Another Question about Moiraine

[Charlz Fel]

Note: There have been enough "Questions about Moiraine" threads that I can't track down whether any of them dealt with this.  If someone knows a thread where this has already been discussed, please link to it.

 

Near the beginning of "The Great Hunt," Moiraine thinks to herself that she cannot be alone too long with Siuan, because Siuan might realize that Moiraine is keeping information from her.  What information was Moiraine concealing, and why?

[Kaznen]

Since the two of them were raised they were hunting the DR and making plans what to do once they found him.  But as Mat said, "The best plans lasts until the first arrow leaves the bow."

 

Moiraine learned that the plans they had for handeling the DR have been thrown out the window.  Because Egwene and Nyn know Rand can channel, not only is Rand a Ta'veren but Mat and Perrin are as well, the forsaken are loose, one the them has been entering the ta'verens' dreams, the whole SL thing, and the three of them dig in their feet if told what to do.

 

If Suine knew everything that was happening she might try to ride roughshod over Moiraine and take over, we've had plenty of examples of that happening.

 

And because Moiraine knows the boys best she should try to salvage the situation and try to guide them back into the course her and Suine planned.

 

She thought she could still weave the pattern as she saw it needed to be woven.

[Kadere]

Specifically Moiraine hasn't told Siuan that the Forsaken are loose. If she did Siuan would want an even tighter hold on Rand and could destroy Rand's chances of doing what the Pattern needs done.

[Caedn of the Taardad]

It may also be for both of their protection in a way. 

 

Remember, Siuan was being pressured to hand Moiraine over to the Reds, which would have been "unpleasant"; and I seem to remember her mentioning that she was tempted to do so for what Moiraine had done (leading the boys into the Blight instead of following their plan). 

 

So, if Siuan thought that Moiraine was loosing control of Rand, she may have started thinking that it might be best to give in to that pressure, friend or no friend, and take over the boys herself or some such. 

 

Lastly, not telling certain things to Siuan protected her by allowing her to say straight out, Three Oaths naming it true, that she had no idea Moiraine had planned/done whatever the problem was. 

 

So, ignorance leading to bliss, Moiraine had to hide the true status of her control over Rand for a while longer, at least until Siuan was back in the White Tower and settled down a bit so she couldn't do something rash. 

 

[Luckers]

Specifically Moiraine hasn't told Siuan that the Forsaken are loose. If she did Siuan would want an even tighter hold on Rand and could destroy Rand's chances of doing what the Pattern needs done.

 

That's a bit unsupported--indeed Siuan casts Moiraine a glance when denying the idea that Lanfear is free which directly suggests to the opposite.

 

My guess is that Jenn has the right of it--she conceals how much Rand is drifting out of their original plans because she is concerned about what Siuan's reaction might be to learning that she is losing control. Not that i agree with her worrying about Siuan handing her over to the Reds--i think Moiraine is more concerned about how Siuan might overreact with Rand, not with her.

[Charlz Fel]

So, let me see if I understand the consensus.  Moiraine is willing to tell Siuan that the two of them may have "no more than a fingernail's grip," and that it is best to let Rand go to Illian unaccompanied by any Aes Sedai.  Nevertheless, Moiraine does not want Siuan to learn how little control they have and how much leeway Moiraine intends to leave Rand.  Moiraine fears that if Siuan learns this, then Siuan will overreact and try too hard to control Rand, not trusting Moiraine's judgement that this will only make things worse.  I suppose it's possible.

 

Could what Moiraine was holding back be related to her trip to Vandene and Adeleas' house?  According to Anaiya, Moiraine left the Aes Sedai party without telling anyone, and Siuan was "in a taking over it."

[Luckers]

Pretty much, yes. Siuan was freaking out over the lack of control, Moiraine dealt with that by only addressing it in the existential sense--speaking of them trying to control a log in floods and all that. Were Moiraine to get specific with how Rand was resisting her, or Perrin's Wolfbrotherhood or any of the rest, then Siuan became a problem. Thats why she glossed over all the various hiccups along the way.