Rand Al’Thor is coming into the village with his father, Tam Al’Thor, on Winternight when we first meet Bran Al’Vere at his establishment: The Wine Spring Inn. Bran has set tables outside for Winternight and Bel Tine. Tam has brought brandy and cider casks for the Bel Tine festivities taking place the next day.

When they meet Bran at the inn, Cenn Buie is there and grumbles about the weather. Winter has lasted longer than usual this year. Bran expresses annoyance with everyone’s whining. He tells the boys that a gleeman has arrived, and when they do not respond the way one would expect at such good news, Bran is once again put out by the moods of the long winter.

When Rand puts down Buie’s negativity about the lack of a peddler, Bran tells him that he has a good head on his shoulder and will one day follow in his father’s footsteps to be on the Village Council.

Tam tells the boys to unload the casks. Meanwhile, him and Bran go into the inn for a meeting with the Village Council. This meeting is presumably about how to handle the implications of such a long winter. While they are in their meeting, a peddler, Padan Fain, arrives.

The Village Council comes out of the inn to speak with Fain. Fain tells of the events of a Dragon Reborn in Ghealdan. He tells them there is war, and Bran asks him why there is war. Fain’s announcement incites wide speculation by the gathering. Bran tells everyone to be quiet and Fain goes on. As the topic of Logain begins to reveal dangerous possibilities, Bran quiets the village. He stops the tellings and asks the peddler into the inn to speak with the Village Council about these events. People yell at this, but he silences them, and they go into the inn with Fain. Nynaeve barges into the meeting once she knows the ongoings.

Thom Merrilin is kicked out of the inn during the meeting. He says that Bran was annoyed with his late arrival as if the Council had not begged him to perform.  Everyone is requesting tricks from Thom when Bran and the Council come out of the inn. Thom leaves, and Bran muses he might cost more than he’s worth. Nynaeve tells him that the gleeman is not who he should be worried about, but Bran does not think his guests, Moiraine and Lan, are any of her worry. Bran shows a bit of temper, rare for him, when Cenn continues with his bitter mumbling. Rand says to his father that he is surprised at Bran’s temper, and Tam explains that Bran and Nynaeve did not get on well in the meeting. Tam explains that he and Bran agree that a guard should be started and riders sent to Deven’s Ride and Tarren Ferry.

The next day, Rand arrives in Emond’s Field to see that the village was not immune to the trollocs. When Nynaeve tells him she cannot help Tam, Rand thinks over and over that he just needs to get to Bran Al’Vere, Bran will know what to do. When he arrives, Bran tells him to be quick with it as he is very busy, but when he sees it’s Rand, and Tam’s hurt, he refocuses. He tells Rand to get Tam to a bed upstairs and yells at Thom to get Nynaeve. Rand tells him that Nynaeve already said she cannot help Tam, but Thom is already gone to fetch her.

When Thom returns annoyed, he asks Bran who he thinks drew the Fang on his inn door. Bran guesses that it was the Coplins or Congars. It is now that Bran tells of the night before and how Lady Moiraine shot balefire at the trollocs. He then also tells Rand that Moiraine might be able to help Tam. Rand goes to get Lady Moiraine, desperate for any solution.

When she arrives, Moiraine asks the Mayor to leave her to tend Tam. Bran tells Rand to come along, but Moiraine allows him to stay.

Later on, there is trouble outside the inn. The Village has gotten into a mob outside and are yelling for Moiraine to leave. They threaten to burn the inn, and then his guests, Bran scolds them for their idiocy. He points out that Moiraine healed many of them and this is how they repay her. Moiraine shouts over the foray that the people of the Two Rivers have forgotten their history. Bran asks what history, they are only farmers and simple folk. Moiraine tells the story of King Aemon and Manetheren, silence follows. Finally, the townspeople disperse tails between their legs.

Bran’s daughter, Egwene al’Vere, leaves with Mat, Rand, Perrin, Lan and Moiraine that night.