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Elayne Trakand
Ee-LAYn Trah-Khand
Nationality:
Andoran
Year of Birth:
981 NE
Gender:
Female
Hair Color:
Red-Gold
Eye Color:
Blue
Other Names:
Mistress Caryla, Lady Morelin
Article Author:
Daraus Sedai
Page Contents
Basic Information
Actions During the Story (Spoilers)
Character Summaries (Spoilers)
Basic Information
Appearance
Elayne is a beautiful young woman with a mass of curled red-gold hair and big blue eyes set in a perfect oval shaped face. She is taller than an average Andoran woman at 5’7” (170 cm) and has a curvaceous, yet slim figure. She had a dimple which gave her a smile quite irresistible to most men. When not in the garb of a Novice or Accepted in the Tower, Elayne often experiments with local fashions and has worn some gowns her mother would never have approved of.
Personality
Elayne has the bearing and education expected of a future queen of Andor. Born into unimaginable wealth and privilege, but sheltered from many realities of the real world. This instilled a deep seated belief that her point of view was nearly always correct, which leads many of those around her to believe Elayne is very entitled and a little bit conceited, at least until they spend some time getting to know her. While very stubborn, she is willing to listen to advice from her peers and would accept and adopt other positions if she saw she was wrong in a course of action. Elayne often takes the role of mediator when her friends are in conflict, but her direct nature is sometimes very blunt when she is forced to play the peacemaker.
Elayne is kind and caring and a bit naïve when she first leaves Caemlyn. She doesn’t truly understand the value of money or the true impact of her privilege and she certainly doesn’t understand the reality of danger in the world around her; Elayne seems genuinely confused at times when her royal education lacks accuracy. Elayne is incredibly brave and will put herself in harm's way without truly considering the idea that something could happen to her.
Spoilers Below!!!
Actions During the Story
Actions Before the Story
Elayne was not yet born.
New Spring
Elayne was not yet born.
Actions Between the Books
Elayne Trakand was born in 981 NE, most likely in Caemlyn, and grew up as the heir to the throne of Andor, as the Daughter-heir Elayne benefitted from an extensive education including history, politics, arts, medicine, and the old tongue among many other subjects. Her biological father, Taringail Damodred, was officially killed in a hunting accident when she was still very young, but this was most likely an assassination by Court-Bard Thom Merillin. She developed a close relationship with her mother’s subsequent lovers, first Thom and later Captain-General Gareth Bryne. Elayne’s two older brothers Gawyn Trakand and Galad Damodred were very involved in her early life and were incredibly protective of her. Elayne was very close to Gawyn but had a difficult relationship with her half-brother Galad.
Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan was her mother’s Aes Sedai advisor, but Elayne never developed a close relationship with the Sister from the Red Ajah who often placed incredibly hard to meet standards on Elayne. Elayne was born with the spark, meaning she would eventually channel with or without training and Elaida could feel the incredible strength Elayne had in her potential. At some point before the events of Eye of the World Moiraine Damodred, Elayne’s paternal aunt was near enough to Elayne to also feel her potential strength.
Eye of the World
Elayne is first mentioned by farmer Almen Bunt who has given Rand al’Thor and Mat Cauthon a ride from the small town of Carysford on the Caemlyn Road. Bunt tells Rand and Mat of the tradition of the Andoran royal family to send the Daughter-hier and First Prince of the Sword to Tar Valon to train with the Aes Sedai and Warders, but he also believes it may be time to change the tradition as the last pair, Luc and Tigraine, both vanished before they could become Queen and First Prince. Bunt worries that another war of succession will emerge if something similar were to happen to Elayne and Gawyn. Bunt also tells the boys about Prince consort Taringale, father of Elayne and Gawyn and his scheme to take the throne of Andor and Cairhien, ending up in the Aiel War and his eventual death.
Elayne is in the palace gardens in Caemlyn when Rand al’Thor literally falls over a wall while trying to catch a glimpse of the false Dragon Logain who was being paraded through the city as a captive to the Aes Sedai bringing him to Tar Valon. Elayne is immediately taken with Rand and helps him by bandaging the minor wounds he received in his fall. Gawyn is present and also finds Rand quite charming, but is worried how Rand’s sudden appearance in an unauthorized location will appear to their family and mentors. Galad enters the area and immediately sees Rand as a danger to his siblings, Elayne commands him to leave her presence and states she hates the man. Galad is well known for being honest to the point of discomfort as he will always do what he sees as right, leading to many moments in their childhood that brought trouble to the spirited Elayne.
Galad returns shortly, accompanied by Guardsman-Lieutenant Martyn Tallanvor who insists on accompanying the royal trio and Rand to Queen Morgase. Morgase is stern with Elayne when she sees that she has been climbing trees and has disobeyed her orders to stay away from attempting to see Logain. However she does seem more amused than angry and notes that Elayne does at least try to be a dutiful daughter. Elaida, on the other hand, is quite harsh with Elayne and tells her she must be better as she will be the first woman in more than a thousand years to be both Queen and Aes Sedai. Elayne then tells the true tale of meeting Rand and asks her mother to allow him to leave the palace unharmed as his actions were an accident and his intentions were not to do harm to the royal family. Morgase eventually agrees to let Rand leave and Elayne along with Gawyn and Tallanvor escort Rand to a palace gate where Elayne tells Rand she thinks his is handsome and Gawyn notes that Rand looks like an Aielman which is why his story of being from the Two Rivers was difficult for many to believe.
Elayne is known to have left Caemlyn, along with Elaida and the Aes Sedai guarding Logain, to travel to Tar Valon and become a Novice. They arrive prior to Siuan leaving for Fal Dara.
The Great Hunt
While in Fal Dara Aniaya Carel tells Moiraine that there had been some worry that Morgase would refuse to allow Elayne to become a Novice, but Moiraine mentions that Morgase didn’t truly have a choice as Elayne was bork with the spark and would have died had she not gone to Tar Valon. Siuan Sanche then tells Moiraine the discovery of Elayne’s potential, greater than Siuan has ever seen before, by Elaida has given the Red Ajah some prestige and Moiraine notes that Egwene’s potential is equal to Elayne and that Nynaeve outshines them both and that their discovery will counteract any status the Red has gain in the Hall.
Upon arriving in Tar Valon Egwene meets Elayne in the Novices Quarters inside the White Tower and the two women discover they have both been born with the spark and are at roughly the same level in their training and each sees the light of saidar around the other, a first for both women. The two quickly become friends, despite Elayne questioning Egwene about Rand. Elayne tells Egwene she does not trust Elaida’s intentions for Rand and implies her dislike for the woman. She also takes Egwene to meet the two other women in Tar Valon that have met Rand along the road, Min Farshaw who Egwene already knows, and Else Grinwell, a farmgirl neither Elayne nor Egwene think highly of. They pass Logain as they walk and Egwene feels badly for the now gentled man but is told to keep her thoughts to herself or she will find herself in deep trouble with the Reds. When they encounter Elayne’s brothers, Elayne makes it clear to Egwene that she dislikes Galad, who she sees Egwene is attracted to. Elaida appears and humiliates Elayne and sends her to the Mistress of Novices, Sheriam Bayanar of the Blue Ajah for speaking to an Aes Sedai without being bidden to. Elaida then turns to question Min, who she knew had been summoned to Tar Valon by Moiraine.
Elayne continues to develop friendships with Egwene, Nynaeve and Min in the Tower, advancing at a much more rapid pace than other women who have come to the Tower over the years and pushing themselves harder than is deemed appropriate for Novices. Min has a viewing that foretells danger is coming for them and moments later Liandrin Guirale of the Red Ajah, and secretly a Black, enters the room and orders Elayne and Min to leave. As soon as the Aes Sedai leaves, Elayne and Min rush back in and demand to know what is happening. Nynaeve informs them, despite orders to remain silent, that Liandrin wishes Egwene and Nynaeve to go with her to Toman Head to help save Rand. Elayne insists on joining them, even when Nynaeve reminds her of her obligations as Daughter-Heir, but this does not dissuade Elayne or Min, whose viewing informs her they have to join the adventure.
The four women sneak out of the Tower and join Liandrin in the Ogier Grove within the city of Tar Valon where they are told they will be taking the Ways to Toman Head. Liandrin is not happy with Elayne and Min joining, but accepts their participation. Elayne has some knowledge of the Ways from her education in Caemlyn, but is not truly prepared for the reality of the alternative dimension. After several days of traveling in the oppressive darkness the group finally turns off and exits into an unfamiliar location that elayne can only presume is Toman Head, thousands of leagues to the west of Tar Valon. Liandrin proves her true allegiance and meets with the High Lady Suroth Sabelle Meldarath of the Seanchan Empire and attempts to have Egwene, Elyane and Nynaeve collared with a strange device. Although Egwene and Min were captured, Elayne and Nynaeve were able to escape into the countryside and together determine they will go to the nearby town of Falme where Egwene and Min have been taken and attempt to rescue their friends.
Later, in Falme, Elayne and Nynaeve have successfully disguised themselves as village women and have rented a room and have begun to spy on the Seanchan. They have discovered that the a’dam is the leash which is placed on female channelers and effectively enslaves them to the woman wearing the bracelet of the device. They are doing their best to avoid using the One Power to avoid detection, but have had a few missteps lead to them needing to lay low for days at a time. Nynaeve experiments with saidar to see if she can find a way to free the damane, something she plans to accomplish when they track down Egwene and Min’s whereabouts.
On the streets of Falme, not far from the damane kennels, Min encounters Nynaeve and Elayne and the three women are ecstatic to be reunited. Min explains more about the damane to Nynaeve and Elyane and informs them that Egwene is to be taken to Seanchan as her sul’dam has discovered in Egwene a rare strength in Earth and the ability to sense and remove valuable ores from the ground making her too valuable to risk as a battlefield damane. Min has also made the acquaintance of Bayle Domon, ship captain of the Spray and smuggler from Illian, another person desperately looking to escape Falme but unable to fend off damane stationed on Seanchan ships. Nynaeve and Domon make an agreement for their safe passage with Nynaeve, Egwene and Elayne aboard to fend off attacking damane. Domon is still nervous as he had personally witnessed an Aes Sedai being captured by the Seanchan, who already had another in captivity, Ryma Galfrey of the Yellow Ajah, who participated in the capture of her Aes Sedai Sister.
Nynaeve continues to work on a method to open the a’dam, and eventually succeeds, leading to the freed damane punching her sul’dam in the face and running for her life. Elayne takes the a’dam and the two women take the sul’dam into a storeroom and plan to use the woman’s sul’dam dress as a disguise to enter the damane kennels to find Egwene. However at the last moment before Elayne could put the collar on herself Nynaeve snaps the collar on the sul’dam and much to all of their surprise the device works on the Seanchan woman, Seta Zarby. Using Seta as their damane, the women move forward with their plan to rescue Egwene.
Elayne enters the tiny room Egwene is being held in and her friend is filled with utter relief to see them. Nynaeve removes Egwene’s collar and the women begin to wonder how to keep Seta quiet. Egwene fills them in on how the a’dam functions and notes that Seta will do anything to keep from being discovered being held by the device as that would make her damane and a slave. Egwene has reasoned out that the a’dam must be used by women with the ability, and that the damane are simply the women born with the spark as she, Elayne and Nynaeve were, those who needed to be taught to channel became sul’dam because their ability is latent. Seta begs them to tie her up and gag her and promises not to call out, she is crying and clearly terrified of her possible fate. Suddenly the sul’dam Renna Emain enters the room and realizes Egwene has been freed, but before she can react Egwene beats the woman with a pitcher and latches the collar on her neck and begins to torture her through the a’dam, exacting some vengeance for the horrible treatment she recieved from the sul’dam. The women then leave Seta and Renna collared and locked in the small room, Leaving the damane kennel they immediately realize there is an attack on Flame and chaos has begun to engulf the town and they hurry to make their way to the docks and the Spray.
The women never make it to the Spray, but the Seanchan are driven out of the town by the Whitecloaks, Heroes of the Horn of Valere and Rand, who has fought Ba’alzamon in the sky across Falme. After the battle Elayne, Egwene, Nynaeve and Min discover Mat, Perrin, Hurin and Verin Mathwin of the Brown Ajah. Perrin and Min have stayed with Rand along with Moiraine and Lan Mandragoran but the others have all begun their journey back to Tar Valon hoping to save Mat from the taint of Shadar Logoth.
The Dragon Reborn
Elayne has accompanied Verin, Egwene, Nynaeve and Hurin to bring Mat to the White Tower for Healing. The group, having spent weeks traveling from Toman Head, are just outside of Tar Valon in sight of Dragonmount and are confronted by a patrol of Whitecloaks. Verin begins to talk their way past the aggressive soldiers but Elayne immediately jumps in and tells the men that she is the Daughter-Heir of Andor and to let her pass. They respond by telling the group that Morgase is no longer allied with the White Tower and that their field commander, Lord Captain Eamon Valda, would be interested in taking Elayne into custody. This frightens Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve enough to lash out with the One Power to scare the Whitecloaks away. However, this infuriates Verin who tells the three they are fools and that actions such as these will spread tales of Aes Sedai using the Power as a weapon.
