The Seven Striped-Lass

[ascot7]

Hi, it was a good chapter with Mat. with all those pubs he goes into, the Forsaken will spot him for sure. I believe that Elayne is in the tent, and it is Birgette's perfume ! I was thinking of Tuon, they say she is dead ? could be her though.

[Luckers]

Good one, Sharaman.

So, it seems likely that Seta and Bethamin will be going with Teslyn, Joline, and Edesina to the WT. Wonder how Egwene will react to seeing Seta again. I can't recall if she ever met Bethamin, but she was at Falme too... I'd like to see this scene

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I guess we'll see whether Egwene truly grew in the last two books. Not that the former sul'dam don't deserve a punishment.

 

Whilst I think Egwene is capable of setting aside her feelings for the good of the Aes Sedai--and having two former sul'dam openly seeking to become Aes Sedai would be for the good of the Aes Sedai in the sense that it is bad for the Seanchan--I do look forward to that scene, because whether I'm right or not I think it provides good drama for Egwene.

[Sharaman]

Good one, Sharaman.

So, it seems likely that Seta and Bethamin will be going with Teslyn, Joline, and Edesina to the WT. Wonder how Egwene will react to seeing Seta again. I can't recall if she ever met Bethamin, but she was at Falme too... I'd like to see this scene

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I guess we'll see whether Egwene truly grew in the last two books. Not that the former sul'dam don't deserve a punishment.

 

Whilst I think Egwene is capable of setting aside her feelings for the good of the Aes Sedai--and having two former sul'dam openly seeking to become Aes Sedai would be for the good of the Aes Sedai in the sense that it is bad for the Seanchan--I do look forward to that scene, because whether I'm right or not I think it provides good drama for Egwene.

 

Egwene could provide more drama as and when she meets Rhuarc and Bael again. She has unsettled toh to them since LoC and with her penchant for getting flogged...

[b3arz3rg3r]

Anyone wondered how some random inn-keeper in WT-fearing Caemlyn has the nerve to call the Amyrlin a "lass"?

 

I don't see what's wrong with that. There are all kinds of people. There are Sevannahs among the Aiel, people who don't care about status in Tear and boring Saldaeans. A brazen innkeeper in Caemlyn is no different and the way she acts with Mat shows her sassing the Amyrlin isn't untypical for her.

[aunt_pol]

And several times Elayne, and other Andorans, think how strong a sense of self worth most Andorans have, so it's probably more likely in Caemlyn than anywhere else, really...

[Luckers]

Given her comments about wanting to be trained, I'd take the name of the inn to more be a reference to the Accepted rather than the Amyrlin.

[Charlz Guybon]

Anyone wondered how some random inn-keeper in WT-fearing Caemlyn has the nerve to call the Amyrlin a "lass"?

 

I don't see what's wrong with that. There are all kinds of people. There are Sevannahs among the Aiel, people who don't care about status in Tear and boring Saldaeans. A brazen innkeeper in Caemlyn is no different and the way she acts with Mat shows her sassing the Amyrlin isn't untypical for her.

She might be referring to the Accepted, still I wouldn't want to be her if an Aes Sedai passes by her inn.

[wvlr2]

She might be referring to the Accepted, still I wouldn't want to be her if an Aes Sedai passes by her inn.

 

That would only be a problem if the Aes Sedai was some kind of self-rightious twit with an over blown ego ---- OH, wait they are all that way.

[b3arz3rg3r]

Anyone wondered how some random inn-keeper in WT-fearing Caemlyn has the nerve to call the Amyrlin a "lass"?

 

I don't see what's wrong with that. There are all kinds of people. There are Sevannahs among the Aiel, people who don't care about status in Tear and boring Saldaeans. A brazen innkeeper in Caemlyn is no different and the way she acts with Mat shows her sassing the Amyrlin isn't untypical for her.

She might be referring to the Accepted, still I wouldn't want to be her if an Aes Sedai passes by her inn.

 

She probably wouldn't talk that way where an Aes Sedai could overhear her, although most Aes Sedai give other women a bit of leeway it's mostly with men they act like petty high school bullies over every percieved lack of respect.

