New York City- 1800
A House Like No Other
Christmas was near, but for the Crane household it didn't seem like Christmas was to be very good this year. Ichabod Crane was to be working overtime up to Christmas Eve, due to a new case of murders that have suddenly popped up. Johnathan Masbeth, Katrina and Ichabod's young ward was busy at work in his studies, he was planning to become a doctor and he needed as much education as he could get, seeing as his parents never took the time to teach him a lot. Katrina Van Tassel was worried, not only was she to be wed in less than a month, but she had discovered some wonderful, but dreadful news. "I'm pregnant?!" Katrina questions rather loudly, "indeed you are" Alice the midwife answers, rather happily "oh no" Katrina mutters and rushes off. A few seconds later, Alice hears the sound of Katrina getting violently sick "Katrina, oh poor Katrina!" Alice says kindly and runs over to where Katrina is, leaning over a basin, throwing up this morning's breakfast. Alice rubs Katrina's back and makes soothing noises until Katrina is through, "that…W-was awful" Katrina whispers, tears brimming in her eyes. "I know, I know, why don't I fetch you some water?" Alice asks gently, "that would be lovely" Katrina replies softly, "stay here, I'll be right back" Alice says and rushes off to get her a glass of water. Katrina slumps next to the basin, "how will I ever tell Ichabod?" Katrina says to herself, worry starting to rise in her body which only makes another wave of nausea roll over her. At the New York Constabulary, things weren't much better for Constable Crane who was to present his findings on the Sleepy Hollow case. "Well Crane, we're waiting" The Burgomaster says cruelly, "y-yes sir" Ichabod answers nervously, knowing that no one in this court will believe him for what he is about to say.
"May I have a moment to gather my notes?" Ichabod asks as polite as he can, "you have two minutes" The Burgomaster answers quickly, looking at his pocket watch. Ichabod turns towards Johnathan, who is sitting at a table next to him "I cannot do this! They will think that I am a fool!" Ichabod whispers fiercely to his assistant, Johnathan glares at Ichabod, "do not say that! If you say the truth, all will be fine" Johnathan answers and hands Ichabod his ledger "good luck, sir" Johnathan adds on quickly. "Are you ready now Crane?" The Burgomaster demands, "I am ready as I'll ever be" Ichabod answers, standing proudly in front of the court. "How am I to tell Ichabod?!" Katrina asks, on the verge of hysterics, Alice looks at her "do not worry Katrina, you'll know when the time is right" Alice answers and gently squeezes her hand. Katrina is silent, thinking about Alice's words, when an idea fills her mind "that's it! I won't tell Ichabod at all, he doesn't want a child and he'll only panic about the idea of it!" Katrina thinks happily then notices, Alice is waiting patiently for her answer "thank you Alice, I'll tell him in a couple of days once I've gotten over the shock" Katrina finally answers and stand up to collect her things. "I'll be seeing you in three days, then?" Alice asks, opening a calendar to mark down their appointment "you shall. I bid you good day" Katrina says and quickly exits the midwife's home, without another word. "If I remember clearly, I sent you to Sleepy Hollow to solve the mystery of the decapitations" The Burgomaster starts, "indeed you did, sir" Ichabod quickly answers not wanting to upset his boss. "Who was behind the beheadings?" The Burgomaster asks, an evil smile on his face, Ichabod takes a deep breath and looks at Johnathan, who gives him thumbs up. "It wasn't a who it was a she" Ichabod starts, flipping through his ledger to find the notes on Lady Van Tassel. "Are you telling me that a woman killed all of those people?" The Burgomaster questions firmly, "yes and no" Ichabod replies, having found the notes on Lady Van Tassel. "The woman, Lady Van Tassel was only half of the problem, the true threat was…"Ichabod's voice trails away as he realizes that he is about to say probably the weirdest thing The Burgomaster is about to hear. "Well? Spit it out Crane!" The Burgomaster commands cruelly, Ichabod takes yet another deep breath "the other accomplice to the murders of Sleepy Hallow was a creature from Hell… The Headless Horseman" Ichabod says nervously, it takes about five seconds before everyone in the crowd bursts into mocking laughter, all of them laughing at the ridiculous thing that Ichabod just said.
