#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.)

[destinedgray]

Time: Early evening Location: Palatine Hill Characters: @alekgray​​ & @destinedgray​​

Whenever it was Nettelia’s turn to guard, Aren could not bring himself to be anywhere near The Pyramid. It wasn’t that it haunted him the way it did Andreas, it wasn’t even Octavian’s nerve-wrecking presense. It was the voices, the sounds of each and every soul that lived there. Each one depended on him and his siblings to guide them, to protect them, and each one wanted something from him. The Archdruid loved them all with every beat of his heart, and yet he could not stand the possibility that one would seek him out within those halls. His heart still weighed heavy with grief and his mind with uncertainty. Evy had grounded him, Nettelia had directed him and the knowledge of his sons had soothed him. But he was not yet healed. And among the druids, he was forced to present a figure of perfect clarity and authority. So he escaped. A former tour guide knew all the moments that certain quiet, lovely places would be closed and free of people. 

Andreas’ knowledge and memories were all available to Aren, easy to dredge up and use selectively. But the feelings, thoughts and emotions that plagued his most recent life were ignored and pushed into the dark. It was easy, if only because Andreas wouldn’t know what to do with himself now and did not fight to be heard. Deep inside, he knew the Destined feared confronting all the weight of what he knew now of his past lives, and then confronting what his brother had done. Every other one of Aren’s lives did not wish to push to get that other part of themselves to understand, not when they could shoulder the burden for him. So his mind was not united, not in the way that his Archdruid siblings’ were. He was not gracefully each and every life that he had once lived, and instead jumped from one mind to the next. Aren knew if he did not embrace every part of himself then he would never be whole in the way that he knew he could be. 

But, for now, Aren believed that he was okay remaining broken. The moments of quiet helped. Palatine Hill was closed for renovations but there were no workers after the workday was over so the Archdruid was alone, content to remain outside but without the hustle of the park. He settled himself among the taller ruins that concealed him, sitting on one of the stones. The birds from around gathered and brought the Archdruid company in the form of gentle chirping, background noise to the thoughts and memories that swirled around in his head. Aren was lost in recollections of a life long gone, one where Oztalun took his hand and guided him. Elbows on his kneels, hands resting on his forehead, Aren let the sensation of grief wash over him. Then the birds stopped chirping. The Archdruid noticed that first before he heard the sound of footsteps. He thought it was likely a worker, but they were approaching him far too quietly.

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& alek #& alek 008 #// surprise i already did it <3 #// no dialogue because we die like men

[destinedgray]

Time: Day 2 Location: Otherworld battleground Characters: @aristonsilvester & @destinedgray Notes: youre a real one bestie

His squadron was meant to retreat for rest, already taken over by another assaulting squadron. But in Aren's desperation and rage he had fought too long; he had let them all go on too long. Exhaustion weighed on the Archdruid like he hadn't felt in many lifetimes and now he used all his remaining power to make sure nothing touched the other 4 under his care, as was meant to be his responsibility. Fortunately, Aren could already see the Ivy members and Konstantin making good distance behind him. They were already surrounded by other allies and Aren just needed to get a bit closer to them... a bit closer after just decimating a small horde of carnexes that he'd felt the need to get off people's backs. However, his energy faltered as the direwolf form stumbled and he turned back to himself. Just a second, Aren thought. He just needed to take a deep breath, just lean on a pile of corpses and gather the last of his strength.

Unfortunately, it meant the Archdruid hadn't looked to see another one of the carnexes had survived and attempted a final lunge towards him. Another creature bounded forward and stopped it, ravaging the monster before it could get to him as Aren watched on. "Thanks," he muttered breathlessly, still leaning on the bodies and getting his much needed deep breathes.

