Bewitched (Ichabad Crane x Reader)

Chapter 7- Witch

Downstairs, Baltus, Steenwyck, Doctor Lancaster, and Notary Hardenbrook are having another meeting, this time with Lady Van Tassel, Katrina, and Maid Sarah around.

"All right, this time I'll go to New York myself. I won't be fobbed off with amateurs deductors." Baltus says.

Upstairs, Ichabod is pacing while using Y/n's paper bird disk toy since they gave away his to Katrina. "If you keep pacing like that, I'm sure you would make a hole." Y/n says without looking up from her book.

He stops and gets his coat and Y/n's hat. When he walked past her he dropped the hat on top of her head making her get the signal to follow him.

~~~

"This time, it's a magistrate that's dead and..." Baltus was caught off by the sound of Ichabod's voice. They all look up to see him and Y/n on top of the stairs, not that far behind them was Young Masbath. "Gentlemen! I need able men to go with me into the Western Woods." 

"You? We thought you'd shot your bolt." Baltus says in shock.

"I have faced my fears, and come out determined to locate the Horseman's grave. In short, to pit our-self against a murdering ghost. Who's with us?" The three walked down the stairs and Ichabod looked pleased in himself thinking people would go with him, but no one said a word except Young Masbath.

~~~

Ichabod, Y/n, and Young Masbath ride through the woods. It's quiet except for birds and the horse's hooves hitting the ground. The woods have this creepy aesthetic, but the group pushes through it to finish as soon as possible.

Y/n was whispering with Ichabod and Young Masbath started to become curious. "I have a question if you don't mind answering?" This made the two stop and look at the boy.

"How come Sir L/n doesn't talk and when he does it is only with you?" Ichabod looks at Y/n and she thinks for a while before answering the question herself. "It's because I have a secret that can ruin how people view me." 

This surprises Young Masbath, "You are a woman. I'm so sorry that I have mistaken you for a man, I hope you can forgive me?" Y/n shakes her head motioning it to not worry about it. 

"It's alright, but you must not tell anyone about me being a woman since I can get punished or worse. The only other person to know is Katrina and of course Ichabod. Can you promise me Young Masbath?" Y/n looks at the boy with a smile and Young Masbath promises.

Time has passed and the group was still searching for the Horseman's grave. They started reviewing the information they had gathered.

"The Van Garretts, the Widow Winship, your father, Jonathan Masbath, and now Philipse. Something must connect them. Did your father have dealings with the Van Garretts?" Ichabod questions.

"He worked for them. We lived in the coach house. It's nothing." They stopped and the duo started thinking. "But there was something that happened one night, a week before the murder. An argument upstairs between father and son. And my father was later sent for by Mr. Van Garrett."

"An argument between father and son. After which the elder Van Garrett sent for his servant Masbath." Ichabod reviews.

"Listen." Y/n interrupts making them stop again.

"I hear nothing." Ichabod says.

"Nor I." Young Masbath says.

"Exactly. No birds. No crickets. It's all gone so quiet." They all looked around the woods to hear exactly nothing at all.

"Quicken pace." Ichabod says nervously. The horses started walking again, but much quicker than before.

They reach a hill and they stop, hearing a woman singing. They looked down the path to see a cave with a rock archway with doors in the front and a chimney having smoke come out. They shared a fearful look and get off their horses to walk to the cave.

When walking Ichabod grabs Y/n to have behind him and gets Young Masbath to walk in front of him. Ichabod reaches into his coat to pull out a gun and sets the safety off.

They opened the door and saw many candles lit around the cave. A fireplace is lit with a woman with gray hair sitting in front of it, this is The Crone. "Pardon our intrusion, but perhaps you could help us?" Ichabod asked.

"You're from the Hollow." The Crone says.

"Yes, In a way, yes." They slowly walked into the house more, each step being cautious. "I should like to say that we make no assumptions about your occupation. Nor your ways, witch, which, which are nothing to me, whatever you are. Each to his own." Ichabod rambles making Y/n hit him in the shoulder to stop.

The Crone places down a dead bird, a red cardinal, next to her and gets up to look at the group. They couldn't see her face due to the dirty veil covering her face.

"Do you know of the Horseman, ma'am? The Hessian?" They back up as The Crone keeps walking and she draws her finger across her neck. "That'll be him, ma'am."

They turned around about to leave when The Crone placed her hands on Ichabod and Y/n. "You, come with me." Ichabod and Y/n draw in a breath terrified. "Go out, child. Keep away. Whatever you hear, keep away." She leads them deeper into the cave and Young Masbath runs off closing the door behind him.

The Crone sits them down at a table and she walks to the other side grabbing metal cuffs with chains attached and puts them on.

"What might he hear that he must keep away from?" Ichabod asked, but The Crone ignored him. She reaches to them to test the chains and starts grabbing items on the table.

"He rides, to the Hollow and back. I hear him. I smell the blood on him." Smoke started to form.

"Do you? Well, we're here to find him and make him stop" Y/n questions. The Crone grabs a basket and starts shaking it, making the bat inside scream. She dumps the bat on the table and cuts his head off. "You seek knowledge of the netherworld? I can show you." She squeezes out of the bat and soaks the straw with it.

"What are you doing?" Ichabod questions trying to keep his disgust down. 

"Do not move or speak. When the other comes, I will hold him."

"The other?" The two questions.

"Silence. He comes now." The Crone starts breathing in deep and bends down on the table.

"Madam? Madam, do you hear me?" The Crone remains motionless and the two start leaning in closer. Ichabod reaches out and suddenly The Crone sits up, her veil leaving her face and her eyes and tongue popping out. She jumps across the table and pushes Ichabod on the ground, while Y/n jumps back scared.

"You seek the warrior bathed in blood, the Headless Horseman. Follow the Indian trail to where the sun dies. Follow it to the Tree of the Dead. Calm down to the Horseman's resting place." Suddenly The Crone lies on top of him unconscious.

Y/n runs up to Ichabod and pushes The Crone away. She grabs Ichabod and pulls him out of the cave.

"We're leaving." Y/n speaks and walks fast still holding Ichabod's hand.

"What happened?" Young Masbath asked, but they ignored his question. "We're leaving now." Y/n repeats. They got on their horses and left as fast as they could.

"We take the Indian trail to the Tree of the Dead." Ichabod says.

"How will we recognize it?" Young Masbath qustioned.

"Without difficulty, I rather fear. We climb down to the Horseman's resting place." Y/n says.

"His camp?" Young Masbath assumes.

"His grave." Ichabod corrects him.

~~~