[{Table style='width:100%' | [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TEotW,Ch2'}] | %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/dragon_fang_bw.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Dragon Fang Chapter Icon' align='center'}] ''[TEotW|The Eye of the World]: The Peddler'' %% | [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TEotW,Ch4' align='right'}] }] %%tabs ! __Rand__ POV [Padan Fain] crosses the Wagon Bridge on his wagon and stops in front of the [Winespring Inn]. He is a pale, skinny fellow with gangly arms and a massive beak of a nose. He has been driving his wagon into [Emond's Field|Emonds Field] for as long as [Rand|Rand alThor] can remember but he first took notice of [Rand|Rand alThor], [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] the year before.[1] The Village Council exits the inn. [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] joins [Rand|Rand alThor] and [Mat|Matrim Cauthon]. [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] is half a head shorter than [Rand|Rand alThor] with curly hair, stocky, and thick arms and shoulders. He is an apprentice blacksmith. [Fain|Padan Fain] silences the crowd. He says that spring is late everywhere and there are wolves everywhere as well. There is also war. Armies march to [Ghealdan]. It seems there is a [false Dragon|False Dragons] in [Ghealdan] in the [Dhallin Forest].[2] The crowd starts talking. There had been no one claiming to be the Dragon in twenty years and now there are three in the last five years.[3] The last [false Dragon|False Dragons] started a war and laid siege to [Illian|Illian (City)].[3] [Fain|Padan Fain] does not know if this is a [false Dragon|False Dragons] or not but he does know that the man can wield the [One Power]. He also says that a party of [Aes Sedai] has already ridden from [Tar Valon] to take him. [Bran al'Vere|Brandelwyn alVere], at the urging of [Tam al'Thor|Tam alThor], suggests that [Fain|Padan Fain] come inside the inn and talk to the Village Council. They do and the crowd disperses. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon], [Rand|Rand alThor] and [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] gather together. They talk about their knowledge of the Dragon, [Aes Sedai] and the [Dark One|ShaiTan]. Some believe that the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor] will save mankind but few will speak of it because they are afraid of [Aes Sedai] and [Children of the Light]. They recall that [Bili Congar] named the [Dark One|ShaiTan] then had bad luck. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] approaches them then. She has been tending [Mistress Ayellin|Corin Ayellin] who has a fever. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] is standing a few paces behind her. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] has been teaching her, sensing that she has the talent. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] asks the boys why they are talking about those things. [Rand|Rand alThor] explains that [Fain|Padan Fain] arrived and told them all about it. He tells her that they are all in the inn. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] goes inside the inn. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] move away and let [Rand|Rand alThor] and [Egwene|Egwene alVere] talk alone. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] shows [Rand|Rand alThor] her braided hair. They continue to talk, have a misunderstanding, and [Egwene|Egwene alVere] walks a few steps away. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] return. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells [Rand|Rand alThor] that [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred] gave [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] a coin also, and that [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] also saw the rider, yesterday at twilight.[4] [Egwene|Egwene alVere] wants to know what they are talking about, and [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Perrin|Perrin Aybara] both tell her. Then the door of the inn opens and "a man with shaggy white hair came hurrying out as if pursued."[5] ---- More [Rand POV] %% %%collapsebox-closed ! Notes (Possible Spoilers) [#1] Having been sent to hunt for the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor].\\ [#2] The [false Dragon|False Dragons] is [Logain|Logain Ablar].\\ [#3] [Gorin Rogad] laid siege to [Illian|Illian (Country)] about two years ago. ([LoC,Ch2]) The third [false Dragon|False Dragons] is never identified.\\ [#4] The rider is a [Fade].\\ [#5] He is [Thom Merrilin].\\ %% ! Artwork * [The Peddler|http://members.shaw.ca/jbeveridge/teotw06.htm] ([James Beveridge|http://members.shaw.ca/jbeveridge/wot01.htm]) ---- More [Category Chapters|Category.Chapters], [Dragon Fang Chapter Icon]