[Flashback] From Small Beginnings

[Siana Skyglow]

Day 52 of Fall, 505 AV

There were very few things that Siana loved better than a secret, especially when it bid fair to involve other things she loved like pretty clothes and jewelry. This morning, it looked like all three were about to converge in the shape of Ivian, her eldest brother. The fact that his serious, steadfast personality made him her favorite target for sisterly teasing and pestering just made it more fun when she spotted him in the workshop, hunched over a piece of walrus ivory. The afternoon sun slanted through the windows, bringing out the golden sheen of the wooden tables and the greenish shimmer of his black hair, but also creating plenty of shadows to help the light-footed Siana sneak up on him.

"So, my beloved big brother," she said cheerfully, popping up in front of his stool, "what are you working on so hard?"

Looking up in surprise, Ivian rolled his eyes when he recognized her and took a playful swipe at her head, which she easily ducked. "Well, your birthday's coming up soon. Didn't it occur to you that I might be working on a present for you, my bratty little sister?"

"Come on, I know you better than that," Siana exclaimed, wagging her finger at him. "It can't be my birthday present. Knowing you, you finished working on that weeks ago. What are these new trinkets you're making for? They're obviously not for selling, or you wouldn't have to skulk around and work on these when Mama and Papa aren't watching."

Before he could respond, she had turned to examine the finished piece already laid out on the workshop table. As ever, her brother's craftsmanship left her shaking her head in admiration. It was an exquisite ivory hair-comb, slim and slightly curved, each tooth delicately and painstakingly articulated. Looking closer, Siana saw tiny snowflakes etched along the top of the comb. As her eyes traveled to the piece of walrus ivory in Ivian's hands, she could tell from its general shape that it would be a twin to the finished hair-comb.

Raising her eyes, she met Ivian's wary gaze and grinned. "A present for a girl? Now you have to tell me what's going on! Who's it for, big brother?"

Somewhat sullenly, Ivian mumbled, "Well, you know Mama and Papa say it's time for me to think about getting married, now that I'm twenty-one and a grown man. But I told them I wasn't even going to think about it until I found the right woman. Well…now I think I have."

Siana's mouth fell open. "You mean…this is your bride price?"

"Well, not all of it, of course. I've made over a dozen other pieces, from figurines to utensils and tools. These hair-combs, though, I hope to be able to give Aneira herself."

"Aneira?" Siana wrinkled her brow in puzzlement.

"Aneira Haimati," Ivian said. To his sister's surprise, his voice softened and his eyes actually went dreamy as he spoke the name. "I met her while I was buying a new rock hammer and she was looking for a fresh set of chisels. We started talking about carving, and it turned out she likes making masks and creating things the same way I do. She's not like other women; she's so thoughtful and serious about her work. She's pretty, clever, kind and sensible. She'd be the perfect wife for me, and I don't care if she's half-Vantha."

"She's half-Vantha?" Siana repeated, wide-eyed. "What's the other half? Do you think Mama and Papa would approve of that?"

"I don't know," Ivian said, the dreamy look leaving his eyes. "They're coming with me this afternoon to meet her and her family, and I hope they won't mind. I know Grandma and Grandpa don't take kindly to outsiders, but Mama and Papa might think differently when they realize how much I care for her."

"Gods, you really do sound like you're in love!" Siana marveled. Suddenly, her eyes went bright purple and she clapped her hands in delight. "You know what would be great, big brother? Selian and I should come along with Mama and Papa! You can't possibly get married without knowing what your own brother and sister think of your future wife, right? Besides, I really, really want to see the girl that's got you working so hard and acting all romantic."

"What?" Ivian cried. "All I need are Mama and Papa to come along. You and Selian don't need to be there at all."

Immediately, Siana turned to face him with the saddest, most heartrending expression she could contrive, making it clear that she would be absolutely inconsolable if he didn't agree. She widened her eyes, stuck out her lower lip and even made it quiver as a final devastating touch. Ivian took one look, sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I guess I'll think about it…I mean, I can ask Mama and Papa about it…" he faltered.

She raised the intensity of her pleading, miserable expression by adding a high-pitched, forlorn whine.

"Oh, all right, all right, you can come! Just stop it!" The expression on her face melted instantly into sheer glee. Ivian rubbed his eyes with a sigh of resignation. "Little sister, you are such a brat."

Already skipping and dancing back to the workshop doorway, Siana giggled. "How rude, big brother! Almost as rude as you not inviting everyone to meet your potential bride, not just Mama and Papa. I'm looking forward to this afternoon!"

