#au talk

Mm decided to go steal a certain plot point in Wings of Fire with the earring. As that's the thing that holds her (man idk I came up with this at 3 PM and it's 2 AM explaining it 💀, I am naut coming up with a good reason rn)

I can only think she's recouping herself so she can grow stronger without, while attaching herself to someone with a strong position in the Roman Camp so she can actively drive them apart. Heavy manipulation tactics there. Maybe faking certain prophecies to make him absolutely spiral with paranoia, specifically the ones he sees about the invasion maybe. She negatively influences how he socializes and takes care of himself, which is why he's described so skinny.

She doesn't want her host to have a proper support group, nor anyone to talk to, because that could ruin everything. He'd still be largely paranoid, and an absolute control freak, while having moments of where he simply can't explain why he's exactly thinking or acting this way. To everyone, his change in personality was abrupt and weird. And those strange moments of self-awareness makes it even weirder. But the damage has been done. And it'll only get worse.

I think all of this would be utilized and built up in books 2-3. We wouldn't be villianizing him or using unnecessary word language. He'd be described as uncertain, confused of what he's spouting, and overall unbearably unhealthy. Have some characters express worry over him PLEASE. Even if they don't like him in the first place. He doesn't take part in the War Games, and he's usually dismissive about any conversation. Gaia does what Octavian needs to live, then it's isolation again. It's clear she has him in a heavy, heavy hold. And it'll continue like it..

Until Gaia breaks out, of course, but that's a whole other thought to talk about.