TEEN: - Ongoing WolfMane: The Story Of How The Ithacan Prince Discovered She Was Actually A Princess And Fell In Love With Circe

[PokeKorra295]

Prologue​

CW: Deity×Mortal power dynamic, descriptions/mentions of abuse, initially unsupportive parents

Author's note: A few things to note before starting the story, this fic takes a few characters from Epic the Musical and changes a few things about them, like making Telemachus transfem and sapphic and making Odysseus female(and also sapphic). These changes are made in respect to Jorge's vision for Epic, as well the original Greek myths, as I absolutely love the story and the characters and feel like these changes make this AU stand on its own and as a parallel to the canon events. This fic also contains a power dynamic of a deity and a mortal falling in love with each other, but it doesn't go into extreme territories. One last thing, this ship is a slow burn so don't expect to see them confess early on.
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The story takes place a year after the events of Epic the Musical, and the tale of Odysseus’ journey home to her wife and kingdom, where Telemachus has been on an island hopping adventure of their own.

They have seen a wide variety of destinations and people, but none will compare the one island they are about to make landfall on. The story starts as they step foot onto a lush island with a powerful, pink palace in the distance:

“By the gods… This island is filled to the brim with plant life..” they say as they marvel at the thick foliage around them, unaware that there's a presence watching from afar. “Not even Ithaca has this much diversity!”

Telemachus makes their way deeper into the forest, pausing frequently to carefully jot down notes and sketches into their journal, not wanting to miss any details. They started this journey to catalogue and document all the islands in and around Greece, and they don't plan to stop now. As they get closer to the palace, a sing-songy voice calls out.

“Intrigued by the flora and fauna of my island dear?”

“Circe?” Telemachus had heard about Her in the tales Odysseus had told them many times. Circe was a witch and Goddess that had turned some of their mother's crew into pigs, and now they are about to be face to face with Her.

“Ah, so you know me, don't you?” Circe spoke again in Her sing-songy voice. “Yet you're brave enough to step foot on my island knowing that I can easily turn you into a simple swine.. Why is that?”

“Because I know about your tricks and methods, you can't surprise me,” Telemachus proudly uttered. However, there's a bit of panic evident in their voice. “Besides, mom told me she helped you have a change of heart.”

“Ah, Odysseus’ child, I see. You do take heavily after her in terms of boldness and bravery,” Circe stepped into view, the light hitting Her holy form perfectly, and at once Telemachus understood completely how She was able to lure in Ody's men. “And yes, she did make me realize the world is kinder than I thought previously, but I do still get the instinct to turn any man that steps foot on my island into pigs. But I strangely don't feel the urge to do so with you…”

“What do you mean?” Telemachus confusedly asked the witch. “I'm just a man, aren't I?” But they weren't sure of that themselves. Because years ago they had pondered if they were supposed to be born the other gender, but brushed it aside as just a result of being raised by their mother Penelope and told stories of their other mother Odysseus. Now, Circe's statement has brought those thoughts back to the surface.

“I wouldn't be so sure of that, dear,” Circe spoke in Her soothing voice. “You see, these types of instincts rely on a person's soul, on what you're like on the inside. Maybe the Ithacan prince is truly a princess. Come with me.” Before Telemachus could respond, they were gently whisked away by Circe towards Her palace, their glasses nearly falling off. The young traveler tried to speak a few times on the way to the palace, but Circe consistently shushed them. “You can speak once we're inside, I would rather discuss this away from any prying ears.”

Circe was right to be suspicious, as Hermes was nearby eavesdropping like He often does when not on duty.

 

[PokeKorra295]

Chapter 1: Realization
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Circe sat Telemachus down once they were inside Her palace. The goddess sat down across from them and spoke. "So, now that we're away from prying ears, let's talk."

"So if I really am a girl, why was I not born one?" Telemachus asked, their voice quiet.

"The gods have their way of doing things, usually with a purpose in mind. Perhaps they decided that this was the only way to put you on the right path." Circe remarked.

"And what path would that be?"

"No clue, but it brought you here, didn't it?" The witch replied.

"That is true. Perhaps if I had not come here, I wouldn't have come to learn of this part of me." Telemachus pondered. "Though I did feel like something was off about me years ago when I was younger. Like I should've been born different. I guess that was a big sign, wasn't it?"

