Lazaruss : " To Data : I have enjoyed your review, despite it being a negative one. If you have any more remarks, feel free to state them. Oh, and I would also like it if you'd send me your e-mail. (mine's in my profile) I'm a WOT-junky too.
Ok ; This is me, explaining myself. Pay attention.
If Cadsuane did send someone to stop Rand, Min would have HAD to be one of those. They could not have hoped to stop him by force, but that's why Min and Tam were there fore. The channelers were more like an escort. A precaution if you will. After all, Min and Tam had to Travel to Ebou Dar.
Cadsuane DID have to send someone immediately. I didn't see that at first but now I do. She knows that Rand will sink even deeper into the dark if he goes through with this and of course she would do everything in her power to prevent that.
Rand didn't travel straight to the city, and nether did they ; there are farms all around Ebou Dar, and camps for the incoming people and soldiers, and a gateway opening close by could be disastrous, for Rand as well, as he would reveal himself before he was ready. They had tracked Rand on foot as fast as they could, but he bit them to it. (Aiel are runners )
Rand did not sense Min. He most definitely did NOT. It may seem like a stretch, but put yourself in his shoes ; Is there room in him for anything else next to what's troubling him now ? He is torn apart on the inside between monstrous forces and his feelings are no longer the feelings of a normal person. He was true as day Insane. Had he been 'sane', he would have been able to notice her, but he was too preoccupied with other matters. Madness is not just ailment of the mind.
Yes, the riots did start. The Seanchan started them. They still have no way of defending against Traveling, (it takes time to break the captured Aes Sedai) so one of the few precautions they do have is that, at the first sign of a gateway they rise a general alarm throughout the city and hope they have time enough to mobilize their defenses. That's exactly what they did.
And lastly, Rand needs to find himself in the White Tower, or else how could he 'face the Amyrlin Seat and know her anger' ? The previous chapter merely explains why Cadsuane's forces were delayed at Ebou Dar and why the WT found him first.
I'll still go back, and make all these things more obvious. Sorry for the confusion. "
Prologue 1.c ; Peaces
" Mother, are you sure this is wise ?" Saerin asked following behind her with green skirts rustling on the draft. There was too much draft in these corridors for silken skirts the kind of Saerin often wore, but at least she had donned a green-slashed-white one. The sisters were working hard to put their differences behind them, but was it enough ? They had spent so long hating each other ; how can one simply move on after everything that was said and done ?
Well, even if deeper currents still rushed beneath, on the surface, the Tower began to resemble its former self, after a considerable effort on their part. And of course, the Seanchan part. Unity was easily returning now that the Tower was faced with such a great enemy and next to that, their internal squabble seemed petty indeed. There were still hard feelings and a few harsh words spoken out loud, but the Sitters were always there to quell these flames as soon as they would start. With luck, the division would soon become a thing of the past, and Egwene only prayed that it be soon enough.
And of course, as hard as everyone was trying, she had to try harder still. She had to prove to all of them that she was indeed worthy of wearing the seven-stripped stole and many questions were being left for her alone to resolve simply for that. One of the more troubling ones was what to do with the former king of Illian. Matin Stepaneos Den Banglar had been promised the return to his throne and he was still expecting that deal to be fulfilled, but she had no idea of how to make that happen. Rand certainly wasn't about to give up that crown willingly. Still, that was for later. There were many other things yet to do and many decisions to be made, but what she was about now was one of the most important ones.
" One should never judge people they do not know. " She spoke back to Saerin. The woman was not foolish, just overly protective. Egwene was the Amyrlin now, and Saerin did support her, but she still seemed to think Egwene needed her guidance not to stumble along the way. And she was not the only one. A lot was riding on Egwene's shoulders and the smallest mistake could prove disastrous. " They had nearly toppled the Tower once already, and they might very well do so again. We must know all we can about them. We must know them. " There wasn't much chance of that, the way things had been going, but she wasn't willing to give up yet.
Saerin nodded with a slim smile. Even though she hadn't been elected for Egwene's keeper she was often in her presence giving helpful advice and sometimes testing her judgment. Like now. Even so, Egwene was glad for her company, more so as Silviana wasn't with them. She had a lot of paperwork to sort out for tonight and had it not been for Saerin, Egwene would be left with Tesan, Magla and of course Romanda. They were her escort today as she moved about the Tower overseeing the progress of things.
