Snowblind {complete}

Freeze - Coin

Sweat beaded on Lanna's brow; with ten of people crammed into her tiny hut, the air temperature mirrored a summer's day. She sat cross-legged, squashed next to Mika and Freya. Her hands rested on her knees, fingers digging into the bony plates under her skin. A bride mustn't speak during the negotiations.

Lanna found the tradition irritating. It was her marriage, should she not get to negotiate? She wrinkled her nose and tried not to tug at her clothing. Damp, clammy cotton stuck to her stomach and legs.

Hemil sat stiff-backed next to his father. He and the rest of his male relatives were opposite, the firepit between them. He kept glancing at her when the discussion grew heated, as if to check she hadn't changed her mind.

'I will not be moved on this,' the Headman half growled. 'My son does your family a great honour in choosing your daughter. He deserves an appropriate bride price. All the barter in the village wouldn't be enough to cover the lack of gold in your offer.'

Alric folded his arms. He didn't like the situation either, but Freya had begged him to play the part without complaint.

'And I told you, we are of the south: gold has no meaning to us. We own none and even if we did, we wouldn't have carried it with us across the Blacklands.' He refused to back down, despite the language barrier, meaning Durrick had to whisper a translation to him periodically.

'We have no gold, nor the ability to get any.' Alric's eyes flicked to Lanna then back to the Headman. 'Lanna should be precious enough without gold.'

It took all of Lanna's will not to speak. Why was coin even a factor? They would have enough to feed their children, so why the concern?

The matchmaker snorted and held up her hands to ease the tension.

'The quality of the bride is not part of this. The proposal was made and accepted by both families. That fact has not changed.' Her eyes pinned both men where they sat. 'It would be shameful for the family that offered the proposal to drop the offer.'

She sat back, folding her arms into the sleeves over her threadbare ceremonial robes. The fading black garment had probably been passed down through several generations. 'Though the proposing family do have a point. One gold coin is stated as the minimum price for marriage. It would dishonour the bride to be accepted for anything less. It would imply she has no value.' The matchmaker gave Lanna a tight smile. 'Not the best omen to begin a marriage.'

Freya frowned at Lanna's side, struggling to follow the conversation. Mika practically vibrated with frustration, hands clasped in her lap to keep them still.

Alric gave a heavy sigh, the corners of his lips turned down.

'Then... we are?' He searched for a word.

'At an impasse,' the Headman grumbled. 'I am sorry.' He stood, almost tripping over Hemil's leg. The fire in the pit spat, as if adding its own scorn of the situation. 'I don't see us getting further this evening.' He bowed to Alric and then the matchmaker. 'Emperor bless you all.'

Lanna followed Hemil's family to the grassy area where the laundry hung, frosted and stiff in the crisp night air.

The second moon rose, the first already ascending. In the clans the moons were named after ancestral heroes – Franklin, the smaller and brighter orb and Echo Charlie, larger and dimmer in colour – near blue. She had never thought to ask what Imperials called them.

Hemil moved to stand before her, blocking her sight of the twin moons. The matchmaker and her family shuffled a discreet distance away as they said goodbye in the chilly evening. Hemil's breath fogged as he spoke.