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Once upon a time three little Ta’veren set out into the wide world to seek their fortune. They left their small village of Edmond’s Field and ventured out into the rest of Andor.
The first Ta’veren, Mat, decided to settle down and build a house. A straw house was quick and easy to build and then he could go out and gamble, drink, and meet pretty girls. When he was done building, he did just that.
The second one, Perrin, was married to a girl called Faile. Perrin wanted to build his house out of straw too, so he could spend more time working at his Blacksmith forge. Faile intervened, however.
“You can’t build our house out of straw!” she exclaimed. “You can’t build a big enough house for us out of straw! And besides, a Lord should have something more impressive.”
“Yes Faile,” So Perrin built his house out of logs instead.
The third Tar’ven, Rand, was living with 3 girls; Avi, Elayne, and Min. He had to have a house large enough for all of them so he built his out of brick.
Time passed, and the three Ta’veren were enjoying themselves and their new lifestyles. But one day one of the Forsaken decided that the Ta’veren needed to be killed. He searched Andor and finally found Mat’s house. He tried to kill Mat with the one power, but his weave didn’t do anything. Mat felt his foxhead medallion go cold and knew that someone was channeling at him. The Forsaken attempted to kill Mat again, but when his weaves failed, he decided to kill Mat by channeling around him. Just as Mat ran out the back door, the house collapsed under an invisible fist of air.
Mat ran to Perrin and Faile’s house. He gasped out his story and the escape plan he had rememb- er… thought up on the way over. Faile and Perrin would leave, since the Forsaken would undoubtedly try to kill them too. Mat would stay, since he could not be hurt by the power, thanks to his foxhead medallion. Perrin and Faile would go tell Rand what was happening while Mat distracted the Forsaken. Perrin and Faile left Mat, who began to wonder how he was going to escape if the Forsaken tried that house-flattening thing again.
The Forsaken appeared in front of the stick house, ready to kill Perrin. But when he tried a weave, it fell short like his first ones. Mat felt the medallion go cold. “Stupid bloody dice!” He exclaimed as an odd thing appeared a few feet away. Rand stepped through the opening gateway. “Hey Mat. Are you coming?’ With some trepidation, Mat stepped through the gateway into Rand’s house.
Recognizing the same problem that he had had at Mat’s house. The Forsaken decided to go straight to the crushing part. The small house of sticks was no match for the air he wove. “Now, on to Ta’veren number three,” he murmured and hastened to Rand’s house.
Mat and Rand stepped back into Rand’s house where Min, Elayne, Avi, Faile, and Perrin were sitting around looking anxious. “Oh thank goodness!” Faile exclaimed, “You’re alright! You shouldn’t have risked yourself for us.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mat blushed, “I gambled with luck that I would get out on time and I did.” He turned to Rand, “Now what?”
“This house is guarded by both the girls and I” Rand explained, “If for some odd reason the Forsaken after us manages to undo my weave, he won’t get through the girls’. And if he tries to hit one of us directly, a few trap weaves will go off.” Both Mat and Perrin let out a sigh of relief. Their relief was short lived however. Min was just offering to give everyone some chilled wine when Rand stiffened. “He’s here.”
“What do we do?" Faile asked.
“You and Min get between Elayne and I,” Avi said, moving to stand about six feet away from the other girl. Min and Faile quickly complied.
“Mat, Perrin, you stand between Avi and I,” Rand said as they moved to the appropriate spot. Rand’s face froze in concentration and Mat felt the medallion freeze. “Mat, it’s not working on you” Rand frowned. I can shield you so anything falling won’t hit you but I can’t protect you from anything the Forsaken tries to do to you personally. You could get hurt.”
“Well if you can’t protect me, he can’t hurt me,” Mat said reasonably,
“After all, I did just fine at mine and Perrin’s houses.” Rand frowned but didn’t comment. Mat felt the medallion go cold and saw Rand, Elayne, and Avi stiffen in concentration. The house shook but didn’t fall. It shook again.
Faile looked worried, and for some reason, so did Elayne. Mat’s stomach sank at the thought that one of the people protecting him was worried. Those stupid dice again!
“Rand look!” Avi cried. There was a scuffling sound and soot fell from the chimney. Rand turned as a very dirty figure landed in the fireplace. Rand stuck out his hand and a beam of fiery light shot at the forsaken.
“You! No!” it cried as the beam hit it. It dissolved and the others were left blinking from the afterimage.
Mat and Perrin decided to build their new houses out of bricks as well and they all lived happily ever after.