The women and Mat head into Tar Valon with Hurin leaving to return to Fal Dara to report on the events of Falme to Lord Agelmar Jagad and King Easar Togita. Once in the Tower Elayne is taken to her rooms and told to remain silent, under the watch of one of the Accepted, a pretty apple-cheeked young woman. Inside her Novice Elayne and Egwene have a quiet conversation through a small hole in the wall between their rooms, vowing that they would not allow themselves to be stilled. Eventually the three women are taken to the Amyrlin’s study to meet with Siuan Sanche and her Keeper of the Chronicles Leane Sharif. Elayne blurts out that Liandrin is Black Ajah and is promptly told to remain silent on this news as Siuan wishes to keep the three of them from being associated with Liandrin and the twelve women who left with her several months prior. This group of thirteen women stole several ter’angreal and murdered seven guards, nine servants, three Aes Sedai and two Warders.
Siuan informs Elayne that she is to be punished for leaving the Tower without permission, having her sent to Mistress of Novices Sheriam Bayanar for a sound switching and assigned the dirtiest kitchen duties until further notice. This punishment has been announced to the Novices and Accepted. Siuan also informs Elayne and Egwene that they are also to be raised to the Accepted due to their unprecedented growth in strength and skill. Siuan informs Elayne that her actions have caused Morgase to refuse to allow Elaida to return to Caemlyn, jeopardizing a relationship between Andor and Tar Valon that is older than Andor itself. Siuan tells Elayne a letter from Morgase is with Sheriam and sends her to her punishment while Egwene and Nynaeve stay behind with the Amyrlin.
After her punishment Elayne goes to speak with Nynaeve and Egwene to find out what they have been told by the Amyrlin. Nynaeve tells her they have been set to hunt the Black Ajah and nearly being killed by a Gray Man on their way back from the Amyrlin’s study. Elayne is determined to be part of the hunt even though the Amyrlin did not officially include her.
Elaida enters the room in a fury, insulting Elayne and informing all three women that she is aware of their association with Liandrin and that in order to protect Elayne she will protect all of them from being associated with the Black Ajah. However, she also threatens Elayne and tells her that she is responsible for breaking a tradition between Andor and the Tower. Egwene tells the Red Sister that they had left the Tower to help Mat and Nynaeve tells Elaida that the Amyrlin had told them to put their transgressions behind them. Sheriam enters the room and Elaida leaves, Elayne notes that the woman had threatened her with stilling for being willful to which Sheriam tells her she must have mistook Elaida’s words. Sheriam then tells them she is there to bring them to Mat, and notes that Nynaeve and Egwene have clearly informed Elayne of the Gray Man despite being told to keep the information to themselves.
Elyane, Egwene and Nynaeve follow Sheriam to a room deep beneath the Tower where Siuan and a group of nine other Aes Sedai: Leane, Sheriam, Aniaya Carel of the Blue Ajah, Verin and Sarafelle Tanisloe of the Brown Ajah, Alanna Mosvani of the Green Ajah, a cool-eyed White and two others Egwene did not recognize, Heal Mat of the taint of the Shadar Logoth Dagger using the white fluted rod sa’angreal. Elayne is stunned by the immense amount of saidar the circle uses in the procedure. Shortly after Mat is Healed Elayne successfully passes her test to become one of the Accepted.
Elayne spends the next weeks studying as an Accepted, serving her penance and secretly researching the thirteen women associated with Liandrin and the Black Ajah. The women have little information on the Black Sisters but Elayne notes that the lack of pattern among these thirteen women could easily indicate that the Black Ajah is quite significant, with no more than two women from each Ajah or national background and a wide span of ages she believes this could point to the Black Ajah having many women to select such a deliberately random group of women. In addition, the list of ter’angrealstolen from the Tower includes thirteen items of unknown use, but last studied by Corianin Nedeal, the last known Dreamer in the White Tower. The three women have begun to suspect nearly every Aes Sedai they know as potential Black Ajah members, noting odd behavior in Sheriam, Elaida, Alanna and Verin. Else Grinwell, an exceedingly odd choice, comes to bring them a message from Siuan and points them toward a library storeroom holding discarded belongings from the thirteen Black Sisters.
Deep in the foundations of the library the women go to retrieve the discarded belongings of Liandrin and her cronies. Elayne observes Egwene hangs a ball of light on the wall and is able to instantly copy the weave, which Egwene in turn learns to do by watching Elayne. Discovering thirteen sealed bags the women dig through the trash and at first glance they discover nothing of use. However, at closer examination they find a trail of items leading them in the direction of the city of Tear, included in the items they found:
A torn half of a map of some city.
A book called Customs and Ceremonies of the Tairen Court.
A list of trading ships on the Erinin, with the dates they sailed from Tar Valon and the dates they were expected to arrive in Tear.
Another book, a leather-bound volume entitled Observations on a Visit to Tear.
Another list of trading vessels.
A hastily sketched plan of some large building, with one room faintly noted as "Heart of the Stone.
A page with the names of five inns, the word "Tear" heading the page.
Realizing this evidence must have been planted to lay a trap the women determine the best way to move forward is to spring the trap, meaning a voyage to Tear. Elayne realizes if she is to leave the Tower once again that she must write to her mother in Caemlyn to avoid deeper division between the Queen and Tar Valon. Nynaeve realizes Mat would be the perfect courier for such a letter. The next morning Elayne goes to Mat with Nynaeve and Egwene and gives him the letter for Morgase and asks him to deliver it for Elayne. As payment they give him a letter from the Amyrlin that will guarantee him the ability to leave the city. Later that day, while scrubbing pots, Nynaeve tells the Amyrlin of their plan and is surprised when Siuan asks if Elayne will be leaving with them.
Elayne, on board the river boat of Captain Ellisor, the Blue Crane, is posing as an Aes Sedai. The women have sailed down the Erinin into Cairhien, where civil war has consumed the nation and most of the smaller river towns and villages have been abandoned. This distresses Elayne as she is connected to the Cairhienin through her father’s royal lineage in House Damodred. The Blue Crane suddenly crashes into a sunken ship in the river and comes to a stop, throwing Elayne and Egwene to the deck. After some discussion Nynaeve insists on leaving the boat and continuing south to find a village where they can take passage on another ship. The Captain tells them there is a town named Jurene on the Cairhien bank of the river about five or six miles downriver. Egwene and Nynaeve argue about the plan, with Elayne eventually making peace between them.
Now on foot the three women are surprised by a group of Aiel Maidens of the Spear, with Aviendha of the Bitter Water sept of the Tardaad Aiel approaching them for help with an injured friend. Going to the small camp of the Maidens the women also meet Bain of the Black Rock sept of the Shaarad Aiel and Chiad of the Stones River sept of the Goshien Aiel and Jolien of the Salt Flat spet of the Nakai Aiel. Elayne, having learned about the Aiel in her studies as Daughter-Heir, believes she understands some of the Aiel culture, but is shocked to learn that Bain and Chiad have taken vows and become first-sisters. Elayne’s education is also lacking in understanding the ways of the Maidens, believing they do not like men. Bain explains that a Maiden cannot marry while she carries the spear, but she can give up the spear to wed, to keep a child she bears or if she is called to Rhuidean to become a Wise One. Meanwhile Nynaeve is attending to the injured Dailin of the Bitter Water sept of the Tardaad Aiel, who has taken a sword wound at the hands of Cairhienin soldiers. Nynaeve Heals Dailin and the women continue speaking with the Aiel, learning there are groups who have been sent to the wetlands by Wise Ones in search of He Who Comes With the Dawn, a man of Aiel prophecy, born to a Maiden who will unite the clans and lead them from the Three-fold Land. Leaving the Aiel behind they discuss the idea that Rand must be the man from this prophecy. As they continue south they are attacked by a group of bandits and captured.
Elayne is more badly injured than Egwene or Nynaeve and does not wake when the other women rouse. Being held in an abandoned farmhouse the women have been given Sleepwell root; the men expected their captives to sleep through the night, but the herb simply clears their headaches. Nynaeve works herself up into anger so she can channel and Heals Elayne and Egwene and the three women realize that they have been captured on the orders of three Myrddraal. When the creatures enter the house they begin to sense channeling and suddenly a group of Aiel burst in and begin attacking the bandit darkfriends and the Myrddraal. Egwene is able to destroy the lock on their door with a flow of Earth and the women enter the battle. Egwene unleashed flows of Fire while Elayne compressed the three shadowspawn in flows of Air and Nynaeve, in a fury, shot a bar of molten white light that destroyed the creatures as though they had never existed. Egwene knew this was balefire, but was unsure how she knew. After the battle the Aiel, now including Rhuarc of the Nine Valley sept of the Tardaad Aiel, as well as the group of Maidens, explained that they had seen the Aes Sedai captured and followed to see if they needed aid. Claiming three horses from the brigands Elayne, Nynaeve and Egwene head south at dawn the following morning and arrive in Jurene in time to take passage on the river boat of Captain Canin, the Darter, which is heading to Tear with a cargo of fancy Shienaran wood and Kandori rugs.
Arriving in Tear under the pseudonym Mistress Carlya, Elayne follows Nynaeve through the city in search of suitable accommodation from which to begin their search for Liandrin’s group. Elayne suggests finding a thief-taker to help them find the Black Ajah. The women eventually make their way to the home of herbalist and Wise Woman Mother Ailhuin Guenna who has spare rooms in her home and connects them with thief-catcher Juilin Sandar. By this time Elayne is quite frustrated with both Egwene and Nynaeve for their constant bickering and asks the Wise Woman for a cure for two women who cannot stop arguing. Ailhuin tells her she generally takes them out back and sticks their heads in her rain barrel until they agree to stop arguing, making Elayne laugh out loud. She later slaps Egwene across the face when Egwene insults Nynaeve for being manipulative with Ailhuin. Juilin arrives at Ailhuin’s request and Nynaeve gives him descriptions of Liandrin and Rianna Andomeran as well as the other eleven Aes Sedai and warns him they are dangerous murderers.
Along with Egwene and Nynaeve, Elayne is captured by the Black Ajah, who have discovered their location after Liandrin used a weak form of Compulsion on Juilin and had him guide them to Ailhuin’s home. They are taken to the dungeon in the Stone of Tear and held as captives by the Forsaken Be’lal, shielded by Amico Nagoyen, of the Yellow Ajah, and mostly ignored though they have been told that thirteen Myrddraal have been sent for so they could be used to force turn the three channelers to the shadow. Egwene is eventually able to use the twisted stone ring ter’angreal to enter tel’aran’rhiod and capture both Amico and Joiya Byir of the Gray Ajah. However, they still cannot break free from the shielding. Mat and Juilin arrive, seemingly out of nowhere, and release them from the cell. Nynaeve punches Amico in the face knocking the woman unconscious and freeing herself, Elayne and Egwene from their shielding and all three note something has changed about Amico but are unsure what. The three women leave Mat and Juilin to follow them as they go in search of the remaining Black Sisters.
After the fight to take the Stone where Rand takes Callandor and kills Ba’alzamon and Moiraine kills Be’lal, Elayne is with the group as they reunite. Liandrin and eleven other Black Sisters managed to escape the Stone, leaving only Amico and Joiya in custody. Elayne is prepared to track the Black Ajah down wherever they have gone.
The Shadow Rising
Elayne is still in the Stone of Tear, working with Egwene and Nynaeve, and occasionally Moiraine, to question Amico and Joiya about where Liandrin and the others have gone. They have learned frustratingly little from either. Elayne and Egwene discuss Rand and Egwene tells her she does not love Rand and wishes Elayne the best with building a relationship with him. Moiraine tells the other women that she could wager that she knows the face of her future husband better than either of them, but should she marry she would not choose Lan. Moiraine goes on to tell the others she plans to convince Rand to take the armies of Tear into war with Illian, where the Forsaken Sammael rules. Elayne understands Moiraine’s position more clearly than the village women as she was raised to one day be a queen. She explains to Egwene and Nynaeve that war will come eventually and that it is likely that other nations have been taken over by Forsaken as well. Moiraine’s plan will make Rand strong enough to keep the other nations and the Forsaken from attacking Rand themselves and buy him time to consolidate his power and learn more about channeling. Moiraine also tells the three women about a ter’angrealin the Great Holding within the Stone that once belonged to Mayene and was studied by Aes Sedai. This redstone doorframe, when stepped through, will provide three true answers to questions about the past, present or future; but it is dangerous and unpredictable, especially with questions that touch the Shadow.
Elayne and Egwene discuss Rand and Elayne believes Min had a Viewing that she did not tell them about in this regard. Egwene tells Elayne that she wishes to help her connect with Rand and let him know that she doesn’t love him as anything more than a brother. The two women go to visit Rand under the guise of attempting to help him learn about saidin. After a little experimenting the three discover that Rand can feel when a woman embraces saidar, a sensation of goosebumps, but the women cannot tell when a man sizes saidin. They also quickly realize the vast difference in the way the two halves of the Power work and that Rand is significantly stronger than Egwene or Elayne. Egwene eventually tells Rand she does not love him anymore and he realizes he no longer loves her and Egwene leaves.
