The Eye of the World: Chapter Thirty-Seven

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE LONG CHASE

Another Nynaeve chapter, and another short one at that. Judging by the events, this is probably the last time I'll be looking at things from Nynaeve's perspective in the book, barring her separation from other characters yet again, so it pains me to admit that Nynaeve probably shouldn't have been a focus character just yet. The book's chapters on Nynaeve were few and far between, and did little to advance things except to remind readers that Nynaeve, Lan, and Moiraine still existed and were following the people the villains were actually after were, the people who were getting into conflicts. I appreciate that Jordan didn't feel the need to add incidental events to their journey like he did with Rand and Mat's travel down the Caemlyn Road, but something to justify these chapters would have been nice, too.

The reason I feel that this will be the book's last chapter from Nynaeve's POV is that she and her companions have finally stumbled across Perrin and Egwene, as well as over two hundred Whitecloaks. Pretty even odds for Lan and Moiraine, if you ask me. That's also the reason this chapter is so short; since Perrin is involved in this rescue and his POV takes precedence over Nynaeve's, everything after he starts seeing his rescuers again must take place from his viewpoint. Nevertheless, Nynaeve's part in starting the rescue (cutting the ropes securing some of the horses to the point that they'll snap when the horses get spooked, creating a distraction) is a tense moment and the chapter ends on a decent cliffhanger.

A couple more things rather distracted me, however. For starters, Moiraine senses that Perrin (she doesn't know it's him specifically) has lost possession of his coin, only for her to sense that he's gotten it back a couple of paragraphs later. This indicates that the Whitecloaks did in fact give it back to him. Since Bornhald knows full well that this is an Aes Sedai charm meant to lead them back to Perrin, this indicates two possibilities: Either the Whitecloaks are blithering idiots or they have a trap waiting to spring for Moiraine.

Also, take a look at the behavior of the guards Nynaeve has to sneak past:

• "All is well with the night," one white-cloaked shape announced. "The Light illuminate us, and protect us from the Shadow."
  
  "All is well with the night," the other replied. "The Light illuminate us, and protect us from the Shadow."
  
  With that they turned and marched off into the darkness again.
  
  Nynaeve waited, counting to herself while they made their circuit twice. Each time they took exactly the same count, and each time they rigidly repeated the same formula, not a word more or less. Neither so much as glanced to one side; they stared straight ahead as they marched up, then marched away. She wondered if they would have noticed her even if she had been standing up.

Am I the only one who thinks their behavior is just like that of enemies in crude, early stealth games like Metal Gear Solid? I don't know whether to find this funny or creepy. I mean, I know that the Children of the Light hate any sort of individuality, but this is on a whole other level!

But Nynaeve does set the distraction in motion. Lightning crashes, horses run wild, and Elyas's wolfpack comes in, leaving Nynaeve in confusion. Will she and her friends get out alive? Tune in next time to find out!

NEXT TIME: Well, that was easy.