A/N HEy! I am sosososososososo sorry for niot updating in forever again! I had marching band crap all day all week two weeks ago and then softball twoa days last week. But it's finally done! Hooray! please don't strangle me for not updating! Yay!
Disclaimer: I am not a dude. or old. i also do not live oin australia. therefore, i do not own ranger's apprentice.
~Alyss POV~
Alyss fingered the black silk of her dress. Will's funeral ceremony had been the worst two hours of her life. And each hour had felt like an eternity.
Now, sitting next to the mound of reddish brown dirt that covered his grave, the tears finally came.
"Excuse me,"
Alyss looked up into the face of the blonde girl she'd met at the ward.
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't see...I was just going to plant some flowers, but if you'd like to stay awhile..."
"No, it's alright. Could I help you?"
"Of course. I don't think I ever told you my name. I'm Kel. Well actually, it's Kelarydiana, but I like Kel better," the ward said.
"I'm Alyss."
"Wait. You called that big tree Will's, and they just buried Ranger Will Treaty..." Kel's eyes grew wide. "He's your Will! Will Treaty was a ward here?"
"Yes," Alyss nodded. "His mother died giving birth and his father died a hero in the first war against Morgorath."
"His father was a knight?" Kel asked.
Alyss paused. "I honestly don't know. Will never knew his father, or anything about him. I always assumed that was the case."
"So they brought him here when his parents died?"
"Well, he appeared on the doorstep of the ward one day, wrapped up with a note pinned to the blanket."
"Do you know who brought him? Or what the note said?" Kel's eyes were wide.
"No one knows who brought hin here, but Will told me once what the note said. 'His name is Will. Please care for him. His mother died in childbirth and his father died a hero.'"
Kel looked up at the sky. "Well, we should probably start these flowers."
~Halt POV~
Ti was an hour or so after Will's early morning burial. Halt was astride Abelard, Tug's reins in one hand. The road north was in front of him.
Abelard and Tug pricked up their ears. Halt heard it then too. The heavy footfalls of a battlehorse, which almost masked the lighter, quieter steps of another horse.
Halt turned in his saddle.
"Lovely day for a ride, don't you think, Halt?" Gilan asked brightly.
"Where do you think you're going?" Halt demanded.
"We're coming with you, Halt. We want to help. Will was my best friend." Horace replied, meeting Halt's gaze squarely. Halt snorted.
"If you must," he sighed. HE turned forward again to hide his small half-smile.
~Will POV~
Will felt sick with dread as the disguised party of Tumujai made their way towards a ship. He was going to be taken away from Araluen. His chances of ever escaping were growing slimmer. If he did manage to escape now, he'd have to stow away on a boat to return home, although if he could make it to Skandia, Will felt sure Erak would help him. However, the chains on his feet put a damper on any thought of escape he might have. He had no way of getting out of them.
Barely an hour later, everything was ready aboard the ship. The dock hands cast the ropes aboard the ship and the Tumujai crew heaved them up. The helmsman turned the bow north. Will, released of the chains, since he had no where to go now, ran to the side and watched as the land grew smaller and smaller.
He bowed his head. Will had the awful feeling he might never again see the shores of Araluen.
A/N So how was it? Review! Please!
