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Do you believe in past lives? Reincarnation?
Let's separate the question of reincarnation from religion. They are linked subjects, yes, but it's best to begin a discussion without the institution's heavy shackles. It's not that I am anti- religion, per say, I just can recognize that in certain situations, it limits the view of the mind. And after all, the concept of a 'soul', or whichever particular term you prefer, is not exclusive to any one religion and can survive independently.
In a court of law, witness testimony is one of the most valuable tools available to the prosecution. If we were to be 'trying' the concept of reincarnation, you would be surprised by the number of witnesses available for the defense to bring forward. I count myself among them.
I won't give you all the details of the extra twenty years of memories stored in my mind, but I will give you the basics. In my past life, I was a king. I know, it sounds extremely pretentious. I didn't choose it- yes, I was a bit arrogant and power-drunk then, but it did end up with me dead, so I think it can be excused.
At this point I am reasonably sure you're questioning my sanity. Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. It's a reasonable reaction. Especially after I tell you my memories from a past life are those of a king. But before you begin questioning and making assumptions, please sit back and listen as I present the evidence- my life.
- Charming, manipulative
- Intelligent, knowledgable
- Haunted, guarded
- Self-assured, fearless
- Determined, loyal
- Arrogant, possessive
He is unfailingly polite and tactful, never at a loss for the correct thing to say. He knows exactly what to say to get what he wants, and uses this silver tongue to his advantage- to get out of sticky situations, gain favors, etc. He has the potential to be an exceptional con man, but he only enjoys conversing with a select few (his family, of course, among them) and would rather not spend his life putting on fake smiles for dull people in order to trick them out of some valuables. His skills do, however, come in handy when deflecting personal questions and preventing others from discovering that he believes he was a king in a past life. However, when in a stressful situation, he sometimes speaks in a more antiquated manner.
Hand-in-hand with his charm and skill with words and the intelligence and cunning behind it. Lazarus is extremely intelligent, and, due to his fathers' wealth and lifestyle, highly educated. He is a quick learner and stores many facts and pieces of information in his mind for future use, and thus is never at a loss for words and rarely unsure of what is being discussed in any situation or the significance of events. Although he is well-learned in many areas, Lazarus's main interests are in the fields of history and biology. His interest in history stems from his own past, as well as his belief that every pattern in events today has been echoed in events of the past and they can be learned from. He enjoys biology as it exposes the true nature of the world around him and answers many questions he often wondered about in his former life and thought he would never have the answer to. He also had conducted extensive study into art history, as the way art reflects culture through the centuries fascinates him.
Needless to say, growing up in a family of con men and criminals with the bonus attribute of believing something that nearly everyone would call you crazy for doesn't exactly lend itself to being a trusting, emotionally healthy person. Lazarus is highly suspicious and guarded- the only kiamaras that have ever held his trust are his family members. He's never trusted any of his 'friends' or revealed any important bits of personal information to them, but rather had become an extremely skilled liar. He's never held back from his family, but refuses to let any other individual in. He deflects inquiries into his life with jokes, lies, or turning the conversation back to the other person. Lazarus has attempted many times to block out his memories of his past life, but to no avail each time. He often suffers from insomnia, because he hates dreaming in vivid color of his previous life centuries ago, not least because it's usually the greatest hits of gory and unfortunate events that plays across his mind's eyes. Lazarus also avoids sharp blades of any sort. He doesn't like the sharp edges or the sheen of the blade, and cleavers especially cause him intense anxiety due to their similarity to the blade of a guillotine. When fighting and training, he prefers to use his bare hands, blunt weapons, or even guns. He occasionally suffers from vivid flashbacks that transport his mind directly into the past, where he's forced to relive often random memories. These can be triggered by the blades- these flashbacks are the worst- or even just conversations that relate to medieval times. They usually only occur once or twice a month, but the frequency and intensity increase depending on his emotional and mental balance.
