Hello friends! There are three more chapters in Egwene’s section before we head back to Ebou Dar to catch up with Aviendha, Nynaeve and Elayne, so I’ll be splitting Chapter 11 into two parts. Today we’re covering Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 up through Faolain and Theodrin’s unexpected revelation. Then next week we’ll tackle the rest of Chapter 11 and all of Chapter 12.
I haven’t read Chapter 13 yet, but I have peeped the title, and I have a feeling that they’re going to find that bowl-shaped ter’angreal pretty soon! But first, things are happening for Egwene, some bad, but a lot of good. I’m really enjoying watching her learn how to Amyrlin—like Rand, she is learning to be a leader more or less on the fly, and with only a few people she trusts enough to advise her.
Though by the end of these chapters, she will have a few more allies than she did before.
When Egwene returns to her tent, Selame, one of her new servants, is there waiting for her. The Tairen woman immediately begins fussing over Egwene for being out walking at night alone. Egwene ignores the chatter, which she finds exceedingly silly, though Selame is a good servant in other respects. But Egwene is also quite aware that Selame was found for her by Lelaine, and is no doubt spying for her. Eventually she sends Selame away and finishes getting ready by herself. After extinguishing the lamps she goes to the tent flap and peers out, spotting the figure of a woman watching Egwene’s tent.
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She goes back to bed, amused that the watcher won’t be able to see where she goes tonight, and puts herself to sleep using the technique the Wise Ones taught her. She finds herself in the sea of stars that are other people’s dreams and moves through it until she finds the one she wants. She’s careful not to actually look into, or accidentally go inside, Nynaeve’s dream—Egwene once accidentally caught Nynaeve dreaming of Lan. Instead she stays close and sends a message in, telling Nynaeve not to return until she can settle a little problem with Nicola, who knows they were pretending. She also warns Nynaeve that Moghedien has escaped.
The dream winks out like a popped bubble, and Egwene is amused that the voice suddenly speaking in Nynaeve’s dream startled her awake. She delivers the same message to Elayne, and watches that dream pulse and change, though Elayne stays asleep.
Next Egwene approaches Amys’s dream, very carefully and respectfully. She tells Amys that she must speak with her, and hears Amys answer. When she notices one spark of light suddenly drawing closer to her she flees, before Gawyn’s dream can suck her in. She appears in the Tel’aran’rhiod version of the Heart of the Stone, and wonders why this is the place the Wise Ones always want to meet.
She’s also aware of the sensation of being watched by unseen eyes—it is a sensation that is always present in Tel’aran’rhiod, and even the Wise Ones don’t know why.
Thinking of Moghedien, Egwene wishes she had spied on the woman’s dreams while she was still a prisoner. But even being able to recognize Moghedien’s dreams wouldn’t necessarily reveal where she is now, and there is the risk of being drawn into the dream by Moghedien’s hatred of her. Her clothes involuntarily change to armor as she thinks about the threat of Moghedien, and she upbraids herself for lacking her customary control in the Dream. Out loud, she reminds herself that Moghedien has no way of knowing where Egwene is.
A voice behind her startles Egwene so much she shoots high up into the air and has to float back down, much to the amusement of the three Wise Women who have just arrived, and Melaine actually busts out laughing.
“I have never seen anyone…” Melaine just managed to get out. “Like a rabbit.” She gave a little hop and lifted a full pace into the air.
They sit down on the floor in the middle of the dome, ignoring Callandor, while Egwene stands. She explains to them why she was called back to the Aes Sedai, that the Salidar sisters have raised her to be their Amyrlin, and that once Elaida has been pulled down she will be the Amyrlin in the White Tower as well. The three Wise Ones instantly understand Egwene’s situation, and the fact that she has been set up as a figurehead. Still, Egwene assures them that, despite being seen this way by many of the sisters, she intends to make them understand that she is their leader, and that they will obey her. Bair suggests that Egwene should return to them, but Egwene has made her choice, and Amys praises the ji in Egwene’s decision to bend her enemies to her will.
