A few evenings later, Mat and Tuon were in the sitting room of their apartment. They had eaten supper in the main dining hall, with some of the Blood and King Beslan, but now had some serious matters to discuss. With them were Selucia, Tuon's Truthspeaker and Voice, and the two Deathwatch Guards, Banner-General Furyk Karede, and Captain Alton Musenge. Mat had decided to trust these people with his secrets, for one was his wife, and the other three were responsible for her safety and now his.
After thinking about it, Mat had decided that Tuon needed to know how things stood on this side of the ocean. Rand was a force to be dealt with and she really had no idea who he was. Mat hoped Rand would not think he was a traitor, which was a possibility, depending on the outcome tonight. Mat had decided not to include Yuril, Tuon's secretary, or Melitene her der'sul'dam. Or any of her generals. If they needed to know anything, Tuon could tell them later.
"I told you a little before, at the Malvide Narrows, when Banner-General Karede found you. It is a long and involved story, and I know you will not believe the tenth of it." He looked at Tuon and ducked. "Please don't hit me. Do I need to go get a helmet?"
She smiled and shook her head. "I will try to have an open mind."
Mat snorted, just a little and Tuon glanced at him sharply.
"There are some prophecies involved, and the Forsaken with some twisting by the Pattern. If you do not believe me," He grinned, "How did I end up here?" He looked around at the richly appointed room and gently squeezed Tuon's knee.
Tuon placed her hand on his and nodded and said "You may have a point, at that."
"My story begins as a twenty year old farm boy, in a small backwater village in the Two Rivers, in Andor. I was just enjoying life, as much as possible. On Wintersnight, strangers came to the village, an Aes Sedai and her warder, who were searching for someone. There was also a peddler named Padan Fain and a gleeman. You remember Thom Merrilin?"
"He was involved even way back then?" Tuon muttered.
Mat nodded, "Our village was attacked that night by Trollocs, shadowspawn. We had thought they were only stories or legends. My home was burned, as were two of my friend's homes. Rand al'Thor, a shepherd and Perrin Aybara, blacksmith apprentice. Ours were the only houses that were set on fire that night, although others burned later."
"The Aes Sedai convinced us that the Trollocs were hunting the three of us, and that to save our village, we had to leave. We fled that very night, to travel to Tar Valon, where we would be safe. Thom Merrilin came with us, as did Egwene al'Vere, Rand's betrothed, who wanted an adventure. We were chased by Trollocs and Fades, with catch poles and ropes. That made me believe, I tell you. That and I had recurring nightmares of Ba'alzamon."
"Running from the shadowspawn, we took refuge in an abandoned city called Aridhol or Shadar Logoth. It was an evil place, where even the Trollocs feared to enter. Being young fools, Perrin, Rand and I went exploring, finding a strange man who showed us a treasure room. Yes, this does have a point," he added when he saw their puzzled looks. "We got scared and ran. I had picked up a gold dagger with a large ruby in the hilt and stuck it in my coat, foolish fool that I am." He grimaced. "The dagger, I found out later was tainted with an ancient evil. It slowly made me suspicious and hateful, almost killing me, the longer I kept it."
"On the run again we were split up. Rand and I, with Thom Merrilin, took passage on a boat captained by Bayle Domon. Yes, the same one. We got off in Whitebridge, losing Thom to a Fade there. Rand and I made our way to Caemlyn. Thom had taught me some juggling and Rand the flute, so we were able to earn our keep at some inns along the way. We were also attacked by darkfriends and tormented by the nightmares of Ba'alzamon. I was pretty sick and don't really remember much of that journey."
"Rand and I stayed at an inn in Caemlyn that Thom had told us about. Rand went to see the false Dragon, Logain, He climbed a wall to get a better look and fell into the palace garden, meeting Elayne, the Daughter Heir of Andor. He was taken before Queen Morgase and General Gareth Byrne, questioned and then released."
"Soon, the rest of our party showed up, Moraine, the Aes Sedai, Lan her warder, Egwene, Perrin and our village wisdom, Nynaeve al'Meara. On their journey, Perrin had met a man who could 'talk' to wolves, who introduced Perrin to the wolves, too. It is strange, but Perrin's eyes turned yellow, like a wolf's. I think he also has some of the abilities of a wolf."
Tuon similed, "Lieutenant-General Tylee Khirgan mentioned a Perrin with yellow eyes. Does your friend perhaps carry a hammer? The Wolf King is mentioned in a prophecy."
"I think he does carry a hammer. What prophecy?"
Tuon thought for a minute. "When the Wolf King carries the hammer, thus are the final days known. When the Fox marries the Raven, and the trumpets of battle are blown."
