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Ivy clung to the horse's mane, terrified. The Horseman's arm was wrapped around her waist, weighing her down. When he took her back to Henry, Ivy was tossed to the ground. Henry helped her up, but she refused his help.
"I don't need your help, Master Van Geller." Ivy glared at him.
"I asked you to call me Henry." He said. "Please, do not be angry."
"Not be angry? I was terrified! Innocent men were killed needlessly. My father was almost killed! And you don't want me to be angry!?"
"I'm sorry, truly, Ivy. Really, I am. But I could think of no other way to bring you here." He walked to her, with his hands behind his back.
"You could have just asked me, Master Van Geller." Ivy turned to leave, but the Horseman blocked her way.
"You cannot leave, Ivy. Not that I have you here." Henry said.
He's clearly mad, Ivy thought. He thinks I belong to him.
"You cannot keep me here, Henry. Think about my parents and Masbeth."
"Ah, Masbeth! You do not need Masbeth." Henry stepped closer. "You have me."
"I can't stay here! My mother will worry." Ivy backed against a tree. "Please, allow me to go back."
"I can't let you do that, my darling." Henry put his hand on Ivy's shoulder, caressing it. "I can't let you go back."
He's insane, Ivy thought. He won't let me go.
Ivy heard her name called in the distance. The Horseman heard it too and mounted his horse, heading in the direction of the voice. Henry watched the Horseman ride off, then turned his attention to Ivy.
"Ivy, I have a request."
"Yes, what is it?"
Henry walked to a box by the fire, pulling out a blue dress. He carried it back to her, giving it to her.
"Will you wear it?"
"Of course." Ivy took it from him. "Is there a place where I can change?"
"You can go over there." Henry pointed to a small shack.
"Thank you."
Ivy walked to the shack and closed the door. She changed into the dress quickly, hiding her suit. When she walked out the door, Ivy saw Henry standing with his back to her. She started to back away from him but she bumped into the Horseman. He grabbed her arms and forced her to go back to Henry. When they reached Henry, he turned to face her.
"Ah, you are beautiful, as I knew you would be." Henry said, taking Ivy's hand. "Leave us." He instructed the Horseman.
"Please Henry, allow me to leave to tell my father where I am. Please." Ivy pleaded.
Henry just placed his hands on her shoulders again, stroking them. "I can't allow you to do that, not yet."
"Why not?" Ivy asked.
"Because, Ivy, I want to marry you."
"I am already bethrothed, Master Van Geller."
"To whom?" He asked.
"To Masbeth. You have to let me go." Ivy removed Henry's hands from her shoulders.
"You can never go back to Masbeth, Ivy."
Ivy walked away from him and to the fire. "I have to, Henry. I love him and I cannot stay here, in the woods. My parents will worry. They love me too."
Henry was silent and leaned his arm against a tree. Ivy watched, jumping when she heard a twig snap behind her and felt a finger on her hand. She looked over her shoulder to see the faces of her father and Masbeth. Henry was still deep in thought and didn't hear the twig.
Ivy mouthed, "I can't leave. He's holding me here. He's mad."
Ichabod replied silently, "Do whatever is necessary to get free. We will wait."
Ivy nodded and racked her mind for ways to distract Henry. She sat on a rock by the fire and spoke.
"Henry?" She asked, patting the rock beside her as Henry turned. "Won't you come sit by me?"
Henry smiled, his sharp teeth gleaming. He sat beside her, grinning wildly. Ivy stared into the fire, watching the dancing flames. She was aware that Henry was staring at her and faced him. She smiled modestly, lowering her face. Henry placed his hand on her chin, like she had when she untied him, and brought her face closer to his.
Ivy could feel Henry's breath on her lips and turned her head before he kissed her. Henry took his hand from her face, and took her hand. Ivy looked at Henry again, knowing her father and fiance were watching, and kissed him passionately.
She heard Masbeth's whispered protests to Ichabod, praying that Henry didn't. But he did and started to turn his head, only to be stopped by Ivy. He smiled and kissed her again. When the kiss ended, Ivy offered Henry a cup of wine from the box by the fire.
He drank it and many more, until he passed out from drunkeness. Ivy walked to her father and Masbeth, hugging them both tightly.
"We've got to get you out of here, Ivy." Masbeth said, looking at Henry.
"Can't we go now?" Ivy asked.
"Possibly," Ichabod said. "I'm so glad you're safe."
"Let's go, now, before the Horseman returns and Henry wakes up."
Masbeth took Ivy's hand and ran with her, followed by Ichabod. They didn't stop running until they reached the Crane's home. When they ran inside, Katrina embraced her duaghter. Ichabod locked the doors and they all sat in the kitchen, hoping that they could think of a plan to get rid of the Horseman.
They all jumped when they heard a thumping on the back stairway and then steady knocks on the door. Masbeth held Ivy and moved to the back of the kitchen with Katrina. Ichabod opened the door slowly to reveal a man in black with a sword belt. He didn't speak but motioned to Ivy with his hand. Ivy moved away from Masbeth, walking toward the door, hypnotized. Masbeth tried to hold her back, but she was stronger than him. Ichabod was pushed from the door by the Horseman, for that was who the visitor was.
Ivy took the Horseman's outstretched hand and was lead outside and placed on his horse. The Horseman mounted behind her and rode back to the woods. When they arrived at the Tree of the Dead, Henry was waiting for Ivy with a look of annoyance on his face. The Horseman helped Ivy down and led her to Henry. Ivy was still hypnotized and accepted the arm that Henry offered.
There was a wind that blew leaves around Ivy and Henry as they walked to the tree's roots. Henry set Ivy down on a root that had dried blood on it. When he moved away from her, Ivy felt some of the cloudiness fall from her mind. Henry walked away from her, farther into the woods. Ivy shook her head to clear her mind as much as she could as she climbed to the top of the tree where she saw a sword with a snake with it's mouth open on the hilt. She grabbed it and pulled it out, hiding it behind her back.
"Ivy? Where have you gone?"
"I am here, Henry." Ivy stepped into sight. Henry smiled and climbed the tree.
"We can be together, now, Ivy."
"Yes, we can, Henry." Ivy fingered the hilt behind her back. "We cannot live in the woods, though."
"We will live where ever you wish."
"Thank you, Henry."
Ivy stepped back from Henry, bringing her hands around to her front. Henry gasped when he saw the sword and tried to take it from her. Ivy's grip was stronger however, and she kept the sword. She aimed the sword at his throat.
"Now, take me back to my father."
"Please, don't kill me. I love you."
"This is no way to treat anyone if you love them."
Henry took a deep breath as the sound of horse hooves was heard. The Horseman rode into sight and jumped off his horse onto the tree, hoping to protect his master. He swung the blade at Ivy's throat, but she blocked it with her sword. They fought for a few moments until Ivy knocked the Horseman down and pinned him to the ground with her sword.
"That should hold you." Ivy said.
Then she watched in horror as the Horseman rose from the ground and pulled the sword out of his shoulder and drove it into her shoulder. Ivy collapsed in pain.
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