The Return of the Temujai

Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice

AN: I am so sorry about the hiatus but I had exams (finals) so I didn't have a lot of time to write. Hope you guys enjoy!

Kaz'Tam, the youngest spy of the Temujai , well the youngest amongst all the Temujai was riding across the country urging his lithe horse to go faster, a self-satisfied look on his face. He was currently carrying a small vial, and that was what made him ride so fast- not the vial exactly but the contents of the vial. It was King Duncan's medication, as soon as the doctor left and the King fell asleep; the man had snuck in and replaced the vial with a similar one filled with plain water, poisoning would be a lot easier but if the people figured out poison was involved, they would be on their guard and the element of surprise would be thrown out of the equation.

He shook his head as he passed the remains of a burnt down inn, it had been burned down by some young men. He frowned, that would have never occurred in his homeland, they were too disciplined for such behaviour.

He abruptly stopped, as he spotted something white which starkly contrasted the otherwise grey and black scene. He dismounted and made his way to the irregularity and stopped in his tracks, it was a lady. Most of her was covered by ash, soot and debris but he could see her face and arms were covered in burn marks and pinkish patches of flesh which marred her appearance. She was clothed in a white dress, which was probably what he had spotted. He shrugged to himself, she probably died in the fire but something compelled him to kneel down next to her and take her surprisingly undamaged wrist in his hand. There was a pulse, faint but there was no doubt there was a pulse. For the second time, he shrugged, so, she wasn't dead- that didn't mean it was any of his business. But he couldn't find it in his heart to leave her here, buried in ash and the charred remains of the inn. He smiled grimly to himself, and spoke out loud "Who would have imagined a member of the Temujai showing compassion to a foreigner, the Sha'shan is right, I don't spend enough time in the camps, otherwise I would have been a bit more hard-hearted by now," He carefully picked up the lady, carrying her bridal-style. He tied her to the front of the horse, so he could keep an eye on her though he spent most of the ride back to the camp thinking of a plausible excuse to tell the Sha'shan, preferably one that did not include the word 'compassion'

At Araulen...

"Will, come on , it'll be like the old times," Evanlyn pleaded.

"Except the fact that she won't be there, or is that just a minor detail to you," Will said, a stony look on his usually pleasant face.

"That's not what I meant!" Evanlyn protested.

"Then what did you mean?" Will asked.

Horace frowned, "She just asked if you wanted to come for a picnic, Will. Stop wallowing in self-pity- just come outside, it's a beautiful day- you know Alyss would have wanted you to come."

Will's posture went rigid "What do you know about what she would have wanted?"

"She was like a sister to me, she was part of my life t..," Horace stopped mid-way as the door was slammed in his face.

Evanlyn shrugged sadly "So much for that plan, come on let's go,"

Horace growled "Why can't he understand, he's not the only person affected by her death,"

"She was his wife, he is obviously a lot more affected, it can't compare to how much it's affected us, come on," Evanlyn said again pulling Horace's arm.

On the other side of the door, Will crumbled against the door, a single thought repeating itself in his head: she was dead. He was finally moved from his position by Ebony's constant nudges for food.

At the Temujai camps

"So you're saying you found her fainted precariously close to the camps?" the Sha'shan asked raising a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Yes sir," Kaz'Tam replied, keeping his body perfectly rigid.

"Are you sure, judging by all the burns on her body, looks like a casualty from that burnt-down inn," the Sha'shan said, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Kaz'Tam considered lying but then thought against, when she woke up the lady would probably give the game away "I found her in the remains of the inn, but it's been 2 days since it burnt down and many of our scouts walk past it, if she had any bout of consciousness there's a chance she might have seen us which is why I brought her here,"

The Sha'shan's smirk widened "Good save, but I can see your real motives easily, young one- I'll call when she's awake, you may go now,"

Kaz'Tam blushed "Thank you Sha'shan," He quickly turned and started to make his way out.

"Oh and one more thing," the Sha'shan called out "Don't mention her presence to anyone just yet," he said jerking a thumb at the blonde

AN: Hope you guys enjoyed. Do review. Next update will be soon (hopefully)

IceCrystal