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Winter’s Heart: Chapter Summaries

Prologue: Snow (Jumara 19 - 25 N.E. 1000)

Seaine’s Black Ajah hunting party uses a ter’angreal called the Chair of Remorse to convince the Darkfriend Talene to retake the Three Oaths. Elayne decides to hire mercenaries, places Birgitte over the Queen’s Guard, and orders Mazrim Taim to allow inspections of the Black Tower. Elayne and Aviendha are bonded as first-sisters. Red Sister Toveine Gazal explores the Black Tower, chafing at Logain’s leash. Rand visits the Academy of Cairhien and appoints Dobraine as his steward.

Chapter 1: Leaving the Prophet (Jumara 28 N.E. 1000)

Perrin and Elyas leave Masema’s city of residence, Abila. Sebban Balwer informs Perrin of Murandians and men who can channel fighting the Seanchan.

Chapter 2: Taken (Jumara 28 - Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Berelain reports that Faile, Alliandre, Maighdin (really Morgase), and others were taken by Aiel. Perrin diffuses some of the tension in his multi-faction camp by promising to rescue everyone.

Chapter 3: Customs (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Faile runs, naked, until she can run no longer, and her captor, Rolan, is forced to carry her. She learns that she has been made gai’shain.

Chapter 4: Offers (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Sevanna orders her prisoner Galina Sedai to Heal Faile and the others. They will be Sevanna’s personal gai’shain. Faile feigns meekness; Therava sees through it but orders Faile and the others to spy on Sevanna. Faile has a chat with Galina, and accidentally lets slip that she is Perrin’s wife.

Chapter 5: Flags (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Perrin is expelled from the wolf dream by Hopper for entering too deeply, and wakes in Berelain’s tent; he and Tallanvor nearly froze themselves to death waiting for news of Faile and Maighdin, respectively. Masema arrives, late and with more men than Perrin told him. Masema has been meeting with the Seanchan.

Chapter 6: The Scent of Madness (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Perrin seeks some breakfast and learns that the camp believes he slept with Berelain. The Aiel scouts return with proof that the captured women are alive, and reports signs of Seanchan and Shaido nearby. Masema insists on coming with Perrin to rescue Faile.

Chapter 7: The Streets of Caemlyn (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Elayne parades through the streets of Caemlyn with her new Guardswoman escort, then learns that her opposition for the throne has been freed by an unknown party. There is also a Borderland army in Andor.

Chapter 8: Sea Folk and Kin (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Elayne deals with palace business and wonders what to do with the captured sul’dam and damane Rand sent her as a gift⁠—one of whom is stronger than Nynaeve. Two of the Kin, now restored to their former position as novices, determine on their own that an Aes Sedai killed Adeleas; Nynaeve sets the pair to helping Vandene find the killer.

Chapter 9: A Cup of Tea (Saban 1 N.E. 1000)

Elayne learns of the events in the Sun Palace, and determines to put forth her claim for that throne once Andor is secure. Elayne’s tea is drugged with forkroot; she is nearly murdered, Dyelin wounded, but a strange guardsman comes to their rescue.

Chapter 10: A Plan Succeeds (Saban 1 - 2 N.E. 1000)

Elayne wakes and learns that her rescuer is called Doilin Mellar; she promotes him, and sets a trap. Birgitte decides to give Elayne bodyguards. Elayne and Nynaeve meet Egwene in Tel’aran’rhiod and discuss the merits of the Oath Rod.

Several of the Black Ajah who fled the Tower with Liandrin are in Caemlyn, spying on Elayne and Nynaeve. Falion is being punished much as Liandrin was. We learn that Doilin Mellar is really Daved Hanlon, a very dangerous Darkfriend.

Chapter 11: Ideas of Importance (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Nynaeve suffers through a lesson on shielding with the Sea Folk. Rand, arriving in disguise, asks Nynaeve to help him cleanse saidin using the statuettes he found in Rhuidean.

Chapter 12: A Lily in Winter (Saban 2 - 3 N.E. 1000)

Min, Aviendha, and Elayne bond Rand as their Warder. Elayne takes him to her bed; the others determine to get drunk, inviting Birgitte. Rand leaves Elayne a lily blossom, taking Nynaeve, Lan, and the former damane Alivia with him.