Rand is surprised when Elayne stays behind, and the pair are somewhat awkward at first, but Elayne eventually tells Rand that she is very fond of him and he admits to having similar feelings for her and the two kiss passionately. Over the next few days Rand and Elayne spend a lot of time together with her passing on some of her education in how to rule and kissing in corners throughout the Stone. Before she leaves to pursue the Black Ajah in Tanchico, Elayne writes two letters to Rand, the first professing her love for him and the second informing him she is not to be trifled with and that he is a fool.
Elayne and Nynaeve have decided to travel to Tanchico where Egwene, using tel’aran’rhiod, has discovered a device in the Panarch’s palace that she believes is what the Black Ajah is pursuing as a way to harm Rand. Moiraine suggests the two women approach the Sea Folk who are harbored in Tear as their ships are the fastest known way to travel. She gives them letters of rights for massive sums of money to use in their chase and arranges for Thom Merrilin to accompany them. Lan and Rand also arrange for Juilin Sandar to join the two women to help protect them in a city known to be as dangerous as Tanchico.
Elayne and Nynaeve go to the Sea Folk Vessel, the Raker Wavedancer, and meet with the Sailmistress Coine din Jubai Wild Winds and her sister and Windfinder Jorin din Jubai White Wing and learn that the Sea Folk reserve the right to refuse Aes Sedai passage and only the Windfinder can decide. Jorin consents and Coine refuses the gift Nynaeve offers and tells them she will alter her course and travel without stopping to Tanchico to help the Coramoor, which she believes is Rand. They are also told of an encounter the ship has had with the Seanchan. Elayne and Nynaeve are not happy to see Thom and Juilin, although Elayne has a vague sense of knowing Thom. They force the men to swear obedience or the Sea Folk will refuse them passage. Elayne is shocked when she feels and sees Jorin channeling huge flows of Air and realizes that the Windfinders are the reason Aes Sedai are not allowed passage on the ships of the Atha’an Miere. They speak and agree to teach each other, Elayne learning some of the vast knowledge the Windfinder has regarding controlling the weather, Cloud Dancing, and Elayne teaching Jorin to be more adept at weaving Fire, a Flow she has little skill with.
During the ten day journey to Tanchico, Elayne and Nynaeve, now in possession of the twisted stone ring dreamweaver, meet with Egwene in tel’aran’rhiod to learn Rand's plans and share what they have learned about the Sea Folk. Egwene tells Elayne about the Wise Ones and their teaching her to dreamwalk and about the troubles Rand is having with the Aiel despite returning from Rhuidean with the twin Dragons on his arms.
Arriving in Tanchico, Elayne and Nynaeve thank the Sea Folk women and take Thom and Juilin to search for an inn. Bayle Domon sees Nynaeve on the docks and approaches her to explain how he was forced to flee Falme before they arrived on his ship. He offers to help them find a suitable inn and takes them to his friend Rendra’s establishment on the Calpene Peninsula, below the Great Circle, the Three Plum Court. Rendra bears a remarkable resemblance to Liandrin, but is a kind woman who takes the group in and informs them that despite being a smuggler, Domon is a good man who donates generously to soup kitchens for the poor of Tanchico. Nynaeve and Elayne bring Domon into their search for the Black Ajah and begin to leverage his abilities with Thom and Juilin’s to find and expose the darkfriends.
Elayne, still unsure of why Thom seems familiar to her, spends an evening in the common room watching the gleeman perform and is “over-served” by a handsome young servingman. At the end of the evening Elayne finds herself following Thom and fuzzily remembers pulling his mustache and sitting on his lap as a small child. She also recalls her mother sitting on Thom’s lap and realizes the two had been lovers. Thom admits to her that he had once been the Court-bard in Caemlyn and becomes firm with Elayne when she begins to call Morgase a light-skirt. After Thom slaps her for her insulting Morgase he sends her to bed where Nynaeve is less than pleased to find her drunk and begins dunking her head into a bucket of cold water.
Nynaeve and Elayne worry that the men are not being subtle enough in their search for Liandrin and her cronies, but have begun going out into the city on foot dressed in Taraboner styles to see if they can detect women channeling anywhere nearby. Elayne has her purse stolen on multiple occasions. While out on the streets the two women are attacked by a group of mercenaries, in the employ of Seanchan captain Egeanin Sarna, who believe Nynaeve is one of the sul’dam Egeanin has been sent to hunt after Falme. Egeanin intervenes and stops the kidnapping, but witnesses Elayne’s channeling and returns with the women to the Three Plumb Court. In the Chamber of Falling Blossoms, Egeanin meets Juilin before he leaves to return to his search for the Black Sisters. Elayne and Nynaeve speak to Egeanin about the White Tower, not knowing she is Seanchan. Egeanin leaves after a short time and is troubled by what she has seen in women she believes to be Aes Sedai as they are clearly not what she has been told.
Elayne and Nyneave are in the Chamber of Falling Blossoms discussing what they have heard from Domon, Thom and Juilin when they are approached by a strange woman. They are nervous when they first hear she is there to see them, but once she enters they realize she is not one of the Black Sisters they are hunting for. The woman is in fact the Forsaken Moghedien who goes on to place a light Compulsion on both Elayne and Nynaeve and questions them about the Black Ajah. She asks if they have angreal, sa’angreal or ter’angreal in their purses or in their rooms, but they do not turn over the sleepweaver because it is on a cord around Nynaeve’s neck and she did not specifically ask about that. Moghedien leaves the two women with false implanted memories of their interaction and leaves them.
Elayne and Nynaeve continue to meet with Egeanin and begin to build a true friendship with the woman while Juilin, Thom and Domon narrow their search for Liandrin’s group. Eventually the men discover the Black Sisters' plot to seize the Panarach’s palace through the use of Whitecloak Questioner, and darkfriend, Lord Commander Jaichim Carridin. While having dinner at the Three Plum Court, Domon walks in and recognizes Egeanin as a Seanchan captain, having been captured by her at Falme. This news greatly angers Nynaeve and Elayne, but they eventually calm themselves enough to listen to her story of releasing the sul’dam Bethamin Zeami from an a’dam after learning from the Aes Sedai that the sul’dam are women who could learn to channel. The group then decides to use Egeanin to help them infiltrate the palace and steal the “sad bracelets' ' before the Black Ajah can recover this male a’dam. While Nynaeve heads into the museum wing to search for the device, Elayne and Egeanin, posing as maids, go into the palace to find the Panarch Amathera Aelfdene Casmir Lounault, who is being held and tortured by Black Sister Temaile Kinderode formerly of the Gray Ajah. Elayne easily overpowers the other woman, shielding her and hurling her across the room with flows of Air. Elayne is surprised by her increased strength after her practice with Jorin; noting that prior to her voyage she had not been able to so easily lift anything as large as a person before the journey. Elayne then takes Amathera into her custody and goes to find Nynaeve in order to leave the palace before rioting against the Whitecloaks can begin. Reuniting with Nynaeve, Elayne discovers what the commotion she felt was about, Nynaeve had battled and defeated Moghedien and had recovered the bracelets, but their fight had drawn the attention of Black Sister Jeaine Caide who had attempted to use the fluted black rod ter’angreal which produces balefire to kill Nynaeve.
Escaping back to the Three Plum Court the group puts Amathera into hiding under the disguise of a maid, “Thera”, in Rendra’s employ and they plan how to escape Tanchico. Eventually deciding to trust Domon and Egeanin to take the bracelets to the deepest trench in the Aryth Ocean and drop them into the depths. Thom, Juilin, Nynaeve and Elayne then procure a small merchant's wagon transporting dies and leave the city to travel overland across Tarabon.
Fires of Heaven
Elayne is with Thom, Nynaeve and Juilin and has spent the last several weeks traveling in disguise as dye merchants. Elayne has not admitted to remembering Thom while drunk and has begun to outrageously flirt with the much older man in a way that has begun to make Thom uncomfortable and Nynaeve irritated at her behavior. As the group crosses into Amadicia they encounter a group of Whitecloaks, which causes more friction between Elayne and Nynaeve. When the group makes camp outside of the Amadician village of Mardecin, Nynaeve and Elayne decide to enter the town to find better supplies than Thom originally came back with, Elayne admits to being unsure of how to act around Thom and that her actions are making him nervous. Nynaeve notices a Yellow Ajah warning signal in the window of a dressmaker’s shop and the two women go to investigate. Inside the shop they meet an agent of the Yellow Ajah, Ronde Macura and she informs them of an urgent message she received from Narenwin Barda in Tar Valon. The Amyrlin has sent out a message that must be received by all Aes Sedai who pass through. It read simply that “All Sisters are welcome to return to the White Tower. The Tower must be whole and strong.” Nynaeve and Elayne are confused by the message but have been drugged by Macura who has a secret tea which affects only channelers, forkroot. Both Elayne and Nynaeve are knocked unconscious by the brew.
Upon waking up, Elayne realizes she has been carried upstairs and is tied to a bed with a funnel in her mouth to keep a dose of forkroot in her system, to be administered by Macura’s assistant Luci. Macura has also been given orders to capture and return Elayne and anyone with her to Tar Valon. Thom and Juilin arrive and capture Macura and Luci and threaten to torture the two women for more information. All Macura knows is that the orders she received from Narenwin were directly from the Amyrlin Seat. Elayne and the rest of the group decide to tie Macura and Luci up and flee the town. Thom manages to sell the wagon and dies and procure a coach for a new disguise.
Traveling across Amadicia disguised as a pampered noble woman, Lady Morelin, and her entourage, the group encounters a traveling menagerie run by Valan Luca who is in possession of Seanchan beasts he calls “boar-horses'', but Elayne and Nynaeve recognize from Falme. After leaving the man they come to the town of Sienda, to the east of Amador. The town has kicked Luca out after the boar-horses did some damage to one of the inns. In town the women unexpectedly encounter Elayne’s half-brother Galad, who has surprisingly joined the Whitecloaks under the command of Lord Captain Eamon Valda. He explains to them what he knows of the Aes Sedai coup and the overthrow of Siuan, which they had learned about from visiting tel'aran'rhiod. Galad insists that they accept his escort to Caemlyn, but Elayne tells him she must consider the idea. After he leaves them to discuss, Elayne explains to Nynaeve that they must find a way out of the town immediately as Galad’s nature will compel him to do the right thing and he is being faced with a situation where there is more than one right answer. Thom agrees with Elayne that Galad is a danger to them and the group sneak out of town heading back toward the traveling show. Luca is less than happy to see them again, but is happy to accept the patronage of Lady Morelin. Elayne and Juilin posing as tight rope walkers and Nynaeve as a beautiful target for Thom’s knife throwing act.
Traveling with the show, the group remains within Amadicia while Nynaeve tries to remember the location of the Rebel faction of Aes Sedai she has seen in Elaida’s study in tel’aran’rhiod. Making their way to the Ghealdanin border town of Samara which has been overrun by the forces of the Prophet, Masema Dagar, which is close to conflict with a force of Whitecloaks. Nynaeve has enlisted the Hero of the Horn Birgitte Silverbow to help them spy on the Forsaken in tel’aran’rhiod but is caught by Moghedien, who sees that they are with one of the menageries and has vowed revenge on Nynaeve. Birgitte saves Nynaeve, but is expelled from the world of dreams by Moghedien and would have died herself if Elayne had not used the Warder Bond to save the now-in-the-flesh woman. Birgitte joins the show as an archer and uses Nynaeve as her target much as Thom has done with daggers. Nynaeve encounters the Shienaran group led by Uno who takes her to meet the Prophet in the hopes of arranging river boat passage out of the area. While in the town she also encounters Galad who offers to find them passage as well.
When Captain Agni Neres' ship, The Riverserpent, comes into Samara both Galad and Masema attempt to seize the vessel for Nynaeve and the town breaks out into riots. Elayne and the others manage to board the ship along with a large group of refugees including Nicola Treehill, Areina Nemasiv, Marigan and her two sons Jerel and Seve. Elayne channels to create favorable winds for the boat and they sail down the river toward Ebou Dar in Altara and eventually find the Rebel Aes Sedai encampment at Salidar.
Elayne and Nynaeve have now resumed their lives as Accepted, but continue to attempt to help Rand and try to convince Sheriam and the other leaders in Salidar to join his cause. They also discover the now stilled Siuan and Leane along with Logain and Min in Salidar. Elayne and Nynaeve are then tasked with teaching Aes Sedai how to use the dreamweavers to enter tel’aran’rhiod and prepare these women to engage with the Aiel dreamwalkers. Elayne has also spent a lot of time studying the a’dam and believes she has discovered how to copy the device, something no Aes Sedai has done in thousands of years. Elayne speaks with Min and learns of her visions regarding Rand and three women, specifically Min and Elayne and a third Min does not yet know. Elayne tells Min that her friend Aviendha is keeping an eye on Rand and not to worry about this third woman. Nynaeve defeats and captures Moghedien in the world of dreams and uses her to help Rand destroy Rhavin through the use of a modified a’dam. Having realized Moghedien was hiding within Salidar, Nynaeve forces the Forsaken to drink forkroot and leaves the world of dreams.
