Aviendha

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TV show

Aviendha
Nationality	Aiel
Affiliation	Wise One
Social Status
Family
First Appearance	The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 38

A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion confirming the information available in the main story arc.

Authors: Kariada Kunai, Napolde Surion, and Bryce al'Mara

Pronunciation: ah-vee-EHN-dah

Aviendha is a young Aiel woman of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel (ACoS, Ch. 13). She is of the Aiel who crossed the Dragonwall to look for He Who Comes with the Dawn. On their way to Tear, Aviendha and other Maidens of the Spear meet Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve.

General

Aviendha's claim to the Bitter Water sept in TDR, Ch. 38 is an error which has since been corrected in all later editions of the book. She was born in NE 980 (TPoD, Prologue).

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Once Far Dareis Mai, a Maiden of the Spear, she is now training to become a Wise One (TSR, Ch. 23). She has the ability to channel born in her and has the potential to be as strong as Egwene (TSR, Ch. 23).

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She knows almost nothing about Healing, but she has the Talents of Unweaving and Reading Residues (TFoH, Ch. 32) (TPoD, Ch. 2).

Appearance

Strongly muscled but softly curved (TFoH, Ch. 31), Aviendha stands taller than an average woman due to her Aiel blood. Her hair is a dark red hue, and her eyes are a deep blue-green that blaze with fire to match her personality and nature. Rand describes Aviendha as a "more than pretty woman" (TFoH, Ch. 4). He also thinks she has a haughty unsmiling stare and is as "proud as a green-eyed hawk" (TSR, Ch. 22). Even Amys tells Aviendha she has too much pride (ACoS, Ch. 13). As a Maiden, Aviendha wears her hair short, with a tail in the back which hangs to her shoulders, and the Aiel cadin'sor (TDR, Ch. 38).

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Since giving up the spear to become a Wise One, she has been growing out her hair, which is covered by a scarf and still short of her shoulders, and wears a shawl and skirts (TFoH, Ch. 4).

Personality

According to Mat, she has "a viper for a tongue and a temper to make Nynaeve look meek" (TSR, Ch. 36).

Condensed Timeline

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• Aviendha is born NE 980 (TPoD, Prologue).
• Aviendha is a Maiden of the Spear when she first meets Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne (TDR, Ch. 39).
• She is summoned by the Wise Ones to Rhuidean to begin her training as a Wise One (TSR, Ch. 12).
• Rand and Aviendha make love (TFoH, Ch. 31).
• Aviendha participates in the battle with the Shaido by calling down lightning (TFoH, Ch. 43).
• She Unweaves a gateway (TPoD, Ch. 2).
• Aviendha participates in using the Bowl of the Winds (TPoD, Ch. 5).
• Elayne and Aviendha becomes first-sisters (WH, Prologue).
• She discovers that she can tell the use of ter'angreal (KoD, Ch. 15).
• Aviendha rejects the Wise Ones' punishments and they state that was what they have been waiting for her to do (TGS, Ch. 26).
• She completes her trek through the glass columns at Rhuidean (ToM, Ch. 48).
• Aviendha steps through the columns once more and sees the future of the Aiel, whether destined or fluid (ToM, Ch. 49).

Aviendha's Journey

The Eye of the World

There is no relevant reference to Aviendha in this book.

The Great Hunt

There is no relevant reference to Aviendha in this book.

The Dragon Reborn

Aviendha, in a group with Jolien, Dailin, Bain, and Chiad, is among the last of the Aiel sent by the Wise Ones to hunt for He Who Comes With the Dawn. It is during this search that she first meets Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve. Aviendha asks for their help to Heal Dailin, who has been injured. Aviendha finds it strange that three Aes Sedai would make their way to Tear, so she follows them to see what they will do once Nynaeve Heals Dailin. When the three are captured, Aviendha goes for help and rescues them. (TDR, Ch. 39)

When Aviendha first meets Mat, he asks her if she can "do any dances without spears." Her response is apparently less than satisfactory for Mat. (TDR, Ch. 56)

The Shadow Rising

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As per Moiraine's order, Aviendha stays close to Elayne, Egwene, and Nynaeve in the Stone of Tear. Egwene thinks that if the two got to know each other better, they could become friends. (TSR, Ch. 5)

Aviendha visits Egwene in her rooms while in the Stone of Tear, and the two spend time together laughing and talking. Though they don't always understand each others' ways, the two become friends. (TSR, Ch. 9) When Aviendha is finally summoned to Rhuidean, she is very reluctant to go. Moiraine tells her she has received a message from the Wise Ones telling her to report at once. Aviendha instead wants to go to Tanchico with Nynaeve and Elayne to hunt for the Black Ajah. (TSR, Ch. 12) Aviendha also helps Egwene prepare for her journey into the Waste (TSR, Ch. 16).

