Perrin POV#

It is the next day after the battle at Malden. Perrin inspects wagons to keep busy while people stand in line to bother him. There are over 100,000 refugees to take care of, Cairhienin and other gai'shain taken by the Shaido. Grady and Neald are too exhausted to make gateways to send them home and many would not leave Perrin in any case. Arganda wants to leave with Alliandre. Gallenne wants to attack the retreating Shaido.[1] Even though Faile is now safe, everything still feels wrong to Perrin. Balwer wants to get back some of the captured Wise Ones from the Seanchan to question. He thinks the Shaido were duped by the mysterious individuals who gave them One Power objects.[2] Perrin sends for Lyncon the carpenter to look at one of the wagons. He sees Faile and some of her attendants returning to the city.[3] He thinks she is good with people, like Rand and Mat. Tam reports that the Two Rivers men are ready to march and some have gone to the aqueduct for fresh water. Tam thinks Perrin is right to give up the Manetheren banner. He says Alliandre can swear to Elayne or Rand instead of him. Tam tells Perrin that most of the Two Rivers men will refuse to go home and will insist on following him. Perrin thinks how Aram died just a day ago, his heart poisoned by Masema.

Aravine Carnel is supervising the refugees. She tells Perrin they are ready to leave. Perrin orders them to all march north. They will march until the Asha'man are recovered, then they will Travel to Cairhien or Andor. Perrin feels hollow now that the anticipation is over, like he did after receiving a Bel Tine gift from his father[4] before apprenticing to Master Luhhan. He thinks of Rand and sees the swirling colors, then an image of Rand sitting stone Tairen home looking kingly. He can feel Rand pulling him.[5] Rand needs him. That is his focus now.
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