The Great Hunt: Chapter 3
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: Ruby Hilted Dagger
Point of View: Rand
Characters: Rand, Ragan, Masema, Loial, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Changu, Padan Fain
Setting: The Fal Dara keep
Contents
Outline
After discovering he cannot leave the keep, and that Padan Fain is having a bad day, Egwene hides Rand in the women's apartments.
Summary
Upon learning that the Amyrlin Seat will soon be sending for him, Rand is desperate to leave Fal Dara. He makes his way towards the sally gate, but finds that it is closed tight and guarded by Ragan and Masema. Rand tells them that he just wants to go out and hunt rabbits, but they inform him that Lord Agelmar has ordered that no one is to leave the keep. Rand laughs, asking why Agelmar would want to keep him inside the keep. Ragan and Masema do not have an answer for him, but will not let him leave. Rand finally says that he will just go walk in the gardens instead.
Rand, however, does not go to the gardens. He makes his way to the Carter's Gate, but finds that it is locked and guarded as well; it is the same with the Dog Gate. He is discouraged, and very afraid that the Amyrlin will find him and gentle him. He begins to wonder if it would really be so bad to be gentled, but recalls that men who are gentled almost always die soon afterwards. He makes his way through the keep, and finally ends up in a storeroom. He finds a semicircle of men kneeling in front of one of the walls, throwing dice. Loial is watching them, and the Ogier greets Rand before beginning to speak of the Amyrlin. "She looks tired, don't you think? It cannot be easy, being Amyrlin. Worse than being an Elder, I suppose." Loial continues to say that the men will not dice with him, but simply say "Glory to the Builders," whenever he suggests playing with them. Rand suddenly remembers that it was the Ogier who built Fal Dara, and asks Loial if he knows any way out of the keep other than through the gates. Loial tells him that though the Ogier built Mafal Dadaranell - an ancient city that once stood where Fal Dara now stands - that Fal Dara had been built by men. Rand insists that he needs to get out of Fal Dara. Loial, thinking that Rand is sick, calls for Mat and Perrin.
Both of the other Two Rivers boys appear, and they ask Rand why he thinks that he must leave. Finally, Mat asks how they will all get out of the keep, and Rand realizes that Mat and Perrin intend to accompany him. Knowing that he must go alone, Rand says some harsh things to them. "Maybe I don't want you two going with me, always hanging around, falling into trouble and expecting me to pull you out. You ever think of that? Burn me, did it ever occur to you I might be tired of always having you there whenever I turn around? Always there, and I'm tired of it." Perrin looks hurt at his words, and Mat's face becomes stiff, and they leave. To get rid of Loial, Rand says, "You are no use to me if you don't know a way out. Go on! Go find your trees, and your precious groves, if they haven't all been cut down, and good riddance to them if they have." Loial is shocked, and leaves. All of the Shienaran gamblers are staring at him, and he stumbles out of the storeroom.
Rand begins searching for somewhere that he can hide, but can't find a place that he thinks is safe enough. Eventually, he runs into Egwene. She tells him that she heard from Mat, Perrin and Loial what had happened earlier, and is very displeased. He doesn't care, and tries to get rid of her, too. "There are plenty of Aes Sedai here for you to moon around, now. And don't tell any of them you saw me. They're after me, and I don't need you helping them." Egwene becomes upset that Rand thinks she would help the Aes Sedai capture him. He turns to walk away, but she throws herself at him, knocking them both to the floor. In an attempt to keep him from leaving, she sits on him. Rand threatens to do something to her with the One Power, but she tells him that, "I know you cannot channel the One Power whenever you want; it just happens, and you cannot control it." She, on the other hand, has been taking lessons from Moiraine. To prove it, she channels, and a torch bursts into flame. Eventually, Rand tells Egwene what Lan had said earlier, and she decides to help him, suggesting that they go to the dungeon. Wary, he tries to jump to his feet, but Egwene assures him that he will not be hiding in a cell. She also mentions that Padan Fain is down there, and that since she often goes to visit him, no one will question their going into the dungeons.
At the door to the dungeon, they encounter Changu, who asks what they want. After he recognizes Egwene and asks who Rand is, he leads them to Padan Fain's cell. As Egwene approaches Fain, Rand hangs back; Padan Fain announces that he can feel that Rand is there, and says that Rand will never be able to hide from him. He then chants:
'Soon comes the day all shall be free.
Even you, and even me.
Soon comes the day all shall die.
Surely you, but never I.'
Egwene backs away from him and Rand says that he has gone mad. Egwene says that perhaps this was not a good idea. "Even if they don't look here, I cannot stay here with him like this, and I do not think you should, either. There is something about him today that...." She stops, and then announces that she will take him to the women's apartments. "... they will never look in the women's apartments. Never."
As they leave, Fain calls after them, "It's never over, al'Thor. Never."
Notes
Character Development
- Rand
- He is afraid of being gentled.
- Rand tries to offend Mat and Perrin so that they will not be in danger from him.
- Mat
- Mat thinks Moiraine and the other Aes Sedai won’t hurt them.
- He's now extremely lucky at dice.
- Padan Fain
- Refers to himself as Mordeth.
Mysteries
- Why does Masema so dislike Rand?
- Who can Rand sense following him?
Probably Fain looking in his direction.
Characters
- First Mention
Changu, Nidao, Uno
- First Appearance
Changu, Nidao, Masema
Miscellaneous
It is mentioned that not only have Nidao and Changu got less friendly and more surly, so have the other prisoners. This is probably due to their close proximity to Fain.
- Loial doesn’t shut up about ta'veren.
Spoilers
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Mysteries
- Why does Masema so dislike Rand?
This is quickly revealed and is no more than Masema disliking Aiel and Rand looking like one.
