Will was walking through the forest on his way to see his father and brother. He had to go off the path for at one point because some of the sheriff's guards had come ridding down it. He managed to slip off unseen, but he had decided to stay off the path for a while. He came to the edge of the forest. A hundred lengths to his right was the road and to his left he saw a cottage not far off. If he hadn't come out where he had on the forest line he probably would have missed it, the cottage was almost swallowed up by the forest.

' What's a cottage doing out here so far from town,' he wondered.

He saw movement just inside the forest line close to the cottage. Unable to contain his curiosity he decided to creep up and see what it was. As he stealthily moved closer he heard a woman singing. Sweet, clear notes. He had never heard anyone able to sing that beautifully.

Ill not leave thee, thou lone one,
To pine on the stern,
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them

Thus kindly Ill scatter
Thy leaves oer the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow
When friendships decay;
And from loves shining circle
The gems drop away
When true hearts lie witherd
And fond ones are flown
Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

He peaked throught the branches of the willow tree he was hiding in. A woman in a very dirty brown dress had her back to him, but he could see she was digging a hole. She had already dug about two foot deep and three foot wide. She stopped singing when she finished her song.

"Please, don't stop," Will said.

The girl jumped and turned around with her shovel held up like a sword. Will's heart skipped a beat in his chest and then picked up double time to make up for the skipped beat. She was lovely. Her enormous eyes were a blue that matched the sky and her hair was a most unusual color. In between a blond, a light brown, with red thrown in there when the light hit it just right.

"Who's there?" She asked in a hostile tone, " What do you want? … What do you want me to not stop?"

"I meant your singing," Will said not coming out of his hiding place just yet," It was lovely. Will you sing it again."

"Sing it for whom?" She said with less aggression, but still very weary," Do you need healing or did you come for some other reason?"

"I was just walking through the forest and heard your singing. Would you please sing the song again?" Will repeated.

She lowered the shovel a little, but Will could tell she was still on her guard. She had figured out were he was hidden, but did not move to try and see him.

"Come out of the willow tree," She said gently, but it she certainly was not asking.

He slowly came out, not wanting to frighten her any more than he already had.

As she looked at him she asked," Why were you walking through the forest? The road is not that far off. Just yonder."

"I know. I was taking the road, but I got off because I didn't want to run into trouble with some of the sheriff's guards," Will answered truthfully. He could not lie as Allan O' Dale could. His tongue would not be able to weave the story and his face would give him away.

She finally lowered her shovel and put it into the ground.

"The Sheriff's men do not often come this far, unless it is to collect taxes or there master will not help them when they are hurt," She said, "Have you come far?"

"Yes," Will simply answered. He had been walking for a day and a half.

"Come," the lady said as she turned to the house," I can give you a meal and check your feet, but after that you will have to be on your way."

Will followed her and leaned on the doorpost as she began to mess with pots and the fire.

"Will you sing that song again," Will says softly.

Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone,
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
No flowr of her kindred
No rosebud is nigh
To reflect back her blushes,
Or give sigh for sigh.

Ill not leave thee, thou lone one,
To pine on the stern,
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them

Thus kindly Ill scatter
Thy leaves oer the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow
When friendships decay;
And from loves shining circle
The gems drop away
When true hearts lie witherd
And fond ones are flown
Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

"That was lovely," he said when she had finished.

"Here come sit down and eat," she said as she put fresh bread and a bowl of soup on the table. Will didn't when he had smell any thing more delicious since his mothers cooking before Robin had gone off to war. He sat down and the first bite of bread made him wonder if his mothers had been this good.

"Put your feet here," she indicated her lap as she sat beside him.

He did as ordered. She gently took of his shoes and seemed to note with pleasure the moss that he had put in his shoes that morning.

"I can wrap in another herb that will work a little better than moss, but I see that you have seen to your own needs," She said.

"Are you a healer? Or a woods woman?" Will asked.

"Yes," She said hesitantly in a soft voice.

"Why were you digging," he asked as she dressed his feet in a strong, but pleasant smelling leaf of some plant.

"I was digging a grave," She said hauntedly.

"I'm sorry…Who's grave is it?"

"My mothers," She whispered as she put his shoes back on," Finish eating and then you can be back on your way, Sir"

He took a spoonful of soup, but was to distracted to enjoy it. He remembered when he lost his mother. He had helped his father dig her grave.

He finished the soup and then walked back out side. She was digging again. This time Will noticed a body wrapped in cloth lying a few feet away under a pine tree.

"May I work a bit for my supper?" He said gently,"…No child should have to bury their parent alone."

She hesitated and then nodded. He took the shovel from her and began to dig.

"I lost my own mother a few years ago," He said.

"I'm sorry… Did she die of natural causes?"

"No," Will snorted angrily," The Sheriff taxed us so heavily that we were short on food. My mother gave us her food unbeknownst to us. She slowly starved herself to death to see us from going hungry."

"The Sheriff's is an evil man," She said bitterly.

They worked quietly for a while till Will broke the silence.

"I don't know your name," Will said.

She looked off into the distance for a moment before she answered," My name is Rowan. And yours?"

"Will."