Circe nodded. "That's usually the strongest sign, feeling like something is off. Was there anything else odd growing up that looking back now feels obvious?"

Telemachus leaned back and thought of their childhood. Their mind started to filter through her memories, picking out situations where they went against what a young boy should do. They remembered playing with dolls instead of with the other kids. They remembered being interested in the stories and tales that were female centred instead of stuff like Heracles. As they continued to remember sign after sign, their eyes grew wider with realization. "Oh. Oh wow, that explains quite a lot..."

Circe was sitting forward now, listening intently to their recollections. "It seems you were quite the child growing up. Did anyone else notice these quirks?" She inquired.

"Yes, actually, but I'd rather not talk about it..." Telemachus answered, looking uncomfortable as they recall certain memories.

"I see. Well, we won't touch on that then if you don't feel comfortable with it. We can just focus on the now."

Telemachus looked relieved at Her words, their posture loosening up as they got to their feet. "And the now is that I want to be the girl I was supposed to be, and I want you to be there along the way."

"Me? Any reason why?" Circe asked, puzzled.

"Well, you seem to know quite a bit about this stuff, so I assume you know how to help. Besides, who better to help than a literal goddess?" Telemachus quipped.

Circe smiled at that last remark. "That is fair, I am more than happy to help on your journey." She stood up, Her hair flowing gracefully as She walked to Her cauldron. She started carefully selecting herbs and ingredients before putting them into the cauldron, making sure She didn't get anything wrong. Telemachus strode over and watched Her work, fascinated by Her precision.

"What is this potion for?" she asked, her eyes still following Circe's hands as the sorceress continued.

Circe stopped briefly to answer. "Oh, just something to help with that," She gestured towards the princess' body. "Wouldn't want to still be stuck looking like that anymore, would you?"

Telemachus suddenly realized how much her body didn't match what she felt like inside, her broad shoulders, and squarish build clashing with her new, more feminine self-image. "... Yeah, I guess not."

Once the potion was finished, Circe started filling a set of vials with the light blue fluid. "Do you have a phone?" She asked.

"Yeah, I do," Telemachus responded as she pulled her phone out. "Why do you ask?"

"Set reminders for twice a day," Circe dictated, making sure to be clear. "One at 8 AM and another at 8 PM. The potion isn't an instant process; it's a slow and gradual set of doses, so it can easily be stopped and reversed if it isn't what you like."

Telemachus nodded along as she added the reminders. "That makes sense. I presume the doses will start tomorrow morning, considering the day is almost over."

"Ah, yes, that will work," The Goddess agreed, turning to look out one of the windows before adding. "It is rather dark now, init?"

"Is there a room I can stay in since I'm going to be here a while?"

"Right, right. I should get that arranged," She acknowledged, gesturing some Nymphs over. "What type of room do you prefer?"

"Basically, any room large enough to fit a work table, bed, and shelves. Everything else can be simple, I really don't care."

"I see. Won't take too long for my Nymphs to get it set up." Circe turned to the Nymphs and gave them the orders, whispering something secret into one of the taller ones' ear. The Nymphs trotted off to set up the room shortly after, giggling amongst themselves. Circe then sat down and turned to Telemachus. "So, Princess, why don't you tell me about yourself? It's better to know since you'll be staying."

Telemachus winced at being called "princess," clearly something deep-rooted showing.

"Ah- you don't like being called that... Sorry"

"Yeah... Anyways, I grew up like any royal does, rich and pampered, but Mom didn't really spoil me often. I trained often once I reached 13, usually taking up the whole day. But when I wasn't training, I was sketching or exploring the kingdom and studying nature." Telemachus rambled on, finally happy to be able to just talk to someone about her interests. She went on about her home life and hobbies, about how she often read books instead of playing with the other boys, and how she once nursed an injured baby deer back to health. Circe listened intently, her face displaying deep intrigue as well as something else. By the time she finished talking, it was nearly pitch black outside instead of the subtle darkness hours earlier. "Sorry if I rambled too long, I just never had time to just talk, you know?"

"Oh, no, you're fine. I find your stories interesting," Circe beamed, her tone of voice betraying more than simple interest. "Especially how you care for animals and nature. Most people I come across beside my Nymphs, you and Odysseus are quite cruel."

"Yeah, and you turned them into pigs."

Circe let out a chuckle. "That is true, but you must understand the reasoning, don't you?"

