View source for The Eye of the World: Chapter 15

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''Author: Arn Oakenskye''
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{{title|Strangers and Friends}}
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{{pov|Rand}}
'''Setting: [[The Stag and Lion]], [[Baerlon]]'''

'''Characters: [[Rand]], [[Mat]], [[Perrin]], [[Thom]], [[Min]], [[Master Fitch]], [[Sara]], [[Fain]], [[Dain Bornhald]]'''
==Outline==
Rand meets Min who tells him she sees many strange things in the future for him and his friends.  He gets into trouble when Mat plays a trick on some Whitecloaks.
==Summary==
Rand wakes up to discover that everyone has gone out into the city already and Thom is performing in the inn. He notices that [[Lan]]'s sword is gone and decides to follow the Warder's example and take his own sword.

Rand goes downstairs to find Master Fitch and Sara (the inn's cook) in an argument about [[Cirri|Sara's cat]] and dead rats being found around the inn. After Fitch leaves, Sara has one of the servants bring Rand some food and she tells him that his friends have all gone out into the city, except one who wasn't feeling well. She makes a comment about the rats being found and their backs being broken. Rand's food loses all taste, and he feels that he has to talk to someone.

Rand finds Perrin in his room and Perrin tells him he isn't feeling well after some bad dreams and not sleeping through the night. They discover they had the same dream or close enough anyway and wonder if Mat too had a similar dream.

Rand wants to go out into the city but Perrin says he doesn't and that he'll catch up later. Rand goes outside to see more people than he'd ever seen before. He doesn't feel good about leaving Perrin behind and thinks that Thom may finish his performance, then he could talk with him so Rand sits down on a barrel in the back of the inn to wait a little while.

Rand meets Min while waiting and she tells him about seeing things about people and the Pattern. She says that they are all tied together in [[the Pattern]]. When Rand asks about [[Egwene]], Min tells him she is tied in too and that while they both love each other, they are not for one another the way they both want. She mentions a few images she sees around [[Lan]], Thom, Perrin and Mat. Rand then asks about himself and she replies with a list of things, then says that she sees three women standing over a funeral bier with him on it and black rock wet with blood. Rand breaks in and says that's enough.

Rand quickly leaves Min and moves into the crowed street. He wanders through the crowd taking in the city until he spots Padan Fain. Fain darts away into an alley and Rand follows after him.

Fain is acting oddly and talks about running since [[Winternight]]. Rand tells him that they thought he was dead, that they are staying at the Stag and Lion and that he should come back with him. Rand thinks Moiraine will help him out but Fain doesn't want her help and asks Rand to promise not to tell her that he'd seem him alive. Rand promises and Fain dashes away and around a corner.

Rand chases after Fain and crashes into Mat. Mat and Rand share a few words about seeing Fain and then about their dreams.

Rand and Mat start heading back to the inn when they see three [[Whitecloaks]]. Mat thinks that they are full of themselves and slips away and up onto a rooftop. Using his sling, Mat breaks a stake holding back a dozen barrels causing them to roll away and splash mud on the Whitecloaks.

Rand laughs and soon finds himself face to face with the Children of the Light. They see Rand's sword and ask him questions. Rand avoids answering them and one of them, Bornhald, asks him what evil is in him that he refuses to answer.

In the middle of the Whitecloaks' threats the City Watch appears up the street. Bornhald calls out that Baerlon stands in the Shadow of [[the Dark One]]. He then tells Rand that [[Darkfriends]] do not escape them.

The Whitecloaks move on and Mat comes out of hiding in a shop. Mat tells Rand he's crazy and they start back to the inn meeting Thom on the way. Mat begins to tell Thom about the dream and when Rand mentions [[Ba'alzamon]], Thom hurries them into an alley warning them never to speak that name where someone could hear.

After they tell Thom about the men the Dark One mentioned in their dream, Thom tells them to keep their dream quiet for now and wonders if Perrin has the sense to. They hurry back to the inn and Perrin is just running out as they arrive. Perrin says he didn't tell anyone about the dream.

