The Gathering Storm Read-Through #34: Chapter 31 - A Promise to Lews Therin

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Cadsuane POV

Cadsuane is careful to keep her face hidden even when Rand is not around, in case she encounters him unexpectedly. Being from the inland – Far Madding and Tar Valon – she does not like humid air and longs for some refreshing breeze on her face. How appropriate that she goes to The Wind’s Favour inn. Her agent there “tests the wind” for her. Quillin Tasil, with his ultra-clean and tidy inn, is a cameo of Bob Q. Kluttz, editor of Encyclopedia WOT.

Cadsuane tries to get the innkeeper to react defensively but he never does. She met his Aes Sedai daughter at the Tower, noticed she knew a great deal about current events, checked out her parents and asked the father to be her agent. Other high-ranked Aes Sedai would be dismissive of young or low-ranked sisters and so miss this.

Fake orders from the King have been issued although the King has been missing for months. Cadsuane realises Rand could be right that he has been kidnapped by a Forsaken. The orders appear to be coming from different sources, since some signatures are a lot more convincing than others. Presumably Graendal’s forgeries are the more convincing ones.

Only bad unlikely events are occurring. The Pattern is out of balance because Rand is. Food is rotting because Rand has been corrupted by the Shadow, by his link to Moridin and use of the True Power. Rand is one with the Land and the Land with him. Literally.

Cadsuane wants to know where the merchant councillors are, the state of Domani cities, what the rebel factions are doing, and what Tarabon attacks are occurring.

She thinks that the male a’dam was taken from her to make Rand distrust her. Rand already distrusted her, but certainly this “justified” his distrust. She thinks the attacker could have raided the Seanchan instead. I disagree. The a’dam was to hand here, whereas the Seanchan are better policed for rogue channellers than Cadsuane thinks. To go to the Seanchan the thief (a channeller; we know that Shaidar Haran could not take the a’dam himself, see Chapter 23 - A Warp In The Air) would have had to disguise their channelling ability. Cadsuane is making excuses. We don’t know who had the male a’dam made, and whether Tuon knew about it. Cadsuane would be better served trying to work out how the a’dam was stolen.

One thing Cadsuane does understand is that Rand is even more traumatised now. She has to improve his psychological state:

The poor, foolish boy. He should never have had to suffer collaring at the hands of one of the Forsaken; that would only remind him of the times he had been beaten and caged by Aes Sedai. It would make her job more difficult. If not impossible.
That was the question she had to face now. Was he beyond saving? Was it too late to change him? And if it was, what—if anything—could she do? The Dragon Reborn had to meet the Dark One at Shayol Ghul.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

He should never have been caged and beaten by Aes Sedai. She is grudging in her praise of Rand:

Al'Thor hadn't reacted like most peasants suddenly granted power; he hadn't grown selfish or petty. He hadn't hoarded wealth, nor had he struck with childish vengeance against any who had slighted him in his youth. Indeed, there had actually been a wisdom to many of his decisions — the ones that didn't involve gallivanting into danger.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

and still looks down on him. She wants to show her face so people step aside for her. Used to high status she might be, but now she’s just one of the crowd. Rand didn’t demote her as far as Elaida has been demoting Aes Sedai.

Cadsuane senses Rand nearby via a prickling sensation. One of her ter’angreal should have alerted her: the eight-pointed star which vibrates when a man who can channel is nearby, even if he is not actively channelling. The more men who could channel, the harder the star quivers (Crossroads of Twilight, Ornaments).

Min won’t let Cadsuane manipulate her or get her to manipulate Rand. I wonder if Cadsuane realises that this is what makes Rand trust Min.

The reason why Cadsuane has never heard of darkness surrounding someone is that the Seals have only recently been weakened enough for the True Power to be accessed by favoured henchmen and to release these favoured henchmen from their prison in the Bore. Cadsuane has no idea the darkness comes from the Dark One’s power or that there is a True Power. Perhaps she should study symbolism more closely. She does pick up on some symbolism. The banners near the docks point to Shayol Ghul where Rand must go and give Cadsuane an idea.

Of the Aes Sedai, only Cadsuane is treated like a Wise One by the Aiel. Cadsuane has no idea the Three Oaths have a physical effect on Aes Sedai – including halving their lifespan. She manages to admit to the Wise Ones that she has failed in handling Rand. Not easy, because she is totally unused to failure, let alone admitting it to others. They agree; what they don’t say is that they also have failed, and they have not tried as hard.