 

She might be referring to the Accepted, still I wouldn't want to be her if an Aes Sedai passes by her inn.

 

That would only be a problem if the Aes Sedai was some kind of self-rightious twit with an over blown ego ---- OH, wait they are all that way.

 

I think it's a female channeler thing in general. I found it always hilarious in the earlier books when the terrible trio, Elayne, Egwene and Nyneave, were going on and on how mature they were and then acted like 13 year old brats themselves.

[MoonBeams]

On the subject of why Elayne seems to be ignoring Mat,...

 

There is still the fact that Duhara was sent to Camelyn for presumably some nefarious purpose. I am personally inclined towards the idea that Graendal's orders to break Rand would have focused on Elayne, (perhaps using Duhara as a part of this plan, perhaps not,) and since Elayne seems overconfident about her survival in light of the prophesized birth of her babies, I think it would be particularly fitting if instead of being in physical danger, she is instead in mental danger from compulsion from Graendal. Of course having her brain wiped by compulsion would not prevent her children from being born healthy in the slightest. There is also something pleasing about us going from one Andoran Queen being held captive to a leacherous compulsive forsaken in her own palace, and the next queen also being held captive to a leacherous compulsive forsaken in that same palace.

 

Of course Graendal's MO is to remove a ruler from the public eye, and then send out functionaries to deal with the day to day functions, (similar to Mat's experience with Norry.) I am unsure on the timeline of how it would work, but if you follow this line of thinking is it possible that Rand felt Elayne's relief from being released from compulsion before she was actually released by virtue of the balefire time reversal? I am by no means a balefire philosopher, so I'll leave that to sharper minds than my own to answer, but it is an interesting thought.

 

If this turns out to be the case, I think it would be most fitting if either Galad and/or Morgase were accessories to Elayne's rescue in some fashion. Morgase seems like a fitting candidate as a recipient of similar treatment and considering her sole goal of supporting Elayne in any way possible. And Galad and his single minded rightness, seems like a perfectly suited person to avoid subtle trickery on the part of Graendal. Of course it could be argued that his singlemindedness would make him extremely easy to manipulate as well, so I'm unsure about Galad in this regard. There would be something fitting about Elayne having to revise her attitude towards Galad were he to rescue her though.

 

Basically, Graendal was given very specific orders and the most likely place for her to attempt to carry those out is in Camelyn considering how the DR's BabyMama is the worst kept secret ever. If Graendel is in fact following that course it explains Elayne's distance in this chapter very well, so that's what I suspect is going on.

 

 

I have thought for awhile that Norry (Elayne's clerk) is either a Forsaken in disguise or a highly placed Darkfriend. The Norry described in the books when Rand was in Andor after he killed Raahvin is NOT the same Norry that is presented in the later books. The Rand Norry droned on and on about the accounts and that was it, the Elayne Norry tried to hide information from her and seems to act like a wannabe spymaster. I think Norry is hiding the fact that its Mat and she thinks its the Borderlanders still looking for Rand.

[78WARLOCK]

I don't remember Mat being so boob crazy but whatever, I guess Marriage really has changed him up. I did love him complaining about his coat.

 

I knew I liked Teslyn for a good reason, it is rather momentous to actually get a freaking THANK YOU from someone. Geez.

I noticed him first being boob crazy shortly after meeting Tuon.He commented that she was'nt as endowed as he normally like,but still pretty.

And yes,an Aes Sedai actually saying THANK YOU.Quite momentous.

[singogreatest360]

Mat was always boob crazy! Riselle kept Olver around for two reasons. To keep Olver out of Tylin's way and to keep Mat from "interacting" with her. Mat used to mention Riselle's bosom twice every chapter.

 

One reason WoT is better than other Epics is that the main male characters actually keep looking at women even after they fall in love. There is nothing wrong with that.

 

That's how men really think.

[78WARLOCK]

Mat hasn't ridden horses in Caemlyn yet.

 

I might have missed something in the sample, but how do we know he didn't ride a horse in?

He would have ridden PIPS.At least to the Bands camp.

[Random Man]

Mat hasn't ridden horses in Caemlyn yet.