"Well how did The Headless Horseman come to be, killing innocent people?" The Burgomaster question, almost mocking Ichabod, Ichabod squares his shoulders and looks directly into the Burgomaster's face. "Lady Van Tassel… wanted revenge on The Van Garret's for evicting them from their home" Ichabod starts, "so she made a pact with the Devil, in exchange for her soul she could have control of The Headless Horseman" Ichabod finishes, as the laughter slowly comes to a halt when everyone realizes that, Constable Crane isn't joking. "So this woman, contacted the Devil to take revenge on The Van Garrets?" The Burgomaster questions, trying not to crack a smile at Ichabod's ridiculous claim "yes! Exactly that!" Ichabod answers happily, believing that the great and powerful Burgomaster actually believes him. "So Crane, what was the solution to these murders?" The Burgomaster asks, Ichabod smiles and flips rapidly through his ledger "at the Tree of the Dead, I dug up The Horseman's skull, which whoever holds it control's The Horseman" Ichabod says and flips to another page, "what is the Tree of the Dead?" The Burgomaster asks, fearing for Ichabod's mental health "the Tree of the Dead is a portal to Hell, which The Horseman traveled through to get between our worlds and Hell" Ichabod finishes and closes his ledger. "So after taking The Horseman's skull, The Horseman no longer listened to Lady Van Tassel and brought her to Hell with him" Ichabod finally finishes and smiles, looking genuinely happy that The Burgomaster hasn't shut down his theory, at least not yet. The Burgomaster is silent for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to word his sentence, all round them are the snicker's and soft laughter of Ichabod's comrades. Johnathan quickly realizes that the other constable's aren't laughing with Ichabod, there laughing at him! "This isn't going to end well" Johnathan mutters to himself as he watches an evil smile slowly spread across The Burgomaster's face , "Constable Crane, I fear that your mind has come unhinged" The Burgomaster starts.
A light snow is falling by the time Katrina leaves Alice's house, "I hope Ichabod is alright" Katrina says to herself, walking swiftly towards the courthouse, where her husband is battling against the New York Constabulary at that very moment. The smile quickly leaves Ichabod's face along with the good feeling that filled his body, "what?" Ichabod questions, holding onto his ledger tightly, as the noise from the crowd starts to fill the room. All Ichabod can hear is the chatter that's all around him, "crazy", "he's lost his marbles, and "girl detective" are only a few of the phrases that Ichabod hears that are being muttered towards him. " I fear that the visit to Sleepy Hallow has un-hinged your mind, so to protect yourself and others, I commit you, Constable Ichabod Crane to Ravenwood Asylum" The Burgomaster announces and bangs his gavel, finalizing Ichabod's sentence. "No!" Johnathan yells, but his outburst is drowned out by the cries and cheers of joy from the crowd, "please no! You must believe me, this is the truth!" Ichabod yells, as two strong looking men push through the crowd and march towards Ichabod. Katrina is about to open the courthouse's doors, when the doors burst open "no! No! NOOOOOO!" Ichabod screams as loud as he can, as the two strongmen drag him out of the building, "Ichabod? What is going on?!" Katrina demands, concern in her voice as she rushes over to her husband-to-be, "his mind has come undone" The Burgomaster answers Katrina's questions, as he suddenly is next to her. Katrina turns and faces The Burgomaster and glares her fiercest glare, "let him go! He has done nothing wrong! If anything you should be thanking him for saving the town of Sleepy Hollow!" Katrina yells, her emotions going crazy due to the hormones of being pregnant. "Who do you think you are?" The Burgomaster demands, glaring back at Katrina "I am Constable's Crane fiancé" Katrina snaps at him. "I would have you committed but it seems the Crane household, needs a woman's touch" The Burgomaster replies and turns away from Katrina.
