Berenicia Morsad

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

Berenicia Morsad is an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah who sided with the Salidar Aes Sedai when the White Tower split. She was part of the Salidar embassy to Rand (LoC, Ch. 41).

Berenicia is from the Border Marches of Shienar. She is plump and always looks grave. At times she has an acid tongue (LoC, Ch. 41; LoC, Ch. 46).

Timeline

• Min tells Rand that Berenicia is among the Aes Sedai who comprise the Salidar embassy to him. She also tells him that the fact that he has been received by Lord Agelmar Jagad of Shienar seems to carry a lot of weight with her (LoC, Ch. 46).

• When Demira Eriff is attacked in Caemlyn, her Warder, Stevan, nearly drags Berenicia to her side. Merana goes with them. They are all so concerned about Demira that they accidentally let the attacker, supposedly an Aiel man, get away (LoC, Ch. 46).

• When Demira after her attack, Berenicia is present, looking somber. Merana and Stevan are also present. They discuss the attack. Berenicia wants to kill the Aiel responsible for attacking Demira, and she says that Seonid agrees with her, but apparently no one else does. Demira and Merana claim that the Aiel was ordered to give the Aes Sedai a "warning", and only one man commands the Aiel: Rand. Verin appears and they decide to keep quiet about it to make Rand unsure as to what they will do in response (LoC, Ch. 46).

• Berenicia and the others are present when Merana receives the letter from Rand stating that he is going to Cairhien and no more than six of the Salidar Aes Sedai may follow him. Berenicia sits with her head slightly bowed, not saying a word unless spoken to (LoC, Ch. 49).

• Kiruna tells Demira, Valinde, Kairen and Berenicia to go with the Two Rivers girls back to Salidar while the others follow Rand to Cairhien (LoC, Ch. 49).

• Only two of the four Aes Sedai sent back to Salidar with the Two Rivers girls actually arrive. One of them is most likely Kairen, as we later see her in the camp, but it is not known who the other one is or where the other two went (TPoD, Ch. 30).

Miscellaneous

• Due to her being from the Border Marches of Shienar, Aiel raids were a feature of her growing up (LoC, Ch. 46).

• Berenicia's name simply isn't mentioned after Chapter 49 of Lord of Chaos. The possibilities are: 1) She is the second Aes Sedai who arrived in Salidar and her name just never got mentioned, 2) She died, which seems unlikely because such an event would have been remarked upon by Kairen at least, 3) She and one of the other four Aes Sedai sent back to Salidar went their own ways to see some task completed, or 4) Robert Jordan forgot about her.

Quotes

"Berenicia Morsad, a Yellow sister from Shienar, had heard from Shienarans in Salidar that Rand had been received in Fal Dara by the great captain Lord Agelmar Jagad, an honor that seemed to carry considerable weight with her; Lord Agelmar would hardly have received a ruffian, a fool or a scoundrel." (Rand; Lord of Chaos, Chapter 41).

"Stevan asked me to come," Berenicia said, "he all but dragged me -- and we ran the whole way. Truth, I was not certain we were in time until you opened your eyes just now." (Berenicia to Demira after Demira's attack; Lord of Chaos, Chapter 46).