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| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TDR,Ch39'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/lion_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Lion Chapter Icon'}] ''[TDR|The Dragon Reborn]: A Hero in the Night'' %% 
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! __Mat__ POV

[Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Thom|Thom Merrilin] arrive at [Aringill] on the ''[Gray Gull]''. Captain [Huan Mallia] is glad to see them go because [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] won all his money and ate all his food. There are numerous ships about including a bluff-bowed ship still far to the north.[1] There is a stream of barges bringing [Cairhienin|Cairhien (Country)] refugees from the smaller town across the river.[2] [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] thinks the killers were after him because of [Elayne|Elayne Trakand]'s letter. He opened it and showed it to [Thom|Thom Merrilin] as well but it seemed innocuous.[3] They go to look for an inn, but [The Riverman] as well as the next four are full. The enter [The Good Queen] and are again turned away, but [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] offers a huge sum to the innkeeper, [Jeral Florry], who allows them to stay in his stable. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] then gambles with him and wins two horses. 

As they bed down in a stable, a woman enters pulling a cart. A lantern lights immediately and [Thom|Thom Merrilin] and [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] wonder how that happened so fast.[4] Four men follow her in. She is [Aludra], the Mistress of the [Illuminator|Guild of Illuminators] chapter house in [Cairhien|Cairhien (City)]. The leader of the men is [Tammuz]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] attacks the men knocking them out with his quarterstaff. [Aludra] explains that she was expelled because of the disaster at the show for King [Galldrian|Galldrian su Riatin Rie]. [Thom|Thom Merrilin] disparagingly notes that he is now dead.[5] [Aludra] explains that the men are out to kill her because she continues to ply her trade in fireworks. As a reward, she gives [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] a bundle of fireworks along with dire warnings about mishandling them. She especially warns him never to cut one open. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] remembers trying to cut one open when he was ten. He also remembers the licking he got from [Bran al'Vere|Brandelwyn alVere], [Doral Barran] and his father. [Thom|Thom Merrilin] asks how she lit the lantern so fast, but she merely smiles.[4] She will not give away all her secrets. She departs saying she will head for [Lugard]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Thom|Thom Merrilin] decide to ride on rather than have to explain four injured men to the local constables.
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] This could well be the ''[Darter]'' with [Egwene|Egwene alVere], [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] and [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] aboard!\\
[#2] The town is [Maerone].\\
[#3] They were after [Mat|Matrim Cauthon], not the letter.\\
[#4] [Aludra] has invented matches.\\
[#5] More evidence that [Thom|Thom Merrilin] was responsible for his death.\\
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