A/N- If I recall, Rand and Moraine don't leave the Two Rivers in the first book until he's about twenty. Does that sound right to everybody? Rand is eighteen now. He'll mainly stick to the Two Rivers, but could leave for a bit. Nobody knows that name of the Andorran 'Lord' who supposedly went to Shayol Ghul in the Two Rivers, and nobody knows that Rand is meant to be dead.

Rain dropped to the ground and lightning flashed overhead, briefly lighting the darkened grounds. Bodies lay strewn all everywhere, some Trolloc and some humans. The smell of death was strong, and wolves howled loudly in the background. Standing in front of him was Slayer, his face twisted with rage. A scar had been slashed into his face, looking fresh and painful as it scraped a line through his cheek and his empty eye socket. His other eye glared at him, hard blue lined with an aura of crimson and darkness. Flames burned from those eyes and the other man wandered if that terrible eye had caused the burns that covered and marred the left hand side of his face.

"It ends here! You have ruined my plans for the last time!" Slayer hissed, his voice both high and low, two people speaking from one. Slayer lifted his sword, a black-gloved hand gripping a silver hilt and a raven-black blade. Darkness extended off the blade, coiling and radiating off it as it withered and twisted on the blade. He drew his own sword, silver and burning, intoxicating light burning brightly, and he jumped forward. The swords clashed, darkness and light bearing together, and there was a loud roar. Lightning erupted from where the swords struck and something blew back both fighters. Slayer landed painfully on the ground, his lips curved in a predatory and insane snarl, while the other fighter looked up with steely grey eyes. Rand stood up calmly, older, slightly taller and his eyes hard with determination and…

Two people woke up with the same dream, at opposite ends of the continent. One of them was Min Farshaw, sweating and trembling as she sat up in her bed, hands shaking. She had never had a dream like that before, so real and vivid. Her visions had never been like that either, but Min knew that she had seen what was to come. She would not get anymore sleep again tonight.

"Ta'veren," Min whispered to herself. "Oh Rand, how I pity you."

In the Aiel Waste, a woman with white hair and strong eyes gasped up from her bed as the sun was just rising. For a moment, she shook slightly as she sat up next to her husband, Rhurac, a clan chief.

"What is it?" Rhurac asked, any signs of tiredness from just waking up gone as he eyed the room. A spear leant against the bed and Rhurac's hand hovered above it.

Amys said nothing as she replayed the dream in her mind. She had never felt anything like that before; no dream had ever been so vivid even for her, a Dream Walker. But wasn't he dead? She could not find his dreams anymore; they were simply not there. He had to be dead…unless something blocked and shielded his dreams. First she had to calm down and interpret as much of this as she could. She would recall Aviendha and Enaila, perhaps they could tell her who the other man was.

"Go to sleep Husband," Amys offered.

Rhurac grunted back allowed himself to fall back on the mattress. But only one of them slept again that night, and two women from different sides of the world lay restless and confused.

On contrast to the two seers, Rand had had a perfectly well rested night of sleep. His bed was just as comfortable as he had remembered it when he was child. He woke up in the morning to the chatters and songs of the native birds. Smiling, he lay back as he listened to sounds he hadn't heard in years.

"Good morning Rand," Tam said cheerfully as he walked in the room. He frowned at Rand, who lay in his bed feeling sheepish.

"I'm not used to waking early anymore Rand said, blushing slightly as he jumped out of bed. He looked at his Tinker clothing and frowned at the muddy and dirty cloths. Tam noticed his look and produced a bundle from his hands. It was a dark tunic with trousers, and sturdy leather boots.

"I though you could use some new clothes," Tam admitted.

"Thankyou," Rand said gratefully as took the clothes.

"There's breakfast on the table. I have to ready the cart, I'm taking some homebrew to the Inn." Tam said.

"I'll eat fast and join you," Rand said.

Tam looked grateful, the casks of homebrew were very heavy for one man. He left and Rand changed quickly. For a moment he hesitated, before he strapped his sword to his waist and his general accompaniment of assorted knives. His hammer he strapped onto his back and pulled on a dark cloak to hide it. He looked at himself in the only mirror in the house. He had grown taller, yes, but skinnier. He could see his ribs poking from his stomach and grimaced. It would take him a long time to heal. Maybe the Wisdom could help him with some herbs and treatments.

