Miscellany: Marriage
In the ceremony two mages (and sometimes a mage and a magical being, as in the case of faeries) are bound together with a magic thread. It represents the contract of marriage and the connection between them. So long as their marriage is healthy and there is trust and love the bond will remain strong. However when trust begins to disappear the thread begins to deteriorate and will eventually disintegrate altogether. At such a time the marriage contract is considered dissolved and both parties are free to do as they please. It is impossible for one half of a married couple to cheat, as the bond of marriage will immediately break and render them single once more; this can sometimes be circumvented if the couple agrees to an open arrangement.

The thread is invisible to most unless they specifically desire to see it; it even remains invisible to the married couple most of the time (which is how some unions deteriorate quickly without notice; when no one pays attention it's a surprise to everyone). It is also a boundless thing, it goes through all matter and can be stretched great distances. Sometimes one's love will remain even if his/her partner dies, if their love is strong and true and their love died with the same strength of feelings.

The thread is typically tied round the waist, but can be tied elsewhere upon request (such as the wrist, or ankle). When one wants to see it they will usually only see a portion of it (the part closest to them). Marriage threads appear in many different colors and thicknesses, depending on the couple. Deterioration is marked by a change in color, thickness, brittleness, and slackening (there are other notifiers as well, also depending on the couple). Not all couples in love get married and it is nothing more than a pronounced commitment to a relationship.