HoV: The aMoL Scene that I Would Really like To Read

[Winespring Patron]

Setting: (aMoL) Caemlyn has been saved thanks to Rand rallying the forces at FoM and Mat leading an overwhelming counterattack. Rand never had a chance to make an announcement about the Seals, thus denying Egwene her chance to oppose and lead the anti-breaking coalition. After the emergency is resolved all of the Rulers decide to take their armies and Gate back to their homelands to secure their local Waygates. Later on, a furious Egwene is back in the WT meeting with her closest advisors:

 

Egwene: That insufferable man, he knew why I brought all the Rulers there and he hijacked the meeting and made himself the "unquestionable" hero. Now it will be months before any of them say anything other then "Yes, Lord Dragon" to him.

 

Siuan: Yes, he played us like the least valued stones in the Game of Houses (frowns)

 

Nynaeve: Maybe he does know the best way to win at Tarmon Gai'don?

 

Egwene: I wish Elayne was here, she's the Aes Sedai who knows him best, and I need her counsel.

 

Nynaeve: Give her a break, her Capital is mostly ashes with many of her subjects dead. The only bright spot being the secret weapons her and Mat whisper about were saved and will be available for the Last Battle.

 

Egwene: What have our spies found out about these weapons?

 

Siuan: Not much, Elayne has them under tight wraps. It is known that a former Illuminator invented them and Matrim Cauthon has organized special crews and tactics to deploy them.

 

Egwene: Yes, that fits with an old dream I had about Mat, (pause) umm Mat, he's the key to "handling" Rand.

 

Nynaeve: Scratching her head; how's that Mother?

 

Egwene: (Victorious smile) I will "roll the dice" and make one last gamble (makes perfect imitation of insolent grin)

 

Siuan: Whatever do you mean Mother?

 

Egwene: What does the Dragon Reborn need most at the Last Battle besides the presence of the other two Ta'veren?

 

Siuan: A way to permanently reseal the Dark One in the Bore?

 

Egwene: That's the end goal Siuan but we have to be able to hold off the forces of the Shadow while the Dragon Reborn is doing that. He'll need "Invincible Heroes" to hold off the Darkness and give our forces the courage and strength to fight... I will withhold the Horn of Valere from Mat and thereby force Rand to consult with us and allow our guidance when he implements his plan.

 

Siuan and Gareth Byrne are embroiled in private argument, Egwene can only hear random words and fragments: "stubborn woman", "insufferable lout", "the safeguarding was my responsibility", "you should have told her", "this is White Tower business", and "stick to worrying about your army..."

 

Egwene: Siuan, what is this "discussion" all about?

 

Siuan: (visibly pale) Well, Mother that would have been a good plan except Mat already has the Horn in his possession...

 

Egwene: What! I thought you and Verin had safely hidden it somewhere in the Tower? Verin is dead, which means that only you knew where it was located!

 

Siuan: He has it because I gave it to him.

 

Egwene: Siuan, why would you do such a thing without my permission?

 

Siuan: Well, right before we Gated to the Field of Merrilor Mat Cauthon suddenly showed up in my study...

 

Egwene: That's impossible; even he couldn't sneak past hundreds of Tower Guards and scores of Warders? He must have had Aes Sedai help, what did he say to you?

 

Siuan: He reminded me of how many Aes Sedai fires he has jumped into and that right now the flames are at their highest.

 

Egwene: What is that supposed to mean?

 

Siuan: (sigh) He used my own words against me... When I first talked to him after healing him from the dagger I meant to encourage him and convince him of the important role he will play. He also brought somebody with him, a dear friend and confidant that I thought was gone forever...

 

Egwene: Who? Who could have possibly convinced you to let Mat have the Horn without even consulting me?

 

Siuan: It was Moiraine and she told me it was time to release all the strings on the Ta'veren and let the Pattern weave events as they were meant to be.

 

Egwene: Impossible, I saw her die at the docks of Cairhien fighting Lanfear. You must have seen one of the Forsaken impersonating Moiraine, maybe you were subjected to compulsion?

 

Siuan: It was Moiraine, Mother; when I overcame my shock and challenged her she reminded me of several pranks that she and I pulled as a Novices. These stunts were things that not even the other Novices or Aes Sedai at the time knew about. When I asked her how she survived she told me that Mat had rescued her from the Portal world and that she was honoring his bravery by helping to retrieve the Horn of Valere.

 

Egwene: All is lost then, what leverage does the White Tower now have that could possibly influence the Dragon Reborn?

 

All of a sudden, multiple powerful surges of Saidar are felt by the Aes Sedai and a Gate opens nearby with pairs of leashed women immediately jumping out, followed by Seanchan soldiers.

 

Siuan: Fish Guts! They've come back and this time it won't be for scooping up minnows for bait!

[he who comes with a bong]

now that would be an awesome thing to see. i hope it all goes down along those lines. be pretty nifty to put her in her place so to say.

