Aviendha POV#

She is Ladalin, Wise One of the Taardad Aiel. She and Mora of the Goshien Aiel are the only ones with the three clan chiefs. Her mother spoke of gai'shain but now all Aiel fight the Seanchan. She is very old now and her first memories were the Almoth strikes.[1] She fought at Tear. Tamaav arrives with news that the White Tower has fallen. Takai is clan chief of the Miagoma. Jorshem is another chief. The Seanchan have taken Rhuidean, Illian and Cairhien. All of the lands west of the mountains have fallen and the Seanchan have the Andoran war machines. The Daryne and Shiande are no more; only five clans remain, one scattered.[2] They must retreat back to the Three-fold Land. The Dragon wanted peace but the Aiel could not accept that with the Seanchan.

This was the worst vision for Aviendha as she felt some sense of Aiel in Ladalin. But they have no honor. They fight just for the sake of fighting and hatred. She steps forward.

She is Oncala, a Maiden of the Spear. She carries the blood of the Dragon Reborn and is held in high esteem. She plans to marry Hehyal, of the Dawn Runners and clan chief of the Taardad. All of the nations still keep the peace of the Dragon[3] except for the Aiel who have been fighting the Seanchan for forty years. She and Hehyal have come to Caemlyn and Queen Talana to convince her to fight the Seanchan as well. They show her plans stolen from the Ebou Dar palace that outline an attack on Caemlyn. Talana will think on it. Afterwards, Hehyal is uncomfortable that they did not tell the whole truth, that the plans are only a contingency but Oncala is satisfied. With Andor's power, other nations in the Pact of the Griffin and the Court of the Sun[4] will join the war. They will defeat the Raven Empire and she will rule the Dragon Empire.

Aviendha can barely go on. That power-hungry, honorless creature was her own granddaughter. She steps forward.

She is Padra, daughter of the Dragon Reborn and a Maiden. She and her three siblings, brothers Alarch and Janduin and sister Marinna, hold the One Power constantly and channeled since early childhood.[5] Alarch has his looks from his wetlander side and has dark hair.[6] She and her spear sisters attacked a Seanchan patrol that got too close to the Aiel camp and Tarra died in the skirmish. It is seventeen years since the Last Battle and their camp in Arad Doman has been in the same place for a decade. She reports to Ronam, son of Rhuarc and now clan chief of the Taardad. There is a meeting of clan chiefs, Tavalad of the Goshien, Alalved of the Tomanelle, Darvin of the Reyn, Bruan of the Nakai, Shedren of the Daryne. Padra says the Dragon's Peace does not apply to the Aiel and they will attack any Seanchan who come too close to their camp. They have been in one place too long. It is time to make war on the Seanchan for collaring Wise Ones. The clan chiefs agree and all leave except Padra and Ronam. He is ten years older and remembers Rand from Cold Rocks Hold. Rhuarc told him that Rand was clever and a great leader, but he did not know what to do with the Aiel. He planned for the other nations but left the Aiel to drift. War is all they know and it will bring honor.

Aviendha is exhausted. She now remembers her children from the three rings but she did not remember these visions. There has to be a way for her to change the future. She reenters the glass columns but they are now dead. She must figure out a way to save her people. She will return to the Wise Ones but first she must remain in the Three-fold Land to think.[7]

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