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 27: To Be Alone
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Perrin Aybara
Summary
Perrin is preparing to leave Cairhien. As he departs, he notices that Rand‘s servants in the palace have adopted black livery. He then recalls why he is leaving the palace: Rand threw him against a column in front of a room of nobles. All of them turned away except Dobraine. Perrin and Rand had argued about how the Aes Sedai had been “handed over” to the Wise Ones and Rand ordered Perrin out of Cairhien as a result of their disagreement.
On his way to the stables, Perrin encounters Loial, who has been given a commission. Loial announces that he and Karldin are to go to each stedding to warn the Ogier that the Waygates are being used by Shadowspawn and close them, if necessary. Perrin suggests that Loial should remember to keep quiet about the Waygates; Perrin then leaves, believing he will never see Loial again. He meets with Faile north of the city. Faile still has a jealous scent since Berelain is also going with the party. All of the Two Rivers men, a large group of Mayeners, and a few Aiel and Wise Ones make a considerable force under his command. Using Gateways opened by Neald and Grady, his party Travels to Ghealdan. Perrin enters a forest to the east and meets with Aram and Faile. Faile has a number of people accompanying her, including Bain, Chiad, Gaul, Selande, Camaille, and Seonid. Some Cairhien citizens also join in.
At their destination, which Perrin reveals to be Ghealdan, Perrin informs them that they have a mission. They are to track down the Prophet of the Dragon and tell him to stop his reign of fear, and then they are to bring him and his followers back to Rand. The troupe waiting for him shows their enthusiasm for this task with a great deal of exuberance. As a side mission, they are to convince the Queen of Ghealdan, Alliandre, that they are not an invading force—which is why Berelain has been brought along.
REACTION:
I think this chapter title refers to Rand a bit. He’s sending everyone he loves away – both because he has so few people he can trust to carry out his wishes and because he’s afraid to let them be near him. It also refers to Perrin, too. He is surrounded by people but his constant marital estrangement from Faile leaves him feeling that way.
This chapter feels a lot like a recent plot summary / future plot reset. We find out that Perrin and Rand cooked up a plan off the page so that Perrin & Friends could secretly go to Ghealdan without anyone knowing. They also staged a big public fight – also off the page – to help sell the idea that Rand sent him away. As Perrin is leaving, without telling anyone what he’s up to, he runs into Loial. Perrin can’t tell him that this is all part of a plan, which is unfortunate, inasmuch as Loial can be trusted with the information. But in that convo, we learn that Rand and Loial decided – again off the page – to send Loial and one of the male channelers to every Ogier Stedding to guard/close all the Waygates.
I’m not a big fan of “a lot of really cool stuff happened off the page since the last time we saw you, dear Reader, and we don’t have time to make all of this its own chapter, so let’s have the POV character think back about it and give you an update.” Anyway.
Rand sent Berelain with Perrin and Faile because of course he did.
In Rand’s defense, there’s no way he knows about what the First of Mayene has been up to with Perrin. But this is the sort of thing that happens when you don’t confide with anyone about anything (that applies to both Rand re: plan-making and Perrin re: his life.)
Here’s a thought, that just occurred to me from Perrin’s POVs. Does he actually *like* Rand? He feels a duty to help Rand. His POVs don’t usually imply that he likes his childhood friend, though. More of that comes through with Mat, even though Mat’s also more internally outspoken about not wanting to be near Rand. We saw too much loyalty and liking from Mat toward Rand, in Book 1, to erase it from our memory. They traveled together, kept each other alive, cried together, had inside jokes re: women, etc. Something about the way Jordan writes Mat’s voice implies to the Reader that he doesn’t mean what he’s saying or thinking, when he thinks he wants to get away from Rand, or at least that a big part of himself doesn’t agree with the part that’s making the final decision. (It’s the same internal inconsistency / conflict that Nynaeve is written with, too.) Of course, Nyn is very overtly loyal to Rand. Other than Min, she might be the most consistently pro-Rand character among those who left Emond’s Field. Her contrarian side will consistently lead to her taking Rand’s side (against Moiraine, Siuan, political factions, etc.) Eggy – unlike Nyn – thinks about Rand from the standpoint of taking care of him by helping him make good decisions, so her loyalty often leads her to side against him – this is her tragic flaw as a character. But she obviously loves him and is loyal to him. If you remember, Egwene used to hurl her entire body at Rand in the early books, during emotional moments, and her ter’angreal trips in the Accepted testing told us Rand was central to her entire identity.
Anyway… I guess my point is that I don’t really see much from Perrin regarding him actually *liking* Rand, like I see from the rest of the Emond’s Field Five. The closest we ever get is him occasionally thinking Rand is better with girls than he is. It’s more of a loyalty for history’s sake friendship than one of mutual genuine enjoyment.
Anyway… so Perrin, Faile, the Two Rivers army, Berelain, and some Aiel and Wise Ones are in Ghealdan to take care of Masema’s rioters and to let the Queen of Ghealdan know that they aren’t invaders.
Let’s take a look at that Wheel of Time map again:
Ghealdan borders the now Seanchan held lands of Tarabon and Amadicia. He’s directly north of the now homeless Whitecloaks (assuming any survived) and probably in the path of Morgase and her company who just fled the conquered Whitecloak capital. He’s also next to Altara and thus a straight shot north of Ebou Dar. Ghealdan is also directly south of the Two Rivers.
One can make reasonable guesses about who will be part of Perrin’s next major arc with a map consultation. As with the last chapter, and Morgase’s story, though, this feels largely like an exit for Perrin within *this* book. I guess we’ll see.