Thank you to everyone who's reading this, hope you enjoy the chapter, things will start picking up soon.

Rana had the chance to see the gleeman before Tam returned from the meeting and dragged her back home, muttering about needing to talk with her.
The journey itself was quiet, with her father mentioning that they'd be keeping an eye out, as several others around her age, though they were all boys, had spotted the black figure on the horse. And when they reached home she checked on the animals while her father checked their farm and home, even the water, to see if he had been around.
Then she did the chores while Tam went in to get them both some warm stew.
When it was done he came out and fetched her from her task of chopping out the fire rood and ushered her inside, where she cleaned herself up and settled down in her favorite spot in front of the roaring fire as her father locked up.
"The stew will be done soon... which will give us a chance to talk." he sighed heavily as he sat. "I had hoped that it would be a good few years before I'd have to have this talk with you... but I fear that the time is coming. You remember I once told you that you're important lass? Well I left out some important facts to that." he watched her as she tilted her head.
"Is this about why you sent me inside when Master Fain mentioned the False Dragon?"
"Yes." Tam nodded, "I have read up on the prophecies Rana, I shall give you the book on them that I found many years ago in just a moment, as secretly as I could I have read and learned as much as I could about the Dragon. I believe that it has been mistranslated, just one word. An easy mistake, especially as no one would expect the truth... You see Rana, I do not believe that the Dragon is destined to be a man. Perhaps it sounds foolish, I don't truly know how it works, I only know what I believe, and the Pattern has always weaved itself around you Rana. And your birth mother told me herself that she believed it to be true. You see, the Prophecies of the Dragon claim that he, or as I believe, she, would be born on the slopes of Dragonmount to an unmarried Maiden."
Rana swallowed hard, her eyes wide as she stared at her father, "Father... father I-"
"As you know" Tam interrupted her swiftly, "I found you as your mother lay dying. But I did not tell you where. The slopes of Dragonmount... your mother was an Aiel Maiden of the Spear... and from what I've learned of them they lay down the spear when wedded."
Rana scrambled to her feet. "Father no. No you can't be saying that-"
"Rana the Dragon was not evil, he bound the Dark One, and it was the Dark One's counter stroke, his revenge, that lead to the Breaking of the world. And the Dragon is destined to be reborn when the Dark One is regaining power... and with the world in the state it's in... I do not doubt that it's begun." he stood himself and cupped her face in his hands. "I do not know what your fate is Rana.. I hope, I hope beyond all hope that I am wrong, that you are not the Dragon... but you must be ready. No one will consider the possibility of it being you lass. They all expect a man. But I believe otherwise, and I believe that you must make the most of that fact. You must prepare for what's to come Rana. And you must never forget where you come from, and who you are. Dragon or not."
"But.. but the Dragon..." Rana shook her head "I don't.. I can't.."
"Just because you have not yet channelled doesn't mean that you never will." he wiped away a tear that slipped down Rana's cheek, pulling her into his arms. "I will do whatever I can to help you Rana, but your path will not be easy."
"Father... I'm scared." Rana pulled back, "I don't want to be the Dragon."
"You may not have a choice." Tam sighed wearily before shaking his head. "We shall see if we can learn more from Fain about what's happening outside of Two Rivers tomorrow and after Bel Tine we shall see what we can do. But until then we must act as though nothing is wrong, okay lass?"
Rana nodded, "Yes father." she took a deep breath, "I shall try..."
Tam pulled away completely and turned to dish out the stew, which they ate in silence, and when they were finished she cleaned the dishes and her father went upstairs and brought the book down for her, a small ancient looking book, which she tucked into her pocket, only to jump when there was a heavy thump at the door and the lock rattled.
"One of the neighbours?" Rana asked uncertainly, "Master Dautry wanting to borrow.." she shook her head, because she knew that no one would be coming to their farm in the dark hoping to borrow something.
She wiped her hands on her dress quickly and gripped the hilt of the sword, noticing her father do the same.
"You must get away Rana... if it is Darkfiends or the like it's you they'll be after."
"But why, you said-"
"That does not mean that they don't realise that you're important, you must-" and then the door burst open, pieces of the iron lock spinning across the room.
The figure in the doorway was bigger than any man Rana had ever seen, a figure in black mail that hunt to his knees, with spikes at wrists ad elbows and shoulders. One hand clutched a heavy scythelike sword the other hand was flung up before his eyes as if to shield them from the light. Rana was very briefly relieved that it wasn't the man in the black cloak, until she saw the curled ram's horns on the head that brushed the top of the doorway, and where mouth and nose should have been was a hairy muzzle. She let out a terrified scream, grabbing the hot kettle, burning her hand as she did, and hurling it at the halfhuman head.
The creature roared, part scream of pain, part animal snarl, as boiling water splashed over its face. Even as the kettle struck, Tam's sword flashed. The roar abruptly became a gurgle, and the huge shape toppled back. Before it finished falling, another was trying to claw its way past. Rana glimpsed a misshapen head topped by spikelike horns before Tam struck again, and two huge bodies blocked the door. She realized his father was shouting at her.
