The Daughter of Lilith | A Story of Love and Power in the Shadows

Part 3

She watched with slight interest as her father came back to the house with Leo. Father and Leo were sweating through their clothes, dirt clung to their faces. 

They unloaded her father's makeshift lean-to with the extra wood. Leanne had just hung the last bits of the laundry. 

She sensed eyes on her and, sure enough, there was Ailen staring. She held his gaze for a moment, smiling. Soon after, cast her eyes and pretended to fiddle with her basket as she observed him through her lashes.

Ailen stood stiffly with his arms folded over his chest. She noted his clothes were faded and wrinkled. His dark hair was unkept and greasy. Leanne felt the heat of his gaze, sulky and restless. She wondered what was going on in his head. 

Leanne briefly thought about his sister. Pure and sweet. She was initially upset about what happened, but everything happened for a reason. All the Lord's timing. Didn't they teach that at church? She forgot. She hadn't been in church in a long time. 

Her eyebrows knitted together while her lips formed into a frown. Something nagged at her, an intrusive thought pushed from the back of her brain. She pushed all thoughts of Royse away. 

When she looked back up Ailen was gone. 

Later that afternoon, she managed to escape. The men were back at the fields. She'd finished feeding the animals and doing what she could around the farm. Unsurprising, her mother was still motionless, sleeping her days away. 

Leanne quietly changed before leaving, putting on a deep green dress. Her outfit was simple, something she'd wear to church. 

She also re-pined her hair under the head cover in front of the mirror. She gazed at herself, scrubbing off dirt and tabbing away sweat. Before she left, she made sure she looked satisfactory. 

It wasn't a long trip. She left through the back door, carrying a small brown bag, and cut through their small farm towards the forest. Along the road, there were travelers passing to the next town over. She didn't recognize them, but kept her head down, in case they'd recognize her.

Her heart quickened as she approached the forest. She looked up at the massive trees and their branches extended high above her. They reached out towards each other, weaving their branches together as if greeting each other. 

Leanne stepped into the shade, and immediately felt cooler in the shade. Although she couldn't see them, animals and birds chatted around her, singing to their friends. 

She started walking, her eyes taking in her surroundings. She spent many years exploring the open forest. Most of them were with Leo as children. 

Memories stirred within her, she could almost hear her brother's childish voice calling out to her, 'You can't find me!' He'd call out and, never missing a challenge, she'd run after him. 

They'd been told not to go in, in case they'd lose their way home. And they ignored the townsfolk's rumors. They had so much fun together. Before her childlike lens on the world shattered. 

She remembered fondly playing hide and seek, and a make-believe game of war and nurse- an adaptation from Leo of playing as a make-believe family. Some times, her brother's friend would join them. 

But as the years dragged on, more responsibility was thrown at them. Suddenly, there was not much free time to roam freely through the forest. And soon they stopped coming to the forest all together.

That had been the hardest for Leanne. She always wanted to go back. At first she tried to convince her brother to come back with her. But he complained he felt creeped out by the stillness of the forest. 'Besides, he'd said, 'we aren't kids anymore.' 

Leanne started going back alone. She always felt like something was missing without him there. She missed having a companion exploring the edges of the unknown forest. Without someone to speak her discoveries and thoughts. 

She always wished there was someone who would join her and talk about her day. She never had anyone to talk to unless it was the animals- although she did have a conversation with the animals daily. She'd go mad otherwise. 

Once Leanne thought Leo would come back to the forest. But if the last few years didn't tell her anything, she knew he never would. 

What her brother didn't know, was she was drawn to the forest. She found peace and joy in the stillness. The calmness relaxed her and being there, she could forget about her other life. 

As she traveled on, Leanne followed the hand carved markings on the trees. When she could, this became her favorite ritual and go to her favorite resting place. 

Leanne knew she was close when she heard the sound of running water. She kept her dress above her ankles, keeping the soft mudded ground from staining the ends of her dress. When she finally arrived at her spot, there was a girl waiting for her. 

The girl was watching the little stream, flow steadily past her. Her head turned at the sound of Leanne approaching. She looked Leanne in the eyes and smiled faintly. "Finally, you're here." 

Leanne broke out in a smile.