Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are going to continue our reread of The Eye of the World, chapters 10 - 13. 

Synopsis:

Chapter 10, "Leavetaking"

Rand, Mat, and Lan all go into the stableyard where Perrin is standing guard.  Lan asks if Perrin checked the area and Perrin says he has.  Lan sets to work saddling horses.  Mat notices that Rand is wearing Tams sword, and makes a joke about it.  Perrin also has a weapon, an axe made by Master Luhhan.  The boys talk about whether to believe Moiraine's claim that the Trollocs are after them.  Rand confirms that she told the truth about their homes being burned first.  When Rand mentions his father also agreeing that they had to leave, Moiraine appears suddenly and questions him.  Mat and Perrin swear they only left notes, as instructed.

Lan tells them they are ready to go when Egwene comes into the stableyard, insisting she will go along with them.  After some argument, Moiraine says Egwene can accompany them.  Lan says she can take Thom's horse, when Thom pops out of the hayloft and says he will travel with them as well.  After more discussion, Thom is allowed to go.  They choose Bela as a horse for Egwene.

They sneak out of the stable and into the night.  They pause as mounted riders—the organized watch discussed before Winternight—ride past.  They go quietly through the outskirts of the village; Rand constantly looks about, holding on to the last images of Emond's Field. 

Traveling through the countryside, parallel to the North Road, Rand see a shape in front of the moon, something like a bat.  He tells Lan, who calls it a Draghkar.  Wanting speed, Moiraine directs them to the North Road at a gallop.

Chapter 11, "The Road to Taren Ferry"

The group races up the North Road.  Rand didn't anticipate running at such speeds, and begins to worry about Egwene and Bela.  The old horse surely couldn't keep up with this pace for long.  He vows to drop back if Egwene slows.  He silently cheers Bela on, trying to give her strength, asking the Light for help.

Lan slows them down and Rand sees in surprise that they are already to Watch Hill.  The villagers and Thom discuss resting in the village, but Lan only gives them a moment to catch their breath.  Moiraine circles the horses, draining their fatigue with the One Power.  When she gets to Bela, she tells Rand that the old mare has a good heart, and is the least weary of them all.

The Draghkar's scream fills the night, and the horses spook.  Rand barely holds onto Cloud's reigns.  They mount up and run.  As they run, Rand notices sudden banks of fog appearing around them.  Rand suspects Moiraine must have used the One Power to summon it.  The riders clump together, still running at full speed. 

After several hours, Lan slows them again.  They are in Taren Ferry.  The houses are strange to Rand's eyes.  The Warder leads the group to the ferry owner, then makes a deal with him to carry the group across the river.  Master Hightower agrees to meet them at the landing.

Chapter 12, "Across the Taren"

They take their horses to the ferry landing.  Following the examples of Thom and Lan, Rand tries to make himself look more intimidating.  Hightower appears with his workers and demands the money promised.  Lan informs the man he will receive it on the other side of the river.  As they cross, Rand asks Lan if Hightower would rob them.  Lan comments on human nature, that men are more likely to do bad things if their deeds are hidden.  This makes Rand worry about Darkfriends.

On the opposite bank, Hightower wants his gold.  Moiraine says each worker will also receive a silver mark.  The men walk off the ferry.  As Lan hands out coins, Moiraine looks at the river.  Suddenly, the ferry comes lose, and is sucked into the water by a whirlpool.  Moiraine apologize that they lost their ferry in her service and has Lan pay the man more money.  Hightower takes the coins, then rushes into the fog. 

The fog ends a few feet up the bank.  Thom wonders why Moiraine didn't make the fog extend all the way to Baerlon.  Moiraine explains that this will trick the Draghkar into thinking they have taken a boat up or down river.   Mat finally works up the courage to ask Moiraine if she caused the whirlpool.  She only says that she intends to get them all safely to Tar Valon.

Lan had prepared a campsite along the bank on their way to the Two Rivers.  After hobbling the horses, they go inside a small covered area.  Moiraine and Egwene are speaking about the One Power, and a bit about the Red Ajah and insane male channelers.  Moiraine tells Egwene that she is one of a handful of people who will channel the One Power whether she wishes to or not.  She is also close to her change, and it would be better if Moiraine guided her in it.  The Aes Sedai pulls out her blue stone and holds it between their hands.  Small lights flash off the stone.  Egwene produced the last light on her own.  She rushes to Rand, proclaiming she will be an Aes Sedai.

Chapter 13, "Choices"

Before going to sleep, Moiraine uses the Power to drain the fatigue out of all the travelers.  Thom tries to pull away, but Moiraine forces him.  They rest for an hour, then remount and continue on their way.  They travel north, taking great pains to avoid towns, farms, or people.  Their first night, Lan begins to teach the boys how to use their weapons.  Moiraine tells him to continue the lessons.  Thom entertains them at nights with juggling and stories. 

Two days after they leave the river, Egwene unbraids her hair.  She and Rand shout at each other, and Rand says Aes Sedai are Darkfriends.  Lan quiets them down, and Rand realizes he said more than he should have.

Two nights after that, Mat suggests that they head south once they reach Caemlyn, instead of going to Tar Valon.  Moiraine heard him, and threatens the boys.  She would rather kill them herself than let the Dark One have them. 

