The Eye of the World: Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CHOICES

Hoo boy. This chapter is only five or so pages longer than the last couple, but it feels like enough has happened to fill several more. Once again, there are two distinct sections in this chapter, so I'll cover them one after the other.

The first section is basically a traveling montage of them traveling to the nearest town, Baerlon. Baerlon isn't on the new map, but it is on the big map, and thanks to it I think I know where the Two Rivers region is. It's so tiny it's no wonder I missed it earlier. It's also not labeled or anything, and I'll remind you that the maps aren't drawn with much attention to detail, so the rivers themselves don't look exactly the same from map to map.

Some time is thankfully skipped over during the travel there, and this doesn't really bother me as much as it seemed to bother Mark, but that may have to do with the way it's used here. The time-skipping stops to show important moments, like conversations between the characters, more talk with Egwene about the Aes Sedai, and Lan training the boys on how to use their weapons:

• "Now if you all had bows," the Warder said dryly when they started grinning, "and if the Trollocs agreed not to come so close you couldn't use them..." The grins faded abruptly. "Let me see what I can teach you in case they do come that close."

Bravo, so Mr. Stoic here has a sense of humor after all!

Speaking of Egwene, she's starting to get on my nerves. It seems that her role in a conversation is to role her eyes and go, "Men!"

• "Men!" Egwene snorted. "You get the adventure you're always prating about, and already you're talking about home." She held her head high, yet Rand noticed a tremor to her voice, now that nothing more was to be seen of the Two Rivers.

Lady, you're the one who was "prating about" adventure! You're the only Emond's Field native who went on this trip entirely of her own will! Rand and the others were sort of forced into it, or do you still not believe that after the giant bloody bat monster chased you? It's only natural these guys would start to feel a little homesick after a while.

She also gets into an argument with Rant about her being an Aes Sedai, mostly revolving around whether or not they can be trusted. To be fair, they both bring up some good points; Rand bases his argument about their shady reputation from the stories and the sinking of the ferry, and Egwene argues that without Moiraine, they'd probably be dead by now.

But something about the way Egwene is carrying herself now makes me think she's being reckless and naive. My feelings about Moiraine possiby using the group to her own ends persist, and while I don't expect a sheltered farm girl like Egwene to be that paranoid, it still seems that she's taking a huge risk by trusting Moiraine here. I fully admit that this line of reasoning has a flimsy foundation to it, but I can't shake the feeling.

Wait, maybe it's the fact that Moiraine threatened to kill them if they run away that makes me suspicious:

• "Is that the way you all feel? You are all eager to run off to Illian and forget about Trollocs, and Halfmen, and Draghkar?" [Moiraine] ran her eyes over them - that stony glint playing against the everyday tone of voice made Rand uneasy - but she gave no one a chance to speak. "The Dark One is after you three, one or all, and if I let you go running off wherever you want to go, he will take you. Whatever the Dark One wants, I oppose, so hear this and know it true. Before I let the Dark One have you, I will destroy you myself."

Jesus. The boys weren't even seriously planning on running away or anything. They were just idly daydreaming about the places they could see now that they've left Two Rivers. Egwene was there; she heard Moiraine say that. I wonder how she feels about it?

We don't know the answer, but we do know that the two ladies talk about magic at night. When Rand eavesdrops, we also learn that there are five powers, and men are strongest with Earth and Fire, that there's another woman in Emond's Field with magical potential (My first thoughts went to Nynaeve, since no other woman has been established all that well), and that Aes Sedai run the gamut of personalities and motives. But after Egwene asks why the Trollocs came to town, Moiraine looks right at Rand's hiding spot and scares him away. Oh well. I'm pretty sure I know the answer anyway.

The title of this chapter apparently comes from Moiraine reminding the boys that they can choose either to follow her or live short and brutal lives on the run. As they think, it's no real choice at all.

She says this after Baerlon comes into view, and after Moiraine tells them to keep a lid on their purpose here and call her and Lan by their aliases, they finally enter the boys' first city. Moiraine's gatekeeper friend covertly lets them in after briefing her on the news since her last visit. Some Children of the Light, or Whitecloaks, have arrived in town, and they don't like Darkfriends or Aes Sedai. Let me guess, they're this world's version of the Inquisition or the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, in Ghealdan (a region just south of Two Rivers and Baerlon), the Aes Sedai are fighting the false Dragon and his followers, who he's dubbed People of the Dragon, a name that makes Moiraine scoff. He's moving toward the coastal city of Tear with them, and that's all the gatekeeper says. When Rand asks why, Thom (remember him?) fills Rand in on the relevant prophecy:

• "Tear is the greatest port on the Sea of Storms, and the Stone of Tear is the fortress that guards it. The Stone is said to be the first fortress built after the Breaking of the World, and in all this time it has never fallen, though more than one army has tried. One of the Prophecies says that the Stone of Tear will never fall until the People of the Dragon come to the Stone. Another says the Stone will never fall till the Sword That Cannot Be Touched is wielded by the Dragon's hand." Thom grimaced. "The fall of the Stone will be one of the major proofs that the Dragon has been reborn. May the Stone stand till I am dust."

Fat chance of that happening, Thom. Rand questions how the Dragon can wield the Sword, which is heavily guarded in the center of the Stone, without first taking over the city. The prophecy seems impossible to Rand, but I'm guessing that the Dragon's gonna sneak inside and steal the sword somehow. Prophecies have a way of coming true in ways people don't see coming. Just ask Lord Macbeth.

After the gang gets inside the city, they find The Stag and Lion, an inn where they can get their horses cared for, good meals, warm beds, and even baths. Finally, it seems they've found a safe haven.

Or have they?

NEXT TIME: Jesus Christ!