This short story takes place long before "Elizabeth and the Scarecrow", in which Elizabeth and Harley are still students, and Professor Crane is still at university. Just some Halloween fun and the Disney classic "The Legend of Sleepy Hallow" as well as its literary original by Washington Irving. Enjoy!
Only my OC Elizabeth belongs to me. And the story is named after a song by Woodland, the lyrics present as well.
"Lizzie, they're here!"
She hurried from her bathroom and into the main entrance of the front door she shared with her roommate, wearing her white tank top and dark blue silk briefs, chocolate brown hair wild about her shoulders. Her roommate and best friend since childhood, was in her pink t-shirt and flamingo-printed pajama pants, carrying two big boxes stacked on top of each other. Their orders had arrived after four weeks. Two more to go until Halloween, so right on schedule.
"On time, and about time," Elizabeth Dodson said, taking the top box and laying it on the ground, turning it around at a couple angles until she found the receipt - with HER name on it. Took a little over fifty bucks to pay for each costume on both their parts; let's hope it was worth it.
Harleen Quinzelle squealed as she bounced over to the coffee table, setting down her package and then going into the kitchen to grab two knives, giving her friend one before flouncing down before her package. Elizabeth grinned when she saw the blonde's sheer excitement at opening her box that the brunette decided hers could wait. The dull silver blade sliced through clear duct tape and nimble fingers pulled the cardboard opened to show plastic over - "EEEEE!"
Elizabeth laughed. "Don't laugh so hard, Harl; your pants will fall off," she joked, sitting back on her behind, knees in the air.
Upon the decision of what to go as for the upcoming Halloween party at Gotham State, the two of them decided that they should go as both Swans from the "Swan Lake Ballet": Harley as the innocent and graceful White Swan, Elizabeth as the beguiling and sensual Black Swan. It was perfect given their personalities; it would also be something David would love to see her in. And maybe Harley - her childhood nickname that stayed with her given her entire name could always be changed to mean "harlequin" - could have her luck at a new boyfriend. And maybe if she did try her luck, then she and David could have their luck to have alone time on Halloween during or after the party.
She and he had not taken their relationship to the next level, when he tried several times to ask her if they could take it there. But Elizabeth wasn't ready. It just...wasn't right to rush into it so soon. But he respected her wishes.
"Isn't it divine?" Harley stood up and twirled as she held her ballgown of the Swan Princess against her. Picturesque as the calm, serene lake of the fairytale, fluffy and feminine to fit her. Golden jewels and pearls were sewed over the entire front of the bodice for a lustrous sparkle, as well as a matching necklace; the billowing tulle skirt was tattered at the edges for a natural flow. The straps of the bodice were fashioned with fluttering feathers to give gentle wings. And finally, there was a headdress of flapping feathered wings, suspended with golden filigree and clear crystals. "Oh, Lizzie! I love it! We're going to have all eyes on us!"
Oh, she could just picture her friend as the Princess Odette alright. But while Odette was more refined in nature, Harleen was boisterous and fun-loving. Elizabeth had been so wrapped up in laughing at her blonde friend's joy that she forgot about her own. "Well, what are ya waiting for?" Harley exclaimed. "Let's see yours!"
Hers was that much more edgier and revealing than the other woman's. Her shoulders would be completely bare by the smoky chiffon dress in which the skirt silhouette was slimmer if still billowing, ending at the knees to expose the thigh-high heeled suede boots that came with the dress. Black feathers were placed at the tops of the long satin gloves that ended next to the top of the corset, which also had feathers. The corset itself was inlaid with black brocade and silver jewels. Completing the look was a beaded black choker and a beautiful silver filigree circlet set with three lavender gems. Her breath caught in her throat.
David will LOVE this.
Another thought crossed her mind. Will Professor Crane like this?
~o~
Two weeks later...
Halloween. The liveliest time of the year for him. He certainly looked forward to it every year.
That meant fresh young faces to hunt down for his lab the next time. But tomorrow night he looked forward to the Halloween party - only because Dr. Long invited him. And personally, Misses Dodson and Quinzelle, two of his best students who actually took his courses more seriously out of the rest. Harleen was still on the hunt for a date of her own, he heard, but Elizabeth's had...left her hanging and told her he would not be able to make it. She would have to find someone else.
