The marriage

The Frostbond

 

The Meaning of the Ritual

In the icy reaches of Nyrian, marriage is not merely a bond between two people—it is a commitment to the community, the ancestors, and the frost itself. Love is not mere tenderness, but trust. Unity. The shared survival in a world that forgives no mistakes.
  The Frostbond is more than a symbolic act. It is a trial. A promise not given lightly. And when the ceremony ends, the couple is no longer two individuals, but one—bound by ice, by blood, and by the community that holds them.
 

The Cleansing – Preparing for the Trial

The ritual begins apart. In two separate houses, bride and groom are prepared for their new role. But it is no festive grooming, no gentle washing with fragrant oils. Instead, they are cleansed with snow—not as a sign of beauty, but as a test.
  The frost on their skin is sharp, nearly painful. It is a reminder that they do not choose only each other, but shared survival. The cold will accompany them. They will give each other warmth, will endure the harshness of the world together.
  When the cleansing is complete, they dress in plain white—the color of snow, which both protects and challenges.
 

The Meeting – Stepping into the Community

Barefoot, they step from their houses. The snow bites at their feet, but they walk on—through the cold, across the open square, until they meet in the center.
  Above them, the endless sky; beneath them, untouched snow. The entire community gathers around, but no one speaks. The silence of frost is not broken, for this is the moment when two lives become one.
  The bride carries a bowl of clear ice water. The groom carries a long knife—or a sword, if he is a warrior.
 

The Blood Rite – The Final Vow

Without hesitation, bride and groom kneel facing each other. The bride sets the bowl gently before her, hands open. The bowl is clear—a symbol of life still untouched.
  The groom speaks: “From this day, you are my blood, my life, my home.” He lifts the knife and cuts her palm. Her blood drips into the bowl—a first drop, a first bond. Then he opens his own hand and says: “I will protect you and our children to the last drop of blood, through frost, storm, and shadow.” His blood falls into the bowl. The two fluids mix, become one—just as they will be. Without doubt, they take the bowl and drink. No hesitation, no uncertainty. For if they choose this path, they choose it fully.
 

The Final Binding – Strength Over Tenderness

After drinking, they rise. No cautious touch, no gentle gestures. Without hesitation, they grasp each other’s forearms—firm and upright—as warriors do, as equals do. Then they lean forward until their foreheads touch. No words, no pleas. Only the ice, the blood, the silence that holds all.
  Together they speak, loud and clear: “We stand firm. Together!” And the community solemnly echoes: “We stand firm. Together!”
  With this moment, the ritual ends. They are no longer two. They are one—bound by blood, by ice, and by the unshakable trust of the community.