CHILD BRIDE
You probably have heard of child brides. It is common in these parts,more so years ago. You have heard of teenagers handed out to husbands by their father and non-protesting mothers.
It is shocking to most people,they cannot comprehend a child being a bride, how little are these girls? Early teens? the one in today's story was two. She was two years old.
Somewhere in the south a woman had difficulty in child bearing, well over eighty years ago now. Her position as first wife was being threatened. Soon her husband took another wife when he could no longer tolerate the pressure from his family to take another wife. Luckily though, that same month this first wife Mirabel concieved. She had a boy,and in the next few years she had more children in quick succession. Everythig was fine,her in-laws treated her with more respect now and her husband laughed with her as often as he did in the first year of their marriage.
Nevertheless Mirabel was still not content,if anything she was more scared than she was when she had no children,she had just one son in all the four children she bore and the second wife, who was in hot pursuit in their child bearing competition had three boys. Mirabel knew she was lucky to have bore the first son to her husband but if anything happened to him she would be ruined. She went from one dibia to another protecting this her only eye as she always reffered to her only son. She spent all the profits from her trade purchasing one protective charm or the other.
When her son turned eight she went in search of a wife for him. He was young but would soon enter puberty, she had to get an assurance baby from his loins, since her womb had seemingly closed again after her last child. she reasoned a child from her son would be the permanent solution to her problem. Of all young women available, Mirabel returned home with a two year old child. She stated that she would like to mould her own daughter-in-law herself to suit her son as the future heir to his father's wealth.
This girl grew quickly,all her early life she believed mirabel was her mother and Mirabel's son her brother. At the age of thirteen, mirabel told her one quiet night that she was a wife to this family and not a daughter and would have to consummate the marriage before the end of the week. This young girl refused to accept this and begged Mirabel to return her to her parents. The girl refused to listen to reason and at the end of the week four old women arrived their house,and in a well prepared room held this girl down on a bed and urged Mirabel's son to mount and claim his Marital right.
After that experience this girl became very timid and quiet and the boy,dominating and extremly wicked. He would insist this girl served his meal on her knees and he would eat from the tray she held out, whenever he finished, only then she could rise from her knees. She would take the tray of used dishes away and thank him for eating the food she prepared.
Soon she discovered she was pregnant and Mirabel pampered her for the nine months duration. She had a girl and again became a slave to Mirabel's son in all but name. He would beat her at any slight offense or no offense at all. Mirabel looked on and said nothing,on her part she was devasted,why could this girl not bare a son,she would give her one more chance and if she failed would get a second wife for her son. Her son on some days would lock this girl up and beat her till she passed out and his step brothers would have to break the door down to save and resuscitate her.
Mirabel's son went unchallenged. He was the first son and heir after all. A kind neighbor who could no longer stomach the cries from this tormented girl discreetly told her to get prepared the next market day,she would take her to her family. And she did. The young girl left her child behind.
She left with another though,a son, growing in her belly.
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