"And pray tell Alyson Rivers, what happened after that day?"

Alyson looked up from her notebook, it's pages covered with an equal amount of doodles and notes. She looked around the rest of the class for help, only one offered her an encouraging smile. "What day?"

Her history professor Mrs. Cross, crossed her arms over her chest, Alyson suspected she did that whenever Mrs. Cross faced off with a female student who had bigger boobs than hers to make her seem more superior. She looked at Alyson very annoyed. Her voice carried that tone as she spoke. "Would you please inform the class what happened after the day of Deliverance?"

She proceeded to grin at Alyson, a malicious grin, "Since you don't seem to need this lesson, you might as well help me teach it."

Alyson fought the urge to sigh. The only thing that would have made this even more obvious it was a trap, would be if Mrs. Cross held up a neon sign that read TRAP.  Alyson set aside her pencil and folded her hands together to keep from picking at her nails or balling her hands into fists as she often did when she was frustrated or angry. She didn't want to give Mrs. Cross anymore reason to come after her.  

"Following the day of Deliverance, Hektor began to issue demands and rules. His religious code that his congregation was to follow. The first was that all guns, bombs, and the weapons of mass destruction were to be destroyed. The ones that couldn't be or were too lethal to move, vanished. The process took the rest of December because, naturally, many didn't want to part with their weapons. The former United States and Middle East were the loudest protesters. The Government tried to keep what they thought was theirs."

"And what was the result of that?" 

Alyson breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Cross sounded disgruntled, but Alyson imagined it was because now she couldn't make a fool out of Alyson or punish her for not doing the homework. Or something like that any way. She realized she must have taken to long to answer because Mrs. Cross was suddenly glaring at her, and another student spoke up. 

"Those pig headed hoarding dick heads were found massacred." The student beside her laughed. "Washington DC in particular was a bloody mess by the time Hektor got done with it."

"Thank you Rick, but I was asking Ms. River, please refrain from speaking out of term in my class again."  Mrs. Cross didn't even bother glancing at Rick as she spoke. Her eyes were locked on Alyson.

Rick winked at Alyson, a form of encouragement, she was sure, but in that moment, it did little to instill confidence.

"Places in Washington DC was said to be a bloody mess." Alyson continued. "The only ones spared was a group of children, a hundred and fifty-eight in total, who were there on a school trip. Having completed that, Hektor started to organize the world as he saw fit. The process took the entire month of January. Though he did not decree it, his followers made the holidays ; December twelfth - Revelation Day, December thirteenth and fourteenth - The Time of Decision, December fifteenth through the twenty-first - The Week of Reaping, December Twenty-second - The Day of Deliverance, December twenty-third through the thirty-first - the Purging. Then there's the entirety of the month of January, the Time of Rebirth. I imagine he was amused and humbled by that. He gets practically two months of constant recognition and worship where the other Divines only get a day or so."

"Keep your imaginings to yourself Ms. Rivers, they've no place in my classroom."

"Yes ma'am."  

Alyson  quickly looked back down at her notebook and fought off the urge to sniff. While she was slightly embarrassed, it wasn't as if she was about to start crying, her sinuses were just acting up. Though, clearly Rick took it that way. She felt hiss hand under the table give her leg a comforting squeeze. She could tell by the way his hand lingered for a moment before finally leaving that he wanted to leave his hand there. She was relieved when he finally pulled his hand back to himself and put on the table where she could see it.

"Alright class,  your homework for our next class is to read the next five chapters. On top of that, I want an essay one of the Divines and the contributions they have given to society." The class caught wind of the aggravation in her tone, it silenced any groans and complaints before they were even voiced.

Alyson didn't want to meet Mrs. Cross's eyes, but when the woman started to walk her way, she knew she was supposed to have looked up. Right as Mrs. Cross made it to where Alyson was sitting, the bell rang and everyone filed out of the classroom. Rushing off to wherever. Anywhere was better than with Cranky Cross. Even Rick gathered his things and had rushed out the door. He must have expected Alyson to have been right on his heels because a few seconds later he was at the door and motioning her to follow him. Alyson ignored him and looked at Mrs. Cross.

"I take it there was something you wanted to say to me, Mrs. Cross."

The woman's nostrils flared, and her face turned a shade of red. Alyson had to wonder if the woman's blood pressure was healthy. "Mr. Rivers, just because your grandmother was a former professor here at the college, does not give you the right to do as you please in class, nor does it give you the right to make an attempt to make me look bad."

