Verin's Letters

[Aesleyan]

Am I the only one to be a bit disapointed that the "weighing 2 Aes Sedai on a balance scale" dream/vision turned out to be something pretty lame ? Mat didn't _choose_ between the two AS, didn't feel pulled between two opposite needs. If all there was to it was choosing between saving Moirane and saving Caemlyn, then there was no choice at all.

 

Or do you think that vision/dream might be about something else entirely?

 

No, this is what the dream is about. But maybe the point is: way leads on to way, so that Mat guarding Caemlyn would have derailed his mercy mission. Remember, he decided to go to the ToG only out of a sense of duty to a damsel in distress--he thinks that to himself when he's surprised to learn that Thom's motives for saving Moiraine were less altruistic than his own--so the point is that, since his motives were altruism and NOT bound up in "saving the world," he might, if the situation in Caemlyn demanded his oversight/intervention--and certainly, if he'd still been there when the Trollocs attacked--have foregone the ToG mission indefinitely.

 

Let's be generous with the interpretation of the stakes and our idea of what acting on Verin's letter might have demanded of Mat: the sense we're meant to have is that, if Mat had stayed to guard Caemlyn, he wouldn't have gotten Moiraine, or else wouldn't have gotten her in time. We don't know precisely how Mat would have been derailed, but we know with certainty, from that vision, that it would have happened. The details are up to us to imagine.

 

What's interesting to *me* is the moment where Mat suddenly seems to recognize that this is more than a mercy mission. He spontaneously recognizes that what the Finns want of him is his eye, and, in the same realization is the point that he's to give up his eye to save the world, rather than simply Moiraine. He has to know that saving Moiraine saves the world, is my point. Which means he probably should have a more pronounced sense of mission--of getting her to where she needs to go.

[Mr Ares]

Am I the only one to be a bit disapointed that the "weighing 2 Aes Sedai on a balance scale" dream/vision turned out to be something pretty lame ? Mat didn't _choose_ between the two AS, didn't feel pulled between two opposite needs. If all there was to it was choosing between saving Moirane and saving Caemlyn, then there was no choice at all.

 

Or do you think that vision/dream might be about something else entirely?

 

No, this is what the dream is about. But maybe the point is: way leads on to way, so that Mat guarding Caemlyn would have derailed his mercy mission. Remember, he decided to go to the ToG only out of a sense of duty to a damsel in distress--he thinks that to himself when he's surprised to learn that Thom's motives for saving Moiraine were less altruistic than his own--so the point is that, since his motives were altruism and NOT bound up in "saving the world," he might, if the situation in Caemlyn demanded his oversight/intervention--and certainly, if he'd still been there when the Trollocs attacked--have foregone the ToG mission indefinitely.

 

Let's be generous with the interpretation of the stakes and our idea of what acting on Verin's letter might have demanded of Mat: the sense we're meant to have is that, if Mat had stayed to guard Caemlyn, he wouldn't have gotten Moiraine, or else wouldn't have gotten her in time. We don't know precisely how Mat would have been derailed, but we know with certainty, from that vision, that it would have happened. The details are up to us to imagine.

 

What's interesting to *me* is the moment where Mat suddenly seems to recognize that this is more than a mercy mission. He spontaneously recognizes that what the Finns want of him is his eye, and, in the same realization is the point that he's to give up his eye to save the world, rather than simply Moiraine. He has to know that saving Moiraine saves the world, is my point. Which means he probably should have a more pronounced sense of mission--of getting her to where she needs to go.

The Verin/Moiraine situation really doesn't fit the prophetic requirement of Mat choosing between two AS. Maybe it was intended to be that, but I'm going to need to see a better argument or a BS quote before I accept that, and if it is the case then what is in the books really fails to get that across. After all, if Mat had opened the letter, he would have gone to Elayne. If she agreed to destroy the Waygate, his work is done. Within a morning, even. It doesn't take away from his mission to the ToG. If she doesn't agree to destroy it, but does allow Mat to put extra guards on it, then Mat can put the Band on the Gate, and leave Talmanes in charge while he goes to the ToG. There is absolutely nothing stopping him doing both. Nor did Mat see it as rescue Moiraine or do what Verin says - he just doesn't want to do what Verin says. So it is not one or the other, and if that was the intention then the writing failed to convey that.