 

I might have missed something in the sample, but how do we know he didn't ride a horse in?

He would have ridden PIPS.At least to the Bands camp.

In the sample Mat thought about how he didn't want to take any horses into Caemlyn until he found a stable he trusted because horses had been disappearing occasionally from Caemlyn stables...sometimes because people were eating them. Meat was meat. So he hasn't been riding into Caemlyn at this point.

[CupofDice]

Blood and bloody ashes! I hate cliffhangers....

 

Maybe Olver caught a rabbit and is skinning it? I could hope...

 

Maybe Olver was killed...

[b3arz3rg3r]

Blood and bloody ashes! I hate cliffhangers....

 

Maybe Olver caught a rabbit and is skinning it? I could hope...

 

Maybe Olver was killed...

Olver is too ugly to die.

Also he's a child and WOT doesn't strike me as a series where children are so easily killed. It is different for the unnamed ones, but one such as Olver who has been developed for seven books IIRC is rather unlikely to die in such a horrible way as to get torn to pieces by a gholam.

[Slick Mongoose]

Mat hasn't ridden horses in Caemlyn yet.

 

I might have missed something in the sample, but how do we know he didn't ride a horse in?

He would have ridden PIPS.At least to the Bands camp.

In the sample Mat thought about how he didn't want to take any horses into Caemlyn until he found a stable he trusted because horses had been disappearing occasionally from Caemlyn stables...sometimes because people were eating them. Meat was meat. So he hasn't been riding into Caemlyn at this point.

 

But he might have ridden a horse in the first time, only learning then that it's a bad idea. It's possible.

[peregrine]

Maybe Elayne is not responding to Mat because she's discovered he married Tuon. I mean, if I were the Queen of Andor (or the Amyrlin Seat, for that matter ... that could get ugly, what with how passionately Egwene hates the Seanchan ...), and I found out my friend had married the woman in charge of invading my land and enslaving my 'sisters', I'd be a little miffed, too.

[aunt_pol]

Yeah, but that doesn't cover her ignoring Thom's presence. Elayne would rather have them in front of her to berate, than ignore them altogether.

[peregrine]

Yeah, but that doesn't cover her ignoring Thom's presence. Elayne would rather have them in front of her to berate, than ignore them altogether.

 

Perhaps, but I could still see her giving them the silent treatment (or at least Mat, and Thom by proxy). If she was worried about Mat's sudden (non)alliance with the Seanchan, though, I guess she probably wouldn't give them the heads-up to park their army outside of her city. Gah, fine. I'm just itching for the scene when everyone suddenly realizes the Empress is Mat's wife. The way RJ/BS danced around it in the (non)negotiations between Tuon and Rand was hilarious, but nothing short of maddening.

[b3arz3rg3r]

Yeah, but that doesn't cover her ignoring Thom's presence. Elayne would rather have them in front of her to berate, than ignore them altogether.

 

Perhaps, but I could still see her giving them the silent treatment (or at least Mat, and Thom by proxy). If she was worried about Mat's sudden (non)alliance with the Seanchan, though, I guess she probably wouldn't give them the heads-up to park their army outside of her city. Gah, fine. I'm just itching for the scene when everyone suddenly realizes the Empress is Mat's wife. The way RJ/BS danced around it in the (non)negotiations between Tuon and Rand was hilarious, but nothing short of maddening.

 

I'm waiting for that big revelation as well. I've had that idea of some kind of summit of all the major players where they argue about the leadership of the armies of the light and then Rand proposes Mat, just as he walzes into the conference chamber. General outrage with the Aes Sedai which turns to shock when Fortuona agrees saying how her husband is a fitting choice. The thought of all those opinionated women effectively being told "In your face!" fills me with a childish delight. Even better with a quick follow up of Rand casually tossing Mat the Horn of Valere. That scene would be golden.

 

Too bad with Teslyn and Joline on their way it's likely they'll find out in advance.

[peregrine]

Yeah, but that doesn't cover her ignoring Thom's presence. Elayne would rather have them in front of her to berate, than ignore them altogether.

