““Enough,” Nynaeve said. Galad and Gawyn opened their mouths. She raised her voice. “I said enough!” She glared at them until it was clear their
silence would hold, then went on. “Elayne
owes the two of you nothing.
Since she chooses to tell you nothing, that is that. Now, this is my room, not the common room of an
inn, and I want you out of it…I doubt you asked permission to enter the
Accepted’s quarters.”” – The Dragon Reborn, p. 195.
While these essays have been slowing down due to real
life creeping its way in, it has given me some time to think about some of the aspects
of The Wheel of Time that I have been neglecting. This is mainly in the side characters, and
this section of chapters is perhaps the perfect time to discuss three in
particular. First, these three chapters
are all buildup to the healing of Mat Cauthon, the final chapter ending with
the Healing which I will be discussing at the end of this essay as it ties in
to the theme of wordplay. The above
quote is an integral example of how Nynaeve uses wordplay to her advantage,
outright lying to Galad and Gawyn who have come to press Elayne on why she ran
away. This works, and exemplifies
something incredibly important for both Gawyn and Galad’s character. He is a follower of codes, his own
especially. Nynaeve has already ascended
to the position of Accepted, something that is above the boys and Gawyn and
Galad both, Nynaeve’s words stop them from pestering Elayne and they exit with
the threat of the Aes Sedai above Nynaeve being informed about the trespass. Yes, it is a lie, but they leave none the
less. This is something which should have
a pin put in it as Galad and Gawyn will be reappearing throughout The Dragon
Reborn, becoming both important players in the rest of the series from this
point forward, especially as we expand to other perspectives beginning with this
book and expanding in The Shadow Rising.
The wordplay is something Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve are afraid is
already being weaponized against them. Mat
is preoccupying them and they have been told: “Verin said the Amyrlin would ‘see
to him’” – The Dragon Reborn, p. 199.
It is emphasized throughout Chapter 16 and 17 that this is not the same
thing as healing him. Yes, there is the
counter argument that is brought up, but Nynaeve, who’s perspective is not the
one we are in but the one we are reacting through due Egwene’s point of view, weasels
its way into Egwene’s mind.
The girls are only further given fear for Mat and
their own future by Elaida, reentering the plot at this point as a major
player, approaching them because she is already out to get Rand. ““An interesting young man.” Elaida studied them as she spoke. “I met him only once, but I found him – most interesting. I believe he must be ta’veren. Yes. The
answers to many questions may rest in him.
This Emond’s Field of yours must be an unusual place to produce the two
of you. And Rand al’Thor.”” – The Dragon
Reborn, p. 204. Note exactly what
she is saying, and what exactly the yes may mean. She doesn’t let slip if she knows that Rand
is the Dragon Reborn, the girls are only saved by being told by the Amyrlin not
to actually say anything, something that Sheriam saves them, Sheriam being at
least trusted by Siuan. Elaida is a
woman who clearly has a plan of her own and is only letting out very small
snippets of what that plan might be. It
is completely planned to the word of what Elaida is saying, yet Jordan is leading
Egwene and the reader to believe she doesn’t actually have what is going on
down. She may not even know of the Black
Ajah and if she does she may not believe it is a real group of Aes Sedai. It is also important to note that once Elaida
leaves Sheriam berates the girls for letting Elayne in on the knowledge of the
Gray Man, simply by mentioning it to see how Elayne reacts. It is the lack of a reaction that tips her
off and reveals there are only seven people who know of the Gray Man being in
the Tower.
The section ends with Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne
viewing the healing of Mat where words become very important. Mainly, that Mat speaks in the Old Tongue,
the language of Manetheren, a language he should not know. While there are battle cries of Manetheren,
it is the final phrase, screamed as the attempted Healing ends which is
important “Mia ayende, Aes Sedai! Caballein misaim ye! Inde muagdhe Aes
Sedai misaim ye! Mia ayende!” – The Dragon Reborn, p. 212. It is a phrase Egwene does not recognize but
is revealed to be a revocation of being a piece of meat for the Aes Sedai, something
that had been echoed by Rand for the last two books, but something we haven’t
seen from Mat. This is important as we
haven’t actually seen enough of Mat’s point of view yet. There is the fear that the Healing has not
worked, Mat is returned to his room and the girls taken away to their
punishment of scrubbing pots. This is
how everything of this section ends, with the uncertainty, all because words
cannot be used to confirm if Mat has been Healed.
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