Moiraine leaves, clearly unaware that the gleeman is really Asmodean, who is teaching Rand to control saidin. Mat drinks and gambles as he keeps trying to understand his fate to marry the Daughter of the Nine Moons.
Now that they’re alone, Rand berates Asmodean for the channeling while Moiraine’s back was turned. Asmodean had floated Rand’s cup of wine over to him. Luckily, Moiraine didn’t notice and has no idea the gleeman is really a man who can channel, much less one of the Forsaken. If she knew, she would never tolerate it. All the same, Asmodean is Rand’s only way to learn to work with saidin, so the conversation quickly transforms into Rand digging for information.
RAND: What do you think of my chances when the Last Battle comes, Natael?
ASMODEAN: We are dead. Both of us. Dead! Are you too blind with pride to see it? Or just too thick-witted, you hopeless shepherd?
Gosh, be careful not to sugarcoat it! Rand leaves and puts a trap on the door that will only affect men who can channel. Well, Asmodean dude, looks like you’re crashing here tonight.
Mat is doing what Mat does best with downtime: drinking and gambling. We don’t know how much he’s had to drink, but it’s enough to make him stand on the edge of a defunct fountain and sing. Which wouldn’t be so bad, only he’s singing songs that haven’t been sung since Artur Hawkwing’s time.
Yes, thanks to the redstone doorframe, Mat’s head is filled with countless memories that are not his own. He also has a disturbingly good handle on the Old Tongue. Mat spots Rand and calls out to him.
MAT: Rand? Rand?
No response.
MAT: Lews Therin.
Whoa. Mat knows about that? This gets Rand’s attention immediately. Mat says he’s thinking of going off with Kadere, perhaps back to Emond’s Field to check up on Perrin and everyone else. Rand’s only response is that everyone does what they must. Gosh, thanks, old buddy. You can really tell these boys grew up together as BFFs.
A Maiden of the Spear named Melindhra starts chatting up Mat. She noticed his skill in gambling and asks if he’s that lucky all the time. She has sapphire blue eyes and golden blond hair, so Mat gives Melindhra a piece of jewelry he won. Soon, it’s hard to say whether Mat is flirting with Melindhra, or Melindhra is flirting with Mat. He asks if she knows anything about the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Apparently, Mat has been asking practically every woman he meets about the Daughter of the Nine Moons, ever since the snake people said that’s who Mat will marry. It’s a weird enough question that it evokes Rick Moranis running around in Ghostbusters, introducing himself as the Keymaster, and asking, “Are you the Gatekeeper?”
Melindhra may not be the Gatekeeper, but she leads Mat away, making it perfectly clear that she is willing to pretend.