A Most Unhappy Union

And not everyone in House Cossais was willing to tolerate the presence of a Vastak- especially this Vastak- among them without comment. One night, the servants dismissed and all the security feeds in maintenance mode, Lady Vitoria, aided by her sister Jolette and niece Madiah, cornered Iliana and carved eight slashes into her face. Eight, for each time she had confessed to drugging and violating her son. All medics in Cossais terrtory received a copy of Iliana's genetic profile marked "CRIMINAL: DO NOT ASSIST", and so Iliana was forced to bear those marks on her face for all to see. Such was the wrath of a Great House. For although House Cossais were fair and benevolent lords to their own people, they were still just that: feudal overlords. To cross them without any power or status of one's own is to court great danger.

Alas, Iliana's time as a guest of House Cossais was not a happy one. Callan treated her like a stranger- because truly, that is what they were to each-other. Her son, Benan, regarded her only with cool curiosity since he did not remember her, and had grown up with two fathers who loved him. He bore little resemblance to his Vastak mother, and what little there was quickly faded from view once his siblings Maia, Mortan, and Rickan- with their high-boned mix of Scalic and Norver features- were born.