Bair asks if Egwene will bring her Aes Sedai to kneel to the Car’a’carn. Egwene answers that she can’t, and wouldn’t if she could. It would be as ridiculous as asking Wise Ones to kneel to a clan chief. Melaine resents the comparison, but Amys repeats that Egwene will do as she must. Still, Egwene thinks about this new distance between them, the things the Wise Ones cannot tell her, such as Rand’s plans. They are friends, but she is no longer one of them.
The Wise Ones wanted to guide Rand no less than Elaida or Romanda or Lelaine, or very likely any other Aes Sedai. Of course, they only wanted to direct the Car’a’carn in a way that was best for the Aiel, yet those sisters wanted to direct the Dragon Reborn toward what was best for the world, as they saw it. She did not spare herself. Helping Rand, keeping him from putting himself at odds with Aes Sedai beyond recovery, those meant guiding him, too. Only, I’m right, she reminded herself. Whatever I do is as much for his own good as for anybody else’s. None of the others ever think about what’s right for him.
Egwene asks about Rand and Merana, and is assured that the Salidar Aes Sedai followed Rand to Cairhien, and promised to make sure there is no great conflict between them. Egwene does learn that Merana did not bring any messenger birds with her, and asks Amys to promise not to drive Merana away and not to prevent Rand from talking to her, assuring the woman that the Salidar Aes Sedai have no hostile intentions towards him. Amys promises, and Egwene feels instantly better. She thanks Amys, and is surprised when Amys is suddenly wearing a cadin’sor—Amys is far too skilled a Dreamwalker to make such a slip. She follows Bair and Melaine’s example in pretending she hasn’t noticed—there is no shame around the loss of control if no one has seen it.
Egwene also asks them not to bring up the subject of her new role to Rand—she’s worried he might make more determined attempts to rescue her, perhaps even send some of the Asha’man. She is a little surprised at their quick agreement.
They sit and talk for a while, and Egwene reflects on what it would take to forge an alliance between the Wise Ones and the Aes Sedai. Eventually, though, she has to take her leave, and asks them to be careful about Moghedien. They tell her that they have seen other Dreamwalkers, including men, and that these strangers always avoid them. Amys assumes that they are stronger in the Dream than the Forsaken, but promises to take care.
They bid each other farewell, and then Egwene goes back to her body, but she still sleeps the Dreamer’s sleep, one part of her mind staying aware and cataloging her dreams.
The first has Gawyn, walking towards her, gaze locked on her. When she looks down she sees that he is walking barefoot over glass, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
In the second, she sees Gawyn again, this time riding a black stallion. He pauses as the straight road suddenly becomes forked. Egwene knows that one fork leads to a violent death, the other to a long life and death in bed.
On one path, he would marry her, on the other, not. She knew what lay ahead, but not which way led to which.
He turns his horse down one of the paths, and then Egwene moves to yet another dream, and then another. She knows some of them have no meaning, other than the ordinary meaning of ordinary dreams.
She dreams that she’s trying to tear down a wall made of disks bearing the ancient Aes Sedai symbol, but the wall stands strong no matter how she tears at it. She sees Mat snatch an exploding firework our of the sky, and arrows of fire flash out of his hands—she knows that this will mean the deaths of many people, and the world changing.
She dreams she’s about to be beheaded, and senses someone running to save her.
She dreams of Logain stepping over Rand’s body, laid out on a funeral bier, to step up onto a black stone.
She sees a golden female hawk, and when it touches her they become linked together somehow.
She sees a man lying in bed. He’s dying and his funeral is being prepared, but Egwene senses that it’s important that he lives.
She sees a dark young man holding something in his hand that shines brightly.
On and on they came, and she sorted feverishly, desperately tried to understand. There was no rest in it, but it must be done. She would do what must be done.
She’s woken the next morning by Meri, the servant Romanda found for her, who has a dour sort of attitude that makes every comment seem like an accusation. Egwene briefly contemplates getting rid of Meri, but she knows that Romanda would just find another spy.