Lazarus has no fear of death, having died before. He smokes often and doesn't take any particular care with his physical safety. There's not much he's afraid of, in truth. He isn't afraid of illegal actions, though he is careful to avoid detection, and often steals small valuables, either pick-pocketing while wandering the streets or slipping small items into his sleeves and pockets while at residences. He occasionally steals something larger or forges art when he thinks it's a profitable opportunity. But he avoids any situations that have too high a risk of detection, as he knows that intensive police involvement will lead to nothing good and one risk he will not take is any that could potentially affect his family. He has quiet confidence in himself and in every action he takes, which lends itself to a natural sense of leadership and causes those around him to be more inclined to trust him- something that is very helpful for manipulation and committing crimes without suspicion. It's a legacy from his days as royalty (with the ability and training to back up his threats) and the combined power of his family.
In his past life Lazarus was unswervingly loyal to his kingdom and the soldiers under his command during the war. Today, he is dedicated wholeheartedly to his family to the point where he doesn't like any interference with their affairs at all, whether harmless, friendly, or otherwise. If someone earns his loyalty, Lazarus will refuse to violate that trust no matter what. He's not self-sacrificing, but is very protective and possessive and will throw his entire effort into eliminating any threats to his family. He also hates to lose in any circumstances, especially in games of wits. Lazarus can be downright stubborn sometimes in his determination to push himself to win and succeed, although this can be a good thing- he's learned many things simply by refusing to give up and move on to something else.
Lazarus was royalty in his past life, a prince and then a young king. He was waited on hand and foot and never experienced anything other than preferential treatment. His blind arrogance was somewhat tempered by his time as a knight, but he still possesses a streak of the haughtiness born of his station in his past life and from the privileges he was born into today. This usually manifests itself as a cool disdain for many he encounters and a callous disregard for others, especially concerning their possessions. Oddly enough for a thief, Lazarus cannot stand others touching his own things, despite having no trouble stealing others'. His 'prizes' automatically become part of his dragonesque hoard, and Lazarus becomes extremely angry if anyone interferes with it. This also extends to his family. He treasures them and is extremely loyal and protective of them (although he knows they can all take care of themselves) and hates anyone interfering with any member of the family, whether friendly or not. He has better manners than to exhibit this annoyance and distrust of any stranger clearly, but rather is very cold and watchful.
No matter what turmoil churns in his thoughts, the only outward sign of it might be darker-than-usual circles under his eyes, slightly messier hair, and a cigarette held at all times elegantly in his long fingers. Lazarus takes pride in always appearing elegant and immaculate. It's rare to find him in anything other than a finely tailored suit, or possibly a white collared shirt with suspenders or a waistcoat. He favors the slightly more old-fashioned suits, and suspenders and pinstripes are not uncommon for his clothing. He uses his sharp appearance to help disguise his emotions and keep those he interacts with guessing at his motives. Lazarus has perfected his poker face and deceptive skills over his lifetimes, and uses these not only to deflect attention from himself and his family but just for fun. He finds it infinitely amusing to attempt to go as far as he can with a lie before, if ever, he is caught. He doesn't care if others like him or not, but merely uses them as a distraction. The only exception is his family- and they can all tell when he's lying, anyway.
i opened my young eyes, and an entire court bowed. Lazarus was born the second son of an aging king. His brother, three years older, was already training to become the perfect heir. Lazarus never begrudged him this role as a child, preferring to run amok in the castle and the courtyards, free to cause mischief without the restrictions and responsibilities of being the crown prince. He was content with the extra sweets he'd get from the cook or the occasional deep bow of deference. Although a rambunctious child, his fun was never in mean spirits and he was generally liked by the servants, which was fortunate, as there were never other little boys around for him to play with. Instead, he watched the knights spar and followed pages on their errands. At a young age Lazarus had already decided that he'd rather be a knight than a prince, and took it upon himself to pursue this dream by becoming a page at the age of seven. Naturally, he was assigned royal tutors, and went to lessons as well, but he threw most of his attention and effort into becoming a better fighter.
