Valan Luca

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A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion confirming the information available in the main story arc.


Author: Dart Marouvin

General

Valan Luca, described by Birgitte as a "pretty man", is owner and ringmaster of the menagerie that Thom, Juilin Sandar and Nynaeve encounter in Amadicia. He is encountered by Thom and Juilin again when they are escaping Ebou Dar with Mat, Tuon, Egeanin and Bayle Domon.

Valan Luca is described as having big shoulders and dark hair. He is said to be good looking with "good legs". He is full of himself, usually wearing a red silk cloak that he flourishes frequently.

Timeline

  • On their way to Tar Valon, Nynaeve and Elayne's party encounter Valan Luca's traveling menagerie. After an exchange of words that results in an angry departure, Nynaeve and Elayne's party continue on their way (TFoH, Ch. 13).
  • After learning of the White Tower's split, Nynaeve and Elayne arrange to travel incognito with Valan Luca's menagerie, working as performers to avoid rousing suspicion (TFoH, Ch. 17).
  • After Birgitte was ripped out of Tel'aran'rhiod, she agrees to accompany Nynaeve and Elayne's party while they travel with the menagerie (TFoH, Ch. 36).
  • Valan Luca's menagerie crosses the River Eldar and arrives outside of Samara in Ghealdan. The menagerie makes camp, as do many other menageries and followers of the Prophet (TFoH, Ch. 37)
  • Because of the riots that later ensue, Valan Luca makes hasty preparations to leave Samara. Nynaeve and Elayne's party then part with the menagerie and make their way to a ship they will ride on to continue their journey (TFoH, Ch. 47; Ch. 48).
  • Valan Luca's menagerie is now camped outside of Ebou Dar. Because he offered shelter to a Seanchan animal trainer, Suroth has given him a warrant allowing him to keep his horses (WH, Ch. 15).
  • Thom and Beslan meet with Valan Luca to discuss passage with his menagerie when it leaves Ebou Dar. Luca agrees to let them travel with him, but only for a very high price (WH, Ch. 15).
  • Mat's party escapes Ebou Dar by traveling with Valan Luca's menagerie. While traveling with the menagerie, Tuon provides Valan Luca with a warrant that places his menagerie under her personal protection (CoT, Ch. 1; Ch. 29).
  • Luca continues to take his menagerie north, stopping to perform at every opportunity (KoD, Ch. 7), Ch. 8).
  • After a Bubble of Evil claims a peddler on the road, he convinces the rest of the menagerie not to abandon their plans to go by country roads (KoD, Ch. 10).

Relationships

As Nynaeve and her companions are preparing to leave the circus, Luca asks Nynaeve to marry him. She refuses (TFoH, Ch. 47). He has since married Latelle, a bear trainer in his circus (CoT, Ch. 2).

Luca took an instant dislike to Mat. Mat returns the feeling (WH, Ch. 15).

Miscellaneous

  • He is a skilled bowman, though not as skilled as Birgitte. Birgitte challenges Luca to an archery duel and wins the wager easily.
  • He has three main interests: himself, women and himself.

Quotes

"I am Valan Luca, my lady, showman extraordinary. Your presence overwhelms me." (TFoH, Ch. 11)

"Luca had a smug, self-satisfied face, and a way of smirking at any woman in sight. And he seemed to think every woman in the world enjoyed looking at him. Light, the man was married!" (Mat thinks about Luca; Winter's Heart, Chapter 15)

"Such crowds will come in Tar Valon that we could spend the rest of our lives in that vast city's splendor, where Ogier-built shops seem like palaces and palaces are beyond description. Rulers seeing Tar Valon for the first time weep that their cities are villages and their own palaces no more than peasant's huts. The White Tower itself is in Tar Valon, remember, the greatest structure in the world. The Amyrlin Seat herself will ask us to perform before her. We have given shelter to three Aes Sedai in need. Who can believe they will do other than speak for us with the Amyrlin Seat?" (Knife of Dreams, Chapter 11)