Beck’s eyes were dark in the firelight. There was an unmistakable
air of confusion in them. “What is divorce?”
It was Meg’s turn to be shocked. She studied him for a moment to
see if he was pulling her leg. “You really don’t know?”
74
Sophie Oak
He shook his head. “I don’t understand your story, love. Your
parents did not die? They left each other and formed bonds with other
people? They had children with people who were not their spouse?”
“Well, they were at the time,” Meg tried to explain. “You don’t
have a way to dissolve a marriage?”
“No. Why would we have that?” Beck asked, his face showing no
signs of teasing. “Marriage is sacred.”
“Okay, how about if the husband abuses the wife? Is she supposed
to stay in the marriage?” Again, he looked blankly at her. “What if her
husband smacks her around? What if he cheats on her with the local
floozy? What if he calls her names and is generally unpleasant to be
around?”
Beck nodded, finally getting her point. “If this happened in a Fae
marriage, then the female would beat the male into submission. If she
is too small to beat him properly, one of the larger women of her
family would perform the task for her.”
“And the man just stands there for the beating?” Meg asked
incredulously.
“If he has any honor at all,” Beck replied with a frown. “If his
abuse of the wife continues, the males of her family would take care
of him. As I said before, the only way out of a Fae marriage is death,
but that can be arranged.”
Meg couldn’t help but smile. “I kind of wish those rules had been
in play when I got married.”