Chapter 4
The Marriage Bracelet
“It promises to be a fine wedding.”
Her father, seated in the place of honor, looked immensely satisfied.
“For being rushed, the preparations are perfect.”
“Well, it is the wedding of your firstborn son, eldest brother. Everyone was eager to help, so the work was easy.”
“And who is our eldest brother? None other than the chief of the renowned Asra tribe, famed for its warrior nomads.”
“Indeed. That this marriage was arranged so smoothly is entirely thanks to eldest brother’s prestige.”
The ones who had worked the hardest for this wedding were the Second and Third Uncles.
Yet, both deferred the credit to her father, the Asra chieftain.
“Even the Fifth Brother, who usually complains about everything, rolled up his sleeves and helped this time.”
“Although the Fourth and Fifth Brothers won’t be accompanying the wedding procession tomorrow, they too put in great effort.”
“The bride’s family seems very pleased; they’re boasting about it everywhere.”
“In fact, they need to quickly spread the word that their daughter is marrying into the powerful and tightly-knit Asra tribe, to preempt any potential trouble…”
“Trouble? What trouble?”
The Second Uncle waved his hand dismissively.
“It’s fine; there’s no raiding or fighting in winter.”
Winter means peace.
That was the absolute, unwritten law of the plains, which was why everyone held feasts and weddings exclusively in winter.
The Third Uncle looked exceedingly pleased.
“Anyway, now our in-laws and all of us will become overwhelmingly powerful in these plains.”
“As we should.”
Her father answered with authority.
Outside, the bitter winter wind howled, but inside the vast, dim circular tent, the warmth matched the congenial conversation.
Her mother approached with a smile, carrying a kettle, and poured tea into the men’s cups.
The ivory bracelet on her mother’s left wrist clinked softly. It was the same bracelet her father wore on his wrist.
An identical pair of ivory bracelets lay before her brother, the one getting married.
True to a plainsman, her brother sat silently, but his gaze was fixed on the bracelets before him.
They were the wedding gifts—one to be clasped on the bride’s wrist tomorrow, the other for him to wear.
Suddenly, the Second Uncle voiced a concern.
“Next April, on the ‘Day of Smoke to the Sky,’ all the chieftains and heirs of the plains will attend the sacrificial rite.”
“That’s right.”
“I’m worried the atmosphere that day will turn hostile.”
“Hmm……”
“Our Asra tribe was already influential, your wife is from the priestly family, and now your eldest son’s marriage is exceptionally advantageous.”
“From next year, the balance of power on these plains will shift dramatically.”
“Which is why I mention this.”
The Second Uncle glanced briefly at his two daughters sitting near the entrance, then leaned slightly toward her father.
“Why don’t we seize the opportunity to marry off your eldest daughter before this winter ends?”
As the gaze of her father, uncles, brother, and even her three-year-old brother playing with a wooden toy fell upon her, her older sister’s cheeks flushed crimson.
The demure sister, pretending not to hear, modestly lowered her eyes. But Siara, who had been sitting beside her embroidering a belt, instead looked up.
Her father drew a line on the matter of marriage.
“Only 27 days of winter remain. Handling a matter as significant as marriage in such a short time is impossible.”
“If the gods will it, it is possible.”
The Second Uncle pressed on seriously.
“While arranging your son’s marriage, going back and forth, I noticed that every time I visited, the bride’s relatives had their grown, unmarried sons present.”
“Their intention is obvious.”
“Isn’t it? But one among them was particularly well-built and skilled in fighting. He rides well and is an excellent archer, so I kept an eye on him.”
“And with a sword?”
“He handles a sword fairly well, too.”
“He sounds like a fine man.”
“If we don’t make excessive bride-price demands, they also seem to want a quick marriage.”
“Is that so?”
Seeing her father become interested, the Third Uncle set down his teacup, furrowing his brow.
“With the severe droughts last year and continuing this year, the mood on the plains is quite suspicious. Next year shows signs of being even more unstable.”