[James71]

But, didn't Verin have other letters with the Red Seal as well? There wasn't even a hint of them in the novel...

 

Didn't one of the Aes Sedai give one to Rand when he arrived at the White Tower?

[Val Mickey]

The pre-ToM speculation about Verin's letter was that it had the location of the HoV. And we all agreed that Mat would open the letter, get the Horn, and use it to save M. A lot of us, at least.

 

So, where is the HoV? Or has Verin left yet another letter for Mat?

 

I also found it odd that she left a letter for Rand at the WT (actually with the rebel camp) rather than leave it with Min or Alanna or however she gave the one to Alanna. And another one for Galad (at Caemlyn?) when she had no idea where in the world he was (so it was probably as good a place as any other). Clearly she has some kind of foreknowledge about this - and I can't choose between Shadow Prophecy or Corianin Sedai Dreams.

[Random Man]

Am I the only one to be a bit disapointed that the "weighing 2 Aes Sedai on a balance scale" dream/vision turned out to be something pretty lame ? Mat didn't _choose_ between the two AS, didn't feel pulled between two opposite needs. If all there was to it was choosing between saving Moirane and saving Caemlyn, then there was no choice at all.

 

Or do you think that vision/dream might be about something else entirely?

 

No, this is what the dream is about. But maybe the point is: way leads on to way, so that Mat guarding Caemlyn would have derailed his mercy mission. Remember, he decided to go to the ToG only out of a sense of duty to a damsel in distress--he thinks that to himself when he's surprised to learn that Thom's motives for saving Moiraine were less altruistic than his own--so the point is that, since his motives were altruism and NOT bound up in "saving the world," he might, if the situation in Caemlyn demanded his oversight/intervention--and certainly, if he'd still been there when the Trollocs attacked--have foregone the ToG mission indefinitely.

 

Let's be generous with the interpretation of the stakes and our idea of what acting on Verin's letter might have demanded of Mat: the sense we're meant to have is that, if Mat had stayed to guard Caemlyn, he wouldn't have gotten Moiraine, or else wouldn't have gotten her in time. We don't know precisely how Mat would have been derailed, but we know with certainty, from that vision, that it would have happened. The details are up to us to imagine.

 

What's interesting to *me* is the moment where Mat suddenly seems to recognize that this is more than a mercy mission. He spontaneously recognizes that what the Finns want of him is his eye, and, in the same realization is the point that he's to give up his eye to save the world, rather than simply Moiraine. He has to know that saving Moiraine saves the world, is my point. Which means he probably should have a more pronounced sense of mission--of getting her to where she needs to go.

The Verin/Moiraine situation really doesn't fit the prophetic requirement of Mat choosing between two AS. Maybe it was intended to be that, but I'm going to need to see a better argument or a BS quote before I accept that, and if it is the case then what is in the books really fails to get that across. After all, if Mat had opened the letter, he would have gone to Elayne. If she agreed to destroy the Waygate, his work is done. Within a morning, even. It doesn't take away from his mission to the ToG. If she doesn't agree to destroy it, but does allow Mat to put extra guards on it, then Mat can put the Band on the Gate, and leave Talmanes in charge while he goes to the ToG. There is absolutely nothing stopping him doing both. Nor did Mat see it as rescue Moiraine or do what Verin says - he just doesn't want to do what Verin says. So it is not one or the other, and if that was the intention then the writing failed to convey that.

