"It is," she tells him. Her skin shivers, jumps from time to time, under his touch. "The longer they last and the darker the color, the happier the marriage is supposed to be."

Kreyu grins. "I helped the artist make VERY sure they would be as dark and long lasting as possible, just in case."

The patterns are intricate things, flowers and vines suggesting knots and other potent symbols of fortune.

"I applied some of them myself, the less visible ones."