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Ironically, the first thing that Calypso felt when she spotted the stranger on her island was happiness. She never had visitors, and she was just happy to see a new face, someone she could share her time with, some new company for Odysseus and her. But then the man turned around, and she recognized him, although it had been hundreds and hundreds of years since she had last seen him. Back then they were fighting on the opposite sides of a war, a war that Calypso’s father had lost, that she had lost, resulting in her imprisonment on this island.
“Hermes,” she said “Why are you here?”
“Not even a greeting for me, darling?” the god smiled widely.
“You’re not here to chat with me, so why did you come?”
“You’re keeping someone on this island against their will. It’s time that you let them go.”
She took a step back.
“No. You can’t make me. He’s mine.”
“Oh, I’m not the one making you. I’m but a humble messenger. It’s Zeus who’s ordering you to release Odysseus.”
Calypso paled.
“No,” she whispered.
It couldn’t be. Not Zeus. She couldn’t fight against the king of the gods.
“But why?”
She hadn’t done anything wrong since the war. She lived in peace on her island. Odysseus was her only joy in this prison. Why did they want to take that from her?
Hermes shrugged.
“It’s the gods’ will. Release him today, or you’ll bring Zeus’ anger upon yourself.”
And with that, the god disappeared. Calypso collapsed on the ground, tears streaming down her face. This couldn’t be, she couldn’t lose him. To be alone again, after experiencing the joy of someone’s company, it was an unbearable thought. And he wasn’t just anyone who provided comfort in her loneliness. No, he was the love of her life. Her Odysseus. How could she let him go?
It seemed like hours passed by the time her tears stopped and she was able to get up. She went to find him.
Odysseus was sitting on the beach, staring into nothing, as he did most days. Calypso stopped to admire him for one last time, to etch his every feature into her memory. He was so beautiful. Finally, she approached him.
“Someone arrived today,” she told him “They said they’re taking you away.”
She searched his face for any sign of pain, of hurt. For a sign that he didn’t want to leave. But instead, his face lit up, smiling.
Her heart shattered to pieces.