I'm thinking more and more that the Pattern and Mat's ta'veren nature led to events unfolding as they did. I don't think Mat would leave the band with Talmanes in charge if he knew a Trolloc army was on the way. How many of his men could die if he removed his luck from play in the battle -- or his vast knowledge of warfare? Also, Verin wasn't certain the waygate could be destroyed, and it wouldn't necessarily make the Shadow call off the attack even if it was destroyed. Just come out of a waygate somewhere else -- say, by the abandoned stedding where Perrin killed the two Whitecloaks in the first book -- and cross Andor on foot, or move them by portal stone, etc. I do not think he would leave Caemlyn and risk spending months -- perhaps never returning -- in the ToG with that kind of threat looming over Caemlyn. You certainly could say he was weighing two Aes Sedai against each other -- he specifically remarked in "The Seven-Striped Lass" that he was concerned any instructions in Verin's letter could delay the rescue party further. Likely they would have.

 

Verin's insistence that Mat follow through with the "instructions" in the letter made Mat not only flat out refuse to open it to her face but contributed to his decision to put off opening it until after he returned from the ToG. In fact, her additional instructions that he could burn the letter without opening it made it even less likely that he would consider it of great importance. What if Verin had not intended to say those things to begin with? Could Mat's ta'veren nature and/or the will of the Pattern led her to add those additional words, possibly without her realizing it? Hmm.

[doomsgate]

Verins letter to Mat- this was the viewing of him choosing between 2 aes sedai.

 

Verins letter to Galad- perhaps she knew that Tigraine survived til the blood snows, maybe even recognized the body

and let him know that Rand was his brother. Verin knew alot and is rather sneaky.

 

this might have been mentioned already.

[Mr Ares]

Am I the only one to be a bit disapointed that the "weighing 2 Aes Sedai on a balance scale" dream/vision turned out to be something pretty lame ? Mat didn't _choose_ between the two AS, didn't feel pulled between two opposite needs. If all there was to it was choosing between saving Moirane and saving Caemlyn, then there was no choice at all.

 

Or do you think that vision/dream might be about something else entirely?

 

No, this is what the dream is about. But maybe the point is: way leads on to way, so that Mat guarding Caemlyn would have derailed his mercy mission. Remember, he decided to go to the ToG only out of a sense of duty to a damsel in distress--he thinks that to himself when he's surprised to learn that Thom's motives for saving Moiraine were less altruistic than his own--so the point is that, since his motives were altruism and NOT bound up in "saving the world," he might, if the situation in Caemlyn demanded his oversight/intervention--and certainly, if he'd still been there when the Trollocs attacked--have foregone the ToG mission indefinitely.

 

Let's be generous with the interpretation of the stakes and our idea of what acting on Verin's letter might have demanded of Mat: the sense we're meant to have is that, if Mat had stayed to guard Caemlyn, he wouldn't have gotten Moiraine, or else wouldn't have gotten her in time. We don't know precisely how Mat would have been derailed, but we know with certainty, from that vision, that it would have happened. The details are up to us to imagine.

 

What's interesting to *me* is the moment where Mat suddenly seems to recognize that this is more than a mercy mission. He spontaneously recognizes that what the Finns want of him is his eye, and, in the same realization is the point that he's to give up his eye to save the world, rather than simply Moiraine. He has to know that saving Moiraine saves the world, is my point. Which means he probably should have a more pronounced sense of mission--of getting her to where she needs to go.

The Verin/Moiraine situation really doesn't fit the prophetic requirement of Mat choosing between two AS. Maybe it was intended to be that, but I'm going to need to see a better argument or a BS quote before I accept that, and if it is the case then what is in the books really fails to get that across. After all, if Mat had opened the letter, he would have gone to Elayne. If she agreed to destroy the Waygate, his work is done. Within a morning, even. It doesn't take away from his mission to the ToG. If she doesn't agree to destroy it, but does allow Mat to put extra guards on it, then Mat can put the Band on the Gate, and leave Talmanes in charge while he goes to the ToG. There is absolutely nothing stopping him doing both. Nor did Mat see it as rescue Moiraine or do what Verin says - he just doesn't want to do what Verin says. So it is not one or the other, and if that was the intention then the writing failed to convey that.