It angered him that Elizabeth's beau had to leave her that way. Who knew what he was up to behind her back, for sure - he knew young men like that all of his life. He felt his lip curl as he found himself looking down at David Wallis' grade record. It was low as expected, but the last time he had spoken to his parents - two important members of the Board - he had been given a warning. He'd be forced to give the boy a B at most to avoid another threat to his position. Dr. Long had backed him thus far, but if there was a way to take care of that boy and his parents himself...
Right now, his initial concern was the girl and her blonde friend who were coming up to him. He gave them both a smile. "Miss Dodson, Miss Quinzelle. A pleasant surprise."
"Professor Crane," they both said in unison, and the blonde girl had her lone part.
"Are you doing anything after the Halloween party tomorrow night?"
Crane lifted an eyebrow. "I believe given it is a Friday night, I will be heading home afterwards, relieved to have gotten away after the long night..." That is not what either of them were inquiring, his mind snapped at him.
Harleen laughed and waved her hand. A red silk oleander flower printed scarf was draped over her shoulders, shown off against her black sweater and denims. As for her brunette friend, Miss Elizabeth was in an opened brown sweater over an orange shirt and matching pants, finished with leather boots and exotic embellishment on those as well as the front of her blouse. She and her friend were both in more spirit of Halloween than any others around them - in spirit, more than just to party. It was the one night, according to tradition, where the many of the unknown gathered out to celebrate fiendishly.
"Professor, that's not what we mean," Elizabeth said, laughing. "What we meant was if you're not too busy afterwards, and since we have nothing better to do after the fun - would you like to have a movie night with us?"
Jonathan Crane was at a loss for words. The pen in his hand fell to the surface of the paperwork after his spidery fingers loosened their hold. "A...movie night?" he repeated, gobsmacked. "Girls, this is - I don't know - this can't be appropriate!" On the other hand, it can't be trouble. Nothing but harmless fun, and nothing terrible will happen. But how long had it been since he enjoyed anyone's company? When would he get a chance like spending Halloween with two of his best students who didn't crawl into his lap for an A?
Harleen was leaning over, but not in the sense to show what was under her blouse, as there was nothing really to show. Her lower lip stuck out in a pout. "Aww, come on, please? It's just some after-party fun and shrieks. You like horror, don't cha, Professor?"
He swallowed. Of course he did, but what good horror did not involve fake-out gore and chainsaws, innards spilled and the likes? "Girls, honestly, you can't expect me, an old fool," he tried to say, sitting back a distance behind his desk. He really ought to be going; the school day had ended, after all, "to enjoy a movie on Halloween with you!"
Now it was Elizabeth's turn to lean over. "It's nothing you won't hate, Professor," she insisted, eyes glittering mischievously. "Let's say it's...right up your alley." Her eyes fell downwards to his desk, where his first edition copy of Irving's Sleepy Hollow lay. Now he had the feeling things would be pleasant after all. Jonathan finally let himself smile as he felt it light his eyes up.
Maybe it wouldn't be a terrible idea, after all.
~o~
"Ladies, what a joy!" Dr. Long exclaimed as he beheld the sight of the two beautiful young women in their elaborate costumes, each contrasted nicely with the other. Harleen as the Swan Princess herself while Elizabeth was her seductive counterpart, the Black Swan - just marvelous. "The two of you lovely ladies are going to melt hearts tonight!" the dean went on to praise, but while Harley was nothing but gushing, Elizabeth paid more of her attention to the rest of the crowd in their different costumes, taking in with disgust how much of the female side of the crowd chose to go for more vile, low-key, revealing garments like nurses, zombies, cheerleaders - she could go on forever.
The college crowd was not that much better than it was in high school. Why would it be? she thought with a snort.
Bruce would not be here tonight, as he was hosting a Halloween party at Wayne Manor tonight, or maybe at some hotel - he was busy so much these days, he might even find some blonde floozy or someone to bring back upstairs with him as soon as he was finished. Maybe introduce her to the latest seasonal cocktail prepared by Alfred, or an expensive purchase of a brand by his own money. Maybe nothing like the homemade pumpkin cider Elizabeth made herself that was also one of her late grandmother's best recipes. Harley's cooking was vast more phenomenal.
"Dr. Long," Elizabeth said to the director of the university, smiling lightly, "we should go enjoy the fun, if you would kindly excuse us."
He smiled in return. "Of course. I apologize. Enjoy the night, ladies."
"Lizzie," Harley said as soon as they were alone now, but still surrounded by their classmates and some being their friends - if not the best of friends as they were - as well as staff who were, too, dressed in costumed spirit. There was one in particular that she searched high and low for as she and Harley danced together before they would ever get to the big dance where they had to grab another partner...
