View source for The Great Hunt: Chapter 45

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''Author: Estyrien al'Halien''
{{SwordIcon}}
{{Title|Blademaster}}
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'''Point of views:''' [[Nynaeve]], [[Bayle Domon]], [[Rand]]
==Outline==
Nynaeve frees Seta's ''damane'' and places the collar on Seta, to use her as a fake ''damane''. Rand kills Turak and takes the Horn, but sees Egwene in the ''damane'' kennels.
==Summary==
{{pov2|Nynaeve}}
{{Setting|[[Falme]], [[Toman Head]]}}
'''Characters:''' [[Nynaeve]], [[Elayne]], [[Min]], ''[[damane]]'', [[Seta]]

Nynaeve, Min and Elayne wait in an alleyway to begin their plan to free [[Egwene]]. It's early morning so only a few people are about but they see a ''[[damane]]'' and ''[[sul'dam]]'' walk down the road towards them, the few Falmen averted their eyes and gave them a wide berth". Nynaeve focuses all her anger, "Leashed Ones and Leash holders. They had put their filthy collar on Egwene's neck", and channels directly at the ''[[a'dam]]'', opening the collar. The ''damane'' is obviously local because she punches the ''sul'dam'' and then flees. Nynaeve, Min and Elayne drag the stunned ''sul'dam'' and the ''a'dam'' into the alleyway and to a disused shed. None of the Falmen attempted to help the ''sul'dam'', "Nynaeve had been counting on that".

Once there, they bind the ''sul'dam''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s hands, take off the bracelet of the ''a'dam'' and take away her dress and boots. The clothes are most likely to fit Nynaeve so she puts them on and Elayne starts to put on a grey dress, similar to that of a ''damane''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s. When Elayne wishes that she "knew more of what it (''a'dam'') does", Nynaeve tests it on the cowering ''sul'dam'', "there is one way to find out". She wears the bracelet of the ''a'dam'' and is immediately aware of what the ''sul'dam'' is feeling. When the ''sul'dam'' laughs at her, Nynaeve has an idea and adds a sensation to "the lump of sensations that she knew belonged to the ''sul'dam''". The ''sul'dam'' is then in immediate pain, despite the fact that Min says that "it won't work any woman who cannot channel". Nynaeve stops immediately but the ''sul'dam'' is terrified and answers her questions. Nynaeve realizes "she could never make Elayne wear that collar" and decides that she will use the ''sul'dam'' as a fake ''damane'' and Elayne will be a servant. She explains "No one really looks at a ''damane''" and so their plan should work. When they are all dressed accordingly, they move out of the shed and head towards the building where the ''damane'' are kept.

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{{pov2|Domon}}
{{Setting|The ''[[Spray]]''}}
'''Characters:''' [[Domon]], [[Yarin]]

Bayle is on board his ship with his crew. He explains to Yarin, a crewman, that the ship won't sail until "those women are aboard" unless the Seanchan soldiers come for the ship.

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{{pov2|Rand}}
{{Setting|[[Falme]]}}
'''Characters:''' [[Rand]], [[Mat]], [[Hurin]], [[Perrin]], [[Ingtar]], [[Turak]] and [[Seanchan]] servants

In Falme, Rand stables his horse along with Mat, Perrin, Ingtar and Hurin's. He leaves the Dragon banner in his saddlebags in the stable, safe away from [[Verin]]'s prying eyes. They walk around the town with Hurin leading, only to find that [[Fain]]'s trail criss-crosses all over the town, "it's hard to tell old from new". As they walk, they not only see ''damane'', which surprises them, but ''[[grolm]]'' as well. Rand and Hurin recognize the ''grolm'' from the portal worlds and have to make a conscious effort not to stare.

They come across Turak's house and Hurin explains "The street stinks of layer on layer on layer of him" and Mat can feel that the dagger is in the house too. Rand explains to a doubtful Ingtar that [[the Horn]] is probably in the house too, along with Fain and the dagger. When Rand suggests a cautious plan, Ingtar explains that "I've waited too long" and suggests that they act quickly. He then explains that there are gardens and alleys running behind the house and "sometimes men are so busy guarding their front, they neglect their back". They go round to the back and Ingtar looks over the wall to check the gardens. There is only one guard there, who is killed and hidden by Ingtar, "the man was overconfident". Now free to enter the house, they do so cautiously, uninterrupted until a female servant spots them, only to run away without a word. Mat follows the pull of the dagger and leads them to an unoccupied room. Sure enough, the Horn of Valere and the dagger are in the room and Mat picks up his dagger while Ingtar is in awe of the Horn, "By Light, it is! I am saved".

Rand crosses to the window to look at the ''grolm'' but instead sees Egwene in the ''damane'' quarters. The others try to convince him that it can't have been her, "Egwene is safe in [[Tar Valon]]", but before Rand can comment, they are interrupted by Turak and several Seanchan soldiers. Turak tells them that he had suspected Fain would try to steal the Horn, "I have been suspicious of him since [[Huon]] died", but he will kill them instead. When a soldier tries to take the Horn, Mat stabs him with his dagger, only to find that the merest scratch can kill a man in extreme agony. The dagger causes the victim's body to turn black and leaves him in agony.

When the man is dead, Ingtar and the others fight with the soldiers and Rand fights Turak. Through Turak is a skilled [[blademaster]], Rand defeats him, despite having to hold off the call of ''[[saidin]]'' throughout the fight, "''saidin'' flowed towards him but he ignored it". When Turak is killed, the servants with him kill themselves, "From birth to death I serve [[the Blood]]". The others return to the room, obviously having fought with the guards. Despite his protests that he must save Egwene, Rand runs out of the building with Ingtar, Mat, Perrin and Hurin with the two items that they came for. They run past other Seanchan servants who haven't moved from where their masters left them and out of the building. Rand spares one last thought for Egwene, "I will come back for her. Somehow".
==Notes==
{{Development}}
{{NynaeveDev}}
Thinks the best of men are only half housebroken.
{{RandDev}}
*Defeats Turak once he accepts the Void.
*Would risk himself and the Horn to save Egwene.
===Miscellaneous===
*Rand probably shouldn't be able to beat a bladesmaster, even with the blade - Are Seanchan Bladesmasters less proficient, is Rand really this good or is this ''ta'veren'' twisting of chance

===Characters===
;First Appearance
Seta
{{Spoilernotes}}
{{annotated|
{{Oddities}}
*The Seanchan servants kill themselves when Turak dies. We don't see a highborn die again, but this does not seem typical of what we later see
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