Knife of Dreams: Chapter 6

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Author: Val a'Shain

Dice Chapter Icon.png


A Stave and a Razor


Chapter Icon: Five dice, arranged in a ring

Point of View: Mat

Setting: Jurador, Altara

Characters: Mat, Valan Luca, Fearnim, Aludra, Tuon, Selucia, Noal, Olver, Juilin

Outline

Mat buys Tuon a horse. Noal states he is a cousin of Jain Farstider.

Summary

Mat is not surprised when Luca refuses to leave Jurador, a prosperous town in Altara, after only one day. There is money to be made here. The dice have started tumbling in Mat's head again and he is eager to get to Lugard but not even the promise of more gold can sway Luca.

Mat decides to go into Jurador since the show is not going anywhere. He's relieved to see no shadows of the dead on the road like he did yesterday. That must be a sign of Tarmon Gai'don approaching. This thought brings back the swirling colours and a view of Rand, and Min, that he could have gone without.

Once inside the city walls Mat gets himself breakfast. Passing by a shop that sells swords, daggers and quarterstaffs, he spots a slim black yew stave that would make a fine Two Rivers longbow. Mat buys it without even bargaining.

Mat now moves on to what he came to the town for in the first place. He visits several stables looking for a suitable horse; even with the Seanchan around there must be a few on sale in the town. After visiting a whole series of stables Mat finds the horse he is looking for. Unfortunately, it's a very good breed from Arad Doman called a razor. Mat has only heard of them, never seen one. The owner, a man named Fearnim, knows he has a good horse there and names a very high price. After the customary bargaining Mat buys the horse, even if it is more money than he intended to spend.

After getting back to the show he sees Aludra, obviously having some sort of supply for her fireworks delivered. Mat still hasn't solved the bellfounder riddle.

After taking care of the horse and putting away the stave, Mat decides to call on Tuon. She is in the inevitable company of Selucia, of course, and that of Noal and Olver. Tuon still calls him "Toy" and Mat decides to give her a nickname as well - "Precious". Tuon seems to think this is some sort of a game but Mat doesn't seem to understand the rules.

Noal is telling Olver stories, and this time Jain Farstrider, one of Olver's great heroes comes up. Mat wants to know if Noal is related to Jain and Noal tells him that he is his cousin. Tuon, who is unfamiliar with the stories surrounding Jain Farstrider, wants to know who this man is. In Seanchan very few people earn a second name apparently. Olver tells her he was a hero, though Noal thinks he was a fool. Before Noal can elaborate on the matter the door swings open and Juilin reports that a group of Seanchan soldiers is setting up camp nearby.

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