The Great Hunt: Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Flight From the White Tower

Ismene Gillandred

Characters: Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Min, Takima Sedai of the Brown Ajah, Accepted Irella, Else, Bela, (Min, Elayne and Nynaeve's horses as well), a nameless stableman

Setting: The White Tower courtyard, Ogier grove, The Ways

At this point in the story, Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve and Min have determined that they will meet Liandrin Sedai of the Red Ajah in the Ogier grove just outside of the Tower grounds. Liandrin has warned them that Rand may be in some trouble and wants to meet Egwene and Nynaeve in the Ogier grove. Because Elayne and Min cannot bear to miss out on any excitement they have insisted upon accompanying their friends.

Elayne, Egwene and Nynaeve are sneaking out of the Tower dressed as noblewomen and Min is disguised as their boy servant. There is a quite a crowd of locals in from town, waiting for audiences with various Aes Sedai and the girls blend right in. The girls are surprised to find that no one really makes any effort to challenge them? after so many weeks as novices and Accepted, they've gotten somewhat used to the idea that they will be barked at for stepping out of place, and are surprised and pleased to find their escape going ahead so smoothly. Egwene realizes that she feels uncomfortable wearing fine clothes after having spent so much time in plain novice white. Min is left with the unpleasant task of carrying all of their saddlebags in her guise as their servant.

Things get a little dodgy as the girls nearly run into Takima Sedai of the Brown Ajah. They turn onto a side hall where they see Irella (an Accepted) dragging Else (a fellow novice) along by her ear. Irella and Else don't take any notice of the four girls, because of their fancy clothes. Elayne says that she is ready for some adventure. Fortunately, Elayne, Egwene, Nynaeve and Min get to the stables without further incident.

At the stables, Nynaeve intimidates the stableman into saddling four horses for them. Nynaeve tries to look very commanding and Aes Sedai-like, but the stableman has already been given orders to have horses ready for two of them. Egwene is a little surprised and almost insulted to realize that Liandrin had already made arrangements for them, because the Aes Sedai had assumed that the girls wouldn't be capable of sneaking out on their own. Elayne tosses the stableman a coin as they leave in order to create a little goodwill and smooth over the harshness of Nynaeve's words. The girls have an uneventful ride to the Ogier grove.

At the grove, the girls meet Liandrin who is quite upset to find that Min and Elayne have tagged along. Nynaeve and Egwene realize that Liandrin means for them to travel through the Ways. Liandrin opens the gate by removing the trefoil Avendesora leaf carving. Egwene, riding Bela, leaps through faster than she intended. Time seems to move slower in the Ways and she finds the transition rather jarring. Nynaeve follows, bringing lanterns, which Egwene is very grateful for. The darkness of the Ways seems to press in on the light from the lanterns making them dimmer than they should be. Min and Elayne join them with Liandrin bringing up the rear.

Liandrin leads the four girls through acid-pitted and crumbling paths, continually checking their location at Guidings. She pulls out a parchment which she consults from time to time, but doesn't allow Egwene or Nynaeve to peek at it. They walk along ramps, bridges, and Islands. Nynaeve wonders if the paths are laid out in some physically impossible layout, with islands stacked directly over each other and Egwene agrees that this seems to be the case, which everyone finds rather disconcerting. Egwene feels like even saidar is slightly tainted in the Ways.

After a long walk which takes them most of the day, Liandrin informs them it will take them two days to get to Toman Head, and instructs the girls make camp for the night. They have flatbread and cheese for dinner, while Liandrin aloofly sits apart from them. Egwene asks Liandrin about what to do if they encounter Machin Shin and Liandrin nastily informs them that she will take care of it.

As the girls get ready for bed they talk amongst themselves about Rand. Min asks Egwene how she will feel if Rand chooses to marry Elayne or Min instead of her. Egwene bravely counters that she doesn't think she'll ever marry, and she wishes luck on anybody who ends up with Rand. The girls go to sleep and Egwene has nightmares about a man with burning eyes. Liandrin wakes them in the “morning” and pushes them hard for the next two days, until finally she announces that they have arrived at their destination.

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