"Mind if I tag along, Lord Odysseus?" How do you answer this question?

A stunning beauty who's fated with you asks if she can come.

My heart rate is like a lovestruck teen's.

If I hadn't read about where this relationship would go, I'd beg her to come myself.

But my logical self screams at me to run away. It's not going to happen, she is too gorgeous.

"It would be my pleasure." There is no helping it, I'm still under her spell, even though I'm no longer drunk. "And please, My Lady, I'm nothing special, no need to call me Lord."

"In that case, let's leave the formalities, Odysseus." She winks, and I'm melting.

Penelope follows me to the drydock, and I curse inside that I traded away all the honey.

It could have been the perfect gift for such a sweet woman.

Ugh, I'm glad these thoughts didn't leave my mouth.

Don't flirt with her, you idiot. You wanted to escape, remember?

Keep it cool, and make sure the ship is ready to set sails and run. I can't have a future with her.

Under no circumstances. I must keep both my arms intact, and my dignity.

You've been doing great so far. Do what you can to help out Athena, and she'll send you back into the future. That's what you wanted, Odysseus, stick to the plan. No woman, no cry.

"Well, here she is." We arrive as my sailors work on the Gambit — that thirty I still have after splitting the crew. It's both a curse and a blessing that the Messenian king drilled holes in it.

Now that we beached it I can tell his people did a better job sabotaging me than treating the planks.

In a year or two, this ship would have rotten away which would have been a shame.

"I'll need much more resin than this. And sulfur would be nice too." My mumbling catches Penelope's interest. The owl takes to the sky, aiming for the mast, her favorite resting place.

"Why don't you ask King Nestor for workers and materials? The way he praised you yesterday, I'm sure he would be happy to help." Her voice is a relief to my hungover.

"I can, but Ithaca is a small kingdom, and owing favors to anyone might bankrupt us — no matter how friendly they are. We only had those sheep stolen from us too."

"What a responsible future king." She notes with a giggle, and I can't tell if she mocks me or approves of my reasoning. "It makes sense you had to name a courageous nation negotiating."

She quotes the story I told about the Gambit word for word.

While I like how much attention she paid to it, her next question sends a chill down my spine.

"One wonders which nation it might have been." This woman is dangerous on so many levels.

She's smart and even if I didn't know about my dark future, her intellect would still scare me.

"I took some liberties when mentioning a strong and glorious nation. Of course, without meaning to insult them." I'm certain she already figured it out, but she only laughs.

Thank God I didn't mention the wedding that Iphitos inspired.

And I had to say her name, of every Spartan princess. Let's change the topic before it's too late.

"So what is your grand family doing here in Pylos, My Lady?" I ask the first thing that comes to mind. Sparta is hundreds of miles inland, what were the odds that we ran into each other here?

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Nu-oh. No formalities, remember?" She waves a finger at me, and my heart skips a beat.

I said that, but I'm not ready to use her name like a filthy casual. She waits for me regardless.

"Why, P-Penelope?" Ugh, I stuttered. I never felt this vulnerable and shy in front of a woman.

I could have spent more time around them in school but searching for signs kept me busy.

"You want to hear the real reason or the official one?" She raises her majestic eyebrow and pairs it with a smirk. Fuck. I'm already in love with this woman and should be running like hell.

"Whichever you are comfortable to share." Let's hope I don't grin like a maniac.

I have no control over my destiny or heart, but I want to keep my face normal.

"If anyone else asks, we make diplomatic circles in the nearby kingdoms. If you ask me, dear Odysseus, my father had enough of the bickering around my cousin."

She said my name with 'dear' in front of it. Am I in heaven? Once I'm past the shock, figuring out which cousin she means is easy. It's Helen, and calling it bickering is an understatement.

"Heroes from Hellas, far and wide came to vie for her hands." She exaggerates it with theatrical hand movements. "And since the race is tight, I got some of her suitors spill over too."

"You're not enjoying the attention?" I ask, failing to suppress a smile. She rolls her eyes, and while her glance is playful, she looks at me like I'm an idiot.

"Would you enjoy it, Odysseus? Men who think they can't win the Beautiful Helen's hand come to court me as a backup." Yeah, that was a dumb question.

Now don't say it. No. Don't.

"I don't know about your cousin. But if you weren't their first choice, I'm worried for their eyesight and intellect." Fuck. Now I went and did it.

She laughs, and is that a blush?

"And here I thought the wine made you such a smooth-talker." She turns away to hide her blushing face, and now I must crank it up to eleven. Come on, Odysseus, leave it at that.

"The drinks sure took a number on me. You could see yourself how bad I was in our little game. But even while drunk I knew it for certain, no woman is more worthy of interest than you."

No reaction. Dead silence.

It might be best that it bombed, but glancing at her back, she shakes, not even a little.

Then, ten seconds later, she starts gigging, her voice much higher-pitched now.

And her face is beet red. No way. I can't believe it worked, and that she can act this adorable too.

I'm rushing towards my destiny with no way to stop now. What do I do?

The moment passes and she collects herself before turning to face me. Her olive complexion still has a reddish tint on her cheeks. While her face is serious, her grey eyes are sparkling.

"So you say I only won because you were drunk?" That's the one thing she asks. Well, ok. I don't know how to make a comeback from there either. "Do you want another rematch, Odysseus?"

"Oh, no, I didn't try to make excuses. You won fair and square, Penelope." It takes a lot of concentration to say her name without blushing or stuttering. "But I'd be happy to play again."

"You're on. Anytime." She winks and I can't tell if it's a challenge or an invitation.

But I can tell it will turn ugly and fast.