Lord of Chaos
Elayne has created a real world version of the a’dam without a chain to imprison Moghedien who has been masquerading as Marigan and along with Nynaeve has been keeping the Forsaken a prisoner in Salidar and attempting to force knowledge from the Age of Legends from the woman. The two women successfully learn many weaves from Moghedien and pass off several “discoveries” to the Aes Sedai, but must keep some knowledge secret in order to keep Moghedien’s identity hidden. Through Moghedien they confirm that Elayne knows more about controlling the weather than Moghedien herself and more than any Sister in Salidar, and that the problems with the weather are certainly an effect of the Dark One’s touch on the Pattern.
Elayne learns the Rebel Aes Sedai have planned to send an embassy to Caemlyn to meet with Rand, led by Merana Ambrey of the Gray. She is concerned that nine Sisters could be enough to frighten Rand. She also learns that Min is to accompany the embassy and while jealous, is also glad that her friend will be near Rand to aid him and asks Min to carry a letter to Rand for her. Elayne has become aware that there are rumors of her mother’s death, many claiming Rand to be responsible, but she is not fully willing to accept Morgase is dead.
Elayne has begun to spend a lot of time attempting to create more ter’angreal, with limited success, but able to make several copies of the dreamweavers, albeit imperfect versions. She and Nynaeve are regularly tasked with training the Salidar Six, Siuan and Leane in tel’aran’rhiod, a task that has its pitfalls as the Aes Sedai are less than open to listening to Accepted. The women spend a lot of time in Elaida’s study sifting through ephemeral papers to gain clues to her various actions as Amyrlin. While there the Aes Sedai become trapped in a nightmare and Elayne is forced to enter it herself to aid in destroying it from the inside. Upon awakening many of the Sisters are physically injured, but still unwilling to accept Elayne’s guidance in tel’aran’rhiod. Before returning to her body Elayne goes to Caemlyn to see the Lion Throne and swears that she will Bond Rand as her Warder. She is witnessed by Demandred who believes she is unhappy with what Rand has done in Caemlyn in the aftermath of destroying Rhavin.
In Salidar Elayne has begun teaching Novice classes, something Nynaeve was not yet trusted to do because of her block. Eighteen Novices, including Tabiya, had been taken from the Tower by the Rebels, but the Rebels had begun testing some women who were even a few years older than Nynaeve while in Altara and had found more women than the Tower had held in many years. Elayne and Nynaeve continue to press Moghedien for knowledge and have been unsuccessfully attempting weaves to detect male channeling. Elayne informs Nynaeve that the Tower has sent an emissary to Salidar, Tarna Feir of the Red Ajah. When Tarna goes to meet with the Hall of the Tower Elayne attempts to penetrate the Ward against eavesdropping with weaves taught by Moghedien, but she is unsuccessful and Moghedien claims there are thousands of ways to weave wards and it can take days to find a way around them. Over time Nynaeve begins pushing Elayne to leave Salidar and seek out Rand and Egwene, but Elayne tells her that is foolish and they must stay to help bring the Rebels to join Rand.
Unannounced, Tarna enters the small house shared by Elayne and Nynaeve and immediately makes herself comfortable. She informs the women that Elaida is determined to have Elayne back in Tar Valon, but when Elayne refuses, Tarna dismisses her to speak with Nynaeve. Tarna informs Nynaeve that she is nearly as important to Elaida as Elayne because Nynaeve knows Rand so well. This spurs Nynaeve to push harder on Elayne to leave, but eventually the two women decide the best course of action is to use tel’aran’rhiod to find a way to convince the Aes Sedai that they need Rand. Using needthey are able to use the world of dreams to find a ter’angreal in an old storeroom. Elayne tests it and realizes that it is related to the weather and believes they may need a circle of channelers, including a man, to use the device. Elayne also realizes the room they are in holds many more ter’angreal as well as angreal and the women decide to go outside to determine their exact location. After some wandering around the city Elayne believes they are in Ebou Dar due to the many canals.
A bubble of evil hits Salidar and the Aes Sedai form links with Accepted and Novices to fight off what they believe to be an attack by the Forsaken. Elayne explains to Ashmanaille of the Gray, Bharatine of the Green and Anaiya Carel of the Blue that she had witnessed such an event while in the Stone of Tear. The following morning the Hall in Salidar concludes their conversations with Tarna and the woman leaves to return to Tar Valon. Romanda Cassin of the Yellow Ajah announces to the entire town that the Hall’s purpose has not altered, but Elayne and Nynaeve believe the words are vague enough to mask any potential subterfuge the Hall has in mind. Elayne is quite upset when Sheriam informs her that the Hall has sent word to Merilille Ceandevin of the Gray in Ebou Dar to keep an eye out for the storeroom. Both women earn punishment for harsh words on the subject to Sheriam.
Thom and Juilin return to Salidar after a mission into Amadicia and tell Elayne and Nynaeve what they have learned of the Whitecloak actions. Pedron Niall seems to be gathering the majority of the Children of the Light’s forces into Amador. Thom has heard rumors that Morgase is in Amador, but Elayne dismisses these as outlandish. Nynaeve continues to push Elayne to leave Salidar, but Elayne remains firm about staying. Elayne then witnesses Nynaeve Heal Logain andruns to bring Sheriam and blurts out the information in front of Sitters Romanda and Delana Mosalaine of the Gray. Soon a flood of Aes Sedai comes to see if Nynaeve has gone mad. Nynaeve then goes on to Heal Siuan and Leane, restoring only a portion of the women’s ability to channel despite being able to fully Heal Logain. Siuan and Leane explain the Aes Sedai strength based hierarchy to Elayne and Nynaeve and are worried that their new standing will be a problem as other Sisters will expect them to defer and will have less respect for their opinions which they realize will hurt their plots around the Rebel leadership.
Elayne, along with Faolain Orande, Theodrin Dabei and Nynaeve, are raised to the Shawl by Egwene’s proclamation after she is raised as Amyrlin Seat for the Rebel faction. Elayne and Nynaeve confess to capturing Moghedien and pass the Forsaken and the a’dam over to Egwene. Elayne chooses the Green and learns Myrelle Berengari is the Captain-General of the rebel faction of the Ajah. Egwene has them travel to Ebou Dar along with Vandene and Adeleas Namelle to join Merillile and her embassy to Queen Tylin Quintara Mitsobar. Mat and Aviendha have been sent by Rand to escort Elayne back to Caemlyn, and are manipulated into joining Elayne in Ebou Dar. Aviendha believing she has toh to Elayne for having sex with Rand offers to allow Elayne to kill her, but Elayne realizes Aviendha is the third woman from Min’s viewing and despite her jealousy determines to become friends with the Aiel woman. Elayne creates a gateway to Travel to a location ten days outside of Ebou Dar and the group makes their way on horseback for the remainder of the journey. After discovering Mat is in possession of a ter’angreal which nullifies direct weaves of the One Power Elayne and the other Aes Sedai begin experimenting by attempting to use the Power on Mat to discover how it works and potentially how to counter it. Throughout the journey Elayne begins to treat Mat as one of her subjects as she considers him a citizen of Andor, and acts as though The Band of the Red Hand contingent with the group is under her command.
Arriving in Ebou Dar Elayne, Aviendha, Nynaeve, Vandene, Adeleas, Birgitte, Thom and Juilin go to the Tarasin Palace to join the other Aes Sedai while Mat finds rooms for himself and his men at an Inn on the Mol Hara Square, The Wandering Woman run by the impressive Mistress Setalle Anan. Elayne and Nynaeve have become increasingly frustrated with the other Aes Sedai who refuse to accept them as full Sisters, sending the younger women away after a brief introduction to Merellile, Careane Fransi of the Green and Sareitha Tomares of the Brown. After cleaning up from their journey Elayne and Nynaeve are summoned to meet Queen Tylin and are surprised by the woman’s frankness about her situation. She is caught between the Whitecloak Ambassador, darkfiend Jaichim Carridin, Tower embassy of Teslyn Baradon of the Red and Joline Maza of the Green and the Rebel embassy led by Merillile. Elayne, showing her more diplomatic side, offers Tylin apologies for an Aes Sedai army being gathered in Altara as well as assurances that the Amyrlin in Salidar has no intention of using the force against Tylin. This action gives Tylin comfort and helps Elayne and Nynaeve form the start of a friendly relationship with the monarch who has little real power outside of Ebou Dar. Nynaeve tells Tylin that Carridin is a butcher and a darkfriend, but the Queen is powerless to do anything about the man without provoking a war she cannot win. Elayne then tells Tylin why they have come to Ebou Dar and the Queen tells her the description of the area they have sounds like the dangerous area of the city known as the Rahad. Elayne and the others begin to use the Power to weave disguises to evade the notice of Mat and the other Aes Sedai and search through the Rahad looking for the cache of ter’angreal they discovered in tel’aran’rhiod. While in the Rahad Elayne witnesses a duel in the streets. Before she can attempt to Heal the dying man, Masic, another woman, wearing a red belt, knelt beside him and shockingly uses the One Power in an attempt to save his life. The man died and the woman, Asra Zigane, informs the winner, Baris, he must inform the dead man’s wife. Elayne notes some oddity about Asra, she was Domani and quite weak in the Power, likely not strong enough to have tested for the Accepted if she had been in the Tower but clearly knew the weaves for Healing. Birgitte draws Elayne back to their task before Elayne can follow the other woman to investigate the presence of a Domani Wilder in the Rahad. Elayne and Nynaeve report to Egwene on their lack of progress using tel’aran’rhiod and learn that they cannot use the world of dreams to re-find the location a second time. Black Sister Falion Bhoda of the White Ajah has noticed that Elayne and Nynaeve are in Ebou Dar and wonders why they are in the city where she and Ispan Shefar, another Black from the Blue Ajah, had been sent by Moghedien to search for a cache of angreal several months earlier. She contemplates how to deliver the two women to Moghedien since she had thus far failed in finding the angreal.
A Crown of Swords
Still in Ebou Dar searching for the ter’angreal. Elayne and Aviendha have become quite close in the weeks since leaving Salidar and now refer to each other as near-sisters. Elayne is with Nynaeve, Birgitte and Aviendha when they decide to meet with the large fleet of Sea Folk ships in the Bay. Reasoning the Sea Folk might know more about a device connected to controlling the weather. Taking a small ship out to one of the Rakers Elayne introduces herself to the deck hand and informs the man that she is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, but does not seek the gift of passage, but needs to meet with the ships Windfinder. Shortly a woman named Malin din Toral Breaking Wave, Wavemistress of Clan Somarin and Sailmistress of Windrunnerarrives and escorts the four women into the presence of Nesta din Reas Two Moons, Mistress of the Ships to the Atha’an Miere. Elayne informs the Sea Folk that they have come to seek the aid of the Windfinder of Windrunner, who introduces herself as Dorile din Eiran Long Feather. Nesta is displeased to learn Elayne and Nynaeve know the secret of the Windfinders ability to channel, but the two Aes Sedai avoid telling her who they learned from. Dorile informs Nesta that she believes they must be Aes Sedai because she has never met women as strong as Elayne, Aviendha or Nynaeve. After describing the ter’angreal they are searching for Dorile exclaims that they have the Bowl of the Winds, a legendary ter’angreal once in the possession of the Sea Folk, but lost to history. Nesta decides to summon the Wavemistresses in Ebou Dar as well as the First Twelve with their Windfinders and sends for tea so they can begin the bargain with the Aes Sedai.
After some persuasion by Birgitte and Aviendha, Nynaeve and Elayne are convinced to include Mat in their hunt for the Bowl. Birgitte learns of Mat saving their lives in the Stone of Tear and both she and Aviendha are stunned by how poorly they have treated Mat. Elayne, realizing her poor behavior and wishing to make Aviendha proud of her, goes with Nynaeve to visit Mat at the Wandering Woman and the two women humbly apologize and thank him for saving their lives. As they go to leave the inn they are cornered by Setalle Anan who believes they are foolish young women pretending to be Aes Sedai and who have possibly fallen for Mat’s charm. Wishing to protect Mat from the fall out of two women pretending to be Aes Sedai the innkeeper eventually takes them to the home of a group she refers to as the Circle in a different area of the city, next door to a weaver’s shop. Elayne is frustrated with Nynaeve for deciding to go along with the woman, but Nynaeve explains to Elayne she suspects they are being taken to a group of women who likely run the group of red-belted Healers so renowned in Ebou Dar. Nynaeve suspects Setalle must have gone to the White Tower at some point in her life as she recognized their lack of agelessness, which few would know unless they have been around Aes Sedai.