After a hurried breakfast, mainly bread and goat's milk, Rand helped his father load the cart. There were eleven casks and by the time Rand and Tam had lifted the last one up, Rand was panting and exhausted from the effort.

"Light, you really are not well," Tam muttered in worry.

Rand waved it aside with his hand, gasping for breath. "I just…" he started, coughing slightly. A few droplets of blood coated his fingers and he frowned. "I just need to rest and build up my muscles." He explained.

"I think you need something more than that," Tam said as he glanced at the blood. "Come, I'll take you to the new wisdom."

Rand sat in the front seat of the cart as Tam tied the horse onto it. Nearby, Rand's new horse grazed in the grass calmly, a rope coiled around it's neck and to a strong and sturdy pole. Tam urged the horse forward and the cart started moving.

Rand leant back as the cart moved slowly, the horse walking at a trot. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of the sun on his face and the breeze in his hair. It was very relaxing and Rand could feel the tiredness in his body urging him to doze off lightly. As his mind wandered, enjoying its rest, the cart suddenly stopped and something shook him.

"Rand?" Tam asked in concern.

"I'm fine, really." Rand said as he opened his eyes. Tam nodded, but looked as if he didn't believe Rand, and got off the cart. They were in front of the Two Rivers inn, in Eomers field. The familiar buildings hadn't changed much, the Blacksmith had a new thatch roof, the Inn had a new coat of paint, but other than that it was like Rand had never left.

Master al'Vere burst out of the inn, a giant smile on his face as he strode up to Tam.

"Ah! Perfect! Your brew is easily some of the best, we will have a happy inn tonight!" He said. He was a portly man with red cheeks and dark eyes. In fact, Rand had been he only citizen of Two Rivers to have light eyes. Suddenly Master al'Vere spotted the figure getting out of the cart and he gaped in disbelief.

"My word, if it isn't Rand al'Thor!" He said and strode forward. He pulled Rand into a manly hug, vigorously shaking his hand. "Welcome back to the Two Rivers!"

Rand smiled tightly and when Master al'Vere let go of his hand, he discreetly rubbed it. "It's good to be back," he said.

Master al'Vere beamed as he helped Tam unload the casks. When Rand approached, Tam sent him a steady look.

"Rand, go find Nynaeve and get yourself looked at. She's the new Wisdom, she will be able to help you." He ordered sternly.

Rand nodded and walked away from the Inn. People bustled over the town, some meeting his eyes with recognition and flinching away. Rand had never been fully welcome in the town once he had been gentled and they had found out, but the Woman's Council had been quite firm about those who wanted him gone. He was from the Two Rivers and Two Rives folk do not turn on one another.

Suddenly two figures burst out from one side of a house. One of them was a slim youth, Rand's age, with brown eyes and a mischievous smile that always made him seem like he was up to no good, and with Mat you could count on that he always was. He was shorter than Rand but taller than most people in Two Rivers. The other was a slightly smaller and stockier boy, with thick arms. Despite his large frame, Perrin was a gentle person but had a wicked temper once unleashed.

"Light, that was fun!" Mat crowed loudly, still laughing.

Perrin shook his head in exasperation. "Nynaeve will switch you for this," He said.

Mat shrugged. "It was worth it. Did you see the expression on her face!"

"MAT CAUTHON!" Came a loud shriek as a dark haired girl with braids and dark eyes stalked from the same path the two boys had come from. She was dripping wet, her clothes drenched and her hair sticking to her face. Her eyes flashed as she advanced upon Mat. Perrin shook his head silently, but a small smile was curved on his lips as Mat took one look at the girl, Egwene, and laughed furiously again.

"Do you think this is funny?" Egwene demanded, her hands on her hips as she bore down on Mat. "You emptied a bucket of water onto me!"

"And you put herbs in my drink yesterday that made it bitter," Mat countered as he grinned mischievously. "So its even."

"I swear Mat, I will…" Egwene started before she caught sight of Rand leaning on one of the houses and watching with amusement. She froze, her dark eyes wide as she instantly recognised him and her mouth dropped open.

"Egwene?" Mat asked, his smile fading as concern replaced amusement. "Are you alright?"

"Rand!" Egwene breathed, a smile forming on her face.

"What?" Mat asked in confusion before he swivelled around and jumped up in shock. Perrin looked pleased as a smile came over his face as Rand approached them.

"Still up to trouble Mat?" Rand asked, his arms folded.

