Chapter 30 - Children of Shadow

Summary

Perrin and Egwene, having fled into Artur Hawkwing's Eye, are discovered by a company of Children of the Light led by Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald and his zealous subordinate, Child Byar. During the ensuing chaos, the wolf Hopper attacks a Whitecloak to save Perrin and is killed by lances, causing Perrin to attack the riders in a frenzy before losing consciousness. They awaken tied up inside the Lord Captain's tent, where Bornhald interrogates them about their connection to wolves, Warders, and Shadar Logoth. Perrin fabricates a story about being lost travelers, which Bornhald partially accepts but remains suspicious of. Byar aggressively threatens them with death for their perceived crimes, but Bornhald overrules him, deciding to take the prisoners to Amador to offer them a chance to walk in the Light, while sentencing Perrin to a gibbet if he does not repent for killing two men.

Characters

• Perrin / Perrin al'Vere — Perrin stands by the pool with Elyas, struggling with his hate for his axe and his connection to the wolves, before Elyas leads the group to hide in the stedding with Egwene and Bela. He hides under Artur Hawkwing's statue with Egwene, sensing the approaching Children of the Light. When Hopper attacks to save him, Perrin screams and attacks the riders with his axe, then wakes up bound in Bornhald's tent, listening to Bornhald's interrogation and Byar's threats, where Bornhald declares that a gibbet waits for Perrin in Amador.
• Egwene / Egwene al'Vere — Egwene waits by the fire and hides under the statue with Perrin and Bela, growing anxious as the Children of the Light search the area. She comforts Perrin and promises to dance with him at Sunday if they return home. After being captured, she is bound in Bornhald's tent and answers Bornhald's questions, clarifying details about their meeting with a Warder to support Perrin's fabricated story, while reacting with fear to Byar's aggression.
• Elyas — Elyas appears by the pool, interpreting Perrin's expressions and warning him of danger before the group hides. He directs Perrin and Egwene to hide and then vanishes into the shadows to fight with the wolves. He is later sensed by Perrin as being in the fray but is ultimately unaccounted for as the battle ends, leaving Perrin to believe they may be dead or have abandoned him.
• Bornhald / Geofram (Lord Captain, Child Byar's commander) — Lord Captain Geofram Bornhald leads the Children of the Light and commands the tent where Perrin and Egwene are held. He interrogates the prisoners, dismissing Byar's claims of a massive wolf ambush as exaggeration, and evaluates their story about Shadar Logoth. He overrules Byar's demand for immediate execution, deciding instead to take the prisoners to Amador to give them a chance to renounce the Dark One, though he sentences Perrin to death if he refuses to repent.
• Byar / Child Byar (Anointed) — Child Byar enters the tent to report the casualties of the battle to Lord Captain Bornhald, displaying a cold, emotionless demeanor and intense hatred toward the prisoners. He aggressively threatens to cut out Perrin and Egwene's tongues and demands their execution as the penalty for being Darkfriends. Bornhald rebukes his zeal, and Byar remains rigid and sullen as he is ordered to return the prisoners' belongings.
• Hopper — Hopper appears from the night to leap at a Whitecloak who threatens Perrin, tearing out his throat. He is then pinned to the ground by multiple lances, kicking and screaming for Perrin to run before dying. His death causes Perrin intense pain and drives him to attack the riders.
• Bela — Bela is led to the shelter of Artur Hawkwing's statue by Perrin and waits for him there.