The Shadow Rising: Chapter 56
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: A Wolf
Points of View: Perrin, Padan Fain
Outline
The villagers defeat all the Trollocs and Myrdraal that attack Emond's Field, with the help of Deven Ride and Watch Hill.
Summary
Perrin's Point of View:
Setting: Emond's Field
Characters: Perrin, Aram, Ban al'Seen, Marin al'Vere, Daise Congar, Alsbet Luhhan, Neysa Ayellin, the rest of the Woman's Circle, Bodewhin Cauthon, Eldrin Cauthon, Raen, Ila, Tell Lewin, the Companions, Dain Bornhald, Jaret Byar, Haral Luhhan, Abell Cauthon, Tam al'Thor, Alanna Sedai, Ihvon, Loial, Eward Candwin, Paet al'Caar, Buel Dowtry, Jac al'Seen, Wit Congar, Flann Lewin, Jaim Torfinn, Hu Marwin, Elam Dowtry, Dav Ayellin, Ewin Finngar, Hari Coplin, Darl Coplin, Bili Congar, Berin Thane, Athan Dearn, Kevrim al'Azar, Tuck Padwhin, Verin Sedai, Tomas, Chiad, Gaul, Jaim Aybara, Faile, Bain, Jerinvar Barstere
Perrin is sitting in the Winespring Inn writing a letter to Faile when Ban al'Seen appears to tell him that the Aiel are back from scouting. He says that there are thousands of Trollocs coming from the north and south. Perrin finishes writing his letter and he and Aram follow Ban out of the Inn. They find that all the women, children and Tinkers are gathered on the Green; the women are holding weapons. Daise Congar announces that if the Trollocs break through, that they will get the children out. Perrin says that he is sorry about what he did with Faile - that he arranged for her to leave Emond's Field before the attack. Alsbet Luhhan and Marin al'Vere say that they would have expected nothing less, and that they knew all along.
Perrin leaves to go see to the men, and informs Ban and Tell that if things go badly that day, that they are in charge of getting the women and children to safety. They argue, but he will have none of it. He then tells Aram to stay with the Companions, but Aram insists on going wherever Perrin goes. On the west side of the Green, the Whitecloaks are sitting on their horses, and Perrin wants to know why they aren't in their battle places. Dain Bornhald tells Perrin that they are leaving, which angers the Companions. Perrin tells them that if they stay and fight that he will willingly go with them. "Run! Or stay, if you can remember you're men. If you need to find the courage, look at the women, Bornhald. Any one of them is braver than the whole lot of you Whitecloaks!" Bornhald becomes angry and informs his men that "If we must die here, we will die clean!" He agrees to stay, but only if Perrin keeps his promise.
Perrin continues on, and finds men crouched with their halberds and polearms, waiting. Haral Luhhan and Abell Cauthon are among them. He then moves towards the south end of the village, where he finds Tam al'Thor readying more men for battle. Alanna and Ihvon are also there, and the Aes Sedai is fussing over one of the catapults.
Perrin decides that he will fight at the north side of the village, as north is the direction that Faile had taken out of Emond's Field. Bran is in charge, and Loial, Gaul and Chiad are with him. As they wait, Perrin contemplates all the familiar faces around him: Eward Candwin, Paet al'Caar, Buel Dowtry, Jac al'Seen, Wit Congar, Flann Lewin, Jaim Torfinn, Hu Marwin, Elam Dowtry, Dav Ayellin, Egwin Finngar, Hari and Darl Coplin, Bili Congar, Berin Thane, Athan Dearn, Kevrim al'Azar, Tuck Padwhin...the list goes on and on, and Perrin forces himself to stop reciting names. Verin then rides up, and Perrin tells her that he is surprised that she and Alanna are still there. Verin tells him that "Could I only split myself into three, I would latch one onto each of you [referring to him, Rand and Mat] and follow you every moment of the day and night even if I had to marry you."
As they finish talking, there is suddenly a shout of 'Isam!' from thousands of approaching Trollocs. As he fights among the other Emond's Fielders, he keeps reminding himself that Faile is safe and that nothing else matters. The battle rages, with Trollocs and even Myrddraal falling to arrows and stones from the catapults. Verin makes her way from catapult to catapult, and everyone fights with everything they have.
As the fighting continues on, the Two Rivers line begins to bulge inward at a dozen places, and Perrin knows that if it breaks in even one spot that all will be lost. He shouts an order for everyone to fall back among the houses. A Trolloc attacks Perrin just as everyone begins to back up, but Aram kills it.