my eyes were no longer a child's, and i could see every shadow. When Lazarus reached his teens, he became a squire to a knight called Lord Dain. He was an indifferent and cold master and cared nothing for Lazarus, who was forced to learn battle skills from other knights and squires when they agreed to spare some time. As the prince, Lazarus was not allowed to accompany Dain into battle until he was sixteen, and this was a constant source of ridicule from the other boys. When Lazarus found out that he would be going into battle soon finally, he was ecstatic to begin realizing his dream of being a noble knight, riding into battle to win glory. But his first battle was far from glorious or noble. Their task was to help put down a serf rebellion on a nobleman's estate nearby. Dain disregarded Lazarus throughout the entire affair, except to bark orders whenever the boy hesitated to strike at a barefoot child or woman, and to tell him he did well- words he'd thought would be good to hear- when they set the ramshackle thatched huts of the rebels on fire afterwards. Lazarus sustained several minor injuries, and was fussed over and called 'heroic' and a 'man' when he returned to the castle, withdrawn and moody. He no longer wished to be a knight, or a prince- but he was young and arrogant, and did nothing about his misgivings, simply telling himself that his brother would be a better king. Their father was dying; he could see it in his hollowed cheeks and fogged eyes.
the crown was heavy on my head, and the sword felt cold in my hand. Lazarus reluctantly remained with Dain for another year before he was knighted in an elaborate ceremony that didn't seem nearly as momentous and holy as he'd imagined it years before. His father wasn't present- he wasn't leaving his bed at this point. Lazarus, was, however, very glad to be out from under Dain's thumb, and eager to ride further abroad in his kingdom on his own. He had always favored independence, and had never traveled far from the castle. He did get his wish, but not in the way he expected. A few days after his eighteenth birthday, the kingdom was invaded. Lazarus thought it would be a good way for him to prove himself as an honorable knight and set himself apart from Dain and the others like him, as well as feeling a strong obligation to protect his kingdom. He was quickly put into a leadership position in the army and sent into the mountains to guard the border located there. The first night camped in the main pass brought an ambush. Nearly a quarter of Lazarus's soldiers were killed or injured, but he managed to keep them together and repel the attack, with some minor cuts and bruises. It was the first time he'd commanded anyone, much less lost some of those whom he led. Lazarus became borderline paranoid, refusing to sleep in favor of patrolling at night to prevent another such attack. The enemy soldiers came again- and again- and again. Lazarus quickly realized they were whittling his force down until they broke through, and desperately wrote a letter asking for reinforcements to his brother, sending it out with a messenger. The messenger returned days later, bruised and bloodied, bearing the news that the old king and the crown prince had been killed- assassinated and felled in battle, respectively. The kingdom was quickly devolving into chaos without a clear leader. Lazarus reluctantly left another knight at his post and rode for the castle. He had no clear intention- he merely thought he should be there to help restore some stability. He didn't expect the people to promptly crown him king and demand he end the war. Lazarus didn't know how, but he tried. He defended the borders and tried to stop the inexorable advance of the other kingdom for two long, miserable years. But despite his best efforts, the boy king failed. The kingdom fell. Lazarus was arrested and sentenced to death. His last memory of his past life is that of the huge, bright expanse of the axe blade, and closing his eyes for what he thought was the last time. He was only twenty years old.
i opened my young eyes, and felt an old soul settle within me. Lazarus was always an odd child; somber and reserved, his eyes seeing everything. But he wasn't born into a normal family, and he was affectionate to his family members. It wasn't until approximately the age of 7 when Lazarus began remembering specific, clear memories of his past life- as a younger child, he'd just seen blurs and vague flashes, mostly in dreams. His crude crayon drawings of castles, knights, and horses were normal subjects for a child. But one night he woke screaming from a vivid dream of swords and blood in the night, and this seemed to unleash a flood of memories. He would regularly suffer from flashbacks, and became withdrawn and sullen. He readily told Micah and Ezra about the 'other life' he remembered, as he'd already learned that it was near impossible to hide things from his fathers. They weren't exactly comfortable with it, but Lazarus insisted that he was fine with it and that, apart from the nightmares, it didn't scare him. His nightmares and flashbacks slowly began to decrease in both frequency and length, and he seemed to be healthy, if still somewhat of a too serious and mature child. He was enthusiastic in his studies at home, taking intense interest in the fields of history and science, biology in particular. He learned quickly also the art of manipulation and other tactics, and became adept at never mentioning or alluding to his past life. He got along fairly well with his siblings and enjoyed playing with Rajani.
