The Shadow Rising: Chapter 46
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Author: Estyrien al'Halien
Chapter Icon: A black head on a white background facing a white head on a black background
Points of View: Egeanin, Elayne
Contents
Outline
Egeanin helps Elayne and Nynaeve escape Gelb's goonies, and realizes Aes Sedai are very different from what she expected.
Summary
Egeanin's Point of View:
Characters: Thom, Juilin, Rendra, Moghedien and an unknown Seanchan man
Egeanin is following Floran Gelb through the crowds of refugees near the Great Circle. She is disgusted that "order had broken down enough for penniless refugees to take over the circles", even though this means that Tarabon will be more easily taken by the Corenne. Egeanin doesn't stand out in the crowd because she left her guards and chair behind so that she could follow Gelb without him noticing. Gelb has brought several thugs with him, "burly rough-faced men all", and she knows that he will try to kidnap someone. Gelb has already kidnapped three women who vaguely matched the description she gave him and Egeanin realises that "she should never have paid him for that first woman." She is distracted suddenly by shouts that surround a man with a broken arm; the person who broke his arm has already melted into the crowd.
Egeanin loses track of Gelb for a moment but she spots him and his companions again. From their stances she can tell that they are about to kidnap someone. She notices two women walking down the street who, although dressed like Taraboners, "were out of place here". The blonde is dismissed but the brunette "looked very much like a sul'dam named Surine" except that she is too short. Realising that they are about to be attacked by Gelb, Egeanin pushes through the crowd to try to stop him.
Elayne's Point of View:
Characters: Egeanin, Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom, Juilin, Rendra, Moghedien
Elayne is complaining to Nynaeve that they should have hired a chair. Nynaeve disagrees, "feet are for walking", and claims that she feels safer walking than being carried by men she doesn't trust. Elayne thinks that "twenty bodyguards would have suited her well", especially since she has had three of her purses stolen already. She tells Nynaeve that it would have been better if they had worn plainer dresses and thinks to herself that Nynaeve "had come to enjoy wearing silks and pretty dresses".
The night before, Elayne had met with Egwene and Amys in Tel'aran'rhiod and Amys gave her a lecture about the danger of it. She told Elayne that she should control what she though in Tel'aran'rhiod, something that Elayne thinks is very difficult. Interrupting them, a man rushes at Elayne and she swings her barrel stave at him and breaks his nose. More men attack them- one yelling, "Don't let her get away. She's gold, I tell you"- and Elayne thinks that they are trying to abduct her because she is the Daughter Heir of Andor. Both Nynaeve and Elayne embrace saidar though they don't use it in case the Black Ajah are close by. Suddenly, a woman comes to their rescue, Egeanin though they don't know it yet, and together they manage to stop the thugs and send them on their way. The last man tries to attack Egeanin but Elayne channels at him, sending "the man and his knife into a back flip".
Nynaeve invites Egeanin back to their inn for tea and she accepts, even though she is hesitant because she saw Elayne channel. Juilin is in their room and tells them, cautiously because of Egeanin, that he has found the house that the Black Ajah has used. However, "little remains now except a few scraps of food" because from what he has heard, they left last night. Nynaeve is angry because she thinks that Juilin was careless and tells him that they will talk later. Rendra comes in and serves them tea, chattering all the while about frivolous things, "Your dresses, they are magnificent. Beautiful". Egeanin is amazed that they allow Rendra to talk "as if you were her sisters" and Juilin to mock them.
Egeanin offers to help them gain information about "these women the dark man spoke of" in return for them telling her more of the White Tower. Elayne and Nynaeve refuse to let her help but agree to answer more questions about Aes Sedai. Egeanin is extremely surprised that channeling can be learnt but before Elayne can ask her something, Thom walks in. He tells them that "Lady Amathera is to be invested as Panarch" but rumour has it that the Assembly had refused her. He says that there are bound to be riots. Bayle Domon is to provide fifty bodyguards for Elayne and Nynaeve to ensure their safety in the days ahead. Thom leaves before Nynaeve can berate him for hiring bodyguards and Egeanin leaves soon after.
Elayne and Nynaeve talk about the bodyguards, "You do agree they're necessary", and Nynaeve thinks that Egeanin knows Domon Bayle, "She was startled. She knows him". Rendra knocks again and says that someone is asking for them in the inn, "She says that she believes she knows you". Elayne and Nynaeve think that she is Black Ajah and invite her in, quickly forming weaves of Air and a Shield. The woman walks in and embraces saidar and does something to both the women. We later learn that she is Moghedien and the weave is Compulsion.
She talks to Elayne and Nynaeve and they find themselves hurrying to obey her, "anything to please this woman". They tell her that there are no Aes Sedai with them and everything that they have learnt about the Black Ajah. However, Moghedien's haste means that she misses some vital information; she does not know that Elayne has the twisted ring ter'angreal and that they are not actually Aes Sedai. From what they tell her, Moghedien learns that Be'lal is dead and she believes the body in Tear was Ishamael's. She has learnt of "something to control a man who can channel". She instructs Elayne and Nynaeve to forget their meeting and what they have told her and leaves. They are slightly confused and start to talk about the Black Ajah again.
Egeanin's Point of View:
Setting: Tanchico
Characters: Egeanin and an unknown Seanchan man
Egeanin is looking at the men outside the inn, hoping that none of them "had been on Bayle Domon's ship when she took him and it to Falme". She is very nervous that she has just spoken with Aes Sedai, "women who could wield the Power, and not decently leashed". She is surprised that someone can learn to channel and scared that Bayle Domon is close by. Close by there is a man who is following Egeanin, unbeknownst to her. He is Seanchan and he was the one who broke the man's arm when she was following Gelb. He wants to know what she was doing in the inn.
Notes
Characters
- First Mention
Mysteries
- Who is the Seanchan man watching Egeanin?
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
- Who is the Seanchan man watching Egeanin?
Probably he is the same Seeker of the Truth that she met in her room, based on his description.