A chapter on Will's POV in Araluen!
Hope you enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranger's Apprentice, all rights go to their respectful owners.
The sun's rays filtered through the window. Will was in the kitchen making coffee and breakfast. Will paused his work and glanced at the water clock that stood on the cupboard. It read 9:00. Strange, Will thought, Alyssa should have been awake long ago. She normally was one to get up at the crack of dawn. Will went up to Alyssa's bedroom, rapping on the wooden door.
"Alyssa! Time to get up!" Will called. No answer. Will knocked again, and called louder this time. Still no answer.
"Alyssa! I'm coming in!" Will called, and opened the door. Alyssa wasn't there. Her bed sheets were messy, so she had obviously slept in it. Will looked around and saw that something was missing. Her bow and quiver weren't leaning on the wall beside her bed as they usually were, and her cloak wasn't hanging on the wall either. Alyssa's knives and belt weren't on her dresser.
She must be out, Will thought. But Alyssa knew better than to go out without Will knowing. Will ran back down the stairs and called out Alyssa's name. As expected, Alyssa didn't call back. Will walked swiftly to the door and yanked it open. He went to check the stables. Tug snorted a greeting as he saw his master. Alyssa's Ranger horse, Bolt, was still in his stall, munching on oats. That meant that Alyssa had to be somewhere near the house.
Will circled around the house, calling Alyssa's name. He even went a little ways into the forest that circled the back of the house, but to no avail. At this point, Will feared the worst. What if she was kidnapped? Will went back to the stable and saddled Tug. Breakfast and coffee would have to wait. He set Tug to a canter as he searched the surrounding country-side for his apprentice.
Two hours later, and still no sign of Alyssa. Will even searched nearby villages. Ruefully, Will went back to his cabin. Perhaps Alyssa would come back, Will reassured himself. Will sat down with a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and bacon. Will chewed slowly on a piece of crispy bacon. His meal was tasteless, as his mind was set on where Alyssa might be. He decided that he would wait a few hours and if Alyssa didn't show up, he would have to talk to the Baron of Seacliff Fief and tell him that he would be gone for a few days or even weeks to look for Alyssa.
It was already late noon, and Alyssa hadn't showed up. Will looked out the window with concern. It was the feeling of uncertainty that he hated. At least if he knew the whereabouts of his apprentice, he could do something about the situation. But now...Will felt useless. Coming to a consensus, he went outside, saddled up Tug and rode to the Seacliff Baron's headquarters.
The Baron's secretary ushered the Ranger into the Baron's office. The Baron smiled heartily.
"How nice of you to drop in, Ranger Will! What brings you here?" The Baron asked, leaning forward on his desk, placing his elbows on the surface.
"I'm afraid my apprentice is missing…" Will said.
"Gone? Gone where? Surely she knew better than to wander off," the Baron interjected. Will made frustrated little gestures with his hands.
"I know Alyssa's smarter than that. She went to bed last night like normal, but when I went to wake her up, she wasn't there. Her weapons and cloak was gone, but her horse was still there. I looked for hours, but it's as if she simply disappeared off the face of the earth," Will sighed. He tried desperately to keep a cool head, but it was tough.
Baron scrunched up his face in thought. "And you think I will be of assistance in finding your lost apprentice?" the Baron asked, raising his bushy eyebrows. Will shrugged.
"I simply came to let you know that I may be gone for a few days or weeks. I need to find my apprentice, sir," Will looked at the Baron with hopeless eyes. He knew in his heart that Alyssa may very well not be alive even. But he had to check.
The Baron waved a hand in dismissal. "Very well, Will. Thank you for letting me know. I'll ask Crowley to send for another Ranger to go in your place temporarily. I wish you luck in your searches," the Baron added softly. He knew the deep affection Will held for his apprentice, and he hoped that Will was successful.
Will did a quick bow. "Thank you, sir." And then Will hurried out the doors back into the courtyard. Will decided that he would contact Halt, and maybe Horace, to give them an eye out for Alyssa. Will thought about sending a letter to them, but a letter could take weeks to get there, and he could ride to Redmont in a few days. He thought it may be better to ride over to Redmont and see them personally.
"And you said that Alyssa just...disappeared?" Halt asked thoughtfully. Horace, Halt, and Will sat at a small table in Halt's quarters. Will nodded.
"That's right. Her weapons and cloak was gone, but her saddlebags and horse were still there," Will replied.
"That's quite a mystery. I mean, she couldn't have left Araluen in one night could she? Besides, it's not like she would actually just run away like that," Halt added, chewing on his lip in distress.
Will sighed. "That's the thing, Halt. I need to look for her. I've already talked to the Baron at Seacliff, so I can search across outside the fief for her. But...I have a feeling that Alyssa's in danger."
Horace shook his head. "But how? I mean, no one could sneak into the cabin unnoticed, then steal Alyssa in her sleep without waking you up. And you said that her weapons and cloak were gone; so she must have them with her," Horace reasoned.
Halt looked at his former apprentice with concern and fear. Like Will, he also had a deep affection for Alyssa. "If you're going, I'm coming with you. You'll have company, and someone to watch your back," Halt stated firmly.
Will looked at the older Ranger. "Are you sure, Halt? I'm sure I can manage on my own," Will replied with a slight grin.
Halt inclined his head toward Will. "I know you can. But as I said, I'd just be an extra pair of ears and eyes. And it might prove useful to have an extra person with you."
Horace raised his eyebrows, an action that he'd adopted from spending so much time with the Rangers. "I'd like to come, too. After all, there's nothing going on at Castle Araluen right now," Horace said.
Will nodded and smiled at his two companions. "It'll be just like the good old days. Now, let's pack up and get going. We've got a lot of mysteries to solve."
Hoped you liked this chapter! (Sorry it's a little short.) Feedback much appreciated!
~Seas of Emerald