“……”
“The raiding next year will be brutal. And your wife is the greatest beauty on the plains. The rumor that your daughters are also beauties is widespread.”
“They wouldn’t dare attack our Asra tribe.”
“Of course not. But wouldn’t it be better to marry them off quickly when a good match appears?”
The Second Uncle took the opportunity to voice another worry.
“Frankly… I’m most worried about Siarat.”
Hearing her name suddenly, she flinched, the needle in her hand jerking.
The Second Uncle continued gravely.
“Isn’t Siara once-in-a-millennium beauty?”
“You exaggerate.”
“No. Second Brother is right.”
The Third Uncle immediately agreed, joining in.
“You know I’ve had a connection with a noble from the Shirkohin Empire for four years now.”
“Yes.”
“When I went to the city this September, I saw a portrait of a woman said to be the greatest beauty in the imperial capital, who entered the Emperor’s harem. A ruined piece the artist was working on, which my noble friend secretly acquired. To be frank…”
“The Emperor’s woman… and she wasn’t beautiful?”
“Not compared to Siara.”
“……”
“I dare say, there is no beauty in this world to rival Siara.”
“Thanks to your wife’s teaching since childhood, she’s as skilled in song and dance as she is beautiful. The only problem is her lack of femininity.”
Realizing her mistake, Siara quickly lowered her eyes.
Her strict father, the chieftain, took his daughter’s side in front of his brothers.
“Siara Asra is the daughter of me, the Asra chieftain. A little pride like that is fine.”
“Eldest Brother, you spoil your daughters too much!”
The uncles burst out laughing.
Sitting here brazenly would only get her scolded by her mother later for being unladylike.
Siara buried her face in her embroidery as if hiding, then stood up, lifted the tent flap, and escaped as if fleeing.
“Ah, my headdress!”
One must always fully cover their face and body with a headdress and veil when leaving the tent, and she had forgotten.
A moment of panic, but it was a starry night, and right in front of the main tent, so it should be fine.
“Hoo.”
Siara closed her eyes and tilted her chin up high.
The December wind whipped against her face, her smooth, long black hair wrapping around her pale neck before scattering softly.
Her sister said that stepping outside without a headdress and veil felt like being naked, but Siara had always loved the feeling of her hair flying in the wind.
The sensation of hair tickling her skin was somehow both erotic and freeing.
But it was too cold to enjoy the night breeze, and soon her whole body shivered.
Yet, it felt awkward to go back in immediately…
Tomorrow, they had to wake before dawn to depart for the bride’s tribe’s winter encampment.
They would be retiring to sleep soon, so she decided to find somewhere to wait out just twenty minutes.
Glancing around, she saw her brother’s newlywed tent, set up about ten paces from the main tent.
The wedding tent was ornately decorated, its entrance firmly sealed with protective charms.
She went to the back of the main tent, lifted the hatch to the underground storage her father had built secretly, unknown even to his own brothers, and climbed down.
It was a tight, cramped space, but felt quite cozy once the hatch was closed.
“Footsteps?”
She curled up smaller, then sharply looked upward.
Crunch… crunch…
The sound of footsteps, treading carefully on the frozen ground, approached.
It was a person, not an animal…
Who is it?
Had her mother or sister come looking for her?
But they were being overly cautious… As she wondered, a chilling sound reached her.
Sreung.
The subtle sound of a sword being drawn.
It couldn’t be…
Her heart froze solid with terror. Siara looked up, her pupils dilated.
“Raiders are here.”
Simultaneously, the footsteps overhead suddenly multiplied, becoming a hundredfold.
Siara quickly held her breath.
If the intruders had stepped just three centimeters to the side, they would have discovered the hidden storage space she was in. It was an incredibly close call.
Sreung, sreung, sreung.
Listening to the terrifying metallic sounds, cold sweat trickled down the tense pulse pounding in her neck.
‘Winter means peace’ was the most powerful unwritten law of the plains. And now, a large-scale raid had come, shattering that absolute rule.
