Leanora: Illevante' Curse Book Three

Settling wearily among the plants on knees raw from crawling and scavenging, Lea remained far from the other women preferring their silent distance than their gossiping closeness. The quickest of glances found their secretive stares fixed upon her, as it always seems to Leanora their stares were bountiful till her eyes raised to confront them. They would then quickly skirt curious, yet damning, eyes away - their scrutiny brought to her an uncertainty of what they saw, of what they judged. With a sigh to the heaviness of their silent judgement, Lea returned to the mindless work expected of her, the task which kept her occupied during the long hours of their ominous presence. Absentmindedly she tugged to the pale length of a curl as it escaped kerchief and clung to the sweaty cheek. With a sweep, the errant curl was pressed back in tuck about her ear and her work continued. Moving further down the line of plants she was assigned, Lea allowed herself the momentary luxury of rubbing the muscle along shoulder and neck with dirt-caked fingertips. Attempted to stretch the weariness creeping up her spine with a profound weight, as the heat of the day seemed only to add a presence of fatigue as it clung and stung the exposed flesh. Looking up as a cloud came in passing to the sun, she sat back on her heels to watch the reappearing orb as she heard a slight hesitation in the worker's chatter. Leanora wondered to the cloud that seemed to question its next moment to existence and then began to resume its aimless path. Appreciating the coolness such action brought, it puzzled her that none noticed; none raised their faces to catch the momentary respite from the constant heat.From across the endless rows of his father's fields, Derek Killington allowed his dark eyes to linger over the beauty of the woman who worked the lands. He watched with growing interest as she raised her face to the reemerging sunlight and welcomed the warmth which seemed to bathe her in a near celestial glow. For long moments, he followed the line of her body, the fullness of curve and arch of her back, and Derek realized it had been too long that others had kept his interests. Why would he bother with the crones which scattered his father's fields when he had such beauty awaiting him to pluck her from the filth and poverty surrounding her. Yes, Derek decided, with justification to his actions, it was a chance for him to save another from an unjust life.Leanora closed her eyes to feel the hands as they pressed in splay over her body, closed her mind to the feel of cold, cruel hands. Fought the rising sickness as his mouth hot and wet traveled over her flesh, and Leanora felt her soul died to the idea of what she allowed. 'Where are you?' Sounded and Leanora nearly opened her eyes, sure another had to be watching what this vile creature was doing to her. 'Why are you so sad? Open your eyes so I may see what is making you so sad.' The voice within her head demanded with insistence. An insistence Leanora wasn't quite sure how to react in response. How could this be, she wondered with the growing realization that the trauma of the situation could be the only reason she would be having a conversation with a man who has not in the room. With a voice, she vaguely recognized as nothing more than to pain and longing in her dreams. 'No, ' she answered the voice as it grew stronger in her head, as its concern and weakness seemed like an all-engulfing emotion to her, 'I will not look upon this man, I will not allow myself to confront him. Don't make me do this; don't make me look upon him and know that he is truly here.' 'Open your eyes.' Demanded, 'let me help you.'