Lord of Chaos: Chapter 10
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: A Dragon
Point of View: Rand
Setting: Caemlyn
Characters: Rand, Davram Bashere, Enaila, Jalani, Bael, the Two Rivers girls, Verin, Alanna
Summary
Rand is walking through one of the halls in the Royal Palace, accompanied by Bael, Bashere, and an assortment of Maidens and Saldaean soldiers. Thoughts of all the administrative duties that must be taken care of in Andor are running through his mind as he, Bashere and Bael talk. They speak of, among other things, the people that are arriving in Caemlyn, the way that Rand twists chance, and Morgase. Bael also mentions that two Aes Sedai are staying in the New City. Rand decides that this may be something important, and says that he will go visit them.
When Rand arrives at the inn, he finds a huge surprise awaiting him: there is a group of girls, perhaps a dozen, from the Two Rivers in the common room. Among them are Bodewhin Cauthon, Hilde Barran, Jerilin al'Caar, Marisa Ahan, Emry Lewin, Elise Marwin, Darea Candwin, Larine Ayellin, Jancy Torfinn, Susa al'Seen, and Marce Eldin. Bodewhin asks about Mat, and mentions that they have come with Verin and Alanna because all of them can learn to channel. All of the girls from the Emond's Field area crowd around him and begin talking, telling him of all that has happened since he left.
Eventually, Verin and Alanna appear. The two Aes Sedai and Rand leave to speak alone in the innkeeper, Master Dilham's, private dining room. The first thing that Rand asks is if they will be taking the Two Rivers girls to the rebels, or to Elaida. Rand wants to know more about the rebels, but Alanna and Verin will not tell him.
After a little more talking, Alanna steps towards Rand. He steps back from her, but she tells him not to worry. "Like you, Rand, I mean no harm. Nothing I do here will cause you any injury." He decides to trust her, since she had said it straight out. Verin and Alanna link, and Alanna bonds him as her Warder without asking. He demands to know what they did, and seizes saidin. Verin and Alanna try to shield him, but he ends up shielding them instead. They tell him what Alanna did, and he tells him that they are to stay away from him, and that the Inner City of Caemlyn is barred to them. He then storms out of the room.
Out in the common room, Bodewhin and Larine confront him, saying that Bashere has been telling them crazy things, such as that Rand is the Dragon Reborn. Rand informs him that it is the truth, and when they don't believe him, he lifts the two girls into the air using the One Power. "I am the Dragon Reborn. Denying won't change it. I'm not the man you knew back in Emond's Field. Do you understand now? Do you?" All of the girls are terrified, and he sets them back down, trying to apologize.
He leaves, thinking to himself that it is best that they are afraid of them, that it was best that he forgot about the Two Rivers.