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& ariston #& ariston 001

[destinedgray]

Time: Post plot drop stuff  Location: Faerie King’s Forest Characters: @archeolcgist & @destinedgray

He wasn’t sure how long the kindness of the fey would last. They’d let in the lycans, if only because there was some political advantage to having them there thanks to Alek. Andreas didn’t have the power nor the will to volunteer a single druid besides himself to enter the fray of war, and so they were just lost refugees in the meantime. He needed to speak to the new fey king... hope that perhaps Meryasek had the mercy to let them linger there indefinitely. This place well protected, unlike the hallowed and abandoned grounds of the Pyramid now. So he was thinking hard on this, wondering if he was making the right decision. And he was busying his restless hands in the meantime by picking up some fruits and vegetables from the Autumn Fields after asking an autumn fey for permission. Unlike the flower and pollen ridden gardens of Spring, the hostile mountains of Winter and the desert of Summer, at least this place had food. He was tossing a couple apples into the basket that he’d procured when he felt her presense before he saw her.

Evy, walking past the fields towards him. Andreas waited, then smiled as she got closer. The two of them now had a lot to talk about, but Andreas wanted to ease their way into that - more afraid than he cared to admit. “How long do you think they’ll let us do this before I actually have to go talk to the king?” He asked, picking another apple and tossing it into the basket.

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& evelina #& evelina 008

[destinedgray]

Time: Afternoon Location: Outside Rowan's Home Characters: @rowanivar & @destinedgray Notes: Everyone is sick and that is worrying okay

"You're not the only one who can investigate," Andreas called as he approached the door, watching the other come out. There was no doubt Rowan hadn't expected him to show up out of nowhere, especially since they'd never mentioned where he lived. The sheepish smile faded not a moment after their eyes met and the Archdruid looked the witch over as he closed the distance between them. "I had to check in... How're you feeling?"

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& rowan #& rowan 005

[destinedgray]

Time: [Doctor Who dooweedoo theme song] Location: Knossos, BCE Characters: @archeolcgist​ & @destinedgray​​

There were druid acolytes all over who were lost and confused, but Aren didn’t know how to help them. He was worse. Even on his best days, there was nothing in his mind about time travel except the recollection of a dead demigod. Power hummed eagerly within him, eager to be let out after being repressed for so long and Aren only allowed it in the keen sensation of the elements that idly surrounded him. He was lost in his own body, his own mind, wandering the streets as though he might make sense of himself if he just looked out at the normal people long enough that maybe, just by watching, he might remember how it is to be among them. There was a rare sprinkle of civilian supernaturals as he walked the grounds, a witch that stared wide-eyed from his booth of textiles, a cambion that did a confused double take as she passed him. Aren found no one recognizable to him; he hadn’t even known he was looking for some sense of comfort and recognition until he felt disappointment each time that he met the eyes of a non-human and didn’t know them.

Finally, he stopped, as though something felt... perhaps not wrong, but different. Significant. But Aren looked around at the faces passing him and there was nothing. He nearly turned to go back, maybe look for Atlas again, or return to the forest, when someone grabbed at his robe. Before he could react, his back was slammed into a stone wall in the adjacent alleyway and he winced as old, sore wounds and bruises made impact. And when he looked up at the face in the darkness he forgot what it was to breath. All of a sudden, the Archdruid’s mind focused on the very first life he had led - Aren. And all of a sudden, that was truly his name. He’d been lost. But when he saw her, the world stopped spinning for a moment and he was found. Aren hardly registered the anger in her eyes, hardly even heard her words for a moment as he gathered himself in silence. Aren stared at Erish with the widened eyes of a stranded sailor, one that had finally found a glimpse of land on the horizon.

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& evelina #& evelina 009

[destinedgray]

Time: for impromptu family reunions  Location: The Pyramid  Characters: @nikolaigray​​ & @destinedgray​​

Andreas had been avoiding most of the acolytes, which just wouldn’t do anymore. There was even talk that there were a few newly come to The Pyramid who weren’t Octavian’s brand new acolytes. As someone that needed to be in The Pyramid hours at a time when Nettelia was not, Aren figured that the least he could do is check up on the roster that had grown since their tremendous loss by Theneras. Each one of them was hurt, each one of the druids was grieving after the events of Knossos. Aren approached who he could, even though now most of the time he still wanted to sit in grim silence and solitude. It was his sister’s presense which swayed him not to get lost in his own misery. He was getting used to his mind now. However, still too much weighed on the Archdruid’s shoulders. Still, he ignored Andreas’ thoughts. 

