NOTE: I don't own any of the characters from Ranger's Apprentice! I just own Will's family and the country of Quarize.

Please tell me if you want quicker but shorter chapters or longer chapters but longer wait times.

The pieces are starting to fall into place. It's time to see if Will can catch up.

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Unknown Blood Chapter 11

Will blocked his teacher's swing. He had been training for a month with one of the castle's best Swordmasters. Now he went on the offensive. His blows were all blocked easily. Yet there was one thing going for him. He was agile. That meant he could dodge while staying within attacking range. Most enemies would be unable to keep up with him as he ducked, dodged, and darted around them. This man, Grange, was easily keeping him at bay. Will kept trying. He kept getting better. He wanted to make his brother proud.

If only Tyler was there to see him.

Grange praised Will for the obvious improvement the boy was making. Even Bruce had to commend his son for his drive. Every day Will would practice the moves he had learned earlier. Often he would seek out other knights and ask to practice with them. Even they had to admit that Will was good. If only the young man was taller. Height would serve him well. However, Will said that height would take away from his agility. Most enemies would be hard-pressed to deal with that skill. Not only that but Will still loved to slink around the castle. His agility proved useful in that capacity. Being able to walk around with no one seeing made Will happy. He was at peace that way. His father hated it to no end. Will, a lord's son, the heir to the throne, had no right sneaking around. It was not good for the boy. Every time he caught Will, Bruce would threaten to destroy his Ranger cloak. Will, therefore, started hiding his old Ranger stuff. That way Bruce could never make do on those threats.

Walking down the halls, Will listened as Grayson talked to him. The servant was asking for tips on fighting. That was another thing Bruce would be enraged by if he ever found out about. Will was secretly teaching Grayson how to fight, both with the sword and the bow. The young servant was a natural fighter. Too bad he was stuck as a servant. He would do well in the army. Will's heart sighed as he thought about. Too many of the servants would be good, loyal soldiers if they were given the chance. However, they were stuck and there was nothing that could be done. Will knew the punishment for any runaway slave: death by torture.

"It's not fair to them," he thought sourly as Grayson made a fake jab forward.

That's when he saw it. The tail of a cloak vanishing around a corner. He instantly stopped and stared. Who else around here had a cloak? No one. He was sure of it. He had been told that wearing cloaks beyond for weather protection was deemed wrong. It meant that the person was up to no good. Will's hand fell to the sword at his hip. His brother's sword. A powerful weapon that would allow him to defeat an enemy if necessary.

"Will?" Grayson asked, looking worriedly at his friend and master.

Will met his gaze, a hardness coming in, "I just saw the end of a cloak. Someone means harm. You coming?"

Grayson drew himself erect. Will was his master. That meant that he was to stay at his side, no matter how dangerous things got. He nodded firmly. Will smiled warmly at him then darted after the figure. Grayson raced after him they rounded the corner in time to see the cloak vanishing around another further up. Instantly they raced in pursuit. Along the way, Grayson passed a bucket and mop. He grabbed the mop, snapping off the end. Now it was a staff that he could use against the enemy. Then gave chase to Will and the unknown, cloaked figure.

The chase went on for some time. Neither young man was able to catch up to the cloaked figure. If they were, then it would suddenly change direction. Will was starting to believe that the figure knew more about the castle then he and Grayson combined. The two, however, never gave up the chase. They were determined to catch the man. Onward they raced. Finally Will started to recognize the halls. He shared a quick, worried look with Grayson. The figure was heading to the apartments where the royal family stayed. That meant King Othon or Bruce could be under attack! Then Will shook his head. Both had gone out for a ride earlier. They were safe from this figure. Whoever it was.

They reached Will's family's apartment and found the door open. Grayson went first, ready for an ambush. The main sitting room was empty. Starting right, they checked Bruce's office and room, both of which were locked. Then they checked the dining area. Clear. Finally they approached Will's room. The area was dark but no man seemed to be hiding there. Grayson then pointed to Will's door, showing that the lock had been broken. His brother's sword at the ready, Will burst through the door. No one was inside. But there was something amiss. Will's Ranger cloak, his Ranger knives, and his bow and arrows were laying on the bed. Atop his cloak was a sheet of paper. Carefully Will approached. He checked under his bed while Grayson checked the closet. No one was waiting in ambush.

