"Frost Alaric," he rumbled, taking her offered hand in one of his slender but powerful frozen vices, having enough of a sense of courtesy to lay the traditional kiss upon the back of hers.  "A boyish name, but it seems to suit."  He chuckled inwardly, wondering if his comment might get a rise out of her; in spite of her name, if she was anything like her father this young Snow Fairy probably had a good deal of fire in her belly.  "I've already given my own name.  Tell me, how do you feel about being made to marry me?"  He locked eyes with her, speaking plain and cutting straight to his point.  If neither side wished for the arrangement then his hope was that Alreis could intercede with Roswain to cease this arbitrary silliness; little did he know that Roswain had demanded the marriage not for politics, but to divert Alreis from the apparent suicide mission that was his hunt.  "I am nothing more than a common soldier, a weapon that had been bought and aimed at your own people.  I have the blood of thousands on my hands; would you be content to wed such a man?"  The wrapped spear in the corner of the room seemed to shudder slightly as he extended a hand towards it, then flew to his outstretched grip.  Levithein, he had learned, was a weapon bound to his bloodline; none could wield it but him, and it responded to his call without fail.  "Because if you do wish to go on with this marriage, I would like to know why.  Surely you are afraid of me for some reason or another."  The faintest bemused twitch struck his lips before it was frozen into submission, his face returning to its stony blankness.  "Bears certainly are."