When Rand asks Aviendha why she doesn't like him, she first tells him that as He Who Comes With the Dawn, she cannot like nor dislike him. She then hints that she may spite him for going to Rhuidean for honor and yet still be "free", while she must go and be tied to the Wise Ones, studying. She also says that he treats Elayne badly, but since Egwene still likes him, and she is friends with Egwene, she will give him a chance. (TSR, Ch. 22)

Aviendha does not want to become a Wise One, and refuses training at first, wanting to remain a Maiden of the Spear. When Aviendha does agree to go to Rhuidean, she runs the whole way, determined to beat Mat and Rand there (TSR, Ch. 23). Aviendha was almost not allowed to go across the Dragonwall to hunt for He Who Comes With the Dawn, as she had other duties to begin training as a Wise One (TDR, Ch. 39). As it is, she is late to begin her training (TSR, Ch. 23).

Aviendha, as well as Moiraine, is still in Rhuidean by the time Rand and Mat return. Rand suggests going back to Rhuidean to look for Aviendha and Moiraine, but Melaine explodes, telling him that he would not come back out alive. Later that afternoon, on the seventh day since everyone left, Rand sees a very sunburned and weary Aviendha scrambling up the mountain (TSR, Ch. 34). He is happy to see her, even though she dislikes him, for her dislike does not stem from who he is. She dislikes him simply because she feels he mistreats Elayne. Aviendha, however, stares at him with pure hate. Rand realizes that, having just gone to Rhuidean, she would now know of the prophecy stating that he would destroy the Aiel. Mat warns Rand not to turn his back on her. (TSR, Ch. 34)

Upon Aviendha's return, the Wise Ones take her into a tent, where she later emerges wearing a bulky brown skirt with a loose white blouse, and a shawl looped around her arms. She looks less than happy, and when she sees Rand, she gives him a look of pure "animal rage". (TSR, Ch. 34)

Later that evening, Aviendha is in the sweat tent along with the other Wise Ones, Moiraine, and Egwene when they discuss Rand. She tosses water into a kettle, creating steam for the tent and has a sour look on her face. Egwene empathizes as she remembers the chores she had to do as a novice in the White Tower (TSR, Ch. 35).

During this meeting, Bair orders Aviendha to watch Rand for the Wise Ones. She is to get as close to him as she can and talk to him, to see if he will let anything slip. This may get in the way of her training, but the Wise Ones believe it is the only way. Aviendha refuses, bursting out, almost in tears, that she hates him. The Wise Ones threaten her with chores, expecting to be obeyed, and some of Aviendha's stubbornness recedes. It is not until Egwene asks her to do it for her, and to look after him for Elayne, that Aviendha finally says, "I will watch him for Elayne" (TSR, Ch. 35).

When Egwene tells Elayne that Aviendha has the spark, she is not surprised. Elayne says she feels a kinship for the Aiel just as she does for others who can channel. Both Egwene and Amys think that Aviendha will be very strong (TSR, Ch. 35).

The next morning, Aviendha waits for Rand outside his tent and stays with him the entire day. Rand describes her as she walks beside his horse: "Stalking. If she were a cat, she would be lashing her tail" (TSR, Ch. 36).

During his training with Lan, Rand asks how to defeat an Aiel attack. Aviendha explodes, demanding to know why he would want to fight his own people, and why he would ask a wetlander instead of an Aiel anyway. Rhuarc approaches and scolds Aviendha for sulking so long, telling her there is a limit even though she suffered a disappointment, and that her obligation to her people will not be fulfilled by her petty tantrums. Aviendha glowers as if blaming Rand for being scolded (TSR, Ch. 37).