Arriving at the house of Reanne Corly, Elayne and Nynaeve immediately sense multiple women channeling and realize they have stumbled into an organized group of Wilders. Reanne’s strength surprises Elayne as she notes the woman could match some of the strongest Aes Sedai in the Tower such as Sheriam. Elayne is shielded by a Saldaen woman who is even stronger than Reanne, matching women such as Lelaine or Romanda, her name is given as Garenia Rosoinde, whom Setalle says looks very much like a woman she once knew named Zarya Alkaese and Nyneave is shielded by a woman named Berowin Doraisin, who’s strength level is shockingly low, had she been in the Tower she would barely have been strong enough to test for the Shawl, yet her ability to shield was something close to a Talent. Mistress Anan leaves the women and returns to her inn. Reanne, Garenia and Berowin go on to question Elayne and Nynaeve about the White Tower and life as a Novice and Accepted, asking specific questions to discover if they had truly been in the Tower. Eventually satisfied that they had been in Tar Valon. Nynaeve asks Reanne for help finding the ter’angreal, Reanne tells Nynaeve there is no guild and that there are only a few women who had all been in the White Tower and did not succeed in earning the Shawl. Growing frustrated, Elayne, followed by Nynaeve, decide to leave the house and are told by Reanne that she would be sending their descriptions and names to the Aes Sedai in the palace by sunrise. As they return to the palace Elayne wonders at how old these women must be as they showed visible signs of age which, given their strength in the Power, could make them centuries old.
Elayne and Nynaeve convince Mat to move into the Tarasin Palace and are attempting to use his ta’veren nature to find the Bowl. Mat insists that both women have body guards whenever they leave the palace and assigns members of the Band of the Red Hand to stay near them. Eventually Mat successfully follows Reanne to the storeroom and reports back to Elayne and Nynaeve. Nyneave then goes to the Sea Folks to inform them that the Bowl has been located while Elayne goes to inform Merillile, Vandene, Adeleas, Sareitha and Careane that their mission is close to complete.
Upon discovering that Elayne and Nynaeve have interacted with the Kin the Aes Sedai grow furious with Elayne and go so far as to informally put her on trial and prepare to arrange a penance for her and Nynaeve. Elayne learns that the Kin is a secret organization known to all Aes Sedai for over two thousand years. Originally the group formed during the Trolloc Wars as even then Aes Sedai standards could not be bent, but eventually the White Tower realized the Kin were an easy way to track and recover runaway Novices and Accepted. During this conversation Elayne receives a letter from Carridin, claiming the Whitecloaks have her mother, this letter infuriates Elayne enough to stand up to the other Aes Sedai and claim leadership over the other women due to both her role being assigned by the Amyrlin as well as her enormous strength advantage. Surprisingly the four Sisters accept her leadership. Elayne takes the Aes Sedai to the home of Reanne and the Kinswomen present are stunned to learn Elayne and Nynaeve are in fact Aes Sedai. Elayne informs the Kin that Egwene intends to reincorporate the Kin into the White Tower and several women including Sumeko Karistovan and Ivara excitedly ask if they can return and have a chance to become Aes Sedai. Reanne then tells Elayne two shocking pieces of information; there are 1,783 Kinswomen spread throughout the nations and that Reanne herself is 411 years old, no Aes Sedai in living memory has lived much beyond 300 years.
Elayne goes with Mat, Nynaeve and the Kin to the storehouse in the Rahad to recover the Bowl of the Winds. While there they discover a whole cache of ter’angrealand angreal and begin to collect the devices to take back to Tar Valon. However, they are attacked by Black Sisters Falion and Ispan with a group of darkfriends as well as the shadowspawn creature known as the gholam. Elayne sustains a minor injury but is saved once more by Mat, who drives off the gholam, which the One Power cannot touch, with his foxhead medallion. Nynaeve, with Lan’s help, drives Falion off and captures Ispan. Returning to the palace they meet with the Sea Folk and decide they must leave the city to a safe location to use the Bowl of the Winds.
Path of Daggers
Elayne leads the group of Aes Sedai, Kinswomen and Windfinders as they hurriedly leave Ebou Dar with the Bowl of the Winds heading to the remote farmhouse run by the Kin north of the city. Traveling through a gateway made by Aviendha. Elayne quickly sorts through the cache of ter’angreal until she finds several angreal which she hopes to incorporate into the circle which will be using the Bowl of the Winds. Aviendha is unhappy with her ability to make large gateways and finds herself frightened of a mysterious man she believes is watching the group leave, sending the Windfinder, Kurin din Calin Red Sails, ahead to warn Elayne and Nynaeve of possible danger. Aviendha goes so far as to pick apart her weaving for the gateway, which shocks all the women present and causes Merilille to nearly panic as the White Tower does not believe such a thing is possible. When she learns her message is not delivered Aviendha is quite upset with Kurin, leading Aes Sedai to convince Elayne to allow Aviendha to intimidate the Windfinders. Elayne is very irritated with Nynaeve throughout the journey to the farm as the other woman is more interested in following her new husband Lan on his scouting. Elayne, as the strongest Sister, finds herself responsible for keeping the Aes Sedai, Kin and Windfinders from each other’s throats. The Windfinders want possession of the Bowl, which is in the custody of the Aes Sedai and the Aes Sedai want custody of Ispan who is being held by the Kin and the Kin wish to give Ispan to the Aes Sedai and dislike the lack of respect the Windfinders show to Sisters.
Eventually the group arrives at the farm where many more Kinswomen are spending time with other women from the vicinity. Alise Tenjile, an incredibly capable and forceful woman of the Kin runs the facility and intimidates even Reanne. After a bit of panic from the Kinswomen at the farm the group settles down and the strongest women present are selected to form a circle to use the Bowl. Included in the circle are Talaan din Gelyn, Nynaeve, Elayne, Aviendha, Metarra din Junalle, Rainyn din Burun, Garenia, Kirstian Chalwin, Reanne, Rysael din Yulan, Naime din Malzar, Caire din Gelyn Running Wave and Tebreille din Gelyn South Wind. Nynaeve, Talaan and Aviendha each using angreal Elayne discovered in the cache and the circle being led by Caire, much to her sister Tebreille’s dismay.
Nearly immediately after the circle uses the Bowl the women start to see flying creatures nearing their location and Elayne realizes these are the advanced scouting creatures used by the Seanchan, raken, and that the Empire must be invading Altara. Elayne is concerned that Thom, Mat and Juilin have stayed behind in Ebou Dar searching for the young boy Olver, but also realizes that their group has little choice but to flee the area. Alise is instrumental in organizing the women on the farm and Elayne opens a large gateway into the Andoran countryside to bring the group with her to Caemlyn where she intends to claim her throne. The Seanchan forces begin to arrive as the last few women are moving through the gateway which forces Elayne to attempt to unweave it as Birgitte and Aviendha fight off the sul’dam, damane and various Seanchan soldiers in pursuit. Elayne loses control of the unweaving which detonates a massive explosion destroying the majority of the Seanchan forces and nearly killing Elayne, Aviendha and Birgitte. After realizing what she had nearly done and the danger Aviendha knowingly accepted, Elayne tells the other woman she wishes to adopt her as a first-sister.
As the group journeys closer to Caemlyn Elayne senses more tension growing between the various groups of women. Vandene and Adeleas have taken custody of Ispan, but the Windfinders have grown quite arrogant due to the Bargain Elayne and Nynaeve have made in exchange for their help using the Bowl of the Winds. The Kinswomen are torn between awe and terror regarding the Aes Sedai. Elayne continues to study the various ter’angreal, including an incident with a crimson rod that felt hot in a way she could not explain. She channels a small flow of fire into the device and the next thing she remembers is waking with Nynaeve, Aviendha and Birgitte over her. The women are clearly amused by what had happened, but refuse to give her details, telling her she doesn’t want to know. Birgitte’s emotional state indicated to Elayne that the woman was doing her best not to roll on the floor laughing. Egwene sends Elayne a message in her dreams regarding the Hall’s reaction to the situation with the Windfinders and the Bowl, telling her to stay in Caemlyn, keep silent and to be careful.
In the town of Harlon Bridge Kirstian and Garenia, actually named Zarya, are revealed to be runaway novices by Adeleas and are taken into Aes Sedai custody, despite their advanced ages. The Namelle sisters continue to question Ispan, and have begun to believe the woman must be Oathbound to avoid revealing the Black Ajah or it’s plots. The following morning Adeleas and Ispan are found brutally murdered in the small cabin they were in, having been poisoned with Crimsonthorn root. Adeleas’ throat had been slit and Ispan had a spike driven through her chest by an unknown assailant. Elayne, Nynaeve and Vandene reason out that only one of the other Aes Sedai could have gotten close enough to Adeleas to poison her tea and realize at least one of Merilille, Sareitha or Careane must be Black Ajah. Vandene takes it upon herself to investigate the other women in secret.
Finally arriving in Caemlyn, Elayne vows to claim the Lion Throne and is met by Lady Dyelin Taravin, her close kinswoman and the next in line for the throne should Elayne fail to gain the support of enough of the major houses. Dyelin accepts Elayne as the rightful ruler because Elayne claimed the throne in her own right rather than accepting it from Rand after his conquest of Caemlyn.
Winter's Heart
True to their mutual promise to one another, Elayne and Aviendha arrange for the Wise Ones outside of Caemlyn to perform the first-sister ceremony, using the One Power to form a mutual bond between the two women. Elayne is working to claim the throne by solidifying her rule in Caemlyn and bringing together a majority of the Great Houses of Andor to accept her as Queen. However there are rival claimants, led by Arymilla Marne, who have gathered several of the Great Houses to support Arymilla’s claim, they have begun advancing an army on Caemlyn and are preparing to siege the city. Another faction, supporting Dyelin despite her support for Elayne is led by High Seats of other powerful Houses, but have thus far stayed out of direct confrontation. Elayne goes to the Black Tower and is recognized by Toveine Gazal of the Red Ajah who has been captured along with fifty other Aes Sedai sent by Elaida to destroy the Asha’man.
Vandene informs Elayne that Kirstian and Zarya have puzzled out that Adeleas and Ispan must have been murdered by the Black Ajah and Elayne places the two women in Vandene’s custody under the guise of being trained, but in truth to keep them out of trouble. Rand has also sent twenty nine sul’dam and five damane, captured in the fighting on the border of Illian and Altara, to Caemlyn for rehabilitation by Elayne; she places the women into the Kin’s custody. Reanne and the others have begun to work with the women but it is difficult to deprogram the lifelong enslavement of many and the entrenched belief system of the Seanchan natives. The incredibly powerful damane Alivia is freed of her a’dam, but makes many of the others nervous due to her extreme strength in the Power and uncertain temperament.
Rand comes to Caemlyn to ask Nynaeve to accompany him on a secret mission and Min brings him to see Elayne and Aviendha. The three women join forces and Bond Rand as their mutual Warder and Elayne is given private time with Rand to consummate their relationship as both Min and Aviendha have already done so. Min and Aviendha serve as a distraction for Birgitte, but all three other women feel Elayne and/or Rand’s emotions and proceed to get drunk to distract themselves. Elayne has become pregnant by Rand, with Min having a viewing that Elayne and her babies, there would be twins, would survive the pregnancy. Rand leaves Caemlyn and is accompanied by Nynaeve and the former damane Alivia. The full effects of the Bowl of the Winds has come to bear and the weather has rapidly shifted from midsummer to the heights of winter with blizzards and raging as if to make up for the delay caused by the Dark One’s touch.
Having learned of a Borderland army in Braem Wood north of Caemlyn, Elayne sends Reanne by gateway to seek out the leaders. Learning their location Elayne personally travels to the group and meets with the rulers of Saldaea, Tenobia si Bashere Kazadi, Kandor, Ethenielle Corsaru Normaga, Arafelle, Paitar Nachima and Shienar, Easar Togita. She strikes a bargain with the four monarchs to allow them safe passage through Andor in exchange for providing a distraction to the forces of her rival claimants. She specifically grants them this safe passage through her rank as an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah rather than as a noble of Andor. She gives them information on Rand’s current whereabouts in a very general, and in fact misleading, way.
Elayne continues to work toward gaining the Rose Crown through both diplomatic means as well as by holding the city against the ongoing siege led by Arymilla. She has asked the Aiel to stand aside to avoid any appearance of her needing the aid of Rand or outside forces to gain the throne. Elayne has spent some time Traveling to visit with lesser nobles who have long stood with Trakand and begins to see first hand some of the Dark One’s touch on the land, with people seeing ghosts and the food stores beginning to rot much too quickly. Elayne’s pregnancy has had a negative effect on her temperament, showing little patience with her closest friends and confidants.
Elayne and Aviendha, through their new bond with Rand, can feel him Traveling in many different directions and worry for his and Min’s safety. Without warning Elayne and Aviendha are stunned to feel an enormous channeling event start at an incredible distance, something she believes every woman who could channel in the world must be able to sense and right at its center she could feel Rand. Elayne immediately wants to go to the location but Aviendha convinces her that this would be a mistake as if he was in a fight of such magnitude he could mistake them for enemies. Elayne reasons out that this could only be the Choedan Kal but fears one or more of the Forsaken could be involved as no Aes Sedai would attempt to access such power unless she was Black Ajah. Aviendha eventually tells Elayne that this event is part of something she had seen on her trip through the ter’angreal in Rhuidean which shows a woman all the variations of her future and that she knows they must not go to help Rand.
