Adrestus knew that changes around him were going to be threatening his life style. The easiest choice, in his opinion, would be to continue sailing for the rest of his life. He could find Sokari, create an even bigger business for his family and stay on the sea that he loved so dearly. He didn’t want a fancy lifestyle living in the courts as a Baron, he wanted his life style. His choice. But it was never going to be that easy, and he didn’t exactly have an answer for what his choice was. He was leaning towards sailing, because again, it was the easiest. Adre was not stupid; he understood that his family was reliant on him that he would go back home, and stay back home. He was heir, his brothers wouldn’t be as ready as he, and well… it’d be easier on his family if he gave up the sailing life entirely. It was was he was born to do. Everything was complicated.
He had gotten his ship after the incident where he had lost Sokari, his crew, and he had been sailing to almost all of the kingdoms trading goods and doing business. Things were not the same without Sokari, and he wasn’t about to give up on him, but it was starting to get lonely. He could sense that his family might want him to go back to Athena, but he wasn’t ready yet. He wanted to reunite with an old friend, one that wasn’t lost, and try to clear his head just a little. Timaeus. When all three were still traveling together, they were inseparable, as if they were brothers. He remembered like it was yesterday- Tim standing with him, along with Sokari who was touching his shoulder and smiling, and laughing. They were younger then, but knew everything about each other, and well… Adrestus loved them both like family. But he hadn’t seen him since Tim went back due to his family needing him, and well by the gods he missed him. He knew exactly where he was. Well, not *where* exactly, but he had a few ideas.
He sailed towards Colchis, his crew following his orders and making sure the ship worked properly. They didn’t have much trouble getting to his kingdom, and once they got to port Adre couldn’t help himself but do a little business before looking for his friend. It was evening by the time he started walking into the lower levels of Midas. He knew he could start asking around, knowing who Tim’s family was, someone would probably know of him, but a part of him wanted to keep it a surprise. A surprise reunion.
Adrestus confidently entered into the tavern, a playful grin lingering on his face. His posture was straight and broad, his light white Chiton fitted to his waist dragging lightly across the floor. Even though his family was well off, and he probably afford more expensive clothing, he didn’t didn’t look like did. He didn’t see a point to it, especially while traveling. Adre's hair was cut back, his eyes as brown as timber yet looking a bit weary. He grinned over at the people who were in the tavern, though he didn’t see his friend. He wandered over to grab his beverage, and took a seat in waiting. Tim had to be somewhere.
It was almost hard to believe that only a few short years ago, the current Baron of Eubocris had spent his days roaming the high seas. Every day, his biggest concern was whether or not he would be able to charm the prettiest girl in the next port they stopped in before his closest friends; Adrestus and Sokari. Nowadays… things where different. Timaeus was landlocked. Stuck in a land he always disliked, watching over people who hated him, and there wasn’t a chance for him to escape this dreary rock while he still lived and breathed.
Needless to say, the years had not been overly kind to Timaeus.
Granted, he still had his looks and if anything he had become a bit of late bloomer in that department. Long gone were the days of his unmanagable crop of curls, all cut short enough that they were wavier than anything. Plus, not to mention his beard was now fuller than it had ever been out on the high seas, encouraging him to keep it instead of shaving it off. Most impressively of all, though, his reintroduction into the army had filled out his figure. Over the course of a few short years of pouring everything, he had into training, so he wouldn’t have to tend to his grief, which had quickly turned him from a lean lad into a tank. So, perhaps it hadn’t been so bad in that regard.
However, what he had been through had changed him in other ways as well. He carried himself differently than he had as a teen. During their adventures, Timaeus had often found himself on the outside of the main friendship between Sokari and Adrestus due to his more quiet nature than the two of them. Back then it was a good kind of silence though, a simple product of his Colchian upbringing in comparison to the louder ones that the others had in their kingdoms. But this quiet changed. It was now somber, almost as if he was quietly bearing weight on his shoulders that he was straining under… and in many ways he was. Four years ago he never imagined that he would find himself being so young and being responsible for so many. He was the baron of Eubocris, head of Valaoritis, and Guardian of Arcanaes.
It took a toll on him.
Although very few in his life noticed it, he was certainly wearier than he had been all those years ago. There was a sort of sadness in his eyes that could only come from the grief he could never confront without the help of a goblet of wine and it was so hard to get one of those without having to worry about what he became with it.
That’s why Timaeus was actually in the bar that Adrestus had wandered into. His friend just probably not recognized him as not only had he changed so much, but he also went through an effort to conceal his identity. His riding cloak was drawn tight around his shoulders and its hood was draped over his face. He had seated himself in a corner, being smart enough to hide in the shadow of candlelight, but not dumb enough to turn his back to the door. However, that hardly did much good as he downed goblet after goblet, chasing away the memories of his father and brother, his worries about Io’s marriage and Sil’s escapades for just one night.
