Rand meets Min and talks with her about the things she can see. In the city, Rand encounters a haggard Padan Fain and unsuccessfully tries to come to the Stag and Lion for a meal. Rand meets up with Mat and nearly channels during an encounter with some Whitecloaks. Thom counsels the boys to keep theirs mouths shut about Ba’alzamon and the dreams. Nynaeve is waiting for them in the Stag and Lion.
Rand learns that a bunch of rats have been found at the inn, all with their backs broken, just like in his dream. Downstairs, Thom is performing for the common room. Rand ducks into the kitchen for breakfast and meets Sara, the cook. She says that one of Rand’s friends is still upstairs, not feeling well. Predictably, this turns out to be Perrin, who had the same dream. Unable to convince his friend to get up and see the city, Rand heads down to the stable yard.
This is super close to how I always pictured Min. Full disclosure — I was listening to a ton of Enya when I first read this book. So…
This is where Rand meets Min. The text constantly draws attention to the fact that sports a short haircut and wears men’s clothing, while at the same time emphasizing her feminine features, creating a strong “sexy tomboy” image. Despite not being part of the main cast of characters, Min is interesting as fuck. She explains to Rand that she can see “pieces of the pattern” when she looks at people. For example, she might know that two people with eventually marry despite having only just met.
Thanks to her ability, this conversation has just turned into one massive hint-fest pointing cryptically toward things that are yet to come in the story. She sees shadows and sparks around Rand, Mat, and Perrin when they are together. Despite Rand having a crush on Egwene, Min tells him that they aren’t meant for each other. Lan is pretty boring, with stuff related to Malkier surrounding him. Around Thom is a man (not Thom) juggling fire and the White Tower. Perrin has wolves, a broken crown, and flowering trees. Mat has a red eagle, an eye on a balance scale, a dagger with a ruby, a horn, and a laughing face. Around Rand, she sees a sword that isn’t a sword, a crown of laurel leaves, a beggar’s staff, him pouring water on sand, a bloody hand, a white-hot iron, three women standing over a funeral bier with him on it, a black rock wet with blood, and lightning surrounding him. Sorry for writing all of this shit down, but I cannot tell you how many times during my first read through that I went back to look at the things Min saw, so it makes sense to keep it in a convenient place.
Min tells Rand that they will meet again, strongly implying the two of them will be involved in some capacity. Spooked by the conversation, Rand runs out into the city.
In the crowd, Rand spots the Darkfriend peddler who was in Emond’s Field, Padan Fain. Cornering Fain in an alley, he sees that the man’s clothes are in tatters.
RAND: Master Fain! It’s me, Rand. From Emond’s Field. We all thought the Trollocs had taken you. We’re staying at the Stag and Lion. Come back with me and we’ll get you cleaned up.
FAIN: That Aes Sedai is with you, isn’t she? Don’t tell her you saw me! Promise me!
RAND: I promise. But please, let me help you.
FAIN: The Stag and Lion, you say?
RAND: Yeah, we’re there until tomorrow.
FAIN: Heh heh. Sucker.
Fain bolts, and Rand runs right into Mat. They decide to head back to the inn to discuss last night’s dream with Perrin. But on the way they cross paths with some Whitecloaks, and Mat, being Mat, cannot resist a prank. He runs off to arrange for an “accident” involving barrels to occur, splashing the Whitecloaks’ pristine garments with mud. Rand can’t help but laugh and this draws their attention. The Whitecloaks accost him, and he acts more cocky than normal. In fact, all throughout this exchange we keep reading about how Rand feels like he has a fever, and is full of energy. It’s not too much of a leap to see that he is most likely preparing to touch the male half of the True Source, saidin. Lamentably, the town watch shows up and diffuses the situation, and the two friends make their way back to the inn.
They encounter Thom along the way and begin telling him about the dream. When they inquire about Ba’alzamon, Thom pulls them aside and admonishes them about speaking a name like that out loud. He recommends the boys do not tell Moiraine about the dream, and they all hurry back to the inn to make sure Perrin keeps his mouth shut.
Perrin meets them at the inn and lets them know that they’ve got a bigger problem now — Nynaeve is in the Stag and Lion.