The Shadow Rising: Chapter 51

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Author: Atarah al'Norahn

Seanchan Helmet Chapter Icon.png


Revelations in Tanchico


Chapter Icon: Insect like Helmet

Point of View: Elayne

Setting: The Three Plum Court, Tanchico

Characters: Elayne, Nynaeve, Egeanin, Rendra, Bayle Domon, Thom, Juilin

Summary

Elayne, Nynaeve and Egeanin are in The Chamber of Falling Blossoms, eating. As they dine, they speak of the war between Arad Doman and Tarabon; when Rendra enters the room, she joins in the conversation.

Elayne thinks of Egeanin and how she and Nynaeve are spending so much time with her. Not realizing who Egeanin is, they both like her very much. At the moment, Egeanin is questioning Elayne and Nynaeve about Aes Sedai in an attempt to learn why the a'dam is able to collar a sul'dam as well as a damane. Egeanin then tells both of the others that she knows they are looking for someone. "You have not made any real effort to keep secret from me that you are looking for someone." She is just about to start questioning them about it when Bayle Domon walks into the room.

He begins to say that he has found theBlack Ajah when he sees Egeanin. "You!" he shouts. Upon seeing him, Egeanin jumps up from her chair and tries to punch Domon in the stomach, but he catches her wrist and they fight. Domon comes out victorious, pinning her to the floor with a boot on her shoulder. Elayne, not knowing what to think, weaves Air around the both of them. "What is the meaning of this?" At the same time, Nynaeve demands that Domon release Egeanin, and he reveals that she is Seanchan. At first, Elayne and Nynaeve do not know whether to believe him, but when Egeanin does not deny it they begin to realize that it is the truth.

Nynaeve begins to rant at Egeanin. "Seanchan! Worming your way into our friendship!" and "Did you mean to lure us somewhere your filthy sul'dam could lock their leashes about our throats?" Egeanin seems surprised that she knows about damane, and Nynaeve tells her that sul'dam can channel too. "For every woman who can channel that you've leashed like an animal, you walk by another ten or twenty every day without realizing it." Egeanin responds, telling them that she knows this, and that she has been searching for information to explain why it works that way.

Nynaeve and Elayne are still shocked at the news that Egeanin is Seanchan, and they start questioning her. She tells them that she had captured a sul'dam with an a'dam, and when Nynaeve's fists tighten, informs them that she set Bethamin free the night before. Elayne and Nynaeve do not know what to do with her; Elayne tells Nynaeve that she does not believe Egeanin is a Darkfriend, and their prisoner responds vehemently that she certainly isn't.

Next, Domon tells them what he found out about the Black Ajah. He found two of the women at the Panarch's Palace, but Nynaeve is speculative. They talk shortly about why they would be in the Panarch's Palace, with all the Whitecloaks around, and then Juilin enters the room. He asks if he can speak to Nynaeve alone, but she responds that he can very well say anything he needs to say right there, and then asks if he has "found them in the Panarch's Palace, too?"

Thom is the next to enter, and he also asks if he can speak with Nynaeve alone, saying that he has important news. Nynaeve tells Thom that she does not have time, as they have just found out that the Black sisters are in the Panarch's Palace. Thom is shocked, as this is the news that he wanted to relay to Nynaeve. Elayne asks Thom is he has any information on whether Amathera could be a Darkfriend, but he has no clue. He then asks why Egeanin is there, as she was not supposed to know about all of this, and he is told that she is Seanchan; Juilin had not yet heard either, and both of them are as shocked as Elayne and Nynaeve were.

They all sit down to talk, and narrow the Amathera problem down to three possibilities: 1) Amathera is a Darkfriend, 2) She thinks that the Black sisters are normal Aes Sedai, or 3) She is their prisoner. The discussion goes on throughout the whole meal and longer.

Eventually, the three men went out so they can try to find more information, leaving the three women alone. They wait, and the men come back every so often to update them: so far, they have no new information. Eventually, they are all back in the room some three hours after sunset. Bayle Domon is dispirited and says that it will just be another Falme, and that if they don't find something within the next couple of days, he will be leaving. Thom is exhausted and just wants to sleep, but Juilin says that he will go out and search some more. Nynaeve tells him that he will do nothing of the such, and that all three men will be taking turns guarding the door to her and Elayne's room.

Egeanin spends the night on a pallet in the room with Elayne and Nynaeve. Nynaeve insists on binding her hands behind her back. She then demands that Elayne give her the stone ring ter'angreal, telling the younger woman to wake her up in an hour. After Nynaeve is asleep, Elayne and Egeanin talk a little bit. Egeanin says that she is terrified, and Elayne tells her that no matter how much Nynaeve hates her, that they won't harm her.

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