"Run lass! Run! Hide I the woods, it's Trollocs, there are too many to gold. Go out the back. Go! I'll follow." and Rana ran to the back door before remembering it was locked and daring to the nearest window, opening it up quickly and tumbling out, her heart pounding in her chest as she peered inside, and she could hear them heading to the back and she screamed, "They're coming in the back! Father run." she pulled out her sword as she took off, heading towards the woods, glancing back she spotted her father, fighting the monsters and she screamed, unable to leave him to fight on her own. She forced back a frightened sob as she ran towards them, but as she approached her fear hardened and turned into determination and she stopped running and started stalking towards the fight as quietly as she could. She made her way into the forest, the sound of the fighting fading away into nothing, and then a hand closed over her mouth from behind and a had grabbed her wrist. She started to panic but her father quickly whispered, "It's just me Rana... calm yourself... I had to be sure you didn't speak out. Some Trollocs can hear like a dog, maybe better."
Rana opened her mouth to point out that Trollocs were supposed to be myths before she shook her head, "They were really Trollocs father?"
"Yes." Tam shook his head, "And after you I have no doubt about that. I've never seen one before tonight but I've known men who have, so I know a little... hopefully enough to keep us alive. Listen closely. A Trolloc can see better than a man in the dark, but bright lights blind them, for a time at least. That may be the only reason we got away from so many. Some can track by scent or sound, but they're said to be lazy. If we can keep out of their hands long enough, they should give up."
Rana nodded slowly, "We can't go back... we should go to the village, warn them." she frowned, noticing blood on her fathers side, "You're hurt."
"Keep your voice down child. It's only a scratch. And there's nothing to be done about it now anyway. At least the weather seems to be warming."
Rana blinked. It was freezing cold, the wind was cutting right through her. She hesitated before touching her fathers face and wincing, "You're on fire. I have to get you to Nynaeve father."
"In a bit lass."
We don't have to to waste, it's a long way in the dark." she tried to pull her father up, and he groaned.
Rana's mind raced before she nodded to herself, "Wait here father." she took off back towards the farmhouse, slipping into the barn first, sword at the ready. Bela was gone when she got there, though there was no body like their sheep, and she was most definitely avoiding thinking of that, ad she hitched up the cart to her, grabbing the thin and shabby blanket they used for the horses, it wouldn't do much to help with the cold, but it would help slightly. Hopefully enough.. She grabbed the cart with some effort, digging it out of the wreckage. She wouldn't risk going inside to get bandages, she could use the hem of her skirt for that. It was too much of a risk. And she set off, dragging the cart out to her father, trembling as she carefully peeled his shirt away from the wound, ripping her skirt and bandaging it as best as she could, hands shaking when she felt how hot the wound was, and she used the snow that lay on the ground to wet another piece of her skirt and laid it across her fathers forehead to cool him, also giving him some snow, which would melt in his mouth to help him. Then she set up the cart and got her father onto it so that she could drag it along. And she did, walking at a steady pace, desperate to get her father to the help he needed. She could hear him mumbling the whole time as she stumbled along, her entire body aching and weary, and she forced herself to focus on a trick her father had taught her, the flame and the void, feeding the pain and weariness into the flame and plunging onwards, barely noticing that she was walking faster than she should be considering the state of her, much faster, plunging ever onwards, unwilling to stop for anything, half listening to his fevered ramblings. She could hear him muttering, realised he was remembering finding her and she shivered, ploughing ever onwards. They arrived before the dawn was there, and she halted at the sight. There was fire and... yes and Trollocs. She let out a despairing noise as she stumbled forward, spotting Haral Luhhan, who dropped down next to the litter, "Trollocs?" he asked, and she nodded, "Yes... take him to Nynaeve... please." she drew her sword, untying herself from the cart and surging forward, towards the Trollocs, and she was unsurprised when she spotted the man who had been with Moiraine earlier, his blade whirling and slicing, though he looked startled as she surged forward with her own sword, slicing at Trollocs, and she noticed Moiraine, throwing balls of fire towards them. And somehow she found herself unsurprised, and she fought through the Trollocs towards the Aes Sedai, for she had to be. "Moiraine! My father's injured... Help him please.. I don't think Nynaeve will be able to save him.. he is bad." and Moiraine gave her a startled look, stared for a moment before nodding, "You help my Warder fight the Trollocs and I shall see if I can help your father.
She rushed away and Rana noticed the Warder looking at her as she twirled, slicing a Trollocs throat easily, with strength she knew she shouldn't have, ignoring the pain as one of them managed to slice her arm
She and the Warder worked together, taking down the last of the Trollocs until they were the only two left standing on the battle field, with several of the villagers staring at them as Rana took a deep shaky breath and turned to him. "What's your name Warder?"
"Lan." he eyed her curiously, "You fight well for a farmers daughter, you aren't quite a blade master but you aren't far off."
Rana nodded, "My father taught me... it's the first time I've had to use the skills though." she swallowed hard, suddenly swaying on her feet and the Warder surged forward, catching her before she could hit the ground.
"You're exhausted. I shall take you to Moiraine and your father." he picked her up, carrying her inside as she gave into her exhaustion and passed out.