—A very old saying from Mat's gained memories
- For the chapter with the same title in The Dragon Reborn, see The Dragon Reborn/Chapter 34.
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| <<< A Different Dance >>> |
| Setting: Maerone |
Summary[]
- Point of view: Matrim Cauthon
Mat is enjoying a pleasant evening of drinking and dancing with the barmaids and getting teased a bit along the way. Mat tries to teach the musicians some of the songs from his memory, but they don't play nearly as well as he remembers. Talmanes is musing aloud on how he recover from the gambling losses he has with Mat. Betse Silvin comes over to pour wine and Mat starts a conversation with her. She fiddles with his scarf and sees his hanging scar and wonders why someone would try to hang him. Mat gets her to dance, which stops her chattering for a while. When they finish Mat checks to make sure Betse is not the "Daughter of the Nine Moons", since it was foretold that that is who he will marry.
Mat has some of his soldiers perform policing duty for the rest of his troops, different men each day, called Redarms. There are many Hunters of the Horn in town. As far as Mat knows, it is still in the White Tower. Edorion mentions a rumor that Rand was in town recently, which surprises Mat since Rand came to his room by Gateway and no one else was around. During the meeting Rand was excited because he could see a good chance that he can unite all of the nations under him before the last battle.
Mat heads toward a disturbance in the street and finds a man shaking a little boy like a dog with a rat. It is a Hunter that is upset because the peasant boy sat on his horse. Mat disables him with the butt end of his spear and then when the Hunter's companion tries to draw his sword, disables him also. Edorion catches the boy and Mat notes that he is the ugliest boy he's ever seen. The boy's name is Olver and he is nine years old and horses like him. Estean comes up to Mat to announce a Sea Folk ship has come up the river. A Sea Folk wavemistress and her blademaster are aboard, but debark on the Andoran side of the river so Mat will not be able to find out what this is all about.
As evening falls, Mat is finished with his rounds and is back dancing with Betse. As the dancing finally winds down early in the morning Mat tells his officers the Band will be marching south at first light, so they better get busy preparing.
In the morning, the troops pass in review. Mat has implemented a more formal military organization to the Band, based on his memories. Even marching fast with long days, it will take a month to reach the rest of the army in Tear.
Characters[]
- Mat
- Mistress Daelvin innkeeper of The Golden Stag
- Talmanes
- Daerid
- Nalesean
- Betse Silvin Servant
- Edorion
- Harnan
- Paers
- Culen
- Padry
- Olver
- Estean
- Pips
Referenced[]
- Rand
- Artur Hawkwing
- Moiraine
- Perrin
- Rahvin
- Sammael
- Masema
- Mazrim Taim
- Meresin Daganred
- Alhandrin
- Comadrin from Mat's memories
Groups[]
Places[]
Referenced[]
- Coremanda
- Great Blight
- Barsine
- Essenia
- Manetheren
- Eharon
- Aringill
- Stone of Tear
- Andor
- Tear
- Cairhien
- Caemlyn
- Murandy
- Altara
- Illian
- Tarabon
- Arad Doman
- Saldaea
- Amadicia
- Ghealdan
- Borderlands
- Rhuidean
Items[]
Referenced[]