Australia, 1623

One hundred years. That's how long I've gone without seeing my family. Except for Makkari.

She cornered me while I was in England during a feast hosted by the king.

And that's how we ended in Australia.

"Did you miss them?"

"You have no idea, Karri. I haven't seen them since the day we all split." I sighed linking arms with her and walked into the house. "Mom? Dad? Possibly Druig?"

"Is that my Vena I hear?" Thena poked her head from a pillar and smiled big. "You're all here! Great!"

"Mom!" Makkari and I dropped our bags and rushed towards Thena engulfing her in a hug. "We missed you so much!"

"That looks uncomfortable." Thena chuckled pulling away and I shrugged.

"It's actually quite comfortable, thanks." I said and Gilgamesh emerged from what I assumed was the kitchen. "Dad!"

"My sweet girls! I missed you both so much!" Gilgamesh smiled and hugged both of us.

"Is he here?" I asked trying to look around but Gilgamesh stood in the way. "Gil-"

"He arrived a few moments before you two did. He's excited to see you both." He finally caved and let us through the kitchen where Druig stood smirking and arms open.

"Missed me, darling?" Druig asked and was tackled to the ground by Makkari. "Hello to you too, sweet Makkari."

"I think she missed you more than me." I chuckled helping him stand up and pulled him into a tight hug. "How long has it been?"

"Twenty-five years. Too damn long if you ask me." Druig mumbled picking me up and spun me around kissing me. "How I missed you... and my family."

"I missed you too, Dru."

...

"Wait, what!? Six wives!? I can barely handle one, let alone six!"

"Thanks, Druig. I appreciate the sentiment." I scoffed propping my feet up on his lap. "But yes, six wives."

"Didn't they come up with a rhyme, Vena?" Makkari asked and I nodded.

"Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived."

"Did you meet any of them, Venus?" Thena asked and I nodded again.

"All of them actually. But Anne Boleyn was my absolute favorite. And Katherine really didn't deserve what she got, she was just a kid."

"How old was she?" Gilgamesh asked from his place on the stove.

"I think she was nineteen when she was decapitated? I dunno. I just remember crying the entire day, same when Anne died. She was actually very sweet." I explained grabbing an apple from the table. "Ooh! I ran into Sersi while in Austria with Karri. She says hi!"

"And the other?" Druig asked with a grimace and I unconsciously rubbed my neck.

"Didn't see him. Probably hiding from me."

"What did you do?"

"Told him that next time I saw him, I had to kill him! Apparently, he values his life more than he valued mine." I shrugged.

"The absolute audacity!" Gilgamesh laughed and I flipped him off. "I just have a feeling that their marriage will end soon. I don't know why."

"It's because nobody can be as perfect as me and Vena." Druig mused and we all turned to him. "It's true! They can't!"

"Why did I know that you would say something like that?" Thena chuckled throwing a grape at him. "Vena, you married an idiot."

"Yeah, I know. But he's mine and Karri's idiot." I smiled and Druig scoffed.

"I'm not an idiot."

"Yes, you are."

"Yes I am." Druig finally admitted and we all laughed. "Have you two seen the others?"

"Other than Sersi, I haven't. I miss them terribly if I'm being honest." I sighed and Druig frowned. "Not your fault, remember? I'm not having this conversation again."

"I traveled around with Kingo for a while before I found Vena."

"How's the village, Ares?" Thena butted and he shrugged.

"It's going as smoothly as you can expect. They're no longer under my control, yet they chose to stay."

"You take good care of them, Ares. That's why they stayed." Gilgamesh said placing food on the table. "Now, eat before it gets cold."

"Out of all the things I missed, your cooking has to be the top one." I smiled grabbing a plate.

"And not your husband!?"

"That's to be debated."

...

"You're going back?"

"Not for a few more days. Just wanted to get some air." Druig sighed and hung upside down on the tree.

"That's my thing." I smirked crossing my arms. "Sersi told me something when I ran into her."

"Let me guess? Defending her dumbass husband." He scoffed and I rolled my eyes.

"You're a dumbass and I defend you... But she said that it's not your fault for the split. It falls on all of us, especially Ikaris."

"Not you."

"Alright, move. You're taking up my spot." I sighed climbing up the tree and hung down next to him. "It's all of us, Adonis. Ikaris and I being the main ones."

"But how? You literally did nothing-"

"It's a brother-sister thing. We're both fighters, darling. We butt heads sometimes and that's normal. He just let it go to unnecessary extremes, but I was the one that pushed him past his limit."

"It's still no excuse."

"I know it's not, and I'm not defending him. I'm just saying that if we're pointing fingers, you should point them at me as well." I shrugged and sat up. "I'm just glad that Thena hasn't had an episode yet. Gil told me that the first years were hell."

"It was hell for all of us, my starlight." Druig sighed sitting up and held my hand stroking the wedding band. "Thank you... for sticking by me. Even though at times I probably didn't deserve it."

"Trust me, Dru. You deserve it."

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