The Shadow Rising (Chapter 41): Among the Tuatha’an

Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.

You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.

Chapter 41: Among the Tuatha’an

NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com:

Point of view: Perrin Aybara

Perrin and the Two Rivers lads he leads were ambushed by Trollocs. The survivors, many wounded approach the Tuatha’an wagons. The Aiel will not approach those they call the ‘Lost Ones’ and leave to make their own camp. Perrin is surprised to see that the Tinker’s leader is Raen, the same man he met with Elyas Machera. Raen, his wife Ila, and the other Tinkers help bandage and poultice the wounded. Perrin tries to convince Raen to move his group to Emond’s Field, but avoiding villages is too ingrained in the Tinker way of life.

Ila is not skilled enough to remove the arrow in Perrin’s side. Faile assures her there is someone in Emond’s Field that can do this^[2], if they can keep Perrin alive to reach there. Ila and Faile bandage Perrin’s wound, then Ila leaves to sleep under the wagon with Raen. Perrin begins to chastise himself over his poor leadership that let twenty-seven of his folk get killed. Faile tries to reassure him with a couple of quotes from her father, but it doesn’t work. Aram enters and comments on Perrin’s eyes and the relationship to wolves. He then asks after Egwene. Perrin is rude to him and tells him to go away.

Perrin finally asks Faile who her father is. She responds, Davram of House Bashere; Lord of Bashere, Tyr, and Sidona; Guardian of the Blightborder; Defender of the Heartland; Marshal-General to Queen Tenobia of Saldaea; and Tenobia’s uncle. As this begins to sink in, Perrin realizes Faile is a Lady. Faile explains that as heir to her father she had a duty to learn how to manage the estates, but found it dull, so she ran away to be a Hunter of the Horn. Faile then asks Perrin what Aram meant about running with wolves.

So Perrin explains how he came to have golden eyes, better senses, and talk with wolves. Faile finally gets him to drink the sleeping draft and he falls asleep.

REACTION:

Perrin reunites with the Tinkers. Nothing too much exciting happens here except that this meeting sets up the truth-telling between Perrin and Faile. FINALLY.

This scene was so long overdue and it completely delivers. The end of the secret-keeping almost feels cathartic. And the whole thing happens because Faile started the truth-telling. Perrin would not have done it if she had not gone first. (Something for those in the fandom who hates Faile to think about.)

Egwene and Moiraine know a little bit about Perrin and the wolves but Faile is the first person to whom he has told everything. She reacts to this perfectly, too, and gives him yet another amazing nickname: “King of the Wolves.” Perrin might outdo Rand on that front, by now.

Perrin’s connection to the Tinkers and the Way of the Leaf is really interesting. It’s almost as though that worldview, and his affinity for it (even if he thinks it’s unrealistic) balances out his occasional berserker impulses. They help him to remember his humanity. I suspect Faile will help him with that burden now, too, and probably more than Perrin thinks.

Great chapter.

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