Roran took a step back as the fog swirled around her, the lightening kept flashing, then she heard it, hoofbeats. They were running, she could hear them, but could not see where they came from. She had lost her own horse and had been wandering around the forest, and now, night had fallen.
Out of the fog, came a mounted figure, she turned and ran through the trees. It wasn't wise to leave the path, but a horse couldn't easily weave through the trees. Her cloak caught on a few branches as she ran, her heart pounding in her ears. Her long black hair got tangled on a branch that had hit her in the face, scratching her.
She pulled, but it remained tangled, then she heard the hoofbeats again, but this time a voice as well. A man stood beside her now, "It's alright," he told her grabbing the branch she was caught on and snapping it. "Come! Quickly!" the strange man told her forcefully.
Roran followed him, the beats coming closer. She turned and sae the headless figure riding towards them, sword drawn. Roran felt a hard tug on her arm and found herself being lifted onto the back of a horse. "Hold on!" the man yelled kicking the horse.
The horse bounded off so suddenly that she had almost lost her grip and fell off. She was able to catch a hold on his coat and pull herself closer to the stranger so that she didn't fall. Roran looked back as she wrapped her arms around the mans waist, the headless horseman was gaining on them!
"Faster!" she shouted but quickly quieted herself realizing that she had just shouted in his ear. "He's gaining on us!" she told him urgently. Just as she heard the sword being tossed about behind them, ready to take a swing at their necks, the trees vanished. They had reached the town! But the horseman still followed!
The man directed the horse towards the churchyard, once they arrived, he quickly jumped off pulling her with him and the horse ran off. "Come!" he shouted again to her pulling her arm towards the church. "Inside!"
Once inside, the man let go of her and shut the doors, looking out the window. "We're safe in here...for now." He then looked back to the girl and stopped in his tracks. He had just now gotten a look at her in the light, and she was quite beautiful.
"Are you sure?" she asked moving passed him and looking out the window herself. Sure enough, the horseman could not cross the gates. Satisfied, she turned back to him, she could say for herself that he was rather good looking. "Thank you." she whispred looking him over.
"You're very welcome," he gave a shadow of a smile. "I am...Ichabod Crane." he informed her swallowing hard.
"Roran Tranlessa," she nodded. "I am very glad to have met you Mr. Crane. If there is anyway that I could repay you..."
"Please, just call me Ichabod," he answered, "There is no need of repaying."
Roran smiled, "But I have to give you something, it is the law. A small token of my gratitude." she told him kissing his cheek.
Ichabod blushed a little and opened his mouth to say something, but was distracted. A man came from around the corner of the church. "You have lead the horseman here!" he exclaimed.
"You have brought death upon us this night!" the man continued, stepping in front of the window. Just then, something crashed through the window, blood of the man slattered on the floor, and he was dragged through the window.
Roran shut her eyes letting loose a small scream as she turned away. She covered her head with her hands, and heard a loud thump beside her. Reluctantly, she looked over and saw that Ichabod lay on the floor.
"Ichabod!" she screamed dropping beside him, only to find that he had fainted at the sight of the blood. He had a few drops of it on his face. Roran ripped a peice of cloth from her shirt and dabbed it on his face. "Ichabod...wake up...don't leave me here..." she said in a weak voice.
The sound of hoofbeats reached her ears again and she cringed looking out the window. It was close to dawn, and the horseman was riding back into the forest. She sighed in releif turning back to Ichabod and kissing his now clean forehead. "You saved me..."
Ichabod stirred, it took him a moment to realize what had happened, and looking around, felt slightly embarressed. Roram smiled down at him. He had been moved to a bed in her own house. "Glad to have you back, Mr. Ichabod Crane." She wiped a damp cloth over his brow again.
Now in full realization, he asked her. "What happened, with the horseman?" he tried to sit up, but Roram kept him down.
"Rest a little, I'll tell you the story." she sighed. "The horseman is after me. He will not rest...usually I can get through the forest before he comes, but I lost my horse...and later my way. I felt that I was close to him, and knew that if I was able to find the tree, that I could find my way back to the town. But I was too late in finding it...he came for me."
"Why is he after you?" Ichabod stirred. "Why you?"
Roran looked down and let him sit up a little more. "I don't know," she lied. She knew exactly why the horseman was after her.