But he could not ignore his duty. To protect this place, to protect it’s druids. As he ventured down to the training grounds to see them, he caught only a glimpse of the side of a man’s face as he quickly passed Aren. But it was that bare fraction of a second that was enough to trigger some buried memory within the Archdruid. There was something familiar there, something important. “You,” Aren called out to the man’s back. “Hold one moment...”

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& nikolai #& nikolai 001 #// b a b y

[destinedgray]

Time: Dusk, THE PAST Location: Eden Characters: @archeolcgist​​ & @destinedgray​

Eden was growing more and more every day, many of its places held their own names now. Town formed - even the bare bones of cities. The first Archdruid was still young, a man barely reaching his mid twenties when Oztalun had found him in the icy mountains, fallen and freezing with his dead wolf companion. The dragon had since taught Aren to hone his gifts enough that he had become strong and confident enough to travel on his own, separating from his new siblings to help birth a new species of people with them. Oztalun had told his children to choose wisely, for these people would be protectors of mankind, and so Aren intended to honor that. His acolytes would be compassionate people at heart, always eager to improve themselves in some way and hopefully devoted to building instead of destroying. Still naive, Aren would one day learn that endings were just as important to life as beginnings.

But, for now, he had a bright only outlook. And he had taken to a small village dotted by hills, rivers and a coast. A beautiful land but one so seperated from others that it reminded him of his own home in the mountains. He was driven to fold his wings there, an eagle perched on a tree as he looked upon the people below. A woman caught his eye first. There were some men too, other women that seemed like hopeful candidates. Aren had taken to becoming many animals for the next 3 days, watching and waiting as these various hopefuls went about their life so innocently and unaware that an Archdruid was searching for his first acolyte. That first woman... it was she that stood out among the rest. On that final day, Aren was a sea turtle by the coast. He worried for an old man that had gone out fishing that day. There would be large waves and he hadn’t listened to the warnings. So when the waves overcame the ship, the Archdruid had thought to find some way to save him. That was when suddenly he heard arguing by the sand. The woman, his most hopeful, did not listen to those that cautioned her and she jumped straight into the waves. Aren watched. He waited to see if she would need help. The wreckage was dangerous, as were the nets, but she managed around it all somehow to haul the man safely to a wooden board and help him back to the shore.

Her. It would be her. The one the villagers called Erish.

Erish went home afterwards. And it was after that she had dried off that she went outside to watch the sun set. Aren, as an eagle, drifted down to meet her. She didn’t know him, not at all. No human could turn from an eagle to a person, and Aren failed to consider the disconcerting reality that she might think him a god or some odd fey. The hope of a new species and his first acolyte had Aren’s excitement overriding most things. “Sunset is beautiful, isn’t it?”

#// god im just an enabler arent i #interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& erish #& erish tb

[destinedgray]

Time: Pre-closing hour Location: Mystery Ink Characters: @konstcntin & @destinedgray Notes: a hello to baby boy and a new tattoo please

There was a vast majority of his time spent in the apocalypse that Aren was eager to forget. Some parts he worked to keep in his head, some parts he felt obliged to remember in some way out of a sense of responsibility - how it all ended, how the world had looked and functioned, Prometheus' graves, Tamlen, Octavian's betrayal. But those quiet and horrid nights alone with nothing but misery and tears? The strangers that he'd failed to save? The disassociating? Let those memories fade away, 5 years of them. He needed to find his footing in this new world, to create a better life that didn't revolve around the misery that he'd known for half a decade.

He leaned up against the desk and waited as Konstantin came out of the backrooms. Just like when they had first met in this life. This time there was almost as much shock on his face before, but this time it lasted only the flicker of a moment as it quickly turned to quiet and subtle relief. He'd known Konstantin would be alive but it was one thing to hear about it and another to see him again. "I was gonna call but I haven't seen you or Rowan for about... 5 years." He offered a tentative smile. "Are you alright?"

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& konstantin #& konstantin 003

[destinedgray]

Time: Hella late Location: The Pyramid  Characters: @dionaeia & @destinedgray​

Aren hadn’t had any trouble staying behind to guard the tree before, but this time it had been painful to wait. Hours upon hours upon hours. Once more, night descended upon Rome and most of the druids in residence had gone to bed, unknowing that when they woke in the morning they would be greeted with another Archdruid among them. So Aren stayed awake, opting to pace around Nettelia’s residence instead of sitting down or lying calmly. And then he felt it. Even the earth beneath him seemed to respond to the nearing power. He was Andreas in this life, and he remained so many other names as well. But this was his sister - and to her he was Aren, just Aren.

