Categories > Movies > Sleepy Hollow > Creature of darkness
The German had a revelation; He quite liked to listen to Embeth talk about her life before she came here.
None of it really interested him but still he was happy to listen if it meant she would possibly grow to like him.
So most nights they would sit at the table and Embeth would strike up a conversation he liked to hear her laugh it was something he lacked in his life and in his afterlife up til now.
Only one night she asked a question he hadn’t wanted to hear....She asked about his life before the war.
What were you like before.... you know...
She started, wondering whether to continue.
The war? Where did you live?
He sighed, Embeth picked up on the mood right away fearing he would suddenly jump up and hurt her.
But he didn’t he stayed were he were, he were still but she could tell he were agitated by the way he polished one of his daggers, fast, and brutally all the while not even looking at the weapon instead he stared at the table almost like he was trying to look right through it.
It seemed an age before he looked up at her.
His features had darkened but not in anger as she had expected.
He seemed sad.
He looked human....
Gelnhausen he answered sounding distant after the long silence.
You don’t need to say anymore if you don’t want to she told him gently, regretting asking in the first place.
Embeth, he told her with a sigh, the arrangement?
I know you don’t want to do it; But sometimes people do what they don’t want.
And I don’t want to talk about my life.
He paused before adding; but I will.
What she did next surprised him, she got up from the far end of the table and moved her chair around it, placing it directly next to his.
She sat down and gingerly put out her hand to rest gently on his arm. He flinched at her touch.
He didn’t like to be touched by anyone but never the less he said nothing about it figuring it were a damn good improvement from how she had been around him in the not so distant past.
While he tried to think of what to say he stared at her hand, taking in the detail, her skin was so pretty and pale, her touch was barely felt. He could see the veins beneath her skin. Her fingernails were slightly uneven in length.
Embeth waited patiently, she didn't want to push him.
Finally he began to speak he started slowly, probably regretting every word.
He explained how before he were sent to the Americas he had lived quite contentedly in a single story house, hand built by his father.
His family had plenty of money and a good name but they lived happily in the small house.
He was the eldest of 4 children.
He had loved spending time with his 3 brothers and one sister.
His father, Oskar were a blacksmith; It were he who gave him his sword after he had designed it.
Some would say Oskar were the best blacksmith in the country.
But he was a humble man and never let himself think in that way.
His mother Helga- a simple florist, she loved flowers.
He remembered in the spring how he would take his little sister Anna into the fields surrounding their house to pick flowers for their mother.
He smiled a strange smile which made him look as if he were in pain rather than reliving a fond memory.
He never really got along with his brothers; one intent on becoming a blacksmith like his dad, the other wanting to study law.
Did you intend to be a soldier? Embeth asked him.
He shook his head, No, I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that time.
He paused momentarily.
I had heard from villagers Frederick the second was requesting men to be sent overseas to fight.
I had been interested in weaponry and combat but it had only been a playful interest, Had I known then how my life would have unfolded I would not have signed myself up.
He paused for a few moments trying to decide whether or not to tell her the entire truth about his past.
Reasoning with himself about the fact he were going to marry the girl in front of him he might tell her.
Embeth, there was a girl too...
A girl a year younger than I was, our fathers were friends and it had been arranged that we should meet; and in time marry.
She was a pleasant girl, not the prettiest girl I had seen but she seemed quiet and benevolent. I could have done worse so I agreed to give it a try.
We courted for almost a year before we decided to marry.
And did you?
He laughed bitterly; I’m going to get to that in a moment.
From his reaction to the question Embeth imagined the answer would be no.
I grew to like her very much. her name was Beatte.
When I eventually signed myself up she became angry with me; accused me of doing it to avoid marrying her.
I’d hoped she would be pleased to marry a soldier; many women had a liking for us.
For a short time he said nothing so as to give Embeth the chance to take in the information he continued after a minute or 2 of silence.
After talking about it at great lengths she seemed to come around; promised to write me every day while I was away......and she did, for 2 years she wrote without fail.
