Make sure to read Part 3 here first!
Chapter 4: Leaving the Tower
SPOILERS ARE AHEAD – YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Not much guessing required for the reasoning behind the name of this chapter after having read the last. We’re sticking with Moiraine.
They are going to ride out on horsies – those animals the Aiel don’t seem to like – and Moiraine has her very own horsy called Arrow – a rarity for Accepted to own a horse. I find it very interesting how the Servants do not seem to be fond of the Accepted. But then again some of the Accepted, including Moiraine, can act a bit stuck up to those they see as below them, like Novices. But I Don’t think that alone created this dynamic with the Servants. Not sure why I am focusing on it so much anyway.
I like how they are describing all the different nationalities present in Tar Valon as they make their way through. It sure sounds like a popular city. It also sounds like a fairly safe and quite wealthy city too, at least for now anyway, I have a feeling such will change with time and what is to come.
Anyway, this has been quite a descriptive chapter so far, and quite a lot less lore heavy so far which gives me a bit of a break from taking notes, and instead just sitting back and taking in imagining the scenary.
It sure must be something finally being able to travel out the city after so many years of not being allowed to leave.
Damn the Children of the Light have already turned up? Bold of them. Anyway they are fleeting and so we don’t get much from them. Siuan tries to make a clever play to get to some camps closer to Dragonmount, perhaps giving them a higher chance of being the ones to locate the ‘boychild’ – but Steler, the bannerman in charge of looking after Moiraine, Siuan, and their group was one step ahead having had instructions from the Tower in where to take them. Steler seems decent so far in my books.
This village they are in – Alindaer – sounds like it often gets unlucky during wars. Burned down six times through three different wars including one called the War of the Second Dragon – curious name, and whom is or was the second dragon?
So Moiraine has settled on choosing the Blue Ajah while she thinks Siuan may end up choosing the Green Ajah, of course this still does not mean too much to me. Siuan seems quite ambitious, is that a trait associated with the Green Ajah?
Anyway the chapter rounds off with them arriving at a camp, one with Murandians. This chapter was quite a light one in terms of information and lore, not a lot of development compared to previous chapters. But certainly a lot more environment building which I liked. Quite a chill chapter.
Chapter 5: The Human Heart
We’re sticking with Moiraine. These cold temperatures sound awful by the way. It seems all the time Moiraine has spent there so far she still is not quite used to the cold.
Clever move by Siuan to get things under control, I felt like I could hear that amplified ‘be quiet!’ through the book itself. Sure is true to her character so far too of her naturally being a leadership figure in the situation.
This Meri a’Conlin woman seems uppity and annoying. But that is also interesting, they are not guaranteed to come across every baby born at every place they go to for various reasons – that can make things a lot more difficult. Still very curious to understand what a Warder is!
‘No backtalk, my Lady. Just answer the question.’ – I think Siuan is growing on me. Possibly a favourite character? Still early on yet but she certainly takes no crap it seems.
I keep forgetting that only Moiraine and Siuan know the full story of what happened with Gitara and her Foretelling – so yes, an interesting dynamic there as an Accepted may come across this ‘boychild’ and be none the wiser.
A very decent thing Moiraine did for Susa, a starving, widowed woman with a child who clearly was too old to receive the coins but Siuan, without even being verbal, managed to guide Moiraine towards being sympathetic and compassionate and giving them the coins anyway. She clearly needed them far more than that bloody uppity Meri a’Conlin who is simply going to ‘frame’ her coins, yikes – at least give them to someone in need.
At some point two sisters head into the camp with a Warder – and the strange description makes it sound ever more intriguing. I want to know more about them! Are the sisters using their magic to like buff the man and that is what makes a Warder? I want to know! Looks like things are about to get a lot more interesting.
The two sisters are Meilyn Arganya and Elaida a’Roihan, both sounding like very important people. Apparently it is quite rare for someone of the White Ajah to have a Warder. So Meilyn has the Warder who seems to be called Andro. They can sense each other’s emotions and physical condition and where each other were if close enough, or just the direction if not. Does all sound very useful. I wonder how one is bonded though and why would someone decide or agree to be a Warder?
Looks like those of the Red Ajah – Elaida for example, do not bond Warders at all.
Oh, I did not realise they had to travel back to the Tower each day before nightfall. I feel like that makes things a bit more difficult as it adds a lot more travel time, but then again where else would they stay during the night I guess? Doubtful there is room in the camps.
Once they arrive back Moiraine is summoned to the office of Merean where she is told of the death of King Laman and his two brothers. I am not sure what that means or what he was the king of. Ah, they were all Moiraine’s uncles, and she does not seem super upset about it. Sounds like they were not the nicest of men.
Apparently Moiraine’s father, a scholar, had married someone who brought no lands or connections to House Damodred and they did not like him much for that. I keep forgetting Moiraine comes from royalty. Merean seems to think Moiraine is more upset than she actually is, even trying to give her the next day off from going back out again – but of course she refused that, as I expected. Merean, Mistress of Novices, is Aes Sedai no? I thought perhaps she may have been better at reading Moiraine’s true emotions. I guess not always.
Hah, that’s interesting, how those who can channel can end up sharing dreams. Feels very invasive but at least there is a way to prevent it. Also who is Jac Wynn again? I am not sure if they have been mentioned before or this is the first of hearing it. Am I being dumb? Whoever it is they seem to have meant a lot to Moiraine.
We round off with some interesting nightmares. Again, I feel like we did not get too much information from this chapter. Feels like just an ordinary chapter, nothing too special. I like we got to encounter a Warder for the first time and hope to learn more about them soon. We learned tiny bits more about some Ajahs and a bit more about Moiraine’s background. Onwards!
