Make sure to read Part 11 here first.
Chapter 25 – An Answer
Moiraine has spotted Bukama and Ryne and so she probably suspects Lan is about too. And of course they could all mess up her plan since to them she was Lady Alys. You see, the more lies you spin the harder it is to not make a misstep. But, she is hoping to avoid them largely since she believes them just to be soldiers – but of course she does not realise Lan and Bukama’s true status so I reckon she is going to be pleasantly surprised – or horrified even – when she eventually bumps into them in a place she leasts expects, and that is when her plan could come crashing down.
So Moiraine is meeting Prince Brys and some of the other royals at the moment and to be honest I sympathise with Moiraine on all the small talk – it’s pretty lame. Let’s just get to the meat of the matter.
Hahaha! So she has found out that this King of Malkier she has heard mentioned a few times – which she thought was nonsense up until now – is in fact Lan, hearing it from the boy Diryk, one of Prince Brys’ sons, who is quite fond of Lan. Of course Prince Brys has kind of given away that Lan does not really accept such a title, but also insisted she would meet him soon – not knowing she had already met him as the Lady Alys and I am betting she is now regretting how abusive she was towards him – cause if she had known he was royal blood she certainly would not have done any of that. She is in a bit of a pickle now.
Eh, I am a bit disapointed though that she did not find out by actually bumping into him within an unexpected area of the palace and it becoming incredibly awkward, but she is obviously still horrified nonetheless. Well, that’s what you get I guess. Perhaps just treat everyone with respect in the future unless they give obvious reason not to? Moral of the story, no? Okay, I’ll stop being smug now.
So it looks like Moiraine wants to run for the hills now and is hoping for some good news from Siuan before leaving but then bumps into someone else she was not expecting to see – Merean – so of course now she worries about Larelle or Cadsuane being around – believing both or either could be Black Ajah and that they may even have the ability to lie – somehow not following an oath. It seems for now though neither Larelle or Cadsuane is about.
Or maybe at least she does not think Larelle is of the Black Ajah but she believes she might, maybe be dead. I don’t know. But anyway, things seem to keep going wrong for Moiraine as this Elis person blurts out that Moiraine is an Aes Sedai, of which others obviously heard so that will probably spread now. And it seems she now wants to be taken to Lan’s apartments – I wonder what she plans? She put on her serpent ring but also remember Lan is not convinced she is Aes Sedai, maybe that would help?
Alright, so Lan is not happy to see her – and to be fair she did just barge into his apartments after being told to leave – and it seems he does believe she is an Aes Sedai now but of course also knows her true identity now as well – and if we remember he is not too fond of the Cairhenin’s.
Apparently there is some pledge Malkier had to ride for the White Tower when they call which is what Moiraine is trying to take advantage of now that she knows who Lan actually is – but of course Lan wonders why the White Tower did not come to help Malkier before its fall, and rightly so.
Although it seems the Tower had sent Aes Sedai to help but that they arrived too late and they had kept it a secret. She obviously is not lying about that, since she cannot lie. I guess it changes things.
Moiraine wants Lan, or someone who follows him, to spy on Merean and learn why she is there – for whatever reason. Lan – hesitantly – agrees to this and it looks like Bukama will be put to that job.
When Moiraine gets back to Siuan it is then evident the word of her being Aes Sedai has spread fast, Innes, the daughter of Lan’s carneira – the one she wants him to marry – is there and it seems she knows of her mother’s plan and would have even been okay with it if her mother had not already been Lan’s carneira – interesting – and instead she wants to be taken to the White tower to become Aes Sedai – of the Green Ajah – and plans to marry one of her warders.
Yikes! Looks like she has it all planned out, huh? Except that she is very rude and seems to be way in over her head from what I can tell. I feel like even if they did take her to the White Tower it would be a very quick reality check for her.
How perculier and obviously she is very naive. Moiraine practically chucks her out and tells her to figure her own way to the Tower. Good. Apparently she had been tested when she was 12 and that she had the ability to channel but was not taken due to being too young? But then how come the Aes Sedai had not come back for her yet?
And so the search for the Dragon Reborn continues.
Chapter 26 – When to Surrendor
Back with Lan now. And it looks like he is doing the spying job himself for now. Stalking Merean and has found her meeting with Iselle – whom Edeyn is planning to announce his marraige to. Man I feel sorry for Lan to be honest – and all this honour and tradition stuff he seems to be bound by and how Edeyn is using it to her advantage.
