Perrin Aybara

**This section contains potential spoilers**
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Perrin Aybara was born and raised in Emond's Field, the Two Rivers, where he became firm friends with Rand al'Thor and Matrim Cauthon. Stocky and broad-shouldered, Perrin often worried whilst growing up that he would hurt other children. In an effort to prevent this, he developed a thoughtful, gentle nature and became known, not just for his strength, but also for his methodical thinking and placid disposition. Later, he was apprenticed to Haral Luhhan, the village blacksmith and excelled in this occupation.

Perrin's peaceful existence was forever changed when Moiraine Sedai, an Aes Sedai of the White Tower, visited his village in search of the Dragon Reborn. Moiraine, deciding that Perrin and his two friends, were ta'veren and therefore in danger from the Dark One, planned to take them to the White Tower. Before she could act on her plan, however, trollocs attacked Perrin's house and Moiraine was forced to take him, Rand and Mat on the run. On the night of his departure from Emond's Field, Haral Luhhan gave Perrin a moon-bladed hand axe, a weapon which, although he does not think of himself as a violent man, Perrin became well acquainted with.

Along with Egwene al'Vere, Perrin was separated from Moiraine and company, at Shadar Logoth. Deciding to head for Caemlyn, they came across Elyas Machera, a Wolfbrother. Elyas helped Perrin to realise that he too was a Wolfbrother and could communicate with wolves. This ability intially troubled Perrin deeply, but he came to accept it. The most obvious change caused by Perrin's communication with the wolves is that his eyes turned from brown to burnished gold in colour. In addition to this, his senses of smell, sound and vision have improved greatly. He now frequently talks to wolves, who know him as Young Bull, in a form of telepathy which is known as the Wolf Dream. These communications take place in Tel'aran'rhiod. Despite his general acceptance of the abilities being a Wolfbrother brings, Perrin constantly worries that if he communicated with the wolves too often, he will loose touch with his humanity and become feral like the Wolfbrother he encountered near Tear.

Whilst on the way to Tear, in pursuit of Rand, Perrin met and befriended Min Farshaw, who told him that he would meet a hawk and a falcon, both female, who would "perch on his shoulders." The truth of the foreseeing became obvious when Perrin encountered Zarine Bashere, better known as 'Faile' - 'falcon'. Although often confused by Faile, Perrin fell in love with, and eventually married her, becoming Perrin t'Bashere Aybara.

Perrin eventually returned to the Two Rivers after rumours began to circulate that the Children of the Light had set up camp there and were terrorising the Two Rivers people. Accompanied by his wife, Loial and a trio of Aiel, Perrin arrived in the Two Rivers to discover that his family were dead and the entire area was swarming with Whitecloaks and Trollocs. Unable to watch more people be slaughtered, Perrin took charge, organising the folk of the Two Rivers to resist the Whitecloaks and Trollocs. Following him eargerly, the Two Rivers occupants began to refer to him as Lord Perrin Goldeneyes of the Two Rivers, a title which Perrin would rather not have, thinking it wrong that people who have known him his whole life should suddenly start to treat him as a lord rather than simple Perrin Aybara, apprentice to the blacksmith.

With the Two Rivers secure from the threats of the Whitecloaks, Perrin departed on a honeymoon, before gathering an army to take to Rand in Cairhien. After taking part in the battle of Dumai's Wells, Perrin and his army were dispatched to Ghealdan to find Masema Dagar, a man calling himself the Prophet of the Dragon and unintentionally causing Rand more harm than good. On the return journey, Perrin's troops were attacked by the Shaido, one of the twelve clans of the Aiel, who kidnapped Faile and several other members of the party.

Abandoning his army, Perrin threw himself headfirst into the search for Faile, allying himself with the Seanchan to defeat the Shaido. After his heroics, the Seanchan came to know him as the Wolf King. Shortly before his encounter with the Seanchan, Perrin discarded his axe, something which he had long pondered doing, and began to use the hammer he had acquired from a Tairean blacksmith as thanks for some work he had carried out.

- [Adapted from Wikipedia and wotmania. Used with kind permission from Lorraine.]