Ways of the Heart

The courtly constraints of Wolf nobility has also given rise to a unique system of marriage for said nobles. Noble families of course desire to have their wealth and prestige passed along to future generations, but the pressure to avoid both inbreeding and the explosive, messy, and fatal passions of forbidden love have led to the idea of a hjonbond, a “hand-spouse”, and a hjarbond, or “heart-spouse”.

Hjonbonds are chosen strategically, usually by the family, for maximum economic and political gain. They are expected to bear children for the continuation of each family line, and at least act as a union, but there is no expectation of passion or romance.

Hjarbonds are reserved for romantic love, and are permitted a far greater tolerance for social, political, gender, and even clan difference. It is not uncommon for hjonbonds to grow into a hjarbond relationship over time, just as it not uncommon for one or both parties of a hjonbond to take one or more hjarbonds.