When she enters the tent she uses as a study, Egwene is surprised to see that Sheriam is nowhere to be found. Instead she finds Theodrin and Faolain, who report that no one saw any men around Marigan’s tent, although a few did see Halima. Faolain mentions being treated like an Accepted by Tiana, and then makes a frustrated comment about wishing she had already held the oath rod so that Egwene could know that she’s telling her the truth. Egwene assures Faolain that the oath rod doesn’t make an Aes Sedai, and that she will believe whatever Faolain says.
Faolain admits that she doesn’t like Egwene, and the two tell Egwene that they aren’t attaching themselves to her in gratitude for the shawl. They have seen how some of the sisters treat Egwene, and that many believe she is Sheriam’s puppet, and it isn’t right. Theodrin adds that they are both trying to act as Aes Sedai even though, no matter what Egwene says, they aren’t until they have been tested and sworn the Three Oaths.
Egwene tells them both, firmly, that it isn’t just Three Oaths that make people believe the Aes Sedai, and that she will trust and believe the two of them until they give her reason not to. She also tells them, firmly, that they are Aes Sedai.
The two women say that they understand, and Egwene is shocked when first Theodrin and then Faolain kneel at her chair and swear fealty to her, under the Light and their hope of rebirth. It’s the way that nobles swear to rulers, and Egwene is hard pressed to keep her composure. Faolain then offers Egwene the ability to set Faolain’s penance for saying she disliked her.
Biting her lip, Egwene nearly laughed aloud. Keeping her face smooth took effort; maybe they would take it for a hiccough. However much they claimed they were not really Aes Sedai, Faolain had just proved how much of one she was.
Egwene answers that she does not set penance for speaking the truth, nor for disliking her—Faolain can dislike to her heart’s content as long as she keeps her oath. She wastes no time setting two tasks for them, and they listen carefully before departing.
No one saw any men around Marigan’s tent but they did see Halima.
Mr. Jordan, why do you do this to me? I’m a good person. And yes, I love dramatic irony but it’s like in that way people like to watch reality TV or horror movies in which the main character thinks it’s a good idea to go down into the basement alone while the power is out.
It’s awesome and it’s terrible and I’m going to suffer so much watching her move freely through the Salidar Aes Sedai. What havok will she wreak? How long will it take Egwene to catch her? Will Egwene catch her?
I’m not even in favor of the whole concept of Aran’gar! But the narrative is still managing to make me invested anyway. It’s rude.
It’s really fascinating watching Egwene learn to be a leader. It’s very trial-by-fire for her; she’s underprepared for the role and facing challenges no other Amyrlin has ever faced. Even if Romanda or Lelaine had been raised as the Salidar Amyrlin, they would have faced some questions of legitimacy—the Little Tower is not the White Tower, and few of the sisters are truly committed to waging war against Elaida. Siuan and Egwene are both quite aware of h0w easy it would be for the Salidar Aes Sedai to turn aside from the path Egwene has set them on, and Egwene only managed to get them on that path in the first place by manipulation and trickery.
It’s hard to say what Romanda or Lelaine would have done had either of them been raised Amyrlin—they are certainly very strong people, and absent any Darkfriendery or secret allegiance to Elaida they’ve been hiding, I don’t imagine either just rolling over and accepting Elaida’s offer of reintegration. Obviously they are both ambitious, and I even believe either would try to uphold the sovereignty of both her own appointment as Amyrlin and of the Salidar Aes Sedai. Probably they would hope to eventually reunite the Aes Sedai through political maneuvering and manipulation, especially given the story about Logain being a tool of the Red Ajah.
But the Aes Sedai resistance to division between the Tower is very strong, and I think even someone like Lelaine or Romanda would have faced some questions of legitimacy in the eyes of her followers. Just as Merana was unable to hold on to her position as head of the embassy, I think any Amyrlin would have struggled to be granted the same amount of authority, control, and even respect, that flows automatically to the Amyrlin of the White Tower. Everything is new for the Little Tower and those who are a part of it, and even as they strive to remake themselves in the image of what was, on some level every sister is aware of it.
