Towers of Midnight Read-Through #10: Chapter 3 - The Amyrlin’s Anger

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Egwene POV

In Towers of Midnight, Rand’s subthread ends with him floating in his personal dream world, whereas Egwene’s subthread starts with her floating in the world dream world, rather than a personal one. Both are haunted by Forsaken in their previously peaceful and relaxing dreams. Egwene was having a happy dream of Gawyn in a setting partly Tar Valon, partly Two Rivers. (In her dreams it doesn’t look like Gawyn has much say in where and how they live.) It is suddenly interrupted by thirteen black towers representing the thirteen Forsaken. Moridin/Ishamael is the tower which collapsed and then regrew tallest of all, as he was killed, reincarnated and anointed Naeblis. Six Forsaken remain at this time: Moridin, Lanfear, Moghedien, Demandred, Mesaana and Graendal. Egwene falls to the ground as though the dream overwhelms her.

The fledgling eagles crying for their mother are Aes Sedai depending on the Amyrlin. The serpent Mesaana is nestled in the Aes Sedai nest/bosom. Egwene “knows” the meaning of this dream and quickly becomes convinced Mesaana has defeated the Oath Rod somehow.

In her final dream, an enormous crystal sphere – the world or perhaps the Dark One’s prison – is cracking as the Dark One corrupts it. Rand breaks the ropes holding it together; breaks the world as he is prophesied to do. We don’t know whether this is a good idea or not. The twenty-three stars shining on the sphere could represent the full Hall of Sitters and Amyrlin and Keeper, or twenty-three major groups at the Field of Merrilor when Rand tells them his price for fighting the Dark One and his plans to break the Seals.

The world-wide dreams in the void remind Egwene of the world outside Tar Valon, which Aes Sedai are supposed to serve and too rarely go out into:

The dreams of all the people here—some from her world, some from shadows of it—reminded her why she fought. She must never forget that there was an entire world outside the White Tower's walls. The purpose of Aes Sedai was to serve that world.

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

Egwene is calling in Elayne and Nynaeve – two actually doing great things out in the world - not just to raise them Aes Sedai, but to see they follow the Aes Sedai party line.


Siuan POV

The chapter title is The Amyrlin’s Anger and there are two Amyrlins in it. Unlike Egwene who felt slighted by Rand and expressed anger, Siuan feels no resentment or anger at not being the one to receive the Dragon. She does feel some regret though:

"I always thought I would be the one in there," Siuan said softly, just for Bryne. "That I would receive him, guide him. I was the one who was to be sitting in that chair."

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

The missing Amyrlin Elaida was noted for her anger and vengefulness. Siuan is annoyed at Elaida because she prevented Rand from being “safely in Aes Sedai care”, as if Siuan still clings to that mistaken plan even after seeing scores of Aes Sedai exposed as Darkfriends.

Saerin has reliable reports on Rand’s temperament. So does Siuan, therefore she has access to the Blues’ network despite her low rank. The Blues do make the most of each member’s abilities, so perhaps she is spymaster again. Was Aeldene Black? TheBlue Ajah’s intelligence network is the most extensive and an obvious infiltration target for the Black Ajah. Siuan is playing the nosey intelligence agent to the hilt, trying to find out how Saerin got her duelling scar. Saerin is more than a match for her – and far above Siuan in rank, so Siuan would be violating protocol by hassling a Sitter in this way.

Their final access to the Hall is tiled like wet blood – symbolising that there is more bloodshed yet to come in the Tower. The tiles should be white – logic/purity – and yellow – healing/ warmth.

The Ajahs have years’ worth of distrust for each other, according to Siuan, and yet Elaida didn’t rule for years. Some of the distrust developed during Siuan’s reign. We saw evidence of that in The Great Hunt when Siuan described the doings of the Hall to Moiraine. As Amyrlin, Siuan was too divisive as she realises when she compares herself to Egwene:

I did well as Amyrlin, but I couldn't do that. Lead by presence instead of force, uniting instead of dividing.

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

Siuan regrets that her mistakes allowed Elaida to take over. Bryne points out that Siuan also paved the way for Egwene and taught her much, and assures Siuan that Egwene and the Tower think Siuan did well. This is balm to Siuan, but she won’t let Gareth Bryne complement her or be too close to her. Egwene’s body language indicates that she may be feeling more positive to Siuan, perhaps even sensing Siuan’s feelings at this point or recognising what she owes Siuan.

Bryne has superb confidence, hence his serenity. (He also has some fatalism, as soldiers do.) He notes that Aes Sedai may lack confidence:

”Are they in control of their emotions? Or do those emotions just never change? If one is always concerned, one will always look the same."

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

Siuan asks “what is age to Aes Sedai?” It’s experience. Or can be, if an Aes Sedai acts or goes out into the world. Hence it is one of the ways Aes Sedai rank themselves, but a secondary way.

The implication is that Rand is so unassuming as Everyman that he can pass unnoticed. The advent of Rand makes the Tower panicky. The Aes Sedai shield him with two full circles, yet he is quite unworried. The Aes Sedai are not, however. Even with the Dragon shielded so thoroughly, many Aes Sedai still hold the power when he arrives. It is a wonder he wasn’t shivering with all the goosebumps he would be feeling.

Rand looks like an Aes Sedai – serene and in control. Judging by what he channelled even in Knife of Dreams, Vows, he could break through the shields of two circles of thirteen.

Rand’s eyes are ageless. Siuan thinks he is

seeing through the light of a thousand lives compounded in one.

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

Rand did see all his lives on Dragonmount during his epiphany the day before, but only retains Lews Therin’s life in detail.

The Warders surprise themselves by allowing Rand to pass through their barrier and talk to Siuan. No one dares touch him. Bryne perhaps came closest in the way he was prepared to defend Siuan; he is a better Warder than the others.