Alyson almost pointed out that she didn't make Mrs. Cross look bad, she did that to herself. And she had been paying attention, but when Mrs. Cross went on and on, ranting about something that had nothing to do with the subject at hand, she couldn't help but let her mind wander a bit. Alyson almost opened her mouth, but knew better than to say anything to the woman before her.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cross, it won't happen again."

"Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong!" Rick came into the room, and stood beside Alyson. "It's not her fault that her grandmother was a favorite among the staff and students here and you're not Mrs. Cross. It's not Alyson's fault that she spent a lot of time with her grandmother before she passed away and learned a great deal from her. It's not Alyson's fault that your jealous of your predecessor, and that you tend to rant and ramble about the fact that this job hasn't gotten you a date in years. Stop taking your problems out your students, or I'm taking this up with the Dean. And considering who the student is, you can bet your ass will be fired."

"Rick!" Alyson said standing between Rick and Mrs. Cross. "You shut your mouth about things you don't understand. Stop threatening Mrs. Cross."

"But she was harassing you! Do you honestly expect me to sit back and do nothing when some bitch tries to hurt you?"

"When you don't have all of the facts, yes." Alyson said firmly. She turned to Mrs. Cross. "I'm sorry for the trouble ma'am, please don't let it bother you. I'll have both homework assignments done for when I see you again. Provided I'm still attending college then."

Having said all that she was going to say, she gathered her things and walked out the door. Rick followed her. "Someone needs to light a candle to the Goddess Olivia."

She rolled her eyes. "If anyone needs patience right now it's me."

"Why? Also, why did you defend her, Alyson the woman was trying to make you look bad."

"Rick, I've spent my entire life living with people who wanted to make me look bad, I'm used to it by now. As for why I didn't do anything to Mrs. Cross, it's because she's scared of me."

Rick faltered at that, and took her hand so she would stop. Alyson looked back at him, knowing she wouldn't be able to get home until he'd said his piece. "Why is she scared of you?"

"Haven't you ever wondered why I was able to go to this college despite the fact that my mother and stepfather were unable to pay for it? This is one of the most advance and top colleges there are today, not exactly something they can afford right now. Especially if they want to send all of their children to college."

Rick shrugged. "I always assumed your dad or grandmother left you a college fund. That or my grandfather pulled a few strings so you could go."

Alyson shook her head. "The college gave me a full ride, they are even willing to give me transportation."

Rick balked at that. "Really!? That's great Ally! Why?"

Alyson glared at him. "What have I said about calling me Ally?"

"Sorry, sorry," Rick threw his hands up in surrender. He started walking towards his car and she followed. "So, why are they giving you a full ride and transportation should you need it?"

"Because they are hoping that I will take up my grandmothers place once I graduate."

Rick looked at her in shock. "A college professor right off the bat, that's impressive, and that would be a great advantage for our future. We could probably even start having kids much sooner than we'd planned."

Alyson shook her head. "But that's not fair to Mrs. Cross, who has dedicated her whole life to this job. She was under the impression she would have this occupation until she retired or until she died. To suddenly find out that a person who doesn't have the passion for the work you do is being favored for your position is a cruel thing to learn. She was basically told all she was doing was keeping the seat warm for me. I don't blame her in her attempts to make me look unqualified. She just wants to keep her job, otherwise she's lost in this world."

Rick nodded. "Yeah, that is a hell of a thing to realize." He looked her in the eyes, "Does that mean you don't plan on taking the job?"

Alyson sighed. "As of this moment, I don't even know if I'll be able to go to college anymore."

"Why because of what happened back there?"

Alyson shook her head. "No."

It wasn't anything like that. It also wasn't as if her mother and stepfather were trying to keep her from it. She just had a feeling. A strong feeling, that she wouldn't be attending college after this weekend. Why? She didn't know, she just knew it. 

She heard Rick sigh, he wanted to push the issue, she knew, but he stopped for the moment and began to pat himself down. "Now where did I put my keys?"

"Jeans, front right pocket." Alyson answered automatically.

He pulled his keys out of the pocket where she said they would be. He grinned as he unlocked the far and got behind the wheel. Once she was seated and buckled he looked at her with eyes full of affection and appreciation. "What would I do without you?"

"Probably what you do every day, just without me there."

He chuckled before leaning over and kissing her lips softly. Because she was expected to accept his kisses, she didn't move, but she didn't offer anything more. As he began to deepen the kiss, she started to get sick. She pulled back then and took careful breaths in an attempt to calm her stomach.

"Come home with me tonight." Rick pleaded breathlessly, trying to pull her back to him. "Please let it be tonight!"

