The Great Hunt/Chapter 7

==Summary==
:
Leane, Verin, Moiraine and the Amyrlin have just finished performing Healing on Mat to reduce the Ruby-hilted dagger's influence on him. Leane takes the servants carrying Mat out of the room. The remaining three discuss what to do, as the Healing cannot be complete without the dagger present. Mat only has a few months to live unless he can be reunited with the dagger in time. Moiraine is thinking about how to modify her earlier plan to prompt Mat to take the Horn of Valere to Illian as a way to get Rand to Illian to declare himself the Dragon. They conclude that to save Mat's life the dagger must be retrieved, and Mat is the best person for the job as he can retrieve and hold the dagger safely but anyone else who touches it will be subject to its effects.
Siuan moves to dismiss Verin so she can discuss matters privately with Moiraine, but Verin tells her of the Trolloc script scrawled all over the prison walls. It is a long, rambling poem that has tinges of prophecy in it but may also just be a taunt or a message meant to sow confusion. It talks of Lanfear walking the world again and seeking a new lover and the man who channels sacrificing his friends. This troubles Moiraine as it is well known that Lanfear was Lews Therin's lover before he met and married his wife. The subsequent passages are less understandable and make references to Luc Mantear, Isam Mandragoran, Toman Head and possibly the return of the armies of Artur Hawkwing. Finally it unmistakably says that the Return of the Dark One approaches. Verin discusses the passages with Siuan and Moiraine and whether it is prophecy or just nonsense. Verin does not have a conclusion; she merely goes through the text slowly and deliberately and discusses what they might mean. Siuan becomes increasingly irritable at the Brown sister's long-windedness until Moiraine dismisses it as just a Myrddraal ploy to confuse and frighten them, but then Verin reveals that she has deduced that the male channeler mentioned must be one of the three young men traveling with Moiraine.
Moiraine panics and embraces saidar as she is prepared to shield or even harm Verin, and she sees Siuan do the same. Verin realizes that Siuan, Moiraine's oldest friend, has been helping her the entire time. Siuan blusters and tries to dismiss Verin's implicit accusation, but it is too late as Verin's suspicions are confirmed by their reactions. Verin says that she knows the only reason the Amyrlin and Moiraine would do as they have is that the young man is not just any male channeler but is in fact the Dragon Reborn; she also confirms that nobody else shares her knowledge even though Serafelle helped her transcribe the Trolloc script.
Moiraine relents and tells Verin to sit down and tell them everything she knows. Verin says it is unlikely anyone else has figured it out, as her first clue came twenty years ago as the Aiel were outside the walls of Tar Valon. Verin has forced her way into Moiraine and Siuan's conspiracy to help the Dragon Reborn.
:
Perrin sneaks into the infirmary to visit Mat. He recalls the night before when he was in the gardens and maids were watching him. He heard one of the maids run to fetch Liandrin Sedai. Mat wakes up briefly and remembers Egwene telling him to come to the dungeon and see Fain with her. After Mat goes back to sleep, Leane comes in and Perrin stands up defensively, saying that he hasn't disturbed Mat's rest. Leane had previously prevented Perrin from coming in to see Mat. Leane blocks Perrin's exit and he feels her use the Power on him.Leane is Delving Perrin to check if his yellow eyes are due to sickness, but finds nothing wrong with him. She remarks on Perrin's odd eyes but says he is healthy. Perrin only says that he was born with those eyes. He picks her up and moves her out of his way, then exits the room.
:
Perrin comes back to the room he shares with Rand, who is tossing around in bed. Perrin is still angry over Rand's earlier words when Rand was trying to distance himself from his friends. Rand apologizes and explains that he's in trouble and mentions Liandrin. Perrin says that Liandrin wants him too, which confuses Rand. Perrin is happy to hear that Rand didn't really mean what he said, but then Rand says they can't leave together so Perrin storms out of the room. Rand feels better about leaving after hearing from Perrin that Mat is all right. Lan comes in to tell Rand that the Amyrlin has summoned him and makes him change his clothes. Lan also quickly trains him in etiquette which confuses Rand, until Rand realizes that Lan is trying to make him seem like a man from Manetheren.
==Characters==
*Moiraine
*Mat
*Leane
*Verin
*Siuan
*Perrin
*Rand
*Lan
===Referenced===
*Agelmar
*Padan Fain
*Lanfear
*Ishamael
*Lews Therin
*Ilyena
*Luc
*Tigraine
*Isam
*Breyan Mandragoran
*Lain Mandragoran
*Artur Hawkwing
*Amalisa
*Egwene
*Lady Timora
*Liandrin
*Jon Thane
*Pedron Niall
==Groups==
*Aes Sedai
===Referenced===
*Forsaken
*Darkfriends
*Sea Folk
*Children of the Light
*Seanchan
==Places==
*Fal Dara
*Shienar
===Referenced===
*Shadar Logoth
*Sea of Storms
*Toman Head
*Borderlands
*Andor
*Blight
*Malkier
*Aryth Ocean
*Falme
*Almoth Plain
*Tar Valon
*Manetheren
==Items==
*Horn of Valere