Aviendha tells Rand that Elayne is the woman for him, saying that she is a wetlander like him and, much to Rand's embarrassment, describes Elayne's body in blatant detail. She then goes on to scold Rand for rejecting Elayne after she "bared her heart" to him in letters (TSR, Ch. 36).

When Rand snaps at Aviendha for her lack of respect for him, Rhuarc intercedes that he will not be treated as a "wetlander king," although, he says, "Some do push the bounds of honor." At hearing that, Aviendha tenses up and holds her tongue (TSR, Ch. 37).

After a few days of travel, Egwene approaches Rand and yells at him, telling him to stop doing whatever it is that is upsetting Aviendha so (TSR, Ch. 37).

As Rand retires for bed, Aviendha follows him to his tent and then is there the next morning when he wakes. Rand is happy to see her, because he knows who she is and what her feelings for him are (TSR, Ch. 37).

During their journey through the Waste, Aviendha is adamant about Rand's relationship with Elayne. When she catches him looking at another woman, she scolds him, saying, "You belong to Elayne" (TSR, Ch. 37). She even tells him: "If I could, I would take you gai'shain and give you to Elayne!" (TSR, Ch. 48) That evening, the group gets attacked while at the campfire by Trollocs. Though she has given up the spear, Aviendha uses a corner of her shawl to veil her face and fights along with the rest of them (TSR, Ch. 37). She is later scolded by the Wise Ones for her actions (TSR, Ch. 48).

For the majority of the trip, Aviendha walks besides Rand's horse. Sometimes Rand walks along with her, but he is not able to walk for as long as she can. Occasionally he has been able to get her to ride along with him, saying he gets a crick in his neck from looking down at her all the time, although even the slightest laugh from any Aiel gets her off the horse and walking once more (TSR, Ch. 48).

Aviendha lectures Rand on Aiel customs as they travel, and he finds it enjoyable at times. Whenever she realizes that they begin to talk as two normal people would, she snaps at him and returns to her stony self, as if having been caught in a trap (TSR, Ch. 48).

Of all the Aiel traveling with them, Aviendha is the only one who talks with Rand at any length (TSR, Ch. 48).

Rand thinks he sees compassion on Aviendha's face once, when the Wise Ones approach him to see how he is, although as soon as she sees Rand looking at her, it is gone (TSR, Ch. 48).

Keille mentions to Rand that perhaps Aviendha shows contempt for him because he belongs to another. Rand disagrees with her, saying: "Aviendha would plant a knife in my ribs if she believed I had thought of her that way" (TSR, Ch. 48).

When Rand tells Egwene how he is uncomfortable around Aviendha, the Wise Ones have a talk with her. Upon her return, Aviendha demands that she teach him about Aiel ways and customs (TSR, Ch. 48).

Aviendha's nights and parts of some days are spent with the Wise Ones, during which she learns about channeling and becoming one of them (TSR, Ch. 48).

One of Aviendha's first times channeling is a giant ball of fire, which tumbles out ahead of the Wise Ones' party before winking out on the horizon. The Wise Ones are very excited when this happens (TSR, Ch. 48).

When the group reaches Cold Rocks Hold, and it is apparent that Rand does not know everything he should about the Aiel, the Wise Ones threaten to scold Aviendha in private. Rand intercedes in her defense, saying that she was a good teacher. He asks that she remain as such (TSR, Ch. 49).

When Rand tells Aviendha that he does not know what he ever did to her, she replies "You have done nothing to me, and you never will" (TSR, Ch. 49).

Aviendha shows a temper during dinner that night and is told to dust carpets in order to work it out. She says it may take all night (TSR, Ch. 50).

Rand tries to give Aviendha a bracelet in thanks for her teachings. Aviendha at first does not want to take the gift, but eventually does. When she finds out that he got it from other Maidens, she realizes that they think he is trying to get her interest and approve. She will not let Rand take the gift back after this, saying it would take away her honor, and instead says they must think what they do, even if it means nothing (TSR, Ch. 50). Throughout the rest of the journey, however, Aviendha tries to hide the bracelet from the other Maidens (TSR, Ch. 57).

