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"Not like I was abandoning him. If he can't bloody take care of himself by now, he'll never be able to. I'm not his bloody nursemaid."
   — Mat to himself justifying leaving Rand before the battle with the Shaido


Book Index

0 I II III IV V VI VII
VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV

Chapters
The First Sparks Fall
1 Fanning the Sparks
2 Rhuidean
3 Pale Shadows
4 Twilight
5 Among the Wise Ones
6 Gateways
7 A Departure
8 Over the Border
9 A Signal
10 Figs and Mice
11 The Nine Horse Hitch
12 An Old Pipe
13 A Small Room in Sienda
14 Meetings
15 What Can Be Learned in Dreams
16 An Unexpected Offer
17 Heading West
18 A Hound of Darkness
19 Memories
20 Jangai Pass
21 The Gift of a Blade
22 Birdcalls by Night
23 "The Fifth, I Give You"
24 A Message Sent
25 Dreams of Galad
26 Sallie Daera
27 The Practice of Diffidence
28 Trapped
29 Memories of Saldaea
30 A Wager
31 The Far Snows
32 A Short Spear
33 A Question of Crimson
34 A Silver Arrow
35 Ripped Away
36 A New Name
37 Performances in Samara
38 An Old Acquaintance
39 Encounters in Samara
40 The Wheel Weaves
41 The Craft of Kin Tovere
42 Before the Arrow
43 This Place, This Day
44 The Lesser Sadness
45 After the Storm
46 Other Battle, Other Weapons
47 The Price of a Ship
48 Leavetakings
49 To Boannda
50 To Teach, and Learn
51 News Comes to Cairhien
52 Choices
53 Fading Words
54 To Caemlyn
55 The Threads Burn
56 Glowing Embers


Dice-icon
<<<   Before the Arrow    >>>
Setting: Cairhien

Point of view: Matrim Cauthon

Mat won't view himself as a hero or a soldier despite the many memories of battles he now has. Mat has decided to leave Rand and his war with the Shaido and find someplace more peaceful where he is less likely to get stuck by a spear or arrow. Mat makes his way to Rand's tent to bid farewell, but Rand is out and about right then. He exchanges some comments with Natael, then turns his attention to the two maps set up for the coming battle. Couladin has around one hundred and sixty thousand spears with him. There are also four clans that haven't aligned with Rand coming from behind that have near the same number. Rand and his seven clans have as many as both groups together, enough to successfully fight either group, but not enough to fight both groups at the same time.

Lan enters and prods Mat about his thoughts on the troop dispositions. As Mat gives a synopsis of the strategy he thinks should be used, he recalls similar battles he fought as other men, some back to the time of the Trolloc Wars. After he finishes, he realizes he should have kept his mouth shut and decides to leave, but Rand is standing behind him. Mat tells Rand he is leaving and Rand just says he is sorry to see him go. After Mat leaves he feels much better and he can almost hear the dice spinning in his head.

Point of view: Rand al'Thor

Rand and Lan discuss Mat's battle strategy and find it is nearly the same as the plans made with the clan chiefs. Rand has his own memories, from Lews Therin, but they aren't as helpful at understanding war when he has no prior experience himself. The clan chiefs arrive along with Weiramon representing the Tairen and Cairhienin forces. They make final changes to the plan of battle based on their observations from the tower.

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