For Siana, the hours passed swiftly until the appointed time of the first meeting between their family and that of the girl Ivian was hoping to marry. Ivian looked nervous as they arrived at Aneira's dwelling, tightly clutching the small box that held the new-made ivory hair-combs. Their parents were alert and attentive, but their brother Selian merely looked bored, while Siana's eyes were dancing with anticipation.

At Ivian's knock, the door soon swung open to reveal what must have been the girl's parents. From looking at the father, Siana could immediately tell where the non-Vantha part of Aneira came from, for he definitely lacked the Vantha coloring and changeable eyes. Her mother was clearly full Vantha, however, and extremely gracious in her welcome, quickly setting Siana's parents at ease. The two families politely exchanged greetings, and Siana's family was ushered inside to the sitting area where Aneira waited.

When she stood to greet them, Siana was startled to see that Aneira was little taller than she and hardly less youthful in her appearance. With long glossy black hair and, thankfully, shimmering Vantha eyes, she certainly was pretty enough. Siana studied her with frank curiosity, noting the sensitive features and the slender yet capable hands, while Ivian presented her with the combs and introduced his family. When it was Siana's turn, he hesitated, unsure of how to explain her presence.

She promptly stepped forward and looked Aneira boldly in the eye. "Hello, I'm Siana. I'm glad that I could come meet you, because it looks like my big brother utterly adores you."

[Aneira Haimati]

Aneira's cheeks - and eyes - flushed with color. For an awkward moment, she simply stared at Siana, biting at her lips to hide the smile that crept across them.

Then, as if surrendering to her bashful pleasure at Siana's remark, she tossed her thick hair and stepped forward to meet the girl's stride. "Charmed," she laughed, "Completely charmed to meet you."

She took a deep breath as her mother fussed over everyone and made them feel at home. They arranged themselves in a semi-circle around the blazing hearth, and sat in deep, carved wooden chairs.

Aneira twisted her fingers in her lap to calm their trembling. Settled across from Ivian, she knew the blue of her eyes would be deepening into a dusky, telling violet as they shared a gaze.

Despite all the nervous energy around them, his smile soothed her, and she admired the way the fire lit the green shimmer in his hair. She wished they were alone now, rather than steeped in this clumsy formality. She wanted to sit outside and immerse herself in his stories, feel his hands cup around hers the way they did, and not have to worry about what everyone else expected of them. The lights painted the sky beautifully, tonight. It would have been the perfect night to be together.

Aneira let go of her thoughts with a wistful sigh. As her father engaged them all in easy conversation, her mother beckoned for her over at the cookstove.

"I should have been helping you," Aneira said, as she joined her mother. The taller woman was stretched onto her toes, plucking mugs down from a wooden cabinet.

"I'm missing one of my best mugs," she said, her lips pursed into a frown. Then, drawing closer to Aneira, she lowered her voice. "You wear your feelings like you want everyone to see."

Aneira began arranging the mugs on a tray her mother had set out. She spoke in a whisper. "I can't help it. I just... it all feels so contrived. And so soon. Why can't Ivian and I just decide on our own time?"

"Aneira," her mother warned, "we already discussed this. It is a beautiful custom. It is the way things are done, and you must honor that, as much as you seem tempted to defy tradition."

The tea kettle began to whistle, and Aneira fetched it. "You and Papa certainly defied tradition." She slanted a sly look at her mother as she poured water into the mugs. "And he agrees. He thinks I'm still young, too. Only twenty. I should be able to take my time and not be looked at as a... shrew."

Her mother sighed. "It's obvious you care deeply for Ivian, Ani. And he and his family are not going to wait around forever, while you decide what you want to do with your life." She took up the tray, and turned to Aneira one last time. "Now, let's enjoy their company. No decisions have to be made today, sweet. Just be at peace, and be the woman that you are."

Aneira smiled, a bit reassured, and took a mug from the tray. Laughter bubbled up from the sitting area as she joined them again, and she found it was contagious. She felt her heart and spirits lighten as she knelt, in a gesture of respect, to offer Ivian's mother the mug of tea. As the steam curled up, fragrant on the air, she glanced up to the woman who might be her new mother, some day soon.

"Thank you for coming," she said, and conjured one of the vibrant smiles that everyone seemed to love so well.

[Siana Skyglow]

It took all of Siana's self-control not to collapse into gales of laughter at the sight of Ivian's face when he heard the way she introduced herself to Aneira. Not only did his eyes change colors to reflect his rapidly shifting emotions, but this time his face changed colors too, from white to red to a mortified, rosy pink. He darted a quick, nervous look at his parents and then at Aneira to gauge their reactions, relaxing only when he saw Aneira laugh in surprised pleasure.

