Penelope of Ithaka

She was the overlooked daughter and cousin, dark and small when her cousins were tall and golden. A princess, she would be sacrificed in marriage to buy peace for her uncle's kingdom. A visionary, she glimpsed the future and events half a world away in her dreams. Her heart longed for the old ways, when the one Goddess was worshipped in peace, rather than the new, brutal male gods.

He was the cunning trickster king, lying as easily as other men breathed. He trusted no one, or so the heroes and warriors of Achaia believed. Then he met a woman who could match him in cleverness and vowed he would win her, no matter what it took.

Odysseus went to Sparta with the other princes and heroes to win Helen as his bride, but quickly realized Penelope was the queen who could protect his precious Ithaka through the turmoil of the future. He schemed and lied, and waited until Sparta's king was desperate for a way to protect Helen from the disappointed suitors. Odysseus wove the vows binding all the princes in honor to defend Helen, her husband, and Sparta. The price of his help was Penelope as his bride.

Their love grew despite his schemes and tricks and her quietly rebellious heart. When Paris carried Helen away to Troy, the vows Odysseus wove became the chains that took him from their home to ten years of war.

Their love triumphed, despite vengeful gods and enemies who would have stolen kingdom and queen, and became the greatest love story ever told.