This is going to be a bit vague but any help will be appreciated - I don't have the books with me and some searching online turned up bupkis. 

I'm looking for a scene in which some Aiel are fighting shadowspawn  and one of the Maidens, who I believe to be Aviendha, is surrounded by a circle of Fades and says something like "who wants to be the first to die" I seem to recall a river been involved. 

I couldn't even say what book it's in. 

Cheers. 

The Dragon Reborn. Where Nyneave, Elayne and Egwene get captured after meeting Aviendha, because their ship runs aground. There is a Fade hunting Aes Sedai in the area leading them to thirteen if memory serves.

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Thanks dude ? I didn't think anyone was going to be able to help me with the lack of information I gave out - cheers again ? 

Your welcome. It took a while for me to remember it!

This is the scene where the bandits were trying to sale the three girls to the fade ? I have always wonder if the shadow hade any plan behind it or if it just was coincidence. 

It could have been Be'lal ordering the bandits to do that, or Rahvin ordering it. In fact, any Forsaken free at that point could have been involved.