Either way, he had made it clear that he was a man who did not want to be approached.
His worried exterior began to soften by the time Adrestus had come through with a dirtied white chiton wrapped about him. The sheer flashiness of the color was enough to pull his gaze up and regard this stranger as he wandered into the tavern. It wasn’t every day that you saw someone wearing pure white after all, especially in a mining city like Midas as it was difficult to keep the fabric clean. However, the buzz of the alcohol churning in Timaeus’s stomach and the distraction offered by his glass being refilled tore his eyes away from this curious sight just long enough for Adrestus to settle into his own seat quite a ways away from the Baron who had once been his friend.
When the goblet was empty, Timaeus could get a decent look at this stranger. Although he wasn’t able to see perfectly, there was something decidedly off about this person. He wasn’t able to tell what it was though. Everything else about him seemed perfectly normal. From the way that he carried himself, to his haircut… there really wasn’t anything out of place. Yet… he just couldn’t let it go that there was something about this dude. It was almost like there was something pulling Timaeus towards him.
Emboldened by the drink, Timaeus decided not to wait for the worker to come around again as he had for most of the evening. Instead, he got up and wandered over to the bar himself. Leaning against it, he glanced back at the stranger, who he was now only a few feet away from.
When he locked eyes with him, there was a flash of recognition between them that shook Timaeus to his core. He could barely believe his eyes, they had to be playing tricks on him. How on earth could he just wander into the same tavern Timaeus was in, not when he hadn’t seen this man in four years.
It couldn’t be, could it?
Standing up to his full height, Timaeus shakily turned around asked in an almost uncharacteristically quiet voice, showing that he could barely believe what he was seeing for himself; “Adrestus? Is that you?”
His best memories had been of sailing the seas with his two close friends, Sokari and Timaeus. It had been them against the world, and it was as if nothing could stop them. But of course, life eventually did, and they were no longer together. Timeaus went home, and well… Adrestus felt as if he had failed Sokari, it being his fault he had lost him during the battle. It was a while ago, but Adre thoughts haunted him as if it had been yesterday. He could still see Sokari’s face, still see him alive… well, he knew he was alive, but didn’t know in what condition, or where… Which made it so much harder to leave the high seas. What if Sokari was out there? Waiting for him to find him? If Adrestus gave up on him, he’d fail him again, a second time! If he didn’t go back to his family though it’d be as if he was failing his family. Nothing seemed like the right choice. It was as if a mountain was on his shoulders that he couldn’t shake off and well, his mind was getting foggy. It was overwhelming, and he could hardly bare it.
He wanted to see Timeaus. Not only to see an old friend, but he wanted to see him alive and doing well. He desperately hoped he was doing well, at least one of the three needed to make it out okay, after all of this. Then maybe there would be hope. Well, Adrestus was hopeful, but some days, well… He ended up in Midas, after doing some buisness- if he didn’t find his friend, it wouldn’t all be for naught. He walked into the bar, white chiton and all with a grin on his face. Timeaus had to be somewhere. But there was no harm in having a little to drink to ease himself! He didn’t recognize anyone in the bar, but he also didn’t look to closely as he rested himself into a seat and ordered himself a drink. He gripped his fingers against the drink once he was given it, and stared at the liquid casually before taking a sip. The coolness poured into his throat, and he savered the soothingness of the alcohol. If only something would make him forget- well no, even better, turn back time. He was recieding into his thoughts, not even noticing the hooded figure moving closer to him. Adrestus was in his world, his world, one that Sokari was alive and happy in.
He heard his name and he looked up and around, reaching up to smooth his hair back in confusion. His eyes locked on Timaeus, and for a secound, he was just as shocked as the other man. He saw those blue eyes, and knew it was his old friend. Adrestus gave a bright, vibrant smile, as if life was just put back into him. Adrestus gave a chuckle, and set his drink down. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, old man.” He spoke in a comical tone, obviously playing with the fact that Timaeus had grown older after he went his seperate way. It had been a while since Adrestus had last seen him, and while the cloak around Timaeus made it harder for him to see exactly all that had changed.
The Athenian still took a moment, narrowing his eyes, peering up and down his friend for a moment. After the moment passed though, he gave the same, childlike smile. Adre reached his hand out, grabbed Tim by the shoulder and pushed him playfully. “Tim,” He spoke more softly, more gently. He was alive- right here in front of him. Thank. Posiden. “I knew you were around here somewhere.” He laughed softly before getting up and wrapping his arms around the other man’s shoulders, forcing him into a great big bear hug. Timeaus was safe. “What have you been up to, old friend?”