The Eye of the World/Chapter 31

==Summary==
:
Rand and Mat travel the dusty road from Whitebridge to Caemlyn. Rand recalls the kindness of a farmerWe learn in Chapter 33 that the scarves were given by Alpert Mull. who gifted them scarves to help along the road. They hide in a group of hedges when the dry dust warns them of something approaching from behind. Mat keeps fingering his Ruby-hilted dagger. The dust cloud resolves into a group of horsemen patrolling the road who are thankfully not after them.
Rand recalls how they got to where they are, being constantly afraid that people are after them. When they first left Whitebridge, Rand kept hoping to see Thom come up from behind. A small village reminded Rand of home, but Mat reminded him that they can't stay there. They spent their first night out of Whitebridge outside on the ground. They were running out of money and could not afford to stay at an inn. Rand asked Mat about selling the ruby dagger, but Mat got angry and asked if Rand wanted to sell his sword. The two friends finally ended the argument with the realization that no one could really afford the ruby.
They traveled a few nights and survived by staying at several farms and working for food. The hours of stopping worried Rand; how long before the Myrddraal catches up? How fast can a Fade travel? Mat's suspicions of other people, even the strangers who offer them food and shelter, grew worse.
thumb|200px|right|"What do we know about them, anyway? He's up to something, I tell you. See the way he wouldn't meet my eye? Why are they so friendly to a couple of wanderers they never laid eyes on before? Tell me that." - Mat
After several days they arrived at the Grinwell farm and Master Grinwell invited them to stay the night. Mistress Grinwell even offered them a change of clothes, her smile reducing Mat's suspicious nature.
The eldest daughter of nine children was a girl almost Rand's age named Else Grinwell. She watched the boys while they worked, especially Rand. The infatuation made Rand uncomfortable and he wished for some of Perrin's luck with girls. He feared that the looks she gives him may make the father release the dogs on them.
After supper, Mat juggled for the children and Rand decided to play the flute, thinking of Thom and his sacrifice for them. His performance led to an offhand, flirtatious comment from Else. Nervous about the appraising look from her mother, Rand played every song he can think of with hopes to distract them.
After the performance, Mistress Grinwell suggested that the boys use Else's room, while Else slept with her. When the husband tried to suggest that they may want to work another day, Mistress Grinwell informed them that the boys will want to start early if they want to make it to the next village.
The next morning, Mat teased Rand about Else while Rand tries to change the subject to talk about the Grinwell's suggestion that they try to entertain for their food and bed at inns. At dusk, they entered the village of Arien and found food and shelter at the town's only inn. The next morning, the innkeeper called over Eazil Forney to give them a ride after failed attempts to get the boys to stay another night. Their luck picked up after the Grinwells. They ate decent meals, slept in a bed each night, and received rides from patrons when they leave. Rand and Mat continued traveling in this manner for several days and then they arrived at Four Kings.
==Characters==
*Rand al'Thor
*Matrim Cauthon
*Master Grinwell
*Mistress Grinwell
*Else Grinwell
*Eazil Forney
===Referenced ===
*Dark One
*Tamlin al'Thor
*Perrin Aybara
===Groups===
*Darkfriends
*Myrddraal
===Shadowspawn===
*Fade
==Places==
*Caemlyn Road
*Four Kings
*Grinwell Farm
*Arien
===Referenced ===
*Whitebridge
*Emond's Field
*Arinelle
*Arien
*Tar Valon
*Whitebridge
*Shadar Logoth
*Two Rivers
*Caemlyn
*Baerlon
==Items==
*Heron-mark sword
*ruby-hilted dagger
*Thom's flute
*Thom's harp
==Culture==
*Bel Tine
===Music===
* Three Girls in a Meadow
* The Wind that Shakes the Willow
*Coming Home From Tarwin's Gap
*Mistress Aynora's Rooster
*The Old Black Bear
*Ferry O'er the River (named Darling Sara in Arien)
*The Road to Dun Aren