A Crown of Swords: Chapter 28
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: Five dice, arranged in a ring
(The ebook designation of Spear and Shield would seem to be a mistake)
Point of View: Mat
Setting: Ebou Dar
Characters: Mat, Tylin, Thom, Juilin, Elayne, Nynaeve, Olver, Nalesean, Birgitte
Outline
Tylin stalks Mat.
Summary
Mat is preparing to move into the Tarasin Palace. He is rather troubled, because the dice in his head stopped when Elayne and Nynaeve mentioned his rooms in the palace. Despite the fact that he doesn't want to stay in the Tarasin Palace, he is very happy with his rooms; there is a large sitting room, a small sitting room, an immense bedchamber and a room for Nerim. There are arched windows, gilded stand-lamps, mirrors and even a clock. Tylin appears, and corners Mat. She sits on his lap and kisses him. He tries to dissuade her, but she won't listen. Juilin and Thom arrive, and Tylin quickly gets off Mat's lap before they see, and leaves. Juilin and Thom tell Mat that the girls are outside the palace.
While waiting for Elayne and Nynaeve to return, Mat checks on Olver and his men. Upon returning, they tell him that they just went for a walk and had tea with some women that his innkeeper knows. Mat tells the girls that whenever they leave the palace, there will be two guards going with them. Much to his surprise, they do not argue at all. Elayne and Nynaeve have Mat, Nalesean, Thom and Juilin watch the Kin's house. They sit outside a tavern called The Rose of the Elbar, but nothing happens.
When Mat returns to his rooms at the palace, there is a note from Tylin waiting for him. "My little rabbit, I expect to have you for dinner tonight in my apartments". He locks his door and goes to bed. Tylin tries the door and laughs when she finds that it is locked. Mat does not sleep well that night. The next morning, he arranges to have Olver moved into his rooms since he is sure that Tylin will not try anything with a boy watching them. He spends the next two days outside the Kin's house. Birgitte joins them and she and Mat begin to develop a friendship.
Tylin has the cooks not give him any food, saying that he must not ruin his appetite for his dinner with the Queen. She also leaves him another note. He begins buying his own food, and after one night with no note slipped under his door, he begins to think that things might turn out for the better. The next morning, his third in the Tarasin Palace, he awakens to the dice rolling in his head.