Siana herself was pleased with the girl's response; she didn't start fluttering or blushing like an empty-headed maiden from a romance, but enjoyed Siana's impertinence without taking offense. So far, Ivian seemed right about her being pretty and sensible, at least. Though Siana had only been teasing when she said Ivian needed his siblings' approval of his potential bride-to-be, in her heart she did want her big brother to marry well and raise a happy family. She'd heard plenty of fables and stories about young men who fell in love only to be refused by their beloved or, worse still, discover she wasn't the person they imagined her to be. She might take wicked glee in seeing him blush, stammer and shuffle his feet in embarrassment, but she'd die before she let him get his heart broken and start jumping off cliffs, taking on polar bears bare-handed or wandering off alone into the tundra.

On the other hand, if it turned out that she did love Ivian back, Siana foresaw an immense vista of highly intriguing possibilities unfolding before her. Siana had been studying Aneira, and judging from the way she looked at Ivian, she didn't seem like the kind of girl who'd have dozens of suitors hanging around her door or bidding on her with ever-climbing bride prices. If she and Ivian did get married… Oh, the fun!

First, there would be a wedding, of course. She'd attended enough of those within the Hold to know how much fuss and frivolity went on: cooking the feast, attiring the bride and groom in suitable glory, decorating the Hold with colorful banners and fresh paint and, of course, preparing the stories to be told, songs to be sung and dances to be held. That was her favorite part. Every bride came to their Hold bringing the tales and traditions of her own Hold, which made for a delightful merging of cultures. And then, soon after would come a baby! Siana's thoughts ran far ahead of her as she contemplated this. Ivian would no doubt teach the child to be as serious and solemn as he was, but Siana would be the baby's aunt at that point, and she knew how to counteract his influence. She envisioned herself caring for the baby and telling it stories before it went to bed, filling its head with all manner of fanciful and wondrous dreams. Why, she could even rear the child to twist its father around its littlest finger and toy with him in more amusing ways than Siana ever could!

Her mother's voice broke in on her reverie. "Siana, why are you smiling in that slightly demented way?"

Siana snapped back to reality. Aneira and her mother had just returned to the sitting room with mugs of tea; in fact, Aneira was standing right in front of her, proffering a steaming mug. Ivian broke off in the middle of describing his work to Aneira's father to glance worriedly at the women.

"I'm sorry," Siana said immediately, taking the mug from Aneira. "I was just…I was just…"

She fell silent as she gazed up at Aneira's courteous, smiling face. How unfamiliar that smile was, she thought, and how little they had heard her voice. Indeed, Siana herself had only found out about her a few hours ago, almost completely by accident. She had no way of knowing how deep Aneira and Ivian's feelings ran toward each other or whether they would ultimately marry or not. Siana suddenly felt foolish for getting so carried away only a minute ago, imagining a wedding and children. Life was not like the stories she liked to tell. She had to remember that.

"I was just…um…thinking about inviting Aneira and her family to my birthday party," Siana finished, thinking quickly. "They don't need to bring presents or anything. It'll just be a gathering for everyone to enjoy themselves together."

It had just been a ploy to explain her absentmindedness, but the more Siana thought about the idea, the more she liked it. She looked up again and met Aneira's warm smile with her own. "What do you think? It'll be in two days. I'll be turning twelve. It should be lots of fun."

[Aneira Haimati]

As Aneira passed a mug of tea into Siana's hands, she slanted her a curious smile. The girl was up to something, that much was obvious, and Siana's mother hadn't been the only one to notice it. It hadn't been that long, Aneira mused, since she herself had given into the spirits of mischief that eagerly flitted around such childlike souls. But she felt, admiring Siana's bright grin, a little trepidation at losing touch with those spirits as the expectations of adulthood bricked her in.

In the wake of marriage, she wondered, what would happen? Who would she be? Marriage was such a serious step. Even the solemn customs that surrounded it, while perfectly romantic, made her a little nervous. With her wildhearted dreams and longing for the rest of the world, how could she find peace in settling down? And, more importantly, how could she settle for giving Ivian less than the peaceful, dutiful wife he deserved?

Mulling over these pangs of doubt, Aneira was careful not to let her preoccupation show. Being an expressive woman by nature, it was quite difficult to do so - lifting the corners of pursed lips and relaxing a furrowed brow - but the genuine delight in her eyes at being in the presence of all the company she loved did wonders to diffuse her troubles. She conversed easily with Ivian's parents and let her laughter flow abundantly over Siana's charms, agreeing without hesitation to attend the young girl's birthday party.