"Blood and Ashes!" Mat swore, and for once Egwene did not frown and titter. "You've gotten big! Light, I was going to enjoy being the tallest person in Two Rivers."

"Is that all you can say Mat?" Perrin said as he came forward. "You look well…actually, you don't, but it's good to see you again."

He gave Rand a thump on the back as Mat came up, almost skipping as a wide smile took his face.

"It's about time," he snorted. "We were beginning to think you had found another home,"

Egwene composed herself rather quickly and stared at him with her dark eyes. "Hello Rand."

"Hello Egwene," Rand said, a bit uncomfortably. Egwene had always followed him around when he had been a kid, and Rand had secretly suspected that her mother and Tam had been arranging a marriage for the both of them before he had left.

Egwene suddenly looked down at herself and blushed at her muddy and wet clothes. She glared venomously at Mat, who shrugged uncomfortably and apologetically.

"I didn't know he would be here," He was quick to defend himself.

"Do you have him Egwene?" Came a crisp voice as a tall woman stalked up, her dark hair braided into one long braid. Nynaeve was maybe six years older than he was, and had grown up to become a very beautiful women. She stared at Rand for a moment and her brows furrowed, before her anger faded away and she smiled slightly.

"Come home have you?" She asked Rand. "It's about time you stopped being a fool and retuned to your senses."

"Well, you haven't changed," Rand, said wryly, but he smiled. "It's good to see you again, Nynaeve. And you Mat, Perrin, Egwene."

"So, what was your journey like?" Mat asked eagerly.

Rand hesitated. "Long," he finally answered. "But I saw a lot of different places and people. Light, one day you have to see Caemlyn. It's the greatest city in the world. And Fal Dara is like the forts of the stories, with soldiers and walls and as giant castle. And Whitebridge, you would like Whitebridge."

Mat looked eager to hear more as Perrin opened his mouth.

"Maybe we should go to the Inn in twenty minutes. It would give some people time to get ready." He said, his eyes flicking to Egwene and her wet clothes. Egwene coloured and drew herself up, her head held high. "I would not need a change of clothes if somebody hadn't thrown a bucket of water at me!"

Nynaeve seemed to remember the reason she was here and rounded off onto Mat, her tongue sharp and belittling as she called Mat everything from a fool to a blasted mischief-making brat. After a few seconds of her tirade, Rand caught the glimpse of pleading in Mat's eye and sighed.

"I heard that you were the new Wisdom Nynaeve," Rand said loudly.

Nynaeve looked decidedly smug and pleased with herself, and Mat was forgotten as she drew herself up. "I am," She replied.

"I…I might need some herbs to help me. I was…in a coma of sorts for eight months, and then I received some wounds that were infected. They were treated but I'm not feeling so well." Rand said and was rewarded with a quick flash of appreciation and gratitude by Mat.

Nynaeve pursed her lips but looked him up and down. He did look sick, his ribs were poking through his clothes and his face was pale and tight.

"Alright," She said as she withdrew a small pouch from her cloak. Inside were her vials of herbs and mixtures. "Where were the wounds that became infected?"

Rand gestured to his shoulder and stomach and Nynaeve stalked walking towards the Inn.

"Well, are you coming?" She called over her shoulder.

Rand followed her with Mat and Perrin walking next to him, and Egwene trailing behind him. It was only a two-minute walk, but Rand was still tired from the lifting and half way there he had to partially lean on Perrin as his legs started aching badly. He didn't see Mat and Perrin exchange worried looks behind Rand's back as Perrin gently led Rand towards and Inn, and Mat opened the door.

Inside, Tam and Master al'Vere were talking softly over a table, while a few men drank at the small bar. Nynaeve ignored everybody as she directed Rand into a chair and pursed her lips.

"Alright," She said in her no-nonsense tone. "Take off your shirt,"

Mat, who sat on his left, gaped at her and she gave him a withering look that made him flinch.

"Show me the wounds," She repeated, as if talking to a child. Egwene stood behind her, her dark eyes staring unflinchingly at Rand.

Rand slowly took of his shirt, leaving his bare chest. Mat whistled as he took in the various scars that Rand had acquired over the years.

"Where did you get this?" Mat asked as he pointed to a small straight scar on his stomach.

"I was stabbed, the blade went straight through me," Rand said gruffly.

"That's an arrow point," Perrin said as he pointed to a scar near his shoulder.

"Whitecloak," Rand admitted.

"Who did this?" Mat asked, pointing to a slash across the breast.