Elayne returns to Caemlyn and is immediately told by Birgitte that the Kinswomen and Windfinders are beginning to panic, she explains to her warder what is happening far to the west. The Aes Sedai in Caemlyn also confer with Elayne regarding the event and all believe it must be the work of the Forsaken. Merilille, Careane and Sareitha have all begun to resent the Windfinders after taking turns teaching the women, per the bargain, and each tries to wriggle out of the obligation to teach.
As she tries to unwind with a bath she is interrupted by the Sea Folk Wavemistress Zaida din Parede Blackwing who has come to inform Elayne that she has learned that Mistress of the Ships Nesta din Reas has been killed fighting the Seanchan and she must return to the ships. Elayne decides to attempt to strike a bargain of her own with Zaida to avoid losing the many Windfinders currently in Caemlyn. Eventually the two women agree to terms that include the Sea Folk receiving one-square mile of land on the river Erinin in Andor under direct Sea Folk rule in exchange for the use of six Windfinders under the command of Chanelle din Seran White Shark. Shortly after this Dyelin returns from her travels with new allies for Elayne. Dyelin has managed to secure several very young High Seats of powerful houses including: Lord Perival of House Mantear, Lady Catalyn of House Haevin, Lord Branlet of House Gilyard and Lord Conail of House Northan. This support gives Elayne the support of six of the Great Houses but she is worried that Dyelin has brought to her youths who are not all into their majority.
The Wise One Monaelle, along with Sumeko comes to check on Elyane and perform a weave known as Caressing the Child to inspect the health of mother and baby. Monaelle informs Elayne that she is in fact pregnant with twins but it is too early to determine the sex. She also tells Elayne that she will likely go through a period in her pregnancy where channeling will be difficult, but that it will pass and that channeling will do no harm to her babies. Elayne has also begun to allow rumors that the father of her children is the Captain of her Bodyguard, known as Doilan Mellar, the man is in fact the darkfriend Daved Hanlon who is working with assassin Mili Skane and members of the the Black Ajah who are also in Caemlyn to sabotage the nation of Andor prior to the Last Battle.
Crossroads of Twilight
Now actively fighting off attacks on the city by Arymilla’s forces Elayne has hired several mercenary forces to help defend the walls. Relief in the form of Lieutenant Charlz Guybon arrives via gateway after the man was given leave to attempt to join Elayne from Captain Kindlin in Aringill. Guybon had been discovered by Asra Zigaine and a group of kinswomen and had arrived in Caemlyn having gathered ten thousand soldiers for Elayne. Elayne is being pressed by the Windfinders to locate Merilille and their missing Apprentice Talaan while Vandene is still investigating Careane and Sareitha to determine if one of them was behind Adeleas and Ispan’s murders. Elayne has begun to grow increasingly frustrated by the various problems she faces as well as her growing struggle to embrace saidar due to her advancing pregnancy.
Aviendha has begun to recognize a Talent to recognize what any given ter’angreal is meant to do and begins to outline the abilities of several of the items in Elayne’s possession. First identifying the blunt dagger as a device she believes will hide the holder from the sight of shadowspawn, possibly even the Dark One himself. She also identifies a slim black rod as something which causes pain and an oddly shaped metal cap as something which allows the wearer to direct another device, a machine, of some kind. Aviendha goes on to read the purpose of many more ter’angrealand eventually tests the use of an age-darkened bronze statue of a man holding a book, weaving flows of Fire and Earth into the figure and seeing two words “Ansoenand Imsoen”, old tongue for lies and Truth (or fiction and non-fiction), appear above it. Dorindha and Nadere of the Aiel come to inform Aviendha that they have been ordered to leave Caemlyn by Rand and that she must go with them and they must keep their destination from Elayne.
Odd happenings such as ghost sightings and corridors moving continue to grow in frequency, frightening many people in the palace. Dyelin has once again been sent as an ambassador for Elayne, this time the group of powerful nobles who continue to support Dyelin for the throne, Lord Luan Norewelyn, Lord Abelle Pendar, Lady Arathelle Renshar and Lady Ellorien Traemane. Dyelin’s talks were inconclusive as this group, particularly Ellorien, had deep grievances with Morgase after her treatment of them under Rhavin’s control. Vandene enters the room and weaves a ward against eavesdropping and informs Elayne that Reanne has been murdered, smothered with the One Power. Zarya reveals that she believes at least one of the other kinswomen may also have been murdered as she left behind a prized possession when she vanished and Reanne’s death begins to reveal a pattern.
Duhara Basaheen of the Red Ajah arrives in Caemlyn under orders from Elaida to become Elayne’s Aes Sedai advisor. Elayne is furious at the presumption and refuses to even allow Duhara to remain in the palace. Duhara makes several threats to Elayne including punishments for gathering wilders and falsely claiming to be Aes Sedai.
Through ongoing attempts to track Mellar to the source of the darkfriend infestation in Caemlyn Elayne finally learns of his secretive late night destination, a house on Full Moon Street in the New City. Elayne also learns of the presence of two Black Sisters she has been hunting for months, Merillin Gemalphin of the Brown Ajah and Falion Bhoda of the White Ajah. Quickly gathering Vandene, Sareitha and Careane along with their Warders, Elayne mounts a surprise ambush on the house. Elayne orders Sareitha to link with her and Careane to link with Vandene to keep the two suspected Blacks from being able to intervene. Elayne enters the home of Lady Shiaine Avarhin, Mili Skane, and seizes the three women under accusation of being darkfriends. However, she is blindsided by Black Sisters Asne Zeramene, Temaile Kinderode, Chesmal Emry and Eldrith Jhondar who use a strange ter’angrealto stun and incapacitate all four Aes Sedai in her group. Marillin unmasks Careane as the Black Sister who had murdered Adeleas, Ispan, Reanne and several other kinswomen and Vandene stabs the woman through the heart in revenge for her sister. Chesmal then murders Vandene and Sareitha using the Power. Elayne is to be held hostage and hopes Birgitte, who is still outside with the other Warders, finds a way to rescue her.
Elayne has been bound and hidden in a box and is being carried from the city by the darkfriends, but Birgitte is able to organize the Windfinders to help intercept the Black Ajah. Reluctantly Chanelle uses the linked circle to stop Asne and the others and save Elayne from being carried off. As the force gathered by Birgitte to save Elayne returns to the city they encircle the forces of Arymilla who are attempting to break through the gates of Caemlyn and manage to destroy the attacking army, ending the siege of Caemlyn. The captured High Seats, Lord Lir Baryn and Lady Sylvase Caeren each agree to publish their support for Trakand and Lady Arymilla Marne, Lady Naen Arwan and Lady Elenia Sarand are all captured. Shortly after securing the city Elayne is surprised by a request for safe conduct being made by Luan, Arathelle, Abelle and Ellorien. The leaders come to the palace and when they learn of Elayne’s use of the borderlands through her authority as an Aes Sedai all but Ellorien stand for Elayne, giving her the requisite number of Houses to support her claim to the throne and proclaim herself Queen of Andor.
Knife of Dreams
Elayne never appears in the book, but is the subject of many conversations. She is in Caemlyn consolidating her rule as is seen in Towers of Midnight which has a high degree of timeline overlap with The Gathering Storm.
The Gathering Storm
Now working to consolidate her rule in Andor as Queen, Elayne faces new challenges in the form of aggressive nobles, specifically Ellorien Traeman, making demands of her in regards to the rebellious faction that stood against Trakand. Elayne has plans for Arymilla, Naen and Elenia but has not yet finalized or announced her intentions toward the women and has them being held under tight guard, but knows she cannot execute them for treason as their actions were prior to her becoming Queen. She is also prepared to give the Sea Folk the land they earned as part of her bargain with them and decides it is time for her to move toward claiming the Sun Throne of Cairhien through her paternal lineage. With the Last Battle approaching she does not believe she has time to stabilize her rule in Andor before moving on Cairhien.
Elayne learns that Red Sister Duhara is meeting with Ellorien, but believes the meetings to be a sham to bait Elayne into accepting Duhara as her Aes Sedai Advisor. Master Halwin Norry, Head Clerk and semi-professional spy master of Andor, also brings Elayne a “colorful” letter from who he believes to be a mercenary captain seeking an audience with Elayne. The letter is from Mat and makes Elayne quite happy and she writes him back to invite him to the palace to speak, noting to Dyelin and Birgitte that many men in the Band of the Red Hand are originally from Cairhien and may be of use when she chooses to make her claim to the throne.
Elayne meets Egwene and Nynaeve in tel’aran’rhiod, exuberant that Egwene has unified the White Tower and ended the rebellion. The three women realize they are being watched in the world of dreams and suspect the Black Ajah under Mesaana’s direction. Egwene sets complex inverted wardings around them along with a weave to project a false sound of whispering out into the hallways, hoping to lure the spy back and into her trap. Elayne learns of Rand’s personality change, and admits that she can feel more warmth in him now, inadvertently revealing that she had Bonded Rand as a Warder to Egwene. Nynaeve then realizes that Elayne is pregnant and both Egwene and Nynaeve conclude Rand must be the father, Egwene allows Elayne to hold off on swearing the Three Oaths on the Oath Rod until after the babies are born, but summons Nynaeve to Tar Valon to swear and Nynaeve agrees to go through the tests for the Shawl. Egwene goes on to tell Elayne about Rand’s plans to break the remaining seals on the Dark One’s prison and her intention to oppose him in this. Egwene begins to reveal the information on the Black Ajah given to her by Verin when Talva and Alviarin attack them. Alviarin accidentally kills Talva with a weave for Fire meant for Egwene.
Elayne continues to argue with Birgitte about her safety, claiming that Min’s viewing proved she would survive and have healthy babies. Birgitte points out that Min’s viewing only noted that Elayne’s babies would be strong and healthy and that there was no guarantee that Elayne could not be harmed in a variety of ways and still be capable of delivering healthy babies. Elayne then meets with Kinswomen Sumeko and Alise to discuss the long term future of the Kin and invites them to stay in Caemlyn where they will have the support of the Crown in exchange for services such as Healing and Traveling. Alise is somewhat skeptical of the offer but eventually agrees to the offer, noting that Elayne, as Aes Sedai is truly tying the Kin to the White Tower as well. Elayne agrees to have the conversation with Egwene to ensure there are no issues with the Tower in this contract. Elayne is concerned that the armies of Andor have no channelers and the Kin nor Egwene would agree to such a use for the organization.
Mat and Thom go to the palace to meet with Elayne where Elayne offers Thom the role of Court Bard as well as pardoning him from any crime he may have previously committed in Andor or Cairhien. She also tells him he had no need to stay in the city to fulfill his duties. Mat brings before her a proposal for the Crown to fund the creation of the Dragons Aludra has invented. Elayne initially thinks he is mad with the request of a stunning amount of Andor’s resources, but eventually he convinces her to invest in a prototype to be tested. Elayne and Mat work out a deal where Elayne builds the Dragons for the Band which includes a one-year contract for the Band, upon the end of the contract Andor keeps four out of every five Dragons and any man in the Band who wishes to join the Andoran Army must be given the chance. Elayne also receives Mat’s foxhead medallion for three days of study so she can attempt to copy the ter’angreal. Mat informs her the gholamis in Caemlyn and has killed several people in the city already.
Elayne is able to semi-successfully replicate the foxhead medallion, creating an imperfect copy which would stop less powerful weaves of the Power but if a channeler touched the device they would be cut off from the Power. Elayne decides to interrogate the captive members of the Black Ajah in the dungeons, and weaves a disguise to attempt to impersonate one of the Forsaken. Approaching Chesmal she learns that the woman has been receiving information from the outside despite her captivity. Suddenly Jaq Lounalt enters the cell with Temaile and Eldrith, the latter not being taken in by Elayne’s disguise. Elayne reacts quickly and shields Eldrith and Chesmal, able to take advantage of Mat’s medallion stopping their weaves. However, Lounalt physically attacks her and injures her shoulder. Elayne hurls the man away with weaves of Air and then defends herself against Temaile’s attack. Quickly overpowering the other woman, but Lounalt was able to gain control of the medallion and began to flee the area. Elayne throws Chesmal at the man causing him to drop the medallion. Elayne binds Eldrith and Temaile in Air but realizes that the Kin and the Guards set to watch the darkfriends were no longer present. Suddenly she is stabbed in the back by Mellar, who also takes the medallion from her. Elayne is stunned and loses her connection to saidar and is then shielded by Chesmal. Mellar orders Chesmal to Heal Elayne as he intends to capture and use Elayne before he murders her. As soon as the Healing settles on Elayne she uses the copy of the foxhead medallion to cut Chesmal off from the Source and is freed from her shield. Elayne ignites Chesmal with weaves of Fire, killing the woman and goes on to attack Mellar. He has managed to gain one of the medallions and cannot be touched with weaves, Elayne uses Eldrith’s bound form as a human shield, resulting in Mellar slitting the woman’s throat and then moving on to stab the still unconscious Temaile. As he moves to escape with the medallions Elayne uses Earth to create a cave in causing Mellar to drop the original foxhead as he flees. Birgitte and Mat find Elayne and bring her to safety.
