I had understood "that idiot Whitecloak" to refer to Galad, who had kept the Whitecloaks from fighting Perrin and delayed Perrin falling into her ambush long enough for Perrin to be able to Travel out of there.

However your suggestion does make sense, though I don't think it makes the situation any better. Graendal was supposed to be this brilliant expert in the human mind, and her "perfect plan" is to turn Jaret Byar against Perrin? This is akin to having a brilliant plan to break Mat's trust in Aes Sedai, or to turn Rand against Moridin. I never even considered that Graendal manipulated Byar against Perrin, because that would be completely redundant.



I can practically guarantee this isn't the case. Graendal, like most of the Forsaken, seems to have been released some time between The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn. At the time, she would have been securing her position in Arad Doman while Byar was already riding back to Amador. Compelling a solitary Whitecloak soldier of no significant rank would not be anywhere close to her priorities. What would there be to attract her attention to him? Besides, Byar's hatred of Perrin is already established in The Eye of the World.

If anything, the idea that Graendal was behind Byar's attempt at assassinating Perrin diminishes the value of both characters. It makes Graendal look like a fool to base her plans to Jaret Byar and incompetent to be manipulating him instead of, say, Galad. Or Trom. Or someone who would actually come to a surprise to Perrin. And it decreases Byar's identity as complete fanatic.



They didn't need a Forsaken in this storyline at all. Slayer could have handled the whole thing, and if you're right about Byar, no Forsaken would be needed either. Do you really think anybody would be surprised if Byar tried to kill Perrin without Forsaken influence? Heck, that's what I believe.