Elayne POV#

Elayne drums up support visiting minor Andoran Houses that are loyal to her. She is with House Matherin, twenty miles from the River Erinin River over the Chishen Mountains near the Murandy border. Elsie, a maid, helps her dress. She wishes she had her own maid, Essande. As they leave her rooms, Elsie reaches a cross-corridor and shrieks. She sees the ghost of Lady Nelein, Lord Aedmun's grandmother.[1]

Aviendha is already downstairs. She is a year older than Elayne. She wears a Kandori necklace, and ivory bracelet[2] and the amber turtle brooch. Elayne suffers from mood swings from her pregnancy. She wishes Birgitte or Aviendha could recall exactly what Min said about her baby.[3] Rand had been to the south, but this morning he Traveled to the west.

Fridwyn Ros, who manages the estate, meets them. Their horses are ready and he has arranged for House Matherin troops to go with them. Their horses are Fireheart and Siswai, "spear" in the Old Tongue. Caseille Raskovni leads the Queen's Guards who escort Elayne. Aviendha prepares to open a gateway back to Caemlyn. She has insisted on doing most of the necessary channeling lately. Elayne wonders what effect saidar might have on her unborn child. Suddenly she feels an incredible amount of saidar far to the west and knows it must involve Rand. She has heard stories of a great sa'angreal, but it needs control ter'angreal and no one she knows has ever seen one.[4] She wants to go help, afraid that it is the Black Ajah or the Forsaken but Aviendha refuses. From her trip through the three rings, Aviendha remembers major points of her future like falling in love with Rand and that she would have sister-wives.[5] She was also left with vague feelings about other events as well. If they go to Rand now something very bad will happen. Elayne acquiesces and Aviendha opens a gateway to the stableyard of the Royal Palace. She can feel that Birgitte has a headache and a sour stomach.[6] Elayne rides through the gateway wanting to help Rand but knowing her duty is to Andor.

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