"Cousin."

The word startles Kassandra as she turns toward the source, her serpents heads mimicking the gesture. Standing at the door in her man's tunic and pants of fine materials which clung to her form was Arkady. Silver scaled heads formed an aura of serpent's eyes and flicking tongues, unrestrained by the house's traditional veils.

A plain woman by medusan standards Arkady had always quietly rebelled against the rigid expectations of her house. She even refused to wear the veils unless absolutely needed. But the matron found her uses for her small rebellions and it was often Arkady who was sent out of the city for various tasks. She seemed to relish the wilds of the North.