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| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/dice_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Dice Chapter Icon Usage'}] ''[LoC|Lord of Chaos]: A Different Dance'' %% 
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! __Mat__ POV

[Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and the leaders of his [Band of the Red Hand] are staying at The [Golden Stag|../geography/cairhien/maerone/golden_stag] in [Maerone|../geography/cairhien/maerone/index] across the river from [Aringill]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon]'s [Redarms|Band of the Red Hand] defeated the [White Lions|Caemlyn] who were holding [Maerone|../geography/cairhien/maerone/index]. After their defeat they headed east, further into [Cairhien|Cairhien (Country)].[1] Mistress [Daelvin|daelvin] is the innkeeper of The [Golden Stag|../geography/cairhien/maerone/golden_stag]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] is in the common room with his commanders [Talmanes|Talmanes Delovinde], [Daerid|Daerid Ondin] and [Nalesean|Nalesean Aldiaya]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] flirts with [Betse Silvin|../characters/b/betse_silvin], one of the serving girls. She admires his [foxhead medallion|Foxhead Medallion] and asks where he got the scar on his neck. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells her he was hanged for knowledge.[2] [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] dances with her and memories start floating up - Wearing [Barsine|../history/jaramide/index] lace and sapphire studs from [Aramaelle] while dancing with the [Wavemistress|Sea Folk] of Clan [Shodein|../organizations/sea_folk.html#c] in the court of [Shaemal|../../history/coremanda/index] in [Coremanda|../history/coremanda/index]. There will soon be news that [Barsine|../history/jaramide/index] has fallen to the [Trollocs]. This was the beginning of the [Trolloc Wars] and the fall of [Coremanda|../history/coremanda/index], [Essenia|../history/essenia/index], [Manetheren] and [Eharon|../history/eharon/index]. His memories range from long before the [Trolloc Wars] to the final battle of [Artur Hawkwing]'s rise. The [Band of the Red Hand] is now six thousand strong. He still worries about being linked to the [Horn of Valere]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] asks the girl if she ever heard of the [Daughter of the Nine Moons|Tuon] but she has not. [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] enters the common room to remind [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] that it is time for inspections. This day they inspect the town inns. [Maerone|../geography/cairhien/maerone/index] used to be a major thoroughfare of commerce and so has many inns such as [The Fox and Goose|../geography/cairhien/maerone/fox_goose], [The Wagoner's Whip|../geography/cairhien/maerone/wagoners_whip], [The River Gate|../geography/cairhien/maerone/river_gate], [The Erinin Inn|../geography/cairhien/maerone/erinin_inn], [The Three Towers|../geography/cairhien/maerone/three_towers] and [The Silver Horn|../geography/cairhien/maerone/silver_horn]. [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] is of House [Selorna|../geography/tear/index.html#h] and [Nalesean|../../characters/n/nalesean] is of House [Aldiaya|../geography/tear/index.html#h]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] thinks [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] is cannier than [Nalesean|Nalesean Aldiaya], but House [Aldiaya|../geography/tear/index.html#h] outranks House [Selorna|../../geography/tear/index.html#h]. [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] heard a rumor that [Rand|Rand alThor] was in town yesterday. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] wonders how he knows. [Rand|Rand alThor] did, indeed, visit [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] yesterday, gating into his room late at night. He ranted about finishing [Sammael] and casually mentioned that [Mazrim Taim] joined him. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] hear a disturbance down the street. Two [Mindean|../geography/murandy/mindea/index] men from [Murandy], [Paers|paers] and [Culen|culen], are threatening a small boy for touching their horse. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] knocks them down. Their servant, [Padry|padry], moans over their injuries and tells [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] they are [Hunters of the Horn|Horn of Valere]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells one of his file leaders, [Harnan|harnan], to run them all out of town. The boy says his name is [Olver] and that he is good with horses. The [Shaido] killed his father and his mother died of illness. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells [Edorion|Edorion Selorna] to take him back to The [Golden Stag|../geography/cairhien/maerone/golden_stag] and get him cleaned up. [Estean|Estean Andiama] runs up with news that there is a [Sea Folk] ship at the dock. [Estean|Estean Andiama] takes [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] to the docks. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] can see a delegation disembarking at [Aringill] and recognizes two of them as a clan [Wavemistress|Sea Folk] and her [Swordmaster|Sea Folk]. The ship raises anchor and sails north toward the mouth of the [River Alguenya|../geography/rivers/alguenya].[3] [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] returns to The [Golden Stag|../geography/cairhien/maerone/golden_stag] and dances some more with [Betse Silvin|../characters/b/betse_silvin]. After midnight, [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells [Talmanes|Talmanes Delovinde], [Daerid|Daerid Ondin] and [Nalesean|Nalesean Aldiaya] that they are leaving at dawn. The next morning [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] rides [Pips] as his captains, [Talmanes|Talmanes Delovinde], [Daerid|Daerid Ondin], [Meresin|Meresin Daganred], [Alhandrin|alhandrin], [Carlomin] and [Reimon] ready their troops. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon]'s banner is a red hand on a white field with his motto, ''[Dovie'andi se tovya sagain.|../history/compleat.html#phDovie'andi]'' "It's time to toss the dice" in the [Old Tongue]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] cites strategy from [Comadrin|comadrin], a general six hundred years before [Hawkwing|Artur Hawkwing]. He remembers meeting [Comadrin|comadrin]. They will be in [Tear|Tear (Country)] in a month. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] thinks that what will happen is different than what anyone but he, [Rand|Rand alThor] and [Bashere|Davram Bashere] suspects.[4]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] And some of them eventually join [Toram Riatin]. ([ACoS,Ch35])
\\[#2] This is one of Robert Jordan's most direct connections between [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and Odin from Norse mythology.
\\[#3] The ship is the ''[White Spray]''. The [Wavemistress|Sea Folk] in the delegation is [Zaida din Parede Blackwing]. Her [Windfinder|Sea Folk], [Shielyn], also accompanies them. They left their ship, the ''Blue Gull'', moored in [Tear|Tear (Country)]. ([KoD,Ch22]) [Harine din Togara Two Winds|Harine] is still on board heading for [Cairhien|Cairhien (City)]. ([LoC,Ch28], [WH,Ch11])
\\[#4] This secret plan is finally revealed and executed in [ACoS,Ch41].
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