As they keep fighting, Perrin suddenly notices that the women are fighting side by side with the men. He sees Daise Congar, Marin al'Vere, Bodewhin and Eldrin Cauthon, Neysa Ayellin and more...all of them are trying to swell the men's ranks, trying to keep the line from breaking. Perrin knows that they are the only reason that the line is still holding. As Perrin begins to wonder where the Whitecloaks are, a boy runs up to him with a message. "Lord Perrin! Please listen! Master al'Thor says somebody's attacking the Trollocs!" When Perrin asks who is attacking, the boy says that he does not know, but that "Master al'Vere said to tell you he thought he heard somebody shouting 'Deven Ride.' "
As the young boy returns to the other children, Perrin continues to fight, until the messenger returns; "Lord Perrin! Master al'Vere said to tell you the Trollocs are breaking! And they are shouting 'Deven Ride'! The men, I mean. I heard them!" Perrin asks what the boy's name is, and when the boy replies that he is Jaim Aybara and is "your cousin, I think. Sort of, anyway," Perrin has to close his eyes against the tears.
The battle against the Trollocs has ended, and as Perrin rides through mounds of dead Trollocs, he sees Faile riding towards him. She tells him that she had never promised that she would actually leave the Two Rivers. "I said I would go. I did not say how far." All Perrin can do is look at her. She continues on, telling him that the Watch Hill men, who she brought with her to help in the battle, were ready, and that she barely had to say anything to convince them to come. She is very proud of herself; "They followed me, Perrin. They followed me! Even Tenobia has never led men into battle." Thinking that he is angry, she tells him that he has no right to be mad, but he cuts in and tells her that he loves her. They embrace, Faile telling Perrin about how afraid she was that she wouldn't make it. She then asks if the Deven Ride men came. Perrin wonders if she arranged that as well as the rescue from the Watch Hill men. She says that when "that man came with his message - 'We are coming' - I thought - hoped - that that was what it meant." She then asks him to not be angry with her, and Perrin starts to say that he will never be mad at her again, but Faile makes him promise not to say that. "Mother says the worst thing Father ever did to her was vow never to be angry with her."
When Perrin once again begins to pay attention to his surroundings, he sees many familiar faces emerge from the carnage; all he can think about is the faces that are still there, not the faces that aren't. Along with the people from his childhood, he sees people that he doesn't know, people that must be from Watch Hill and Deven Ride. As he looks around, the Whitecloaks appear, with Dain Bornhald at their head. Bornhald announces that since the battle is over, he will now arrest Perrin as they had agreed. Faile cries out, demanding to know if Perrin really agreed to a deal with Bornhald. The crowd around them begins to shout; "No! No!" and "You will not take him!" and "Goldeneyes!" Perrin becomes angry and tells Bornhald that "I said I would not resist, if you aided. If you aided, Whitecloak. Where were you?" Daise Congar steps forward, and tells Perrin that during the battle the Whitecloaks stayed on the Green, and that that was what had prompted the women to join the battle. Bornhald becomes enraged, saying that he hadn't trusted Perrin, and that his 'plan' only failed because of the help that arrived. As some of the Whitecloaks draw their swords, the Two Rivers men level their bows at the Children of the Light, ready to defend Perrin and Faile. Eventually Bornhald leaves, but not before promising to one day see Perrin hang.
After the Whitecloaks have left, a group of ten or twelve men approach Perrin. The man that seems to be their leader bows to Perrin and says that his name is Jerinvar Barstere. He says that some of his men will make sure that the Whitecloaks leave, if it's okay with Perrin, and that many people from his village wish to get home as soon as possible. He bows again, as do the other men. After he walks away, Faile informs Perrin that Jerinvar Barstere is the Mayor of Watch Hill and that "The Watch Hill Women's Circle will be sending a delegation down under their Wisdom once they're certain it is safe." Perrin and Faile then head off towards the Winespring Inn.
Padan Fain's Point of View:
Setting: The Two Rivers
Characters: Padan Fain
Padan Fain, is still holding up the facade of being Ordeith. He wonders how everything turned out wrong when everything had been going according to plan just shortly before. He ponders on why Isam had stopped bringing Trollocs into the Two Rivers, obviously not knowing that the Waygate had been closed. He is angry that the Trollocs lost the battle, as he wants the Two Rivers to burn.
Padan Fain studies the banners waving over the village, one a scarlet wolfhead, the other a red eagle. He recognizes the second as the banner of Manetheren. He suddenly laughs, and it seems as if he has come up with a plan. He hurries off, having decided that he will ride for Tar Valon, but that he will stop in Caemlyn first.
