"Here is another one, Lord Odysseus." My helmsman reports, and I can't help but scratch my head.

I wanted to sail back to Ithaca as fast as possible, but they got us good.

The damage is worse than I thought.

I knew it was best to leave Messene early, but I was still too slow.

It's no wonder Polycaon was this bitter after we extorted the huge reparations.

"Damn it, they worked fast." Rather than a single one, the bottom of our penteconter is full of tiny holes in well-hidden areas. "And they knew what they were doing too."

They drilled some holes under a fabric lining, and others near the beams, and I can't even count them all. I should have set sails the moment I selected this ship, but it's a lesson learned for later.

"And of course, he has plausible deniability because I made the pick, not him." Shaking my head, I disembark near the port of Pylos. "Tear off all the fabrics from the bottom."

Well, it's nothing my sailors can't fix, but it will take precious time.

I don't have anywhere to hurry after ticking off this key event from Odysseus' life.

But it's an annoying setback.

"My Lord, the supplies taken from Messenia are also rotting." Comes another report, and I'm not even surprised anymore. At least they are not straight-up poisoned.

"We need tools and a drydock to work in, Captain." Sounds the helmsman's verdict after an hour-long investigation. "We'll drag the Gambit on shore so the damage won't worsen."

"Sigh. You aren't that smart after all, Odysseus." I mumble to myself, but Pylos is a great harbor and a bustling center, so we should be able to find everything we need.

As for the supplies, I have a terrific bow and I'm itching to use it.

It takes the help of the helmsman to string it again, but we can set out to hunt before the sun sets.

Making landfall close to the city, the forests have everything to feed us from fruits to game.

And I'm much more confident hunting with this legendary weapon than a spear.

I still bring my bronze greaves and the boar tusk helmet to feel less naked fighting wild animals.

Glauca is in its element too. Athena's little owl finds me a deer within minutes.

It takes one well-aimed shot to win our dinner, and the sailors rush to collect the carcass.

My enthusiasm can't last too long though. It has three arrows in it already.

"That was our prey, peasant." Before we can grab the prize and leave, other hunters show up with a huge entourage and fancy clothing.

It's my usual luck kicking in.

"How dare you steal a game from King Nestor's royal guests?" The greetings aren't as pleasant as I got used to in the last month, but I won't relinquish our food without a fight.

"It was alive and well until I shot it." My claim annoys the young hunters who far outnumber us with their servants. "I'm sure, that masterful hunters like you can find another deer."

"You cheeky thief." They raise their weapons. As I said before, Greeks have no chill.

But before things escalate further, an older man arrives to calm everyone down.

"Now, now, let's not make hasty assumptions." He wears the fanciest clothes and isn't that old, but he has at least a decade over the hot-blooded hunters.

His brown hair and beard are long, and turning grey, and his features are sharp like a classic statue.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"He's not a peasant or a thief. Can't you see Athena's holy bird on his shoulder?" He points at Glauca. As usual, everyone recognizes it — except me.

It's a simple owl — nothing fancy — but it feels like I'm the only one who has never heard of a known celebrity. I know it's Athena's bird because she was there with me, but how do they know?

"The gods have a strange taste if they decided to aid this nobody." The youngest hunter complains, but lowers his weapon in the older man's presence. He lets out a hearty laugh.

"Oh, he is quite someone." He starts, offering his hand to me. "I pointed out the owl because you didn't sail on the Argo with him, like me. But this is Odysseus, son of Laertes."

Great. Another Argonaut. I run into them everywhere, but I won't complain if they don't say weird things about me. No. I won't mind it either since my sister and Eumaeus aren't here.

Since we are in Pylos, and he wears the most ornate clothing, he must be King Nestor.

I take his hand, pretending to know him as well as he knows me, at least for our audience.

"It's good to see you again, My Wise King Nestor." This upsets the hunters even more, but they can't say anything. "I apologize for intruding on your forests, but we got shipwrecked."

"Worry not, my friend. All the Argonauts are welcome in my palace." He offers, pissing off the rest of his entourage as best as he can. "Don't hesitate to tell me what you need."

Well, this makes things easier.

The sailors relax, and I forward their requests for tools and a drydock.

My weapon won't escape the King's eyes though, staring at it the whole time.

"I recognize Eurytus' bow with you." He notes, but it could pass as a question too. See, that's how famous this thing is. He waves back towards the city, inviting me to join.

"I got it from his son, Iphitus, as a sign of our friendship in Messene." Offering the bow with the explanation, he takes it with childish curiosity. He no longer has any reservations either.

On our way back to Pylos, he asks many questions, and I answer whatever I can about my recent journey. I get the usual, of course, that I shouldn't have shaved off my beard.

At least he makes no mention of my wife. Talking about the Argo makes all his other guests jealous, and I can't rest easy. They are envoys from Sparta, the one place I wanted to avoid.

It was stupid to use their names in the recent negotiations, it'll bite me in the ass soon.

I show them the Gambit, and Nestor orders his men to tow it to a drydock.

"Please, join me in my Palace, Odysseus. While I have my Spartan guests here already, I'm sure we can make space for you, and your crew." He offers, then leans closer to continue.

"I have someone I'd like you to meet." He winks, and I have no idea who that might be, but I have a bad feeling about this. Nestor will go down in history as a wise and kind king.

Thanks to him, the Trojan War didn't become an even larger disaster for the Greeks. He was also a strategist and a negotiator like my namesake, but I didn't expect him to be this friendly.

The Spartan guests are a concern though. I'm a bit reluctant to accept his invitation, but it would be rude not to. And who does he want me to meet? He is mysterious, and that wink too.

I'm too curious to realize the disaster I'm walking into.