 

Perhaps, but I could still see her giving them the silent treatment (or at least Mat, and Thom by proxy). If she was worried about Mat's sudden (non)alliance with the Seanchan, though, I guess she probably wouldn't give them the heads-up to park their army outside of her city. Gah, fine. I'm just itching for the scene when everyone suddenly realizes the Empress is Mat's wife. The way RJ/BS danced around it in the (non)negotiations between Tuon and Rand was hilarious, but nothing short of maddening.

 

I'm waiting for that big revelation as well. I've had that idea of some kind of summit of all the major players where they argue about the leadership of the armies of the light and then Rand proposes Mat, just as he walzes into the conference chamber. General outrage with the Aes Sedai which turns to shock when Fortuona agrees saying how her husband is a fitting choice. The thought of all those opinionated women effectively being told "In your face!" fills me with a childish delight. Even better with a quick follow up of Rand casually tossing Mat the Horn of Valere. That scene would be golden.

 

Too bad with Teslyn and Joline on their way it's likely they'll find out in advance.

 

That would be perfect! I've got this image of Mat waltzing in in full princely attire/military uniform, with his eyepatch and his redarms behind him (looking, for once, incredibly suave). Though maybe it would be better if all this happened with him half-sober and looking like he slept in his clothes. I dunno. Anyway, slightly off topic at this point ... but whatever happens, it's going to be amazing, and it had better happen in this book!

 

Back on topic (sort of), I hope Egwene doesn't ban him from the tower after hearing about Tuon from Teslyn and Joline. Because I'm guessing Verin's letter holds the whereabouts of the Horn, and it would be nice if Mat and Egwene could have a happy reunion when he goes to pick it up. Not that I expect that, really, but it would be nice.

[martianblues]

I think it would be funny if Verin's letter to Mat simply told him to wait in Caemlyn for the 30 days, so either way he chose the result would be the same, and she just wanted him to stay there for some yet to be seen reason, maybe to give to time for someone to get there and give him a package... and there would be a lot of "Bloody, flaming Aes Sedai" from Mat. Love these new smileys.

 

I like that Mat holds to his promise to Verin, to the spirit of it and not just the wording of it. IIRC, he swore that if HE opened the letter he would do what it says. He could take the Aes Sedai approach and wiggle around the wording loophole, and have somebody else open it, but he still views that as treacherous to the meaning of his promise.

[jbooth11]

I did not read all 17 pages of posts, so this may be covered. I just want to say I am a huge fan of the series, having it read it beginning to end 4 times. I love both authors and will read this series again and again many times before I die.

 

That being said, why did Sanderson choose to reveal an incredibly boring chapter where next to nothing actually happens? Yes, the last sentence was a cliffhanger. But everything before that is still boring. Yes, the dice are spinning, but I assume at this point that the dice are always spinning. Other than that, it's just a normal day in the life of Mat. Ho hum. Gambling? check. In a bar or tavern? check. Reference to his eye for women or their eye for him? check. Random footpads after him? check. Thom singing in a tavern and really good with a knife? check. Trying to avoid any entanglement with Aes Sedai? check. Lots of walking around the city? check.

 

Honestly, he could have significantly shortened the chapter by saying:

 

"Matt had a normal day for him, which involved multiple taverns, gambling, hiding from people looking for him, walking around the city a bunch, seeing Thom perform, and trying to avoid Aes Sedai entanglement. He also went back and forth on what to do with Verin's note but reached no conclusion. The Ghollum is still after him. He found out the Ghollum was close based on a story of how some random person died. Then he smelled blood in his tent."

 

We got everything important from the chapter and none of the other stuff that does zero to progress the story. There's a time for setting the scene and the plotline and there is a time for action. At book 13, we are well into the time for action. Let's see some.

[Sid]

Uh, Brandon said something to the effect of 'the Prologue is for sale, chapters 1 and 2 will be released early by Tor, and the other chapters 3-7 all build on each other in a way that releasing just one like he did with 8 would be implausible.' This was the earliest chapter that worked.

He didn't have to release anything early, but he gave us a little to talk about with Mat's first PoV of the book. The Great Hunt thing was a great idea IMO, and we got a little something out of it, plus we see some chapter titles and speculate, speculate, speculate for the next 38 days or so.