New Spring: Chapter 19
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Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Chapter Icon: Wheel and Serpent
Point of View: Moiraine
Setting: Canluum; Outside of Canluum; on the road to Chachin
Characters: Moiraine, Lan, Bukama, Ryne
Outline
Summary
Moiraine reaches the common room and goes out to the stable, where she gets the groom to saddle her mare. She then rides out to the gates, which aren't open yet, since it is still dark. There are three men waiting as well, two Malkieri and one Arafellin. By the time the gates open, there are also several merchant's trains waiting. When the gates open, Moiraine finds that she is headed in the same direction as the three men, and makes sure to keep them in her sight.
In Moiraine's book of names is Avene Sahera, whose location is written down as simply somewhere between Canluum and Chachin. She stops at a village to see if anyone knows of her, but no luck. She continues on, and soon catches sight of the three men once again.
As the sun begins to set, the men stop. One rides off into the forest, while the other two continue on. The one who went into the forest is the younger Malkieri; Moiraine follows him. When she finds him, he is sitting cross-legged facing a pond, with his hands on his knees. Moiraine sneaks towards him, stands up on a rock, and, thinking that it will give her added authority, channels his sword away from him.
Lan acts immediately, grabbing at his sword, and then throwing Moiraine into the pond. When she surfaces, he offers a hand to help her out, and tells her that he will start a fire and hang blankets up so that she can dry herself. When the other two men come back, she is behind the blankets.
Later, she claims the right of a woman alone, asking for the shelter of their swords on the road to Chachin. Bukama pledges to see her safely to Chachin.
That night, during one of the guard-changes, Lan makes a disparaging remark about Aes Sedai. Angry, Moiraine channels a thick cylinder of water from the pond onto Lan. The three men are all on their feet, thinking that it is Shadowspawn. Moiraine tells them, "Not Shadowspawn! It is unwise to show anything except respect to an Aes Sedai, Master Lan."
Lan returns to his post, and the others go to sleep.
