The Fires of Heaven: Chapter 11
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Author: Mariasha Casindred
Chapter Icon: Flame of Tar Valon
Summary
Siuan's Point of View:
Setting: Lugard
Characters: Siuan, Leane, Min, Logain
Siuan, Leane, and Min arrive in Lugard, led by Logain. They stop at an inn called The Nine Horse Hitch. She advises Leane to practice her newly resurrected Domani wiles on Logain and then orders Min to stay well away from them. Siuan enters another inn down the street and is surprised when catcalls and suggestions are directed towards her.
She approaches the inn's owner, a woman by the name of Duranda Tharne, to ask for a job singing and offers two songs that she knows how to sing: "The Song of Three Fishes" and "Blue Sky Dawning". Tharne makes her show her legs and they laugh at her modesty.
Mistress Tharne takes her to the back room, and we find from Siuan's thoughts that Siuan had run the Blue Ajah's eyes-and-ears before she'd been raised to Amyrlin Seat. Mistress Tharne had been an agent of the Blue Ajah since before Siuan had taken over.
Siuan becomes angry with Mistress Tharne because of the way she has been treated. Mistress Tharne quickly puts her in her place, responding that she's married off daughters older than Siuan was, and that if she did not control her temper, Mistress Tharne will teach her to "step right and talk proper".
Siuan reports to her that "Siuan Sanche has been stilled" and that Elaida had taken over. Mistress Tharne reflects on the time that she saw the Amyrlin at a distance and called her an "old buzzard," which angers Siuan, though she holds it back. She asks if Mistress Tharne knows where the Blues have gone.
Mistress Tharne doesn't know a place, but a name: Sallie Daera. Siuan knows the name, but tells Mistress Tharne that she doesn't and will continue looking. She then finds that Aeldene was Siuan's replacement controlling the Blue's eyes and ears.
Siuan tells Mistress Tharne that she cannot really sing and takes her leave among laughter from the patrons of The Nine Horse Hitch. Outside, she ducks from two Whitecloaks in town.
Min's Point of View:
Setting: Lugard
Characters: Siuan, Leane, Min, Logain
Min is inside The Nine Horse Hitch, against the wall, watching Logain and Leane. Logain seemed disgruntled, while men were hanging around Leane. Min wishes she could cause that behavior in "one particular man".
Siuan informs her that they will travel south. Min can tell that she has found out something by the look in her eyes. Min wants to stay in the inn, but Siuan tells her that she may have trouble with Whitecloaks.
Siuan orders her to gather up the other two, and Min asks what a Nine Horse Hitch is. The other woman does not tell her, but blushes, telling Min that she knows exactly what it means.