Mat shook his head in amazement, "So we are mentioned too, Raven." He thought that things were very complicated, sometimes.
"Anyhow, back to my tale ... Moraine Aes Sedai was able to heal me temporarily from the dagger's evil effects. She decided that instead of Tar Valon, we needed to go to the Blight, to the Eye of the World, whatever that was. So we went to Shienar using the Ways, dangerous power wrought corridors that cut weeks off our travel time, with an Ogier we had met in Caemlyn guiding us."
"We found the Eye of the World, but there were a couple of the Forsaken there, also. I think Rand channeled the One Power and was able to defeat the Forsaken with the Aes Sedai's help. It was confusing and I am not really sure what happened. Afterwards, we went into the Eye ... it was like a cave, with a drained pool in the center. At the bottom, we found a seal for the Dark One's prison, a chest and a banner. The chest held the Horn of Valere and the banner was of the Dragon, Lews Therin."
"You had the Horn in your hands! It is one of the signs that the Last Battle is near." whispered Furyk Karede.
Mat shrugged a little. "We took the horn to Fal Dara, to Lord Agelmar. There the Horn and my ruby dagger were stolen by darkfriends, lead by Padan Fain." Moraine, Egwene and Nynaeve left for Tar Valon, the girls to train as Aes Sedai. Rand, Perrin and I plus a company of Shinarans chased the darkfriends and got the Horn back. Then it was stolen again by Padan Fain, to lure Rand to Toman Head. We followed him to Toman Head, then to Falme."
Tuon hissed, "You were at Falme? I heard of what happened there ... utter chaos!"
"What can I say? The Pattern has its own plans, I guess. We found out later that Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve had been tricked into going there by a darkfriend Aes Sedai. Egwene was captured and she was trained as a damane for two months before she escaped. She is also now the Amyrlin Seat in Tar Valon and I don't think she will ever back down in a fight with your forces. She does not have fond memories as your 'guest'."
Mat scowled, "This is what I mean, you need to know the reasons people do what they do. She will fight you to the bitter end and never surrender."
Tuon nodded, agreeing, "I think General Yamada has already encountered her skills, the hard way. I have not yet decided what to do about this White Tower. So what did happen in Falme? Were you able to get the horn back?"
"We tracked the Horn and my ruby dagger to a High Lord's residence, sneaked in and grabbed them. We were surprised in the act and had to fight our way out."
"Were you the one?" She whispered, "Who...who...killed the High Lord Turak?" Tuon seemed a little rattled.
"No, it wasn't me." Mat replied, "Rand was the one, in a fair fight with swords. I was off fighting some guards. Did you know him? Turak? He was a blademaster, right?"
"Yes," she breathed out quietly. "I met him when I was a child. I am sure my mother had intended us to wed." She looked at Mat, with understanding finally dawning in her eyes. "I see what you meant by the Pattern being in control. You could not have known. Just as I did not know you existed when Lidya made her prophecy."
"Who knows anything?" Mat scowled. "We escaped with the horn and my dagger, but just outside of town we were trapped. We were between an army of Whitecloaks attacking the city and the defending Seanchan forces." Mat lowered his voice and looked down. "There was nothing else to do. I thought we were all going to die ... so ... I blew the Horn of Valere!" It was almost a whisper.
They all just stared at him.
Mat looked up and grinned. "It was amazing! The heroes came riding down out of the sky. They stopped and talked to us. Artur Hawkwing himself called Rand Lews Therin and then laughed when Rand asked him to save his girl. They refused to ride until Rand displayed the Dragon Banner. They joined the battle and the heroes fought, pushing the Seanchan back to the sea." Mat winced a little. "Sorry about that."
"Somehow, Rand ended up fighting Ba'alzamon in the sky. Rand won by stabbing him in the heart, but was wounded. I guess that was how he officially declared himself the Dragon Reborn. By that time, I was pretty sick, from being separated from that dagger for so long."
"Truly amazing!" Captain Musenge exclaimed. "Quite an adventure for one so young."
Karede nodded in agreement. "The Heroes of the Horn. I remember seeing them riding down from the sky. So few, but so powerful. The damane had no effect on them"
Tuon asked, "What about that medallion and your army? Why did you go to the Aiel Waste?"
Mat glanced at his empty cup. "Is there more of that wine left? I am not used to so much talking." There were no da'covale present tonight, so Selucia rose and refilled everyone's cups.
Mat put a little more wood on the fire in the hearth and then grabbed a slice of cheese and some olives from the table. After he finished his snack, he went on "The story continues in White Tower, where I was taken to be healed from the ruby dagger. I guess the Horn of Valere must still be there, too."