Repairs of the damaged walls were well under way with masons and workers mending the gaps, but that was but a fraction of what Egwene was keeping an eye on. Even though all the rifts between the Ajahs were closed they weren't stitched perfectly, and could break open again if they weren't careful. And Egwene felt the best way to prevent that was to make these grand walks around the Tower as it gave her a chance to personally observe what was going on among the sisters and also help boost their moral.
This time however, she was not heading towards the common areas but towards the cellars where the prisoners were being kept. The Tower guard stood lined along the walls saluting her by touching the flame of Tar Valon on the breast of their uniforms to which she answered with a curt nod. Some sisters thought that there were too many of them guarding the prisoners, but Egwene insisted. They could not be too careful with the Seanchan.
As the last dour opened to let her pass, Egwene found herself once again at the prison section of the basement. It brought back the recent memories of being cooped up in a small cell, dosed with forkroot and shielded from saidar. Dreams had been here only refuge back then. Dreams and the courage to fight on. And those who occupied these cells now didn't have even that.
After capture, most of the prisoners had been on their deathbed and the Yellows had to work hard to save their lives. One of those was wearing some kind of a ring Ter'Angreal which was siphoning his life and the only way to save him was to cut it off along with the finger before giving him extensive Healing. Most of the others came from flying beasts that had been crashed down, and as for the captured damane and sul'dam, they had been shielded and taken at another part of the prisons. All of them were being worked hard in order to extract what they could out of them, but with little to no success. Turning around the damane would be hard, but it would be simple compared to learning anything from the soldiers.
Not letting her hesitation show, she marched right in and started through the long row of bars placed on each side of the corridor. There were no windows here so oil lamps provided the light. The prisoners were few, placed to occupy cells nearest to the entrance and so they all looked up as she approached but averted their eyes immediately after. Even in defeat, these people didn't whimper, nor plea. Food and water stood hardly touched as if they thought they might contain some sort of poison, though why they'd think their captors needed to resort to that was beyond her. Maybe they had opted for starvation ? From what she was told they were praying to the Light to deliver them to an honorable death, but other than that they remained silent in spite of their terror.
And they were terrified. Their faces were blank and they ignored Aes Sedai questioners but Egwene knew them well enough to know the truth. She knew them better than she would have wished but not enough to protect the Tower from them. In a slow pace, she observed these people. Most of them huddled at the far end of their cells, their faces down, silent and motionless. One of them, a man with dark hair, was on his back with his arm across the forehead, staring blankly at the ceiling. He appeared to be of the highest rank among them and so she addressed him.
" If you do not eat, you will be fed. " Egwene stated calmly embracing the source. She didn't think she really needed to, but it helped her feel more comfortable. " Food is too precious to waste on your pride. "
At first none of them gave any noticeable response, but than a few of them twitched uncomfortably. A woman in the rightmost cell shifted her feet. Of course, they knew they would have to be restrained with the Power for that and that had placed a strain on their calm façade. It was a start, but not what Egwene hoped to gain.
" I know that there's no point in torturing you. " She resumed on calmly. They had not been tortured since they were captured even though some in the Hall had pressed hard for that. It would have gained support, had Egwene not been able to turn them. Placed next to the service to their Empire, pain was nothing to these people. Perhaps that motion might yet be passed despite her efforts, but for now they were safe from that.
" You won't die until you have given us what we want from you. " That was also true, and they knew it. Threats were one other thing that had no effect on these people, so she wouldn't make any. But she wanted them to talk, and therefore she had to choose her words carefully. " Despite your attack, there's over three thousand of us here. Escape is unlikely, and another attack won't come any time soon. "
Finally, the man in the cell turned his head towards her slightly, his eye observing her with a touch of amusement as if asking her what her point was. Inside she smiled, but her face remained smooth. " This is the only question I've come to ask ; What do you think we will do to you ?"
The man appeared slightly confused by this, but unfortunately, not enough to unbind his tongue. He just went back to staring at the ceiling and ignoring her.
" They expect what is fitting for their crimes, Mother. " Romanda spoke. Her voice didn't make her turn, but Egwene wagered the woman was smiling. She was not the only one who voted for executing the prisoners. " I suspect that the means of execution matter little to those condemned to the block. " Unsurprisingly, that didn't work ether. Didn't Romanda know that threats were useless ?
