Lord of Chaos: Chapter 53

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Author: Leora Oldessroth

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The Feast of Lights


Chapter Icon: Rising Sun

Points of View: Perrin, Galina, Rand, Sevanna

Outline

Berelain finds out Rand has been kidnapped. Perrin decides to rescue him with the help of the Wise Ones. Rand is severely beaten by Erian. The Shaido Wise Ones are also in the camp. They kill one of their own with the One Power.

Summary

Perrin's Point of View:

Setting: Cairhien - the streets and the Sun Palace

Characters: Perrin, Faile, Loial, Sulin, Dobraine, Berelain, Luaine, Sorilea, Rhuarc


Perrin is making his way through the streets of Cairhien; it is the first day of the Feast of Lights and so there are lots of people out. Perrin is shocked by what he sees people doing - randomly kissing each others, women without shirts on and general drunkenness. He thinks that the Women's Circle back home would have a fit if they saw this. Perrin is worried because Rand and Min have been gone for six days without any word. Perrin thinks to himself that even Elaida's emissaries are disgusted, as they left the city three days ago.

Perrin arrives at the Sun Palace and goes to his rooms, finding Faile there playing stones with Loial. She ignores Perrin. Sulin comes in, bringing a pillow for the room; she answers a knock at the door. Dobraine comes in. Perrin notices that he is sombre and completely sober. Dobraine asks to speak to Perrin alone; Perrin says that he can say anything in front of his wife and Loial - he has no secrets from them. Dobraine informs Perrin that there have been two murders that day, most unusual for the Feast of Lights. He also reports that Colavaere has begun seeking support for her claim to the Sun Throne. Perrin tells Dobraine that if Colavaere has committed a crime he should speak to Rhuarc.

Dobraine doesn't like that idea, and he would rather go to Berelain. Berelain enters the room just then. Perrin is infuriated that she has come to flirt with him in front of his wife and he yells at her to get out of the room. A startled Berelain drops the bundle she had been carrying; Perrin recognizes the items as Rand's sword and Dragon buckle, which she has found left behind. Sulin immediately figures out that Rand has been kidnapped and starts wailing. Berelain tells Sulin to be quiet, not recognizing her as Aiel. This makes Sulin mad, so she storms into the hallway and orders a Maiden to run and get Rhuarc, Nandera and cadin'sor for her.

Perrin is not convinced that Rand has been kidnapped. There were only three Aes Sedai in the Grand Hall the day he was kidnapped as far as he knows. Berelain moves closer to him but Perrin orders her to stay put. Berelain complies and tells him that she herself has been "strongly advised" by Aes Sedai to return to Mayene with the impression that if she didn't leave willingly she'd be forced. That is why she searched Rand's apartment. Dobraine has also been urged to leave. He believes it is Colavaere's doing as she wants the Sun Throne for herself and not Elayne.

Perrin is convinced and announces that he will get Rand back. Loial is determined to accompany him. Dobraine says he can have five hundred men by the next day. Sorilea, Rhuarc and Nandera enter around this time, bringing Sulin cadin'sor and scissors to cut her hair. Rhuarc says that he can bring Maidens of the Spear and siswai'aman, but no other Aiel will fight Aes Sedai. Perrin asks how so few can stand up to so many Aes Sedai who can channel. Sorilea tells him not to worry, as Aes Sedai aren't the only women who can channel!




Galina's Point of View:

Setting: The camp of the Aes Sedai who kidnapped Rand and Min

Characters: Galina, Min, Carilo, Erian


Galina is trying to get Min to "cooperate" with her. Min refuses to talk. Galina senses a change in the flows she's been feeling so she leaves the tent where Min is being held. On her way out she snaps at the Warder on guard, Carilo, to watch Min carefully as she has already proved troublesome. The previous evening she had been allowed out to walk by the Warder on guard. Rand spotted her and went into a fury that she had been captured as well. He had tried to break through his shield and in the process killed a Warder with his bare hands and severely wounded another (the second ended up dying from the shock of attempted Healing).

She sets off looking for Gawyn, who has been withdrawn ever since Rand's capture. Galina sees the seven Aes Sedai around the chest where Rand is being held. Six are seated and Erian is there as well, standing. Erian hasn't been far from the box since Rand was put back in to it the previous night. Erian furiously informs Galina that Rand has tried to break through the shield again and that she wants to be the one who punishes him. Galina hesitates. Both of the Warders who died belonged to Erian. Galina feels that it is the best way to let Erian work out her rage, so she lets Erian punish him.




Rand's Point of View:

Setting: The camp of the Aes Sedai who kidnapped Rand and Min

Characters: Rand, Erian


Rand is taken out of the chest by Erian. She immediately begins to beat him with lashes made of Air. Rand refuses to cry out, clenching his jaw instead. Lews Therin moans with him, crying out for Ilyena. Rand regrets ever having trusted Aes Sedai. He refuses to be broken, however, so he forces himself to look Erian in the eyes and smile. This infuriates her and she lashes him harder. Rand is in so much pain that he temporarily loses his vision. When the beating finally stops and his vision returns, he thinks he is hallucinating, as he sees Aiel Wise Ones.

It takes him a minute but he finally recognizes Sevanna and figures out that the Aes Sedai must be allied with the Shaido. Sevanna strolls up to him and strokes his face; she tells the Aes Sedai that they have met their part of the bargain. Rand is promptly put back into his chest. Rand struggles to find the void as his thoughts race about how he can get himself and Min out of there. Lews Therin is ranting again, but Rand thinks that the two should work together; the voice of Lews Therin tells him, as Rand probes the shield, that if the women will tie off his shield, he knows how to break it. He will know it is tied off when the six points in the flows are hard, not soft like they are right now. While Rand tries to find a way through the shield, he thinks of various strategies that will get him out of the chest so that he has a better chance at escape. He begins to laugh and cannot stop.




Galina's Point of View:

Setting: The camp of the Aes Sedai who kidnapped Rand and Min

Characters: Galina, Erian


Galina watches as the Aiel leave her camp. In a few days time, Sevanna will fulfil her part of the bargain - killing Gawyn and the Younglings. Galina returns to the camp and finds Erian standing over Rand's chest. Erian says that Rand is weeping (though he is actually laughing) and begins to cry herself. Galina tries to soothe her but Erian says that she must get back to her other Warders as they are suffering as much as she. Galina is determined that by the time they get to Tar Valon, Rand will be properly compliant, so he will be punished every day at dawn and at sunset.




Sevanna's Point of View:

Setting: A stand of trees outside the camp of the Aes Sedai who kidnapped Rand and Min

Characters: Sevanna


Sevanna asks the Wise Ones if they saw how the Aes Sedai had been holding Rand. They confirm that they did and that they can duplicate the weaves. Sevanna intends to marry Rand. Sevanna decides to throw away a small stone cube that a wetlander had given her to use when Rand was a captive - after all, she is to wed the Car'a'carn. Abruptly she tells Desaine that it is time. Desaine blinks in surprise, screams, and then the other Wise Ones tear apart her body with the One Power.

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