Location: Larissa, Aeolia
Time Remaining: 8 Days
Odysseus and Penelope were debating the ten best ways to consummate their marriage when Adresteia appeared at their door. Penelope questioned whether the timing was a coincidence, which plainly confused Adresteia. Odysseus started to go along with the teasing, but realized Adresteia’s demeanor was one of business.
“I just got married,” Odysseus said, “Whatever Athena wants done, can’t it wait?”
Adresteia gestured with her hands and the room beyond the three of them descended into total darkness. It seriously unnerved Penelope, but it kept out any prying eyes.
"Athena claims to have a sentimental task for us..."
"That doesn't sound much like her..." Odysseus said.
"No, it does not," Adresteia nodded, "I suspect that something important is going to happen soon, something Athena’s been planning for a while,” Adresteia said, “And she's giving us busy work elsewhere because she doesn’t want us here when it comes to pass.”
Penelope gasped, “Are we in danger?”
“Maybe,” Adresteia, “Or maybe Athena feels that if her servants are nowhere to be found, then people will be less likely to accuse her of causing whatever is about to happen.”
“You don’t know what she’s planning?” Odysseus asked.
“No, only that she’s been working on it for at least a few years. Beyond that, she’s insisted that secrecy is vital.”
“Well, goddess says jump, we say how high. Where are we going Addy?”
“Tartarus.”
Odysseus and Penelope looked at her in silent shock.
“Pardon?” Odysseus asked.
“Tartarus. She’s sending us to free Prometheus.”
Penelope laughed nervously, “Addy, you really do have a funny sense of humor.”
“Zeus himself imprisoned Prometheus...” Odysseus said.
“Which is why discretion is important. And we're not so much freeing Prometheus from Tartarus as 'shuffling' him to a different part of Tartarus."
"Shuffling?" Odysseus asked, "How does that work?"
"I'll explain when we get there, but the important part is that if all goes according to her plan, then it'll be a long time before Zeus even notices, and he’ll never know we had a role in any of it.”
“And what if it doesn’t go according to plan?” Penelope asked, “What if Zeus finds out? What if he comes for Odysseus? Will Athena stop him?”
“I don’t know,” Adresteia said, “But I would.”
“You – you against Zeus? The King of the Gods?”
“I wouldn’t bet against her,” Odysseus remembered how easily she’d torn apart his attackers in North Africa, and imagined that Adresteia had been fantasizing about doing that to Zeus for a long time.
“Well, fine,” Penelope said, “But I’m coming too.”
“What?” Odysseus looked at his new bride like she was mad.
“That’s not part of the plan,” Adresteia said, “We follow Athena’s plan.”
“Does Athena tell you when to stop for lunch? What to eat? What to drink? Clearly you do more than simply follow her plans, don't you?”
“But…”
“Did Athena tell you to not bring me?”
“No…”
“Then how is it against her plan? I mean, it could be part of her plan, couldn’t it? You two don’t know.”
“This is absurd,” Adresteia said, “If she wanted you to go with us she would have said so.”
“Athena isn’t always so straight forward…” Odysseus admitted.
“You can’t seriously be considering taking her,” Adresteia said, “This is Tartarus we’re talking about. I know this place. I'm comfortable there, but it is not a vacation spot for honeymooning mortals.”
“We’re married. Whither thou goes so go I,” Penelope said to Odysseus, “To hell and back if need be.”
“You’re not prepared for this,” Adresteia said.
“I was raised in Sparta by a man without a son. I’m more capable than you think I am.”
Odysseus sighed, “If something big is going down here – that I can’t be here for – I don’t want Penelope to be here for it. I could send her home, but if we don’t leave together - the day after our wedding - it will raise questions. And Athena doesn’t like questions.”
“She loves questions,” Adresteia said, “If the right person is asking them, anyway.”
"The point is, the two of us leaving the party to celebrate our new marriage requires no further explanation - it's a solid cover story."
“So, I’m coming then, yes?” Penelope said, “How does one pack for the underworld?”
"Lightly. There's one other problem," Adresteia said, "Since I've never had to sneak into the underworld, Athena is sending a guide with us."
"Who?" Odysseus asked.
"You aren't going to like it."
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