The Sneaky Fulfillment of a Dream

[Luckers]

I think a dream was sneakily fulfilled in tGS. Specifically, this one.

 

Straps at waist and shoulder held Egwene tightly to the block, and the headsman's axe descended, but she knew that somewhere someone was running, and if they ran fast enough, the axe would stop.

 

[ACOS: 10, Unseen Eyes, 202]

 

Previously, people thought it referred to Gawyn saving Egwene from execution at the hands of Elaida--but obviously that didn't happen.

 

Nevertheless, there is a moment in tGS which fits this rather neatly. Specifically, during the Seanchan attack Egwene wears herself out so thoroughly that she cannot move [her own exhaustion being the straps at waist and shoulder], meanwhile a group [siuan, Gawyn, Bryne] have come running, looking to save her [though given this was Gawyn's thing through the entire book, and he's the one that picks her up, I'd say he's the one referred to in the dream]. And the axemen that threatened her life? The Bloodknives.

 

That's my suggestion. Helpless, unable to move due to her own tiredness, Egwene was about to fall victim to a Bloodknife had Gawyn and the others not carried her away.

[Durfee]

I like the idea of it, but we don't, iirc, have any reason to believe she was in direct danger from the bloodknives. However, we don't know that she wasn't, and we don't really know what they've been up to or if there are any alive.

[Val Mickey]

Straps at headman's waist, shoulder, and an axe descending - points to a threat Egwene should see coming at her.

 

The door closing one is more apt here.

[Luckers]

The door closing one is more apt here.

 

Not really. There is no indication Gawyn ever considered not going to Egwene's aid. He wasn't closing a door to her, he was desperately scrabbling to open one up.

 

Straps at headman's waist, shoulder, and an axe descending - points to a threat Egwene should see coming at her.

 

I don't really see that--just that she couldn't move, there was a threat to her life, and someone was running to save her--but to each their own.

[Val Mickey]

Oops! That one was about Gawyn, I forgot about that. Hmm..

 

Just throwing this out there - it could be Beonin or Nicola. Their inputs may have influenced Elaida's decision to 'preserve Egwene for the Tower.' Or it could be Silviana - whose inspired defiance led to the 'swap'. Not that I would place money on it.

 

I still think the danger would've been clear and present. Otherwise just the axe would've sufficed, why tie Egwene down? To me, it shows that Egwene would be aware of the danger. Like you say, to each his own.

[username13]

It is a good theory, and I reckon it could be true. I personally don't see there being enough time in the series to overtly go one by one down the big checklist of dreams, visions, upset stomaches etc. There will have to be a few that happen after TG, and ones such as you're mentioning that are less clear til we look back and go 'Oh...yeah'...

 

As for the Bloodknives it's always been my opinion that by the end of tGS they're all rather dead. They have a shortened lifespan, even if they do remove the ter'angreal, though guessing removing the ter'angreal removes the ability to blend into shadows. Their intention would have been to kill as many Aes Sedai as possible, and in general wreak havoc. This would have been easier during the battle itself when everyones running around freaking out etc, or in the immediate aftermath.

 

While an argument could be made for them to wait til everything was nice and calm once more and sow chaos, I really don't think that's the case. Imo it wouldn't have been greater damage, think of Moiraines assessment of the Ogier sheltering men who could channel immediately after The Breaking, and I don't think the Bloodknives themselves had enough time. Also after the battle we went through basically a day of recovery where Egwenes lopping heads and taking names, however long it takes for the ceremony etc, plus enough time that Silvania and Egwene were doing God knows what in the Hall of the Tower when Rand poked wholes in the clouds (though guessing it was right after the raising, though IO cant remember any sitters being mentioned as present). Pretty sure it could have found its way into the text if the Bloodknives had been active.. "These days will be legendary!", "Oh by the way Mother, nice speech and all, but somebody just kicked little Timmy down the well"

 

The Bloodknives arent the Forsaken, it's not neccessary for each one of their deaths to be covered in detail. Just assume poke occured, Aes Sedai fell over, more poking, more Aes Sedai, warders, soldiers etc, pokey guy gets stabbed and/or blown up a little bit. Next.

 

Sorry for going on about Bloodknives so long in a post about the dream, but just seen lots of theorys about them being alive biding their time, opening bake stalls etc

[Luckers]

That doesn't really belong in this thread. For the purposes of this topic--If Bloodknives can last weeks if they remove their ring--as per Brandon's comments--they certainly can last the 30 minutes necessary to be a threat to Egwene.

 

Secondly, given that its likely they killed Nalasia Merhan, Teramina and Jamilila Norsish then they were certainly active long after Egwene was wisked away to the Tower.

[Dream]

I agree with Silviana being the one. If I recall correctly, Egwene was headed for the chopping block before Silviana stepped up. That just fits better to me.

[Barid Bel Medar]

The original theory is the best. I agree. the headsman's axe bit doesnt really matter. Since when was a Dream ever literal.

 

Gawyn and co. were running to find egwene. If they did not find her, she would be left hopeless.

 

She was certainly "tied to the headsman's block." She was unconcious.

 

Silviana doesnt make sesne. There was no rush involved, as the running seems to imply that they would fail if they didnt get there in time. Silviana just stood up to the Hall. There was no metaphorical "running" involved.

[Val Mickey]

Dreams aren't literal, but they have to be interpreted, and there's too much emphasis on being bound (at two parts) with an axe (a headsman's axe, or an execution) to ignore the fact that Egwene would be aware of this threat. It's not like the WO Dream of Rand having a man with a dagger standing behind him, with Rand not knowing about it.

 

Helpless? None of the novices on that floor went missing. I don't see how the Bloodknives posed any threat. Even if we assume that the 3 missing AS were killed, they were of different Ajahs, which means they were probably on the ground floor during the attack, and were attacked there. Why would the Bloodknives hide the bodies? And how? How do they stop the bodies from rotting? And why skip 20 odd floors to kill marath?

 

Elaida might have finally decided to have Egwene beheaded (really, it's so easy - call her to the Hall, and ask her who the Amyrlin is), and Egwene was expecting something of the sort. Then Silviana decides to give her testimony, giving Elaida another reason to rage, go off control, strip her of the shawl, and blame the whole mess on her. Certainly that saved Egwene.

 

I don't like any of the theories (including the Silviana one), but I think even Luckers will agree that someone should ask Brandon about this.

[Dream]

@BBM

That's true. There's certainly no sense of a race against time with Silviana. I guess what bothers me about Lucker's theory is that Egwene's Dream suggested execution rather than assassination, which seems borderline misleading to me. I'm probably being too picky.

 

@Val Mickey

Egwene probably became a primary target during the fight. I'm sure assassins would ignore smaller targets to go for bigger ones. I agree though, that it just doesn't feel right. We're not even aware the Egwene is in any danger except for Gawyn's comment that she was left out in the open. We could come to the conclusion she was in grave danger, but there is really no evidence. Maybe if, after they left, someone stepped out of the shadows then it would be more conclusive.