Another night, Rand sneaks close to listen to Egwene's and Moiraine's nightly chats.  The two women talk about the male Aes Sedai who went insane, and of the taint on saidin.  Moiraine accidently lets slip that someone else in Emond's Field can learn to channel.  Moiraine tells Egwene that Aes Sedai are both good and bad, strong and weak, brave and cowardly.  The Power will not change who she is.  Egwene then asks why the Trollocs came to the Two Rivers.  Moiraine's eyes look to Rand's hiding spot, and he quickly, and quietly leaves the area. 

After a week, they arrive at Baerlon.  The city has a twenty-foot high wall surrounding it.  The Emond's Fielders gape at it and Thom rolls his eyes.  Moiraine instructs them not to talk about Trollocs or Fades.  She warns them that Darkfriends may be in the city, so they need to be careful.

They approach a small, closed gate, and the gatekeeper hurries to open it for them.  He tells them of a battle between Aes Sedai and the False Dragon in Ghealdan—and that the man can channel and is heading for Tear.  He also says Whitecloaks are in the city.  Rand asks Thom what heading for Tear would mean, and Thom explains about The Karaethon Cycle.  The Prophecies of the Dragon state that the Stone of Tear will only fall when the Sword That Cannot Be Touched is held by the Dragon.

The group goes down an alley and enters into the back entrance of an inn.  The innkeeper, Master Fitch, rushes out and welcomes them to the Stag and Lion.

My take:

In all honesty, not much happens in these few chapters.  This is the calm before the storm unleashes.  As far as pacing goes, I think Robert Jordan used this time intentionally to lull us—like Mat—into a false sense of security.  Moiraine warns repeatedly of the danger, but our wayward heroes often disregard her advice (like when they get to Shadar Logoth).

One curious thing about the trip across the river, Moiraine tells Lan that they don't want to stand out in Master Hightower's mind.  However, their actions are very suspicious.  When Lan doesn't put away his coins, he lets on that he knew more than he should have.  When Moiraine insists they pay the man before he could demand it makes them seem like they're scheming.  The situation could have been handled better, I think.

I also think it's funny that Mat already has an aversion to the Power being used on him.  The other two ta'veren quickly get over this fear.  Mat keeps it till the very end.  I like that, despite how much he does grow, some of his roots are still the same.

Moiraine's character also changes a lot over these chapters.  Our first impression of her is of a kind noblewoman, who hands out coins to children in town with a ready smile.  Next, we see her as a figure of power, regal despite her soot stained clothes, as she Heals Tam.  Here, we see her merciless and far beyond the typical Aes Sedai coldness:

Chapter 13, "Choices"

 

"The Dark One is after you three, one or all, and if I let you go running off wherever you want to go, he will take you. Whatever the Dark One wants, I oppose, so hear this and know it true. Before I let the Dark One have you, I will destroy you myself."

Knowing what we know now, we are outraged at this flippant disregard for the Pattern.  What would have happened if she tried to kill Rand?  But, at the time, she only has clues about who, or what, they are.  Would it be better if Rand were killed than turned towards the Shadow?  The Borderland rulers seem to agree with Moiraine's way of thinking when they approach him to fulfill the prophecy (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 51, "A Testing").

There's also the use of Moiraine's passive aggressive way of bullying:

Chapter 13, "Choices"

 

"You have further to go yet," Moiraine said. "Much further. But there is no other choice, except to run and hide and run again for the rest of your lives. And short lives they would be. You must remember that, when the journey becomes hard. You have no choice."

A lot of Rand's inner confusion stems from these few simple words.  How long did he fight against things, struggled against the Pattern itself, because he felt he had no choice?  We know he did.  We saw how many choices he had when he used the Portal Stone in The Great Hunt (Chapter 37, "What Might Be").  Moiraine, I feel, only spoke the truth as she saw it, yet I think this had unexpected consequences for Rand, and his relationship with her in the future.  

One last thing to pull out from this section.  One thing I've always disliked about Mat's character in the beginning is how quickly he turns away from Rand when he finds out Rand can channel.  That told me that Rand wasn't a true friend of Mat; true friendship accepts no matter what.  And I was moved to tears when at the end of The Eye of the World Egwene only hesitates a moment before throwing her arms around Rand when she finds out he can channel.  The two contrasted so greatly.

However, on this reread, I wanted to pay attention to the opposite side of the argument.  How did Rand react when he found out Egwene could channel?  The scene where she finds out is quickly cut—the chapter ends right after she tells him.  However, in the next chapter, Rand and Egwene have the argument about her hair being braided:

Chapter 13, "Choices"

 

Startled, he asked, "What are you doing?" She gave him a sidelong look without answering. It was the first time he had spoken to her in two days, he realized, since the night in the log shelter on the bank of the Taren, but he did not let that stop him. "All your life you've waited to wear your hair in a braid, and now you're giving it up? Why? Because she doesn't braid hers?"

He realized he hadn't talked to her in two days, since he found out she could channel?  I was incredibly disappointed!  I always thought better of Rand.  I thought he would be the type to accept others as they are, not take Mat's way of isolation.

But I was wrong.  It did take Rand time to come to terms with Egwene channeling the Power.  I think the only one of the bunch who wasn't put out at all was be Perrin.  Likewise, he doesn't really judge Rand when he finds out in The Great Hunt.  

That's all I've got for these chapters, but let me know if there's something I overlooked.  Join us next time when the storm (Nynaeve) unleashes its fury on our travelers.  Thanks for reading.