Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Chapter 2
Lieutenant Mills sat at a table in the vault, studying the book from the Frederick's house. "Crane, look at this."
"Yes, Leftenant?" He said moving over to Abbie.
"It looks like someone kept up this book after the house was abandoned. The last entry is from 1867."
"That is indeed odd." He said approaching the desk at which she sat. Looking over her shoulder, he inspected the page.
"It would seem that the house took in wounded soldiers and some going home."
In the back of the book a corner of paper, heavier and more yellowed than those of the book, had dislodged from among the other pages. Ichabod pulled it out. "As is this."
"What is it?"
"A family tree, beginning with Grace."
"The Fredericks' housekeeper?"
"Yes. Look how far it continues" He commented handing it to Abbie.
"That's well past the last inhabitants of the house. And look at the handwriting, the later names are written the same way as the first few."
Ichabod had been looking at the back of the paper intently then went over to the table where the book lay.
"Crane what are you doing?"
"There's ink marks on the back of that paper which means there was another behind it." After flipping through the pages he pulled out another loose page. He skimmed it quickly then stopped dead at the bottom of the page. "Leftenant, is your firstname Grace?"
"Yeah. How do you..?" She turned inquisitively to face him. He was holding the new page out to her that the continued family tree was visible. She got up and took the paper from him. Beside her name, Grace Abigail Mills, was that of Jennifer Mills. She was a part of this family tree; she was therefore descended from Grace, the housekeeper of Fredrick's Manor who had delivered Ichabod's daughter. "Crane."
"I found something equally odd in the ledger." He was gazing intently at the last used pages of the ledger, and continued without providing a response. "All these later entries are in Lachlan's hand. See, its exactly the same as in the beginning.."
"Crane."
"Yes, Leftenant?"
"Does this really mean what I think it means?" Ichabod nodded silently. "I think we should go back to Frederick Manor."
"I can not, I need answers from Katrina. I need to know what happened." His face was begging desperately. She however also needed answers and those could not be found in the old Crane resident.
"Well, I'm going back. I'll see you tomorrow then." She got up, taking the book and the papers with her, and immediately returned to Frederick Manor in her car. Upon entering she sat down in an ancient armchair the book in her lap. There she waited for Grace.
"You wish to speak to me? I was expecting you."
"Am I actually..?"
"One of my descendants, yes, by my eldest daughter. Infact the latest in the line of eldest daughters which entitles you to something else." She waved her hand and the thud of a book falling from the nearby shelves echoed while the book skidded across the floor to Abblie's feet. "You see Mister Lachlan was not the only one in this house who had powers. That book was passed to me by my mother, it contains a form of magic from her home country."
"And this is mine now?"
"Yes it is."
"Why are you still here?" Abbie inquired.
"A few years after Katrina's baby was born, the Sisterhood of the Radiant Heart came here in search of them. Lachlan tried to dissuade their efforts. His attempts only served to anger them. They cast a curse upon this house that kept him and his powers from ever leaving the sanctuary of his own home, I was caught in this as well. And so it is that we remain in this place and care for any who come for safety."
"You and he continue the ledger."
"Take the book, darling, you may have use for it sooner than you think. Now, go." Abbie got to her feet and made her way out onto the gravel driveway. Looking back to the house she saw two figures in the front window. Then she hurriedly went to where she suspected Crane to be. She thought she now had some knowledge to give him that would prove useful.
Meanwhile Ichabod took off on foot the remains of his old home. Making his way down the passage to the room where he had seen Katrina, he sat on the bed and waited. It was not until the ghostly figure of Katrina appeared seated beside him. "Hello, Ichabod. You wished to speak to me no doubt."
"What happened, Katrina? What happened to you and our daughter?"
"Lachlan and Grace would come to check on us regularly. There came a time when they hadn't come for so long, I thought to go see them. It was the first time we had left the safety of this place. I brought Abigail with me, reluctant to leave her alone, we wore protective amulets to aid in disguising our presence. The coven was laying in wait for us just outside of Lachlan's home. I wasn't able to fend all of them off."
"But, Lachlan?"
"They must have done something to keep him from aiding me. He didn't come out, he just watched from a window. I was defeated, they locked us away in Purgatory."
"So she's with you at least?"
"No." She hid her face in her hands and sobs began to rack her semi-transparent body as she went on. "We somehow became separated. Oh, Ichabod, I lost her! I lost our baby girl!" She reached for him and he for her, yet as they touched in an embrace the substance of her began to fade.
"Katrina!"
"I'm sorry, Ichabod" She appear as but the lightest wisp of smoke before him.
"Katrina!" He was once again alone in the chamber. Standing and beginning to pace his head swam with more questions than answers. Gradually he noticed a small sound from nearby his former position. Looking in that direction he saw a very young girl, in child's dress from the time of the revolution, seated on the small bed. She rocked back and forth, holding tightly to the doll which had lain upon the pillow, crying with tears streaking down her pink face. Interjected among the sobs were pleas for her momma.
"Momma? Where are you, Momma? Momma!" She cried falling back into tears.
Ichabod knelt down next to the bed. "Its alright, sweetie, you'll be alright." She didn't seem to be able to hear him, lost in her own world. "Just hold on, my darling girl." By simply looking at the young girl, Ichabod could tell her identity. She had his own lighter hair and Katrina's eyes her features were a soft youthful mixture of theirs.
"Crane!" Lieutenant Mills' voice drew the child out of herself.
With an intake of breath the little girl began fading quickly, fear evident on her face, the doll fell onto the bed. "No, Abigail, wait!"
"I gather you weren't talking to me." Lieutenant Mills asked entering the chamber.
"No, I was not."
"Did you talk to Katrina?"
"Yes."
"And... what else?" She asked.
"My daughter. They're not together there. There's a three year old lost and alone in Purgatory." Abbie placed a hand briefly on his shoulder. "Did you speak with Grace?"
"Yeah, and I think I've got something that might be helpful."
"What might that be, a witch?"
"Possibly something like that, I'm really not sure yet."
"What do you mean by that?"
"She gave me this book, it apparently holds magic spells."
"Brought over from Africa no doubt. We should go back to the vault and get a good look at that book."
"Okay." Crane went through the door and down the corridor, a little too eager to leave the small earthen room. Somewhat taken aback by the suddenness of Crane's leap to action Abbie was late in following. At her first step after him, her way was impeded by the sudden apparition of Katrina, directly in her path.
"You look just like her, you know."
"Like who?"
"Grace." Looking at the book Abbie still held, she continued. "It would seem that your appearance is not the only thing the two of you share."
"You mean this?" Abbie asked holding out the book.
"Every land has its own form and name for a wielder of magic. For most the power goes hand-in-hand with healing."
"So, I'm a witch?"
"Yes and no. This form does require magical ability but most of the power is held within the words themselves. With the form contained here the correct term would be something similar to medicine-woman."
"How do you-"
"Leftenant?"
"Remember, despite what you may have heard, covens never fully disappear. Look after him." Katrina said in farewell as she began quickly fading.
"There you are. Haven't you moved? Come on." Shaking her head in some amusement she followed him back out.