[Hopefire]

What I really want to see is a conversation between Egwene and Cadsuane.

[mb]

The trolloc attack on Caemlyn I guess would be days before the Merrilor Field meeting.

 

Or if it is at the same time, I guess Rand would deal with the attack before doing the meeting if he finds out about the attack.

I doubt Rand would mislead any person.

[David Selig]

Egwene: I wish Elayne was here, she's the Aes Sedai who knows him best, and I need her counsel.

Not sure if you were going for sarcasm with this line, but it made me laugh considering Elayne has spent a grand total of 4 days with Rand, and Egwene and Nynaeve have known him all his life.

 

The trolloc attack on Caemlyn I guess would be days before the Merrilor Field meeting.

We've seen Elayne in Caemlyn a day before the date of Merrilor at the beginning of Chapter 52 of Tom, by that time the attack hasn't happened yet.

[Winespring Patron]

Egwene: I wish Elayne was here, she's the Aes Sedai who knows him best, and I need her counsel.

Not sure if you were going for sarcasm with this line, but it made me laugh considering Elayne has spent a grand total of 4 days with Rand, and Egwene and Nynaeve have known him all his life.

I was actually thinking about Elayne's bond to Rand. Egwene is aware of it and I don't think she'd waste a second before trying to persuade Elayne to influence Rand via the bond. I don't think Egwene is yet aware there is a big difference when the male and female bonded are both channelers...

[TrueDark]

No but we are fully aware of that due to earlier events when a red sent by eladia tried this on rand and nothing happened. however due to the loyalty that some of the younger asha'man show there aes sedai i would not be suprised that it has more to do with the fact that rand is ta'va'reen

[gloweye]

Sounds good. Good scene. though Elayne wouldn't make a fine lever for Rand - She's all his. she'd make a good lever for Egwene at best.

 

And I still think he should be in TV with the horn when the seanchan attack.

[Kahsm]

So to summarize what happens in your scene: Egwene makes a jerkish plan that she knows would risk the world in order to manipulate the DR. Her plan fails because two more popular characters act behind her back, and then the seanchan pop into the tower, presumably to ruin the rest of her life, end her life, or require her to be saved by a more another popular character? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're not a big Egwene fan.

 

Moiraine is Aes Sedai through and through. She will consult with Egwene through/with Siuan. She has A LOT to catch up on before she makes any big decisions. I also think Moir will be more interested in Rand's doings than in Mat's.

 

Siuan won't do anything to harm Egwene's position or prestige because Siuan is just as dedicated to making Egwene a powerful Amyrlin, it's the first thing she says to herself after Egwene demands her counsel. So none of that behind the back stuff is going to happen.

 

While Egwene might bluff about the Horn, I wouldn't put that past her, she wouldn't actually plan to withhold it since it's fairly commonly believed to be required to win TG (if not actually in the prophecies) and it certainly doesn't help Egwene if the light loses.

 

Personally, I want to see Mazrim Taim's big reveal. Though I suspect it will be as disappointing as his lack of presence has been since LoC.

[Suttree]

No but we are fully aware of that due to earlier events when a red sent by eladia tried this on rand and nothing happened.

 

What is this referring to? Since Alanna holds his bond she is the only one that could have tried to control him. Either way it wouldn't work as we know strong channelers are not affected by this aspect of the AS warder bond.

[Manscher]

Think he's referring to Liandrin in TGH, though that was hardly on Elaidas order.

[Winespring Patron]

So to summarize what happens in your scene: Egwene makes a jerkish plan that she knows would risk the world in order to manipulate the DR. Her plan fails because two more popular characters act behind her back, and then the seanchan pop into the tower, presumably to ruin the rest of her life, end her life, or require her to be saved by a more another popular character? I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're not a big Egwene fan.

For the record, my hypothetical scene was done in the spirit of satire; I think it is very unlikely that FoM and its aftermath will play out that way in the actual aMoL that BS writes. Egwene is not my favorite main character but I'm not an Amyrlin hater. I just view Egwene as an enigma, sometimes her logic is baffling and she seems to look at things from an unconventional perspective. But hey, she's been this way since tEotW; in her introductory WOT scene she publicly berates the three "woolheads" for spreading false rumors about a mysterious dark rider and causing unnecessary fright. She did this before even asking the Wisdom about the Village Council meeting in which it was revealed two other village youths saw the "black clad horseman". I don't recall Egwene ever apologizing for calling Rand, Mat, and Perrin liars but I suppose it could have happened off-screen right after Nyn confirmed the sightings. What was Egwene’s reaction to the Winternight Trolloc Raid in which half the houses are burned and an unknown number of Emond's Field casualties are suffered? Invite herself along on an imagined adventure because she was bored with the TR and didn't want to wait until Nyn died or was fired by the Women's Circle. So to all Eg haters, I say "It's your own fault" for continuing to read the series. It was clear as yesterday's oil change, from Book 1, exactly the kind of character development that our beloved Eggy was going to undergo.