Perrin then says that he was coming to look for them and tell them that [[Nynaeve]] came after them and is inside the inn.
==Notes==
{{Prophecy}}
{{Viewings}}
{{EgweneProph}}
*What does Min see that Egwene won't refuse?
;Lan
*What are the seven Towers around Lan
*Is that Lan in the cradle holding a sword
;{{MatProph}}
*What Red Eagle around Mat
Likely Manetheren in some way
*What eye on a balance scale?
*What is the dagger with a ruby?
*What is the horn?
*Whose is the laughing face
;{{PerrinProph}}
*Why a wolf?
*Why a broken crown?
*Why trees flowering around Perrin?
{{RandProph}}
*What is the sword that isn't a sword?
*What is the golden crown of laurel leaves
*Why a beggar's staff
*Why a bloody hand and white hot iron
*What three women standing over a funeral bier with Rand on it?
*What black rock wet with blood
;Thom
*Who is the man juggling fire around Thom
{{Themes}}
;Pipes
All the men in the Stag and Lion smoke pipes
{{Mysteries}}
*How did the rats all die?
Presumably Ba'alzamon killed them, but did he visit there and do it, or did he manage to control them from wherever he lives?
*Why is Rand Sick?
*Why does Fain not want to see Moiraine?
{{development}}
;General
The boys feel they can't trust Moiraine with details on how Ba'alzamon is appearing in their dreams. Aes Sedai are generally considered dangerous and untrustworthy, but she probably contributed by telling them how willing she was to destroy them to keep them out of his hands.
{{ThomDev}}
*He will tell tales in Common, but won't hide the contempt in his voice
This does raise the question of how Rand knows, as Thom has not previously had the chance to perform, unless we are to believe they took time on the way for Thom to tell tales in common.
;Fain
*Padan Fain is a little crazy here, and talks to himself a little. He does not like Aes Sedai
===Characters===
;First Appearance
[[Sara]], [[Cirri]], [[Dain Bornhald]]

{{Spoilernotes}}
{{Annotated|
{{Prophecy}}
{{EgweneProph}}
*What does Min see that Egwene won't refuse
Probably the offer to be Amyrlin Seat
;Lan
*What are the seven Towers around Lan?
Malkier, though Malkier is supposedly dead
*Is that Lan in the cradle holding a sword
Lan was given a sword in the cradle, and it was significant, though again, this is in his past
{{MatProph}}
*What Red Eagle around Mat?
Likely Manetheren
*What eye on a balance scale
Mat deciding to give up his eye to save Moiraine.
*What is the dagger with a ruby?
The Shadar Logoth dagger
*What is the horn?
The Horn of Valere
*Whose is the laughing face
Likely Ba'alzamon. After his meeting with Rand at the Eye, he does wear a mask
{{PerrinProph}}
*Why a wolf?
Perrin is a Wolfbrother
*Why a broken crown?
The symbol of Saldaea is the Broken Crown. He marries Faile, who may become Queen, depending on the laws of succession in Saldaea
*Why trees flowering around Perrin
{{RandProph}}
*What is the sword that isn't a sword
''Callandor''.  If Min had told Moiraine this, there would be no reason for her not to know that Rand was the Dragon Reborn. Given what Moiraine later says about her suspicions, we must conclude Min did not reveal this
*What is the golden crown of laurel leaves
The Crown of Swords, the Laurel Crown of Illian
*Why a beggar's staff?
*Why a bloody hand and white hot iron
Rand loses a hand, but it is not bloody, and there is no white hot iron.
*What three women standing over a funeral bier with Rand on it
Min, Elayne and Aviendha at his funeral after the last battle, trying to convince people he is really dead. This probably relates to Nicola's Fortelling of "three on a boat and he who is dead yet lives". Though they weren't on a boat, and at that time, the future did not seem to be teetering on the edge of a blade.
*What black rock wet with blood
Shayol Ghul when his wound broke open
;Thom
*Who is the man juggling fire around Thom?
This is uncertain, though it fits Owyn, which would be significant for Thom, Min supposedly only sees things in the future, so it may be Rand
{{SMysteries}}
*How did the rats all die?
Presumably Ba'alzamon killed them, but did he visit there and do it, or did he manage to control them from wherever he lives? We have seen nothing to indicate he can kill at distance
*Why is Rand Sick?
Channeling sickness from Healing Bela on the way to Baerlon
*Why does Fain not want to see Moiraine?
Essentially because he is a Darkfriend who brought the Trollocs and she is an Aes Sedai who might realise
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