"Professor!" she called out when she saw him, as one of the few teachers not in a costume. He wasn't in his lab coat, either, but his tweed suit could easily mark him as a man from the 1940s or something. Either way, it was...cute? She should not say such a thing, but could she help it? He might not be rock star handsome as her missing boyfriend, but he wasn't ugly in her book. Some of the girls in class called him so; her ears were better than anyone else thought. "There you are," she said when she stood before him, taking a few breaths to calm herself. "You look...appropriate." She almost hit herself. Idiot, why did you say that? she scolded herself, but he was smiling.
Also: why am I the only one besides Harley to make him really smile?
"Elizabeth, should I make a guess?" he asked, holding his champagne glass close to him as he looked her over, taking in her smoky black garb and her hair held up painfully with unseen clips to give it flawless appeal. "Black...Dove?" He chuckled at the look on her face when she guessed wrong. "Swan, then. I have seen your friend about. Swan Lake opposites, if I am not mistaken."
Grinning, she dipped her body as well as her head, then gave her body a twirl. There was no way this could be called inappropriate. What was in the sense of a student showing herself innocently off to her professor and favorite teacher? "Correct," she answered, and then there was the announcement of the partnership. Her mind snapped. "Oh, Professor, I'm sorry to ask, but I don't have a...dance partner," she said nervously, looking up at him and seeing his posture stiffen; his grip on his half-down glass must have tightened as well.
"Child, I do not dance."
The way he said it was deadly serious, but there was the final calling of everyone onto the dance floor that there was no time to debate. She reached for his champagne and put it down. "Please, we can talk about that later. You're my last hope!" she said as she pulled him onto the floor with her. He protested and nearly stumbled on his feet before they assumed the position and began to the music that began to play. It was a rich tune with a flute and a soft drumroll. The words to follow were just as enchanting.
Climb like a mandrake from the garden,
rise with thy besom and return.
Arise and bear her sigil upon thy heart, tonight
for the witches cross in memory burns,
the time has come for her return.
for the witches cross forever burns,
the time has come for our return.
"See, you're dancing," she said with a smile as she looked up at him, deep into his dark eyes. However, he didn't smile, which made her frown. "What's the matter?"
"I don't know why I allowed you to drag me into this," he replied, still scowling down into her eyes, but - was there even the slightest hint of a grin if not on his face? The more Elizabeth looked into her teacher's eyes, the more she saw something...darker. Something that she'd never seen before. It made her want to turn into a puddle on the dancefloor.
Awake in the arms of lovely venus,
the tide of the age has finally turned.
Arise and speak the secret names tonight,
for the witches cross at midnight burns,
the time has come for our return.
for the witches cross forever burns,
the time has come for our return.
Thank goodness the lights had turned black and left the colorful lights on. If anyone saw the way they were leaning into each other now, holding onto each other more and more, under the influence of the song's spell...
Wind and water,
and fire and stone,
forge thy lovers,
sacred bones.
Wind and water,
and fire and stone,
the witches seeds
by night are sown.
She wasn't supposed to be...burning under his hand which held onto her back and held her close to his body - upon realizing this himself, he shifted a short distance away from her just to give everyone around them - anyone watching them - the right idea instead of the wrong one. They were teacher and student, not two adolescents under the magic spell of this holiday as it did to most teenagers and adults. Even he knew that. Jonathan Crane was a proud, dignified man who knew his limits. And Elizabeth Dodson was a young woman, practically still fresh in college and with a boyfriend. And just because he wasn't here tonight didn't mean she should start...turning her eyes on someone else. She'd promised to stay with him only; that was how she'd always seen in relationships and your first love.
Dance in the mystery of moonlight,
cast now the circle with each turn.
Break the shackles of a fallen age, tonight,
for the witches cross in triumph burns,
the time has come for her return.
for the witches cross forever burns,
the time has come for our return.
The tempo picked up as did their pace, despite her heeled boots. Their bodies began to move in harmony against the crowd of fellow students and teachers who had their partners, and who knew where Dr. Long and Harleen were with theirs. She stopped thinking altogether and instead focused on Jonathan only, closing her eyes and allowing herself to move against him, without stemming too much along the stalk of inappropriate.
