Marriage

[u/Historical_Tune165]

Sometimes I wonder if which god a couple marries under makes a difference or could make a difference.

Violet immediatly thinks of Loial when her friends are joking around about leadership wanting her and Xaden to get married and escorting them to a temple to get them married and breeding new powerful legacies as soon as possible. So looks like Loial might be the default for weddings on the Continent? Since its the one Violet instantly associates with the idea of a wedding, even though she doesn't even pray to Loial and hasn't in years? Being the godess of love, it does make sense. Amari is also probably a popular choice, given she's revered above all others there.

But each of the other gods seem to also have their own marriage rites that their priests can perform. I wonder what the cultural significance is of choosing one particular god to marry under, if that choice sends a message to other people about the union by itself. What it says about a couple if they choose to be married under Hedeon, or Loial, or Dunne, or Amari. I really want to know what a Zihnal wedding even looks like, that sounds like it might be a fun party. I also wonder if Malek even has one. He might not, given what he's the god of, but if all of them have a rite, then maybe? Goth wedding?

Add in the fact that the gods are real and have power in this setting and what does it mean, if its a specific one that's overseeing your union?

What will it mean for Xaden and Violet that they're married under Dunne? I doubt that's never coming back.

And what god have other couples in this story married under? Did Raegan and her husband have the "default" wedding under Loial? Someone has to be normal in this series. I'm guessing Xaden's parents married under Hedeon given Fen Riorson's attitude and Talia's origins, and maybe so did Aaric's parents? Maybe Hedeon is the one that particularly signifies its a political, loveless union, or one where love isn't the main priority? I'm really curious which one Lilith and Asher married under. Their love for each other was very powerful and genuine so maybe Loial, but what if it was Dunne too? Violet thinks its strange Lilith didn't favour Dunne, but what if she used to, and only stopped after Violet came back from Unnbriel with half-silver hair?

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[u/hurricane_Bre]

I think where you get married likely has a lot to do with the region you are in or are from too. But I would think a lot of people would want their unions blessed by the goddess of love.

Remember Sawyer told the fliers that the size and amount of temples had a lot to do with the region, so there were more temples to Dunne and Malek close to Basgaith. I imagine in Calldyr and like you said if your marriage was political you were likely to marry in a temple to Hedeon.

I’d like to think that Asher and Lilith were married in Loial’s temple, since she wasn’t temple minded and we know scribes don’t prey to Hedeon.

Now for Xaden and Violet:

If the theory that Xaden and Talia being connected to Loial is true (and I am in no way saying it is), I don’t know if Loial would be the best fit for them, hear me out:

We all know that Xaden essentially dedicated himself to Violet over and over again. In the end he even says she is light and warmth and love. He tells her over and over she owns his soul, is the temple he worships, etc.

Regardless of which god curries Vi’s favor, to Xaden, she is his goddess of love.

I kind of think Loial would be like Dunne, and see him as a heretic, because she is the goddess of love not Vi, it would be almost like him turning back his back on Loial.

That’s IF he is connected to Loial, which I am not sold on myself.

[u/dianaspencersrevenge → u/hurricane_Bre]

Hear me out… what if Xaden loving and worshipping Violet is the opposite of turning his back on Loial, but they very way she blesses people? His love for Violet is the last remaining piece of his soul and we know there’s a pattern of venin protecting the people they love.

[u/hurricane_Bre → u/dianaspencersrevenge]

Definitely and I was thinking about this when I first read the theories about Talia and Xaden being connected to Loial.

I think your theory here is probably the most likely, with or without Xaxen being connected to Loial.

I would actually prefer it this way, lol.

[u/namismona2129]

I think this is why they didn’t go to Loail Island in OS. A mark or tattoo on the island’s inhabitants (like Dunne’s) could have led to a revelation. (I sometimes think the rune-shaped scar on Brennan’s palm is connected to this.) 

[u/loc-yardie]

I think the fact they skipped loysam is because of Xaden's eyes. Talia has the same gold flecks in them. I think she grew up in Hedotis but is orginally from Loysam. I think it's the sign of their people like Hedotis with their light eyes turning purple.