After the incident Elayne is ordered to bedrest for a full week by her midwife, Melfane. Elayne begrudgingly agrees. Birgitte informs her that Mellar, Lady Shiaine, Marillin Gemalphin and Falion Bhoda had all escaped, but that Lounalt had been found murdered on the ground floor of the palace. Elayne is carried to the top of the Caemlyn wall in a litter to witness the testing of the prototype Dragon. She is initially unimpressed with what she sees, but once the device is fired she is stunned by the display of power, an effect as potent as weaves of the One Power. After witnessing the display Elayne orders all of the resources of Andor to the creation of more Dragons and forces Aludra to swear an oath to keep the plans and designs a secret.
Gawyn returns to Caemlyn and is reunited with his sister, who is quite blunt with him about his lack of maturity. He guesses that Rand is the father of her children, which she doesn’t deny, but she does inform him that she has solid evidence that Rand had nothing to do with the death of their mother, but Gawyn is not truly convinced. The siblings talk about why Gawyn has returned and his actions, responsibilities and his love for Egwene. Elayne appoints him First Prince of the Sword in absentia. Elayne notes to Gawyn that his hatred of Rand is not truly about a misguided belief that Rand murdered Morgase, but about Gawyn feeling as though Rand was living the life meant for Gawyn. Gawyn wanders the gardens and encounters the kinswoman Dimana who is attempting to rehabilitate the former damane Kaisea who recognizes the three ter’angreal Gawyn is wearing around his neck. Dimana explains to Gawyn that Elayne plans to rehabilitate the damane and sul’dam sent to her and release the women back to the Seanchan knowing the truth of sul’dam being latent channelers, Elayne believing this realization will undermine the Seanchan slave-culture.
Elayne is informed in her dreams that Egwene has managed to destroy Mesaana in tel’aran’rhiod and that Gawyn had been instrumental in saving Egwene. Melfane inspects Elayne and finally acknowledges there are twins in her womb. She then meets with her council and learns of the situation in Cairhien. Norry and Lady Dyelin have uncovered rumors about Elayne planning an assault on Cairhien and forcing it to become a subject nation, all tracing back to a group of powerful Cairhienin nobles vying for the throne themselves. Elayne is then surprised by the arrival of her half-brother, Galad, who even more shockingly has her mother Morgase, alive, with him. Morgase informs those present that she has abdicated the throne in favor of Elayne. Morgase informs Elayne she has married Talanvor and is in the company of Perrin’s entourage. Morgase believes she can help Elayne and Perrin come to an understanding of mutual benefit.
Perrin comes to meet with Elayne and the pair clash at first, but eventually with the help of Faile, Morgase and Alliandre, Elayne and the Perrin come to an agreement. Elayne grants Perrin oversight of the Two Rivers as the Steward of the Lord Dragon, standing higher than the other great houses within Andor and without taxation from the crown, but still subject to the Crown of Andor.
Elayne brings several nobles from Andor and Cairhien into her presence as she has finally decided to pass judgement on Arymilla, Naen and Elenia for their rebellion. Elayne publicly strips the women of their titles and lands, claiming their estates for the Crown in restitution for the costs incurred by the war. Birgitte leads the group of Cairhienin nobles into the throne room as Elayne is pronouncing her judgement. Having also witnessed a display from the Dragons, the Cairhienin are meant to be intimidated by Elayne’s blatant display of power. Elayne then offers the newly seized estates of Marne, Sarand and Arwan to the Cairhienin as bait for their support of her ascension to the Sun Throne. Elayne also joggers Elenia the opportunity to take on an estate in Cairhien which cements the idea that the two nations can become integrated within the noble houses and stand as equals. A short while later Elayne takes a force of armsmen to Cairhien to claim the throne. She is met by Aes Sedai Sashalle Anderly of the Red and Samitsu Tamagowa of the Yellow who have been running the city since Lord Dobraine Taborwin had been sent to Arad Domon by Rand. She then follows Egwene’s summons to the various rulers of the nations to meet at the Field of Merrilor and oppose the Dragon Reborn’s plan to destroy the remaining seals on the Dark One’s prison.
Towers of Midnight
Elayne is at Merrilor with the majority of the Andoran and Cairhienin armies and is planning to side with Egwene in the upcoming debate with Rand regarding the seals on the Dark One’s prison. She is worried that she has not had a report from the kinswoman Jesamyn who is supposed to send word every two hours but seems to have forgotten. A messenger arrives to inform Elayne that Caemlyn is under siege by a force of Trollocs that have infiltrated the city using a Waygate. Hurrying to the Traveling grounds Elayne finds groups of refugees pouring through gateways made by Seinia Sedai and several of the stronger members of the Kin. Captain Guybon, commander of the Queens Guard informs her that darkfriends had murdered several of the kinswomen in Caemlyn leaving women too weak to Travel unable to report on the attack. Talmanes, badly injured by Thakan’dar blades in the fighting, is near death and far beyond the Healing skills of either Elayne or Egwene, but Nynaeve arrives in time to save his life. Elayne rushes off to hear reports of the situation near Caemlyn. Rand believes the attack is a ploy by the shadow to draw Elayne away from Merrilor and thus weaken Rand’s military prior to the Last Battle.
After reviewing the situation and seeing the site of Caemlyn, Elayne decides to stay at Merrilor, realizing that Caemlyn is already lost and that a siege on the city would be a waste of resources. Elayne and Aviendha speak and Elayne receives a letter from Rand insisting she stay at Merrilor, she is both irritated by and oddly proud of him for the clever ploy.
Elayne joins the rulers of the nations, Aiel and the Aes Sedai to discuss Rand’s terms before the Last Battle. He insists the nations agree to a peace agreement following the Last Battle forcing the nations into a non-aggression pact. The Aiel insist on being a part of this agreement, which surprises Rand. Eventually the decision is made to use the Aiel as a neutral party to mitigate and diffuse disputes between the nations, acting as an autonomous force to enforce the agreement terms. Rand agrees to bring the Seanchan into the Dragon’s Peace or nullify the agreement. After much debate all of the rulers present, including Elayne, sign the document.
Meeting with the rulers and the Great Captains to plan the war effort, Elayne and the others determine that there are four battle fronts for the war. Kandor, Caemlyn which have both been overrun by shadowspawn, Tarwin’s Gap where Lan’s forces are attempting to hold another Trolloc army and Shayol Ghul where Rand must face the Dark One. Elayne is eventually given control to lead the war effort, with each of the Great Captains leading a specific front line. Gareth Bryne stayed with the Aes Sedai forces assigned to stop the Trollocs on the border of Kandor and Arafel. Agelmar Jagad went with the Borderland armies to join Lan in Tarwin’s Gap, Davram Bashere assigned to the battle outside of Caemlyn and Rodel Ituralde taking command of the forces sent to Shayol Ghul. Elayne accepts the offered aid of the Ogier when they arrive to join the fighting and then tells Perrin he must take charge of the supply trains between the armies but Perrin informs her he has a different battle to fight and Faile volunteers to take on the task Elayne reveals this assignment is a ruse to allow them to go to the White Tower in secret to retrieve the Horn of Valere so Mat can blow it during the Last Battle.
Elayne goes with Bashere to the Caemlyn battlefront to coordinate the war effort from there. They plan to lure the Trolloc army from the city and destroy them in Braem Wood to the north. Bashere convinces Elayne that admitting publicly that Rand is the father of her children will boost morale, she eventually concedes and makes the announcement. Elayne sends word to Egwene that the army needs to establish a field hospital away from the front lines to avoid Aes Sedai Healers being attacked while attempting triage on the battlefields. Egwene suggests sending the Yellow Ajah to Mayene to set up a hospital facility far from any frontline. Before heading to Shayol Ghul to face the Dark One Rand visits Elyane and gives her a device known as a Seed, which she can later use to create angreal.
Elayne continues to coordinate the various war efforts as the Last Battle begins, spending much of her time in Braem Wood as her armies have lured the Trollocs out of Caemlyn and have begun using the Dragons to devastating effect. However, the forces at Tarwin’s Gap are being routed, necessitating emergency evacuations of the civilians in towns across Shienar to Tar Valon and the burning of fortified cities to avoid them falling into Trolloc hands. Bashere’s plan to lure the Trollocs east hits a snag when they encounter a second Trolloc army moving in and trapping the human forces from the north. Bashere and Elayne know they must find a way to destroy the northern army or they will be crushed. Force marching the army and using gateways from the now exhausted kinswomen they arrive ahead of the Trollocs. Elayne realizes that she is one of the only chances her army has, her great strength in the One Power forcing her to join the fighting. Using saidar until the brink of exhaustion Elayne helps fight off the Trollocs on the battlefield, eventually Elayne passes out from exertion and is brought to safety by Birgitte. Despite the effort Elayne learns that the other Trolloc force has managed to arrive hours earlier than expected and has her forces pinned. Tam al’Thor comes to Elayne and informs her he believes Bashere is a darkfriend and has secretly set this situation up for the Shadow to prevail. Elayne removes Bashere from duty and goes forward to attempt to lead despite her exhaustion. Perrin, in tel’aran’rhiod discovers the Great Captains have all been compelled by Graendal into making subtle errors that have led the Light into disastrous situations.
Still battling for her people’s lives, Elayne is surprised when Logain arrives with a troupe of Asha’man from the Black Tower to aid in the fighting. Linked with Aes Sedai the Asha’man form a large circle led by Androl who creates a massive gateway opening into the heart of Dragonmount and pouring a huge flow of lava onto the Trolloc army.
Elayne and the other leaders decide to give the command of the military forces to Mat due to his medallion keeping his mind safe from future compulsion. They begin to draw together into fewer battlefronts leading them all back to Merrilor. The Aes Sedai position is ambushed and greatly damaged by a surprise attack led by the Forsaken Demandred and hundreds of Sharan Ayyad channelers. Demandred personally leading a circle of seventy-two as well as using the immensely powerful sa’angreal Sakarnen.
With the Seanchan now joining the fight, Elayne heads to Mat to discuss his changing of plans and stops a Drahgkar from killing her guards women and luring her into its embrace and destroys several others as they attempt to fly into the night. After the brief confrontation she continues through the Seanchan camp to find Mat and demands to know why he had changed his battle plan without more notice. Mat tells Elayne that he suspects a spy in the ranks and has been deliberately feeding false information to Demandred to keep the man from knowing his true plans. Mat sends Elayne away from the command camp to avoid passing more information to the spy and she takes her forces onto the front.
Elayne takes command at the Dashar Knob battlefield after Siuan and Gareth are killed. Demandred taunts Lews Therin claiming he is hunting a woman he loves and a wave of the Power hits Elayne’s position, knocking her from her horse. Birgitte, who has now lost all of her memories from previous lives, wants her to flee the scene, and convinces Elayne to run until they can find a secret location and assume command from there. Elayne’s forces are under constant pressure from Demandred as he still believes he can draw Rand out by harming her.
Elayne’s forces are being consistently forced back by a Trolloc force when a force of men dressed as refugees from Caemlyn suddenly attack Elayne’s guards. To Elayne’s horror the group is led by Mellar, who is still wearing one of the foxhead medallion copies which blocks her weaves of saidar. The darkfriend takes advantage of the moment and kills Birgitte and then moves to attack Elayne. Mellar sends riders out to announce the Queen is dead in the hope of demoralizing the armies of the Light. Luckily for Elayne, Olver has sounded the Horn of Valere, bringing back the Heroes of the Ages, before Mellar can rape or injure Elayne he is shot in the back by a silver arrow and killed. Birgitte Silverbow had returned to her place with the heroes of the Horn and had returned to save Elayne. The two women return to the fight together to ensure the men of the Army know Elayne is still alive.
In the aftermath of the Last Battle Elayne says her farewell to Birgitte, who is about to be reborn into the world and goes on to attend Rand’s funeral. Nynaeve and other suspects Elayne, Min and Aviendha know more than they are letting on, which is in fact true. The three women have decided to make sure everyone truly believes he is dead and gone. Rand, now in Moridin’s body, acknowledges that he will never have to choose between his three women and is at peace with their future.
A Memory of Light
Character Summaries
Special Abilities
Elayne is one of the strongest female channelers seen throughout the series with a potential strength level of 8 (+5) she far outstrips the current generation of Aes Sedai. In fact, it is mentioned on many occasions that Elayne and Egwene (who have the same potential) would become the strongest Aes Sedai to come to the White Tower in nearly 1,000 years. Nynaeve at level 3 (+10) and Sharina Melloy at level 2 (+11) are the only two women in the White Tower that are confirmed to surpass Elayne in potential strength. When she achieves the Shawl, Elayne is the fourth highest standing woman under the Aes Sedai hierarchy, with Egwene and Nynaeve being the only known Sisters to stand higher or equal in potential. She stands higher than all other members of the Green Ajah except Cadsuane at this time(*). In fact, Elayne is stronger than all but 10-12 women encountered in the series, including the Forsaken.
