White Roses And Moonlit Nights
Chapter One
Present Day Sleepy Hallow
Karen yawned as the car pulled into the driveway of an old Victorian plantation house. She had to admit she wasn't thrilled when her father said he had gotten elected to be mayor of the town. She still remembered the legend as goose bumps invaded her soft and silky skin. The fact that they were going to live where a supposed murderous spook haunts the forest that they happened to live right next to seemed suspicious, but if it made her mother and father happy she would act happy and wear a mask.
The car stopped and Karen stepped out of the car into a storm of fluttering leaves. At least there was nature here. She had hated and despised the concrete foundation of the city life. Golden orange and yellow trees surrounded them as the walked up to the front door that was left wide open due to her younger brother and sisters' race to get the second biggest room.
Karen had just but turned eighteen and had just finished up her last and final year of high school before they had moved. She was a tall brown eyed and haired walking beauty. She got it both from her mother and her father. Her skin was a pearly white color with hints of tan. Back at her old school she used to have a ton of perverted boys stalking her and a lot of the top shots seducing her, as if it worked.
She wondered what the little collage would be like. She said little but comparing it to the town it was the biggest building it had. She hoped they had art classes, after all it seems that was all she could do besides play her piano. She walked in the entrance room and was surprised to see a large living room. Karen tried to find her mother and father but they had seemed to go off to their room to celebrate a tad bit early.
Karen felt cold as if some one had cranked the A.C as if were summer. Karen spotted a little old lady bustling about.
"Excuse me miss?" Karen spoke kindly.
"Oh deary me. You must be Karen! I'm the new Nanny. Nanny Martha you can call me. What can I do for you sweety?" Nanny Martha asked.
"Which room has the best view of the woods?" Karen asked.
"Oh. Come with me. I have the most wonderful spot!" Nanny Martha said happily.
Nanny Martha led Karen up a long and high flight of stairs and down the left wing. She opened up a door on the farthest of the hallway and led her into a sunlit room. The walls were painted a winter blue and was trimmed silver. There was a canopy bed and a walk in closet and even a bathroom of her very own! Yes! She had scored big time and to think it was all hers.
"This will do very nicely. Thanks. I'm sorry for taking away from your work time." Karen apologized.
"Oh it's no trouble at all. These old bones need a rest. I'm surprised you would want this room. Haven't you heard the stories?" Nanny asked.
"Oh those silly old legends. Pfft." Karen said sarcastically.
"Well perhaps I should tell you the story considering I'm from here." Nanny said.
"No. Wait till nighttime to tell me. Oh please won't you?" pleaded Karen.
"Very well Miss Bentley. I will." Nanny said getting up to return to her chores.
Karen saw her leave as men brought up her stuff. They took off their hats and said a howdy do and continued with her other things. She got up to the boxes and opened one up to find her clothes. She opened the one underneath it and started taking the hangers and started the task of putting her clothes away. She was half way done when she heard a knock on her door. It was a soft sweet knock that only a child of six would make.
"Karen aren't you done yet?" Mary asked.
"Now just because mother and father hired some one to help doesn't give you the right to brag about being done first." Karen stated as she pushed her bras into a drawer of her dresser.
"You have a pretty room and guess what?" Mary said excitedly.
"What?" Karen asked bending down to pick up the golden hair child.
"Haha. You're right next to me." The little girl giggled.
"But aren't you afraid when you're not next mom and dad's room?" Karen asked.
"Nope because I have the bravest sister in the world!" Mary screamed as Karen tossed her high into the air.
"Well seeing as you're here you can help me unpack little miss." Karen finally said as Mary started to calm down.
"O.K." She said as she ran over to a box of books.
Hours had gone by before they had finally finished. There was a knock on Karen's door once more. It was her beautiful mother Katy with a bag of take out. She had a litter of Coke and some cups and plates in her hands and tucked underneath her other arm.
"I figured you two had a very good reason for missing dinner." Her mother said with a smirk.
"We are all most done too." Mary said putting away dozens upon dozens of new sketchbooks and art supplies away on a bookshelf.
"Well I'll just leave this stuff hear in case you busy bees get hungry." Their mother said while putting down her load and then walking away.
The girls continued and soon they were done. Karen's room looked neat and tidy except for the remains of the empty moving boxes. Karen went over and picked up the food and checked her watch to see it was midnight. She ran down the stairs into the kitchen to reheat the food and then ran back up only to bump into Nanny along the way.
"Well I was just coming up to tell you the horrific tale of the Headless Horseman. Oh let me help you with that dear." Nanny said as she grabbed the bag of food from Karen.
"Well thanks. Mary and I haven't eaten yet so we'll eat as you tell your tale. Karen said with a bright smile.
The two of them walked up the stairs and back into Karen's room where Mary sat whimpering with Mr. Cotton, her stuffed rabbit, and under the covers. Karen rushed right over to the needy child and held her in her arms.
"What is it my little lamb?" She coaxed.
"I heard a shriek in the woods." Mary said burring her face into Karen's chest.
"Oh that is just a wolf little one." Nanny said serving them their dinner and drinks.
"Thank you." Mary sniffed as she took a big bite of her stir-fry.
" Now do you want to hear the tale of the Headless Horseman?" Nanny asked.
"If I do can I sleep with you tonight sis?" Mary asked.
"But of course you may sweetheart." Karen said taking a bite of her dumplings and hugging her at the same time.
"All right then now how does it go? Ah yes. I remember now. The German back during the Revolutionary War were on the side of Britain and had sent generals of great talk over here to keep the Americans under control. Among those that were sent was a Hessian not there for pay but for the glory of seeing his enemy's blood run into huge puddles. He wore nothing but black amour and he had filed his teeth down into points. He was truly a son of the devil. He and his horse Daredevil rode into battle while he chopped off the heads of many brave soldiers. On day though, his steed was shot and the Hessian ran into the near by forest where he was soon discovered and killed, and then comes the story of Mr. Crane. But I'm not getting into that. What one story is that you young ladies should be well of aware of is the Horseman's longing for love. You see if one should say they feels sorry for him and really mean it he will kidnap the girl and she will never be seen again. It's all true for my little Ashe was taken from me." Nanny said.
"Oh how terrible." Mary said in a little gasp.
"Well good night dears." Nanny called out as she left the room.
A wolf howled in the night and Mary snuggled down into the bed. Karen walked over to the window.
"I feel sorry for him. I truly do." She said.
And with that Karen snuggled down into her bed covers with her sister and fell asleep. Well almost if it wasn't for the yells of helps coming from the woods.