eemed as if she were still delving into some hypnotic dream world. Her large, vacant eyes stared into the abyss, seemingly oblivious to Fiona''s gaze.
Strangely, Fiona found herself devoid of any sense of terror. She silently beheld the apparition in white, seemingly affected by the woman''s peculiar and chilling beauty, evoking a sense of melancholy within her own being.
After what felt like an eternity, the ghost slowly turned around, then moved towards the other end of the porch. Her steps were soundless, without ups and downs, gliding as if on air, her pallid gown billowing in the night breeze. All the while, she continued to chant the eerie and plaintive ballad:
"But why deny me even his severed head?
So stingy they are, not leaving it instead.
In morning''s glow, our vows were sealed,
To be with my love, through all that life revealed.
For this one wretched desire, I shall roam,
To the ends of the earth, far from my home.
To seek my love''s head, ah,
To seek my love''s head!"
The ethereal, mournful voice gradually faded into the distance, leaving the room in serene silence. Only the soothing, rhythmic breaths of the girls remained, as if everything just now was but a fleeting dream.
Fiona reclined, her hands folded upon her chest, closing her eyes, her heart still savoring the enchanting encounter of the night.
The following morning, after the day''s service, Amy, always fond of gossip, gathered everyone together, wearing a mysterious expression.
"Hey, have you heard?" she whispered, her voice lowered, brimming with excitement. "That madwoman in our convent, she drowned in the pool last night."
"How could she suddenly drown?" one girl asked, astonished.
"She''s always hysterically sleepwalking. It''s only a matter of time before she lost her footing someday," Charlotte commented.
"They say it''s not an accident," Amy shook her head. "I overheard a few Sisters whispering; apparently, she deliberately jumped into the pond."
"That woman always seemed unhinged. Why did she choose last night to commit suicide?" another girl curiously inquired.
"It seems it wasn''t simply to end her own life," Amy explained. "T