Nettelia had now had her chance to speak and reunite with Dionaeia, so when she returned to take his place, the other Archdruid was grateful. He didn’t hesitate to give his sister a wane smile and hopeful eyes before walking past her to where he could feel his other sister. Dionaeia. Dionaeia, tangles chaotically spent within those raven curls, looking close to feral as one might in wild solitude. But it was her. In the expansive entry hall of the Pyramid, alone with her, Aren exhaled in relief as their eyes met. His smile was warm but it wavered with something akin to worry and sympathy as he saw. He extended his hand, giving her the chance to come to him or not. He didn’t know where she had been, or what she had been through, but she knew how Dionaeia looked when she was troubled. Without so many words, his older brother conveyed what he meant: I’m happy to see you. Please, come.

“Dia,” he greeted, his voice low and soft. 

#// it feels really weird calling her my initials but i was testing out what sort of nicknames would be easy to give Dionaeia and that one #was easiest #interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& dionaeia #& dionaeia 001

[destinedgray]

Time: Evening Location: The Pyramid Characters: @archeolcgist​ & @destinedgray​​

Andreas had supposed that it was finally time for him to vacate his old room. It looked like a messy college dorm and it held within it many, many memories. But it wasn’t needed anymore. The Archdruid hadn’t come inside since waking up, ignoring most indicators of Andreas, but that was finished now. He’d left the door open when he’d walked in to look around and perhaps that was what peaked Evy’s interest as she looked inside and saw him standing there. He didn’t turn around to look but he knew her by the sound of her walking and the cadence of her breathing.

“Remember when you first arrived back to Rome?” Andreas murmured quietly, picking up his old alarm clock from his nightstand, staring at it. Then, gently, he set it back down. “... Scared the shit out of me.” 

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #// doublefisting threads #& evelina #& evelina 011

[destinedgray]

Time: Wheneverrrr Location: The Pyramid Characters: @acolyterose​ & @destinedgray​

Aren had managed to open the entrance to his home beneath the Pyramid after he’d woken, unearthing and uncovering the door that would lead down a very steep and very deep tunnel with crumbling stairs. But he had kept the door tightly shut for a reason. Valsharra was still moody after waking up from her very long hibernation and, until she felt up to spirit, she would need to remain isolated from the rest of the druids. Though the Archdruid was hoping to bring the drake to Nettelia’s home to help guard Oztalun’s tree once she was ready.

“I was looking for you,” Andreas said, offering a light smile when he turned the corner and saw Atlas looking up at the ancient door. “I, um... wouldn’t try that one.”

#// remembered we said this #// but now you have as many threads with andreas as you sometimes do with vivianne lmao #interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& atlas #& atlas 003

[destinedgray]

Time: Whenever Location: Outside Mystery Ink Characters: @rowanivar​ & @destinedgray​​

“Thanks for coming out,” Andreas said with a nervous smile as Rowan approached after exiting his shop. “It’s... it’s not an emergency.” He didn’t yet want to explain the fact that he was reluctant to walk in and risk that perhaps Konstantin was there. Not because Andreas didn’t want to see his son but that explaining who his co-worker turned out to be to Rowan was... a nightmare and a half. It had been weeks since he had been able to see his cousin. A lot had changed, and a lot had made Andreas unable to contact him whether that was a coma or time travel. In hindsight, perhaps the truth about his son would not be the most unbelievable thing that had happened since their meeting in the woods. Andreas was different. Physically, he was only a little thinner from the coma but otherwise looked and dressed the same. The difference was in his eyes and in his voice. Where he had once been more wide-eyed and energetic, now he seemed more somber and serious. Even the undertones of his voice held the same bone-tired quality. Though, now that Rowan was a witch, Andreas figured that his cousin would be unable to ignore the sensation of the significant difference to his druidic magic.

“I disappeared. I wanted to explain myself... and I wanted to see that you were well.”

