Alvon

A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion confirming the information available in the main story arc.

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

Alvon is a woodcutter from Amadicia. He and his eldest son, Theril, were captured by the Shaido and made gai'shain. Both have sworn fealty to Faile.

He is a stocky man, shorter than his son, and has a weathered face. He speaks with a coarse accent that, to Faile, makes him barely intelligible.

Since Theril is referred to as Alvon's eldest son, at 14 years of age, Alvon obviously has at least one more child younger than 14. Both Alvon and Theril are determined to escape from the Shaido in order to return to the rest of their family. They have already made three attempts to escape, and had a fourth one planned on the day that they swore fealty to Faile. They have become something of a legend among the other gai'shain for refusing to give up no matter how much they are punished.

(Reference: Knife of Dreams, Chapter 5)

Timeline

• Aravine enters Faile's tent to tell her that Alvon and his son have something for her. Theril has stolen Therava's white rod that Galina wants so badly. Faile swears to them that she will help them escape, even if Galina cannot take them with her right away. Alvon replies that he does not think Galina will help any of them to escape, but that he trusts Faile (KoD, Ch. 5).

• When Rolan appears as Faile is talking to Alvon and Theril about the rod and about helping them escape, Faile is afraid that Alvon and Theril are about to attack Rolan and thinks that that would be a very bad thing. She tells them and Aravine to go about their duties (KoD, Ch. 5).

• The men and women who have sworn fealty to Faile gather to say goodbye to her as she prepares to meet Galina in Malden to make her escape with Alliandre, Maighdin, Arrela, and Lacile (KoD, Ch. 28).

• Alvon's name is not mentioned, but since Theril was present when Faile, Alliandre, Maighdin, Arrela, and Lacile were rescued from the collapsed building in Malden where Galina left them, it can be assumed that Alvon was present, as well, and that he escaped with the others when Perrin came to Faile's rescue (KoD, Ch. 29; Ch. 30).

Miscellaneous

Faile was ready to trust Alvon right from the start because of his many attempts to escape the Shaido and his unwillingness to give up (KoD, Ch. 5).

When on the day of her escape the gai'shain do not begin entering Malden to fetch water, Faile begins to worry; she wonders how long her people could hold out if they were put to the question, and how long Alvon could hold out if Theril were put to the question (KoD, Ch. 28).

Quotes

Alvon was a stocky man, overtopped by his son Theril, a lanky boy. Both wore mud-stained, almost-white robes made of tentcloth. Theril, Alvon's eldest, was only fourteen, but the Shaido had not believed it because of his height, as much as most men in Amadicia. Faile had been ready to trust Alvon from the start. He and his son were something of legends among the gai'shain. Three times they had run away, and each time it had taken the Shaido longer to bring them back. And despite increasingly fierce punishment, on the day they swore fealty they had been planning a fourth attempt to return to the rest of their family. Neither ever smiled that Faile had seen, but today, smiles wreathed Alvon's weathered face and Theril's skinny one alike. (Faile; Knife of Dreams, Chapter 5)

The woodcutter made as if to spit then glanced at her, and his face colored. He swallowed, instead. "That Galina isn't going to help nobody, my Lady. Says she's Aes Sedai and all, but she's that Therava's plaything if you ask me, and that Therava ain't never going to let her go. Anyways, I know if we can get you free, you'll come back for the rest of us. No need for you to swear and all that. You said you wanted the rod if anybody could lay hands on it without getting caught, and Theril got it for you, that's all." (Alvon to Faile; Knife of Dreams, Chapter 5)