Rand and Mat flee Whitebridge, all the while hoping to see Thom running up the road to re-join them. They don’t have money and they must rely on charity from strangers. This theme continues for five chapters as they alternately meet kind farmers who don’t want to get involved with their trouble and locals who want them as far from sight as possible.
They make a short attempt at earning their room and board as traveling entertainers, until they get trapped at The Dancing Cartman in Four Kings. They realize too late that the innkeeper would like to rob them, and as they put on their little show while trying to find an escape, they realize a rich merchant has a very specific interest in them. They escape miraculously (or so Rand believes) when lightning kills the Darkfriend and his accomplices, leaving the inn in ruins as they flee town.
They continue relying on charity for wagon rides while Mat’s eyes heal (he was blinded by the lightning) and Rand recovers from a sudden illness. Rand has horrible dreams. Another Darkfriend makes an attempt on their lives.
They have a close encounter with a Fade before lucking into another cart ride into Caemlyn. They receive much useful information about the Queen and her Aes Sedai advisor, Elaida.
They arrive in Caemlyn and are overwhelmed by the size of the city as well as the amount of people. They find refuge at The Queen’s Blessing where Thom had told them to meet him. They find a friend in the innkeeper, Basel Gill. They continue to learn about the political landscape of the city.
Mat sulks in their room while Rand meets an ent. Ogier the loyal ogre explains much about the world and reflects on how short human lives are. He also introduces the term ta'veren which will continue to be important as the series progresses. Loial basically tells Rand that he and his friends are going to screw a lot of people’s lives up before they are through.
My thoughts below the fold.
Boy, I had forgotten how completely obnoxious Mat is. Later in the series you’ll know you’re in for a good time when you realize you’re getting his point of view, but right now, ugh. The paranoia as he clutches the One Dagger to his heart and glares suspiciously at even the nicest farmers is irritating at best.
I enjoyed putting myself in Rand’s shoes as he waged an internal battle on speed vs. comfort as they first set out from Whitebridge. He had the choice of working the afternoon on a farm and sleeping in a hayloft, or traveling straight through until dark and sleeping in a ditch. With all the horrible things he’s been through, I can see how it would be a tough choice.
I also enjoyed one passage as they entered Caemlyn and noticed all the people oblivious to the signs that winter is overextending its stay:
The grass was brown and the tree branches bare, but people hurried by as if they saw nothing unusual, laughing, talking, arguing, doing all the things that people do. Just as if they had no idea that there had been no spring yet this year and might be none. They did not see, Rand realized, could not or would not. Their eyes slid away from leafless branches, and they walked across the dead and dying grass without once looking down. What they did not see, they could ignore; what they did not see was not really there.