Crossroads of Twilight: Chapter 22
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: Flame of Tar Valon
Point of View: Pevara
Setting: Pevara's rooms in the White Tower
Characters: Pevara, Pedra, Tarna
Outline
Tarna, the new Keeper, reveals to Pevara her plan - the Red sisters should bond the Asha'man as Warders.
Summary
Pevara and Tarna are in Pevara's rooms, waiting for an Accepted named Pedra to finish serving cakes and wine. When Pedra leaves, Pevara remarks that Pedra will be raised to Aes Sedai soon, though Tarna doesn't think that she will chose the Red Ajah.
Pevara is wondering why Tarna, Elaida's newly raised Keeper of the Chronicles, is visiting her. What's more is that Tarna seems to be nervous, which is unusual for Tarna. Pevara is suspicious; everything out of the ordinary makes her wary ever since she and Seaine began their search for the Black Ajah. Pevara thinks about how Galina, a known Black, had taken an interest in Tarna when she was a novice; then again, Galina had taken an interest in all novices she thought might choose the Red Ajah.
Pevara asks Tarna if she will take wine in celebration of being raised to Keeper, but Tarna acts as if she would have refused the stole if she could have. Tarna changes the subject, and says, "I have often heard you called unconventional. I have even heard that you once said you would like to have a Warder".
Tarna stands and turns her back to Pevara, and begins to speak. She speaks of her trip to Salidar, where she was sent as an embassy from Elaida. She says that she had anticipated no great difficulty at Salidar, but what she found was so disturbing that she raced back to the Tower. On the way, she stopped in a small village in Murandy where there were six Asha'man recruiting men for the Dragon Reborn.
Pevara remarks that "six men who can channel would be more than merely dangerous for a sister by herself", and also, accidentally, mentions that she thinks that the situation with the Black Tower it too far gone to put a stop to it. Tarna returns to her seat, and says that she, too, thinks that it is too late. Elaida still thinks that all the Asha'man can be gentled, but if they can afford to send six men to one small village, there are too many.
Tarna then reveals her plan: she thinks that the Red sisters should bond the Asha'man as Warders, saying that the Reds already know how to deal with men who can channel, and that the rest of the Ajahs would be horrified at the suggestion. Pevara asks if Tarna thinks the Asha'man can be gentled after they are bonded, but Tarna does not think this would be wise. She is adamant in her thoughts; "Red sisters must bond them as Warders. If there is any way, I will be among the first, but it must be done."
The two of them sit there for a while before Pevara reaches into her belt pouch and pulls out a message. She tells Tarna that it was sent by one of their agents in Cairhien, but it was sent by Toveine Gazal. Tarna reads the message, which is most likely about the Asha'man bonding Aes Sedai at the Black Tower (Robert Jordan doesn't say), and states that it changes nothing. Pevara replies that no, it changes everything.
