The Eye of the World: Chapter 40
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Author: Val a'Shain
Chapter Icon: Flame of Tar Valon
Point of View: Rand
Location: Royal Palace
Characters: Rand, Elayne, Gawyn, Galad, Tallanvor, Morgase, Elaida, Gareth Bryne
Contents
Outline
Rand falls into the palace gardens and is taken under Elayne's protection. Elaida has a fortelling that the world marches to turmoil and that Rand is at the heart of it.
Summary
When Rand regains consciousness after his fall off the wall, he is in the company of a girl a few years younger than him and a boy who is obviously closely related to her. They are both very finely dressed. The girl tends to Rand's cuts, obtained after climbing the wall and falling off it. It takes Rand some time to realize he is in the company of Elayne, the daughter-heir of Andor and her brother Gawyn.
While they are talking, Elayne and Gawyn's half brother appears. Galad has come looking for them because they left their quarters to see Logain against the Queens orders. Galad, an extremely handsome man, sees Rand as an intruder. Elayne tells him not to call the guard but Galad does the "right thing", as he always does, according to Gawyn, and calls them. Before Elayne and Gawyn can sneak him out of the garden the guard arrives.
The guard, led by an officer named Tallanvor, think Rand is a serious threat. Elayne steps between Rand and the guardsmen and claims guest right for Rand. Tallanvor wants to lock Rand up until the Captian-General Gareth Bryne has time to question him. Elayne wants to be led before the Queen and tells Tallanvor she will join Rand in the cell if he intends to proceed. The stale-mate is broken by a messenger summoning them all to appear before Queen Morgase.
On their way to the Queen, Rand notices the Gardens are green and flowering despite the weather. Elayne tells him this is the work of Elaida, the Aes Sedai advisor of the Queen. They are led to one of the smaller halls, Gawyn seems to think this is a favorable sign.
Elaida and Lord Gareth are in the presence of the Queen when they are led before her. Morgase begins by lecturing Elayne and Gawyn about their responsibilities and disobeying her orders before she turns her attention to Rand. Elayne requests to speak and tells her mother what happened. She calls Rand a loyal Andorman. The Queen is skeptical. She knows very well the Two Rivers do not consider themselves part of her Realm.
Elaida has a close look at Rand and points out that he doesn't have the look of a Two Rivers man and that he carries a heron marked blade. This doesn't support Rand's claim to be a shepherd. She Foretells that Rand will be at the center of the turmoil the world will face soon. When the Queen asks the Captain-General for his opinion, he councils to keep Rand locked up until Logain and Elayne and Gawyn, who will be traveling to Tar Valon to receive training, are well on their way.
Queen Morgase, however, feels Caemlyn is becoming too suspicious and wants no part of it. She recognizes Two River speech, both Elaida and Bryne have never heard it, and can't see any evidence Rand means them any harm. She decides Rand should be seen out of the palace unharmed but warns him to be more careful in future. Elayne and Gawyn see him out. Elayne tells him she thinks Rand is handsome and favors him with a dazzling smile. Gawyn seems to think this amusing. Rand asks Gawyn why everybody has a hard time believing he is from the Two Rivers. Gawyn replies Rand looks like an Aiel.
Notes
Visions and Prophecy
- Foretellings
- Elaida
"The Dark One stirs in Shayol Ghul. The Shadow lies across the Pattern, and the future is balanced on the point of a pin. This one is dangerous. This I Foretell and swear under the Light that I can say no clearer. From this day Andor marches toward pain and division. The Shadow has yet to darken to its blackest, and I cannot see if the Light will come after. Where the world has wept one tear, it will weep thousands. This I Foretell. (continues barely audible) This, too, I Foretell. Pain and division come to the whole world, and this man stands at the heart of it. I obey the Queen and speak it clearly."
Character Development
- Elayne
- Elayne is very self possessed
- Elayne thinks Galad vile and full of envy
- Elayne thinks Rand is handsome
- Galad
- Both the red and white think well of Galad
- Rand
- Elaida scares Rand and he lies to her
- Gawyn tells Rand he looks like an Aiel
- Isolation of the Two Rivers
Gawyn at least knows where the Two Rivers is. He mentions it is known for Tabac
Mysteries
- How did Morgase hear the Two Rivers accent?
Tam is the only person to have left and we know even up at Baerlon, the accent is different. Either she met Tam, or there are others we don't know about.
- What does Bryne mean that the sword belongs with Rand?
Miscellaenous
- Gareth served three queens and was captain general for two of them
- Emonds glory is a flower
- When Tallanvor repeats what Galad said, he distorts it, past the point of dishonesty.
- Tallanvor scowls at Rand for not knowing how to kneel
- Elaida knows of the physical appearance of Two Rivers folk
- Elaida gives a foretelling, but he is the only one to hear the last part, that he stands at the heart of all that is to come
- Morgase lets Rand go because she swore to uphold justice
- Elaida calls Logain "The Unbeliever"
- Elaida tells Elayne that within a month she will want to run away and join the Travelling People. Clearly this is not literally true, so is an example of how Aes Sedai aren't always rigidly bound by the requirement to speak no word that is not true.
Ethnicity
Elaida comments that people of the Two Rivers are Dark of hair and eye, and rarely as tall as Rand. His natural skin tone (in areas not exposed to the sun), is also uncommon there.
Nature
- Plants
Sunburst, Tallowend, Starblaze, Rose
Spoilers
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Mysteries
- How did Morgase hear the Two Rivers accent?
Tam is the only person to have left and we know even up at Baerlon, the accent is different. Later, when they meet, she doesn't recognise him. In A Memory of Light, we are told Deoan had also served in the Andoran army