As evening deepened, serious conversation lulled, and all were immersed in the hypnotic rhythm of one of her mother's stories. She told of a woman who saw a face in a tree that could speak. Everyone, especially Siana, was fixated on the silky voice and expressive eyes of Vlora Haimati. So Aneira felt a little nudge of guilt when she brushed a hand against the girl's hair to distract her.

Siana startled, wide-eyed, as though shaken from a dream.

"Come with me," Aneira whispered. "I want to show you something."

The two slipped from the group without so much as a blink from any of them, and Aneira led the way through a curtain of wooden beads, into an adjoining room.

She felt a kindred soul in this dreamer of a girl, and had an inkling that she might enjoy seeing the masks. They were hung on every wall, some strung up, dancing faces on ribbons, and some framed into themed arrangements to complement one another. Some were wooden and carved, and others were of a lighter material, almost like paper, painted and embellished to touch every facet of the imagination.

As Siana stood, agape, a laugh rose from Aneira's throat. "Well, what do you think, Siana? Which is your favorite?"

[Siana Skyglow]

At first, Siana had been disappointed to be pulled away from the story. But now she was simply lost in wonder at the stunning array of masks in the room where Aneira had brought her. They surrounded her on every wall, returning her gaze from faces plain or colorful, simple or intricate, mirthful or melancholy. Never had she seen so many together at one time. Unable to restrain herself, she clapped her hands in delight and spun around to take in the spectacle.

"This is incredible! Did you make all these yourself?" she exclaimed. "I think I remember Ivian saying you carved masks."

Aneira nodded. "The same way your brother and parents make carvings and my father makes collections of artifacts, I make masks. Not all of them are carved; many of them are molded out of thin leather, hide or sometimes even tree bark. Those are usually lighter and more flexible, which lets me create a greater variety of…"

"Mm-hmm," Siana murmured, hearing in Aneira's voice the same tone of rapt absorption and pride that she'd heard all in her life in her parents' and brothers' voices. Whenever that tone crept in, all she had to do was make appreciate noises now and then while they orated about their craft. Meanwhile, her eyes strayed back to Aneira's creations, particularly a row of beautifully detailed forest creatures like wolves, foxes, eagles, squirrels and bears.

To her credit, Aneira quickly noticed she didn't have Siana's full attention and indulged her by changing the subject, or, rather, returning to her former subject. "Now tell me, which one do you like best?"

Even as she asked, Siana was already wandering toward the wall containing the row of forest animal masks, first picking up a stag mask with elaborate branching antlers before setting it down in favor of a white- and umber-feathered eagle mask. She settled the eagle mask over her face and peered at herself in the small mirror on a nearby table, giggling to see her human eyes shining behind the fierce raptor's features and hooked beak.

"I almost wish I could wear this to my birthday party!" she declared, taking it off and hanging it gently back on the wall. "I'd come swooping in, like this," she lifted her arms high on either side of her head and dashed across the small room, "and cry out like an eagle, like this," and she made a high, piercing shriek that caused Aneira to laughingly cover her ears and glance toward the sitting room. "Everyone would be so shocked, they'd probably run away screaming."

Looking sidelong at Aneira, Siana amended, "Well, Ivian wouldn't. He always keeps his cool, it's just maddening. He'd probably pick up a rope and tangle me up in it, like a rabbit in a snare. Once I took off the mask, Mama would likely box my ears for it."

"Well, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Aneira replied, chuckling. She studied Siana for a moment with night-blue eyes, nodded to herself, muttered a few words like "cerulean" and "ochre," and turned to the far wall to inspect the masks arranged there.

Puzzled, the younger girl stood still during this odd ritual, wondering what Aneira was up to. For that matter, she didn't even know why Aneira had brought her here. To be sure, the masks were lovely; she could think of dozens of storytellers she knew who would dearly love to have such props to enhance their tales. But why show them to her? And why ask which one she liked best?

At last, Aneira selected a mask poised on a high shelf and turned to show it to Siana. "Aha! I think I've found the perfect thing for you."

Siana reached out to touch it with awe. Covered with lusterless fabric as black as a moonless night, the mask felt just as Aneira had described for something made of leather or hide: lighter, more supple and more comfortable to wear. Myriad bits of mirror were scattered over the black fabric, making it glitter like a evening full of stars. Wide ribbons of sheer green and rose adorned the mask as a finishing touch, fluttering and whispering as Aneira lifted it toward her.