The Fires of Heaven

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Aviendha gives Egwene a necklace and in return Egwene gives her a necklace (TFoH, Ch. 5). Aviendha still believes she has a debt to Rand so she gives him King Laman's sword. He only accepts the blade and gives her back the jewel-encrusted hilt (TFoH, Ch. 15).

Their camp is attacked by Trollocs and Draghkar. Aviendha gets lured in by a Draghkar and Rand balefires it. Aviendha weaves fire past Rand and he gets mad and yells at her but after turning around he sees another Draghkar burning behind him (TFoH, Ch. 22). Aviendha asks Egwene to talk to the Wise Ones about having her staying in Rand's tent. She says she will but then Sorilea overhears them and comes over chewing them out for questioning a Wise One. Sorilea then tells Aviendha she will set her up with Feran (TFoH, Ch. 23).

Rand walks into his tent and finds Aviendha naked. Aviendha tries to run away from him and opens a gateway to Seanchan. She runs through into the snow. Rand chases after her but can barely see her through the snow. He sees her sink into the ground and finds where she fell through the ice into the water. He goes in after her and drags her out. He uses saidin to build a snow hut and to warm up the hut. He then uses his body heat to warm her. She wakes up and they make love. Afterwards Rand tells Aviendha he will marry her, but she refuses, saying he belongs to Elayne and that she will follow the Two Rivers customs, which means Rand will have to wait a year before marrying her (TFoH, Ch. 31). They make their way back to where Rand has the gateway held open, but they find Seanchan there, a couple damane and 20 soldiers on foot. Aviendha ties the damane and sul'dam with air and blocks them. Rand has her try to free the damane but he has to make her stop before the gateway closes. Rand and Aviendha make their way through the gateway and Rand slashes his weave, closing the gateway. Aviendha leaves for the night (TFoH, Ch. 32).

Aviendha gets permission to participate in battle to help Rand fight the Shaido. She calls down lightning from the sky (TFoH, Ch. 43). As the battle progresses, she and Egwene get tired and start taking turns relieving each other. The tower gets struck by lightning and gets knocked down. They get on horseback to get closer to the battle (TFoH, Ch. 44). Aviendha accompanies Rand into Cairhien after his victory over the Shaido. They learn that Rahvin has killed Morgase and Aviendha leaves to tell Amys (TFoH, Ch. 51).

The next morning Aviendha goes with Rand and Moiraine down to the docks where Lanfear attacks and hurts Aviendha before Moiraine forces herself and Lanfear through the door ter'angreal (TFoH, Ch. 52). Aviendha skims to Caemlyn with Rand to help him fight Rahvin. They are attacked by Trollocs and Fades and they are struck by lightning. Aviendha is killed by the lightning (TFoH, Ch. 54). Rand balefires Rahvin, reverting time, and Aviendha is brought back to life (TFoH, Ch. 55).

Lord of Chaos

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Aviendha tells Rand that she must return to Cairhien to meet with the Wise Ones (LoC, Ch. 16). Aviendha travels with Rand to Cairhien and quickly takes off to go see the Wise Ones (LoC, Ch. 17). The Wise Ones have a closed meeting with Aviendha (LoC, Ch. 18). Aviendha stays the night with the Wise Ones and then travels back to Caemlyn with Rand. Upon returning to Caemlyn Rand asks her about Elayne, but the Wise Ones did not know where she was. Aviendha then tells him about dreams the Wise Ones have had about him (LoC, Ch. 19).

Aviendha gets angry because Rand left without her or telling her. As they talk a Gray man comes in and is killed by Taim. After Taim leaves, Aviendha lectures Rand on ji'e'toh, then leaves (LoC, Ch. 28). Aviendha travels with Rand to meet with the Band of the Red Hand. Rand asks Mat to go to Salidar and escort Elayne to Caemlyn. Aviendha will travel with him to meet with Elayne. Rand opens a gateway to a few days' journey outside of Salidar, and Aviendha and the Band go through (LoC, Ch. 33). On the way there, Olver tries to kill Aviendha. They arrive in Salidar and Aes Sedai start talking to Aviendha about channeling (LoC, Ch. 38).

Elayne finds Aviendha surrounded by Aes Sedai and manages to get her away. Aviendha tells her about sleeping with Rand. Elayne is ok with it and tells Aviendha about Min and her vision of Rand sharing three women. Aviendha wants to go after Min but Elayne talks her out of it (LoC, Ch. 40).

