Shemerin

Author: Atarah al'Norahn

General

Shemerin is an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah who sides with Elaida when the White Tower splits (TSR, Ch. 47).

Shemerin is described as being plump, with a strain of anxiety often around her eyes (TSR, Ch. 47; TFoH, Prologue). Nynaeve thinks that Shemerin can be fluttery for an Aes Sedai (TFoH, Ch. 9).

Timeline

• Shemerin is with Elaida when Siuan is shielded and taken from her office (TSR, Ch. 47).

• Shemerin meets with Elaida and her other supporters to discuss what is going on in the world; she states that the last thing they need is another army on the march (TFoH, Prologue).

• During the meeting, when Elaida starts to talk about the Dragon Reborn, Shemerin clasps her plump hands tightly together. When Elaida forces all of the present Aes Sedai to look at the painting of Rand on her wall, claiming that cowards are of no use to the Tower, Shemerin wrings her hands and tears well up in her eyes. Finally, as Elaida continues on about Rand, Shemerin's knees give way and she sinks to the floor. When Elaida dismisses them, Joline helps her to her feet. Elaida decides that something needs to be done about Shemerin (TFoH, Prologue).

• Through the Tel'aran'rhiod version of Elaida's study, Elayne finds a note saying that Shemerin is to be arrested and demoted to Accepted (TFoH, Ch. 49).

• Later, also through the Tel'aran'rhiod version of Elaida's study, Sheriam finds a note saying that the Accepted Shemerin has run away (LoC, Ch. 7).

• When the rebels arrive, she joins their camp, where she becomes a washerwoman until being exposed by Gawyn (TGS, Ch. 24).

• Shemerin tells the rebel Aes Sedai that she is no longer Aes Sedai and expects to be punished as a runaway Accepted. She tells them how she escaped (TGS, Ch. 26).

Miscellaneous

• Elaida thinks that Shemerin will do nicely as her next example to the other Aes Sedai (TFoH, Prologue).

• Elaida thinks that Shemerin is too weak to be on her council (TFoH, Prologue).

• Shemerin taught Nynaeve about the Yellow Ajah's eyes-and-ears signs (TFoH, Ch. 9).

• When Elayne and Nynaeve tell Sheriam and company that Shemerin is to be demoted to Accepted, they do not believe it (LoC, Ch. 7).

• Egwene uses Shemerin's demotion to sow more discontent with Elaida in the Tower. She tells Pritalle Nerbaijan that if Elaida can demote Shemerin to Accepted, her power has no limits. Egwene sometimes risks comments about Shemerin around other Aes Sedai, as well, and tells Beonin to have the rebels in the Tower do the same. At one point she even asks Silviana about it (KoD, Ch. 24).

• When Egwene asks Silviana how it was possible for Shemerin to be demoted to Accepted as there is no provision for such a move in Tower law, Silviana replies that there is no provision, but that Elaida used a loophole, upon which she does not elaborate (KoD, Ch. 24). Silviana thinks that the problem was that Shemerin accepted the demotion; other sisters told her to ignore the edict, but instead she moved into the Accepted's quarters (KoD, Ch. 24).

• When Shemerin accepted Elaida's edict, some of the sisters tried to make Shemerin see sense, and sent her to Silviana for punishment (KoD, Ch. 24).

Quotes

"'The last thing we need now is another army on the march,' Shemerin, the Yellow sister, said quickly. A slightly plump woman, she had somehow never really managed the outward calm of Aes Sedai; there was often a strain of anxiety around her eyes, and more so of late." (Shemerin to Elaida; The Fires of Heaven, Prologue).

"Slowly they raised their eyes, shuffling feet like nervous girls instead of Aes Sedai. Only Alviarin merely looked, and only she appeared untouched. Shemerin wrung her hands, and tears actually welled in her eyes. Something would have to be done about Shemerin." (Elaida; The Fires of Heaven, Prologue)

"A ripple of unsteady curtsies, breathy murmurs of 'As you command, Mother,' and they came close to running, Joline helping Shemerin wobbling to her feet. The Yellow sister would do nicely for the next example; some would be necessary, to make sure none of them slid back, and she was too weak to be allowed in this council. Of course, this council would not be allowed to continue much longer in any case. The Hall would hear her words, and leap." (Elaida; The Fires of Heaven, Prologue)

"Elayne very nearly ground her teeth. She and Nynaeve had told them Elaida was reducing Shemerin, a Yellow sister, to the Accepted, but of course they had not believed. An Aes Sedai could be made to do penance, she might be cast out, but she could not be demoted short of stilling. Only, it seemed that Elaida was doing exactly as that, whatever Tower law said. Maybe she was rewriting Tower law." (Elayne; Lord of Chaos, Chapter 7)

"The problem was that Shemerin accepted it. Other sisters told her to ignore the edict, but once she realized pleading wouldn't change the Amyrlin's mind, she moved into the Accepted's quarters." (Silviana to Egwene; Knife of Dreams, Chapter 24)

"I'm not Aes Sedai" (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 23).

"As an Accepted leaving without permission, I am a runaway. I knew I would be punished if discovered" (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 26).

"She had never been the most poised of Aes Sedai, but it was shocking to see her fallen so far" (Romanda, about Shemerin, The Gathering Storm, Chapter 26).