Chapter 6 – Surprises
Moiraine again. We meet a novice called Setsuko who I feel a bit sorry for. Apparently she has no chance of gettng the shawl and is merely there to ensure she can control her channeling and that is it. That’s tough. I’d say keep trying if you really want it but honestly it sounds like Setsuko isn’t really interested in climbing that ladder. Hopefully she finds success elsewhere once she is allowed to leave.
First Rise, Second, Third etc – not exactly sure how that time system works but okay.
I wonder why the Aiel are retreating. I still want to know why they acted odd in the first chapter, witnessed by Lan. Many things not answered, such as the trumpets. Much we do not see.
Merean appears to the shock of people around – especially since she is wearing her shawl which was rare as sisters only really wore them in the Tower for special occasions – so in this case someone was either in great trouble or being summoned for testing – which I believe is that thing Moiraine and Siuan were practicing for a couple chapters back.
Looks like Moiraine is being forced to stay behind after all! How annoying. I am not sure why Merean seems to be adament that Moiraine is in fact in shock so much so Merean even argued with Tamra, the Amrylin, for her to stay behind. If I have read that correctly that is. But I can’t help but think there is more to this? Siuan I think tried to defuse the situation by agreeing with Merean to prevent an argument that would likely have gone very badly for Moiraine – but that also kind of backfired when she was also told to stay behind too. Ooof! And so much to that they want to be the ones to find the boychild. Stings.
Apparently though the task they are now set to do at the Tower – writing down the names of the children born I think? – may still allow them a better chance at discovering the boychild? So, maybe some strategy there from Siuan?
Ah, some of the records of exactly where a child was born is vague and can leave it open to question. I can see how greatly annoying that could be.
Eventually the Amyrlin enters the room as one of the clerks is apparently salty that Moiraine and Siuan are doing her job. This next day they were now on was apparently a freeday where they could study or do practice or some other useful thing but instead they had clearly carried on with their original task.
‘Moiraine bobbed to her feet and offered her courtesies so fast that she forgot the pen in her hand. She felt it twist, though, and winced at the ink stain it left, a black smear spreading to the size of a coin on the white wool.’ Just thought I would highlight this as it reminds me of my own clumsiness.
Alright, so I kind of glossed over this the first time it came up but there is something called the Game of Houses which is basically a way in which an Aes Sedai chooses to speak that infurs a meaning other than what it first may seem – at least that is what I took away from it. And here Moiraine believes that based on what the Amyrlin said, the way in which she said it, and the body language she used inferred that Moiraine should use the One Power to remove the ink stain from her dress rather than trying to wash it out manually which would be extremely difficult. Now this is interesting as of course as we know using the One Power for things like that is forbidden – yet as we have also seen such rules can be bended.
Anyway – Moiraine believes that, Siuan is not so sure herself. But Moiraine is confident enough to basically do it right there and then (the Amyrlin has since left the room). Now, as an autistic person social stuff is already enough of a nightmare for me and this Game of Houses stuff just gives me massive anxiety because I typically do take many things that are said literally as they are. So yeah, if people are expecting me to notice this Game of Houses stuff – fat chance. But it is clever and I hope more of it gets pointed out – although I also feel there will be some the reader is expected to notice themselves or maybe intentionally hidden, again I cannot say I will have much luck noticing such but I’ll try my best.
But yeah that was pretty ballsy of Moiraine and as Siuan said what if a sister had walked in then – would she use the excuse of it being the Game of Houses? Good luck.
They eventually find something of note – ‘Born in the sight of Dragonmount, it said, which was as ridiculous as saying in the sight of the Tower. But Willa Mandair had given birth to a son, west of the river, and on the day of Gitara’s Foretelling.’ So, could it be? I mean I doubt it would be the first one they come across and as indicated it is ambigous. As usual with these kind of things I expect some kind of dramatic twist to reveal who the Dragon Reborn REALLY is as opposed to who they may suspect or believe it is. dun dun dunnnnn
And as expected they soon find more with similarly ambigous ‘born in sight of Draganmount’ descriptions. Quite the conundrum and in all likilihood if the Dragon Reborn was someone in those records they’d probably miss him. But, we shall see.
Oh, a Sitter has entered the room. I have been wanting to know more about them – it says she is a Sitter for the Gray. So do they represent the different Ajahs before the Amyrlin? Or are they simply like a council for advising the Amyrlin perhaps? Jarna Malari seems to want to talk with Moiraine. Ah – she wants information on who Moiraine thinks will take power in her homeland now that some of her relatives, one of whom was the king, had died.
It seems Moiraine is not so sure and suggests perhaps a house other than her own will take power and then Jarna says ‘Perhaps. House Damodred has acquired an ill reputation that Laman only made worse.’ Ouch. Eventually talk moves on with Jarna wondering if one of Moiraine’s two elder sisters’ may take the throne, but it sounds as not. Although it seems like Moiraine is hiding something. What are the Three Oaths again? Cannot remember if they have been explained before? Hmmn.
Holy Moly, seems all the Sitters are curious and one of them – Tsutama Rath – even asked if Moiraine herself had thought of being Queen of Cairhien! Very interesting. Is that where we are heading?! The babe in the snow and the faceless man, certainly something traumatic in Moiraine’s past…? I mean it very much sounds like she does not want to be Queen and of course when she becomes an Aes Sedai she fears the repurcussions as none had ever been Queen of her homeland in over 1,000 years. And now she wants to escape? Things are heating up it seems.
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