Which makes Theodrin and Faolain’s decision to swear fealty to Egwene really fascinating. On the one hand, the two are reacting to what they perceive as the rest of the Salidar Aes Sedai behaving in a non-Aes Sedai way. In their minds, all that matters is that Egwene was raised Amyrlin—they can’t countenance the Hall treating that any differently than they would an Amyrlin with more age and experience, raised in Tar Valon according to custom and tradition. Egwene even notes how Aes Sedai Faolain in particular is, the ways she shows the “arrogant humility” she shows in asking Egwene to assign her penance.
On the other hand, in an attempt to show Egwene the proper allegiance due to an Amyrlin, they are doing something unheard of, swearing fealty to her the way nobles would swear to a ruler—and even some rulers don’t receive that strong of an oath. It seems probable that the two newly-minted Aes Sedai are trying to replace the Three Oaths with this one. They are both uncertain about their status, and not only because of how the older sisters treat them. They both clearly feel that being tested and swearing on the oath rod is an integral part of making someone Aes Sedai, and I think it will be some time before they really believe Egwene’s insistence that neither ritual is what makes an Aes Sedai. In lieu of being bound by the Three Oaths, Faolain and Theodrin have bound themselves by a different oath. No doubt there is a feeling of stability in swearing that kind of fealty. We know that oath; it is the same one Siuan, Leane, and Min swore to Gareth Bryne. It is an oath only a Darkfriend would break.
Faolain in particular strikes me as someone with a strong sense of justice, though it does seem to have a lawful and traditionalist bent. She may be a jerk, and a bully—I remember how mean she was to Nynaeve, how she has the prejudice against wilders—but I believe her when she tells Egwene that she left the Tower because what Elaida did isn’t right. And it makes sense that her commitment to the belief that Elaida’s usurpation of Siuan’s position was wrong and unlawful means that she’s also committed to the belief of what is owed to the lawful Amyrlin, no matter who she is. Faolain’s unpleasant disposition and dislike of Egwene really just makes me trust her more—a person who follows her morals despite such feelings is a good ally to have.
And there is such a contrast between the behavior of Faolain and Theodrin and that of Nicola and Areina. I have some sympathy for Nicola’s frustration at her position among the Aes Sedai—she is new to the Aes Sedai life, after all. Being a novice is hard, and our protagonists were able to skip over a lot of that toil, suffering, and waiting. But there is also a lot of selfishness in Nicola’s actions, a willingness to harm others to get what she wants, and a disregard for consequences. Faolain is arrogant too, but she clearly has respect for her sisters, even when it’s mixed with personal dislike. Where Nicola seeks advancement that she hasn’t earned, Faolain and Theodrin question theirs, if only because it isn’t recognized by the other Aes Sedai.
Faolain and Theodrin chose an act of loyalty and service solely because they believed it the right thing to do. Nicola chose blackmail purely for self-serving reasons. I mean, she could even have mixed the two, allying herself with Egwene in hopes of receiving support, protection, or even favoritism in return, but instead she took a huge gamble and made an enemy of a powerful sister—even if she is something of a figurehead.
Egwene makes some interesting observations about the Aes Sedai in this section. I’ve noted before that, despite the Wise Ones’ disdain for the Aes Sedai, there are a lot of similarities between the two groups. Egwene has learned that Aes Sedai will set themselves penances “in order to maintain the proper balance between pride and humility” and that “many sisters made a haughty display of submission to the greater will of the Aes Sedai, an arrogant showing of their lack of arrogance.” This reminds me somewhat of the way Aiel handle ji’e’toh—there have been several times that Aiel have been accused of valuing their honor too highly, of putting on a display of taking more punishment than a transgression would ordinarily warrant. Sulin was one of these, and even Egwene caught such a comment when she was taking her beatings to atone for the lies she told about being full Aes Sedai. Siuan calls the Aes Sedai flaunting of penance “the pride of humility,” and I think the same label could be applied to those Aiel who flaunt their toh a little too much.