"I fully understand, but at least now you think before instinctively acting."

The Nymphs finally return, or rather, come from their hiding position in the corridor as they finished a little over an hour ago. "We didn't want to interrupt you," a short one spoke up. "You two seemed to be deep in conversation, but the room is done."

Circe looked over, clearly having forgotten about the room. "Oh, thank you, Lillie. Me and, uh, Telemachus, was it?" Telemachus nodded. "Telemachus and I were just discussing her past and upbringing, but we're done now."

Telemachus got up and yawned. "And I am quite tired now, so I should be heading to bed."

"Before you go," Circe added, chiming in. "You should probably put my number into your phone so I don't have to call down the hall if I need you.'

"Right. Here you go," Telemachus handed Her her phone.

Circe quickly put Her number in before handing it back. The young princess was then led to her chambers by the Nymphs while the shorter one, Lillie, stayed behind. "Finally moving on from her now?"

"What do you mean?"

"They way you look at her, the tone in your voice, it all screams infatuation."

Circe immediately noticed her body language. "Oh... Huh. And I honestly don't know at this point... It's been so long since then, but the pain still stings to this day..."

"It's ok, Mom, we all need different amounts of time to heal. But just between you and me, that Ithacan girl sounds like a perfect match for you."

"Lillie!" Circe snapped, clearly taken aback by the Nymph's remark. "Go to your room now, young lady!"

Lillie headed to her room, giggling the whole way. Circe then slumped and sighed, trying to process the newly seeded infatuation with Telemachus. She pulled out her phone to immediately find a text from Telemachus reading: "How did you know I loved the ocean breeze?! The room is perfect!" Circe smiled as She read the message, Her heart warm with joy at making Her happy. She sat up, ready to take on this new chapter of life, and all the confusion emotions that come with it.

 

[PokeKorra295]

Chapter 2: Circe's Musings​

CW: Intentional misgenderimg of character

Author's note: Part of Circe's musing song is just the lyrics pulled straight from Monody by TheFatRat lol. They fit too perfectly not to use wholesale.
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Telemachus awoke the next day to a gentle sea breeze and the soft glow of the sun across her face. She got out of bed and stretched, taking in the sight of her room in the daylight. The walls were a soft pink and adorned with white and gold swirls, there was a bookshelf against one of the walls stocked with various books and a desk was situated next to it, on the opposite wall was an open window with an awe-inspiring view of the ocean and part of the island. On the floor was an intricate rug designed with gorgeous shades of pink, magenta, and red, in the shapes of lush flora. Telemachus smiled, admiring Circe's love for pink and her taste for decor.

"The lady definitely loves her pink, and I can't blame her," she yawned as she got dressed. "It is a really nice colour."

Once dressed she made her way downstairs to greet Circe as well as to take the first potion vial for the day. However, she was greeted by Lillie.

"Mom's currently taking some time for Herself, so I'm here to give you the vial," the Nymph said as she handed Telemachus the vial of blue potion.

"I see," Telemachus replied, "Well thank you, uh..."

"Lillie."

"Ah, fitting name," she said, acknowledging the Nymph's icy blue-white hair before downing the potion.

Lillie beamed, "You don't see most people with this type of hair often. Even among the other Nymphs, my hair is unique for being pale blue-toned instead of pink or yellow."

"Interesting. You called Circe 'mom' earlier, what exactly is that about?" Telemachus asked.

"Oh, that. Yeah, we Nymphs view Circe as our mother figure, and She views us as her daughters," Lillie clarified, "But there's no real biological relation between us, we're just 'born' out of the mix of the island's magic and Hers and She takes us under Her care."

"Ah, that makes sense. And when you appear is it as babies or?"

"Pretty much, and from there we age just like mortals, just with an extended lifespan."

"Do you celebrate 'birthdays' or are there too many to keep track of?"

"Actually there's only like 50 of us or so, so pretty easy to keep track of. In fact, I just celebrated my 22nd birthday a week ago."

Oh neat. Well, I'm going for a walk then, thanks for the insightful chat," Telemachus ended as she started to walk away.

"No problem! I'm more than happy to chat anytime," Lillie said as Tele went outside.