Gingerly Will picked up the paper and read aloud in a soft whisper:

Drip, Drip,

Into the cup.

Drip, Drip,

From the broken shield.

Drip, Drip,

From the sword.

Blood was spilt time ago. Again it shall.

Who's next?

"Will!" Grayson cried as the cloaked figure darted past the room as Will finished reading.

Grabbing the bow and arrows, Will followed Grayson after the man. Out of the apartments it raced. Through the halls at top speed. Even now, Will and Grayson could only follow by watching to the billowing cloak. They passed no guards, no other servants. No one outside would hear them sounding an alarm. Will gritted his teeth angrily. This figure had presumed to threaten his family! He would not lose it. The note had been sinister and Will wanted to know what it meant. Rounding a corner, both young men found themselves facing a drenched floor. It was water from the mop bucket. Both of their feet slid, slipped, then they hit the ground. The figure still raced on. Will cursed angrily as he got up. Not waiting for Grayson, he dashed in pursuit. There was no way this person was escaping him.

Will saw the cloak disappear around a corner. Racing to it, Will looked beyond. A dark hallway. This led to the old part of the castle. No one was allowed down this way. It used to contain Bruce's old apartments. After Will's brother and mother were gone, Bruce had moved. He was unable to sleep in the same bed without his wife. Unable to look at the same pieces of furniture without seeing the memories of his wife and son. Will's eyes narrowed into slits. Whoever he was chasing obviously meant to lead him here. An arrow came from his quiver and onto the bowstring. The sword was unhooked. It would be drawn in seconds of losing the bow. Carefully Will walked forward.

Halfway down he found the drops of blood on the floor.

At the end was an open door.

Will advanced inward. His muscles were relaxed. Those brown eyes were already adjusted to the darkness. He trusted his training with Halt and Grange. Inside, all of the furniture had been covered with sheets. Dust had settled upon everything. Before Will was a clear area where the dust had been swept aside. Obviously the person wanted Will to follow him here. Before Will were two stands. On each was a painting. The left one had two people on it. The right one was a single person. The blood trail led right to the paintings. Stepping closer, Will realized that in each painting was a bloody dagger. A piece of thick, black cloth covered the faces of those in the paintings. Positive no one was around, Will replaced his arrow. His hand reached for the cloth. Curiosity and fear burned deep inside of him. His fingers grabbed the cloth and he pulled.

He gasped with horror.

The cloth and his bow fell from his hands.

The left was a painting of his mother and father. The right was a painting of his brother. The bloody knives were stabbed through the hearts of his mother and brother. The thick liquid trickled down the canvases. The faces of his mother and brother were covered with smeared blood. The only one left untouched was Bruce, his father. Will sank to his knees. Tears poured down his cheeks with pain and shock. Who would do this? Why would they do this? What was the purpose? What meaning did this have? Removing his eyes from the paintings, Will saw another sheet of paper on the ground. His fingers gingerly grabbed it. The paper was new, not old. All of this was fresh. This was message for him.

The paper was folded double. On the top said one word: Question. Will slowly opened the paper, hands shaking. He was afraid to see the other side. The message was not long. However, it sent a shock up Will's spine. Horror quickly followed it. Grayson found him a few minutes later. Will was still on his knees before the paintings. In his hand was the paper. Yet Will's eyes were not looking at the words. They were glazed with shock, pain, and confusion. Grayson gently shook Will but his young master did not respond. Then he took the paper and read the words written:

He plays a good game.

Tell me- Has he told you everything? Has he told you the truth...

About his broken promises?

About his plans to make rivers run red?

About how he betrayed them all?

I know you guys will ask: the cloaked figure was Tyler.

Now it's time for Bruce to start talking. Time for him to make a choice: truth or lies? Both have consequences. Some more deadly than others.

Please tell me if you want chapters quicker or longer chapters!