I'm thinking more and more that the Pattern and Mat's ta'veren nature led to events unfolding as they did. I don't think Mat would leave the band with Talmanes in charge if he knew a Trolloc army was on the way. How many of his men could die if he removed his luck from play in the battle -- or his vast knowledge of warfare? Also, Verin wasn't certain the waygate could be destroyed, and it wouldn't necessarily make the Shadow call off the attack even if it was destroyed. Just come out of a waygate somewhere else -- say, by the abandoned stedding where Perrin killed the two Whitecloaks in the first book -- and cross Andor on foot, or move them by portal stone, etc. I do not think he would leave Caemlyn and risk spending months -- perhaps never returning -- in the ToG with that kind of threat looming over Caemlyn. You certainly could say he was weighing two Aes Sedai against each other -- he specifically remarked in "The Seven-Striped Lass" that he was concerned any instructions in Verin's letter could delay the rescue party further. Likely they would have.

 

Verin's insistence that Mat follow through with the "instructions" in the letter made Mat not only flat out refuse to open it to her face but contributed to his decision to put off opening it until after he returned from the ToG. In fact, her additional instructions that he could burn the letter without opening it made it even less likely that he would consider it of great importance. What if Verin had not intended to say those things to begin with? Could Mat's ta'veren nature and/or the will of the Pattern led her to add those additional words, possibly without her realizing it? Hmm.

Actually, Verin's letter said right out that the Waygate could be destroyed. Mat knows Talmanes is competent, so even if Elayne was unwilling to destroy the Gate, Talmes could be in charge of any defence (and it should be entirely possible for Talmanes to hold the Waygate, given that it's a choke point. So had Mat read the letter, he could have dealt with the invasion, then rescued Moiraine. I grant you that he wasn't to know that, but no point was it truly a choice of one or the other, because the both option always existed. I very much doubt Verin's instructions would have delayed Mat's rescue of Moiraine. Even for Mat it was only a possibility that they might, a worry. As for attacking elsewhere, bear in mind that neither Mat nor the Band can be everywhere. If they divert the invasion from the Caemlyn Waygate, they cannot hope to guard against all other possibilities themselves, so if they alert Elayne to the threat, deal with the main thrust, and then Mat leaves as they guard against other potential invasion routes, then he really isn't delayed. Ta'veren could play a part in what happened, of course. You make some fair points, but to my mind it still doesn't quite fit, because the both option always existed.

 

 

Verins letter to Mat- this was the viewing of him choosing between 2 aes sedai.

Well, I'm convinced now.

[doomsgate]

if mat had opened verins letter he never woild of let to get MO so he had to choose between the two. 2 AS on a balance scale.

[Val Mickey]

Is no one interested in where the HoV is hidden?

[Mr Ares]

if mat had opened verins letter he never woild of let to get MO so he had to choose between the two. 2 AS on a balance scale.

But he could have spoken to Elayne, then been done with it, within the space of a morning. It needn't have caused any delay in the rescue of Moiraine. True, he didn't know it wouldn't cause delay, but he didn't know it would. From his perspective, choosing Verin may or may not impact on his ability to save Moiraine, but the both option is still possible. So it's not truly a choice between one or the other, either from the readers' perspective or Mat's.

 

 

Is no one interested in where the HoV is hidden?

Probably in the White Tower.

[nordlicht]

Is no one interested in where the HoV is hidden?

 

Absolutely. It´s not as if there was so much time left to get it.

Well, it´s quite annoying that Verin didn´t mention this small detail in her letter, I mean,wtf?

We still don´t know about Galad´s letter, but why should she tell him and not Mat, so no.

Don´t beat me for bringing on this, and I don´t have absolutely no idea why, but somehow there´s this

thought that Fain has got the Horn :D

Not very constructive, I admit.

Maybe we could look at where Verin has been or could have been with it.

[moratcorlm]

Is no one interested in where the HoV is hidden?

