Just a little songfic I thought of while listening to this song.
Disclaimer: "Heaven Was Needing a Hero" belongs to Jo Dee Mesina (let's hope I spelled that right…) and Ranger's Apprentice belongs to Mr. John Flanagan who is arguably the most magnificent man in the universe.
Bolded-italic letters: Lyrics to the song
Non bolded/italic letters: Regular writing
Heaven Was Needing a Hero
A small monument stood in a clearing surrounded by oak trees. The trees had been planted especially for the spot, and covered any maple, pine, or cedar tree from a person in the clearing's view. Crowley Meratyn (1), Ranger Corps Commandant (now retired), had helped design that part of the monument. The ground in the clearing was flat and even, and leaves scattered the ground as summer slowly transformed to fall.
In the center of the clearing was the monument itself. The clearing had been built around it, but that wasn't what people came to look at. The monument was made of a dull grey stone and carved from some of Araluen's best sculptors. Many people, knights, nobles, and the Royal family all agreed the monument needed to be magnificent.
And it was, the statue truly was magnificent.
But what many people didn't realize was that the monument was also a head stone. Underneath the statue was a granite tomb, the type you'd expect a king to be buried in.
Alyss Mainwaring Treaty found herself staring up at the small statue. The statue was a man standing on a small boulder, his hand reaching as if to help someone up. The man's face had a large smile on his face- that's the way most people remembered their fallen hero. He wore the clothing of a Ranger, which was to be expected, after all. There was a plaque made of bronze attached to the boulder- it'd been paid for by the King himself. The rest of the monument had been paid for by taxes and donations- none of which were taken forcibly. Most of the cost had been covered by the people of Araluen, not it's government or King.
Etched into the stone by man's feet was this:
Will Treaty
Apprentice to One, Hero to All
November 2 – August 23 (2)
I came by today to see you, oh I had to let you know.
Alyss looked into the eyes of the life-size statue. She could see that the sculptor had tried to carve the details of his eyes- trying to make it look as real as possible. It would never be real though if it didn't have color.
She'd come to visit Will's grave for the first time in a year. She knew that it made their children sad; knowing that their mother couldn't bring herself to visit her husband's grave. Everyone in Redmont knew that for the young widow to make the journey, it meant she wanted to tell him something. The people of Redmont knew that many of Will's friends would come and 'talk' to the monument.
"If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time, I'd have held you and never let go."
Alyss whispered to the statue. Only a select number of people knew the story of how the national hero had died. They only knew that their hero died saving King Duncan. By doing that, he'd saved the kingdom. A visitor from an unknown country had come to visit- and tried killing the King. The Ranger Corps knew that the visitor's next intentions were to take over the kingdom by ransoming the Royal family.
Will killed the visitor, but before the visitor was dead, he stabbed Will.
The wound turned out to be fatal.
"If I would've known… I wouldn't have let you go visit them… I would've made you stay…" Alyss whispered.
Oh it's kept me awake night wondering, lie in the dark just asking "Why?"
It truly had kept her awake. She'd lie there in the dark and cry herself to sleep. Sometimes, she'd wear his clothing, sleep on his side of the bed, use his cloak as a blanket. Either way, they became tear covered. And the one question she'd always asked… well it never was answered.
Until now.
I've always been told you won't be called home until it's your time.
She couldn't remember who'd told her that, but she thought it was from before she came to the ward. She remembered only glimpses of the man who'd said that- he wore armor and a sword, so she believe he was a knight. She also remembered a woman who looked like herself crying as the man said that.
She thought it was a knight coming to tell her mother of her father's death.
Just as a knight had come to tell her of Will's death.
I guess Heaven was needing a hero, somebody just like you. Brave enough to stand up for what you believe, and follow it through. When I try to make it make sense in my mind, the only conclusion I come to is that Heaven was needing a hero like you.
He'd left her pregnant with a four year old son. Perhaps this is why she couldn't visit him… he'd left behind too much. Their son; Daniel Halt Treaty, remembered what his father looked like, sounded like, and acted like, but that didn't stop the questions he asked. Then, of course, there was Will. Little Will Treaty. She'd decided after finding out about Will's death that if the baby was a boy (which it was), she'd name it Will.
The child was the mirror image of his father, and asked questions more than his father did as an apprentice to Ranger Halt. "What was daddy like?" "What happened to daddy?" "Where's daddy?" "Mommy, why don't I have a daddy?" And every time, she had to provide an answer.
And once again, everyone asked the same question: "Why?"
Why Will? Why take him? Why would he leave behind his family?
There was only one answer: Heaven needed a hero. Somebody just like him. Someone who was brave enough to stand up for what he believes and follow it through.
I remember the last time I saw you, oh you held your head up proud.
She remembered as he packed his things, kissed her goodbye, settled Tug, and began the journey to Castle Araluen. His head was held up proud through the entire ordeal.
"You always kept your head up…" Alyss whispered to the statue. No one was able to bring that head down. No one.
I laughed inside when I saw how you were, standing out in the crowd.
A Ranger tried to blend in, but Will was too friendly to blend in. He stuck out like a sore thumb- no matter how hard he tried. Whenever he tried to blend in to a crowd, Alyss couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her lips.
"You're such a part of who I am… now that part will just be void."
Alyss whispered. Anyone who looked at the young widow could tell something was missing- something that couldn't, wouldn't, and shouldn't be replaced. Will was that missing part, and now it was void. Alyss couldn't look at a Ranger without a hint of sadness, she couldn't look at a knife without becoming angry, and she couldn't look at a foreigner without a want for revenge.
No matter how much I need you now,
Alyss needed him. He was her missing puzzle piece, her happiness, her life support.
"Heaven need you more."
Alyss reminded herself for the millionth time. There'd been many a time where she'd gotten down on her knees and prayed. And every time, she felt the same answer.
Even though she needed him, Heaven needed him more.
Alyss reached up, and took Will's outstretched hand. Many people who visited the small spot did this. Many believed it was good luck to hold the Ranger's hand. And many swore they felt his hand enclose around theirs.
The monument never moved, but people felt it. Those who knew Will felt his hand enclosing around theirs with a firm but soft grip. Those who Will didn't know felt the grip they would if he were to help him up. Those who loved Will… well no one knew.
None of the people who'd loved Will had ever taken his hand.
Alyss felt his hand around hers. The stone was surprising soft and lifelike, whilst the grip was hard. Alyss could feel blood pulsing through her hand. Alyss looked to his face in surprise.
His eyes had changed. She didn't know how to explain it, but his gaze had moved from some random object to her eyes.
She looked back to his hand, then back to his face. His gaze had moved back to the random object.
'Cause Heaven was needing a hero. Somebody just like you. Brave enough to stand up for what you believe and follow it though. When I try to make it make sense in my mind, the only conclusion I come to is that Heaven was needing a hero like you.
"Yes, Heaven was needing a hero. That's you…" Alyss whispered these words, then turned to leave. But before leaving, she read the entire bronze plaque on the boulder.
The plaque read this:
Heaven was needing a hero,
Somebody just like you.
Brave enough to stand up for what you believe,
And follow it through.
When I try to make it make sense in my mind,
The only conclusion I come to
Is that Heaven was needing a hero, like you.
-Jo Dee Messina
Fin
1: That's Crowley's last name- look it up in book 11.
2: I chose two random dates. If your birthday is November 2, congratulations for having Will's birthday. If your birthday is August 23, I'm sorry that I killed Will on your birthday.
-Sharkbait