Egwene prejudges what Rand will be like, but Rand asks Siuan how Egwene has developed. He knows Siuan has been helping Egwene from the meeting in Tel’aran’rhiod that he spied on and assumes Siuan still has influence with her.

Rand is sure the arrow at Fal Dara was meant for him.

Tiana gives Rand one of Verin’s letters (see Verin and her Letters article). Under Rand’s ta’veren effect she admits she promised to deliver it (and thus couldn’t break her word) because she never thought he’d go to the Tower, or that they’d meet. So Verin’s instructions were to give Rand the letter in the Tower.

Egwene POV

Rand stands on the centre of the Flame, symbolising that he is the focal point of the Aes Sedai, but also overshadows them. He acknowledges that Cadsuane helped him escape the Shadow’s touch by accident, by bringing Tam to him.

Egwene has mixed feelings about Rand and is predisposed to think negatively of him as a dangerous man, criminal, and probably insane. She remarks that Rand sounds cultured now and wonders if he has been tutored. Her thoughts follow the lines of Tuon’s in The Gathering Storm, including the wish for him to defer to her, or at least be her equal.

Her suggestion that Rand is at the Tower to ask for their aid (which it should be their duty to give freely) is foolish when Rand so obviously is not a supplicant, and the White Tower and Aes Sedai on the whole have been of little use to him or made little direct contribution to the War against the Shadow so far. This is something Rand could have pointed out, but forbore. Only some of those Aes Sedai with Rand have helped him.

Rand thought Aes Sedai were the danger to him, when it is the Shadow and himself. He wanted to fight and die on his own terms, which is reasonable. His burden is onerous enough without having any choice. Yet he acknowledges that having insisted on making his own choices, those choices have led to terrible acts:

"I should have wished for such a convenient set of backs upon which to heap the blame for my crimes."

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

Egwene misses the implied insult that Aes Sedai have a low enough reputation that they can take the blame for crimes.

Egwene follows the Aes Sedai idea that

they could decide what to do with him. The Dragon Reborn did need freedom to do as the prophecies said he would, but could they simply let him roam away, now that they had him?

- Towers of Midnight, The Amyrlin’s Anger

He lets them know they don’t have him at all. Gently, where once he would have terrorised them. It’s more effective since it shows confidence and maturity, and makes their attitude unreasonable. Had he been arrogant, enraged and tyrannical, which he would have been only the day before, it would have been very reasonable.

Egwene thinks Rand is speaking of ‘idle philosophy’ and therefore must be mad. Obviously she is not a White. Egwene misunderstands him because she hasn’t been with him for quite a while and knows little about what he has been through.

Rand has come to tell them he will break the Seals and when he does she immediately thinks of her dream of the crystal sphere. She believes cutting its ropes is bad – but will this free it or break it? Or both?

Rand offers little explanation to the Aes Sedai about why he needs to break the Seals. Later that day, he does explain thoroughly to Nynaeve. He expects the Aes Sedai to oppose his idea, and to gather his opposition; in fact, he seems to want them to unite the opposing group and be its focal point. Egwene wants Nynaeve and Elayne to persuade Rand not to because he trusts them. Of course, he trusts them because they listen to him and don’t dismiss what he says. Feeling comfortable with Nynaeve, he takes the time to explain his ideas properly to her, which helps.

Egwene will also try and get large enough group together to confront Rand and persuade him not to break the Seals.

He reminds them that Lews Therin “failed” because the women wouldn’t help and asks the Aes Sedai to contribute saidar this time. Than and now the female Aes Sedai did not agree with or have confidence in the Dragon.

Egwene wants discussion and planning. Rand says she can do the planning. This is what angers her. And then he formally asks to withdraw and intimidates her into not trying to detain him. She’s tempted, but remembers how she criticised Elaida. In this meeting she’s had many of the negative thoughts that Elaida has had, just not as bad.

Egwene realises that the Pattern has arranged for her to be the Amyrlin because she knows Rand and therefore can trust him. (Except that she doesn’t much.) Also because she hopefully isn’t so indoctrinated by the belief that the Tower must hold the Dragon that she wouldn’t try to do so. (Except that she considered it.)

Silvana thinks Egwene wouldn’t hold Rand captive, little knowing Egwene’s thoughts. Egwene rightly thinks she couldn’t have anyway, that he could have broken through a shield easily.

Egwene didn’t feel any fondness for Rand.

One of the major things Egwene knows nothing about is Rand’s loss of his left hand. She who was built up in The Gathering Storm to the point of making previously competent characters such as the Sitters seem silly, now seems silly in this scene compared to Rand (and will against Perrin too) which makes the admiration of the Sitters that she could say anything at all to Rand absurd. Rand’s ta’veren effect made her dizzy after he left, as though she had made a bargain, or done what he wanted against her will. The Sitters were prevented from interrupting their meeting. However Rand wanted Egwene to speak with him, so she felt no constriction preventing her.

This scene is the fulfilment of Elaida’s foretelling that:

"The White Tower will be whole again, except for remnants cast out and scorned, whole and stronger than ever. Rand al'Thor will face the Amyrlin Seat and know her anger."

-A Crown of Swords, Prologue: Lightnings

Rand knows her anger, but he is not put out or put off by it, something Elaida would never had thought. He seems to be going to use Egwene to bring his opposition together – for him to use in some way?

The meeting at the Field of Merrilor is to be on the day before Rand goes to Shayol Ghul – or that is the plan. The Shadow may try to delay Rand’s strike at Shayol Ghul. So may the Pattern. The great meeting will be in 29 days’ time. Caemlyn is probably invaded about the same time as the Merrilor assembly.