Either it's with Laras or it's in

a hidden basement room

[Mystraka]

Am I the only one to be a bit disapointed that the "weighing 2 Aes Sedai on a balance scale" dream/vision turned out to be something pretty lame ? Mat didn't _choose_ between the two AS, didn't feel pulled between two opposite needs. If all there was to it was choosing between saving Moirane and saving Caemlyn, then there was no choice at all.

 

Or do you think that vision/dream might be about something else entirely?

 

No, this is what the dream is about. But maybe the point is: way leads on to way, so that Mat guarding Caemlyn would have derailed his mercy mission. Remember, he decided to go to the ToG only out of a sense of duty to a damsel in distress--he thinks that to himself when he's surprised to learn that Thom's motives for saving Moiraine were less altruistic than his own--so the point is that, since his motives were altruism and NOT bound up in "saving the world," he might, if the situation in Caemlyn demanded his oversight/intervention--and certainly, if he'd still been there when the Trollocs attacked--have foregone the ToG mission indefinitely.

 

Let's be generous with the interpretation of the stakes and our idea of what acting on Verin's letter might have demanded of Mat: the sense we're meant to have is that, if Mat had stayed to guard Caemlyn, he wouldn't have gotten Moiraine, or else wouldn't have gotten her in time. We don't know precisely how Mat would have been derailed, but we know with certainty, from that vision, that it would have happened. The details are up to us to imagine.

 

What's interesting to *me* is the moment where Mat suddenly seems to recognize that this is more than a mercy mission. He spontaneously recognizes that what the Finns want of him is his eye, and, in the same realization is the point that he's to give up his eye to save the world, rather than simply Moiraine. He has to know that saving Moiraine saves the world, is my point. Which means he probably should have a more pronounced sense of mission--of getting her to where she needs to go.

The Verin/Moiraine situation really doesn't fit the prophetic requirement of Mat choosing between two AS. Maybe it was intended to be that, but I'm going to need to see a better argument or a BS quote before I accept that, and if it is the case then what is in the books really fails to get that across. After all, if Mat had opened the letter, he would have gone to Elayne. If she agreed to destroy the Waygate, his work is done. Within a morning, even. It doesn't take away from his mission to the ToG. If she doesn't agree to destroy it, but does allow Mat to put extra guards on it, then Mat can put the Band on the Gate, and leave Talmanes in charge while he goes to the ToG. There is absolutely nothing stopping him doing both. Nor did Mat see it as rescue Moiraine or do what Verin says - he just doesn't want to do what Verin says. So it is not one or the other, and if that was the intention then the writing failed to convey that.

I'm thinking more and more that the Pattern and Mat's ta'veren nature led to events unfolding as they did. I don't think Mat would leave the band with Talmanes in charge if he knew a Trolloc army was on the way. How many of his men could die if he removed his luck from play in the battle -- or his vast knowledge of warfare? Also, Verin wasn't certain the waygate could be destroyed, and it wouldn't necessarily make the Shadow call off the attack even if it was destroyed. Just come out of a waygate somewhere else -- say, by the abandoned stedding where Perrin killed the two Whitecloaks in the first book -- and cross Andor on foot, or move them by portal stone, etc. I do not think he would leave Caemlyn and risk spending months -- perhaps never returning -- in the ToG with that kind of threat looming over Caemlyn. You certainly could say he was weighing two Aes Sedai against each other -- he specifically remarked in "The Seven-Striped Lass" that he was concerned any instructions in Verin's letter could delay the rescue party further. Likely they would have.

 

Verin's insistence that Mat follow through with the "instructions" in the letter made Mat not only flat out refuse to open it to her face but contributed to his decision to put off opening it until after he returned from the ToG. In fact, her additional instructions that he could burn the letter without opening it made it even less likely that he would consider it of great importance. What if Verin had not intended to say those things to begin with? Could Mat's ta'veren nature and/or the will of the Pattern led her to add those additional words, possibly without her realizing it? Hmm.