Aviendha travels with Nynaeve, Elayne, and Mat to Ebou Dar (LoC, Ch. 44). They are given rooms at the Tarasin Palace and Aviendha scouts out the Palace.(LoC, Ch. 48)

A Crown of Swords

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Aviendha rides a boat out to a Sea Folk ship. She tells them about the bowl ter'angreal and asks if they will help. They tell her they know of the bowl and it is called the Bowl of the Winds. Baroc is sent to summon all the wavemistresses in port and the First Twelve. They then begin to negotiate on what to do (ACoS, Ch. 13). Aviendha keeps a watch on Carridin, disguising herself. Vanin reports seeing them but does not recognize them in their disguises (ACoS, Ch. 28). After being attacked by the gholam they decide to head to the Farm (ACoS, Ch. 39).

The Path of Daggers

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In the Palace's stable yard Aviendha makes a gateway to the farm but feels watched. As the Aes Sedai, Kin, and Windfinders make their way through the gateway, Aviendha sees a man looking down at her. She believes it is the gholam, so she tells a windfinder to warn Elayne and Nynaeve that enemies are always around (TPoD, Ch. 1). Once everyone makes it through the gateway, Aviendha steps through and decides to Unweave the gateway so no one can follow. As she begins to Unweave it, everyone else is shocked. The Aes Sedai say it is dangerous but Aviendha tells them Wise Ones train channellers to do this from a young age (TPoD, Ch. 2). Aviendha and Elayne go through the stash of goods they have found finding a couple of angreal and many ter'angreal (TPoD, Ch. 4).

Aviendha participates in the circle that uses the Bowl of Winds using an angreal. After using the Bowl of Winds, the group is attacked by the Seanchan. They rush back to the Farm to get everyone out of there (TPoD, Ch. 5). Elayne opens a gateway to some hills in Andor. Everyone goes through and Aviendha stays with Elayne as she tries to Unweave her gateway. A damane shields Elayne, though, causing her to lose saidar, which causes the gateway weave to explode, injuring Elayne and Aviendha and killing Elayne's horse (TPoD, Ch. 6). They start to make their way to Caemlyn, and on the trip Nynaeve and Elayne go to meet Egwene in Tel'aran'rhiod so Aviendha keeps watch while they sleep (TPoD, Ch. 20). They arrive at the Royal Palace in Caemlyn (TPoD, Ch. 28).

Winter's Heart

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Aviendha and Elayne go through the ceremony to become first-sisters and the first-sister bond is put on them (WH, Prologue).

Aviendha resumes her Wise One training, so she is not able to visit with Elayne much (WH, Ch. 10). Min finds Aviendha and Elayne and takes them to Rand. The three ask Rand to allow them to bond him, and he agrees. Afterward, Aviendha and Min leave Elayne and Rand alone, and Min tells Aviendha that Rand and Elayne will have two children from the love they are making. She also sees that Aviendha will have Rand's children as well. Aviendha blocks off Rand's feelings that she's feeling through the bond from Rand and Elayne's lovemaking. Aviendha and Min run into Birgitte, whom Min recognizes as the Birgitte. Min is having problems dealing with the emotions through the bond she shares with Rand, so they all head off to get drunk (WH, Ch. 12).

Aviendha has to force Elayne to take care of herself, forcing her to sleep and exercise (WH, Ch. 26). Aviendha goes with Elayne to meet the Borderland leaders. Elayne announces Aviendha as her sister. After talking to them, Aviendha and Elayne make sure they are out of sight of the Borderlanders, and then they Travel back to Caemlyn (WH, Ch. 27).

Crossroads of Twilight

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Aviendha is currently an apprentice to the Wise Ones. Aviendha is strong in the One Power. Her Talents include Unweaving and Reading Residues, and she is known for weaving particularly strong wards (CoT, Ch. 14). She has had hostility attracted to her from Aes Sedai due to the fact that she is a wilder (CoT, Ch. 11).

