Rand and Mat unload the barrels of brandy and cider and put them away in the inn’s cellar as the men of the Village Council meet up in the common room. Mat tells Rand about his latest prank of coating the blacksmith’s dogs in flour to make them look ghostly and scare the younger children. The dogs made a mess in Mistress Luhan’s kitchen and now Mat is in big trouble. As the boys finish their task, Ewan Finngar, another village lad, rushes into the cellar with news of a highborn lady called Moiraine and her man at arms, Lan, having arrived in town.

Continuing the conversation outside, Rand and Mat notice a large raven seemingly watching them. To their amazement the bird deftly avoids the rocks they throw, but it flies away immediately when the stranger, Lady Moiraine, comes along. Moiraine claims to be in the village researching old tales and history, and gives each of the boys a silver coin as a retainer for any tasks she might need done while she is visiting. As she leaves, her man at arms, Lan, steps out of hiding and follows after her, giving the boys a hard look as he goes. The chapter ends with the arrival of a peddler’s wagon.