Khadija was sleeping better. Every little noise had woken her when her husband was away for some time. So she was surprised when she woke up. When the police had come, searched her village, and found the drugs demanding a fine, after they had burned them saying that the men would go to prison if they didn't get it, there had been no money to pay them. Then the captain had pointed to her. "If she'll come with me of her own free will," he snapped, "and become my wife, I'll pay the fine out of my own pocket." Her father had objected but she insisted she would go.
It hadn't really been that bad. Though she was only 14 her husband was very gentle with her, he didn't treat her brutally, and the other women in the compound were kind. They had showed her how to use the washing machines and the modern stoves. Her husband even let her go to school after her housework was done.
Again she heard a noise and her husband's voice. She got up and crept over to the door. Her husband was in the main room but he was not alone. A winged being stood by the main door.
"Father isn't going to accept this," it was saying, "it may well violate the agreement that we have! You have been doing a good job keeping the police here in a reasonable amount of control. But taking the girl was unacceptable."
"She was of age!" her husband answered, "And she came willingly. I didn't take her by force. I paid the fine for her family which was perfectly legal. I don't think she's unhappy."
The being shook her head. "I don't know," she continued, "you may have to send her away to a school or something until she's older, at least a couple of years. You know we're trying to get them to give the girls a little bit more time before they're made wives." Her husband shook his head. "You'll never change that around here!" he sighed. "As much as we might want to they consider fourteen old enough. My other wife was 16. We were happy enough. I can't understand why she had to be taken."
"It was her time," the winged being answered. "We gave her as much as we could. She will have another body to finish her time. But we really should get this girl out of here before she's pregnant."
Khadija pushed the door open and walked into the room. "I don't know what you are," she snapped, "but please leave my husband alone! It's too late. I'm already pregnant! You can't send me away. I don't want to be sent away!"
"What the?" the winged being snapped. "I sent a command into the room that she stay asleep. No one could overcome that except a.." Her eyes widened. She walked over to Khadija and put her hand on her forhead. "Oh!" she sighed. "Well, that explains alot! Then you declare that you are here of your own free will?"
"Yes," Khadija answered. "Please don't take me away! The man they had in mind for me to marry in the village was three times his age and drunk half the time. I think his first wife killed herself, deliberately stepped on a land mine. I think she tried to kill him, too. He's not really bad. Please? I want to stay."
The winged being nodded. "She continues to go to school," she snapped, "she needs an education. She's going to need it." She put her hand on Khadija's stomach. "Pregnant, all right!" she remarked. "It looks like you're going to have your old friend back but as a daughter. Make sure that relationship is respected."
Khadija's husband nodded and answered "Of course! Thank the master for arranging this."
"It wasn't him," the winged being answered. "There's another force working among us, very powerful. We think it may be some of our people that survived someplace else and have come to help. All right, in the next village. The well is fake. The real one is hidden in one of the houses. The drugs are under a plastic container in the well along with their money. Make sure none of the girls of this village become wives."
"Of course not!" Khadija's husband answered.
The winged being walked out through the door, it didn't open the door, it walked through it! Khadija stared at her husband. "I know you won't understand," he began, "but I was a creature of Darkness, I did very terrible things. I was going to be destroyed forever. Then I gave myself to a Lord Of Light. I have served him for over 76 years. I will probably finish my service in this lifetime. My last wife was my companion. She too, gave herself and we have been together most of the time. But she died of cancer. So I took you."
"And she's my baby?" Khadija asked. Her husband nodded. "Well she'd better be good!" Khadija snapped. "I will not tolerate disobedience! You look tired. Let's get to bed. Oh," she continued, "you should not tolerate disobedience either. Though I know what I know I am still your wife. If I should forget that from time to time, remind me."
Her husband followed her into the bedroom. He was tired, but they didn't go to sleep right away.