Renna was silent as Amanvah tied the silk around her face, hiding her ward-stained face from nose to chin. ‘How long I have to wear it?’
Sikvah laughed. ‘Until the Par’chin removes it to kiss you.’
Renna snorted. ‘Core with that.’ She turned to Arlen, lifting the veil herself and kissing him deeply. Amanvah, Sikvah, and Kendall all laughed and clapped, and more folk cheered.
‘How was that?’ Renna asked, turning back. The veil fell back into place, and she made no effort to remove it.
Amanvah smiled. ‘Wedding traditions are not so different among my people.’ She looked to Rojer. ‘Sometimes I lament I will never have such a celebration.’
Rojer looked at her, seeing sadness in his wife’s eyes. Every Northern girl dreamed of her wedding day, and he realized the Krasians were the same way. He had shoved all tradition aside by marrying them on the spot, and, he suddenly realized, trodden their dreams at the same time. He would have to make it up to them.
‘You din’t?’ Renna asked. ‘Then share mine and come dance with me.’ She took Amanvah’s hand and reached out to Sikvah and Kendall, dragging them all into the dancing area. There was a great cheer, and the Jongleurs struck up another song.
‘You got two minutes, Arlen Bales,’ Renna cried, ‘then I better see you out here!’
‘Ah, marriage,’ Rojer said, and Arlen laughed.
‘Every time it gets tough, I’ll remember you got two,’ Arlen said, watching the four women dance. ‘You know what you’re doing? Marrying any dama’ting’s no light thing, and Jardir’s own blood …’
Rojer shrugged. ‘Could ask the same of you. Sometimes I think I know what I’m doing, and sometimes …’
‘… you’re just swept along with the current,’ Arlen finished.
Rojer nodded. ‘Ay. But you heard the power of the Song of Waning. And I’m finding myself happy, more oft than not.’
‘Know what you mean,’ Arlen said. ‘We might all die come new moon, but right now I ent ever felt so peaceful.’
‘That’s a gloomy thought for your wedding night,’ Rojer said. ‘All the more reason we have a dance.’
‘Ay,’ Arlen said, and they moved out onto the cobbles. He surprised Rojer with his skill in the dance, laughing as he swung Renna from one arm and Kendall from another. The Hollowers all moved in, taking turns linking with bride and groom, ecstatic looks on their faces.
‘What dances do you do at weddings in Krasia?’ Renna asked Amanvah when the players gave the Hollowers a moment to catch their breath.
‘We do not dance in public,’ Amanvah said, ‘but there is a dance we do for our husbands when we retire to the bridal chamber.’
‘Oh, you must show me!’ Renna cried. Amanvah and Sikvah looked at each other, then at Rojer.
‘Dancing is no sin here.’ Rojer smiled. ‘Just leave your clothes on.’
Amanvah shook her head. ‘There are some things no man but a husband should see.’
‘Ay, this we gotta see,’ Brianne Cutter said. ‘Ladies, form a circle! Krasian girls are going to show us their dance!’ In moments, the tall women of the Hollow surrounded Renna and Rojer’s women. Rojer was allowed to stay, but even Arlen was expelled, moving off to greet more well-wishers.
‘I have not given you a bride-gift,’ Sikvah said to Renna, taking the finger cymbals from her belt pouch. ‘Please accept these, to aid your dancing.’
She helped Renna put the cymbals on as Amanvah slipped her own onto her fingers. In moments she was beating out a rhythm and the Hollow women were clapping along. Rojer picked up the tune on his fiddle, using the warded chinrest to amplify the sound, and soon the Jongleurs began to play along, though they could not see into the tight circle of women.
Safe from the eyes of other men, Amanvah began by teaching Renna the twisting snap of the hips that she could use with such hypnotizing power. The young woman was quick to pick up the move, and many of the Hollow women, including Kendall and Brianne, followed along. Sikvah moved among the women, helping correct their steps and the swing of their hips.
Rojer felt a familiar twitching in his groin, and blushed, flicking his cloak to add some cover to his loose motley trousers. He had only seen his wives dance so before lovemaking, and it seemed they had trained him well. Renna and Kendall both took to the dance as if born to it, and Rojer felt himself blushing further, even as the Hollow women squealed with glee at the racy moves. Other Krasian women joined them, helping demonstrate the moves at their dama’ting’s example. At last Rojer excused himself, feeling as if he were peeping into bedrooms where he did not belong.
Some time later the circle broke, Krasian and Hollower alike flushed and laughing. The Cutters brought out the wedding poles then, and ushered the couple back together. A wedding pavilion had been raised at the far edge of the graveyard.
‘What is this?’ Amanvah asked.
‘The bride and groom will sit on those chairs,’ Rojer said, pointing, ‘which the Hollowers will raise up on poles and carry them around the square for all to see. Normally the procession goes to the couple’s new home, but when they don’t have one, they use the wedding pavilion. The Par’chin will carry his bride over the threshold, and the whole town will cause a ruckus while they … Ah …’
‘Stick each other,’ Kendall supplied.
‘Consummate,’ Rojer said. He glanced to see if his wives would be offended, but Amanvah and Sikvah seemed delighted at the prospect. They followed along eagerly as the procession circled the Corelings’ Graveyard three times, then arrived at the pavilion. Arlen leapt lightly down from the high perch, catching Renna as she fell into his arms. He kissed her as they entered the pavilion and closed the flap behind them.
Immediately Amanvah gave an ululating cry, amplified tenfold by her warded choker. Sikvah and the other Krasian women followed suit as the rest of the Hollowers began to cheer and clap and stomp their feet, banging pots, pans, and ale barrels, clashing mugs, and doing whatever else they could to form a cacophony. Leesha set off more flamework.
Only the Sharum did not participate. Kaval glowered at the tent, and Rojer feared he would try to torch it.
Amanvah caught his stare. ‘If you cannot be polite, Drillmaster, then make yourself useful. Take your men and kill seven alagai in honour of the union, one for every pillar of Heaven.’
Kaval looked frustrated as he bowed. ‘We do not have our spears, dama’ting.’
Amanvah’s eyebrows formed a tight V, and both Rojer and Kaval knew she was losing patience. ‘For more than three hundred years, Sharum killed alagai without warded spears, Drillmaster. Have the battle wards made you weak? Have you forgotten your skills?’
Kaval knelt and pressed his forehead to the cobbles. ‘Forgive me, dama’ting. It will be done.’ He seemed almost relieved as he signalled the other men and they left the Corelings’ Graveyard.
Any excuse to kill demons, Rojer thought.
‘If they’re killin’ seven, then we’re killin’ seventy,’ Gared said to Wonda. ‘Cutters! Get your axes! We’re going to give the Deliverer a wedding present: a demon pyre so big the Creator will see it from Heaven!’