"You're a...marvelous dancer," Crane whispered to her, leaning close enough to speak to her as the music and voices of those around them drowned out much of any conversation they would have which wasn't meant to be. But he had to make this one compliment to her - or was it really?
Rise from the ashes of sorrow
Alive walks the memory of the land
Live the hopes and prayers of the fallen, tonight
For the witches cross in moonlight burns
the time has come for her return
for the witches cross forever burns,
the time has come for our return.
"Maybe we should stop this dance," she said suddenly, "find Harley and leave if this gets too far."
He stared down at her for a moment before nodding. "I suppose you are right."
~o~
He had not had any alcohol much in his system besides that one glass, until Elizabeth came up to him. Who could ever forget the sight of her in that...scandalous costume? With her rich hair swept off her face to show it painted opaque white with a soft blush to her cheeks, the silver-lined midnight black wings around her eyes - which were shadowed with gold, the obviously fake eyelashes making her chocolate orbs look bigger - and her lips painted dramatic dark red...
...and he had been falling under her spell.
He would never, EVER allow something like that to happen again. They had come so close to - he could not even finish that sentence. But he did not need to tell her that couldn't happen again. And yet...she was so shamelessly beguiling. That young fool of hers has no idea what he abandoned.
The night was still young when they parted ways, going to her and Harleen's dorm room, and he to his apartment near the campus grounds. He felt he should change into something more...comfortable for whatever the girls had planned for the night. It must not be that much. If they said it was The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, then it would be worth his while.
Since he was a boy, he was often called "Ichabod Crane", besides "scarecrow". At first he had no idea who this "Ichabod" was until he happened across the copy of Irving's works in the school library. To his pleasant surprise, he liked the story itself and the man he was compared to in physical appearance and demeanor...until his unpleasant demise left to open-ended questions, and his adversary got the woman of his affections. Young Jonathan could never forget his outrage.
Elizabeth loved the tale herself, even thought it a great "coincidence" that he looked like Ichabod, which irritated him but made her laugh. But it was charming, on her part. She fancies the poor fellow as I, he thought with satisfaction.
Wearing a collared shirt and suspenders, his coat wrapped around himself to protect him from the cold October night, Crane strolled the streets of the area of the university. He took in the pumpkins and their various classic horror faces, as well as other characters from this diabolical holiday, the colorful leaves littering the streets as well as the children in their costumes. His grandmother would always call Halloween as a sinful occasion. He never wore a costume - and never would he for this occasion. He had an identity, but he would not pull it out tonight.
Since ancient times, it was whispered that spirits and goblins, witches and demons would come out for their mischief, frighten the littlest soul - but nothing about their sacred night scared Jonathan Crane. He would show them that they should fear HIM.
He found the girls' dorm without trouble. Elizabeth answered it, of course, surprising him altogether when she was no longer in her costume, and her makeup cleaned off to show her natural fair cream. Her brown curls were free over one shoulder, and she was in a black velvet lounge set. "Professor," she said with a smile. "You're right on time." She stepped aside for him. Her and Harleen's place was decorated minimum, with candelabras and some small pumpkins in all colors and sizes in bowls about - one real pumpkin was carved clean and lit from inside...showing the Headless Horseman. There was also a making of Halloween cookies with the faces of jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and bats, and black cats. Both girls had excellent talents.
And of course, Elizabeth herself personally made pumpkin cider. And not a bad taste, either. "So...what have you girls tonight?" Jonathan asked as he joined them, Harley herself in a red hoodie and pants set, blonde hair in a ponytail.
What the girls showed him was an utter unexpected shock altogether. He never thought he'd see an animated movie of all things! He tried to object before Elizabeth hushed him and forced him back into his seat.
"Please, it's not as bad as you think. If it makes you feel better," she offered sweetly, "it's faithful to Irving's original. This was the first one I ever saw before his classic in high school."
That was enough for him to sit by. And as the first several minutes passed, Crane found himself...infatuated by the lush imagery of the town called Sleepy Hollow, everything Irving described. Especially in this time of year. And as for Ichabod himself, he was everything described in the story: tall, exceedingly lank, and so on. Even described to look like a "scarecrow eloped from the cornfield". Upon arrival from Connecticut, he was looked on with wide-eyed interest, proved to have an appetite despite his skeletal frame, even a fine ladies' man - all of which Jonathan Crane wasn't.
Sometimes he envied Ichabod for having those attributes.