Stepping outside Telemachus noticed that the flora seemed more vibrant than yesterday, but chalked it up to being refreshed instead of weary from being on the sea. She walked down the path taking note of the types of flowers and fruit growing around her, impressed by the variety, when she heard faint singing coming from her left. Intrigued, she followed the singing and came across a secluded grotto lake where Circe was in the centre of a pier singing.

"Summer in the hills, those hazy days I do remember. We were running still, had the whole world at our feet. Watching seasons change, our roads were lined with adventure. Mountains in the way, couldn't keep us from the sea," Circe sang, her voice peaceful yet mournful, "Here we stand open arms, this is home where we are, ever strong in the world that we made. I still hear you in the breeze, see your shadows in the trees, holding on, memories never change."

Telemachus stood and listened as She continued to sing, understanding the feeling behind Her words despite not knowing the context.

Circe continued her lament, "The leaves and flowers never looked so bright, as when you first met my sight. Sky and sea, so happily, we roamed so peacefully, until you were gone suddenly... Now my days and nights left hollow, and my heart empty, this never feels right. For a goddess like me, life should seem carefree, but to love always ends bitterly..."

Telemachus started to sway along to the song, rustling the tree next to her and alerting Circe. "Oop-"

Circe jumped. "Who's there?" She gasped.

"Sorry for disturbing you, I just heard your singing and wandered over," Telemachus replied, stepping further into the grotto. "You have such an amazing voice btw."

"Well, thank you Telemachus, that's very kind," She said, blushing and turning away. "Since you're here, why don't you sit with me? It's nice to have some company."

Telemachus walked over and sat down, noticing how the trees form an intricate canopy with various shades of leaves, as well as the strings of pink and yellow fairy lights that cast a warm glow over everything. "Oh wow..."

"Magical, innit?" Circe chirped, clearly amused by Telemachus' wonderment. "I put everything up myself. Planted the trees and flowers, strung the lights, and added this pier, just so I can have somewhere to retreat to."

"You made this whole grotto?" Telemachus asked with wonder in her eyes. "You're amazing!"

Circe beamed at the compliment, "Yeah, I'm glad you appreciate it. I find that gardening is a perfect way of relaxing and relieving stress." She added that last part with a pang of subtle sorrow.

"What kind of stress?" Telemachus pondered, having picked up on the sorrow in Her tone.

"Oh, uh, mostly the stress of taking care of my Nymphs and protecting the island, the usual stuff," Circe replied, not telling the whole truth. "It's hard having to be solely responsible for everything."

"I can partly understand," Telemachus replied, "I had to take up a lot of responsibilities while Ma was away at sea, and Mom also had a lot to handle."

Circe listened intently, happy to hear what Telemachus has to say instead of dwelling on Her own troubles for now. She sat under the twinkling canopy discussing Telemachus' life in the palace for the 20 years Odysseus was away. "So you said he just hurled a bowl at you? Right at your face?!" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Telemachus replied, "I was just walking past the dining hall to grab something from the fridge when heard hushed laughter and suddenly a bowl shattered againt the wall in front of me. If I didn't move just in time I would've had cuts up and down my face."

Circe looked absolutely concerned, "And you let those brutes stay in your palace despite their abuse?!"

"We had no choice. If we kicked them out, they would've just rioted and taken the palace by force."

"Ah. That is a valid reason. But still, it's truly unfortunate you had to go through that."

"At least it's over now, they're long gone and I'm at peace," Telemachus began. "I got my mom back, I'm able to travel around, I've finally started to truly understand myself, and I've got such a pretty goddess to care for m-" she paused, realizing she might've said to much.

Circe let out a small sound of surprise as her cheeks flushed gold. "Oh my, such strong words for a young mortal," She chortled. "You're quite the bold one, aren't you?"

"Heh, yeah.." Telemachus said, slightly flustered herself.

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Back at the Ithacan palace, Odysseus stopped what she was doing and stared into the distance. "I have a strange feeling Telemachus is getting into something he shouldn't..."

"Honey, he should be fine," Penelope spoke without turning away from her weaving. "He survived 20 years without you."

"I know you're right Penny, but I still feel like I need to check. Athena!"

Almost instantly a small yet imposing golden owl soared through the window. "What is it?"

"Do you know where Telemachus is currently?" Ody asked the owl as it turned into the Goddess of Wisdom.

"Oh, yeah, they're on Circe's island," Athena said bluntly.

"WHAT?!?" Bellowed the Ithacan Queens.