Somara
Author: Kyria d'Oreyn
General
Somara was a Far Dareis Mai of the Bent Peak sept of the Daryne Aiel (TPoD, Ch. 29). She had flaxen hair and blue eyes (TFoH, Ch. 51; TPoD, Ch. 27). She was tall even for an Aiel woman, maybe not quite a hand shorter than Rand (LoC, Ch. 1). She was probably not much older than Rand (LoC, Ch. 3).
She was one of the Maidens to treat Rand as their long-lost son (TFoH, Ch. 46).
Timeline
- Although not mentioned directly at the time, she was among the Maidens Sulin had surround Rand's tent. They refused to move until Rand let them escort him to his log tower for the battle against the Shaido (TFoH, Ch. 43).
- When Rand tried to rise in the morning, but was too weak, Aviendha threatened to bring Enaila, Somara and Lamelle. They were among the Maidens to escort him to the Sun Palace, where Sulin chose them and seventeen other Maidens as Rand's bodyguard. Aviendha accompanied him as well and said that if she thought he was too weak to continue, he would return to the tents even if Somara had to carry him. The two women kept exchanging glances while Rand was meeting the Tairen and Cairhienin nobles in the Grand Hall of the Sun Palace (TFoH, Ch. 46).
- She entered Rand's audience and announced Mat's return to Cairhien. Once, when Aviendha looked at Rand concernedly, he told her he was alright and there was no need to send for Somara (TFoH, Ch. 51).
- Aviendha tells Rand she did not tell Sulin, Enaila, Lamelle and Somara to watch him, or to do anything if he faltered, but that it was their own concern (TFoH, Ch. 52).
- Rand was sure she was among the crowd of Aiel who accompanied him to Caemlyn, because he recognized Lamelle (TFoH, Ch. 54).
- She and Enaila brought Rand a soup Lamelle used to make. When Davram Bashere appeared, they moved between him and Rand, ready to veil (TFoH, Ch. 56).
- When Rand was done practicing the sword in front of the assembled Andoran nobles, Somara appeared at his side with clothing and said he would catch a chill (LoC, Ch. 1).
- While the Andorans were in a frenzy at the mention of Taim's name, the Maidens merely stood calmly (LoC, Ch. 2).
- She was among the Maidens to accompany Rand to the farm, where Taim was to test men for the ability to channel. She told Rand not to tire himself (LoC, Ch. 3).
- She accompanied Rand to his army's camp for a meeting with Tairen and Cairhienin nobles. When Enaila asked who the Thunder Walker was who thought her joke better than his, Somara replied it was Leiran. The Maidens didn't believe Rand had a sense of humor, so he told them a joke, but no one understood it. She stayed outside the pavillion, where Rand conferred with the nobles. Later, Somara brought him food and tea, because he did not eat enough. Then, she and Enaila give Rand advice on how to attract Aviendha's interest (LoC, Ch. 4).
- Sulin thought to herself that if she, Somara and Enaila were there she would set them on Rand to protect him (LoC, Ch. 18).
- She guarded Rand's apartments with Maric. When Egwene showed up to talk to Rand, Somara let her pass because she was Amys' apprentice. Somara wanted her to tell Rand to be careful and to wash his ears. Egwene delivers Rand this advice. Later, she came in to inform Rand that the Aes Sedai had arrived (LoC, Ch. 27).
- Enaila escorted Min to Rand in the Grand Hall of the Royal Palace in Caemlyn, where Somara and some other Maidens were standing guard. The Aiel women exchanged handtalk and Enaila told Min to wait. When she took a step after Enaila, Somara thrust her spear in Min's way. Rand went back to his apartments with Min and told Somara she could send everyone away; only she and Enaila were left as his guards and they positioned themselves on both sides of Rand's door once they arrived there (LoC, Ch. 41).
- She and Enaila accompanied Rand on his visit to the farm (LoC, Ch. 42).
- She announced Berelain the second afternoon Rand was back in the Sun Palace (LoC, Ch. 50).