"I can't. I've got all this homework to do, my mother to face, I have to baby sit my siblings tonight, and I have a mountain of laundry that I need to get done before Monday."

"Why don't you bring your siblings to my house, forget the laundry, I'll stick to you like glue so your mother will stay away." He suggested. "My parents can watch the kids while you and I can have some prolonged alone time."

His tone and chuckle made her want to gag. She managed to stifle it as she turned to look at him. He put on what he considered to be his puppy dog look, the one he was under the firm belief no woman, especially Alyson, could withstand. "Come on, pretty please?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry Rick, I can't."

"Can't or won't?" Rick asked sitting back in his seat.

She would have preferred him to be angry, to get frustrated with her, but he didn't. Which is why it was so hard to be honest with Rick about things. He got heart broken. How could she explain she wasn't really attracted to him the way he was with her? How could she explain that when he kissed her, it felt like she was kissing her brother? How could she possibly say that she was dreading their wedding day? If he got angry, she could handle that. In reality, he'd probably break down bawling like a baby. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him so much.

"I can't Rick."  

He sighed and leaned over to kiss her forehead. That gesture didn't seem wrong in her mind.  "Soon we'll be married, and then no one will be able to keep you away from me, make you feel guilty about being with me, and I can finally take you away from that house. You'll never have to go back again."

All she could manage was a weak smile. It seemed to help him, because he started the car and began to drive. They fell into companionable silence, only the radio was making noise. She'd known Rick since she was a small child. Their grandfathers had been best friends, they still saw each other, even in their gathering old age. When the two saw how well Rick and Alyson got along, they had the two of them betrothed. They had the paperwork drawn up and had it officiated by a Temple Keeper at the Temple of Marriage. The statues of the married Divine couples could be found there. Sitting side by side, bound together for eternity. With that done, the grandfathers spent the rest of their days joyful in the thought that soon they would be family. It was official, only Hektor himself could undo the contract. 

Alyson shuddered at the memory of how her mother and stepfather reacted. It was revealed then that her mother was planning on doing something similar. Only, the man Alyson would have been betrothed to was her stepfather. According to the mock contract they had drawn up, Alyson could have legally married him when she was fourteen, if the temple officials agreed to that. While fourteen wasn't the youngest a girl had married, the officials were always reluctant to let a girl marry under the age of sixteen. 

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

As it was, Alyson could have married Rick when she was eighteen, she knew Rick would have vastly preferred that. She had managed to convince her future in laws that it was best for everyone if they waited until she was twenty. She wasn't exactly sure how she had managed that, but she did. The date was pushed back another two years. Which were up in one month. The wedding planning was going to get under way the day she turned twenty, if Rick didn't drag her off to the temple to elope with her that very same day. 

"We're here."

Alyson pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked out her window. The house that was technically her home stood before her. The place hadn't ever felt like home to her. It was the house that her mother and stepfather moved into after they were married. It was three stories, with an attic, and a basement. The basement was mostly for storage, while the attic was converted into Alyson's bedroom when the babies really started to come. An intercom system was put throughout the house there would be no need for shouting. 

"So we are." She took hold of her bag and started to get out of the car. 

"Hey! Don't I get a goodbye kiss?"

Because she didn't want to hurt Rick anymore than she already had today, she turned back, quickly pecked him on the lips. That clearly wasn't what he wanted. He moved in to get a better kiss when there was a fist pounding on the passenger window. Before Alyson could do anything, the door was opened, and her sister looked down at her very ticked off. 

"Mom wants you inside. Now!"

"Chill Magdalena." Rick said matching her cold tone. 

Alyson got out of the car and faced off with her younger sister. Magdalena was two years her junior. The second and last child that their mother had with their father, her first husband. He'd died rather untimely in car accident when Alyson was four, Magdalena two. While Alyson didn't really remember much about her father, she did know that he was a kind man. Her mother had waited barely a year before remarrying. Ethan Rivers wasted no time adopting both Alyson and Magdalena. He raised them as if they were in own, and more babies started to be born, he didn't treat them any differently than his blood children. 

Which is why the betrothal to Ethan came as such a shock to Alyson. She was ten when the whole betrothal mess was revealed. Why her mother and stepfather wanted her to marry him, she never knew. When her mother couldn't give Alyson to him, she signed Magdalena over. He made sure he never voiced this if Magdalena could hear it, but Alyson often heard him say he would have much rather have had Alyson instead. 

