The Shadow Rising: Chapter 8

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Author: Manora al'Sara

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Hard Heads


Chapter Icon: A Dragon

Points of View: Elayne, Rand, Egwene

Outline

Rand and Elayne talk, before he gives orders to the High Lords

Summary

Elayne's Point of View:

Setting: Rand's Quarters in the Stone of Tear

Characters: Elayne, Rand, Gaul

Egwene has left Elayne alone with Rand in his quarters, although Rand doesn't seem to notice that she is there. When he does he is uneasy and doesn't know how to act around her. He keeps calling her 'my lady' and she scolds him for it. She asks him if he was very hurt by what Egwene has said and what he tells her makes her relieved that he won't long for Egwene. He offers to make her a flower using the Power and some feathers but he cannot embrace saidin to change the feathers and throws them to the floor offering her cloth instead. Elayne is surprised to find that she trusts him to use saidin in her presence particularly after what he just did to them. She takes the feathers he dropped as a keepsake and accepts the silk saying she is sure the majhere can have something made from it. She asks Rand if he likes her and is frustrated as he seems not to know what she means. Finally he says that he is fond of her too. She is still inwardly worrying about Berelain so she tells him she wants him to kiss her. He is surprised and doesn't know how to react but she taunts him about his shock and he kisses her. He asks her if she and Egwene schemed this between them and she manages to appear shocked. She asks him if he is sorry for the pinch and he is honest and says that they deserved it. She Heals where she pinched him for telling her the truth.

Gaul interrupts them with the arrival of the Tairen Lords and Elayne goes to leave telling Rand to think about what she had said. As the Lords enter the room in all their finery Elayne observes that Rand is like a stork among peacocks in his plain clothes but that he has a presence about him that says that he is in command and that the Tairens recognize it.




Rand's Point of View:

Setting: Rand's Quarters in the Stone of Tear

Characters: Rand, Meilan, Sunamon,

Rand watches Elayne leave in amazement at what has happened, then turns his attention to the High Lords. He notices that they seem more diffident than usual and thinks that word of his earlier meeting may have spread. Rand is getting information about the High Lords via notes from Thom who is watching them. Rand's mind wanders back to Elayne and Egwene as he addresses the issue of taxes with the lords. He wants the taxes to be lowered but the High Lords disagree. Rand has the impression that High Lord Meilan doesn't like him or the position he has adopted over Tear. He tries to make them see that they have other routes of trade that they could take advantage of rather than just trading with Cairhien as they have always done. Rand loses his temper with the High Lords objections and tells them exactly what they are going to do. He has found it impossible to reason with them, He notices that they don't like it but that they did listen to what he said.




Egwene's Point of View:

Setting: Hallway in the Stone of Tear

Characters: Egwene, Mat

Egwene is on her way back from Rand's quarters when she is joined by Mat, who just walks along beside her frowning to himself. His silence is uncharacteristic so she asks if he is still troubled by the event of the night before. He replies that it doesn't bother him. Egwene mentions that she and Nynaeve do not see very much of him and he tells her he has been busy, playing cards and reminds her that the last time he saw her and Nynaeve they bound him up with the Power in order to take the Amyrlin's letter from him. He also mentions that they are always with Moiraine and he does not like Aes Sedai. Mat finally admits to Egwene that he wanted to ask for her advice. Egwene is surprised. He says he is trying to decide what to do and that he wants to know what will happen, why he has holes in his memory and why he keeps speaking in the Old Tongue. She says that she may know a way but only if Moiraine agrees. He says he will not go to Moiraine. She decides to tell him about the twisted doorway ter'angreal, emphasizing the dangers and says he must not try it without Moiraine's approval. He listens and says he'd have to be a fool to try it regardless of what Moiraine says and that he doesn't want anything to do with the Power. He asks her not to tell Moiraine about their conversation and she agrees she will not. Egwene makes him promise not to use the ter'angreal. He swears that he will not unless his life depends on it, with some mock solemnity.

Notes

Character Development

Rand
  • Rand has developed a commanding presence
  • He is aware enough to work out that Egwene and Elayne planned it between them, but naive enough to believe her denial

Miscellaneous

  • Egwene and Elayne tied Mat up with the Power again to steal back the Amyrlin's letter. Despite their claim that it was a loan, they didn't say so when they gave it to him
  • What did Rand try to do when he wanted to create a flower out of feathers?

Characters

First Appearance

High Lords Sunamon, Carleon, Tedosian, Meilan,

Spoilers

This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.

Miscellaneous

  • Egwene calls Mat a fool for asking if this is like the story of Billi under the hill, but although the idea of disappearing for 10 years and returning with a purse full of gold are not true, the story likely does derive from dealings with the Aelfinn and Eelfinn, and the other gateway does grant wishes


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