climbing to my aching knees, not able to drag my eyes off the crystal white sand to meet her no doubt disapproving gaze.

"I can be your goddess if you like though I think 'grandfather' is more applicable."

"Lord Hermes," I fall to my knees, glancing up to ensure it is him. Of course it is, perched, spryly on a rock, a lyre in his hands. His wide brimmed hat is low on his forehead hiding almost all of his rust colored locks. Brilliant yellow eyes glint at me with amusement.

"The one, the only, you ready to go home wily one?" he laughs, as if he's offering to walk me home from the wood in Mount Parnassus, where he would meet his son, my grandfather, and on occasion teach us grandchildren tricks.

"Do not jest with me, my lord. I know well the Earth-shaker will not permit my safe passage to Ithaca," I sigh, still on my knees.

"Take heart, my sister, who sponsors you and does love you dearly as the only mortal or immortal as deeply fond of being cleverer than everyone as her, has spoken on your behalf to the son of time, he has no qualms with you as you were brave in the war and fought well, and he permits you return safely home," he says.

"What of the curse of the seas?" I ask, "Seas lie between me and my homeland, not the sky. Has the master of them agreed to my safe passage?"

"Ah—not—entirely, no nor did my esteemed father actually consider that. However my least favorite uncle not to be confused with my employer uncle, is away from Mt. Olympus at the moment and my sister and I are of the general mind that what he is not aware of will only make interesting gossip once you make it home," he says, shrugging.

"Fine I'll do it—I had a raft the goddess destroyed it," I say, standing, "What makes you think he won't realize that I've cross the sea and ship wreck me again in an equally horrible place?"

"Like the last five places you mean? It's this little thing I refer to as 'hope', you wouldn't know of it nor would my sister you prefer these things called 'logic' and 'probability', me I fly on hope more often than not, and you could learn a thing or two from me I imagine," he says, ruffling sand out of my hair, then punching my arm as my grandfather used to. Ah, I suppose he inherited the gesture from this one.

"Very well, I have no qualms with it. I just need to know what I'm up against," I say.

"Oh, everything, same as before, but we fight on. We are warriors, we don't die alone," he says, grinning broadly now, "Come, listen while I tell little Cally that I'm taking away her latest play thing."

"Don't anger—oh me, got it."

"Yes, you're my sister's play thing first and foremost," he says, leading the way back up the beach towards the castle.

"I am at that," I say, dryly.

"What was your latest plan anyway? Athena didn't make a bit of sense, well she might have if I'd paid attention, but the gist of it was that I was to come and tell Calypso to let you go so I got that which I hope was the most important part---anyway what was your latest and greatest escape plan that upset my sister so?" Hermes asks, spinning around to talk to me as he walks.