The Heartwood Similar vows

"I am not sure that a wandering husband would be an asset to any bride," Dwin remarked on Heph's list of trades the grooms-to-be offered to their chosen girls. "It does not sound that bad then, but... well... isn't it kind of showing off as well? Say - there is a guy, how puts up monstrous effort only up until the wedding and after that - turns out that he is a slug," that could well happen. She trusted Dee's good judgement, but there was always a risk. What if that Kivaluk guy was also acting upon his mother's strict orders to pull his bearings together and act good, until he could be married off suitably and become the wife's problem to deal with?

"Besides - shouldn't it be the other way round? Shouldn't one impress with gifts and prices and only then get an approval?" she asked. "And, what if... he brings all the great things, but none of them are, what the bride and her family wants?" In short - the relationships were already hard to navigate and having marriage traditions complicated the matters unnecessarily.