Abandoning cadin'sor, the chosen attire of the Maidens, Aviendha dresses in the garb of a Wise One: bulky gray skirt, pale blouse, thick woolen shawl, and a dark head scarf folded around her temples to keep her growing hair off her face. She is never without three favored pieces of jewelry: a necklace of silver snowflakes given to her by her near-sister Egwene (TFoH, Ch. 7), an ivory bracelet carved with roses and thorns from Rand, and an amber brooch in the shape of a turtle that is known to be an angreal. Apart from these pieces, she wears no other ornamentation. However, Aviendha harbors a secret love of silks and velvets. At first she shies away from them, but grows to love them when Elayne encourages her to get used to wearing them, although she would never admit this! (CoT, Ch. 13)

Aviendha is currently residing in the Sun Palace of Caemlyn with Elayne. She is present at many of the affairs of state that Elayne must see to, such as status reports from Norry, Birgitte, and the First Maid (CoT, Ch. 11); dealing with the Atha'an Miere (CoT, Ch. 12); and meeting High Seats of Houses (CoT, Ch. 13). Aviendha is also continuing her studies to become a Wise One. It is during this time at the Sun Palace that both Aviendha and Elayne feel the tremendous channeling to the west as Rand attempts to cleanse saidin (CoT, Ch. 12).

Knife of Dreams

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In common with many Aiel, she finds a delight in rain (KoD, Ch. 13).

She discovers she can identify the use of ter'angreal (KoD, Ch. 15).

Nadere and Dorindha tell her she has neglected her training too long and take her away to Arad Doman (KoD, Ch. 15).

The Gathering Storm

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Aviendha scouts with Rhuarc. She is punished for doing so (TGS, Ch. 3). After taking her to Arad Doman, the Wise Ones do not give her any further training. Instead, they are punishing her, but she does not know why (TGS, Ch. 3).

Amys asks her what she plans to do about Min. Aviendha tells Amys that they will reach an accommodation and she will marry Rand (TGS, Ch. 3).

When Adrin is killed by a bubble of evil, Aviendha saves the mansion from burning down (TGS, Ch. 11).

Melaine asks her opinion of Rand's plan for the Merchant's Council (TGS, Ch. 11).

Min approaches Aviendha to discuss Rand, but only succeeds in annoying her (TGS, Ch. 26). While annoyed, Aviendha sees the Wise Ones to complain about their treatment of her and rejects their punishments. They tell her this is what they have wanted (TGS, Ch. 26).

She Travels to Cold Rocks Hold to go through the stone columns in Rhuidean (TGS, Ch. 26).

Towers of Midnight

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As the final requirement to become a Wise One, Aviendha Travels to the Waste to go through the glass column ter’angreal in Rhuidean. While traveling on foot from Cold Rocks Hold to Rhuidean, Aviendha camps one night beside a huge rock formation. She reflects on the obvious, through her lens, inferiority of the wetlands compared to the Waste. She is roasting a “shellback” when a mysterious woman appears from the darkness. The woman gives her name as Nakomi, and she asks Aviendha a number of disturbing questions about the Aiel, questions connected to the future and purpose of the Aiel after the Last Battle, living in the wetlands, toh, and related matters. Nakomi leaves the camp, disappearing into the night as she had come. Aviendha cannot find her and is left with these questions concerning the Aiel unresolved (ToM, Ch. 39).

The night before Aviendha is to go through the glass columns of Rhuidean, she sits on a rock outcropping which overlooks the city, mulling over issues of the Aiel, Rand, Elayne, and the Seanchan. What the Seanchan had done in capturing Wise Ones could not be tolerated. She reaffirms her resolve to go through the ter’angreal and become a Wise One (ToM, Ch. 45).

Aviendha, having just completed her trek through the ter’angreal, walks out of the glass columns somewhat disappointed. There had been no real surprises for her, and her ancestors’ journey to the Waste does not seem extraordinary to her in the least. Knowing how she had “read” ter’angreal in the palace in Caemlyn, she reaches out and touches one of the glass columns with her hand. The power in this ter’angreal is too overwhelming for her. Aviendha turns to go and… She was Malidra, a scavenging creature who is killed by a device of advanced technology. Then Aviendha is herself once again. She is confused, wondering if this viewing is from a time before what she had seen inside the columns. She has come for answers so decides to journey through the columns once more if it is possible (ToM, Ch. 48).

