Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.
You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.
Chapter 27: The Practice of Diffidence
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Siuan Sanche
Siuan tries to get the Aes Sedai in Salidar moving toward supporting Rand and doing something about Elaida instead of just waiting around in Salidar. Leane begins to distance herself from Siuan so she can take different or more moderating views. Siuan reminds them that all of the eyes-and-ears reports are going to the Tower until they can contact them and redirect the reports to Salidar. Leane adds that she has eyes-and-ears in Tar Valon, which will be useful for getting information on the White Tower under Elaida.
Siuan finally calls their attention to her bringing Logain along. She tells them that Logain was approached by the Red Ajah at least a year before he proclaimed himself as the Dragon Reborn and that the Reds encouraged him to do so. Siuan believes spreading this information will weaken Elaida. She notes to herself that she could be lying and they do not even suspect that she could lie. Her ties to the Three Oaths were broken when she was stilled. The Aes Sedai agree to let Siuan run the eyes-and-ears network rather than take the names away from her.
Siuan moves on to the next part of her plan, which is to suggest the Aes Sedai establish their own Amyrlin Seat so they can declare to the world that they are the White Tower in exile. The Aes Sedai begin identifying the traits that will be needed in the new Amyrlin, each emphasizing traits they themselves are noted for. Consensus begins building around Sheriam, but Siuan interrupts to suggest they find someone strong in the Power, but that has not been directly involved in events leading to the splitting of the White Tower. Siuan finally discloses her thoughts on where Rand disappeared to when he left Tear: the Aiel Waste. Her idea is immediately discounted, though, until some discussion leads to the decision to send some Aes Sedai to check.
Arinvar, Sheriam‘s warder, arrives to announce that about twenty men are on their way toward the village. Sheriam and Morvrin tell him that he must either capture the men or make sure they do not escape to report the Aes Sedai presence in Salidar. Before Arinvar can leave to carry out his orders, another warder arrives to say that the men stopped outside of the village except one, who appears to be Gareth Bryne. Siuan panics and tells the council they must send Bryne away or kill him. The warders remark that having one of the Great Captains aligned with them would be of benefit if the plan is to take Tar Valon and the White Tower away from Elaida. Sheriam asks Siuan why Bryne has come and Siuan knows she has to tell the complete truth or face disaster for her plans.
REACTION:
We clarify here that for whatever reason (plot convenience maybe), the head of the Blue Ajah’s eyes and ears network is not in Salidar. Siuan has much less to offer if she is there. Siuan had to have been planning for the Salidar group to have access to this network of spies, before she arrived, so this is a bonus for her. We should assume though that maybe the reason she is not there is that she is still journeying to Salidar herself.
I think Siuan believes she is lying regarding the Reds, Logain, and setting up False Dragons. She might not be, though. That seems like something the Black Ajah would orchestrate and there are undoubtedly Reds among the Black. The Black Ajah told the super girls in Tear that there was a plot surrounding Mazrim Taim. That said, how bad is it that Siuan is making up a lie like this? She’s doing something that might destroy the Red Ajah, as surely as Elaida’s actions are an attempt to destroy the Blues. Elaida’s actions are rooted in something true that the Blues actually did (hiding Rand from the Tower.) So… which of them is worse? How different do we view all of this if Elaida is the POV character? Elaida is also a bit more sympathetic when you consider she was blasted by Fain’s paranoia power and that there is probably one of the Forsaken lurking in the Tower and pulling her strings.
It’s also not a great moment for Siuan that she basically asks for Gareth Bryne to be murdered. Imagine if they’d heeded her request? How different does Siuan come across in that moment if we aren’t in her own POV?
All of this is to say that maybe Siuan and Moiraine were put in an impossible situation as very young women, and maybe they did their job as well as could be expected, but maybe also it’s time for someone else to hold the reigns of power. (When a close examination of you leads me to sympathize more with Elaida, well…)
About five seconds after Siuan and Leane arrive, the Salidar group decides to elect their own Hall, appoint their own Amyrlin, and then they decide to bring on Gareth Bryne to build and lead an army for them. This has a very ta’veren sort of feel to it. Notable from that discussion was the idea of appointing a new Amyrlin. The new one will have to have been out of the Tower at the time of the split, as well as strong in the Poower. I can think of three SuperGirls who might make the list of candidates. I guess Moiraine would be an option, too, but she’s probably eliminated from candidacy due to her role in finding Rand and her long-time closeness with Siuan.
One of the most interesting details from this chapter was kind of a throwaway comment. ”Strength in the power often goes with strength of will.” Is that why Nynaeve and the other Two Rivers channelers are so strong?
We also learn in this chapter that Myrelle marries her Warders. Myrelle is the Sister that Lan is set to be sent to, if his bond with Moiraine is ever severed (TGH chapter 22.) I guess that marriage, and the things that go with marriage, are an integral part of saving a Warder who has lost his Aes Sedai. Nynaeve will love to find out that Moiraine not only did not send Lan to her, but also married him off against his will.
::tugs braid::
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