View source for The Eye of the World: Chapter 41

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''Author: Val a'Shain''
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{{title|Old Friends and New Threats}}
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{{pov|Rand}}
{{Setting2|The Queen's Blessing}}
'''Characters: [[Rand]], [[Mat]], Master [[Basel Gill|Gill]], [[Loial]], [[Moiraine]], [[Lan]], [[Perrin]], [[Nynaeve]], [[Egwene]].'''
==Outline==
Moiraine arrives and tells them that the dagger Mat has is contaminating him.
==Summary==
Rand returns to the Queen's Blessing as soon as he can and looks for Master Gill. The Innkeeper first won't believe Rand has met [[Morgase|the Queen]]. After Loial's insistence Rand is ''[[ta'veren]]'', Gill takes him seriously. He thinks Rand and Mat have to leave the city in two days at the most. Loial asks Rand again to join them. Rand accepts hesitantly this time.

Their conversation is interrupted by a maid. She tells Master Gill there are Whitecloaks in the common room. The innkeeper tells Rand and Loial to stay out of sight and goes down to the common room to deal with the problem. The [[Whitecloaks]] want to search the inn but Master Gill is not impressed by their threats. When the Whitecloaks press the matter, the customers and the men Master Gill hired to maintain order express their support for the innkeeper and the outnumbered Whitecloaks leave.

Right after the Whitecloaks depart, a maid comes up to Master Gill to tell him there is a lady in the kitchen asking for Rand and Mat by name. Rand realizes this can only be one lady and runs into the kitchen to greet Moiraine. After introducing Moiraine, Lan, Egwene, Perrin and Nynaeve to Master Gill the company is sent upstairs to Rand and Mat's room so she can have a word with the innkeeper.

Mat is suspicious of the company, asking if they are who they say they are and wondering how much they have changed. Nynaeve thinks he's ill and wants to treat him for his fever. At that moment Moiraine joins them. She immediately senses something is wrong with Mat and tells them to stay away from him. She physically drags Nynaeve away from Mat. When Moiraine tries to find out what is wrong with Mat, he tries to stab her with the dagger Mat took in [[Shadar Logoth]]. Lan is just in time to stop him. Moiraine understands the problem now and tells the company the evil from Shadar Logoth will kill him and infect the world if he isn't treated soon. She tells them [[Darkfriends]] and [[Shadowspawn]] can sense the evil in Mat miles off.

Rand tells Moiraine that they ran into Darkfriends several times during their trip to Caemlyn. Rand also thinks there are Trollocs and Fades in and around Caemlyn. Lan confirms there are a great number of Trollocs gathered around Caemlyn waiting to go into the city to look for the boys. The only way not to bring down a war on Caemlyn is to leave quickly. But first Moiraine must see to Mat. She sends them all out of the room so she can treat him.

==Notes==
{{Themes}}
{{Knowledgetheme}}
Moiraine thought "don't let anyone give you anything" should also cover "don't take anything". Mat assumed taking something would be ok as long as he wasn'y actually given it. Neither is really a reasonable assumption.
{{plots}}
{{whitecloakplot}}
The Whitecloaks are searching for Perrin.
{{Development}}
{{MatDev}}
*Mat notices that Nynaeve now realises she is a pretty woman. Is there something different about her that enables him to notice?
*He notices Perrin has changed
*We learn why he has become surly and suspicious
{{NynaeveDev}}
*She realises she is a pretty woman
*Her face pails when Mat points this out
{{Mysteries}}
;Why is there good money in cats?
Are people eating them? Or is this to deal with a rat epidemic
{{Resolved}}
;Mat's suspicious nature
He was contaminated by the Shadar Logoth dagger
;How did the Darkfriends find them?
They could sense the dagger. Moiraine states they would be able to do so if dedicated enough.
===Miscellaneous===
*Lan thinks Trollocs will attack Caemlyn once they have enough numbers.
*The Whitecloaks got to Caemlyn ahead of Moiraine and company - another example of information travelling faster than our heroes.
===Characters===
;First Mention
Gilda
;First Appearance
Gilda
{{Spoilernotes}}
{{Annotated|
{{Plots}}
{{FainPlot}}
We learn that someone in possession of an object from Shadar Logoth will become corrupt and in time, be able to corrupt other people
{{Oddities}}
;Nynaeve never gets sick 
Is this ever mentioned again?
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[[Category:Val a'Shain Library Articles]]