Graendal in Caemlyn?

[Luckers]

Ok, on my recent serious attempt in the chapter name game I dedicated a chapter to Graendal called 'A Darkness in Caemlyn'. I wanted to expand on why I did so... and it begins in tGS when Moridin instructed Graendal to hurt Rand emotionally. "He must know pain of heart. He must know frustration, and he must know anguish. Bring these to him."

 

Min is as protected as Rand, and I think Graendal may go after Aviendha as well, but my main thought at this moment is Elayne. Their canoodling in the Stone did not go unnoticed and Elayne recently had Meller, her supposed baby daddy, arrested. And Meller told the shadow he was not the children's father. Graendal seems to me to be the perfect one to have connected the dots.

 

Add to that that Elayne experiences a moment of extreme releif in tGS (strong enough for Rand to feel it across hundreds of miles) it would indicate something dire is coming for Elayne.

 

And the final point? Brandon refused to speak about Forsaken around Elayne. He cited the fact that people were looking for Demandred everywhere, and he didn't want to narrow any points, but I think this was a red herring.

 

What do you guys reckon?

[OptimusPrime]

Alanna. Graendal goes after Alanna, but the Wheel will stop her because Alannas bond to Rand needs to be passed to Moiraine, Moiraine being the only person that could handle Dark Rand. Aviendha might see something of it in Rhuidean and check up on Alanna on the way back, her reason is that Rand is vulnerable via Alannas bond etc.

[Predic]

did rand not BF her?

 

did i miss a thread on how she might have escaped?

[Luckers]

Well, yes you did... here.

 

But this is speaking about Graendal being active in ToM prior to Rand killing/failing to kill her.

[Predic]

Ah got ya, thanks

 

Confusing timelines the bain of my life ;)

[OptimusPrime]

Confusing timelines the bain of my life ;)

 

Do they make you rhuarc the day you read the books?

[Predic]

ha ha they certainly do!!!!!

 

back to the topic did rand sense any alarm from elayne over the bond prior to the relief , also where on elaynes timeline is this taking place? how long after she has secured caemlyn does this take place

[Otarin]

I took Elayne's moment of extreme relief to be the moment she won the battle for the thorne.  Specifically when the last 4 houses swore to her.  I think they align pretty well in time but I haven't checked a timeline to be sure.

 

I suspect the Graendal is going to go for aviendliha.  That was my thought the moment avi was sent. 

[Pandemonium]

I will have to say no.  Good theory but no firm facts to back it up.  Any Forsaken could have connected the dots between Rand and Elayne by now, why Graendal?  Also, Elayne's timeline was ahead of everyone else so the moment of relief probably referred to her either being rescued by Birgitte/Seafolk or by her winning her battle in Caemlyn.  I don't see Sanderson's answer as a red herring, just as a way to deter people from being able to learn too much about Demandred.

 

If anyone were to mess with Elayne at this point, I would think it would be Lanfear.  Lanfear was in the stone at the time Rand/Elayne were canoodling.  Moridin was also responsible for monitoring Mili Skane and her house in Caemlyn, so it is possible that Lanfear had some involvement there as well. 

 

Graendal might have gotten a couple things accomplished before she was supposedly balefired but I'm not sure we have any clues as to what they were.

[Durinax]

I took the relief to be that rand was alive after losing his hand. The pain shot across the bond and after realizing he was alive and well she had alot of relief which returned to him. Although this probably doesnt fit with a timeline

[Lynander]

Nor sure if this fits the timeline, but perhaps the relief is Aviendha coming to see her for a short period. 

 

The Borderlanders could also have something to do with it somehow.  Just a few suggestions

[Luckers]

I took Elayne's moment of extreme relief to be the moment she won the battle for the thorne.  Specifically when the last 4 houses swore to her.  I think they align pretty well in time but I haven't checked a timeline to be sure.

 

I suspect the Graendal is going to go for aviendliha.  That was my thought the moment avi was sent.   

 

The timing's out. The 'Relief' takes place nearly a full month after Elaynes victory.

 

I will have to say no.  Good theory but no firm facts to back it up.

 

This wasn't a theory, this was me throwing a topic out for discussion.

 

Any Forsaken could have connected the dots between Rand and Elayne by now, why Graendal?

 

She was the one specifically looking at ways to hurt Rand emotionally? She has better insight into the human mind than any of the others? Meller only just recently got arrested, which only recently high lighted the baby issue?

 

If anyone were to mess with Elayne at this point, I would think it would be Lanfear.  Lanfear was in the stone at the time Rand/Elayne were canoodling.  Moridin was also responsible for monitoring Mili Skane and her house in Caemlyn, so it is possible that Lanfear had some involvement there as well. 

 

Given Brandon ruled out Cyndane being Sylvase so easily, casually and swiftly, I really doubt Cyndane is anywhere near Caemlyn. If she were he wouldn't have so readily killed the theory.

[Shard]

It is about time that someone exploit one of Rand's loved ones. Plus I think Elayne needs a wake up call for being so confident just because Min said her babies would be born fine doesn't mean she would be fine. The only other option I think is Aran'Gar, Demandred and Messana have full plates.

[TheBeerPatriot]

It is about time that someone exploit one of Rand's loved ones. Plus I think Elayne needs a wake up call for being so confident just because Min said her babies would be born fine doesn't mean she would be fine. The only other option I think is Aran'Gar, Demandred and Messana have full plates.

 

The only other times a Forsaken has tried to exploit one of Rand's loved ones was at the Cairhien docks when Lanfear confronted them, and when Semirhage used the Domination Band to force Rand on Min.  Having said that, yes it's time for the Forsaken to work that angle a bit more.  If it's not Graendal, I think it will be Aran'gar due to their alliance formed in KoD.

 

On a side note, it's possible one of the Forsaken will make a run at Aviendha in Rhuidean.  That's probably a separate topic.

[yoniy0]

I was preparing to suggest Mat's arrival at Caemlyn as the reason for Elayne's relief (she felt like she deserted him in Ebou Dar, though she had no choice. Plus, Thom is with him...), but according to Steven Cooper it predates Mat's arrival by 10 days, from Adar-12 to Adar-22.