Knife of Dreams: Chapter 4

A Deal

Author: Annouk Vinkona Ùlfanna

Characters: Perrin, Gallenne, Berelain, Jur Grady, Annoura, Arganda, Aram, Leof Torfinn, Tod al'Caar, Tallanvor, Tylee Khirgan, Bakayar Mishima, Jondyn Barran, Jori Congar, Dannil, Tell

Setting: near Malden

Point of view: Perrin

Perrin and his party are waiting for the Seanchan to start negotiations about cooperation in fighting the Shaido in Malden. Berelain and Annoura are still distanced because Berelain now knows that Annoura visited Masema behind her back. Arganda wants the Seanchan to come, while Aram is doubtful that they will. The "Prophet" said they wouldn't. Perrin sees swirling colors when he thinks about Mat, seeing him talking to a small dark woman, but shoves them away, thinking to himself that Faile is all that matters.

Perrin smells and hears the other party arriving long before the others do. The sign announces a large party of men, perhaps unfriendly. Tallanvor accompanies the Seanchan. He had led the negotiations that had lead to this meeting. A damane is with the Seanchan party. Tallanvor introduces the two parties formally. The Seanchan are lead by Tylee Khirgan and Bakayar Mishima. When she sees him, Tylee is glad that Perrin is not introduced as the Wolf King, because a line from the Seanchan version of the Prophecies of the Dragon says: "When the Wolf King carries the hammer, thus are the final days known. When the fox marries the raven, and the trumpets of battle are blown."

Tylee asks Berelain about her name, which hints at a connection to Artur Paendrag. She would be honored by the Empress for being from the same descendants as long as she didn't claim the land the Seanchan are about to reclaim. Berelain answers proudly that she is indeed a descendant of Artur Paendrag and that she only claims Mayene, which she will defend to her last breath.

Both parties have many more men in the woods than was agreed on. Perrin convinces the Seanchan that he, for one, has no reason to ambush them. He further demonstrates the power of his army by having two Two Rivers longbows hit a branch in his hand, which is then burned by one of the Asha'man. The damane with the Seanchan party notices that saidin is being wielded without Perrin having to mention the presence of the Asha'man.

The Asha'man and Perrin's proposal to give up any claim on Manetheren convince Tylee to withdraw her forces. The Seanchan blow a whistle to tell their soldiers to leave while Perrin simply shouts to Dannil and Tell to gather everyone and leave as soon as the Seanchan are out of the forest.

The negotiations begin with Tylee asking what Perrin can bring to the plan. He does not have trained soldiers but many channelers, male and female, for which he demands a promise that they will not be leashed. Additionally, it will have to be done with his own plan. He tells the Seanchan about the amount of channeling Wise Ones in the Shaido camp. The Seanchan are surprised, since none of the Shaido they encountered in Amadicia had channeling Wise Ones. Perrin tells them that he would need large amounts of forkroot to feed the Wise Ones through the aqueduct above Malden. That can only be obtained by asking a superior, which Tylee wants to avoid. Perrin hands her a piece of paper with a message from the High Lady Suroth herself. It reads that every help needs to be granted to anyone carrying that message, no questions asked. They seal the deal.

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