The whole thing sickened her, but there was nothing she could do about it. She had been certain the temples would deny Magdalena being married at fourteen, but she was wrong.  Whatever case Ethan presented was enough for the Temple officials to bless the second marriage to Magdalena. While monogamy was practiced among the Divines, Hektor and Olivia did give their blessings for the mortals to practice polygamy if they so chose. So when Magdalena turned fourteen, Alyson had to attend her sisters wedding to the only father Magdalena could remember having. As much as Alyson winced at the whole thing, it seemed to really please Magdalena, so she kept her thoughts to herself. 

While Magdalena wanted to brag about her new found adulthood, and how Alyson was still a child, Alyson refused to hear of it. Going as far as to smack her sisters face when the girl refused to shut up. 

Recently, they learned that their mother couldn't have any more children, and Ethan still wanted to have more. Now the second marriage made sense to Alyson, even if Ethan's choices in his second wife were confusing to her. With their mother unable to have any more, the task of bearing children now fell onto Magdalena's shoulders. A job she took with great pride. If her protruding stomach, bear for the world to see, wasn't proof enough, her attitude was. 

As of late, Magdalena had become unbearable to live with, and it wasn't just the hormones a pregnant woman experiences. She kept trying to boss everyone around, and stepped over anyone who got in her way. Her target most of the time with Alyson, and while Alyson could handle it, it was when Magdalena turned that wrath onto the children that they problems. 

"I will not 'chill' you wasted whelp!" Magdalena spat at Rick. "We have reservations, Alyson is our babysitter, and I will not have you keep her from her job. That would make us late, and I will simply not stand for it."

"Magdalena, you do realize that you will have to find another babysitter soon enough right?" Rick threw at her. "Because once Alyson and I are married, you won't have that precious free babysitter."

"Alyson has already been told she has to babysit for us, whenever we ask, without question." 

Rick busted out laughing, and didn't stop for several minutes. "Magdalena," He finally said when he had a breath, "I am telling you here and now, that will never happen. And before you try getting all authoritative to me, let me remind you I am several years older than you are, and when you try to boss me around, you're not this big and bad mother figure, you're just a bitch."

Magdalena slammed the door she was holding open with a shriek. Alyson shook her head and walked inside. The moment she was through the door and her bag on the peg, two little girls ran up to her with open arms. Without a second thought, a sincere smile spread across Alyson's face as she scooped the two girls up into her arms for a twirling hug.

For all of her issues with the adults in her family and Magdalena, Alyson was very fond of her siblings. Larissa and Julia were the latest addition to her family. Julia being her newest little sister, and Larissa being her niece.  Alyson was often left home and in charge of everyone. Larissa and Julia seemed more like her own daughters at times. 

Having gotten their hugs, Alyson put the toddlers down so they could back to whatever game they'd been playing before she walked through the door. Her mother, apparently having been waiting somewhere out of sight, now the took the opportunity to approach her. 

"You're late."

Her mother's tone was dark, and promised this would not be a decent conversation. Confirming her fear, Larissa and Julia immediately started to whimper and took cover. Alyson took a deep breath and prayed silently. Olivia, please give me strength, I promise I will light a candle later. 

"I'm not late mother, if anything I'm a little early. I only had the two classes at the college today."

"A waste of time." Her mother glared at her. 

"Then I simply won't go anymore mother." Alyson assured you.

Her mother seemed a little bit calmer. "Good, then you realize your place is here, caring for the children."

"No, it's not."

Alyson immediately regretted those words, her mother stepped forward and slapped her across the face. "Don't you EVER talk to me in that manner. I am your mother, and I will be treated with respect you little bitch!"

Alyson looked at her mother in shock, fighting against the urge to go and comfort the two little ones crying behind the chair. If she went to them now, her mother would follow, Alyson refused to expose the babies to any more of this than necessary. 

"Mother, I meant no disrespect, I was simply stating a fact. Or have you forgotten that I'm supposed to marry Rick in a month?"

"Don't mention that boy to me!" Her mother threatened. "That boy ruined everything!"

Alyson stared at her mother. Something was wrong here, and it was nothing she did. Something happened while she was away at school to make her mother so furious. Magdalena walked through the door, her face flushed from the tantrum she'd just thrown. The two women who were equally mad at Alyson one moment, turned that wrath onto each other. Alyson took the chance to run to the little curls and hugged them tightly. 

"You traitorous bitch!" Her mother hissed at Magdalena. "How could you do this to me!? How could you betray me like this!?"

Magdalena merely smiled viciously. "It's your own fault. You were the one who proclaimed you can't have anymore children. Why should you remain the most important wife? The number one when you have nothing you can offer your husband anymore?"

