The next day, after my prayer, on my way to the palace of Alkinoos, the king of the Phaeacians, I stopped a young girl who was carrying a jug of water. then, by sizing up the amount of help Athena has given me so far, I assumed it was Athena, but kept it to myself. I asked her to guide to guide me to the king’s house and shrouded me in a protective mist that keeps the Phaeacians, a kind but somewhat xenophobic people, from harassing him. She also advised me to direct my plea for help to Arete, the wise and strong queen who will know how to get me home. Once she delivered me to the palace, she departed from Scheria to her beloved city of Athens, I assume. Also, some more evidence that she was Athena was that a little girl conjuring up a mist to protect me from how grown-ups feel, was kind of odd. Also, how would a little girl know that I should make my plea to the queen, Arete. Gods are always helping us no matter what. They know whats happenning and are at the ready to protect you if anything goes wrong, just in case. Perhaps that is why they say, whatever happens, happens for a reason. The gods weere watching me in the cave of Polyphemus, Calypso, and on my boat, and all of the other times. They knew that I wasn't supposed to be in Calypso's cave for all of eternity, the amount of time she perhaps wanted to keep me, and so they intervened. They are always taking tests, and perhaps this was my test that showed them whether or not I was loyal to my wife, or if I was just a lusty, goddess laying, greedy *******. I passed the test, and perhaps that is why Athena is helping me out even more nowadays. Anyways, so after I arrived at the palace, I found the palace residents holding a festival in honor of Poseidon. Oh how I wanted to crasht that festival. The blood ran to my face and I wanted to scream to stop this festival, but then I thought, if I ruin their festival and what they deem as holy and revere it, then they will get the wrong impression of me and they might not help me get home. After these chain of thoughts, I stood back and simply took in the beauty of the palace and the king’s opulence. As soon as I saw the queen, I threw myself at her feet, and the mist about him dissipates. At first, the king wonders if I, a wayward traveler might be a god, but without revealing my true identity, I put the king’s suspicions to rest by declaring that I was indeed a mortal. I explained to him, my predicament, and the king and queen gladly promise to see him off the next day in a Phaeacian ship. I finally got a ship. I praised Athena and thank her on the spot for all of her help. Later that evening, when the king and queen were alone with me, the wise Arete recognized the clothes that I was wearing as ones that she herself had made for her daughter, that angel, bless her, Nausicaa. Suspicious, she interrogated me further. While still withholding my name, I responded by recounting the story of my journey from that witch Calypso’s island and my encounter with Nausicaa that morning, which involved her giving me a set of clothes to wear. To absolve the princess for not accompanying me to the palace, I claimed that it was my idea to come alone. After all that child did for me, I simply couldn't let her get into trouble with her parents. I explained to them what that child had told me, how the villagers would gossip about her and how her image in the public would be tarnished. Alkinoos was so impressed with me, that he offered me his daughter’s hand in marriage. I kind of pushed it off, and prayed to Zeus that he may be prosperous. I think that is enough for today. I will see you all tomorrow.
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