The Dragon Reborn - Chapters 41 & 42 [#106]

Emotional Intelligence VIII: Perrin Aybara

    Perrin, Moiraine, Lan, Loial and Faile arrive in Illian.  Perrin welcomes the din of the city to drown out his connection to the wolves.  As the small group drives further into the city, there is a palpable sense of wrongness permeating the Illian and its denizens.  Settling in to the inn, Easing the Badger, Moiraine grills the innkeeper for news - what she finds out clearly terrifies her.

    If Moiraine had sounded afraid before, it had been nothing to when she said that something must be done tonight.  For an instant then, fear scent had steamed from her as from a woman announcing that she was going to stick her hand in a hornet's nest and crush them with her bare fingers.  What in the light is she up to?  If Moiraine is frightened, I should be terrified.

    He was not, he realized.  Not terrified, or even frightened.  He felt ... excited.  Ready for something to happen, almost eager.  Determined.  He recognized the feelings.  They were what wolves felt just before they fought.  Burn me, I'd rather be afraid!

Perrin, The Dragon Reborn, p. 415

    As Perrin's connection to the wolves deepens, his self analysis does as well.  In that small passage, he executes a considerable amount of emotional intelligence, following the emotions through to their source.  Recognizing what he probably should be feeling, based on a logical examination of what he senses from Moiraine, and then further recognizing that his actual feelings are completely different.  Driving deeper to examine them completely, instead of just glancing at the surface.   All in the space of a few seconds.  Part of his aptitude at dismantling his emotions on the fly is no doubt linked to his normal, pensive and analytical mindset.  For example, earlier as they were traveling through Illian to the inn, Perrin questioned himself on what he wasn't seeing when Loial and Moiraine independently remarked about something being wrong in Illian.  At the moment, the only one to throw him off balance is Faile.