Crossroads of Twilight: Chapter 24
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: A black head on a white background facing a white head on a black background
Points of View: Rand, Cadsuane, Elza
Outline
It turns out the Warders arrived with some Asha'man, including Logain, the Aes Sedai they bonded and Bashere. Loial also arrives and meets with Rand giving him a report on his task regarding the Waygates. Rand is angry because of the way the Asha'man bonded Aes Sedai. He wants Logain, Bashere and Loial to help him arrange a truce with the Seanchan. We find out Elza is Black Ajah and her Warder a Darkfriend.
Summary
Point of View: Rand
Setting: the Pendaloan estates in Tear
Characters: Rand, Min, Elza, Loial
Rand and Min are lying in bed together. Rand is thinking about various things: Min, Elayne and Aviendha; Lews Therin; and going mad. Min, feeling him getting melancholic, punches him in the ribs. She asks what he and Cadsuane are going to do about "them", meaning the Warders who have arrived and the others who came with them. Rand replies that, "I haven't yet been able to see what Cadsuane was going to do ahead of time, Min. Why should today be different?"
Rand gets up and thinks about those who have arrived. Aside from the Warders, there are a dozen Asha'man, including Logain Ablar; there are eight Aes Sedai with them, but all but one seem to be with the Asha'man. Bashere and a hundred Saldaean light horse are also there. Both Bashere and Logain wish to speak with Rand, but neither wants to give the other the opportunity to speak to him first. Min is worried because Logain's aura still speaks of glory, but now stronger than ever. She also tells him that if Davram Bashere turns against him or dies, something bad will happen.
Elza enters the room, and tells Rand that Loial is there to see him. Min is delighted and runs out to greet him, and Rand soon joins them. Loial is very pleased that Lord Algarin has several Ogier guest rooms. Loial seems worried about Rand because Rand looks so tired. They all sit down, and Loial begins to speak. He tells Rand and Min that he and Karldin, one of the Asha'man, have visited every stedding with the exception of Shangtai, and they left messages for Shangtai everywhere they went. The Great Stump is being called in Stedding Shangtai. Loial says that the stedding in the Borderlands told him to go home and leave matters to older and wiser heads, as did two stedding in the mountains on the Shadow Coast. The rest agreed to guard the Waygates. Before leaving, Loial says that he needs to tell Rand something about the Aes Sedai whom he arrived with, the ones who were with the Asha'man. Rand listens, and Lews Therin tells Rand that he should have killed the Asha'man when he had the chance.
Cadsuane's Point of View:
Setting: the Pendaloan estates in Tear
Cadsuane is with Samitsu, the only Aes Sedai who arrived who wasn't with the Asha'man. Cadsuane wishes to know if Samitsu is sure that the other Aes Sedai have been bonded by the Asha'man, and Samitsu replies in the affirmative. Cadsuane tells Samitsu that she wishes her to return to Cairhien in the morning. Samitsu is upset because Sashalle, one of the Aes Sedai apprentices of the Wise Ones, is the one whom everyone thinks is in charge. Cadsuane tells Samitsu that she wants her to watch Sashalle, and goes on to boost Samitsu's ego. Samitsu finally agrees.
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: the Pendaloan estates in Tear
Characters: Rand, Logain, Bashere,
Rand is in an interview with Logain and Bashere. Loial is also there. Rand is very angry about how the Asha'man have bonded Aes Sedai, and tells Logain that it has to stop. He says, "I don't need a war with the White Tower, and you bloody Asha'man bloody well won't give me a war with the White Tower! Do I make myself understood?" Logain wishes to know if the Aes Sedai who have bonded Asha'man as Warders will release those Asha'man, but Rand replies that they won't. He also goes on to tell Logain that Logain has made a mess of things; now Elaida will really want to kill all of the Asha'man. Rand might even have to "tell off Asha'man for Aes Sedai to bond until they have as many of you as you do of them". What is done is done, but there cannot be any more. Logain tells Rand that Taim gave the order, and that he had assumed it came from Rand. He goes on to tell Rand that all of the Asha'man with Rand are now on the deserter's list. If the Black Tower splits, most of the Asha'man will be loyal to Taim, not to Rand.
Finally, Rand changes the subject. He tells Logain, Bashere and Loial that he wants the three of them to go arrange a truce with the Seanchan.
Elza's Point of View:
Setting: the Pendaloan estates in Tear
Elza is listening to a report from her Warder, Fearil. He is explaining why he defied her orders and came to find her; it would have looked strange if he was the only Warder to refuse to find his Aes Sedai. Fearil is very relieved when Elza agrees and that he will not be punished. Elza thinks on how it is difficult for her to find a Warder with the right requirements, since he must be a Darkfriend. She tells Fearil that he must kill anyone who threatens the Dragon Reborn, and thinks to herself that Rand has to make it to Tarmon Gai'don, or the Dark One won't be able to defeat him there.
Notes
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Visions and Prophecies
- Min's Viewings
- (About Logain) "Logain's aura still speaks of glory, stronger than ever. Maybe he still thinks he's the real Dragon Reborn."
- (About Davram Bashere) "And there's something...dark...in the images I saw around Lord Davram. If he turns against you, or dies..."
