Aron was nearly rolled out of the bed on to the floor when LIa grabbed the sheet. He blinked and sat up before realizing what was happening. "Lia? I'm right here, Lia," he said softly. "You're safe."

"No! Stop! ARON HELP!" Liadan lashed out with her fists and kicked.

"Lia, I'm right here." He knew better than to try to touch her. "I've got him, Lia. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Kill the &*(#@ momzer. There's two more-" Liadan punched the wall so hard it hurt and she woke up. She wildly looked around, confused until she saw Aron and realized where she was and that she had just had a nightmare. She was trembling all over like a leaf.

"Aron." Liadan whimpered, reaching for him.

Aron quickly gathered her into his arms and held her close, kissing the top of her head. "Everything is all right, Cupcake."

Liadan buried her face in Aron's chest and sobbed.

"It's been so many years but that nightmare was as clear as if it happened yesterday." Liadan whispered.

"I worried about that...I had trouble reaching you," he whispered.

"It's been a long time since the nightmares were so clear." Liadan sat down on the bed and tugged Aron to sit beside her. She pressed her head against his shoulder. "I could even make out the color of the momzer's eyes, every pore on his nose, crumbs of something he had eaten in his beard." Liadan shuddered.

"I wish I had been there to protect you that night," Aron said, wrapping his arm around her to hold close. "They're all dead now and can't hurt you or anyone else."

"If I hadn't fought with you and stormed off I wouldn't have run into them to begin with." Liadan said. "They're dead but they still haunt me."

"I wish I knew a way to take all that away from you. But then we wouldn't have Yehudit, either," he said softly, stroking her hair.

"I wish you had fathered her, or at least that we were already married and I could pretend you had fathered her." Liadan still shook.

'If you hadn't run, and had come to me...or Aislyn....we could have done just that. You know I couldn't love her more if I had fathered her, right?"

"You know even if I hadn't run I wouldn't have let you touch me after what had happened." Liadan squeezed Aron's hand. "I know you love her as much as all of her children... But this thing about being a child of Molech..."

"I wouldn't have expected you to allow me to touch you, Lia. But I would have protected you." He sighed. "I know. I'm hoping against hope that this Bai finds some way to help her. It does explain a lot about the rages though."

Liadan ran a thumb over the familiar calluses on Aron's hands.

"Pinja wasn't the only woman to be abused by the raiders. I try not to think about it but I can't help but wonder... How many are pregnant and are going to pretend the baby is their husband's? Can they convince themselves? Are they better off this way?"

"I think it will depend on the woman. And the relationship she has with her husband. If Brie would have...I know she would have told Shawn and he would have raised the babe as his own. Just like if it would have happened to you,  I would have accepted the child. Hopefully those who don't want the child will put it up for adoption rather than doing something drastic. We also don't know how many may have asked Difyr for the herbs."

"I overheard that the raiders had stolen the herbs from Difyr's store. She had to get more from Portside." Liadan said. "The raiders wanted this... And if they're serving Molech..."

"Then Bai is going to be outnumbered. Do you think we should send for help from some of the Bishops in the area?"

"It will be years before they can be dangerous." Liadan said.

"It might take us years to find any help. Best to have the help in place before it breaks bad."

"They are going to be children." Liadan said. "We don't even know if Bai can do anything."

"There has to be some way to stop it. It would be nice to have a chapel anyway. Or a friar."

"Yehudit is a good girl... How bad can all these other children be?" Liadan asked.

"I would think it's going to depend on how their raised and their life experiences. Yehudit has a good family that loves her and supports her. A family that doesn't abuse her. Not all of these children are going to be so lucky."