The Fires of Heaven: Chapter 35
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Author: Val a'Shain
Chapter Icon: Wheel and Serpent
Point of View: Elayne
Setting: Border between Amadicia and Ghealdan near Samara
Characters: Nynaeve, Thom, Juilin, Elayne, Birgitte
Summary
Elayne is watching Nynaeve sleep. She still thinks it is ridiculous the one who isn't visiting the World of Dreams is to stay awake. There is nothing she can do anyhow. Elayne's thoughts wander to the making of ter'angreal. Nynaeve wouldn't be happy if she knew Elayne considered making an a'dam. She thinks about her conversations with Thom about the Great Game too.
Suddenly Nynaeve sits up in her bed, tears leaking from her eyes. Elayne considers waking her up but Nynaeve makes the choice for her. She cries and claims she has killed her. Before Elayne can figure out who Nynaeve is talking about Thom and Juilin knock on the door. Nynaeve wants to send them away but before Elayne gets the chance Thom pushes into the wagon with an unconscious and naked Birgitte in his arms. He says that she appeared out of nowhere and thinks she is dying.
Elayne tells the men she is a friend and works them out of the wagon again. Nynaeve, certainly angry enough to channel tries to Heal Birgitte. She weaves ever more intricate flows but she can't find anything wrong with the woman. Just that she is fading. Elayne tells Nynaeve to stop. She has an idea and wants to try it. She has only seen the weaves two times but she is sure she can do it. Before Nynaeve can ask what she has in mind Elayne weaves the flows to bind Birgitte to her as a Warder.
The benefits of the bond seem to be enough to save Birgitte. While Nynaeve doesn't like the idea of an Accepted bonding a female Warder she has to admit it works. The two women now discuss the implications of Birgitte being torn out of the World of Dreams. She can't be reborn in time to meet Gaidal now. How will this affect the Pattern? And what about Moghedien? Did she die? It seems unlikely. Birgitte missed the heart so the wound could have been Healed. That means the Forsaken probably has a good idea of where to look for them now. Of course with fifteen menageries in the area it won't be easy to find them. They still have some time to figure out how to get away. Nynaeve is still very upset and decides to go for a walk. Elayne decides Birgitte probably needs her more now and stays in the wagon to watch to sleeping woman.
