The Gathering Storm: Chapter 19

Gambits

Point of View: Tuon

Characters: Tuon, Karede, Selucia, Yuril, Beslan, Galgan, Yulan, Tylee

Setting: The Tarasin Palace

Tuon enters the audience chamber and sits, thinking that even with all the protection she has, she doesn't feel any safer than when she was with Mat. She sees Galgan with Najirah and Yamada and announces Selucia as her Truthspeaker. Beslan is sent in and Tuon tells him they know he planned rebellion, but as that was before the Empress's death, it can be forgiven. she thinks if she executed him, it would cause problems in Altara and she needs stability there. She offers him a choice, execution or swearing fealty, in which case he will be raised to the High Blood and have absolute power, such that no Seanchan noble will be able to command or harm his people without his permission. She gives him a dossier showing how crime has decreased and how much more stable and safe Altara is since the Seanchan took over. He considers it briefly, then swears Fealty, though not in the Seanchan way. Galgan begins to say he is doing it wrong, but Tuon, thinking of the talks she had with Setalle says that the Seanchan will have to accept some of the ways of the people they have conquered.

Beslan steps aside to watch the rest of the events and Galgan brings in Yulan who tells of a plan he has devised to raid the White Tower, using sixty to eight raken, two hundred soldiers, around twenty leashed sul'dam and a company of bloodknives. No one speaks out , but before she makes her decision, Tylee comes in, with a Trolloc's head, saying she encountered them just outside Ebou Dar. Tuon says this makes it only more urgent to subdue the Dragon Reborn. Tylee disagrees and says it would be better to ally, Tuon is shocked that someone would disagree with her stated opinion, but Selucia chastises her and she decided Tylee is right and that she should meet Rand

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