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& rowan #& rowan 004 #// i miss rowan #// gimmie

[destinedgray]

Time: Near Mystery Ink.’s closing time Location: Mystery Ink. Characters: @konstcntin​ & @destinedgray​​

He was a father. While the idea wasn’t too odd or surprising the more he thought back, Andreas had barely recently turned 32 in this life and he hadn’t ever expected to be a father to grown adults. Still, to find Heleus in The Pyramid had prompted Andreas’ desire to search for any more of his family that remained. Thanatos had long since told him that Aren and Erish’s sons rested in the Isle of the Blest, a fate well-earned after many long and peaceful reincarnations. Since learning that, Aren had been adamant not to hope too hard that he would ever be able to see any of his other druid children again, or even that his mortal children might have become immortal in some way and ultimately find him. But Heleus was still here, a new name and new life, and he had said that he had a brother. 

Still, Andreas had not been searching for his children when he arrived to Mystery Inc.. Finding any more of them was still a very, very daunting process that he hoped to prepare a little more emotionally for. He had instead been hoping to find Rowan and explain his very long absence and inquire on the progress with his witchcraft. However, the place was pretty empty for a few minutes as the Archdruid circled around the place and waited for someone to come out of the back. He finally begun flipping aimlessly through the pages of tattoo ideas when he heard the door open. “I was starting to think you already went home, Rowan,” Andreas said as his eyes landed on a very interesting design.

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& konstantin #& konstantin 001 #// yes.

[destinedgray]

Time: Day 2 Location: Dis City, Otherworld Characters: @konstcntin & @destinedgray Notes: Dad is not having a good time and they should really go but

To say he was exhausted would have been an understatement. Hordes upon hordes of beasts had been unleashed upon the city of Dis and Aren was in the front and center, claws, teeth, fangs, and talons. During the first night his squadron of Virgil, Tripp, Mazikeen and Kon returned to recover when resources and energy had been depleted to the wick, just as they nearly were now. But today he couldn't find it in himself to stop. There'd been hardly been a single word spoken by Aren since they arrived back to camp that first night to the news that Squad 2 had been taken prisoner or was unaccounted for. Deep in his soul he felt that Evelina was alive, or maybe that was that he couldn't accept another alternative.

Now another squadron was taking their turn at the front and it was time for their own to retreat to get ready again later but Aren couldn't bring himself to stop fighting. He didn't even notice it was time for them to go. Evelina was likely in there, likely taken prisoner in the very city they were assaulting and the idea blinded him with rage and desperation. As a new legion of wild cats and heavy, large beasts of the mortal realm were summoned to the Archdruid's call, that was when he noticed Konstantin in the presense of a Bloodstarved Beast. The Archdruid flew down, a gryphon becoming a dire wolf. He landed on top of the creature, taking out it's arm in one fell swoop of his claw and then its head in a massive bite and a dismembering shake of his jaw. Blood covering his mouth and his entire body by this point, Aren turned back into his original form. "Are you alright?"

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& konstantin #& konstantin 002 #// got sum Dramatic Gifs

[destinedgray]

Time: Anytimeee Location: The Pyramid Characters: @erenxdemir & @destinedgray​

“I was blind to what was happening with you,” Aren confessed. “For that, I am sorry." He was also sorry for the fact that the man was now poised to fight the love of his life (and lives) on opposite ends of the battlefield, but the archdruid figured that sympathy there was the last thing that the other man would want from him. “Do you have a moment, Eren?”

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& eren #& eren 004 #// i was nice and tried to be short in case i wind up writing novels later :''''

[destinedgray]

Time: for secretsssss Location: The Pyramid, Nettelia’s place (the underground one) Characters: @archeolcgist​ & @destinedgray​

Aren had asked to see Evy and, without so many words, led them down to where his sister lived. It was his turn to guard the place as Nettelia ventured outside The Pyramid. “My own place is quite dusty at the moment, so it’ll be fixed. For now, I’m not bringing you here to socialize. There is something I need to speak to you about... something that has to be said privately.” He sighed as he sat down in Nettelia’s sitting room. “Don’t worry, my sister knows.”

#interactions ♔ (history has its eyes on you.) #& evelina #& evelina 010