#maybe in the noxus show the cousin's tattoos may be more intricate

[mollysunder]

In "The Fourth Principle", Mel's young cousin appears to have golden runic tattoos in the same style as Mel.

Mel's cousin's tattoos are not nearly as intricate as the ones Mel has in s1 and definitely not by s2.

We know that Mel's tattoos are tied to her magic, and from the reviews of Chosen of the Wolf, there's a larger connection between mages and these experimental runic tattoos. This could mean that Mel's cousin is also a mage, albeit someone who isn't especially powerful based on how simple her tattoos are.

If Mel's cousin is a mage, I wonder if that may be one of the reasons Mel has her cousin so close to her. From the way Ambessa spoke of mages, and even from Mel own voice lines, the Medardas have a negative opinion of mages. Could Mel have allowed her cousin to be elevated to her side as assistant to the Medarda matriarch to protect her against this kind of scrutiny?

Based on the spoilers from Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, obtaining these tattoos isn't a simple or painless task, and yet more members of the Medarda family have them by the time Mel returns. I also noticed that Mel's cousin doesn't seem to be that much older than Mel was in her flashback in Arcane. Except at that age, Mel didn't have ANY visible tattoos. I wonder if in reaction to the Black Rose's successful campaign to steal majority of the Medardas' holdings, the family became more aggressive in utilizing all their assets, which includes family members with any potential as mages. There's more family drama to come with the Medardas then!