Romanda's comment infuriated Egwene, but she forced it down stubbornly. If she didn't figure out how to break through their silence, the Hall would eventually opt for executing them, which she rather wanted to avoid. There was just too much needlessly spilt blood on the Tower walls already. The very notion of Seanchan still made her skin crawl and she had no doubt that each of these men and women had taken part in torturing and breaking hundreds of women but justice was seldom in killing. Nynaeve had thought her that.
She was just about to lead her escort out when something strange caught her eye ; In a cell next to the one she was in front of, a blond-haired woman huddled in a corner was paying close attention to her little delegation. She was sitting on the floor with her knees in front of her to hide her face and barely peeking over the rim to watch what was happening. It was not anything unusual – the Seanchan were often on the edge in Aes Sedai presence – and yet something about her made Egwene curious. There was something… off about her, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
And before she could turn her attention on her, a young brown-haired novice entered the chambers making a deep curtsy. Egwene thought her name was Nerenya but she wasn't sure ; there were just too many of them to keep track now and she had more important matters to mind.
" Forgive me, Mother, but I was supposed to deliver this note to you with all haste. " She presented her with a peace of paper, hastily folded and sealed with a small drop of wax.
Taking it, Egwene nodded with a brief smile for her even though she made notice that the girl didn't say from who the message was. " Thank you. Now run along. The prison is no place for you. "
As the girl dashed off, she cracked the seal with her thumb and after reading it, she found herself hard-pressed to maintain a cool surface. " Think about my question. " She spoke absently for whoever was listening, and swiftly marched out of the chamber.
The warmth of the sun felt like such a strange thing after months of bleak sky and she tried to enjoy the sensation, but sitting there on the marble bench in the Tower garden, all she could think about was how to avoid the looming disaster. The white staff tipped with the Flame of Tar Valon was rising tall above her as the symbol of her authority and also a symbol of her responsibility. On one side she would put the fate of the world in peril, on other, she would lose all support of the Hall and watch the Tower collapse around her.
Well, she would not have it. She had worked long and hard to mend the Tower and he was not going ruin all her effort, burn him ! And just as Egwene thought those words, he stirred softly causing her to flinch. It made her realize she had been dreading his awakening and she made herself take rein on her feelings. She had faced Seanchan and Elaida and the breaking of the Tower, and she managed to push through ; she was not about to falter because of him.
Even though the world outside the walls had forgotten to wake with the arrival of spring, the Tower gardens were already in full bloom. The One Power was needed, of course but the flowers did blossom after a considerable effort on the sisters' part. Grass was a bit yellow and sickly, and the trees were still too bare for this time of year, but the roses at least were back to their full glory. A fountain of laced marble woven in intricate pattern of ships and fish was spraying droplets of water like bubbles of glass that caught the sunlight on their way down, and beyond it, the spires of the White Tower rose into the sky. It was the most idyllic place they could provide in haste.
As a precaution, the garden had been cleared of everyone, sister and servant alike, except for her and six other who were under a screen of saidar, waiting for the first sign of trouble. And there was going to be trouble ; of that she was certain just by watching him lying there on the grass not three steps away.
What Healing could have been provided had been given, but it did him little good. His missing hand was gone forever, and if that wasn't bad enough, there was now a second never-healing wound on top of the first. Somehow, the two had been warded from him by some kind of shield of the Powerwhich proved an added difficulty, but they were able to slip the weaves through. Doesine had been the one melding the flows, and even linked with Egwene and five other sisters, those wounds had still managed to consume her Healing like fire devouring threads of silk.
Other than that, there was nothing wrong with him that could be detected. He was simply exhausted after a tiring ordeal and had collapsed with fatigue. The stubborn fool ! When was he going to learn to take better care of himself ?
Rand stirred again. This time he brought his right hand to his face, rubbing at the eyes lazily before opening them. She held her breath. All of them were already holding saidar and had their abilities masked, and weaves of spirit were ready to spring into a shield at an instant, quivering on the edge. She had specifically commanded that they shield him only after he becomes violent, but now even she thought it was a bad move. She had thought that it would help him react more reasonably to realize they had no intention of repeating Elaida's mistakes, and now as she watched him slowly getting up to a sitting position, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps she had been expecting too much.