Then I was given leave for a week.
I left almost as soon as I heard.
I didn’t tell any of my family....or Beatte; I planned to surprise her.....marry her before I came back to fight.
When I arrived home, my family were pleased to see me.
But Beatte seemed slightly disinterested in my company; claiming to have some mystery illness but still she wanted to marry me....or so she said.
He paused again but only for 20 seconds or so.
2 days later I received a letter commanding me to go back to war as many of the men had been slain or otherwise injured so badly they couldn’t fight....
they needed as many men as they could get.
So regrettably I had to tell Beatte I didn’t have time for the wedding on this visit but would marry her just as soon as I came back.
She got angry.
She told me I didn’t love her, didn’t want to marry her and was lying about having to go back to war. said it was to get away from her and in the heat of the argument I told her it was all true.
I didn’t mean it, But I lost my temper.
I left and went back as instructed.
The week after, I received a letter from my father.
He stopped, his face darkened. Embeth told him he mustn’t continue if it upset him so.
No; I have to tell the full story now I’ve started.
The letter was written in anger; my father accusing me of bringing shame upon the family they had been ostracised from their social circle....apparently the surrounding towns were talking about the Von Faust scandal....
Von Faust? Is that your family name?
He felt like kicking himself for blurting it out; he hadn’t intended to mention his name.
He sighed in defeat,
Ja, I am or at least...was one of them.
I like that name she said truthfully but with the feeble idea of attempting to cheer him up even just a little.
We was so wrapped up in telling his story and the bitter memories he completely ignored the compliment.
The scandal was this; I had gotten Beatte in the family way....pregnant and then left for war when I found out, refusing to marry her because of it.
Embeth was shocked, Was..is...it true? She asked him.
He shook his head, No. I didn’t even touch her in that way.
It’s obvious she lay with someone else and expected to escape the shame by marrying me before I could found out.
Then when we’d been married she would no doubt have told me about the pregnancy and have me believe the child was mine.
But when the wedding did not go on as she expected, she knew it would probably have been far too late to hide her condition by the time I returned....so she lied, said it was mine and I had left her that way.
Didn’t your family believe you? Embeth asked feeling sympathy for him.
I don’t think they did....or if they did, they couldn’t make the rest of the neighbouring villages believe it so decided to disown me;
My father had written that I had better not return to them as he would have a weapon ready if I did...Those were his exact words.
Your own father said that? She asked incredulously.
He did.
But he was your father....he should have supported you!
He smirked, You didn’t know him.....
He might have been humble when it concerned his work.....But as for the family name.....He was proud of our bloodline and did not take kindly to anything which threatened it.
Oh, I’m so sorry....Really I am.
I can’t imagine how it must feel to have your family turn their backs on you.
Grateful for Embeths caring nature he felt more comfortable with sharing the rest of his history.
That’s when I started to become who I am.....I trained harder, became meaner......I used fighting to shed the anger and hatred inside me.
I wanted nothing more to do with people. So As well as fighting so well.....I altered the way I looked to become even more fearful.
I loved feeling so powerful, so feared....I felt untouchable.
I had intended to return to my hometown to seek revenge on Beatte and find the bastard who impregnated her.
The battle went on for years, and finally one day I met my death...
In a strange sort of way when the blade was upon me I welcomed death wanting to cut the ties with humanity.....
As you can see; that is not what happened.
So here I stand years after death and still just as damned as I was the day I came here.
Embeth felt total sympathy for the fallen soldier, Strangely the fear had completely gone; What she saw before her now was not a monster at all.....But a human being whose life had been hard, and now he was paying the price for the desperate actions he had committed in his past.
She could cry for him....But she wouldn’t.
He noticed the look in her eyes as she watched him sorrowfully.
Pity comes too late. He told her, sounding alot sharper than he had intended.
Tell me about you he asked; hoping to take the focus away from himself.
First, Embeth said boldly
I would like you to tell me your first name.
My first name? What for? he asked with confusion.
