Ranger's Apprentice: Tales Untold

Miss You

IT HAD STOPPED RAINING an hour ago. The sun was already out, and the grass was nearly dry in even that short amount of time. The clip clop of the horse's hoofs echoed in the air as he and the lone rider made their way through the forest.

Will hadn't come here for a long time. He hadn't had the heart, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be here now, either.

But the little clearing came into view, and he gripped the handful of flowers tighter. "Whoa," he said quietly, pulling on the reins. Tug slowed to a stop, tossing his head.

You sure you'll be alright out here?

"Yes," he replied, dismounting. "Wait here for me. I'll call you if I need you."

So that'll be in a few hours, when you run into trouble again. Will gave the horse a flat look, and if horses had expressions, he could have sworn that Tug had given him one of mock innocence.

"It's been a while since I've been here." He stopped at the mound, staring at the words etched across the stone. Kneeling down, he laid the white flowers on the dirt, touching a hand to the grave.

"Madelyn is growing up already. It feels like yesterday when she was born, and they asked me to be her godfather." He forced a chuckle, and it felt odd to laugh. There was little happiness in him these days, and even that small effort was too much. "She's a stubborn girl, but with a good heart.

"I wanted..." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to talk to you, even though I know you're not here. It's only been a few months since...since it happened."

He shook his head. "You don't know her. I wish you could have met her. She was beautiful, and full of life and love. You would have loved her, maybe even as much as I did. I thought that just maybe, I could finally be happy, and I went and married her.

"Then he came." He lowered his head, clenching his hands. "He took her away, he killed her. Every day, I wake up, and I think she'll be there with me, and then I remember that she's gone, and it's his fault.

"I don't know who to talk to. I can't even cry, no matter how much it hurts. I want to talk to someone, and you're the only one I think I can open up to." He shook his head, a twisted smile forming on his face. "It's funny. I've never really met you. I don't know you, but I miss you. I wish you were here. I wish I could talk to you, I wish you could have met Alyss. There's so much I wish I could tell you, and I don't know if you're here to listen."

His throat constricted, and he reached over, touching a hand to the stone. "I don't know what to do," Will whispered, "and I don't know how to act. I wish you were here, Mum. I wish I could see you."

A/N: I came up with this like maybe an hour ago, that after Halt shows Will his mother's grave, he likes to visit her and talk to her, hoping that she's somewhere nearby. Is this an acceptable headcannon?