Chapter 13: Wonderful News (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Cadsuane deals with the disgruntled Seafolk in Cairhien; Verin obtains poison from Sorilea. Damer Flinn Heals stilling. Alanna faints as a result of Rand’s new bonding. Most of the surviving Forsaken meet; Cyndane reveals that Rand has the statuettes—access keys for two sa’angreal powerful enough to break the world again.

Chapter 14: What a Veil Hides (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Tuon, the Daughter of the Nine Moons, arrives in Ebou Dar with her bodyguard Selucia, several damane—one a former Aed Sedai and another who can use Foretelling—and her Truthspeaker, Anath. Tuon, imposing a penance on herself for a loss of temper, dons a veil to indicate that she will enter the city as a mere high lady. The Correne has begun in earnest.

Chapter 15: In Need of a Bellfounder (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Mat tries to convince Aludra to sell him fireworks to use as weapons; she counters by posing a question about a bellfounder. Mat intends to leave Ebou Dar with Valan Luca’s travelling show.

Chapter 16: An Unexpected Encounter (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Beslan explains how little power his mother (Queen Tylin) has under Seanchan rule. Mat avoids the Tarasin palace until hunger drives him back, but the gholam attacks him en route. A man named Noal Charin scares it off before it can kill him. When Noal complains that his inn displaced him due to the sudden influx of Seanchan, Mat offers him a room in the palace.

Chapter 17: Pink Ribbons (Saban 2 N.E. 1000)

Mat, still covered in mud from his fight with the gholam, walks in on Queen Tylin entertaining High Lady Suroth and Tuon. Tuon offers to buy him. Mat warns Tylin of the gholam and suggests he should flee before it hurts her, but Tylin promises Mat pink ribbons for showing up dirty.

Chapter 18: An Offer (Saban 3 - 6 N.E. 1000)

Mat begins moving his things outside the palace to a secret cache and finds a bellmaker, but cannot decipher Aludra’s riddle. Tuon offers to buy Mat’s ashandarei.

Chapter 19: Three Women (Saban 7 N.E. 1000)

Mat checks on his cache in the Wandering Woman—an inn he once lodged in. Innkeeper Setalle Anan asks Mat to help smuggle a frantic Joline Sedai out of Ebou Dar; Mat is forced to pretend to kiss the Aes Sedai when Egeanin and Bayle Domon, now her so’jhin, arrive demanding rooms. They escape detection, but Mat realizes he owes a debt to Red Sister Teslyn, currently a damane. He visits Teslyn and promises to free her and another prisoner, Edesina.

Chapter 20: Questions of Treason (Saban 7 N.E. 1000)

Bethamin—a sul’dam who was once leashed, then set free by Egeanin—is visited by a Seeker for Truth who believes Egeanin has been meeting Aes Sedai under High Lady Suroth’s orders.

Chapter 21: A Matter of Property (Saban 7 N.E. 1000)

Bethamin, asked to spy on Egeanin, instead runs to her with the news and begs for protection. Bayle Domon suggests they seek out Mat Cauthon, who he recognized in the Wandering Woman’s kitchen, and who is friends with a “clever old man” named Thom Merrilin.

Chapter 22: Out of Thin Air (Saban 7 N.E. 1000)

Rand searches Far Madding for the Asha’man who tried to kill him in Cairhien. He finds Rochaid and kills him, but loses Kisman. Kisman recalls his orders to kill Rand—orders given by Taim, Demandred, and then Moridin—and is murdered by Padain Fain. Isam/Luc attempts to kill Rand and Min, but they have already left their inn.

Chapter 23: To Lose the Sun (Saban 8 N.E. 1000)

Cadsuane brings Windfinder Shalon to Far Madding in search of Rand. She explains that Far Madding possesses ter’angreal which makes it impossible to channel inside the city. Swords are not allowed in Far Madding unless bound into their scabbards.

Chapter 24: Among the Counsels (Saban 8 N.E. 1000)

Cadsuane takes Shalon to visit Aleis Barsalla, First Counsel of Far Madding, and asks to see the city’s “guardian”. The ter’angreal can show the location of anyone channeling in or near the city.

