``Mat carries the wolfhead that no Aes Sedai has ever seen or heard of.''

You mean the foxhead medallion that Mat received from the 'Finns when he went thru' the doorframe in Rhuidean. But one Aes Sedai, or rather an ex-Aes Sedai, who may yet be restored to that status, viz., Setalle Anan, has seen it. It is Setalle's reaction to being shown that medallion that leads Mat to realize that she was formerly an Aes Sedai.

``Min doesn't think she is 'all and all' because she's a woman (Aes Sedai) and she read Fel's books to better herself or become more of a help to Rand after Fel's death.''

Min's primary reason for reading Fel's books is that she finds them fascinating. It's just plain old intellectual curiosity on her part. . I, for my part, find Min's intellectual curiosity one of her endearing features.

I am also a little surprised that we haven't yet anything concerning a discussion between Sarene and Min about Fel's writings. You would think that they would find a mutual interest therein. Or, if not Sarene, how about Daigian? Such discussions might help take her mind of the death of Eben Hopwil.

``If they were close enough to want to marry in that way, they would probably also naturally consider themselves as first-sisters, or in our world 'best friends'. But I don't think the ceremony to make them so is required. I could be wrong though.''

It does not appear to be necessary, I agree. But for a test of the proposition, does anyone have a passage to quote about Melaine and Dorindha being joined first sisters?

Where did you read / hear either of these things? Or are they of your own speculation? I always assumed that taint of the curse is what caused him to destroy everyone.

So far as the first claim goes, viz., ``That we know Lews Therin prompted by Ishamael killed everyone who had any of his blood.'', perhaps one should not believe everything agents of the Dark One say, nevertheless, Ba'alzomon (Ishamael in fact) makes that claim in the first of his appearances in the dreams of Mat, Perrin, and Rand, in <i>The Eye of the World</i>. See the end of Ch. 14, ``The Stag and Lion'' (pp. 204--205 in the paperback edition). (I assume that he has pulled them into T.A.R. as he does the dark friends in the scene in <i>The Dragon Reborn</i> which is observed by Hopper and Perrin [Ch. 36, pp. 409-411, paper edition, ``Daughter of the Night''].)

``The Aiel sometimes call themselves the People of the Dragon.''

Because most people forgot that the Da'Shain served any other Aes Sedai. See the scene with Jonai and Someshta in the middle of Ch. 26, ``The Dedicated'' in <i>The Shadow Rising</i>. Why this was so, is not explained in that chapter....

``As to hair color, are the Tua'thaan all light-haired? I don't recall that being the case.''

Perhaps not, I haven't re-read all of the passages about Raen et al, but I would observe that from time to time over the years other people joined the Tua'thaan (a common worry amongst non-Tinkers, recall?), and some of them would have been dark-haired/dark-eyed. The original Tua'thaan were Aiel, but later on they are of mixed ancestry.

``where he thinks that he is glad that he was spared being tested for a soldier''

No, no Aiel would have been tested for a soldier, but rather would have been tested for being able to channel. And LTT had dark hair---he was not Aiel.

``As for the hand in hand thing maybe they're waiting?''

I was alluding to the Aiel dislike of public displays of affection.... In any case, it occurs to me that this is just after a battle, and we have RJ's own word for it that Aiel as well as others may shed inhibitions in such circumstances: see the aftermath of the battle against the Shaido before Cairhien in <i>The Fires of Heaven</i>, the first part of ``After the Storm''. Oh well, RJ did a fine job of managing a huge number of details---if he did not always keep everything straight it does not matter all that much.

``Rand has this stupid idea in his little stupid head that Elayne should rule in Cairhien as well. She can barely handle one country as it is, how can she possibly handle two in a chaotic post-Tarmon Gai'don?. Galad has a better claim IMHO, he is a Damodred, not a Mantear (well, that's the name he bears).''

But Elayne is also a Damodred, as all three (Galad, Gawyn, and Elaine) have the same father: Tarangail Damodred. That is Elayne's claim to the Sun Throne, and one that it appears such as Caraline Damodred are willing to accept (see the discussion between Caraline and Rand when the latter and Min encounter her just south of Cairhien. At that point, of course, the claim being put forth by Toram Riatin and Caraline and the rebels is that of Riatin IIRC, but the rest of the events of that day, the bubble of evil, Fain's dagger wound of Rand, and all that, pretty much put paid to Riatin's claim, even before Lan kills him in Far Madding). Note, BTW, that all three have an Andoran mother (Tigraine or Morgase).

In any case, my prediction is that Elayne does not try to rule Cairhien directly, but thru' a regent, one chosen for her by Rand, viz., her mother, Morgase :-) (Once he catches up with Perrin's party---he will recognize Morgase at once, of course, and that could make a nice scene for AMOL, it seems to me.) Or perhaps the two Asha'man with Perrin will transport Morgase back to Caemlyn at Perrin's request, once he, via Galad, learns who she is, for with first Basil Gill going north, and then Perrin and party following, both moving in the direction where Galad and the Whitecloaks accepting him as Lord Captain Commander are, we are being set up for the two parties to encounter Galad & Co., I think.

In that event, Elayne will send her mother off to Cairhien, realizing that on the one hand Morgase can't stay in Caemlyn without undermining Elayne's position as new crowned queen, and yet also realizing that her mother would be an ideal regent in Cairhien, as Morgase still possesses her ability as a ruler to govern in Elayne's place. So that's how I conjecture it will turn out. YMMV.

``Though I don't know why he wouldn't just marry Chiad and Bain could find someone she loves, isn't it just if you both love the same man that you should both marry him?''

Since Bain and Chiad are bonded first sisters, Aiel custom means that Gaul must marry both if he marries one, or such is my understanding at any rate. What seems strange to me is that in the discussion in <i>A Crown of Swords</i>, what Gaul tells Perrin suggests that Gaul is not yet in any relationship with Chiad, yet towards the end of <i>The Shadow Rising</i>, three books earlier in the series, Gaul and Chiad are hand in hand at the end of the battle to save Emonds Field (p. 938 in the paper edition, towards the end of the chapter ``Goldeneyes''). In public! So I don't know what to make of that.

Indeed so, it is Chiad he loves, and he tells Perrin that he does not like Bain but, as they are first-sisters, he will marry both so as to be able to marry Chiad. He is nevertheless upset with Chiad that she will not give up the spear to marry him, and tells Perrin that if she cares enough about him as her behavior indicates, she ought to be willing to do so. See about the middle of the chapter ``Hill of the Golden Dawn'' in <i>A Crown of Swords</i>, beginning where Gaul says to Perrin, ``Women are stranger than drunken wetlanders''. (Bottom of page 119 in the paperback edition.)