"It represents the spirit of the Aurora," Aneira said softly. With a simple, graceful gesture, she fastened the mask to Siana's face and guided her back to the mirror. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Siana echoed, sounding a little dazed. Her fingers rose to the edge of the mask. "It's beautiful. I love it."

[Aneira Haimati]

"Then it's yours to keep." Aneira stood back, head tilted, and considered the girl before her. "Twelve is a big birthday. You'll be a young lady. Wear the mask if you'd like," she said, with a wink, before turning back toward the sitting room, "and maybe I'll wear one too."

She slipped through the curtain of beads then, leaving Siana to admire herself before the mirrors a bit longer. At first, she had thought to get a taste for which mask Siana liked best, so that she could give it to her for her birthday. But once she'd glimpsed Siana's excitement at the idea of wearing a mask for her party, she couldn't resist letting her take it home tonight. Besides, that particular mask seemed as if it had been made just for her.

I'll just have to find something else for a present, Aneira decided. Something that calls to her. Something she's not expecting. She delighted in such searches, and loved gifting the resulting treasures just as much. She was of the belief that every little treasure had its place with someone, and every person could find a piece of themselves in their treasures, if they were given the right ones.

But her new search would have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight was ripe with its own anticipation, and hadn't even come to an end yet.

Back in the sitting room, the last dregs of tea were being finished. The members of Ivian's family were rising, tucking themselves into furs, preparing to head home for the night. Farewells were exchanged: friendly embraces, kind compliments, and words of thanks. Siana was called for repeatedly, and finally emerged wearing a brilliant flush, with her new acquisition tucked behind her back. A trail of bright ribbons followed her out the door.

Aneira stepped outside to see the family off, and Ivian lingered behind, scratching his head somewhat bashfully as her mother gave a knowing grin and shut the door behind them. Alone, on the porch, they watched his family walking away until their silhouettes melted into the dark, and then they turned to each other.

The moon cast a delicate sheen on the snow, and silvered even the shadows. It was the first they had gotten a moment to speak to each other all night, even though the entire evening had revolved around them. Thinking of the irony, Aneira bit at her lip, not sure whether to smile or frown.

"Tonight was nice, Aneira," Ivian finally said. The night breathed, twirling Aneira's hair on the breeze. He caught a wisp between his fingers; smiled.

"It was. Thank you for everything, Ivian," Aneira said softly. "For just being... I mean, my parents really love you, and... thank you for the hair combs. Goodness, they're just amazing. I can't believe... well, it's just so thoughtful of you - "

Ivian caught a finger beneath her chin, and just so, touched his lips to hers. Even as the lights in the house winked out, leaving them in darkness, Aneira could see the line furrow between his brows. So serious. And endearing.

"I should go," he whispered, and eased back. "I don't want to keep you out past dark much longer, or it won't seem decent."

Aneira managed to breathe a laugh, but couldn't figure out how to put any words together. Between the night's events and a kiss, her mind was buzzing.

At long last, she caught ahold of the moment. "I'll see you at Siana's party, then." And as Ivian stepped off the porch and glanced over his shoulder, she flashed him a brilliant smile. "Oh, and Ivian," she added, leaning over the rail to touch his fingers, "Sweet dreams."

She stood outside a few moments longer, watching him go. When she couldn't see him anymore, she turned and went inside, closing the door to the night.

[Siana Skyglow]

Even though it felt interminable to the impatient Siana, eventually the day between passed at last, and the morning of her twelfth birthday dawned in sunlit glory. Siana awoke early and went soundlessly to twitch open the curtain to the common sleeping area's single window and delight in the beauty of the sunrise. The air was crisp and clear, and the walls outside gleamed under a translucent glaze of early-morning frost, lending them a silvery sheen that would slowly melt away as the day waxed. The red-gold radiance of the newly-risen sun illuminated the deep blue sky above and the vast fields of pearl-white snow beneath, until the air itself seemed alive with sparkling light.

Gazing at the breathtaking sight, Siana whispered a prayer of gratitude to Queen Morwen, who had made her birthday every year a perfectly lovely day. She thought she saw an answering glimmer of pale light from Morwen's mark against her skin, but she couldn't be sure. Even so, the familiar sight of the delicate snowflake etched on her upper arm made her smile.