He didn’t want to be reminded of it, but he had told her everything else so he might as well tell her that too.
With a defeated sigh,in barely a whisper he told her the name; Jan.
Embeth liked the name, She expected him to have a fierce name so as to match his appearance and fighting style...It wasn't, But it suited him all the same.
I expect you will want to use the name when referring to me now?
He said as more of a statement than a question.
Only if you have no objection to it she replied gently.
Well, You have to call me something he reasoned.
Now it was Embeths turn to tell him her life story; Or what was left to tell of it.
My family doesn’t have much money she told him, But were happy with what we do have.
Your very well spoken for someone of a poorer family.
Oh, No. Jan, were not poor. she laughed.
We just don’t have as much money as some other families in the town.
My father is policeman, he doesn’t make much...But his wage allowed my sister and I an education....My brother is being taught at home...by both me and Celia...my sister she added on the end because she couldn’t remember if she’d mentioned Celia’s name before.
I would quite liked to have been a school mistress had I not been here...her voice trailed off.
And...
He paused momentarily.
Were there any men in your life? He was rather hoping the answer would be no.
Well...there was one, she told him smiling at the memory of him....his name is Markus, He’s the son of the farmer; my parents buy their milk and eggs from him....he was very good to me.
My mother and father haven’t said a word but I know they want me to marry him.
Or at least would have....
She felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of her family now, they probably thought she were dead.
And did you want to marry him?
Jan asked, feeling a bit let down, but doing very well at hiding it.
Embeth forced a smile, I should have liked to yes....he were very sweet.
I miss him, the tears that had welled up began to fall silently.
She couldn’t understand her thoughts....Jan....the man who she had once not too long ago hated and feared, suddenly let her in....and she liked it.....she liked him.
Minutes passed in silence.
She worried if telling him about Markus had upset him, he was so quiet, looked so distant again and she felt angry with herself for answering the questions about Markus truthfully because now, of course her mind had decided to think of her captor in a different light and she didn’t know if she should like to leave him eventually.
But, she thought still of her family and prayed he would let her go back to them one day.
None of it really interested him but still he was happy to listen if it meant she would possibly grow to like him.
So most nights they would sit at the table and Embeth would strike up a conversation he liked to hear her laugh it was something he lacked in his life and in his afterlife up til now.
Only one night she asked a question he hadn’t wanted to hear....She asked about his life before the war.
What were you like before.... you know...
She started, wondering whether to continue.
The war? Where did you live?
He sighed, Embeth picked up on the mood right away fearing he would suddenly jump up and hurt her.
But he didn’t he stayed were he were, he were still but she could tell he were agitated by the way he polished one of his daggers, fast, and brutally all the while not even looking at the weapon instead he stared at the table almost like he was trying to look right through it.
It seemed an age before he looked up at her.
His features had darkened but not in anger as she had expected.
He seemed sad.
He looked human....
Gelnhausen he answered sounding distant after the long silence.
You don’t need to say anymore if you don’t want to she told him gently, regretting asking in the first place.
Embeth, he told her with a sigh, the arrangement?
I know you don’t want to do it; But sometimes people do what they don’t want.
And I don’t want to talk about my life.
He paused before adding; but I will.
What she did next surprised him, she got up from the far end of the table and moved her chair around it, placing it directly next to his.
She sat down and gingerly put out her hand to rest gently on his arm. He flinched at her touch.
He didn’t like to be touched by anyone but never the less he said nothing about it figuring it were a damn good improvement from how she had been around him in the not so distant past.
While he tried to think of what to say he stared at her hand, taking in the detail, her skin was so pretty and pale, her touch was barely felt. He could see the veins beneath her skin. Her fingernails were slightly uneven in length.
Embeth waited patiently, she didn't want to push him.
Finally he began to speak he started slowly, probably regretting every word.
He explained how before he were sent to the Americas he had lived quite contentedly in a single story house, hand built by his father.
His family had plenty of money and a good name but they lived happily in the small house.
He was the eldest of 4 children.
