Chapter 34, The Last Village Summary

Rand and Mat arrive at the next village after dark but decide to keep going. Beyond the village, weariness grips them and they spend the night in a haystack. In the morning, they find the road crowded with travelers heading for Caemlyn to see the false Dragon. They see more and more of the Queen's Guard patrolling the road and the locals complain loudly at the throng of strangers. They continue walking, having nothing to eat. When they come to the next village, Rand wants to continue despite the aches and pains he and Mat are suffering in addition to hunger.

As they walk through the village, they spot a man with a cart and another two men ahead in the otherwise empty street and stop, hiding in shadows. Rand is uneasy about the two men and...