He was a rather strict teacher, like Jonathan himself, administering the rod when it was deemed, but at the same time, he was not cruel, for he proved to be favored by his students - and eventually, his life was turned upside down when his attention befell on the beautiful young Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. He had fallen in love with the fair "coquette" - and such an appropriate term, for it could mean many things for a female to lead a man on the way she did.
By this time, the ambitious schoolmaster himself found his head clouded with the thoughts of marrying the innocent Miss Van Tassel and likewise inheriting her father's gold mine of a farmland. How Jonathan himself already knew the end to that one. Put to mind one certain blonde who led his heart the wrong way. Shameless vixen, he sneered of her.
As for Brom Bones, Harley cheered the man as he was "tall, dark and handsome", getting a frown from both him and Elizabeth. He made no secret of voicing the buffoon Bones who wanted nothing more than to have Ichabod Crane nailed to his own schoolhouse wall - maybe not those same words, but it tied nicely. The lanky schoolmaster and the brawny town hero competed mercilessly for the heart of Katrina, all other competition eliminated if not in the literal sense.
"Muscle man has nothing so far of the intelligent smaller man," Elizabeth said with a raise of her cider glass to the television screen. All the lights were shut off, save for the candelabras and smaller candles to give some comfort when it came to the fun Halloween party at the Van Tassel farm, Ichabod becoming the man of the hour with Katrina on his hand, and ol' Brom Bones brooding that he lost to his rival...until they had gotten to the best part, to which poor Harley scooched behind him for "protection". He chuckled and shook his head as he kept his attention on the rest of the movie with Elizabeth reaching behind to pat her for assurance.
"Tonight at the witching hour, ghosts and banshees get together for their nightly jamboree. There are some with horns, fangs and wild eyes. Some are fat, some are thin - and some don't even wear their SKIN!"
In perfect timing, the opening of the window - and ironically, so did the window that had been cracked behind the TV - flew open, and a great gush of wind howled in. Harley screamed along with an unseen woman in the movie, whilst Ichabod Crane dove for cover by pulling curtains around him as his rival dove right into the tale of the Headless Horseman, killed during the Revolutionary War - and he was "the worst because he's the one that is cursed."
Elizabeth got up to close and lock the window before coming back to them. All three of them knew the story of the Headless Horseman and his quest to find a new head - to which the unfortunate Ichabod Crane found himself targeted for, ultimately disgraced by his rival for Katrina Van Tassel's heart. The journey to follow back home was nothing much compared to the original tale, with the exception of his exceeding melancholiness as the hour grew late. The bewitching hour - and the night IT happens.
Throughout the lonely ride, it seemed...humorous enough, as he laughed in spite of himself with the girls up to the point when Ichabod grabbed the cattails that had given him the false lead it was the Horseman's horse's hooves galloping after him and his horse, the two of them sharing a laugh...until the real Headless Horseman showed up, demonic red-eyed horse rearing, sword raised along with the flaming pumpkin head serving as a substitute. A substitute which he was bored of and had found a new candidate in Ichabod Crane.
"Oh, look out!" Harley shrieked, covering her face again. "He's gonna get him!"
Just in time for the flaming pumpkin to fly in the poor man's way - and in eye line of the viewers'.
This was what Jonathan always hated, even though what became of the schoolmaster was open-ended - whether or not he was still alive and married to a wealthy widow, but others said he was spirited away by the dreaded Headless Horseman - while his adversary triumphantly took the fair Katrina as his wife. In Irving's tale, it was suspected he played a part in Ichabod Crane's disappearance.
Overall, Professor Jonathan Crane liked this animated adaptation from the late forties...much better than he thought he would. He turned to look at both women on either side of him. "I suppose I should thank you both for this. Tonight has been far grander than I realized..." His sentence was left hanging when he noticed that only half an hour had passed. "Goodness, it's not that late!"
Elizabeth laughed. "If you want more time, Professor, we have another great retelling of Irving's tale planned for you."
"Oh? Do tell."
"One directed by Tim Burton and stars Johnny Depp as well as Christina Ricci. Dark, grisly, and beautiful if albeit redone a little." And not for the squeamish Harley.
I also grew up with Swan Lake and the animated movie, "The Swan Princess". :) The costumes of Odette (White Swan) and Odile (Black Swan) I found on deviantart, made by Lillyxandra who makes such fantastic fantasy and wedding costumes.
The movie directed by Tim Burton and stars Johnny Depp is another favorite adaptation of "Sleepy Hollow" I call a favorite. :) Read and review.