With the Choedan Kal

[isleofjib]

that makes sense since rand expected the forsaken to attack him as soon as they started, iirc.

[Telcar]

aaa correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Elza a darkfriend?

 

well there are a few months since I read winters heart but I remember when Osan'gar (right spelling?) showed up she didn't hesitate to kill him because she thought he was just a renegade asha'man (the one who tried to kill Rand at the sun palace), isn't it possible that she wanted control over her circle so she wouldn't kill any forsaken? think I remember something like that.

 

besides since she is a darkfriend you don't have to worry about the three oaths since "the dark one breaks all ties"

[isleofjib]

yes, i believe she is. and her PoV is that killing a darkfriend (which she thought os'angar was) was ok to protect rand. which is verin's doing if i remember everything right. and she would definitely be free of the oaths being BA.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Yes, Elza is Black Ajah, but that would not have played into Cadsuane's decisions on how to split up the groups, because none of the other Sisters know that Elza is a Darkfriend.

[isleofjib]

true, RAW. in cadsuanes PoV in WH, she describes elza as "a pleasant-faced Andoran whose eyes almost glowed when she spoke of making certain that he (rand) lived to face the dark one. another green, and even more inense than most." i would think her being green (battle ajah) and her conviction to protect rand might have something to do with her being chosen to lead her circle.

[RobertAlexWillis]

i would think her being green (battle ajah) and her conviction to protect rand might have something to do with her being chosen to lead her circle.

 

Cadsuane didn't choose her to lead the circle, in fact, I imagine that Cadsuane expected Merise to lead. Elza asked Merise if she could lead, and Merise said yes, apparently out of a distate for tainted saidin, and a desire to babysit Jahar.

 

I think Rand's ta'veren-ness worked very much to his advantage during the Cleansing. A lot of things could have gone wrong, but a hundred little things went right to make it work out.