CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The WeddingNearly two months after the rescue of the pilgrims, the eve of the wedding arrived.
Three aspens stood in the center of the village, alight with lanterns. A life-sized Sirin carved from birchwood adorned the top of the center tree. All of Ghavan Town assembled in a circle around the trees, and steamed breath rose up in tendrils entwining with the smoke from the candles in their hands. The women sang, their joy enough to banish the cold to the outer fringes of the village. But Mirnían shook from miserable cold, and he was ready to fall asleep on his feet from exhaustion.
They had been standing vigil for four hours already, Otar Svetlomír doing his best to keep everyone awake with his dynamic voice and inspired manner of serving. The vigil would last for at
