After six days travel, The High Lord Elena's Company arrives at Revelwood, the tree city of the Loresraat. We are introduced to the lowlands of Trothgard (kind of the 'wheat belt' of the Land) and to the mighty Tree itself, described as the New Lords' greatest achievement:
It is to the tree-city of Revelwood that seekers of knowledge come, a 'thriving city' (p.263) where students of the Sword and Staff, Gravelingases and Hirebrands, Lords and villagers, all congregate to share learning.It was an immense and expansive banyan. Invoked and strengthened by the knowledge of the Second Ward and by the Staff of Law, it...spread out in the valley until the central core of the first tree was surrounded by six others, all intergrown, part of each other, the fruit of one seed. (p.263)
Most of this chapter is told from Hile Troy's POV, and his love of Revelwood and its inhabitants is clear.
Before reaching the tree, however, the mystery surrounding Trell Gravelingas is deepened by the High Lord's deferrence to Trell, displayed by her asking him to open the ford of the Llurallin river, which Trell accomplishes using his lore.In Revelwood he had learnt to see (p.267)
Perhaps the most surprising event of the chapter occurs when Covenant gives his white gold ring to Corimini, the Eldest of the Loresraat, during the Company's welcome to Revelwood. Corimini, and all the lorewardens, are struck by the guesture;Troy was impressed. Remembering Trell's attack on Covenant, he thought the unbeliever was lucky to be alive. And he began to feel that he would be well advised to solve the riddle of Trell before he left Trothgard. (p.265)
But Covenant doesn't want service - he is still searching for an 'out', still dodging responsibilty;'Ur-lord Covenant' he said, with a pronounced quaver, 'you exceed us...Command us, so that we may serve you.' (p.266)
This desire is beyond Corimini's ability to comprehend - or fullfill - and he returns the ring to Covenant, greeting the Company and inviting them into Revelwood.'I don't need service', Covenant replied bluntly, 'i need an alternative. Find some way to save the Land without me' (p.266)
Troy is pleased to be back 'home', even finding the grace to offer a distraught Covenant a word of encouragement, ('You don't understand...i'm afraid of heights' :p.267:), and a welcoming banquet is held high within the Tree's branches.
Troy relaxes, spending the night within the home of his 'mentor', Drinishok the Sword Elder, before being summoned the next morning to a gathering of the Loresraat within the viacome, an area of woven, net-like branches that is the meeting place for Revelwood's community.
At this meeting we learn that the Loresraat have succeeded in creating three communication rods out of lomillialor - a major boost to Troy's battle plans. And Troy discovers the invisible Amok who has been secretly travelling with the Company, perhaps debating what it is he should do now that white gold has returned to the Land.
After extensive questioning by the Lords, Amok reveals that he is the Seventh ward of Kevin's Lore, and that he can guide the Lords to the location of some hidden knowledge or power, should white gold permit itAmok replied, 'Lord, the white gold surpasses my purpose. I felt the sign of readiness when the krill of Loric came to life. I went to Revelstone. There i learned that the krill was not awakened by the Lords of Kevin's Lore. I feared that i had erred. But now i have travelled the Land, and seen the peril. And i have learned of the white gold, which awakened Loric's krill...Though the conditions of my life are not met, i see the need, and i appear."(p. 276)
Troy feels an immenant sense of foreboding upon hearing this news, and as the meeting breaks up, he can find no peace of mind as the certainty that he is going to lose Elena grows within him. For surely, she will seek out this power...? In a bid to find some answer to his doubts, he goes to the grave of his summoner, Atiaran, only to find Trell already there. When Troy attempts to question an obviously distraught Trell, the bloodguard Ruel intervenes, further deepening the mystery surrounding Gravelingas...'Don't ask me for permission', Covenant said quickly.' (p.280)
The following day, the Company prepares to ride on to meet the Warward, and as Troy feared, High Lord Elena announces to the Company that she shall travel into the Westron mountains in search of this hidden 'power', guided by Amok, and accompanied by...(Troy is thinking; pick me! pick me!)...Covenant, if he will agree?
Meanwhile, Troy and Lord Mhoram must continue on to join the Warward's march, leaving Lord Amatin to aid Revelwood's defense. Shocked and distraught, Troy rounds on Trell, seeking answers to questions he can sense, but not understand. Trell breaks down under this pressure from Troy, unable to explain his grief, unable to find surcease from his pain. It is left to Lord Mhoram to explain...Trell is Atiaran's husband. They are the parent's of the woman Covenant raped during his first visit to the Land, Lena.He stared into the expanse of her eyes for a moment. Then, abrupty, he looked away and shrugged. 'Yes. I'll come.' (p.286)
And yet, the High Lord chose him, Covenant, a coward and a rapist, to travel with. She chose Covenant, not Troy...
Filled with anger and rage and despair, Troy rides away from Revelwood, without saying farewell to his friends at the Loresraat. He rides to join his Warward, and the coming war, followed by Mhoram and the bloodguard.'Covenant! You bastard!', Troy howled. 'What have you done?' (p.289)
He was looking forward to his war. He wanted to get to it in a hurry.
Here endth the chapter
Pheww!! 
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