Chapter 25: Bonds (Saban 9 N.E. 1000)

Cadsuane and Alanna visit Rand at his new inn. Alanna demands to know who else bonded Rand, and refuses to release her own bond on him. Rand sends her back to Cairhien. Verin tests Cadsuane, and decides not to poison her.

Chapter 26: Expectation (Saban 8 - 9 N.E. 1000)

Elayne catches up with Egwene in the Emond's Field of Tel'aran'rhiod, then wakes to receive her reports. Merilille returns, having found the location of the rumored Borderland armies.

Chapter 27: To Surprise Kings and Queens (Saban 9 N.E. 1000)

Elayne visits the Borderland armies and grants them permission to march south across Andor in search of the Dragon Reborn. She returns, exhausted, only to learn that her fellow claimants for the throne have begun marching on the city. Caemlyn prepares for a siege.

Chapter 28: News in a Cloth Sack (Saban 8 - 15 N.E. 1000)

Tylin and Suroth leave on a tour of Altara. Mat prepares to leave, spurred on by news that the gholam is still in the city and by Beslan's talk of insurrection. Juilin brings him two dresses and an a'dam in a sack.

Chapter 29: Another Plan (Saban 15 N.E. 1000)

Mat tests his plan for smuggling Joline from Ebou Dar, but Setalle Anan is unable to wear the a'dam bracelet. Bayle Domon corners Mat and takes him to Egeanin, who reveals that she helped Elayne and Nynaeve in Tanchico. Mat takes a gamble, asking Egeanin if she knows three sul'dam who can keep their mouths shut. It just so happens that she does.

Chapter 30: Cold, Fat Raindrops (Saban 16 N.E. 1000)

Mat reviews the plan incessantly with the Band and arranges for a diversion, then waits in the darkness until Egeanin arrives with her sul'dam.

Chapter 31: What the Aelfinn Said (Saban 16 N.E. 1000)

Mat frees a Sea Folk damane while Egeanin collects Teslyn and Edesina. He runs into Tylin—returned early—and Tuon, who he fights, ties up, and intends to leave behind, until he learns that she is the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Mat tells everyone that Tuon is his wife, and takes her with him.

Chapter 32: A Portion of Wisdom (Saban 21 N.E. 1000)

Rand continues searching for the rogue Asha'man, and runs into Verin, who invites him to Cadsuane's residence later that evening. Nynaeve has discovered the purposes of several ter'angreal she brought from Caemlyn—one is a well of saidar that she can use inside the city. Rand receives a letter informing him where the last two Asha'man are.

Chapter 33: Blue Carp Street (Saban 21 N.E. 1000)

Min warns Rand that he's walking into a trap. After he leaves, Min goes to Cadsuane. Nynaeve uses her well to lift Rand and Lan to the roof of the Asha'man's hiding place—a bootmaker's shop. They find the pair dead, with Padan Fain and Toram Riatin waiting in ambush. Fain flees; Rand and Lan return to the rooftops, but fall.

Chapter 34: The Hummingbird’s Secret (Saban 21 N.E. 1000)

Nynaeve watches guardsmen surround the bootmaker's shop, but is stopped from interfering by Cadsuane. Rand wakes in a dark cell. Cadsuane bluffs the Counsels into freeing Rand by pretending the Asha'man are channeling inside the city and using her own hummingbird-shaped well.

Chapter 35: With the Choedan Kal (Saban 22 N.E. 1000)

Rand and company exit Far Madding and Travel to a hill outside Shadar Logoth. Nynaeve links with Rand, both using the Choedan Kal access keys, and then begin cleansing the Dark One's taint from saidin.

The Forsaken attempt to stop them, and are fended off by Cadsuane, Alivia, Asha'man, and others. We learn that Cyndane is Lanfear and Corlan Dashiva was Osan'gar in disguise. An Asha'man named Eben sees Aran'gar wielding saidin.

The cleansing is completed, destroying Shadar Logoth in the process. Osan'gar is killed. The female access key melts, and Cadsuane appropriates the other one while Rand sleeps.