Perrin POV#

The next morning Verin announces that they should leave for Watch Hill soon. Alanna decides not to go,[1] so Perrin asks Loial to stay behind and keep an eye on her. Perrin, Faile, Gaul, Bain, Chiad, Verin, Tomas, Tam and Abell ride north. Perrin rides Stepper and Faile rides Swallow. Perrin wonders if Verin knows about Wolfbrothers and thinks that she might be his best chance of surviving without Elyas. His hammer seems to puzzle her.[2] They reach the North Road a few miles north of Emond's Field and follow it past the al'Lora and Barstere farms. The farms are abandoned. Perrin wonders why the Trollocs have not attacked Emond's Field or Deven Ride. Verin says it might be a lure and Perrin thinks it must be a trap for Rand. They pass the Ayellin farm that was burned. Everyone was killed. They were cousins of the Ayellins in Emond's Field. Before noon they reach Jac al'Seen's farm. There are young boys on the roof as lookouts. The Aiel agree to stay away to avoid trouble. Perrin notes a lot of people and Tam tells him that Jac took in his cousin Wit al'Seen's family and Flann Lewin's family. The people on the farm include Astelle al'Seen, Laila Dearn and her husband Natley Lewin, Wil al'Seen from Deven Ride, Jac's wife Elisa al'Seen and Flann Lewin's wife Adine Lewin. Jac urges them to go to one of the towns where it is safer. He also tells them no one believes Perrin is a Darkfriend. Perrin says he has no idea why the Whitecloaks are after Rand and Mat, but they are after him because he killed some of them. He thinks to himself that the Whitecloaks being here must be Fain's work, then he tells them that Fain is a Darkfriend. They all sit down for a meal, but while they are eating, a boy, Win Lewin, enters and tells them that Lord Luc is coming.

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