Family can be formed by birth or by choice. You could be born a member of the Barenti family, or you might join through marriage, linking another family to the Barentis. This is why Father put so much importance on this meeting of in-laws.

With one meeting, the Krazius family, one of the imperial duchies, had become a part of the extended family. The Katoban Dukes, the Masalo Marquises, the Yorun Counts, and the Naiyad Barons were now all within the fold. For Father, who holds family dear, this must be a great joy.

But family ties extend beyond the …