Bewitched {ON HOLD}

2 - Mourning

><><

Evangeline flinched out of her sleep. She fell into a daze while waking up before comprehending her surroundings. She dreamt again of the darkness that befell on Sleepy Hollow. It was always the same dream. A dream of terror and horror - despite that being the basis of the dreams, this time it was surely not a nightmare, for in last night's dream, a figure a man had appeared. The man that she had discovered the night before was the prophecy of Sleepy Hollow's tragedies. The dreams Evangeline had were usually nightmares, however now it was simply a dream. The very presence of the man she saw in her visions emanated a symbol of infectious hope that overcame any terror that manifested in her sleep.  

><><

"A man?" Katrina questioned intrigued as Evangeline told her of the prophecy. "What does that mean?"

Evangeline was relieved that it was puzzling for Katrina as well. Katrina was proof of the only friendship Evangeline had in Sleepy Hollow. Although Baltus would've disapproved, Evangeline and Katrina often engaged themselves in conversations of witchcraft. Katrina was quite adept at witchcraft herself, and Evangeline would often take her under her private tutelage. 

"No idea." Evangeline replied. "Though it should be of no concern."

"And why not?"

"We shouldn't wait around for a miracle to happen. Why isn't father taking action?" 

Katrina was slightly taken aback by Evangeline's aggrieved manner. "He is, Eevie. Father's holding a party to raise spirits during--"

"In a time of mourning, what good is a party?" Evangeline was in disbelief that the village regarded barely a concern or felt a need to fight back. "'Raising spirits'...what is he thinking?"

Katrina winced. "Well I think it's rather good of him to. Imagine having the burden of being the person to address such matters."

Evangeline shook her head and Katrina sighed and bowed her head down in defeat. "Anyway, you're expected to attend, as is everyone else. Will you show up?"

Evangeline excused herself from the table. "We'll see." She grabbed her book and walked out of the estate.

Evangeline found peaceful strolls throughout the village to be calming. Nowadays, no one could be found walking outside in the casual fashion as she was. Evangeline disregarded the stares of the fellow townsfolk, even when they'd shut their windows and retreat away from them. She only thrived in the solitude.

It seemed the town's current state of bleakness was not because of mourning the losses of Peter and Dirk Van Garrett and Emily Winship, but merely out of fear to who was to be next. Although Evangeline never held any great bonds with these fellow villagers, she never thought any of them were deserving towards being slain. It was to her hope that she'd bring an end to the fear of the legend that haunts Sleepy Hollow, and in a possible outcome she would gain honour and respect from the townsfolk.

Evangeline was enjoying her early morning stroll, and was quite shocked when she felt a presence walking beside her. 

"Good morning, Evangeline." A warm smile greeted her.

"Good morning." Evangeline smiled back at Lady Mary Van Tassel, who seemed to have followed her out from the estate.

Lady Van Tassel was one to greet Evangeline with kindness every now and then - she was even supportive and caring. Despite that, she did feel that they were strangers, even in the two years that Lady Mary was married to her father, and treated Evangeline with a strange extent of care. She was another one to treat Evangeline's witchcraft with intrigue rather than disgrace. In fact, their few conversations mainly involved how Evangeline was progressing in her private practice of witchcraft, including suggestions of where to find certain bizarre ingredients for her cauldron.