"Whitecloaks again," Rand said and offered a small smile. "We don't like each other,"

Nynaeve sniffed loudly, muttering about foolish men waving swords about.

As Mat opened his mouth again, Rand sighed, suddenly feeling annoyed. "This slash on my right side was a sword, the three gashes on my back was some kind of animal, the small scar on my face was a Whitecloak again, the scar on my hairline was a sword, there's one on my scalp," He said, a little annoyed at their prying. "Are you done staring now?"

Mat and Perrin looked slightly abashed as Rand turned to Nynaeve.

"Here it is," Rand said as he gestured to a scar on his stomach. "There's another on my back," They were the wounds that Slayer had made with his powers, cutting into him. They had been filled with pus at one point, which had been described as a sort of liquid black fluid that squirmed, but Ila of the Tinkers had drained it and sewed the wounds back up.

Nynaeve circled him, her fingers flitting over first the scar on his stomach, then the one across his shoulders. She shuddered at the last one and withdrew her hand quickly.

"I thought you said that the infection had been taken care of," She grumbled as she pulled out a small pinch of mushed herbs. "It's full of pus,"

Rand stiffened and quickly leant away from Nynaeve's touch. "Don't touch it!" He said quickly.

Nynaeve scowled at him. "Do not be a fool Rand al'Thor, I was using herbs when you were a baby."

"Nynaeve, don't touch it!" Rand said warningly. Nynaeve hesitated at the power of the caution in his voice.

"Then what do you want me to do with it?" She asked him snappily.

"Get a bowl of some sort, one you can throw away. Then, get a small knife." Rand instructed. "Open the wound and let the pus flow into the bowl. Do not let any of it touch you, or drip onto the ground."

"I am not a fool," Nynaeve muttered irritably. She fumbled for something on her person, and a small clay bowl was produced.

"Lean back," She commanded and Rand did as she said. There were cool hands that inspected the old scar for a moment, and then Nynaeve produced a small knife.

"Use this one," Rand said as he gestured to one of his throwing knives that lay next to his crumpled shirt. "Then put it into the bowl when you're done. You won't be able to keep that knife if the pus touches it,"

Nynaeve frowned but picked up his knife. Rand grimaced suddenly as she sliced open the wound, and he could suddenly feel a lightness that came as something dripped into the bowl, making a splashing noise.

"Blood and Ashes!" Mat breathed in horror, looking behind Rand with a look of disgust on his face. Perrin's face mirrored his, and Egwene had her hands to her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. Nynaeve breathed in deeply, but the hand on Rand's shoulder to hold him still never wavered.

"What is that?" Egwene asked, her nose wrinkling as a smell came into the air. It smelt like death and decay, rotten food and spoiled meat with blood and Trolloc sweat all rolled into one.

"Evil," was all Rand said. The other patrons in the Inn had noticed the smell and had walked over to where Rand was laying down.

"That is disgusting!' One of the men cried out, jumping back as far away from Rand as he could.

"Light Rand!" Tam muttered in horror. "Who did this to you?"

"An enemy of mine." Rand said, grimacing as something squirmed on his back. A cool blade scraped along the skin of his shoulders and Rand heard a small splash.

"What happened to him?" Mat asked, leaning forward as if he had forgotten that tainted wound was there.

"We fought." Rand said, frowning. "He won and he thinks I'm dead,"

"Light!" Nynaeve breathed in softly, so softly that Rand thought that he had been the only one to here her. After a few minutes of silence, Nynaeve removed the hand on his shoulder that held him down. Rand her rustling noises and a smell of herbs and cloth was dragged over his back. He grimaced, grunting softly with pain as the rag dug into the wound, cleaning in roughly and thoroughly. Nynaeve stood up, a bowl being held out in front of her.

"Is that it?" Rand asked her, and she nodded. There was a slightly ill look on her face, but she was doing better than Perrin and Egwene, both who were looking very green and sick. "I'll take care of it," He said as he stood, quickly donning his shirt.

Nynaeve was only too glad to pass the bowl over with the knife laying inside. Rand looked down and saw oily liquid, black as the night and withering with taint as if it were alive. He carefully put the bowl down and turned to Tam.

"Do you have any casks left?" Rand asked him.

Tam nodded, a worried look on his face as he regarded his son. "There's one out the front, in the cart." He said.