Katrina would have attacked The Burgomaster, verbally and physically but Johnathan comes up to her before she can do anything. "Miss, you mustn't go after him, it would only make things worse" Johnathan says, holding firmly onto her shoulder. Katrina takes a calming breath "I know, I just can't believe that The Burgomaster would do this" Katrina says quietly, wishing more than anything that Alice was her and her husband was still a free man. "Madam, I overheard you and maybe I can help" a pleasant British suggests, Katrina and Johnathan both take their attention off Ichabod, who is being shoved in a black carriage and turn to face a kind looking man. "How can you help?" Johnathan questions, looking very interested to what this long-haired man can say, "My name is Anthony Hope and I have some…Experience getting people out of asylums" Anthony explains, his light blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Mr. Hope, that would be lovely but we have a trip to Ravenwood asylum to make" Katrina answers, watching fearfully as the black carriage speeds away to the much feared asylum. "I understand, here take this, it's my address in case you wish to have my help" Anthony answers kindly and hands Katrina a scrap of paper, scribbled on in elegant handwriting. Ichabod awakes with a start, a rotten smell all around him, making him violently gag. "Fresh meat" a deep voice growls from somewhere in the dark, cramped room, "w-who is there?" Ichabod nervously asks, struggling to get to a sitting position due to the dirty straightjacket that's wrapped tightly around his torso, restricting any and all arm movements. A big, figure of a man walks out of the shadows and grins evilly when he sees Ichabod "who you be?" The man demands, stepping into the dim candlelight, showing all of his features, "I-I am none other than C-Constable Ichabod Crane" Ichabod stammers, backing up into the corner of the room to the best of his ability. The man is a bit taller than him, with dirty, brown hair that looks like it hasn't been brushed in fifty years along with emerald eyes have a glint of murder in them. Ichabod gasps sharply as the man takes a step closer to him, "my name is Gideon and you're my little bitch now" Gideon says cruelly with an evil smile. "Hey, you two little love birds SHUT UP" says a cruel guard, who happens to be named Gruncle Stan. Ichabod turns crimson "w-we're not…N-not in l-love" Ichabod stammers looking at the guard through the steel bars of the cell. The guard gives them an evil smile, "homosexuality is a just another reason to stay longer in our wonderful asylum" Gruncle Stan says and stomps away, leaving Ichabod with his cellmate who looks as if he's about to murder or rape him.
A guard leads Katrina and Johnathan down a long hallway, cells crammed full of patients stare at her and make inappropriate noises. "Just ignore them Miss, they don't know any better" the guard says to Katrina as he knocks on a wooden door, the name "Warden Henry Ravenwood" on it in gold letters. "Enter" a cold voice calls out, "good luck in there, Miss" the guard says as the door open quickly. The office feels as cold as ice, decorated in shades of gray with pictures of teams of doctors and nurses, on all of the walls "can I help you?" The Warden asks, closing a very thick book that he was writing in and removes his glasses, showing the coldest pair of blue eyes, Katrina has ever seen. "May I sit?" Katrina asks, trying not to show her fear, "you may, but please relax, I'm only here to help you" The Warden says as Katrina delicately sits in a wooden chair, that's against his desk. "I'm not here to receive help for me, I'm here to try and free my fiancé" Katrina announces, knowing that The Warden won't like what she just said. "Free him? Who is you husband that I'm supposed to free?" The Warden questions, standing up and walking slowly over to a very tall cabinet that seems to be stuffed full of papers and files "my husband is Constable Ichabod Crane and he is innocent" Katrina explains, "ah, Constable Crane" The Warden replies and pulls out a very thick folder, that is stuffed full of papers that threaten to spill all over the floor "Mrs.…" The Warden starts, looking through Ichabod's folder "Mrs. Van Tassel" Katrina corrects kindly. "Mrs. Van Tassel, Constable Crane's has lost his state of mind, I fear that his recent work in Sleepy Hallow has destroyed the last of his sanity" The Warden explains, looking at random notes as he speaks to make sure that he is explaining his theory so Katrina will understand it. Katrina feels her anger start to rise at this warden telling her that is fiancé has lost his mind, but then she remembers The Burgomaster's words to her about he would of have her committed if she wasn't needed to take care of the Crane household. Katrina takes a deep breath, "Please. If you would only listen to him, you'll see that he is sane!" Katrina says, practically yelling "Mrs. Van Tassel please, if you don't calm down, I'll have you committed for hysteria" The Warden replies calmly, completely unfazed by Kristina's desperate begging. Katrina stand up angrily, "fine, when are visiting hours?" Katrina demands, gathering her things "Sunday, 8Am to 12PM" The Warden answers, closing Ichabod's folder and putting it back in his file cabinet. "I shall see you soon" Katrina says and quickly exits the office, The Warden smiles as he listens to Katrina's heels clack farther and farther away from him, "I'll have you soon Mrs. Van Tassel, I'll have you soon and make you all better" The Warden says evilly.
End of Chapter One
Chapter Two Preview: Katrina now in her second month of pregnancy, Christmas comes and goes and with The New Year, Katrina with Masbeth decides to go to Anthony's for help with rescuing Ichabod.