Early in the series Elayne and Egwene progress in lockstep, however after her months of captivity with the Seanchan and her later aggressive training with the Wise Ones, Egwene has surpassed Elayne for the moment. However, Elayne also gains her strength rapidly throughout the series, specifically between The Shadow Rising and The Fires of Heaven. She gains the majority of her potential strength much more rapidly than is the norm amongst Aes Sedai who typically take as long as ten years to reach their full potential strength. Starting in The Great Hunt Elayne has very minimal current strength, but by the end of the book, she has progressed rapidly to a strength level normally only achieved after years of study at the White Tower. She tests for Accepted after less than one year as a Novice, a record matched only by Egwene. By the end of The Shadow Rising she has gained even more strength after briefly training with the Sea Folk Windfinder Jorin din Jubai White Wing and has become stronger than most if not all living Aes Sedai, noting to herself that she was enough stronger that she could now easily lift and throw a human woman which she had not been able to do prior to her journey with the Sea Folk. By the time she and Nynaeve reach the rebel Aes Sedai camp in Salidar she is confirmed as significantly stronger than any Sister present. At the end of the series, Elayne’s current strength is noted to be equal to Aviendha at level 11 (+2). She has achieved this strength by the early stages of Winter's Heart, which is illustrated through two Aiel Wise Ones of the Goshien clan who participated in the First Sister Ceremony. Elayne notes that both Tamela at level 5 (+8) and Viendre at level 10 (+3) are stronger than her at this time. Elayne’s continued rapid growth was likely slowed down by her pregnancy which interfered with a woman’s ability to channel reliably during the early stages.
Elayne is also a highly skilled channeler, far surpassing the ability of most modern Aes Sedai, discovering new weaves and easily learning skills from the captive Moghedien. Elayne is the first Aes Sedai since the Breaking to successfully create ter’angreal and goes on to replicate many of the devices throughout the series. Elayne is also noted as having a very good flow affinity for Fire which is traditionally associated with male channelers and has no notable flow weaknesses, which is also uncommon. Elayne is seen using a broad variety of channeling abilities with her only known weakness being in the Talent of Healing where she is only able to Heal minor injuries such as bruises and scrapes. She is easily able to create gateways for Traveling and lifting objects that weigh many times her own body weight with flows of Air. Elayne also learned a great deal about the Talent of Cloud Dancing from the Windfinder Jorin and became quite adept at controlling the weather.
(*)There is some inconsistency on the strength level of Cadsuane Melaidhrin of the Green Ajah, in the Companion, she is noted as level 5 (+8) in her own listing, but is also noted as equal to Nicola Treehill level 9(+4) in Nicola’s listing. Within the books, it is stated that Elayne Trakand was the first woman to come to the Tower who would surpass the standard set by Cadsuane. Siuan, Moiraine and Merana Ambrey of the Gray Ajah each note that Elayne/Egwene had the highest potential of any woman they had met other than Nynaeve and all three women had interaction with Cadsuane lending in-canon credence to Cadsuane being a level below Elayne.
Notable Possessions
Elayne is the first Aes Sedai known to have Bonded a female Warder, Birgitte. This bond has several unique properties that seem to be more enhanced versions of the Bonding between an Aes Sedai and a male Warder. Elayne and Birgitte primarily seem to share an empathic connection that borders on the physical, not only do the two women begin to mirror each other’s emotions, but the bond goes so far as to mirror physical issues such as inebriation. Birgitte even goes so far as to abstain from alcohol while Elayne is pregnant out of fear of how this could affect the babies.
Elayne’s primary possession in the series is the powerful nation of Andor, first as the Daughter-Heir and later as the Queen. Andor is the most powerful nation of the westlands during the events of the series but the Queen is not an absolute monarch. Traditionally the Queen works in concert with an Aes Sedai advisor, her First Prince of the Sword and/or Captain-General as well as the High Seats of the nineteen major noble houses of Andor: Anshar, Arwan, Baryn, Caeren, Candraed, Carand, Coelan, Gilyard, Haevin, Northan, Norwelyn, Mantear, Marne, Pendar, Renshar, Sarand, Trakand, Taravin, Traemane. Each of the Major houses has many lesser noble houses that owe them fealty. The commoners of Andor have been known to openly voice their dislike of crown policies and by and large consider themselves independent people. All Andoran citizens, including the Queen and nobles, are subject to Andoran laws.
Andor has a large standing army known as the Queen’s Guard as well as various armsmen maintained by each of the noble houses. Elayne believes the nation could field an army of as many as 200,000 men if absolutely necessary, but this force would be largely composed of untrained farmers. Andor is also quite rich in natural resources such as gold, silver, iron, copper and alum and has a wide variety of craftsmen throughout the nation, making it an economic powerhouse in the westlands. Elayne uses her many belfounders and abundance of resources to build the Dragons for the Last Battle.
Elayne also ascends to the Sun Throne of Cairhien through her paternal Damodred family line and becomes Queen of both nations. Cairhien was once a major power, rivaling Andor, Tear and Illian, but has struggled since the Aiel war. Cairhien is still quite powerful, despite the loss of the lucrative silk trade through the Aiel Waste and still possesses many natural resources. Elayne’s claim to the throne came with the dubious support of several high ranking Cairhienin nobles houses, the most powerful/influential being: Aesnan, Chuiliandred, Damodred, Hamarashle, Mavabrin, Osiellin, Riatin, Saighan and Taborwin. To solidify her rule in Cairhien, Elayne successfully maneuvers nobles from both Andor and Cairhien to create a more integrated single nation where neither nation’s nobles will be able to take primacy over the others and disgraced rebellious High Seats from Andor forfeit lands and titles to Cairhienin lords but will be given new lands and titles in Cairhien, with an aim to repopulate and revive the economy of the easter part of the nation nearest the Aiel Waste.
Elayne has studied and was in possession of many objects of the Power throughout the series, some of which she creates functional copies of and others she experiments with to various effect. From the Kin’s storeroom in Ebou Dar Elayne takes possession of many devices with only vague descriptions of their appearance and use and have no major role in the story: Bearded man, Bent rod, Black and white bird, Blue woman, Crystal vial, Flexible black rod, Generic Jewelry set, Glass man, Glass blacksmith’s puzzle, Helmet of metal feathers, Ivory box, Metal balls, Root-like carving, Water vase, White bowl.
There are also three angreal associated first with Elayne: The golden bracelet worn by Nynaeve, an amber turtle brooch, used by Talaan in the Bowl of the Winds circle, and now in Aviendha’s possession, and a Seated ivory woman Elyane let Aviendha use during the circle for the Bowl of the Winds. Rand also gifted Elayne with a ter’angreal he refers to as a Seedwhich he claims is the key to creating new angreal, with this ter’angrealthe crafter can pour the One Power into an empty vessel but this process will weaken the channeler for several months.
Elayne is known to have created at least one unique ter’angreal:
Green Stone Disc which can be used to weave invisibility on a woman not strong enough to do so herself
Elayne makes altered copies of the a’dam and the foxhead medallion and nearly exact duplicates of several sleepweaver ter’angreal:
Silver Rose ter’angreal there are an undisclosed number of these devices, at least two were created with one in the possession of Birgitte Silverbow. The device is a weaker copy of the foxhead medallion Elayne was lent by Mat. The silver rose will block weaker flows of the power, but can be overwhelmed by powerful weaves. The ter’angreal will also cut off a channeler who holds it from accessing the One Power.
There are several other ter’angreal that have more prominence in the story including:
The Bowl of the Winds, is a major ter’angreal originally created as part of a group of ter’angreal used in the regulation of weather. Elayne was part of the circle, directed by the Sea Folk Windfinder Caire din Gelyn Running Wave, which used the Bowl to remove the touch of the Dark One on the weather.
The Dull Dagger, a device slightly longer than the palm of a hand, but wide in proportion. It appears to be made of iron, but the blade was never sharpened. The hilt was made of rough deerhorn and wrapped in gold wire. The dull dagger made whoever was holding it invisible to shadowspawn and possibly even to the Dark One himself. Elayne gave the dagger to Rand just prior to the Last Battle to hide him from the Dark One until their confrontation. Rand, through his memories as Lews Therin Telamon, calls the device Artham and claims attempts to make such a ter’angreal had been unsuccessful in the Age of Legends and wonders who had managed to create one.
The Red Rod ter’angreal, as thick as a person’s wrist and smooth and rounded. When touched with a thin flow of Fire Elayne lost consciousness but obviously her actions with the device were of great amusement to all who witnessed. It is heavily implied that the device was used as a sexual aid.
Although Elayne never discovered the purpose of these devices, known as a Paralis Net, they were in her possession before they were taken by Nynaeve when she left Caemlyn with Rand.
A golden bracelet with rings that is a powerful angreal
A slim jeweled belt made of gold and covered in very fine rubies, this ter'angreal is a well, allowing the user to fill it with extra saidar to use even when in a place shaded from the source, as a Stedding or Far Madding.
A golden ring which is average sized and adorned by a round, pale green stone. When either saidar or saidin is being channeled within a certain distance, the ring will appear to vibrate differently to signal either one, though it does not actually move.
A sapphire ring which is average-sized and flawlessly blue. In the presence of someone feeling anger or hostility, it will turn cold against the wearer's finger.
A golden bracelet with fine red stones. Nynaeve tells Rand and Lan that this ter'angreal gives her armor better than steel.
There are other stones and items within the set that have unknown uses, but at least one of these has a similar function to Mat’s foxhead medallion and Cadsuane’s golden crescents which cause direct weaves of the power to dissipate prior to touching the wearer and another warns when someone nearby is embracing the Power.
Legacy
Elayne survives the Last Battle and will soon give birth to twin children, who are also the offspring of the Dragon Reborn, a fact hidden to most outside of her inner circle until the Last Battle. How this will affect their lives is unknown, but it seems likely that both could be channelers and expected to live for many centuries. Following the Last Battle, Elayne is now the Queen of a vast amount of territory, spanning from the Mountains of Mist to the Spine of the World, which positions Andor as a strong central Empire with control of a great many of the world’s natural resources. In addition to what she directly controls, Perrin, Faile, and Alliandre, of the Two Rivers, Saldaea and Ghealdan respectively, are also subject to her rule which will likely lead to unified houses through marriages in later generations potentially creating a single nation or a federation of nations under Andor’s leadership.
Elayne is the first Queen in many centuries to be openly Aes Sedai and would be expected to live for at least 300 years if she were to take the Three Oaths and never forswear them. It seems likely that the Queen will at some point retire as Aes Sedai and could live for up to 800 years given her strength in the Power. With this extreme longevity, Elayne could bring a dramatic amount of continuity to the lands she rules and usher in a new world of prosperity if she is a wise ruler. Conversely, this could create stagnation or frustration from younger generations if her rule goes on too long, especially for non-channelers who have a fraction of the lifespan.
Elayne has set the stage for the long-term success of her nation and her children through a variety of political alliances and government centralization plans prior to the Last Battle.
Elayne showed a strong desire to build out education and innovation within her realm, funding the universities Rand started during his conquest and welcoming craftspeople from other lands to settle in Andor.
Elayne has also made a treaty with the Kinswomen and intends to use the channeling group to benefit her people through Traveling and Healing.
She will likely become a member of the Kin if she chooses to retire as Aes Sedai.
Elayne was also actively building a large professional army directly attached to the Crown, a force she intended to be more powerful than anything an alliance of nobles could hope to raise.
She was instrumental in the creation of the Dragons and owns most of the devices, making her military far more technologically advanced than other nations.
With her power only rivaled by the Seanchan Empire, her actions leading up to the Last Battle could be the start of a cold war and/or arms race between the major Empires. Outright war is unlikely due to the Dragon’s Peace agreement, which guarantees the existing borders and peaceful resolution of the conflict between the nations of the world, and with the inclusion of the Aiel as peacekeepers are meant to prevent conflict between the Seanchan and the Westland nations. However, few characters in the Wheel of Time have personal bonds with as many societies as Elayne possesses, placing her in a central role as a mediator between groups, much like the role she played throughout the series among her friends. This gives her huge political capital.
Elayne, as a channeler, has little trust for the Seanchan and has laid the groundwork for undermining the Seanchan system of enslaving channelers by teaching captive sul’dam that they could in fact channel themselves and return them to the Empire. Along with her own status as an Aes Sedai, this action will put her in alliance with the White Tower to free the damane from their Seanchan servitude. The Black Tower will likely be rebuilt either near Caemlyn or in a new location, almost certainly located near lands controlled by Elayne or her allies. They will most likely become an ally in her work to abolish slavery for channelers in Seanchan. Elayne also has close ties to the Aiel through her First-Sister Aviendha and has relationships, if not fondness, for the Windfinders of the Atha’an Miere. Elayne has a close friendship with Mat who is now a high-ranking Seanchan noble and opposed the idea of damane so it is possible that a less confrontational approach can be found if they can work together.
There is some possibility that Elayne and Aviendha either die or retire from the world as is seen through Aviendha’s second trip through the glass column ter’angreal in Rhuidean. Elayne could choose to abdicate her throne to her daughter after a certain period of time and go into retirement to create angreal and ter’angreal for the world.
In Other Media
Ceara Coveney has been cast as Elayne Trakand for Season 2 of Amazon Prime's adaptation of the Wheel of Time.