A stirring in a nearby bed caused her to twitch the curtain shut again. While yawns and sleepy groans echoed across the sleeping area, Siana quickly darted off to get dressed and break her fast. Just because it was her birthday hardly meant she was exempt from helping to harvest the crops today. She still remembered how her younger self used to beg for the day off every year, and every year her parents gently but inexorably wrapped her cloak around her shoulders and trotted her off into the bowels of Avanthal to tend the crops. Finally, on her tenth birthday, Siana decided to stop asking. Now, at the ripe age of twelve, she reckoned she understood why her parents had refused her. She received plenty of gifts on her birthday as it was, and no day was special enough for anyone to afford the luxury of slacking off from the vital duty of ensuring their people's continued sustenance. Even with the aid of magical Stormgems to provide adequate heat and light, it wasn't easy coaxing food crops to grow in the frozen earth of the northern reaches. They needed all the help they could get.

Thus, with only a tiny amount of grumbling under her breath, Siana fastened her heavy cloak about her shoulders and went to join the other women at the harvest. As usual, the younger girls were assigned the task of sorting and tying off the bundles of grains and vegetables they brought her. All the women wished her a happy birthday, as well as hugs and compliments on her hard work this year. Glowing with a sense of her own importance, Siana threw herself into the meticulous work, her tiny, nimble fingers swiftly separating, looping and knotting.

By mid-afternoon, Siana was genuinely tired out from her efforts. Once dismissed, she immediately hurried back to her bed for a nap, rather than gathering with her friends or visiting her family in the workshop. She slept soundly for several hours, until Ivian shook her awake before the evening meal.

"Wake up, little brat," he said good-naturedly. "Are you planning to sleep through your own birthday?"

Hastily knuckling the sleep from her eyes, Siana flashed a grin at Ivian as she rearranged her mussed hair and picked out a new dress to wear for the party. "And miss out on another exciting gift of buttons or a new needle case from you? I wouldn't miss it for the world, big brother."

He rolled his eyes and feigned to drag her violently off to the common area, though his hand on her arm was gentle as ever. As they made their way through the halls, Ivian seemed oddly distracted and often seemed on the verge of bumping into walls or tripping over his own feet. Thinking she could guess why, Siana giggled. "What's so funny?" Ivian demanded, snapping out of another distant reverie.

"I just think it's sweet that you're so madly in love and losing your wits," she replied, still giggling.

Much to her amusement, a deep flush immediately suffused Ivian's cheeks. "Oh! No, it wasn't…I mean, well," he stammered. "I really like Aneira. And even though I still can't believe the way you introduced yourself to her the other day, well, I'm glad you invited her to your birthday party today. But, um, well, actually, I wasn't thinking of her just now."

"You weren't? But what else would have you nearly bashing your head into walls like this?" Siana asked.

"Well," Ivian said uneasily, "the whaling expedition that Papa and the other hunters have been planning is coming up in a few days. Yesterday, he asked me to come along with them. I'm just…a little nervous, that's all. This will be the first time I've gone whaling with them. I've been seal hunting, of course, but that's not the same. I just…I'm not sure I'm ready yet."

As her perplexed expression suggested, the world of hunting and killing was entirely foreign to Siana. At last, she replied, "Well, if Papa thinks you're ready, then you probably are ready. Besides, whale bones are supposed to be very precious, right?"

"Right, right, they are," Ivian said vaguely, sounding like he was trying to snap out of his preoccupation. They arrived at the doors to the common area, and he reached over and tousled her hair. "Anyway, this isn't the time to be worrying about that. Happy birthday, little sister! May you plague us all for many more years to come."

She stuck her tongue out at him and headed into the communal room. Already, a small party of friends and family had gathered on the nearby benches and tables over a delicious-looking evening meal and a pile of gifts that made her eyes go wide. Aneira was there as well, casting a shy smile at Ivian. With many hugs and cries of "Happy birthday!," everyone greeted Siana with applause and then sat together to eat. The conversation was pleasant and lighthearted, and everyone ate and drank with great appetite. Every year, her mother tried to serve each person's favorite food on their respective birthdays, and Siana blissfully lingered over the savory taste and texture of her beloved seal meat dumplings and fish soup long after everyone had finished.

Then, it was time for the giving and receiving of presents. Both Selian and her father gave her the usual carved buttons and needle cases, which she accepted graciously, but for once Ivian gave her something different: a smaller, less ornate, but still pretty pair of hair-combs similar to the ones he'd given Aneira. Of her family, though, her mother gave Siana her favorite gift of the evening: a talisman of walrus ivory, just large enough to fit into the palm of her hand. The figure of a dancing woman had been carved in delicate relief against the smooth ivory sphere, the dancer's swirling scarves, gown and even her facial features beautifully detailed. "You carry it with you and look at it when you feel sad, and she will bring a smile to your face," her mother told her, giving her a hug.

Siana beamed softly as she looked at the figure of the dancer and stroked the polished ivory. She slipped it into her pocket, feeling its comforting weight at her side. Then she clapped her hands and looked around at the others who had come to her party. "Any more presents?" she said brightly. "Whose is next?"