Actually, Verin's letter said right out that the Waygate could be destroyed. Mat knows Talmanes is competent, so even if Elayne was unwilling to destroy the Gate, Talmes could be in charge of any defence (and it should be entirely possible for Talmanes to hold the Waygate, given that it's a choke point. So had Mat read the letter, he could have dealt with the invasion, then rescued Moiraine. I grant you that he wasn't to know that, but no point was it truly a choice of one or the other, because the both option always existed. I very much doubt Verin's instructions would have delayed Mat's rescue of Moiraine. Even for Mat it was only a possibility that they might, a worry. As for attacking elsewhere, bear in mind that neither Mat nor the Band can be everywhere. If they divert the invasion from the Caemlyn Waygate, they cannot hope to guard against all other possibilities themselves, so if they alert Elayne to the threat, deal with the main thrust, and then Mat leaves as they guard against other potential invasion routes, then he really isn't delayed. Ta'veren could play a part in what happened, of course. You make some fair points, but to my mind it still doesn't quite fit, because the both option always existed.

 

 

Verins letter to Mat- this was the viewing of him choosing between 2 aes sedai.

Well, I'm convinced now.

I have to agree with Mr. Ares. In fact on my first read of ToM (after finding out what the letter contained), I was of the impression that Mat could not have opened the letter even if he wanted to. Verin gave Mat the letter long before the "hour of her death", so regardless of when the letter was opened (save after the events had already taken place) her betrayal occured before that hour period (when she wrote the letter). I found it curious that the letter wasn't opened until right after the invasion began (thus making the information contained no longer a betrayal as the invasion is no longer secret). Now I could be completely mistaken, but thats how i interpreted it on my original read through. Bottom line tho, I would argue that Mat never had a choice in this instance, and therefore it cannot be a fulfillment of the prophecy.

[Val Mickey]

 

Is no one interested in where the HoV is hidden?

Probably in the White Tower.

 

Duh

 

Is there a Horn of Valere counter too?

[salgrant]

Any consideration that Verin isn't the bad girl gone good that we all think she is, but rather a bad girl gone worse?

 

1) If Matt opened the letter, and tried to save Caemlyn, would he have ever gotten to the ToG to save Moraine?

2) I think Verin might have been one of the other few people to know about the Prophecy's of the Dark that Moridin was aluding to. Maybe she purposedfully tried to steer Matt to Caemlyn and away from ToG by forcing him to keep his word if he opened it, thereby not allowing others to save Caemlyn while he went off and saved Moraine's backside.

3) We don't know that Galad's letter doesn't say "Knife Perrin" do we?

4) I like the theory I heard about Alanna beign a DF, and Verin tipping her off - "Rand knows... run for the border!!!!"

 

Just a thought

[James71]

Any consideration that Verin isn't the bad girl gone good that we all think she is, but rather a bad girl gone worse?

 

Somehow I can't accept that. Verin just turned in the entire Black Ajah. From a strategic standpoint, that was simply too huge. I think we have to take her actions for what they appear at this point. She wanted to betray the dark oaths and help the Light. The only way to do it was by sacraficing her own life and spending her final hour spilling her secrets.

 

I don't see any gain for the BA or the bad guys by this having been a double/triple agent type of operation. She betrayed several hundred female channelers, right before the Last Battle, that were devoted to the bad guys. There is no chance they would have given away such a useful force by having Verin do this on purpose for the dark side.

[SvetSedi]

Slightly different subject, but still Verin. I want to hear about her bookcases and chests of encrypted flower notes that she drew & mentioned when she was "compulsing" the AS captives. She was thinking that her room in the WT was completely full of them. The two books Eggy got from her did not seem to be the same things. WTF!!!!! Inquiring minds want to know! Will we ever get an answer?

 

Back on Mat's letter - like someone else mentioned - could part of the message have been hidden from view because Mat did not open it? I don't think so, but still it is possable.