She is Norlesh, a woman with her husband and two children. They are in the Waste, they are destitute, and they are starving. Norlesh’s husband tries to trade ore for food but all have been forbidden to trade with Aiel. Aviendha is once more herself and cannot believe that Aiel would behave so. In trepidation she takes another step (ToM, Ch. 48).

She is Tava, 14 years old and running and screaming amidst the flames in the canyon. The attackers of the Hold ride large, leathery flying beasts. The invaders wear helmets which look like large insect heads. Tava’s father tries to rally the remaining Aiel to rebuild the Hold. They are, however, dispirited, and they disperse. Aviendha is crying. She knows now that those were Seanchan invaders, and that this is not the long, past history of her people, but the future (ToM, Ch. 48).

She is Ladalin, a Wise One of the Taardad Aiel. She cannot channel. There are only three clan chiefs and two Wise Ones, all that is left of the Council of twenty-two. Ladalin had been a Maiden of the Spear, and she has known only war her entire life. In the Aiel mind, there are only themselves and Seanchan. Only four clans remain intact. The Aiel are losing the war against the Seanchan, and although the Seanchan have warned them that they will be hunted down if they retreat to the Three-Fold Land, the small council decides to return to the Waste. Aviendha steps forward again, nearly to the center of the ter’angreal, tears streaming down her face. She cannot understand how this has happened. Another step (ToM, Ch. 49).

She is Oncala, Maiden of the Spear, descendant of the Dragon. She and the Aiel with her are in Caemlyn to seek help from the throne. Oncala resents almost every aspect of Andor, especially the royal house. She takes offense at nearly everything done or said. The Aiel and Seanchan are at an impasse. Oncala and one of her party have acquired secret Seanchan papers to show the Andoran Queen in the hope that she will be provoked to take action against the Seanchan. They are purposely deceiving the Queen by leaving out one of the sheets. This ploy works, and not only Andor, but the other nations enter the war against the Seanchan. It was this act that gave the Seanchan the perceived impetus to attack the other nations. Aviendha feels devastated. Oncala had thought of her great-mother—the face in Oncala’s mind was the face of Aviendha. She steps into the center of the glass columns (ToM, Ch. 49).

She is Padra, Maiden of the Spear, daughter of the Dragon Reborn and one of four siblings, all of whom can channel and have since childhood. She sees herself as superior to both Aes Sedai and Wise Ones. After killing Seanchan through a gateway, she goes through her own gateway to the Aiel camp in Arad Doman. The Aiel have never assimilated into the Wetland cities. She enters a tent in which her siblings and the clan chiefs are meeting. They still consider themselves to be warriors and look with derision on wetlanders and their ways. The Aiel are rudderless, Rand not having known what to do with them; they lack identity. Padra leads the council in deciding to declare war on the Seanchan (ToM, Ch. 49).

It is night. Aviendha, emotions ravaged, cries out for the columns to show her more, but the ter’angreal is silent. Is what she experienced destined or fluid? What she saw seemed absolute, but she knows she must do whatever necessary to try to circumvent this disaster. She runs into the desert, away from Rhuidean, to think on all she has experienced before returning to the wetlands to confer with the other Wise Ones (ToM, Ch. 49).

Strengths and Talents

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Aviendha is involved with many events that demonstrate her strength in the One Power. Many Aes Sedai are amazed to find an Aiel who can channel when Aviendha arrives in Salidar with Mat Cauthon and the Band of the Red Hand (LoC, Ch. 38).

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Her Talent of Unweaving is discovered when she Unweaves a gateway, an act that shocks all channelers present as it is meant to be a very dangerous and almost impossible feat (TPoD, Ch. 2). She is also a member of the circle that uses the Bowl of the Winds to amend the strange weather cycles that have been gripping the lands (TPoD, Ch. 5).

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Aviendha is able to identify the uses for the ter'angreal in Elayne's rooms. She offers to take over the study of the ter'angreal, but the Wise Ones send her away to continue her training (KoD, Ch. 13).

Aviendha is no better than Elayne at Healing (KoD, Ch. 13).

Relationships with Other Characters

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Aviendha has a first-sister, Niella, a weaver, who always wanted Aviendha to wed rather than take the spear. Nielle was recently taken gai'shain by Chareen Maidens. (TFoH, Ch. 32)

Aviendha's sister-mother, Lian, is sister-wife to Amys (TSR, Ch. 12).