He had loved spending time with his 3 brothers and one sister.
His father, Oskar were a blacksmith; It were he who gave him his sword after he had designed it.
Some would say Oskar were the best blacksmith in the country.
But he was a humble man and never let himself think in that way.
His mother Helga- a simple florist, she loved flowers.
He remembered in the spring how he would take his little sister Anna into the fields surrounding their house to pick flowers for their mother.
He smiled a strange smile which made him look as if he were in pain rather than reliving a fond memory.
He never really got along with his brothers; one intent on becoming a blacksmith like his dad, the other wanting to study law.
Did you intend to be a soldier? Embeth asked him.
He shook his head, No, I didn’t know what I wanted to do at that time.
He paused momentarily.
I had heard from villagers Frederick the second was requesting men to be sent overseas to fight.
I had been interested in weaponry and combat but it had only been a playful interest, Had I known then how my life would have unfolded I would not have signed myself up.
He paused for a few moments trying to decide whether or not to tell her the entire truth about his past.
Reasoning with himself about the fact he were going to marry the girl in front of him he might tell her.
Embeth, there was a girl too...
A girl a year younger than I was, our fathers were friends and it had been arranged that we should meet; and in time marry.
She was a pleasant girl, not the prettiest girl I had seen but she seemed quiet and benevolent. I could have done worse so I agreed to give it a try.
We courted for almost a year before we decided to marry.
And did you?
He laughed bitterly; I’m going to get to that in a moment.
From his reaction to the question Embeth imagined the answer would be no.
I grew to like her very much. her name was Beatte.
When I eventually signed myself up she became angry with me; accused me of doing it to avoid marrying her.
I’d hoped she would be pleased to marry a soldier; many women had a liking for us.
For a short time he said nothing so as to give Embeth the chance to take in the information he continued after a minute or 2 of silence.
After talking about it at great lengths she seemed to come around; promised to write me every day while I was away......and she did, for 2 years she wrote without fail.
Then I was given leave for a week.
I left almost as soon as I heard.
I didn’t tell any of my family....or Beatte; I planned to surprise her.....marry her before I came back to fight.
When I arrived home, my family were pleased to see me.
But Beatte seemed slightly disinterested in my company; claiming to have some mystery illness but still she wanted to marry me....or so she said.
He paused again but only for 20 seconds or so.
2 days later I received a letter commanding me to go back to war as many of the men had been slain or otherwise injured so badly they couldn’t fight....
they needed as many men as they could get.
So regrettably I had to tell Beatte I didn’t have time for the wedding on this visit but would marry her just as soon as I came back.
She got angry.
She told me I didn’t love her, didn’t want to marry her and was lying about having to go back to war. said it was to get away from her and in the heat of the argument I told her it was all true.
I didn’t mean it, But I lost my temper.
I left and went back as instructed.
The week after, I received a letter from my father.
He stopped, his face darkened. Embeth told him he mustn’t continue if it upset him so.
No; I have to tell the full story now I’ve started.
The letter was written in anger; my father accusing me of bringing shame upon the family they had been ostracised from their social circle....apparently the surrounding towns were talking about the Von Faust scandal....
Von Faust? Is that your family name?
He felt like kicking himself for blurting it out; he hadn’t intended to mention his name.
He sighed in defeat,
Ja, I am or at least...was one of them.
I like that name she said truthfully but with the feeble idea of attempting to cheer him up even just a little.
We was so wrapped up in telling his story and the bitter memories he completely ignored the compliment.
The scandal was this; I had gotten Beatte in the family way....pregnant and then left for war when I found out, refusing to marry her because of it.
Embeth was shocked, Was..is...it true? She asked him.
He shook his head, No. I didn’t even touch her in that way.
It’s obvious she lay with someone else and expected to escape the shame by marrying me before I could found out.
Then when we’d been married she would no doubt have told me about the pregnancy and have me believe the child was mine.
But when the wedding did not go on as she expected, she knew it would probably have been far too late to hide her condition by the time I returned....so she lied, said it was mine and I had left her that way.