[Locke]

I wish Mat's letter wasn't opened until the next book. I prefer ending a book with a resolution, like in TGS (Rand+Egwene climaxes) and WH (Cleansing) than the beginning of a plot (like CoT with Egwene captured although I didn't care then, because KoD was already long out) Plus, it just doesn't make sense that Verin would leave it so fragile like that. More unanswered questions! At least its not as bad as Seanchan with Aviendha.

[Chesus]

I'd hate to go out to dinner with you, Bob. You seem like the kind of person who always finds something to complain about and ruins everyone else's good time.

[blazetheearth]

I'd like to discuss another one of Verin's letters, specifically the one to Galad. I haven't seen many theories on what might be in it, and how and she might have gotten it to the LCC of the CoL while he was on maneuvers with his army in the field, and therefore not easily located. Also we don't know whether or not Verin knows that Galad is LCC either, since his promotion we pretty recent when she starts handing out red-sealed letters. Personally, I have a theory on at least part of what it contained, but no clue how she had gotten it to him.

 

We first see him with it in Whitebridge, when he is tucking it away, and we can't tell if the seal is broken or not. So if it was waiting for him in Whitebridge, how did Verin know Galad would show up there? Considering how long it takes to get the letter to him after Verin's death, we can probably assume that the news it contained was not earthshaking or of dire immediacy. We believe that Verin was going around handing out actionable intelligence to various people (see the Nakomi thread for why), which leads to the question, "What actionable intelligence could she give to Galad Damroded?" Notice I didn't say, "give to the LCC of the CoL?" Since it is doubtful that she knows he has become LCC, I can't think that the information Verin sent in the letter would be something directly associated with the WC's. (Of course all of this is based on the letter being addressed to Galad and not addressed to the current LCC.) We later see Galad talking w/ Elayne and Morgase, and nothing comes out from it that is particularly revelatory. If the letter concerned them, this would have been the appropriate opportunity to reveal it. And we don't see him again in ToM other than second hand references.

 

Now as we look back through the series, we can see Galad has a personal connection to the following characters - Elayne, Gawyn, Morgase, Nynaeve, Egwene.

There are also several characters that he is related to but not necessarily personally associated with - Tigraine (his mother), Taringail (his father), Rand (his 1/2 brother through Tigrane), Luc/Slayer (uncle, Tigrane's brother)

 

I cant see Verin's letter concerning any of the first group for the above reason. And Galad already knows who his father and mother were, but he believes Luc lost dead in the Blight, and has no idea to where his mother disappeared. Based on these things, I think that the letter tells him that Luc has become Slayer, and that Rand is his brother through Tigraine. Both of which could become fairly important in FoM and after.

 

Maybe this whole thing comes from my wish to see Galad meet Rand from Elayne or Eggy's PoV the over all reaction from the assembled noble and AS when Galad, dressed in the full uniform of the LCC, white cloak billowing out behind him...

 

Galad moved directly toward Rand across the tent, his movements fluid and grace evident. 'He moves like a Warder,' she thinks to herself. That, of course, was impossible, Galad would never agree to be bonded to any Aes Sedai now. 'A pity,' she thinks.

Rand just stood there watching him approach, as calm as he always was now. His eyes never leaving Galad's, neither broke that gaze, even after the Whitecloak stopped in front of Rand. Silence ruled the tent now, though many covert glances passed among the assembled nobles. As the seconds passed, and the tension built, she could feel her Warder's slight dread creeping through the bond. That thought made her own tension rise watching these two men gazing into each others eyes. From their manner though it truly didn't seem as though there was any tension in the gaze of either man. They were not glaring at each other, and not staring, but not blinking either. Their eyes were not moving at all. No one in the tent was moving any more, some weren't even daring to breathe, and, realizing that she was one of the latter, she slowly released the breath she had been holding, slowly and quietly, hoping no one noticed.

Suddenly both men spoke and moved as one. "Brother!" both said, softly but with emphasis, as they clasped forearms and both smiled slightly.