Hmm, looks like some Aes Sedai is on to Lan though as a force just pushed him down a flight of stairs. Of course Lan is strong though and he seems largely okay. I was thinking it could not be this easy to stalk an Aes Sedai – I mean Moiraine found it easy enough to discover him when he had briefly stalked her – and this is Merean who I’d imagine has much more experience. Sure, Lan is very, very good at stalking when he wants to – but maybe not so much against Aes Sedai due to… their abilities.
What the heck! Someone just killed Bukama?! NOOO. He was such a good guy and I loved his name so much. Damn, I was not expecting that! I thought he’d last a couple books at least, this is still the prologue! What! I guess I better adjust my expectations.
Damn! Lan is just going to straight up confront Moiraine. I don’t think that is so smart, not typically something Lan would do I don’t think but obviously he is blinded by rage and sadness right now, and can you blame him? Bukama was basically like a father to him and one of his last connections to Malkier before it had fell and the last of the men who had spirited him away from there. And of course he never really trusted Aes Sedai and blames himself for getting tangled in with them – not that it was his fault, Moiraine purposely encountered them first.
Ah, so Moiraine thinks Merean is Black Ajah – I feel like that would be more of a twist, but I don’t know. Also, not a fan of Moiraine’s lack of compassion for Lan but I guess I can’t be too surprised about that… and I guess fighting against the Dark Ones darkfriends is more important. But she could show some compassion at least.
‘a woman who had been been Aes Sedai more than a hundred years before her own great-grandmother was born.’ Damn! Merean is old, keep forgetting how old they can be.
Really! Ryne is a traitor… a darkfriend! Crazy. How does that make sense!? How did I not pick up on any of this? Were there any signs? How could Lan be fooled like that? Crazy! And it sounds like he killed Bukama. Man, I hope Lan rips him a new one. What a traitor.
Okay, so there is quite the battle happening right now so I am just taking it in as it goes. Merean is very strong indeed and is able to take on Moiraine while still holding her captors bound. And it seems Ryne is a slightly better swordsman than Lan… still hoping Lan rips him a new one. And I am pretty sure Diryk just died? Yikes! And Prince Brys too.
And now it looks like that dagger Moiraine had on her came in handy after all. She took Merean by surprise with that and killed her, wowie! I guess most sisters would not expect another sister to use such things when they have the One Power, so that is actually very smart of Moiraine there. Now, let’s kill Ryne too please. Looks like Iselle will be safe at least.
Alright I spoke way too soon, Moiraine tried to pull Iselle back up but could not so she fell and died too, damn! This changes things then, for Lan anyway. Well, at least Lan killed Ryne, I knew he could do it, bloody piece of crap. Well, just Moiraine and Lan then.
Well that was something. And looks to be the last chapter of the Prologue. Just the Epilogue now and then Book 0 is done.
Epilogue – And After
Edeyn seems destroyed but of course you cannot blame her for that. I guess her schemes with Lan are as good as dead – ur, did not mean to make it sound that dark… but yeah.
Wait… Diryk survived the fall?! Huh… how?
Oh okay. So the Black Ajah are just doing straight up genocide then in the hopes they might, maybe kill the Dragon Reborn in the meantime? And they are going after people who seem overly lucky as that may suggest they can channel, apparently? If I took all that right. Which is why they tried to kill Diryk and Lan? Not sure if I took that in correctly. And the Black Ajah do not know that it is a baby they should be looking for, ah okay, that makes more sense then I guess.
Also, I still do not believe Cadsuane is Black Ajah… maybe I’m wrong but it still just seems too obvious. Merean was Black Ajah and that was certainly a twist I did not see.
Ah. So Moiraine is trying to get Lan to be her Warder. I really did think that would be too obvious but I guess with all that has happened it makes a lot more sense now as they are pretty much on the same side and after what happened there is no bringing Malkier back.
Still though, she did abuse him. Sure, she did not know his status or his background but that is no excuse. I wonder if she has really earned having him as her Warder. I don’t think so…
He ends up accepting. So, it will be an interesting dynamic. I am surprised he accepted so quickly, he did initially deny it – but it seems Moiraine telling him everything that she knew turned him? Hmm. Well, hopefully she will treat him right from now on. I still don’t feel like she deserves him as her Warder… perhaps my mind will be changed as we continue on.
And that is that… Book 0 – The Wheel of Time: New Spring is finished!
And I very much enjoyed it and I am looking forward to more.
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