The Eye of the World: Chapter 9

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Author: Arn Oakenskye

Dragon's Fang Chapter Icon.png


Tellings of the Wheel


Chapter Icon: Dragon's Fang

Point of View: Rand

Setting: Rand's dream, Tam's room in the Winespring Inn, outside the Winespring Inn

Characters: Rand, Tam, Lan, Mat, Moiraine, Mayor al'Vere, Master Luhhan, a mob of Emond's Fielder men

Outline

Moiraine tells the villagers about Manetheren.

Summary

Rand dreams of running through a desolate land and being chased by the howls of Trollocs. A spiking black mountain appears and a voice calling "Serve me" follows him. Rand throws himself over an edge not wanting to face the Dark One.

Rand's dream changes and he's looking at Tar Valon, before being chased and falling again. He's then on one of the bridges leading into the city and people are gesturing him towards the Tower. Rand tries going other ways, but the Tower is always straight ahead. The crowd leads him on to the Tower and he goes in to find a Myrddraal waiting for him.

Rand awakens suddenly and finds it's twilight. Going to Tam, Rand discovers his father is awake now, yet weak. Rand tells Tam most of what happened, though leaves out Tam's fever dreams and the question he's afraid to ask, is Tam his father?

Rand tells Tam what Moiraine said about having to leave the Two Rivers. Tam says that Aes Sedai are tricksome, that while they do tell the truth, it is often not what you think it is and he should take care around Moiraine. Tam wants to leave with them except that he needs time to recover.

Lan shows up with a warning that they may have trouble. Tam and Rand make quick goodbyes and Tam tells Rand to keep the sword.

Rand, Mat and Lan watch from inside the Inn as a crowd of village men face Moiraine, telling her to leave Emond's Field and blaming her for the Trolloc attack. Mayor al'Vere and Master Luhhan come to break up the crowd.

Moiraine, angered by the crowd, tells them their history, that of Manetheren. She tells them of King Aemon and Queen Eldrene, 'bravery, beauty, wisdom and love that death could not sunder.' The Red Eagle banner of Manetheren was at the head of every battle that raged during the Trolloc Wars.

A Trolloc army moved against the home of Manetheren while its soldiers were away on the Field of Bekkar. The men of Manetheren marched home as if their feet had wings and when the armies of the Dark One reached their lands, the men of Manetheren were waiting for them.

Aemon sent word for help and was promised aid if they could hold three days. The men of Manetheren held back the Trolloc hoards for ten days, aid never came and they could no longer hold back the Dark One's armies. Aemon then sent word throughout his land for his people to flee and find safety.

It first came in a trickle then a river and a flood, the people of Manetheren did not flee, rather came to defend their home.

The time came when the people of Manetheren were surrounded in what would one day become Emond's Field, no man or woman who stood beneath the Red Eagle banner that day lived to see the night. Manetheren, called 'The sword that could not be broken' was shattered.

Eldrene, alone in the city of Manetheren, felt her husband Aemon die and was filled with vengeance for her love, her people and her land. In her grief Eldrene drew on the True Source and hurled the One Power at the army of Trollocs. The Dreadlords died wherever they were and the Dark One's victorious army fled.

The Trollocs were hunted down by other armies in other lands, none of those who murdered the people of Manetheren at Aemon's Field lived.

Drawing on too much of the One Power, Eldrene died as the Dreadlords did, she and Manetheren were both consumed by fire. The people paid for their land with blood and were bound to it.

After Moiraine's tale, the crowd is ashamed of their actions and breaks up. Lan tells Rand and Mat that it's time to go.

Notes

Mysteries

What was Rand’s dream all about?

Characters

First Mention
First Appearance


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