Didn’t your family believe you? Embeth asked feeling sympathy for him.
I don’t think they did....or if they did, they couldn’t make the rest of the neighbouring villages believe it so decided to disown me;
My father had written that I had better not return to them as he would have a weapon ready if I did...Those were his exact words.
Your own father said that? She asked incredulously.
He did.
But he was your father....he should have supported you!
He smirked, You didn’t know him.....
He might have been humble when it concerned his work.....But as for the family name.....He was proud of our bloodline and did not take kindly to anything which threatened it.
Oh, I’m so sorry....Really I am.
I can’t imagine how it must feel to have your family turn their backs on you.
Grateful for Embeths caring nature he felt more comfortable with sharing the rest of his history.
That’s when I started to become who I am.....I trained harder, became meaner......I used fighting to shed the anger and hatred inside me.
I wanted nothing more to do with people. So As well as fighting so well.....I altered the way I looked to become even more fearful.
I loved feeling so powerful, so feared....I felt untouchable.
I had intended to return to my hometown to seek revenge on Beatte and find the bastard who impregnated her.
The battle went on for years, and finally one day I met my death...
In a strange sort of way when the blade was upon me I welcomed death wanting to cut the ties with humanity.....
As you can see; that is not what happened.
So here I stand years after death and still just as damned as I was the day I came here.
Embeth felt total sympathy for the fallen soldier, Strangely the fear had completely gone; What she saw before her now was not a monster at all.....But a human being whose life had been hard, and now he was paying the price for the desperate actions he had committed in his past.
She could cry for him....But she wouldn’t.
He noticed the look in her eyes as she watched him sorrowfully.
Pity comes too late. He told her, sounding alot sharper than he had intended.
Tell me about you he asked; hoping to take the focus away from himself.
First, Embeth said boldly
I would like you to tell me your first name.
My first name? What for? he asked with confusion.
He didn’t want to be reminded of it, but he had told her everything else so he might as well tell her that too.
With a defeated sigh,in barely a whisper he told her the name; Jan.
Embeth liked the name, She expected him to have a fierce name so as to match his appearance and fighting style...It wasn't, But it suited him all the same.
I expect you will want to use the name when referring to me now?
He said as more of a statement than a question.
Only if you have no objection to it she replied gently.
Well, You have to call me something he reasoned.
Now it was Embeths turn to tell him her life story; Or what was left to tell of it.
My family doesn’t have much money she told him, But were happy with what we do have.
Your very well spoken for someone of a poorer family.
Oh, No. Jan, were not poor. she laughed.
We just don’t have as much money as some other families in the town.
My father is policeman, he doesn’t make much...But his wage allowed my sister and I an education....My brother is being taught at home...by both me and Celia...my sister she added on the end because she couldn’t remember if she’d mentioned Celia’s name before.
I would quite liked to have been a school mistress had I not been here...her voice trailed off.
And...
He paused momentarily.
Were there any men in your life? He was rather hoping the answer would be no.
Well...there was one, she told him smiling at the memory of him....his name is Markus, He’s the son of the farmer; my parents buy their milk and eggs from him....he was very good to me.
My mother and father haven’t said a word but I know they want me to marry him.
Or at least would have....
She felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of her family now, they probably thought she were dead.
And did you want to marry him?
Jan asked, feeling a bit let down, but doing very well at hiding it.
Embeth forced a smile, I should have liked to yes....he were very sweet.
I miss him, the tears that had welled up began to fall silently.
She couldn’t understand her thoughts....Jan....the man who she had once not too long ago hated and feared, suddenly let her in....and she liked it.....she liked him.
Minutes passed in silence.
She worried if telling him about Markus had upset him, he was so quiet, looked so distant again and she felt angry with herself for answering the questions about Markus truthfully because now, of course her mind had decided to think of her captor in a different light and she didn’t know if she should like to leave him eventually.
But, she thought still of her family and prayed he would let her go back to them one day.
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