At first, he seemed confused and disoriented, gently feeling the dual wound in his side with his fingers, but as he looked up and saw the white spires, he froze. For a long moment he stood like that, motionless and than he turned his head towards her. Let's get this over with. Egwene thought sitting straight and proud. She was the Amyrlin, the symbol of the White Tower's strength and he would not find her as anything else.
" I didn't believe it when Nynaeve had told me that you were the Amyrlin Seat. " He spoke slowly. He sounded… pleased ?
Despite herself she stared. She had expected an outburst out of him, raging and demanding, growling at the least, and yet, the way he addressed her was… calm. She had expected him to go into a rage for being a prisoner of the Tower, and instead he acted tranquil, his movements slow and steady and his face loose and clear. Like the sky.
Even so, she pressed on with what she had to say. " You had landed yourself in a whole lot of trouble, Rand al'Thor. You have incurred the wrath of the Tower more than once and now you've allowed yourself to be captured. Consider yourself lucky you aren't in a dungeon. " She spoke these words strongly but calmly with all her authority backing them up.
In turn, all he said was :" It's good to see you again Egwene. "
She observed him. It seemed he was not going to act the way she had feared, and that was good. But she wished that just for once he'd fulfill her expectations. Light, it made her feel like she didn't know him at all. " You had imprisoned sisters forcing them to serve you. On your authority had your Asha'man captured and bonded them against their will, even those that were sent in peace. Whatever excuse you think you have for those crimes, they are still crimes and your responsibility. " Light, how many had died simply because he had been to thickheaded to take the advice of Aes Sedai he had imprisoned ? Surely at least some of them had offered him honest help !
" I wish there was more time to catch up. " Not a single line on his face altered, nor did his voice change by a hair. " You have been away for too long and there's so much that has happened in your absence. "
" I hope you are taking this matter seriously. " With some difficulty she held on to her composure. He would not distract her off balance. " It took a great deal of effort to hide your presence here, and hidden it must remain for all our sakes. I will not have you belittle this curtsy we have granted you. "
For a while, he observed her silently and than he smiled. Smiled ! " I see the Pattern did not show you much mercy ether. Do not worry about me Egwene. I will remain here for the time being. "
" You seem content with your situation. " She arched an eyebrow, though inside she was furious. He spoke as if he'd deign to stay there for the time being. The nerve of him !
He just looked up at the Tower spires again. " I have been… given a gift, Egwene. Not everyone is so lucky as to learn what has been revealed to me. But more importantly, I have learned what was eluding me for so long. " He looked back at her and this time there was no smile on his face. " You need to know what I am, Egwene. You and your Aes Sedai. You need to know I am not a monster, and for that reason I welcome your hospitality. But do not expect me to stay long. "
" Rand, I'm not a fool. If it were up to me, I would send you on your way right now. " The words made her blink in surprise. She had been thinking that, true, but she had no intention of speaking those words in front of six Sitters present. Trying to mind your tongue didn't work well with a ta'veren such as he." But it's out of my hands. The Hall of the Tower will have to decide on what to do next. I'll do what I can in your favor, but eventually the Tower Law will have to be satisfied. And you cannot leave before than. "
" The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. " He sighed, nodding. Now his mood faltered and he seemed to grow somehow sad. Light, what had happened to him ? What had happened to his raging temper that used to chase kings and queens under their beds ? " Justice will catch up to me eventually, but I do not think it will be by your hand. My thread had always been the one woven most slippery... " In a blink, the melancholy was gone and he was poise itself once more. " But first, if you would be so kind as to send for something edible ? I can feel my stomach trying to eat itself. "
She was truly proud of herself for not babbling out all the questions that stood piled up at the back of her mind, but now was not the time. She had been out of sight for too long as it was, and she had to resume her walk through the Tower less the sisters grow suspicious. For now, only the Hall and a few others knew of Rand's presence here and unfortunately, the odds of it staying that way didn't look well. She wasn't a fool to assume otherwise, and at this point she was willing to do anything to get him away from here as soon as possible.
Lazaruss :" The reason i have delayed for so long was that i was playing Oblivion. I'm not sure when I'll publish the next chapter. "