Taeryn raised his mug in salute, ale sloshing dangerously close to the rim. "To Baren the Betrothed! May your forge burn hot and your marriage bed burn hotter!"
The crude toast drew laughter from the surrounding tables, where other villagers had been following the conversation with the kind of intense interest that characterized small communities. Marriage proposals were significant events in places like Taren's Rest, where bloodlines and alliances could determine the survival of entire families through the harsh mountain winters.
Lyanna herself was considered a prize worth winning—a comely girl of perhaps twenty-two years with the kind of practical intelligence that made for good wives and strong mothers. Her father's merchant connections would bring prosperity to the match, while Baren's skills as a smith would ensure the family never lacked for essential tools and implements. It was the sort of sensible arrangement that formed the backbone of mountain society.
