Elza Penfell

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

Elza Penfell is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah (TPoD, Ch. 2). In truth, she is actually of the Black Ajah (WH, Ch. 35). She is a pleasant-faced woman from Andor (WH, Ch. 13). She has brown eyes (CoT, Ch. 23).

Cadsuane thinks that Elza is more intense than most Greens (WH, Ch. 13). Rand thinks that for all of Elza's outer coolness, she seems to burn inside with passion when it comes to making sure that he lives until the Last Battle (CoT, Ch. 23).

Timeline

• Elza is one of Elaida's Aes Sedai who is captured at Dumai's Wells (ACoS, Ch. 1).

• Sorilea brings Elza Penfell, Nesune Bihara, Sarene Nemdahl, Beldeine Nyram and Erian Boroleos to Rand after they beg to be allowed to swear fealty to him. Rand accepts, and Elza wears a victorious smile as she swears to him (TPoD, Ch. 29).

• Elza watches Beldeine and Erian play stones while Cadsuane and Harine din Togara speak in the sunroom of the Sun Palace. She will play the winner (WH, Ch. 13).

• Elza accompanies Cadsuane to Far Madding, but must leave her Warder behind (WH, Ch. 23).

• Elza confronts Cadsuane after Alanna leaves Far Madding; she demands to know how they will find Rand without Alanna (WH, Ch. 25).

• Elza accompanies Rand and Cadsuane to Shadar Logoth. She links with Merise and Jahar. Elza asks Merise if she can meld the flows, and Merise agrees. They kill Dashiva/Osan'gar (WH, Ch. 35).

• Elza is at the Pendaloan estates in Tear with Rand and Cadsuane. She is guarding the door to Rand's rooms and will not let Cadsuane enter. Alivia reminds Elza that Rand sent for Cadsuane, and Elza enters Rand's rooms to see if he's ready for her. She returns, and admits Cadsuane to Rand's rooms (CoT, Ch. 23).

• When Erian and Sarene enter Rand's rooms a little while later, Elza is trying to keep them out, but they manage to get in anyway. When Erian and Sarene inform Rand and Cadsuane that their Warders are Traveling closer, Elza admits that her Warder is, as well (CoT, Ch. 23).

• Elza admits Loial into Rand's rooms (CoT, Ch. 24).

• Elza's Warder, Fearil, reports to her, explaining why he is in Tear when she ordered him to stay in Cairhien. She tells him to kill anyone who threatens the Dragon Reborn (CoT, Ch. 24).

Relationships

Elza is very fervent about the fact that Rand must make it to the Last Battle. She thinks to herself that Rand must be at the Last Battle if the Dark One is to defeat him (WH, Ch. 35; CoT, Ch. 24). She and the rest of Elaida's Aes Sedai who are in Tear watch Cadsuane as if suspicious of her intentions towards him. Elza, however, also tries to keep Cadsuane away from Rand. Rand thinks that of all the sisters who had sworn to him, Elza is the most eager, the only eager one, really (CoT, Ch. 23).

Verin thinks that Elza is always very conscious of where she stands with respect to other sisters, perhaps too much so (WH, Ch. 25).

Fearil is Elza's only Warder. She has spent the last twenty years convincing everyone that they are married, although it is not true. She is strict about his obedience to her orders. She thinks that it is hard to find a man with just the right qualifications for a Warder, but that perhaps she should start looking (CoT, Ch. 23; CoT, Ch. 24).

On the journey from Tar Valon to Cairhien, Elza and Fera learn that they are both Black Ajah. She thinks it is a shame that Fera is still being held by the Aiel. She also thinks that she will have to quiz Fera on why she swore fealty to Rand before she can be trusted (CoT, Ch. 24).

Miscellaneous

• While telling Rand why she wishes to swear fealty to him, she flings herself to the floor and kisses the floor in front of his boots. Even Sorilea looks taken aback (TPoD, Ch. 29).

• "Among all of those images spilling around Rand and the women, suddenly an aura flashed, blue and yellow tinged with green, encompassing them all. And Min knew its meaning. She gasped, half in surprise, half in relief. 'They will serve you, each in her fashion, Rand.'" (Min's viewing of Beldeine, Elza, Erian, Nesune, Sarene, Sorilea and Rand; TPoD, Ch. 29).

• Elza envies Nynaeve for being able to wield so much of saidar through the Choedan Kal; at the same time, she thinks that she might have gone mad from the sheer joy of it (WH, Ch. 35).

• Elza stands far enough below Cadsuane in the Power that Cadsuane should not need to command her to do anything (CoT, Ch. 23).

• She hates lightning (CoT, Ch. 24).

• She hates screaming almost as much as she hates lightning (CoT, Ch. 24).

Quotes

"You are the Dragon Reborn. You must be there for the Last Battle. I must help you be there! Whatever is necessary, I will do!" (Elza to Rand; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 29).

"Elza barely glanced at her. The usually pleasant-faced Green stood on the carpet in front of Cadsuane looking quite fierce, her face red and her eyes glaring. Elza was always very conscious of where she stood with respect to other sisters, perhaps too much so. For her to ignore Verin, much less confront Cadsuane, she must have been in a fine swivet." (Verin thinks of Elza; Winter's Heart, Chapter 25).

"Walking slowly, studying the forested hills around them, Elza suddenly stopped as a flicker of movement caught the corner of her eye. She turned her head slowly, and not as far as the hill where she had seen that flash. The day had been very difficult for her. In her captivity among the Aiel tents at Cairhien it had come to her that it was paramount for the Dragon Reborn to reach the Last Battle. It had suddenly become so blindingly obvious that it astounded her she had not seen it before. Now it was clear to her, as clear as saidar made the face of the man trying to hide on that hill while peeking around a tree trunk. Today, she had been forced to fight the Chosen. Surely the Great Lord would understand if she had actually killed any of them, but Corlan Dashiva was only one of those Asha'man." (Elza thinks to herself; Winter's Heart, Chapter 35).

"But only Elza tried to keep her away from him. The woman's attitude reeked of jealousy, which made no sense. She could not possibly believe herself better suited to advise him, and if there had been any suggestion that Elza desired the boy, as a man or a Warder, Min would have been snarling." (Cadsuane thinks of Elza and Rand; Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 23).