Chapter 31 - Play for Your Supper

Description

A tense series of encounters marks Rand and Mat’s journey along the Caemlyn Road, where they must constantly hide from passing riders and find ways to survive with dwindling resources. After fleeing Whitebridge, they initially travel through villages reminiscent of home, taking occasional farmwork for food and shelter, though Mat’s growing suspicion of strangers makes these stops increasingly difficult. Eventually, they discover a solution by performing at inns - Rand playing Thom’s flute and Mat juggling - which provides them with meals, beds, and sometimes even rides from farmers and merchants the next day. Their new routine seems to offer both safety and progress toward Caemlyn, until they approach the town of Four Kings.

Characters

  1. Rand al'Thor - Watches dust clouds on the road, uses a farmer's gifted scarf for protection, and demonstrates increasing wariness of all travelers while reflecting on past kindnesses.
  2. Mat Cauthon, Matrim - Shows increasing paranoia about strangers, threatens violence when Rand suggests selling his ruby dagger, and struggles with growing suspicion of everyone they encounter.
  3. Child Byar - Shows fanatical hatred toward prisoners, strikes Perrin with his own axe, and delivers reports with emotionless efficiency.
  4. Lord Bornhald, Lord Captain Bornhald, Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald - Interrogates prisoners with grandfatherly demeanor while maintaining stern authority, questions their story about wolves, and sentences them to be taken to Amador.
  5. Perrin Aybara - Mourns the death of Hopper, faces interrogation by Whitecloaks, and receives a death sentence for killing two Children of the Light.
  6. Egwene - Faces interrogation alongside Perrin and potential questioning by Questioners if she doesn't 'come to the Light.'
  7. Hopper - Dies heroically trying to protect Perrin, kills one Whitecloak, and is killed by multiple lances.
  8. long-faced farmer - Gives Rand and Mat scarves while expressing fear for his family's safety.

Takeaways

  1. Rand and Mat establish a pattern of performing at inns for food and shelter, with Rand playing the flute and Mat juggling with Thom's old equipment.
  2. Prior to finding this solution, they struggled with hunger, cold, and suspicion from farmers, often being chased away or given meager meals for their work.
  3. Mat shows increasing paranoia and suspicion of strangers, particularly fixating on protecting the ruby-hilted dagger he took from Shadar Logoth.
  4. The boys narrowly avoid several encounters with suspicious armed riders on the road, suggesting they are still being hunted.
  5. Their journey brings them to Four Kings, which is presented ominously as a turning point in their travels.