The Eye of the World: Chapter 11

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Author: Dinn da Noor

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The Road to Taren Ferry


Chapter Icon: Leafless Tree

Point of View: Rand

Characters: Lan, Moiraine, Rand, Mat, Perrin, Thom, Egwene, Master Hightower

Setting: North Road, Watch Hill and Taren Ferry

Outline

The group reach Taren Ferry.

Summary

The party continues the race down the North Road, but Rand is worried whether Bela, Egwene's horse, will manage to keep up with the others. They pass some farmhouses on their way, but they quickly leave them behind.

Eventually, the Warder slows down and stops. When they dismount, Rand spots some lights ahead of them, and is shocked when he realises that they've reached Watch Hill that fast.

The villagers and Thom say that they should stop for the night at Watch Hill and celebrate Bel Tine, at Watch Hill, there had been no Trollocs, but Lan says that they cannot stop until they're across the Taren. When they protest and say that the horses need rest, they realise that Moiraine is Healing the horses.

Moiraine remarks that Bela is the least weary of all the horses, and suddenly they hear the Draghkar's scream. It sounds like "a man dying under sharp knives". The horses panic, and when the Draghkar shrieks again, Lan commands them to mount the horses fast, as it would not have showed itself unless it already had reported to the Myrddraal.

They gallop fast, pursued by the Draghkar's cries. Fog envelops the riders, vanishes and comes again, before they suddenly ride into a "wall of pale gray". Moiraine says that she will use the Myrddraal's own slyness against it. As they ride through the thick fog, the shrieks that had hounded them fade, and eventually stop.

After some hours of riding, Lan stops them again. Rand sees some strangely tall houses around him; they had reached the Taren Ferry. They continue deeper into the village, before stopping in front of a tall, dark house that looked the same as the others in the village. Lan hammers his fist at the door, and tells the man who opens, Master Hightower, that they want to cross over on his ferry. He replies that they can come back when the sun is up and the fog is gone, but changes his mind when the Warder gives him some gold coins, promising the same amount when they're over.

Master Hightower tells them to wait at the ferry, and goes to rouse his haulers.

Notes

Character Development

Mat
  • Mat laughs at the name "Hightower"
Egwene
  • Egwene is seen smiling as they flee. Despite Rand's observation that she didn't like stories of excitement and adventure, she seems to be enjoying it here.

Spoilers

This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.

Character Development

Rand
  • Rand channels for the first time - "Skin prickled, and his bones felt as if they were freezing, ready to split open"


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