Re-Reading "The Dragon Reborn": Chapter 34: A Different Dance," "Chapter 35: The Falcon," and "Chapter 36: Daughter of the Night"
In a trio of chapters, Perrin learns that his own destiny is being shaped by forces, and people, beyond his control, even as he also meets a woman who will be very important to him going forward.
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For this week’s Wheel of Time Wednesday we’re looking at a trio of chapters from Perrin’s perspective (with a brief interlude by Rand). They are certainly eventful, for the young apprentice blacksmith not only frees an Aiel from captivity but also manages to cut down several Whitecloaks in the bargain. Not content with that, he also has a rather disturbing dream, meets a young woman who will eventually become his wife, and finds out just how formidable Moiraine can be when she wants to be.
Say what you will about Perrin, but he is definitely the most honorable of the three young men from Emond’s Field. Of the three, he’s the one with the firmest moral compass and the most deliberate way of thinking. It’s precisely his sense of honor that leads him to free the Aielman Gaul when it would be very easy to just let him stay caged to be tormented by the children of the village. It’s a brave action, and yet as so often in The Wheel of Time not without consequences, since it ends up bringing the Children of the Light down on them. One can’t help but admire Perrin for being willing to do the right thing, even though he knows that doing so carries with it no small amount of risk, both to himself and to others.
This is also one of the first times that we get an in-depth look at one of the Aiel, as well as a faint glimpse of just how complicated (some might even go so far as to say overcomplicated) their social organization and mores are. It’s clear, though, that Gaul is definitely a man of honor and that, contrary to what so many seem to think, the Aiel aren’t simply bloodthirsty killing machines who’ll slaughter anyone who crosses their path. They’ll defend themselves, that much is clear, but one can hardly blame them for doing so, particularly not when they’re faced with idiots like Hunters for the Horn and deranged Whitecloaks. We also quickly learn that there’s a reason the people of the various nations had to join together to turn back the Aiel, since Gaul very nearly takes out all of the Whitecloaks singlehanded. These are clearly not people to be trifled with.
For Perrin’s part, he’s once again forced to take up a weapon and kill other men with it. He’s always had a vexed relationship with his own strength and with weapons, but once again he shows that he’s more than capable of holding his own when it comes to a battle. It’s just unfortunate that Perrin, gentle and kind soul that he is, is once again forced to shed blood because the Whitecloaks simply can’t leave him alone. As time will tell, his various exchanges with the Children of the Light will have unfortunate consequences for the people that he loves the most.
This week’s reading also sees the introduction of a character who will prove to be very important indeed for Perrin’s development as a man and as a character: Zarine Bashere, better known to fans as Faile. With her falcon-like demeanor and gaze and appearance, it’s easy to see why “Faile” would become her nickname. It’s also easy to see the chemistry between the two of them, for even though Perrin doesn’t quite know what to make of her, it’s clear that, for her, he’s a puzzle to be solved. And in Robert Jordan’s world a woman like Faile never leaves a puzzle unsolved.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Moiraine’s actions in these three chapters. Even taking into account the fact that Moiraine is often filtered through Perrin’s point of view, there’s no denying that she shows again that she can be a hardass when she needs to be. This is a woman who is very sure and confident in her power and her ability to enforce her will on others, no matter what their own thoughts might be on the subject (even if, as Perrin rightly inuits, there’s reason to believe that the Forsaken, including Lanfear, are free again). Just as importantly, however, she’s also someone who is completely comfortable in her own body, which she demonstrates when Perrin walks in on her wearing remarkably little clothing yet doesn’t seem at all flustered to be seen by a man who could be her son (or grandson).
In the aptly titled chapter, “Daughter of the Night,” Perrin once again shows that his ability to walk in the World of Dreams is something that can be a bit of a double-edged sword (as are so many things in this universe). As Moiraine points out, knowledge of his ability to do so could well land him in hot water with the Red Ajah. For that matter, it’s dangerous even for himself, and while the presence of the late Hopper adds a bit of bittersweet lightness to the scene, it’s also mildly terrifying to watch two Forsaken–Lanfear and Ishamael, though Perrin still thinks the latter is the Dark One–talk so one another about their plans. The World of Dreams is no safe place for the uninitiated, particularly when someone like Lanfear is stalking them.
Lastly, we come to the brief moment in which we get a bit of Rand’s point of view. This is, I think, one of the most brutal and bluntly violent moments that we’ve had with Rand yet. After all, it takes a pretty cold-blooded person to strike down a woman and her retainers in cold blood, even if (as seems likely) one of them also happened to be a Gray Man. Even more distressingly, he also manages to wound Perrin, too, which is yet another sign of how much his mental state has begun to deteriorate.
These three chapters mark an important turning point in Perrin’s development. Like Mat and Rand, he’s finding his innocence and his rather simple view of the world slowly stripped away by the changes that are constantly occurring both around and within himself. He might try to fight against them, might try to deny that he is someone who can speak to wolves and that he is ta’veren and that he’s going to have to take lives, but he’s learning very quickly that neither the Wheel nor Moiraine–nor anyone else, for that matter–really cares very much about his own misgivings. Instead, he’s going to have to take a more active role in forging his own life, no matter what the costs might end up being.