"It was the doctors who said it, and I have plenty more I can offer my husband."

"But not what he wants." Magdalena pointed out in a smug tone. "He wants more children, and I think the one who is able to give him that should be the main wife. it's only fair after all."

Alyson hugged the girls close, and kept inching the three of them even farther away from the situation. She didn't want the babies anywhere near the two of them in that moment. Despite her dislike for the man, she had never been more grateful to see her step father descend the stairs. He took one look at the situation and knew immediately what was going on, and took charge. 

"Magdalena, it is very unbecoming if you to put down your mother in that, now go get changed for dinner, or I will leave you here."

Magdalena looked at him in shock. "You can't do that, I'm your main wife now, you need me at these functions!"

Ethan sighed. "You may very well hold the title, but you have a lot to learn. As for leaving you here, I can and I will if you do not behave and act like an adult. Now go get changed, while I like that outfit and you showing off how proud you are to be having my child, you cannot wear that to dinner tonight."

Alyson had to hand it to her sister, Magdalena managed to keep a straight face until her back was to Ethan. Then she looked down right livid. With her gone, Ethan walked up to Alyson's mother. 

"Angel my love, please calm down, and stop taking this out on everyone."

Alyson watched as her mother burst into tears. "Why Ethan why?"

Ethan sighed. "If I want to be able to keep having children, I need to appease her."

"Don't you have enough?" 

Ethan shook his head he stroked Angel's hair. "Not if I want to maintain the status as the Lord of the area. Gegkall is closing in on fourteen children, and there's rumors that his wife can't have anymore after this one. He's against polygamy so all I have to do is have this one with Magdalena, and then I'm still the Lord for the next five years. Or until some idiot tries to stake his claim again."

Alyson didn't understand much about politics, but what Ethan was saying made sense. Since the fall of the former governments and universal one had reigned for everyone. Lordship was appointed to the families that had the most children. One, so there would be heirs. Two, the tasks of the Lordship could be evenly distributed among the family once they were old enough. If there were no Lords in the area, and a family met the requirements and could prove themselves capable of handling politics, Lordship was granted to the family.

"I didn't know you were in competition for Lordship." Alyson found herself saying. 

As Ethan pulled her mother into a hug, he nodded. "It's not something I want advertised among the children yet, it's not official, but I am in the running."

"So that's why the second wife?" Alyson asked. 

Ethan nodded. "You probably didn't know, but you are related or a Lord. He was your three or four greats Uncle on your maternal grandfather's side. I didn't even know until I received the letter almost ten years ago."

"Before the whole betrothal stuff." 

"Yes. That's why I wanted you as a second wife. The more connections I have the better." Ethan pointed out. "But, since you're to be married to Rick, I had no choice but to marry Magdalena. There are no more candidates that could help my cause. You see, I can't marry just any other woman. The only way a potential Lord can take a second wife is if that second wife has connections to another Lord."

"Why become a Lord at all?" Alyson couldn't help but ask. "Sounds like a lot of work and restrictions."

Ethan nodded. "It is, but the benefits of being a Lord, far out way that of the trial period till one is chosen."

Alyson nodded, and her mother seemed to happier. She could see now that Ethan was just humoring Magdalena until he got the Lordship. Alyson also understood why Magdalena wanted to be the main wife. Whoever was the main wife of the Lord, would become the Lady, and while Alyson didn't exactly know what that role entailed, she did know Magdalena wanted it. 

Magdalena came downstairs and left with Ethan and Angel. Alyson noticed that while Ethan and her mother hugged and kissed Julia and Larissa goodbye, Magdalena had nothing to do with Larissa, her own daughter. As the others began to arrive home from school, Alyson lit the candle she promised she would, and began to take care of the children that needed caring for, checking in on the older ones to make sure they were behaving. 

Now she understood something about her stepfather's situation, it only took her a decade. But then her mind wasn't one for politics. If it wasn't in her books, various projects, or the children she cared for, she often tuned everything else out. Which probably wasn't a good thing since she would be entering the "adult" world soon enough. As she tucked the little ones into bed, she knew she had to do something. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. 

After all, He, had never let her down before.

----------------------------------------

chapter one didn't have any interaction with the Divines. In the original draft, there was more talk about them, but in this version I thought it best to just introduce a few key characters, to see the kind if life Alyson has been living, and in chapter two, which will be posted in a week, there will be more information about the Divines and the role they play in this world.

Please forgive any mistakes, I just did a quick pass through.

WD