Viorica's father raises a brow at the suggestions.<br/>"This is some outsider's toy", he supposes. "We seldom need the like of it!"<br/>A Sarista girl behind him turns to hide her smile. He continues, not noticing it.<br/>"But if you describe it to the aggrieved, I'm sure they'd be glad to cut something like that from tree-bark or the like. I suppose your idea might find some acceptance with them. I might even allow it, in the interest of assuaging their thirst for vengeance, and maintaining the peace!"<br/>His tone doesn't suggest that he will approve it, ever, as he turns to walk away to the festivities.<br/>In the meantime, the Sarista clan has gathered on the clearing. After avoiding the danger, they look even more eager to feast and laugh in the face of Death. The mourning will begin tomorrow.<br/>The elders, accompanied by a Paradoxist priest, lead the ceremony. First, the husbands appear, each in as splendid a clothing as their clans could afford. The bride almost has trouble stepping under all the silk, jewellery, furs - despite the generally hot weather - and more silk, and more jewellery.<br/>How did they manage to also make it revealing is a prowess that will require further exploration by all fashionistas present.<br/>The man is not put to shame, though. On top of the furs, silk, jewellery, ceremonial weapons, and and yet more jewellery, he somehow manages to move with relative ease, and yet his clothes are about as revealing as hers. There is much less uncovered skin, but the fabric is gripping his well-toned body tightly, and revealing as much as possible.<br/>The ceremony itself, some might think, is more a pretext to show off the clothing, and to grant a veneer of official approval on a relationship. Led by their clan elders, they cross at the same time the line of the firepits, dug in a big circle around a big tree. Underneath, Viorica's father is waiting, and the Paradoxist priest stands next to him, with the Muse on the other side - the same one Kalaj agreed to guard. The three are there to witness the oaths.<br/>As they cross the circle of firepits, small kids run and throw burning branches inside. The flames raise almost unnaturally fast. There is probably some magic involved, or very rare trees - or both.<br/>The bride and groom are led around the tree, three times counterclockwise, and three times clockwise. They are always moving in the opposite direction, though. It's supposed to represent that they were roving through life, meeting only occasionally, until this point.<br/>Finally, they stand together in front of the trio. Each of them pronounces a vow to uphold their respective obligations, to respect his or her partner, and his or her other wives and husbands, and his or her relatives. The text is straight out of the manuscript "Customs of the Sarista", volume 3, "Ancient variants of the wedding ceremonies".<br/>Each of the three persons under the tree asks them a question, which is unscripted, unlike the rest of the ritual. They are free to ask whatever they want.<br/>"Will you care for your children together?", asks the Muse.<br/>"Yes".<br/>"Yes, with the help of our clans".<br/>The Muse looks suitably impressed with their willingness to devote time to such long-term projects, but nods her approval and steps back, allowing the priest to come forward. There is some quickly silenced laughter - apparently, Muses often ask this very question when participating in the ceremony. There were even some bets, it seems, as money change hands.<br/>"Will you be good Sarista?", the Paradoxist priest asks, without clarifying what he means. On top of it, there is only one possible answer, although they are obviously thinking of the meaning of the question. Which is probably why he asked it in such a way.<br/>Being a Paradoxist, this thinking is probably more important than the answers themselves.<br/>"Yes".<br/>"Yes".<br/>He also nods approvingly and steps back. The elder of the clan steps forward.<br/>"Will you ever bring shame to your newfound family, or neglect it for other people?", he asks in a booming voice. At least this one is trying to look scary and ask hard questions, as the ceremony requires.<br/>"I will not", the men replies proudly.<br/>"Of course not!", the bride replies almost at the same moment.<br/>He nods, and turns towards the other two. When neither of them raises objections to the union, he turns back to them.<br/>"From this moment on, you are a husband and wife! Be happy, and make your clans happy! Let the festivities begin!"<br/>And then the dancing and the music starts in earnest, with some enthusiastic youngsters even making cartwheels on the word "begin". People start looking for partners, usually inviting a husband, a prospective husband, or a relative for the first dance. Of course, as they stand nearby, it often looks as if they just grab the nearest partner.