[Aneira Haimati]

"I have something." Aneira rose from her place by the hearth and held out a small, ruby-red-wrapped box to Siana. "I hope you like it."

White curls of ribbon tickled Siana's fingers as she peeled away the paper and opened the gift. The box was smooth and glistening with varnish, and lined inside with dark, soft fabric. Coiled inside was a dainty bracelet of beads, glass with splashes of iridescent green and blue swirled within. As Siana lifted the bracelet from its box, she saw the single charm: a slender eagle's feather, carved from bone.

With an easy smile, Aneira reached across to touch the charm and sent it twirling. "It reminded me of you instantly," she said, and ruffled the younger girl's hair in a tender gesture. In a whisper, she added, "And I figured it was safer than you swooping and cawing all around your party in that mask you liked."

When Aneira took her place on one of the furs by Ivian again, she was still sharing that conspiratorial look with Siana. She folded her legs cross-style and, drawing up her knees, hugged them to her chest.

The fire in the hearth behind them breathed warmth along her back and neck. As Siana sorted through the rest of her presents, mugs thick with a spiced dessert drink were passed out, and fluffy clouds of cream plopped on top. Aneira sipped, with one eye on the party, and one eye on Ivian.

He had been acting strange. Even if she hadn't known him well enough by now to see it in the set of his shoulders, she would've been a fool to miss it in his eyes. They smoldered a deep grey-green, smoking trouble and confusion.

She had asked him a few times what was on his mind, but couldn't pry anything out of him. A shrug or a little joke, maybe, but Ivian was a serious soul, and that quality of his seemed only to be intensifying as the day wore on.

"Ivian, something's wrong." Aneira watched him try to hide his eyes by raising his mug for a drink. When he lowered it and finally met her gaze, there was cream smudged on his nose. Aneira laughed lightly, and swiped at it with her thumb. "And you can't fool me. And, what's worse, I won't stop pestering you until you talk to me."

[Siana Skyglow]

Now that the evening meal was over and the presents given out, most of the people at the birthday party had split off into groups and pairs, conversing quietly among themselves. Having plundered the presents to her heart's content, Siana sat happily in one corner of the communal room showing off her favorites to a small circle of friends. The talisman rested in her left palm, tilted cunningly to reflect the lamplight off its polished surfaces, and the bracelet of glass beads glittered on her extended right wrist, throwing off clear sparkles of light across the table. Ivian's hair-combs had been thrust into her dark braids, providing a delicate accent. The other girls "ooh"ed and "aah"ed with a pleasant mixture of envy and admiration.

"Who was that girl who gave you this?" one of her friends asked, touching the eagle feather charm with a fingertip. "It's as pretty as anything I've ever seen your parents or brothers make."

Involuntarily, Siana glanced over at where Aneira was sitting with Ivian. While she seemed all amusement and charm, Ivian looked even glummer and more dejected than ever. Siana stifled a giggle at the sudden image of their children popping out of the womb chiseling busily at tiny masterpieces. Poor Aneira, she wouldn't like that one bit!

The other girls followed her gaze, and their eyes widened. "Is that her?" they whispered, intrigued. "Look at them sitting so close together."

The oldest girl in their circle, a venerable thirteen years of age, put on her hands on her hips and grinned openly. "Siana, is your big brother going courting now? I never thought he even knew how to talk to girls, aside from you."

"Courting?" the girlish voices rose. "Not Ivian! And not with a mixed-blooded girl! You can tell, with her lighter skin and the way her eyes keep returning to that dark blue color. What does he see in her?"

After getting to know Aneira these past few days, Siana was fully aware that she'd become quite taken with the older girl. She felt as comfortable talking to her as she did with members of her own family, perhaps even more so. After all, Siana had always felt a little left out among around her father and brothers, because she was so unlike them. Yet, around Aneira she felt none of that same loneliness, perhaps because Aneira was female too, old enough to have attained the wisdom and poise that still eluded Siana, yet young enough to tease, befriend, and share dreams and confidences.

Now, hearing the girls looking down on her mixed parentage made Siana feel defensive. "She's very bright and kind, and she's not one bit too good for Ivian," she blurted out hotly.

"Well, he seems to like her a lot," the oldest girl tittered. "But then, he's a man. He just wants to marry her and fill her up with babies!"

