Selena Quentius

"'For all my endeavors, all my triumphs, I've still given you nothing but death…' "Selena Quentius was the ex-wife and bondmate of Sairus Arterius, and the youngest granddaughter of Cadmus Quentius, Turian ambassador to the Citadel. Like her grandfather before her, she served the Turian Hierarchy as a member of the Diplomatic Corps, holding the rank of Consul. She was well-respected within the diplomatic community, earning her praise from Human Councillor Dominic Osoba for her work in helping to reforge the severed ties between the Alliance and Hierarchy in the wake of Primarch Antraxes Mehrikuri's sudden death.

Divorce and Controversary
Selena was considered by many of her species to be the ideal Turian maiden; beautiful, resolute and, above all, selfless. However, this image of her faded after her high-profile divorce from Sairus. While Houses Arterius and Quentius attempted to put a positive political spin on the couple's unexpected split, rumours persisted that Sairus was unable to sire children. Already despised, Sairus was now publicly ridiculed for being impotent, emasculating him in the eyes of his people.

Selena, in defence of her former husband, put out a public statement in which she stated that it was she - not Sairus - who was infertile and that she had decided to leave Sairus of her own volition, so that he may be able to continue his bloodline with another wife. So damning was this statement that opinions of her changed virtually overnight. She was now considered by many to be unattractive, self-destructive, and a blemish on her family's ancient lineage.

The negative press which then surrounded her spurred Selena into distancing herself from Turian society for a time. She found solace in burying herself in her diplomatic work, as an attempt to restore her family's public image. Throughout this period she remained close with Sairus, the couple continuing to live as a bonded pair despite being legally divorced. Selena would incessantly push her lover to remarry, but Sairus, ever stubborn, would refuse to entertain the idea whenever it was raised.

Deteriorating mental health
Selena was the victim of a nervous breakdown sometime after Sairus' self-imposed exile. She was admitted to a psychiatric hospital following a failed suicide attempt and diagnosed with Prolonged Severance Disorder; a mental health condition specific to turians, experienced when separated from a bonded partner for a prolonged period of time. Such was her distress at not knowing Sairus' whereabouts, or if he was even still alive, that Selena was forced to remain under psychiatric supervision for the next eighteen months.

During this time period, she was supported by various members of her family, including her grandfather, Cadmus, and former father-in-law, Fidellion. Astraeus Mehrkuri, Sairus' step-brother, continued to care for the couple's two children in their absence.

Selena's recovery was long and arduous. She resented her treatment plan, believing that her doctors were orthodox conservatives, politically motivated to sever the bond she shared with Sairus. She became delusional and paranoid, to the point where she believed her anti-depressant medication was actually a dopamine suppressant, intended to suppress her feelings for her wayward bondmate. She would frequently try to escape her confinement and often had to be sedated to keep her in a manageable state.

Against all odds, Selena managed to make some kind of recovery. Her discharge from the care of her doctors was bittersweet, however. On the one hand, she had recovered from her dangerously self-destructive illness. On the other, her bond with Sairus had indeed been mitigated by her isolation from his presence. Feeling empty and numb at the lack of emotional intensity her bondmark had once provided, Selena attempted to try and restore some stability to her life.

Having been formally retired from the Diplomatic Corps on medical grounds, Selena was now free to devote all of her time to raising her adoptive children, supported by Astraeus, the children's biological father. During this time she took to wearing all white clothing and donated all of her jewellery to charity. Some speculate that she did so as a sign of mourning for her beloved Sairus, by choosing to forfeit her luxurious lifestyle and embrace a more simplistic, pious way of living.

Seclusion
Following her recovery, Selena chose to relocate from Cipritine to Aenaria, a volcanic island in the middle of Cipritine’s shallow, tropical sea. There she was granted land rights by Fidellion, whom had commissioned the construction of a private villa for her using his own personal funds. Selena lived there happily in seclusion, with no servants or security to attend to her, despite her close connection to the Imperial Family. She produced her own oil and wine, and grew an impressive courtyard garden full of bioluminescent flowers and fruit-bearing trees. When she wasn’t working the land she spent her time in prayer, finding comfort and healing in faith. She remained in self-imposed exile from the Imperial Court for the rest of her life, though was known to privately entertain members of her family, including her brother, son and their families. Fidellion and his wife Marcia would also visit her at least once a year.

Sairus rarely visited his ex-wife. While the pair were devoted to one another to the end, they knew that the past trauma of their lives made it impossible for them to live together permanently as a family, however much they wished it were not so. When he did visit her, Sairus would commonly arrive unannounced and unexpected. As Selena had embraced a life of religious contemplation, it is believed that they chose not to continue their physical relationship, Selena instead providing Sairus with emotional comfort and spiritual counsel when he needed it most.

Selena only left the island a small handful of times after relocating. She returned to Cipritine only for notable family occasions. These included the weddings of her son, the births of her grandchildren, the funeral of her son's first wife, and the state funeral of Fidellion. Fidellion's funeral would be the last event she would publicly attend, just four years before her own death.

Death
Selena would pass away quietly in her sleep at her villa on Aenaria, at the age of 124. In her will, which was read in Cipritine, she specifically stated that she was not to be buried within either of the Arterius or Quentius family vaults - a startling break with turian tradition. Instead she chose to be buried in the grounds of her own villa, within the small temple that stood atop the rocky outcrop overlooking her home. Her funeral was a private and largely modest affair, attended by her immediate family.

News of Selena's death broke Sairus. He attended her funeral with their son, visibly riven by her passing. With both his parents dead and now his bondmate too, Sairus would chose to commit suicide soon after Selena's funeral. Desolas would ensure that his father was buried beside his mother, so that they could be together forever in eternity.