Lord of Chaos: Chapter 50
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Author: Kyria d'Oreyn
Chapter Icon: A Wolf
Outline
Rand decides to meet with three sisters from the Tower's embassy. Perrin is deeply concerned by Berelain's behaviour and Faile's jealousy.
Summary
Rand's Point of View:
Location: The Sun Palace
Characters: Rand, Min, Berelain, Rhuarc
Rand spends the rest of the day in bed, until the Wise Ones enter his apartments to check his health. He receives a note from Coiren inquiring after his health and offering Healing. He sends her a note with his thanks and a polite refusal and asks Gawyn to drop by, which he never does. Three days later, Rand receives another note and another three days after that.
He pays a quick visit to his school to have a chat with Herid Fel, who asks Rand a day later in a note not to bring Min again. She is too pretty and distracts him. Ever since the Wise Ones learned about Min's ability to read the Pattern, the young woman spends most of her time among the tents, but she still manages to be at Rand's audiences with nobles to view them. She sees the death of some of them (Maringil, Colavaere, Meilan, Aracome, Maraconn and Gueyam).
The second afternoon, Berelain shows up and Rand chides her for neglecting her duties. She defends herself with having been concerned, because of the rumours about Aes Sedai and himself. When she asks who he means to rule in Cairhien, he names Elayne, which Berelain thinks is a good choice.
Every day, Rhuarc comes to Rand's apartments and discretely voices his concerns about the Shaido. Rand builds a large army not far away from Illian to crush Sammael, but he orders Rhuarc to stop sending spears south. He will not risk Cairhien falling to the Shaido again.
Perrin's Point of View:
Location: Caemlyn
The first part of these ten days Perrin spends in Loial's company, until the Ogier buries himself in the Royal Library. His problems begin the first day, when Berelain is waiting in his rooms. He puts her out as fast as he can, but that does nothing to stop Faile's jealousy. The next day, Berelain tells Faile in passing, "I always keep my promises". After that, Berelain stalks Perrin, always touching him when she comes close enough.
Some lords and ladies introduce themselves to him in the hope of digging some of Rand's plans out of him. Once, when Berelain waits for Perrin again, Faile strolls by just as the other touches his cheek. Perrin tries to appease his wife, but she is only furious with him. Over the next days, he avoids both women by going hunting with Gaul, which does not stop Berelain from waiting outside his apartments until he returns.
Rand's Point of View:
Location: The Sun Palace
Characters: Rand
On the tenth day, Coiren sends another polite request for an audience. Through the Warder bond, he can feel that Alanna is halfway to Cairhien. He expects them in the City in ten more days, which gives him enough time to meet twice with the Tower embassy. Outwardly, none of the groups would have an advantage. Once Merana has thrown Salidar's support behind him, Rand wants to finish off Sammael. He replies to Coiren's note saying that she can come the next afternoon with two more sisters.
Notes
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Visions and Prophecies
- (About Colinda) "And that Colinda. I saw - No. No, it doesn't have anything to do with you. Maybe the heat is affecting me. When I know, I always know. It must be the heat."
- (About various people) "The sitting room turned out better, with Min peering through cracked doors into the anteroom, but not everyone showed image or aura to her eyes during the audience with him, and what she did see, there and simply walking about in the hallways, was bleak. Maringil, white-haired and blade-slim and cool as ice, was going to die by poison. Colavaere, her more than handsome face calm and collected once she learned Aviendha was not with Rand this time, would die by hanging. Meilan, with his pointy pointed beard and oily voice, would die by the knife. The future carried a heavy toll for the High Lords of Tear. Aracome and Maraconn and Gueyam were all going to die too, bloody deaths, in battle, Min thought. She said she had never seen death so often in one group of people. By the time she saw blood covering Gueyam's broad face, their fifth day in Cairhien, she felt so ill at the thought that Rand made her lie down and had Sulin bring damp cloths to lay on her forehead."
- (About Berelain, to Rand) "I saw nothing of any use to you. Just a man in white who will make her fall head over heels."