Perrin POV#

For three days Perrin's and Faile's parties travel through the Mountains of Mist, the Sand Hills and the Westwood to the Quarry Road. Perrin worries about his family. They live on a farm half a day east of Emond's Field near the Waterwood. Besides his father and mother,[1] he has two sisters, Deselle who is twelve and Adora who is sixteen. His baby brother, Paet, is now nine. There are also his Uncle Eward and Aunt Magde and their children and his Aunt Neain and her children. Uncle Carlin's grave is nearby. Great Aunt Ealsin also lives with them. He has rarely seen them since being apprenticed to Master Luhhan. He also worries about Slayer being around. Perrin leads them to Tam al'Thor's farm. It is burned. Bain, Chiad and Gaul search thoroughly but find nothing. Perrin can barely restrain himself from galloping Stepper all to way to his farm. They camp nearby.

Perrin and Gaul rise before dawn and ride into Emond's Field to the Winespring Inn. Perrin can hear Hu and Tad working in the stable. Bran al'Vere and Marin al'Vere are in the common room. They knock over their chairs in surprise startling the cat, Scratch. They greet him and Marin asks if Egwene is okay. He tells them she is safe and that she and Nynaeve are studying to be Aes Sedai. Marin says she received three letters from Egwene making Perrin feel guilty since he did not write home at all. He tells her that the girls Egwene wrote about, Min and Elayne, are nice girls. Perrin introduces Gaul. He tells them he came because of the Whitecloaks. Bran tells him he really should leave. Perrin says he plans to give himself up so they will leave.

The door bangs open and Faile, Bain and Chiad enter. Having overheard his last words, Faile angrily confronts Perrin. Perrin admits that they are after him because he killed Whitecloaks. He wonders if Geofram Bornhald or Jaret Byar is with the Whitecloaks here. Marin interrupts, mightily embarrassing Faile, and proper introductions are made.

Bran finally tells Perrin that his family is dead, killed by Trollocs.[2] The Trollocs are back, terrorizing the whole Two Rivers. Taking this news without emotion, Perrin asks about Rand's and Mat's families. Bran tells him that Tam al'Thor and Abell Cauthon are hiding in the Westwood. The rest of Mat's family is alive. Bran tells him again that he must leave. Folks such as Eward Congar, Hari Coplin, Cenn Buie and Wit Congar might turn him in to Lord Bornhald. Daise Congar is now the village Wisdom. Perrin thinks he means that Geofram Bornhald is there. Bran tells him that Padan Fain is with the Whitecloaks. Perrin tells him that Fain is a Darkfriend and is the one who brought the Trollocs last year. Bran tells him that the rest of Mat's family[3] and the Luhhans were arrested and are being held prisoner by the Whitecloaks. Marin tells them that the Whitecloaks are protecting them from the Trollocs, but the Aiel scoff at this sort of "protection." Bran tells Perrin that Lord Luc[4] is helping to organize the men. He is a Hunters of the Horn who arrived about the same time as the Whitecloaks. At this point Faile says she has had enough and tells Perrin that he needs to accept his families' death and grieve. He breaks down and sobs in her arms.

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