"Get it and bring it in here," Rand said as he held the bowl out in front of him with an uneasy look on his face. Would this stuff keep growing from him?

Tam left and returned a minute later, a small cask in his hand. He opened it, screwing the lid off and Rand dropped the bowl inside. Tam quickly shut the lid and dropped the cask to the ground as Rand moved his shoulders experimentally.

"Thankyou Nynaeve," Rand said honestly.

Nynaeve sniffed, tugging at her braid as she glared at him. "Maybe next time you will stay home before you consider rushing off and getting infections like that again," She said.

Rand frowned at her back as she whirled around, gesturing for Egwene. Both of them left the Inn, though Egwene did it reluctantly and her eyes washed over Rand just before she left.

"So, what can I do here?" Rand asked Tam. "I'm staying for a bit, so…"

Tam smiled brilliantly, his hand clasping Rand's shoulder. "Well, there's a tree stump in the second paddock, the one near the river if you don't remember. I could use help removing it."

Rand nodded and stood up, buttoning the rest of his shirt. "Lead on," He said.

"That is an interesting tale you tell, Lord Luc," Queen Morgase said thoughtfully. "Do tell it again."

Lord Luc bowed deeply. "Your majesty, my sisters Aes Sedai advisor came to me and told me that it was essential that I go north, towards the Blight. She said that glories and riches and power unlike anything I had known would come to me if I did. I was young, My Queen, young and foolish, so I listened to her and went. Before I reached Fal Dara, in Shienar, bandits and muggers attacked me. They outnumbered me and took my clothes, horse and left me for dead. I was found by a wandering farmer and taken into his house and looked after, but I had lost all of my memories and for the last decade I have been on a farm. A few months ago, I was struck on the head by a falling piece of timber and my memories returned. I immediately returned here, only to find that my sister had vanished a year after I had left."

Queen Morgase frowned, as Lord Luc looked bewildered and slightly lost. "My Queen…I…I don't know what to do anymore. I…I can't go back to being a farmer with the knowledge of who I was. I…what should I do?"

The last part was whispered and the heartbroken and confused look on Lord Luc made him seem like a child, lost and confused in a world that it didn't understand.

"Lord Luc," The Queen said tersely, but her voice had softened. "Get some rest. We will talk about what to do with you after you have slept. You look like you need it."

Lord Luc bowed deeply and respectfully, just as Elayne walked into the hall, dressed in fine silks and her head held high. Her red-gold hair spilled over her shoulders and for a second, Lord Luc stared at her, his mouth open and going dry. Suddenly, as if he remembered where he was, he blushed a brilliant red and averted his eyes.

"Ah…Y-Your Majesty…I'll…I'll just go…rest, yes, that sounds good," Lord Luc stammered, taking one quick look at Elayne and leaving quickly. Morgase smiled as he left, eyeing Elayne shrewdly.

"He seemed quite taken with you, daughter," She mused.

Elayne blushed slightly. "Who was he? He looks familiar,"

"That is Lord Luc. He was Tigraine's brother, the daughter-heir who vanished twenty years ago. It was her sudden disappearance that allowed me to gain the throne. According to Luc, he had lost his memories and only recently had recovered them." Morgase answered.

"Is he lying, trying to get back his power?" Elayne asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Morgase answered thoughtfully. "He did not seem like the type though, he was not very good at hiding his emotions. But, I will watch him carefully."

Elayne nodded. "He looked familiar Mother, as if I had seen him before."

"There are portraits of him in the palace." Morgase said dismissively. "Now, what did you come here for?"

"I was just curious to see who the new Lord that the maids were gossiping about," Elayne answered.

Inside his rooms, Lord Luc dropped his mask and his face changed from a peaceful if slightly bumbling man, to a cold and hard face with malicious eyes.

"Everything is working perfectly, Great Lord," He whispered. For a moment, it sounded as if two voices had spoken at once and Lord Luc, known as Slayer to the Trollocs, smiled coldly as he lay down in the bed. He would need rest if he were to continue this charade. He would stay here for a few years, acting harmless and content with his new life, and he would carefully set up his plans.

For a moment, he contemplated failure and shuddered slightly. The Great Lord had not been pleased with his other failure and Slayer had been punished severely, almost to the point of death. But he had another chance to serve the Great Lord again, and he would not fail. Rand al'Thor was dead, and there was nobody who could recognise him. But he had forgotten one person as he went to sleep, one person who he had talked to and revealed himself as a Darkfriend.