"Ugh! That's my big brother you're talking about!" Siana protested, covering her ears. She got up from her seat, slipping the ivory talisman back into her pocket, and climbed nimbly atop her chair. The glass beads of her bracelet tinkled softly as she clapped her hands to gain attention. "Everyone! This wouldn't be much of an evening, let alone a party, without a few games. Besides, I still have the set of dice Selian gave me last year and the muraqat game pieces, so let's put them to use."

Everyone readily agreed and gathered around the table where Siana was sitting. Somewhat shyly, Ivian was leading a somewhat perplexed-looking Aneira to where everyone was waiting. As everyone seated themselves at the benches and waited, Siana beamed at the attention. "Now this should make for a proper send-off for Ivian and my father before their whaling expedition," she said with satisfaction.

Murmurs of approval greeted her announcement, though Siana noticed Aneira turn her glance toward Ivian with surprise and exasperation. Hadn't he told her about it? Quickly, Siana continued, "Let's start with a game of reading the rolls, how does that sound? Everyone find a partner!"

According to stories, the game of reading the rolls had supposedly been developed as a way for paired hunters to learn how to communicate without a sound, for in the silent tundra the slightest noise could sound like a thunderclap. Yet, the premise was simple enough for small children. Everyone would pair up, and the dice would be passed from each twosome to the next. When a couple took the dice, one person would roll the dice while concealing the results from their partner. The other person had three guesses to figure out the number rolled, based on judging their partner's expression and visual cues. The closer they were to the actual result in the end, the more points they received. Of course, everyone was terrible at the game at first, as none of them could read each other well at first, but it was a surprisingly good way of getting to know someone well.

To her disappointment, Siana ended up with her brother Selian, though she was pleased that Ivian and Aneira were paired together. "Many a marriage has its roots in a game of reading the rolls," her mother had told them once. The game ensued amid hoots of laughter and groans of frustration, with partners cheering each other on or affectionately berating each other for not understanding seemingly obvious clues.

In the end, Siana's parents won by an enormous margin. No one had expected any less, though Siana playfully stuck her tongue out at her brother out of sheer principle. After another round of reading the rolls, they moved onto other games, all passed down through generations to help pass the long northern nights. The hall rang with the rattle of dice, the click of game pieces and the sounds of laughter.

At last, long past Siana's normal bedtime, her birthday party came to an end after a riotous game of darts. Rubbing her eyes with one hand, Siana stood by the door and shook everyone's hands with the other as they took their leave. When it was Aneira's turn, she looked up and flashed an especially brilliant smile at the older girl.

"I hope you had a good time tonight. Thank you so much for the beautiful bracelet," she said sincerely. Impulsively, she added, "When it's your birthday, I'll try to give you something just as lovely."

[Aneira Haimati]

When the night had ended, Aneira walked with Ivian back to her own Hold.

A mist of clouds veiled the night sky. Their breaths were visible on the cold air. Their hands, which might normally have been twined together, remained stuffed into warmer places. Ivian shoved his in his pockets and trudged along in the snow beside her, not quite as close as usual.

She'd been tempted to insist, out of exasperation, that he let her walk home alone. He didn't seem to want to talk, and she was tired of prodding him for answers. She knew they would walk home in silence, so what was the point?

The moment Siana had slipped about the whaling expedition, it had all come into focus for Aneira. Ivian was clearly nervous, and that would explain his strange behavior. But why hadn't he told her about his plans? When had he been planning on telling her?

The entire thing had itched and itched at her, in a way it shouldn't have. And, she imagined, it was only bothering her so much because she felt so vulnerable, herself.

All the talk and deliberation of marriage, and her uncertainty, had her nerves in a tangle. Ever since the night Ivian and his family had come to visit, she had been softening to the idea, and it made her a little uneasy. The quick bond she'd formed with Siana, the easy way she'd fallen into place with his family - especially at the party - were making her question herself.

As the night had worn on, Aneira had succumbed to thoughts of what it would be like to join Ivian's Hold, as his wife. She could picture herself there, helping his mother over the pots in the kitchen, or whittling with his father by the fire. She could see herself listening to those stories of Siana's, sitting behind her and braiding her hair. She would fit in. She dared to think she would probably be happy, too.

And, in a way, it frustrated her. She didn't want to be so starry-eyed.

As they approached her home, the warm glow from the windows finally threw some light on their faces. Ivian still looked troubled, and Aneira couldn't help but reach out to squeeze his hand. If he was going to be difficult, she didn't want to be difficult, too, much as she was tempted to sulk.

It had been a strange night, and Aneira knew she had a lot to think about. A little sleep would help to sort things in her mind. And maybe - hopefully - in his, too.

"Things will be better in the morning, Ivian," Aneira said, softly. Then she turned and went inside.