Aviendha tries to push Rand away from her as she believes that is the only way of clearing her toh to Elayne. Finally, she succumbs as she knows her heart is true. She saw in the arches of Rhuidean that she would be romantically linked with Rand and she knew that she could not deny the truth (TFoH, Ch. 31).

Elayne and Aviendha both realize their love for Rand and realize it is a blessing, not a curse upon them both. They both then undertake the ceremony to be bonded as first-sisters, under the midwifery of the Wise One Monaelle (WH, Prologue).

Aviendha and Elayne now decide that they will Bond Rand as their Warder. Despite his initial protests for their safety and sanity, he agrees. Recognizing Rand's love for Min as well as themselves, Aviendha and Elayne include her into the weave and therefore the Bond (WH, Ch. 12). Aviendha, Elayne, and Min will be sister-wives in the Aiel way, if they all are to marry Rand. Min also has a viewing that Aviendha will bear Rand's children. Quintuplets! She sees healthy babies, though something odd about them. (WH, Ch. 12). While Elayne is pregnant, however, Aviendha has appointed herself, along with Elayne's Warder Birgitte, as her first-sister's caretaker and takes this job very seriously.

Quotes

Quotes by Aviendha

"Laugh while you can, wetlander. When this land begins to break you, it will be a fitting punishment for your treatment of Elayne." (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 37)

"It is stupid to anger Aes Sedai." (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 48)

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"Yes, Rand al'Thor. I hate you with all of my heart. And I always will." (Aviendha tries to hate Rand and push him away as she feels that Rand really belongs to Elayne. She has been asked to watch over Rand and feels guilty for loving him; The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 4).

"I do not argue - when you make sense, Rand al'Thor." (The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 32)

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"My sister has you by the ear, Zaida din Parede. Hung up by the ankles in fact." (Aviendha makes fun of the Sea Folk. Hanging people from the rigging by their ankles is a punishment of the Sea Folk that is a constant source of amusement for Aviendha. She possesses the strange sense of humor that is typical to an Aiel that "could be rough at times" (Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 13). She can also be very blunt as she has never learned that words can cut as deep as one of her Maiden's spears; Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 12)

"Always assume your enemy will do what you do not want. Decide what you least want them to do and plan on that." (Aviendha speaks to Dyelin about which houses will ally themselves with Elayne; Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 14)

"Men cause trouble even when they are elsewhere." (Aviendha and Elayne comfort each other about Rand's absence and safety after feeling the massive wave of Channeling in the West; Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 14))

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"If you make a bridal wreath for my first-sister and me, I will pick it up." (to Rand; Winter's Heart, Chapter 12)

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No longer a Maiden, not quite a Wise One. Her entire identity had been wrapped up in those spears, her self forged into their steel as surely as the carbon that strengthened them. She had grown from childhood certain that she would be Far Dareis Mai. Indeed, she had joined the Maidens as soon as possible. (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 3)

He had offered her marriage once. A man! Offering marriage! Another of those strange wetlander customs. Even disregarding the strangeness of it, disregarding the insult his proposal had shown Elayne, Aviendha could never have accepted Rand al'Thor as her husband. Couldn’t he understand that a woman must bring honor to a marriage? What could a mere apprentice offer? Would he have her come to him as an inferior? It would shame her completely to do that. (about Rand; The Gathering Storm, Chapter 3)

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"If that is the case, why would we return to this land? Would that not be like seeking more punishment, once toh is met?" (Nakomi to Aviendha on when toh has been met; Towers of Midnight, Chapter 39)

But how could they be happy, when the Light-cursed Seanchan were in the land? Her hatred of the invaders ran deep… Perhaps that hatred had destroyed the Aiel. (Ladalin’s thoughts concerning the Dragon’s desire for peace; Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49)

She knew she was not good with people. When she spoke, insults were too common. (Oncala in the Andoran Court; Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49)

"I don’t want to go on." (Aviendha inside the glass column ter’angreal after seeing Oncala; Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49)

Quotes about Aviendha

"She took even longer than you, Amys! As stubborn a girl as I’ve ever seen." (Melaine; The Gathering Storm, Chapter 26)