The Wise Ones also have a certain arrogance mixed with pragmatism that is very similar to the Aes Sedai’s. Last week we had Egwene reflecting on how the Aes Sedai are slow to accept change, but once they do, they do so fully, treating the new circumstance as though it has always been this way. At first glance, the Wise Ones do seem a bit more flexible—they at least seem to have accepted the truth and inevitability of the prophecies around the Car’a’carn rather more quickly than most Aes Sedai have been able to accept everything that the Dragon Reborn means for their own future. They don’t have the fear of a male channeler to worry about, but they do believe that almost all the Aiel will be wiped out, which isn’t that much more terrifying than someone from the other side of the Dragon Wall fearing a new Breaking of the World. And the Wise Ones aren’t any better than any other Aiel in accepting that other people have other ways of life, other morals and customs. I think the way the Aes Sedai have fallen from grace with the Wise Ones is mostly deserved for the way that Sheriam and co. have behaved, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to imagine the Wise Ones struggling to submit to Aes Sedai teachers, if their positions had been reversed.
Not that it really matters—things are the way they are, and the Wise Ones do have knowledge and power no one else has. It’s just interesting to note the way different groups within the story regard themselves versus everyone else, and to muse on what it might look like for Egwene to try to build some sort of trust and respect between her Aes Sedai and the Wise Ones.
It makes me really sad to see how there is a distance between Egwene and the Wise Ones now. She notes herself that they will always be friends but that she is no longer one of them. As a result there are things they can’t tell her, such as Rand’s plans. Of course, we the readers know that they are holding back the fact that Rand was captured and then rescued, and that Merana and the others have sworn fealty to Rand. They clearly dislike having to keep things from Egwene though—she interprets the looks they exchanged and their flat tones as dislike for the subject matter, but I think it’s actually discomfort with hiding things. They don’t actually lie to her (we know how the Aiel feel about lying) but they’re very aware that they are making promises based on Egwene’s assumptions of what is going on. The bit where Amys suggested that Merana might have sent a messenger and explained that she didn’t bring any messenger pigeons with her was especially dodgy, and the grimace she makes when she says it has very little to do with the Aiel dislike of riding, I think.
Losing control and having her clothes change to cadin’sor was certainly caused by Amys’s discomfiture at withholding the truth and allowing Egwene to make assumptions. I felt so much sympathy for her, and for Egwene as well. These two love each other so deeply, and Amys was the first person Egwene began to lose because of her Aes Sedai identity. None of the Wise Ones hold Egwene’s lies against her, now that Egwene has met her toh, and that includes Amys—however, Amys also promised that she would never teach Egwene about the Dream again if she went into Tel’aran’rhiod, and Egwene’s toh being met and erased doesn’t erase that promise.
As a result, Egwene’s ability to ask for lessons is limited. She can receive them from others, of course, but Amys is the Wise One she loves the most, and in the narrative it even states that she values Amys’s company more than any lesson—and we know how much Egwene wants to keep learning about the Dream. It’s so difficult for anyone in these stories to have true, fully open and trusting relationships. I wish Egwene could have kept hers with the Wise Ones.
It’s just… sad. Knowing that Egwene felt more at home with the Aiel than she has anywhere outside of the Two Rivers. Maybe even more than in Emond’s Field itself.
Still, I think Egwene’s struggle to be taken seriously as the Amyrlin is actually a good thing. It’s not great that everyone is trying to manipulate her, but she is ridiculously young and inexperienced. Her time with the Wise Ones is certainly helpful, but she should have to earn the respect and power due to her. She should not actually be given it without a struggle.
Practicality seems to be the name of the game this week, whether it be from the Wise Ones, the Aes Sedai, or the world’s newest, and youngest, Amyrlin. I’m left thinking about this quote from Egwene regarding invading other people’s dreams.
She had done what was not done before, and she was certain she would again should it become necessary. Do what you must, then pay the price for it, was what she had been taught, by the same women who had marked off those forbidden areas. It was refusal to admit the debt, refusal to pay, that often turned necessity to evil.
This distinction, I think, can apply to any of our heroes, and to the Forsaken and Darkfriends on the other side. So much of what brings one to the Dark seems to be a desire for power or fame (and obviously immortality) that someone believes that they deserve but haven’t gotten.
