Perrin POV#

Perrin and Aram are alone in the common room of the Winespring Inn. He is writing a letter to Faile. Ban al'Seen enters and reports that the scouts have reports thousands of Trollocs to the north and south. Outside, Wil al'Seen now proudly carries the wolf-head banner. Perrin mounts Stepper and rides to the center of the village where the women are amassed guarding the children. Marin al'Vere, Daise Congar, Alsbet Luhhan and Neysa Ayellin have organized the older children including Bodewhin and Eldrin. The TuathaAn including Raen and Ila are with the children as well. Ban alSeen and Tell ride with Perrin and Wil and the rest follow. Aram refuses to leave Perrin. Dain Bornhald, Jaret Byar and the rest of the Whitecloaks, about four hundred, are mounted nearby preparing to leave. Perrin offers to let them arrest him if they stay and Dain agrees. At the west end Haral Luhhan and Abell Cauthon have everyone organized. At the south, Tam al'Thor is in charge with Alanna and Ihvon. Jon Thane and Samel Crawe have the east. Perrin decides to man the north end with Bran, Gaul, Chiad and Loial. Perrin sees all sorts of familiar faces in the ranks, Eward Candwin, Paet al'Caar, Buel Dowtry, Jac al'Seen, Wit al'Seen, Flann Lewin, Jaim Torfinn, Hu Marwin, Elam Dowtry, Dav Ayellin, Ewin Finngar, Hari Coplin, Darl Coplin, Bili Congar, Berin Thane, Athan Dearn, Kevrim al'Azar and Tuck Padwhin. Perrin rides over to Verin. Verin tells him he is a very interesting study along with Rand and Mat. Verin says, "You do not know what marrying [Zarine Bashere] means, do you?" Looking at his axe, she says, "When are you going to give this up for the hammer?" Perrin wonders what she knows and what she means by this.[1]

Suddenly there is a roar from the woods, "Isam!" Verin murmurs that that is interesting.[2] The Trollocs shout, "Isam!" twice more then attack. There are so many Trollocs they reach the village and overrun the wall of stakes. Aram saves Perrin when a Trolloc grabs him. The women are fighting as well. A boy brings word that men from Deven Ride are attacking the Trollocs from the south. Then Perrin sees the Manetheren banner to the north. Men from Watch Hill have arrived with Faile and Bain. The boy returns with another report on the men from Deven Ride. Perrin thanks him and asks his name. The boy says he is Jaim Aybara and thinks he is a distant cousin. Perrin calls him Cousin and the boy runs away, delighted, to tell his friend Had.

The Trollocs and Fades are slaughtered. Perrin rides out to meet Faile. Faile is ecstatic that men followed her in battle. Even Tenobia has not done that. She wanted to, but Davram Bashere forced her to change her mind. Perrin thinks that the victory does not make up for Deselle and Adora and Paet, but it will have to do. All the people of the Two Rivers surround him and Faile.

The Whitecloaks ride up led by Dain and Byar. Dain tries to arrest Perrin. Perrin tells him their bargain is void because they did not help. Dain says he will see Perrin dead if the world burns and another Whitecloak, Farran, draws his sword. Perrin orders them to leave the Two Rivers and the throng supports him. The Whitecloaks make their retreat. A group of Watch Hill men come up and their leader introduces himself as Jerinvar Barstere. He says they will accompany the Whitecloaks if it is alright with Perrin and Perrin gives his okay.

After they leave, Faile tells Perrin that that was the mayor of Watch Hill and the Village Council. The Wisdom, Edelle Gaelin, and the Women's Circle will be paying a call on Perrin once all is safe. Perrin says all he wants is to be a blacksmith, but Faile tells him it is too late. They ride back to the inn to shouts of "Lord Perrin Goldeneyes!"
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Padan Fain POV#

Watching from a tree a mile north, Ordeith does not understand how things went wrong. Isam played into his hands, but why did he stop bringing in Trollocs?[3] He wanted the Two Rivers totally destroyed in order to bring Rand to him. He sees the Manetheren banner and thinks that this will give him another way to scourge them.[4] He misses the ruby dagger and plans to retrieve it from the White Tower.[5] He drops to the ground and gathers his thirty ex-Whitecloaks and the Fade. The Fade fears that Isam will find it. Thinking on this, Ordeith is pleased that Isam was angry that the Taren Ferry raid let so many escape.[6] They gallop north to Caemlyn,[7] then Tar Valon.

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