'What?' she thought, mind racing furiously, 'What could they possibly mean by that?" she wondered. A quick glance around the tent showed a kaleidoscope of astonished faces, not a one of the other Aes Sedai at the meeting had been able to control her features any better than she herself had. That thought made her recover her outer calm immediately, but could not stop her mind from whirling like dust funnel.

 

I would love to see a scene like this in AMoL, where the only 2 people who know something get a chance to realize that the other knows it, in front of a lot of people that will be stunned by it. And I love the idea that Verin would know about Rand's relationship to Galad. I definiately think that the primary info was to tell Galad about Luc not Rand, but I think it would be great if it included the Rand info also.

[Val Mickey]

While Ishadar's post is heart warming, the last time Ra'T (now there's a disgusting abbreviation) Rand thinks of Galad as Egwene's half-brother (in TGS). He might have realised that Galad is his half-brother by now, but I doubt anyone else has. Surely not Verin. All Verin knows is that Rand is Aiel, and adopted by Tam. It is more likely that Galad will be involved with Egwene somehow (TGH, Min viewing Egwene in Falme - she says 'even Galad, the more fool you' - possibly with romantic connotations). What I like about your post is the part about Luc. Perrin has to face Luc, and Galad by his side will make for yet another EPIC fight.

[dwn]

While Ishadar's post is heart warming, the last time Ra'T (now there's a disgusting abbreviation) Rand thinks of Galad as Egwene's half-brother (in TGS). He might have realised that Galad is his half-brother by now, but I doubt anyone else has. Surely not Verin. All Verin knows is that Rand is Aiel, and adopted by Tam. It is more likely that Galad will be involved with Egwene somehow (TGH, Min viewing Egwene in Falme - she says 'even Galad, the more fool you' - possibly with romantic connotations). What I like about your post is the part about Luc. Perrin has to face Luc, and Galad by his side will make for yet another EPIC fight.

 

Given how much time Verin spent with the Aiel between ACoS and KoD, it's not unlikely she heard Shaiel's story and put the pieces together.

 

-- dwn

[moratcorlm]

More to the point, Verin is old; she would have been familiar with Gitara Moroso and possibly kept an eye on her actions as advisor to Queen Mordrellen. She could have put the pieces together, particularly after she started looking into what happened to Luc and Isam.

[moratcorlm]

Rand thinks of Galad as Egwene's half-brother (in TGS)

Surely he has.

Her name was Tigraine. She left behind a husband, Taringail, and a son, Galad. I know it is only chance, yet I see Tigraine in your face. It was a shock.”

 

Rand felt a shock of his own. He felt cold. Fragments of the tale the Wise Ones had told him spun through his head . . . a golden-haired young wetlander, in silks . . . son she loved; a husband she did not . . .

Perhaps the phrasing is just to indicate distance; "Why was Perrin with Galad of all people? And when had his half-brother joined the Whitecloaks?" sounds awfully familiar directed toward someone he's only met once.

[Random Man]

Rand thinks of Galad as Egwene's half-brother (in TGS)

Surely he has.

Her name was Tigraine. She left behind a husband, Taringail, and a son, Galad. I know it is only chance, yet I see Tigraine in your face. It was a shock.”

 

Rand felt a shock of his own. He felt cold. Fragments of the tale the Wise Ones had told him spun through his head . . . a golden-haired young wetlander, in silks . . . son she loved; a husband she did not . . .

Perhaps the phrasing is just to indicate distance; "Why was Perrin with Galad of all people? And when had his half-brother joined the Whitecloaks?" sounds awfully familiar directed toward someone he's only met once.

Yes, but he's had plenty of time to figure out his blood relations, and DarkRand seemed particularly keen on technicalities. I suppose the only reason we might find it odd that he thinks of Galad as his half-brother in TGS is because we haven't seen him thinking of Galad at all between LoC and TGS. He hasn't really had any plot-wise reasons to reflect on Galad, I suppose.