my eyes always saw the shadows, but this time i embraced them. Ah yes, the rebellious teen stage. It might be even more inevitable with the child of a criminal and a con man. Although possessing the desire for excitement and recklessness of a typical teenager, Lazarus had many more years of worldly experience and bypasses the parties, girls, booze, hair dye, and piercings of the typical teen. He doesn't fight with his parents, although his tongue does become sharper and himself more cynical. Instead, he begins to steal, smoke, and experiment with fire. He's careful to avoid anything too risky, and successfully avoids any legal repercussions for his actions. He continues to maintain interest and effort in his studies, as well as expanding to learning various methods of self-defense and more languages and 'skills and tactics' from Ezra in particular, which certainly helped in avoiding law enforcement. By his teens, Lazarus has remembered the entirety of his past life, and learned to recognize the warning signs of a flashback and retreat to a safe place before they hit. They only last ten to fifteen minutes usually by his late teens, and his nightmares are much less common. He enjoys travelling with his family and develops impressive social tact, as well as beginning to dress more formally. He clearly explains his memories to his family, as well as firmly asserting that they are not associated with religion and that he won't do anything stupid because of them, which helps ease his fathers' minds somewhat.
i still feel that heavy crown and cold sword, so i distract myself in any way i know how. Lazarus has grown into a jaded adult. He's expanded his habit of pick-pocketing and stealing small objects into larger jobs as well as the field of forgery, and has, with some help from Ezra, made some tentative connections to the black market. He works legally as an art dealer. He lives in an opulent flat in London, preferring to remain close to his fathers and original home. Although still travelling with his family, he often traverses the world alone for his job and to explore things he never could have imagined in his past life. He is still distrustful and hasn't made any close friends or been involved in a serious relationship- he can't imagine trusting someone that's not family enough to tell them about his past life, and he refuses to found a relationship on anything but trust, and so keeps everyone at arm's length, even if he does have relatively friendly acquaintances he does business deals and occasionally goes drinking with.
Lazarus looks up to Ezra and feels great affection and loyalty for him. He admires him as a skilled criminal as well as a good father and a knowledgeable teacher. Lazarus never really knew his father in his past life, and Ezra's kindness and care for his children has earned Lazarus's unconditional love and loyalty. He understands Ezra's occasional 'tough love' or harsh words, because he only uses such methods for teaching valuable lessons. He feels extremely fortunate for having such an intelligent, educated, and widely skilled father who imparts time to teach his children not only the basic subjects that would be taught in school, but life skills as well that have helped him become a successful adult (and minor criminal).
Just as with Ezra, Micah's devotion and care for his children was a welcome novelty to Lazarus and he is devoted in return. He tries to avoid going against any of Micah's cardinal rules- he's avoided any serious relationships and the dangers of sleeping around, as well as being very careful not to draw any suspicion to the family. Lazarus also greatly appreciates that both of his fathers have accepted his belief in his past life, albeit with lectures not to let it become dangerous or affect his actions negatively.
With both his fathers, Lazarus (having lived centuries ago) was understandably shocked and a bit confused by the whole 'two fathers' thing, much less the fact that Micah was pregnant. But his love for his fathers has helped him become much more open-minded and even come to terms with his own sexuality.
Lazarus was, in his past life, brought up to respect patrons of the arts and authority figures, and thus respects and looks up to his older brother as an author and a stern, responsible figure. He is comfortable with his silence and reclusiveness, and loves his large, intricate, historical manor. Lazarus enjoys conversing with Akiva when he manages to draw him into conversation.
Admittedly, Lazarus has done some reckless things with Hezekiah (and had a great deal of fun), but he joins with the rest of his family in attempting to curb some of his more sinful antics, mostly for his protection and that of the family. He enjoys spending time with Hezekiah and finds that his impulsive nature and intrinsic good nature cause Lazarus to feel more in touch with reality and see the world in more vibrant colors.
- Height: 6'2"
- Hair: Dark
- Eyes: Orange
- Build: Tall and lean
- Faceclaim: Ben Whishaw