Rand POV

Rand misinterprets Cadsuane’s actions and attire. He thinks she follows him around. Perhaps he regrets his decision to exile her

It had probably been a poor move to exile her in the first place, but there was no going back now.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

though it’s hard to say if this is a positive or a negative regret. Would he rather have executed her, or would he rather keep her nearby and not provide a motive and opportunity for her scheming?

The Seanchan refuse the neutral ground of Katar for a parley, therefore Rand chooses Falme. Damer and Naeff warn Rand that they could be collared or executed. Rand trusts Damer but makes him submissive.

But still Rand made him wilt and bow his head. Dissension could not be tolerated. Dissension and lies had brought him to the collar.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

Darkfriends brought Rand to the collar. The others were actually following Rand’s strictures.

Damer actually changes tune and tells Rand his choices is a fine one. Rand’s attitude sounds like that of Moridin.

Lews Therin is appalled and traumatised that they channelled the True Power, whereas Rand is not particularly at all. Perhaps Rand is more affected by the link to Moridin than Lews Therin is. Rand seems to miss Lews Therin being around as though he is less complete without him. He is.

Nynaeve is one of the few who won’t back down when Rand challenges her. Yet she is intimidated by Rand when he presses her about Lan. He is her weak spot. Rand realises Lan is riding to Malkier and Tarwin’s Gap. He gives the courtesy to Lan and Nynaeve of making conventional reactions, but doesn’t really feel them. Rand compares himself to Lan, but thinks he is worse off:

Is that what I do? Rand thought. Ride to my death in the name of honor? But no, it's different. Lan has a choice. There were no prophecies saying that Lan would die, whatever the man's assumptions about his own fate.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

It is more honourable to choose to do your duty rather than be forced to do it. Rand does have a choice as he discovers at the end of The Gathering Storm, and the Pattern had to force him to realise it and make it.

Nynaeve is prepared to lower herself and ask for help for Lan. Rand says if Lan has gone on ahead to the Blight alone, too bad. Coldly he says Lan could be a useful feint, showing how far he has gone into darkness. Nynaeve controls her temper better than Rand, who is impressed, and yet almost beyond shame or regret for his attitude:

A very quiet place, deep inside of him, was struck with worry over his friend. He had to ignore that worry, silence it. But that voice whispered to him.
He named you friend. Do not abandon him. . . .

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

Nynaeve entirely shows him up here. So does Lan. In Far Madding Lan was prepared to sacrifice himself for Rand but Rand refused to allow it.

In contrast, Rand is trying to do the right thing by the Domani and not be a tyrant. He also still treats Rhuarc with respect. Rand gave the merchant councillor Milisair the same sentence she gave the King’s messenger. It seems to be easier for him to be rough on Lan because Lan is not there.

Lews Therin thinks he cannot break Graendal’s Compulsion. He also hasn’t the skill to Heal it.

Rand is trying to achieve through force of will – or threats:

But he would settle for peace with the Seanchan and food for these people. He could not solve everyone's problems. He could just force them into abeyance long enough for him to die at Shayol Ghul.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

and has feelings of futility:

And thereby leave the world to break again once he was gone. He gritted his teeth. He had already wasted too much time worrying about things he could not fix.
Is that why I resist naming a Domani king? he thought. Once I die, that man would lose his authority, and Arad Doman would be back where it began. If I don't leave a king who has the support of the merchants, then I'm essentially offering the kingdom up to the Seanchan the moment I die.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

The three ta’veren are pulling on each other – or the pull is stronger now and they are conscious of it.

He could feel a pull from Perrin and Mat, both distant. It was their ta'veren natures, trying to draw them together. They both needed to be with him for the Last Battle.

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

I think they probably need to be together at Shayol Ghul at the Last Moment.

Nynaeve reproaches Rand for his lack of regard for them. He says:

"They're threads in the Pattern, Nynaeve," he said, rising. "I barely know them anymore, and I suspect they would say the same thing of me."
"Don't you care about them?"
"Care?" Rand walked down the steps of the raised platform that held his throne. "What I care about is the Last Battle. What I care about is making peace with the Light-cursed Seanchan so that I can stop bothering with their squabble and get to the real battle. Beside those cares, a pair of boys from my little village are meaningless."

The Gathering Storm, A Promise to Lews Therin

He belittles their roles to justify himself.

Nynaeve is right, this attitude will break Rand. Rand just sees her as complaining about his choices, and patronising him, when actually she cares about him more than he does and sees correctly that this is the wrong way. Rand threatens to kill her and feels bad enough after that he wants to die. He and Lews Therin both desire death now.

He/they can’t cope with the stress and responsibility now.