Hawthorn Astair-Rakkan
Baroness Hawthorn Astair-Rakkan commands the Imperial Knights of House Stryder and pilots the Knight Crusader Greyhound[1c]. However due to the rituals of her Knight World, Dominion, the High Monarch Lucien Yavarius-Khau truly rules Stryder and their rival House Rau.[1b]
Biography
She is the mother[1c] of the Freeblade[1a] Linoleus Rakkan, who Hawthorn had through a political marriage with Sir Selkar Fang of House Rau. Hawthorn initially refused to marry Fang, due to his bloodline's low-status, but finally relented when House Rau would not offer a more suitable replacement. She felt they had only done so, in order to weaken House Stryder's chances of securing a High Monarch candidate that would favour their House[1c]. Only nobles born from both Houses can become candidates on The Lists for High Monarch, but their initial standing depends on their parents' bloodlines[1b]. Because of Fang's low-status, Hawthorn knew their child would thus be on the low end of The Lists. This greatly angered her and as a result, Hawthorn had it written in a contract that their son, Linoleus, would have her last name and not Fang's. He agreed to this, but Sir Fang would later be declared a hero of Dominion, when he died saving High Monarch Lucien Yavarius-Khau's life, during the Battle of Blazing Heaven. This greatly annoyed Hawthorn, however, as it meant she could no longer publicly speak ill of her husband again.[1c]