Which kind of brings us full circle back to Nicola and Areina, Faolain and Theodrin. Not that I think Nicola is going to turn out to be a Darkfriend or anything—but there are lots of other ways to be an enemy without actually swearing to the Dark One. Look at Elaida, for example.
Ooh. Would Nicola choose to side with Elaida if she could? After all, she was never part of the Tower schism. She was recruited by the Salidar Aes Sedai merely because she happened to end up there after following Nynaeve and Elayne. The White Tower might well open its arms to someone of her power, as Salidar did, even though she is too old. And if she could help them against the Salidar threat, against Egwene…
Oh. Oh dear.
Next week we’ll finish up Chapter 11 and move into Chapter 12, in which some more secrets are revealed and Egwene really starts to take charge. Except there is also Halima in there, mucking up the works. So that’s not great. I’ll leave you (and by you I mean me) to worry about all the enemies gathering around Egwene, but first, let’s play a game where I try to guess the meaning of her dreams.
The Gawyn stuff seems pretty straightforward—he is struggling with his love for her and his hatred for Rand, what with the belief that Rand killed his mom. Thus there is pain for him in loving and following her. He’s eventually going to have to make a choice about it, ostensibly either to follow her and remain loyal, or to turn away from her. One wonders if part of the choice might have to do with her desire to bond him, or possibly with his tenuous loyalty to Elaida (he might not believe that Elaida had directed and sanctioned the betrayal of the Younglings). But it was unclear to me if Egwene knew if any of his fates were linked—we know that marriage or not marriage, violent death or a long life, are all possibilities down that road, but I couldn’t tell if marriage and violent death were paired together or not, based on the order things were given.
Egwene trying to tear down the wall of Aes Sedai symbols might have something to do with her struggle against rules and tradition to bring the White Tower into the future, or she might also be sensing that the seals must be broken in order for Rand to succeed in defeating the Dark One.
She sees a man dying and knows that it’s important that he lives. This could be Rand, given how his life is in danger all the time and that he also has that unhealing wound from Ishamael. Since Egwene also sees Logain stepping over Rand’s funeral bier, she may be seeing a possible death for Rand either before or after the Last Battle, and Logain taking up the mantle of his successor as leader of the Black Tower. Of course, since she can’t see the face of the man who lies dying, it could also be anyone else, including someone we’ve not met yet. Similarly, the dark young man with the shining object could be Rand (maybe holding an angreal?) but could also be anyone, really.
Egwene dreaming of being beheaded suggests that she might be captured by the White Tower and sentenced to death for treason. Hopefully someone will get to her in time!
No idea about the hawk, but every time I see the word “link” now I of course think of the power. So far hawks in visions have meant Berelain, but it’s a pretty common form of imagery so it probably means someone else. Still, Egwene knows that the hawk is female, so my best guess is either that she’s going to take a female warder (she’s Green so she can still have Gawyn too) or that she’s going to have someone else on the other end of an a’dam. Maybe one of the Seanchan sul’dam? The hawk could mean the Seanchan, since their leaders claim to be the descendants of Artur Hawkwing.
And then there’s Mat and the fireworks. I’m wondering if this doesn’t portend the invention of some kind of gun or cannon. Mat is a military general after all, and he’s had this connection with fireworks and illuminators for a while. Maybe he and Aludra, since she’s already going around inventing matches and things, are going to start down the path of inventing artillery. Egwene reflects that what Mat does with the firework will change the world—and their world does seem to be showing signs of a coming industrial revolution, if you look at Aludra and also Rand’s school in Cairhien. Also there’s something in the imagery of Mat grabbing the firework that reminded me of the story of Elsbet and Mosk the Giant with their giant lances of fire.
You know, I’m sure I’m off on a lot of these, but I feel pretty good about my guesses.
Sylas K Barrett is also really intrigued to learn that you can’t access the stedding in Tel’aran’rhiod. Since the World of Dreams doesn’t actually have anything to do with channeling, this suggests that the stedding are something more than naturally-occurring places where the usual rules of the One Power don’t apply. Egwene compares it to the way Rhuidean was once shielded, but he’s not really sure what that means, if anything.
