Here the great battle for the Land and all that is good, is contemplated and begun.
We are brought to the Close through Hile Troy's 'eyes' and you can sense almost immediately his fear - he believes the Land is real and can't bear the thought of what any mistake in his calculations and tactics will mean to the Warward.
The Manethrall is introduced to the assembly and immediately confronts Covenant:
Don't touch me! I can just hear him crushing the spirit of that young child, forty years earlier."And I know you, Covenant Ringthane." As she looked at him, the quality of her bitterness changed Markedly. Now it was not weariness and defeat and old Ramen resentment of the Lords for presuming to ride the Ranyhyn, but something else. "You demanded the Ranyhyn at night, when no mortal may demand them at all. Yet they answered - one hundred pround Manes, more than most Ramen have ever seen in one place. They reared to you, in homage to the Ringthane. And you did not ride." Her voice made clear her respect for such an act, ger awe at the honor which the Ranyhyn had done this man. "Covenant Ringthane, do you know me?"
Covenant stared at her intensely, with a look of pain as if his forehead were splitting. Several moments passedbefore he said thickly, "Gay. You're Winhome Gay. You waited on- you were at Manhome."
The Manethrall returned his stare. "Yes. But you have not changed. Forty-one summers have ridden past me since you visited the Plains of Ra and Manhome, and would not eat the food I brought to you. But you are changeless. I was a child then, a Winhome then, barely near my cording - and now I am a tired old woman, far from home, and you are young. Ah Covenant Ringthane, you treated me roughly."
Now Manethrall Rue, she proceeds to tell the tale of her long & arduous journey - a journey she is not altogether sure is worth the cost:
She hears Troy's strategy and grudgingly accepts it. She describes Foul's army as "dire and numberless". She tells of losing the Cords in her care to a "black wind" and "abominable creatures" and finally making her way to Revelstone."And I have come here - I, who should have never left the Plains of home. I have come here, to the Lords who are said to be the friends of the Ranyhyn, in no other name but grief."
When Troy finally gets his chance to question her, the foremost thing in his mind is timing:
Needless to say, this wasn't exactly in Troy's battle plan and he pretty much falls apart."Exactly how many days ago did you see his army leave the Shattered Hills?
The Manethrall did not need to count back. She replied promptly, "Twenty days."
[Am I the only one who loses a lot of resect for Troy at this point? I don't think Gen. Schwartzkoff(sp?) or Patton had this sort of reaction (at least publically) to recon. info]
Elena quickly takes control and asks the most important question of the moment "What manner of beings comprise it?"
Rue responds, and we are not too surprised with her answer of:
And then the most heartwrenching paragraph in the whole of the Chrons (IMHO):"I have spoken of the wind, and the evil in the air which felled my Cords. In the army, I saw ur-viles, Cavewights, a mighty host of kresh, great lion-like beasts with wings which both ran and flew, and many other ill creatures. They wore shapes lie dogs or horses or men, yet they were not what they seemed. The shone with great wrong. To my hear, they appeared as the people and beasts of the Land made evil by Fangthane."
"That is the work of the Illearth Stone," The High Lord muttered.
Impossible. Rockbother is another name for fealty and faith. Do you Rave?"One other thing I saw. I could not be mistaken, for it marched near the forefront, commanding the movements of the horde. It controlled the creatures with a baleful green light, and called itself Fleshharrower. It was a Giant."
That, of course is First Mark Morin's response, but didn't we all have the same feeling? How could you do that SRD????
After the initial shock, Quaan snaps out of it & Elena restores order, reminds everyone of the strength and honor of the Ramen and that they were in the Close - no Raver could be disguised here.
Spoiler
Apparently Lord Foul had immunity against this - didn't he sit as a lord with Kevin & the old Lords?
I have always marveled at the bravery & dedication portrayed by the Bloodguard & Quaan accepting orders that they know will undoubtedly mean sure death.
The chapter ends with our favorite pessimist addressing Troy:
"Ah, Troy," he sighed wearily. "All this responsibility is going to make another Kevin Landwaster out of you." Instead of meeting Troy's taut stare, he turned away and wandered out of the Close as if he hardly knew or cared where he was going.
Torhm is one of my favorite characters.