 

While Egwene might bluff about the Horn, I wouldn't put that past her, she wouldn't actually plan to withhold it since it's fairly commonly believed to be required to win TG (if not actually in the prophecies) and it certainly doesn't help Egwene if the light loses.

I believe Mat's message to Egwene (via Teslyn) is foreshadowing "something". Mat knows from his experience at Salidar that making those kinds of demands, phrased so bluntly will only put Egwene's back up and make her less likely to cooperate. Therefore, I'm guessing he's going to make an end run; either sneak or Gate into the White Tower covertly. Perhaps he can use his Ta'veren luck by checking random locations in the Tower and miraculously finding the Horn; or just maybe he will find a sympathetic Aes Sedai, one who owes him a favor, to aid him in the recovery.

[LemonPastie]

Perhaps he can use his Ta'veren luck by checking random locations in the Tower and miraculously finding the Horn;

 

 

could you imagine him telling a channeler "Open a gate to...say the 5th floor, by a window" and he closes his eyes, reached in a puts his hand on the horn. It would be priceless

[Suttree]

What was Egwene’s reaction to the Winternight Trolloc Raid in which half the houses are burned and an unknown number of Emond's Field casualties are suffered? Invite herself along on an imagined adventure because she was bored with the TR and didn't want to wait until Nyn died or was fired by the Women's Circle.

 

Actually didn't she exhaust herself feverishly working by Nyn's side helping the survivors?

 

Don't know if you mean it this way but not sure how making the choice to move on from a sheltered life in which all your decisions are pre-made for you and you only have one option can be viewed in a negative light? As BS said

 

Brandon on Twitter - 5 January 2011

It bears remembering that of the group, only Egwene left the Two Rivers for adventure. The others were forced. (Or felt they were.)

Brandon

This is very important for her character. In a way, she was the only one who chose this life intentionally. At least at first.

 

To me this is a positive things and a brave decision.

[Winespring Patron]

What was Egwene’s reaction to the Winternight Trolloc Raid in which half the houses are burned and an unknown number of Emond's Field casualties are suffered? Invite herself along on an imagined adventure because she was bored with the TR and didn't want to wait until Nyn died or was fired by the Women's Circle.

 

Actually didn't she exhaust herself feverishly working by Nyn's side helping the survivors?

 

Don't know if you mean it this way but not sure how making the choice to move on from a sheltered life in which all your decisions are pre-made for you and you only have one option can be viewed in a negative light? As BS said

 

Brandon on Twitter - 5 January 2011

It bears remembering that of the group, only Egwene left the Two Rivers for adventure. The others were forced. (Or felt they were.)

Brandon

This is very important for her character. In a way, she was the only one who chose this life intentionally. At least at first.

 

To me this is a positive things and a brave decision.

Yes, I was speaking tongue in cheek (again) about her decision, of course Egwene's immediate on the spot reaction is to provide care and faithfully assist Nyn in healing the wounded. But I'm always impressed that she seemed 3 steps ahead of the other villagers in her long-term outlook. It's like she never got stuck in the WOW mode: "Hey, the Trollocs trashed our village but an Aes Sedai suddenly appeared and helped to save it." When most of the other villagers were focused on clean-up, salvage, and rebuilding she noticed that two of her friends were making subtle preparations to "get out of Dodge" and she decided that she wanted in no matter what.

 

I'm not mocking Egwene for wanting to be "all she can be" but sometimes in the early books it seems that she's in a contest to upstage the three boys. Although they seem to be clueless about the competition, Egwene still keeps score and worries about being left behind even when she lives and breathes her big adventure...

[TamTam Rapley]

Cadsuane and Egwene. I sure hope BS doesn't make Egwene the twenty year old come out ahead of one of the oldest and revered Aes Sedai. If Moraine doesn't suck up to Egwne either and chooses Rand over the Amyrlin, I will be one happy reader. It would be a nice parallel, where both women realize that what personally identifies them Aes Sedai (their motivation to see the Dragon through the last battle) is their reason for turning their backs on the Amrylin and Tower.

[damandred]

The scene id like to see and indeed for years pictured in my mind is the return of all the Emmonds field folk, just for a short time, say, to plan the last battle. we now know that this is going to happen at the FoM, but i've still got hope that they could sneak of for a few jars at the Winespring Inn.

[Bob T Dwarf]

The scene id like to see and indeed for years pictured in my mind is the return of all the Emmonds field folk, just for a short time, say, to plan the last battle. we now know that this is going to happen at the FoM, but i've still got hope that they could sneak of for a few jars at the Winespring Inn.

 

Recall that the Kareathon Cycle does not mention the Horn of Valere. It may be that it has no further part to play, much as I dislike that idea.

[Elan Tedronai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQaUvItVpsk&feature=related

 

This is how AMOL should end.

 

Replace Shao Khan with Moridin and Raiden with Rand.