The backstory stuff is what makes stories like these so special. Any fool off the street can play a game and write out what happened in it, but it's developing the characters and giving them a world to belong to inside of a legacy challenge is what is so special. I look forward to reading more of your stuff, Louise. I don't give out praise in this way very often, haha, but when I do, I am intense about it! 
I thank you humbly once again
I'm really happy that you like it and like the backstory stuff, too - now I'm less nervous about going for some of the plotthreads I'd considered but discarded because I wasn't sure the backstory was interesting enough
And now, onto another update:
2.6. The Ithaca Legacy Lives On
It wasn't too long after I found out about my pregnancy that Aërope called to tell me her news – she was pregnant, too. Ha, I finally one-upped her. I got there first.
I'm kidding. It made me really happy, but not more than Mum.
She was already ecstatic that I was pregnant, and I think she played more than ever with Achilles just to let out some of that pent-up energy of hers. When I told her about the pregnancy, she shook me so hard and excitedly that I had to remind her that I was pregnant and that shaking pregnant people might be a bad idea.
After quite some time feeling like a beached whale, I finally went into labour – with all the grace of a beached whale, too. If Junior hadn't been busy screaming like a girl, I think he might have made fun of my crossed eyes.
And so, a little boy was born. In the evening Junior and I sat down with him and considered names.
“How about Hector?” he said. “Your mother has that theme – might as well stick to it, right?”
“That's a nice name, I said. Sounds lovely. Only... I was thinking we could name him after his daddy.”
“...”
“Junior Jr.”
The look on his face was the exact same look Mum had on her face that one time I asked if maybe her and dad had a good box of nectar when they came up with my name. No laughs. So it was Hector Ithaca, the first Ithaca boy to be born into our family.
Mum had her birthday not long after, and when she'd done waking up the neighbours and boring the mail man with pictures of Hector, she went to see Aërope. She told me that she, as a medical professional, had determined that Aëy was having a boy too.
I told her that's not how it works, but she was adamant, and I agreed to agree if she would believe I once met a mummy in Egypt. Then she muttered something about a 'margin for error' and ran off to play chess.
It was hard not to be drawn into the kind of sappiness that I'd always either feared or disliked, and both Junior and I dissolved into baby talk and giggles at the sight of the little guy.
Only adding to our sappiness was the kitten that we soon welcomed into our home. Junior is huge on cats, so we thought we might as well get some company for Achilles for when we didn't have time to play with him. And so, we welcomed a little, grey kitty and named him Patroclus.
Admittedly, we were nervous – I mean, everybody knows about the famous rivalry between cat and dog, but Achilles just sniffed the little guy, Patroclus sniffed him back, and then they were off to play.
And it was just in time for Hector to have his birthday and age into a gorgeous, ginger toddler, too, quite like his dad (except for the ginger part). Oh yes, things were getting interesting.
[Author's note:
Fun with names yay – let's start with Achilles, because I forgot earlier:
Achilles: One of the greatest hero of ancient Greek mythology – if not the greatest. Known for being practically invincible – with the exception of the unfortunate heel. At the battle of Troy, he pulled out of fighting after Agamemnon took the girl he'd gotten during a plunder. He then cried to his mother and sat sulking in a tent for a while.
Hector: The biggest hero of the city of Troy and quite possibly the only decent guy in all of Greek mythology (no, really). Married to Andromache and very devoted to her and his son, Astyanax, until he was killed by Achilles (don't worry, I'll keep the dog at a safe distance from the boy).
Patroclus: In mythology, Achilles' best friend. After he died, killed by Hector (don't worry, I'll keep the boy at a safe distance from the cat), Achilles returned to the battle of Troy after having sulked in that tent for a while.
… it's possible I didn't think it through when I name these three.]
