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Then the man was gone, chuckling to himself. He had scared that girl into a state of unconciousness, hopefully for good. He couldn't have her stumbling onto his secret.
Henry had fallen by Ivy's body, relieved and shocked that her head was still attached to her body. She had fainted after using a large stick to block the man's sword. She was still out when Henry cradled her head in his lap, pleading with her to wake up. Running footsteps were approaching and Henry bowed his head and kissed Ivy softly on the lips. Masbeth and Ichabod were the first to arrive to where Ivy had fallen.
Ichabod picked up Ivy's body and carried her back to the carriage. Henry took Midnight's reins and brought him back, followed by Masbeth. Ivy groaned softly as Ichabod placed her on the seat of the carriage, but she didn't wake up.
"Will she be all right?" Masbeth asked.
"Yes, I think so, Masbeth." Ichabod said. "She's in shock, but I don't see-"
Ichabod stopped in the middle of his sentence. "I was wrong," He said. "She is hurt."
Ichabod lifted Ivy's arm to reveal a large cut on it, bleeding profusely. He tore a sleeve off of his shirt, wrapping it tightly around the wound. Then he climbed into the driver's seat as Masbeth and Henry climbed into the carriage with Ivy. Masbeth held her head in his lap as the carriage bounced. When they arrived at the Crane's home, Ichabod carried Ivy inside.
"What happened to her?" Katrina asked, coming into Ivy's room. "Is she all right?"
"She will be, Katrina." Ichabod said, removing Ivy's coat, which was tatters by now. "Fetch some warm water and bandages."
Katrina hurried to get the items Ichabod requested. Ivy groaned and twitched a little as Ichabod pulled the makeshift bandage off of her arm. She raised her hand to her head as she opened her eyes.
"Father?" She asked, blurry-eyed. "Where is he?"
"Where is who, my daughter?" Ichabod asked.
"The man in the woods. I cannot place his name." She groaned again. "My arm hurts badly."
"You were cut, Miss Crane." Henry said.
Masbeth cleared his throat and asked to speak with Ivy alone. Ichabod and Henry left the room, meeting Katrina in the corridor. Masbeth sat down in a chair by Ivy's bed, as she sat up.
"What is it, Masbeth?" She asked.
"Ivy, we love each other. And I cannot think of another way to ask you, so I shall just say it." Masbeth reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. "Ivy Crane, will you marry me?"
"Yes, Masbeth. I will." Ivy smiled as Masbeth slipped the ring on her finger.
"You will have to stop almost killing yourself, you know." Masbeth said.
"Try and stop me, Master Masbeth." Ivy said, smiling wider.
There was a knock at the door and Ichabod poked his head in. "Ivy, Master Taiel is here to speak with you."
"I do not feel up to it, Father. Perhaps tomorrow."
"I will tell him so. Sleep now, Ivy."
"Yes, Father." Ivy smiled apologetically to Masbeth.
"I am leaving." He said.
Ivy curled up under the blankets on her bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she was remotely aware of someone sneaking into her room, and watching her sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, Ivy saw nothing in her room that indicated an uninvited visitor. She dressed in a clean suit and pulled her hair into a ponytail, tying it with a ribbon. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen to be greeted by her mother.
"Your father is in the woods, darling." She said, in answer to Ivy's question.
"I'll be taking Midnight with me to the woods." Ivy said, heading out to the stable.
"I would feel better if you didn't, Ivy."
"I have to Mother. I can't just leave Father to solve this by himself. I'll be back soon."
Ivy ran out to the stable and saddled Midnight. She met her father in the woods by the spot where she collapsed yesterday.
"Ahh, Ivy." Ichabod said. "We've found the person who almost killed you."
"Who is it?" She asked.
"Bring him forward."
Two constables brought forward a man in a black suit, hands tied, and his head bowed. When he raised his head, Ivy recognized him. It was Henry.
"I've told you." Henry said. "I didn't try to kill Ivy. I couldn't kill anybody, much less her."
"And why can't you?" Asked the constable on the left.
Henry just bowed his head, refusing to speak. Ivy put her hand on his cheek, raising his face.
"I'll speak to him alone." Ivy said, nodding to the constables. When they left, Ivy untied him. "Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Henry said, massaging his wrists.
"Why are you here?" Ivy asked, helping him.
"I came to help protect you."
"I don't need protection. Did my mother send you?"
"No. She didn't. I came of my own accord."
"Well, perhaps you should leave, Master Van Geller. We don't want any trouble."
"Please," Henry said, stepping closer to Ivy. "Call me Henry."
"Very well, Henry." Ivy replied. "Please excuse me for leaving, but I need to look around."
Henry stepped out of her way but before she could walk past him, he grabbed her and kissed her. Ichabod came to find her and saw what Henry was doing.
"Ivy!" He said, sternly. "Come with me."
Ivy pulled away and ran behind her father, blushing wildly. Ichabod lead her to the tree where she had found the head yesterday. He showed her horse hooves and foot prints.
Ivy followed the prints to a body without a head. She knelt by the body, not recognizing it. Ichabod and Ivy shared a look, then stood to find the head. They wandered into the woods when Ichabod heard his name called by another constable.
"Will you be all right?" He asked Ivy before he left her.
"Of course. I shall be fine." She reassured him.
Ivy watched her father reatreat into the dark woods and continued on her way. She was in the heart of the woods when she saw a fire, and walked cautiously to it. There was a man there with his head bowed, muttering to himself. He was poking the fire with a stick saying, "I love her. I'll do whatever it takes to get her."
A gravelly voice said, "Then use this."
Ivy watched from the shadows as a short man handed the other a bottle.
"This will help you."
"What is it?" The first man asked.
"It's a potion," The second one said. "To summon the Headless Horseman."
Ivy gasped silently and almost shrieked when the first man stood and she could see his face. "Henry." She whispered.
She turned and ran in fear as Henry summoned the Horseman. Ivy heard branches snapping off the trees as the headless killer rode his horse through the woods. She tripped over a branch and shrieked as she saw the Horseman's sillouette by the fire. He heard her and rode his horse toward her, easily tearing branches off trees. She hurriedly stood up, only to be caught by the Horseman.
Ivy grabbed a large branch from the ground and hit the Horseman's hand with it. He loosened his grip, enough for her to get away. Ivy ran for her life only to bump into Ichabod as he ran toward her. They hid behind trees as the Horseman rode past them. They clasped hands and ran back to the clearing, gasping for breath.
"I heard you, and ran back," Ichabod said, breathing heavily. "What happened?"
"I can't tell you." Ivy said. "I can't tell anybody. He'll kill me if I do."
"Who will?"
Ivy didn't get a chance to answer, as the Horseman rode up behind them, and cut off the heads of everyone standing there, except Ivy. She screamed as she saw her Father stand at the mercy of the blood stained blade. She ran and knocked her father down, just as the blade was swung.
"Don't hurt him!" Ivy cried.
The Horseman said nothing. He just grabbed Ivy, put her on his saddle, and ran off into the dark woods.
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