Author: Amberslover
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my own hare-brained ideas and a labrador that always runs away...

The dirty figure stopped swinging its pickaxe when it heard Tara's melodious voice over the din of shovels and breaking rocks. A grimy face looked up, and Tara was met with the most captivating green eyes she had ever seen. The worker wiped a hand over a smudged face and answered Tara with a soft voice.

"Ira? No that's my father. He died last year. I'm Willow, Will for short. I got the telegram a few days ago that you were coming."

Tara was surprised to hear the soft womanly voice coming out of the dirty lips of this girl.

"O-oh. Well w-why was I sent here under the c-care of Ira R-Rosenberg?"

"Father said you might come here some day. He said that I was to take care of you, that you were very special. I can see what he meant." Willow said shyly. Tara blushed in sharp contrast to her white dress and lowered her blue eyes to the rocky ground.

"I'm sorry. That was out of my place." Willow said quickly when the blonde lowered her head.

"N-no it's o-okay."

"Well I've got another hour here. Of you'd like, you can go ahead to the house. My little sister is waiting there. She should be in the house doing her studies. I'll give directions to the carriage driver if you wish to go. This is hardly the place for a lady, if you haven't already discovered that."

Tara nodded nad Willow put her pickaxe down on the ground and offered Tara her arm to help her over the rocky terrain. Tara shyly held onto Willow as the redhead lead them over to the carriage. Willow opened the door and helped Tara inside, then spoke quietly to the coachman and gave him a bit of money. The carriage jolted as it started toward the plantation and Tara watched Willow until she could no longer see her.

'Maybe this won't be so bad' Tara thought as she leaned back against the seat of her transportation.

'God she's beautiful. And here I am out here dirty and sweaty.' Willow thought to herself as she watched the carriage disappear over the hillside. Thunder started to rumble throughout the darkened sky and rain began to pour soon after. The cool downpour was soothing and some of the grime on Willow's face began to run off. She smiled as she worked, thinking about the beautiful blonde waiting for her.