- She accompanied Rand when he Traveled to Caemlyn. She joked about Jalani when the young Maiden proffered a cup respectfully to Rand (ACoS, Ch. 7).
- Enaila and Somara insisted on shaving Rand when he was taking a bath (ACoS, Ch. 33).
- After his exploit to the Cairhienin rebel camp, Rand wanted to rise out of bed once he woke. Amys mockingly offered to have Nandera call in the Maidens from the corridor; especially Enaila and Somara would be happy to assist him (ACoS, Ch. 41).
- Rand told Min to have the Maidens outside his apartments carry a message to Cadsuane. When Rand was dressing, Somara, Nesair and Nandera strode in and beat him up, careful not to punch his never-healing wounds. They told him that this was how they treated a first-brother who dishonored them, and that they hoped Rand would not make it necessary again (TPoD, Ch. 27).
- She and five other Maidens guarded Rand's doors in the Sun Palace and were killed when the renegade Asha'man destroyed the apartments and she was added to his litany (TPoD, Ch. 29).
Relationships
She treated Rand as her long-lost son often and Rand thought she was one of the worst to do so (TFoH, Ch. 46). He thought she and the other Maidens could not decide whether he was the Car'a'carn or the only child of a Maiden ever to be known (ACoS, Ch. 7). She often lectured him on what she thought would be best for him, though she would never do so in public (LoC, Ch. 1; Ch. 19). Like the other Maidens, she accepted almost everything he did, but was very often concerned. In her book, he was headstrong and needed a wife to settle him down (LoC, Ch. 3; Ch. 27). Despite everything, the Maidens were very touchy about their honor and once beat him up for dishonoring them. Before that and after, they only met his gaze with flat stares, which spoke of their disapproval (TPoD, Ch. 27).
In her opinion, Leiran looked to have strong hands (LoC, Ch. 4).
Egwene knew Somara and had heard her talking about Rand "with the sort of exasperated pride a mother might have for an over-adventurous son of about ten." Egwene was the only apprentice Somara ever knew to serve three Wise Ones at once (LoC, Ch. 27).
Somara was one of the only Maidens Min knew; Somara smiled at her before the attack on Rand's apartments (TPoD, Ch. 29).
She was probably very close with Lamelle and Enaila, because they were often mentioned in one go; for example, they were the worst Maidens to treat him like a son of ten.
Miscellaneous
- She was not impressed by the colored windows in the Royal Palace's throne room portraying the early queens of Andor (TFoH, Ch. 56).
- When Somara and Enaila brought Rand soup, he thought whichever of them made it was no better a cook than Lamelle had been (TFoH, Ch. 56).
- Rand thought to himself that Somara and Enaila would probably give him some kind of herb tea as soon as their duties were done and wait until he drank it (LoC, Ch. 1).
- She understood when Egwene did not want the Aes Sedai to find out about her; after all, "the worst bad blood is between first-sisters" (LoC, Ch. 27).
- Rand always hoped she would not start to mother him when they were alone (LoC, Ch. 41).
Quotes
"'You do realize that neither of you is my mother, don’t you?'
The two cadin'sor-clad women looked at each other in confusion. 'Do you think this is another wetlander joke?' Enaila asked, and Somara shrugged.
'I do not know. He does not look amused.' She patted Rand on the back. 'I am sure it was a good joke, but you must explain it to us.'"
(Rand, Enaila and Somara; Lord of Chaos, Chapter 4)
"Somara moved a hand as if to smooth hair out of his face, then snatched it back. 'This is how we treat a first-brother who dishonors us, Rand al’Thor,” she said firmly. “The first time. The next, we will use straps.'(...)
She stepped over him to stride out, and the other two followed. Only Somara glanced back, and if sympathy touched her blue eyes, there was none in her voice when she said, 'Do not make this necessary again, son of a Maiden.'"
(Somara to Rand; The Path of Daggers, Chapter 27)