In this section, the heroines make a desperate escape while
plotlines converge around Perrin.
Both Aviendha and Nynaeve apologize for their recent
behaviour, though neither is warranted in Elayne’s view. Elayne is the leader
in the group for now. She will hide it when they arrange for Nynaeve to do the demonstrations
of linking, but her leadership is what keeps the Sea Folk in line when they
need to flee the hilltop.
Participation in the circle using the Bowl of the Winds is
based on strength, which provides a handy list of who is on par with our
heroines. Sea folk include Talaan, Metarra, Rainyn, Naime, Rysael, Tebreille
and Caire. Kin include Garenia, Reanne, and Kirstian. The use of circles and
linking and bonding will be important in future battles, so this is an
opportunity to present everything the reader needs to know on the topic.
There is some funny sexual imagery as Elayne and the others
are abruptly dropped from the circle: She
felt tired, if not anywhere near what she would have felt had she done anything
beyond serve as a conduit, but what she felt most was loss. Letting go of
saidar was bad enough; having it simply vanish out of you went beyond thinking
about.
Nynaeve has spent too much time trying to assert her worth
over that of Alise, who has already organized the escape from the Farm. Aviendha
is simply no good at making Gateways. So it falls to Elayne to weave, and then
unweave the Gateway.
Aviendha uses a novel tactic, launching fireballs from a
point of origin in front of the Gateway without being in that spot herself. As
soon as she tires, the Seanchan erupt from the Gateway and shield Elayne, which
abruptly ends the unraveling of the Gateway. The collapse of the weave causes a
shockwave which devastates both ends of the Gateway. Having shared the risks
Elayne took, Elayne realizes she is ready to embrace Aviendha as a near-sister,
sister-wife or in any other relationship. Aviendha has now also seen Elayne in
battle, and has a good opinion of her. Their bond may now be stronger than their
romantic interest in Rand.
Rolling like a
gambling wheel, they fell. This is when the raken is tumbling out of the
sky. All kinds of objects roll, but choosing one that conjures luck, poor odds
and uncertainty is brilliant.
Before his name appears, you can tell it’s Perrin’s point of
view, as we see the forested hills
hammered by a fierce morning sun. Perrin has a chance encounter with
Morgase and her little group. These two converging plotlines should streamline
the plot. Perrin’s simple approach to defending right and ending wrong can’t
help but win readers over, despite that he is setting up future trouble for
himself. The author chooses to understate the horror of what the Prophet’s men
do, saving the revelation for the very
last: At first, Perrin did not know what
he was looking at, a long loop of rawhide thickly strung with what appeared to be
tags of shriveled leather. Then he did know, and his teeth bared in a snarl. “The
Prophet would have our ears you said.”
Perrin’s current problem is approaching Queen Alliandre
without putting Faile in danger nor offending her by sending her rival. Perrin
reminds us that nothing is more important to him than Faile’s life and her
perception of him. That’s twice that a blatant statement to this effect has
shown up in the early part of a book.
His other objective is to deal with the Prophet, but more on
that in the next post.
Writing Lessons:
When crafting your similes and metaphors, use terms that
convey strong imagery and associated ideas.
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