[{Table style='width:100%'

| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=ACoS,Ch38'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/dice_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Dice Chapter Icon'}] ''[ACoS|A Crown of Swords]: Promises to Keep'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=ACoS,Ch40' align='right'}]
}]

%%tabs
! __Mat__ POV

Back in the palace three hours later the dice are still rolling. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] is with [Tylin|Tylin Quintara], [Elayne|Elayne Trakand], [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara], the five [Salidar Aes Sedai], the six [Kin] and twenty [Sea Folk] women, all [channelers|True Source] but of widely varying rank. The [Sea Folk][1] are led by [Renaile din Calon Blue Star], [Windfinder|Sea Folk] to the [Mistress of the Ships|Sea Folk]. Of the [Kin], only [Sumeko|Sumeko Karistovan] is not flustered by the [Aes Sedai]. [Sibella] nearly faints when offered a chair. 

[Mat|Matrim Cauthon] wants to leave now but the others are resisting. He repeats what [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] told him about %%ot [gholam|Gholam]%%. They were created in the middle of the [Shadow War] as [Aes Sedai] assassins. They can sense the ability to [channel|True Source] at fifty paces. They are immune to the [One Power] and have no bones. There were three male and three female made. This one probably survived in a [stasis box]. It was sent by a [Forsaken], so the %%ot [gholam|Gholam]%%, [Forsaken] and more [Black Ajah] are likely to show up. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] and [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] do not help him at all. 

[Ispan|Ispan Shefar] is being held in another part of the palace guarded by the rest of the [Knitting Circle|Kin].[2] [Aviendha] and [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] are there, but [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] and [Beslan] were sent off. [Thom|Thom Merrilin] and [Juilin|Juilin Sandar] are packing. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] gets angry and calls [Renaile|Renaile din Calon Blue Star] "daughter of the sands," an extreme insult. He remembers a [Sea Folk] woman calling an [Shiota]n soldier "son of the sands" just before trying to kill him. He tells her to go with [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] and [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] and, with his %%ot [ta'veren|Wheel of Time]%% effect, she agrees! They discuss where to go; [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] suggests [Caemlyn], [Careane|Careane Fransi] suggests the [Black Hills],[3] [Vandene|Vandene Namelle] suggests [Arafel] and [Aviendha] suggests [Rhuidean]. They agree to go to the [farm|Farm], which is a few miles north on the other side of the river. They discuss whether to [Travel|Weaves#t] or just travel. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] and [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] used him because they got taken apart trying to bargain. They all leave, [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] with his spear, after [Tylin|Tylin Quintara] kisses him goodbye. He finds [Thom|Thom Merrilin], [Juilin|Juilin Sandar], [Nerim] and [Lopin] leaving [Tylin|Tylin Quintara]'s apartments with his belongings. [Lopin] is disconsolate after [Nalesean|Nalesean Aldiaya]'s death so [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] offers to take him on. [Thom|Thom Merrilin] brings [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] his ring and [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] puts it on. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] goes back to his rooms looking for [Olver], but [Riselle] let him out till evening. [Olver] is diligent in keeping his promises. 

Leaving his spear, [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] tells the men to leave his stuff and find [Vanin|Chel Vanin] and the [Redarms|Band of the Red Hand]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] goes to the girls' apartments and tells [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] and the women to go on. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] warns him about the storm that she feels coming. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] and [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] exchange a [Barashandan|Barashta] oath no one else understands. [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] warns him about the coming storm. Something about the weather and [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] that makes no sense bothers him.[4] [Mat|Matrim Cauthon], [Thom|Thom Merrilin], [Juilin|Juilin Sandar], [Harnan], [Vanin|Chel Vanin], [Fergin], [Gorderan] and [Metwyn] split up to look for [Olver] who is wearing a red coat. There is a statue in [Mol Hara Square] of Queen [Nariene] known for her honesty. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] wishes he brought [Pips] from the stable so he could see further. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] hears rumors of a riot. Some say at the end of the [Bay Road|Ebou Dar] to the south, some say in the [Cordese Hills] to the west or the [Rhannon Hills] to the east. He talks to a tavern serving girl, [Maylin], at [The Old Sheep]. The [Seanchan|Seanchan (People)] attack. A building collapses on [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] just as the dice stop.[5]
\\ \\
More [Mat POV]
%%

%%collapsebox-closed
! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1]  These include [Caire din Gelyn Running Wave], [Tebreille din Gelyn South Wind], [Dorile din Eiran Long Feather], [Talaan din Gelyn], [Metarra din Junalle], [Kurin], [Senine|Senine din Ryal], [Rainyn|rainyn], [Naime], [Rysael] and [Chanelle|Chanelle din Seran White Shark]. ([TPoD,Ch2], [TPoD,Ch5], [CoT,Ch12])
\\[#2] They are [Chilares|Chilares Arman], [Dimana], [Eldase], [Ivara] and [Kirstian|Kirstian Chalwin]. ([ACoS,Ch31], [TPoD,Ch1], [TPoD,Ch2])
\\[#3] [Careane|Careane Fransi] seems to know a lot about the [Black Hills] even though she is [Domani|Arad Doman].
\\[#4] In [ACoS,Ch38] [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] warned him of a coming storm that was not this wind.
\\[#5] He left the spear behind but is wearing the ring and the [foxhead medallion|Foxhead Medallion] and still has [Tylin|Tylin Quintara]'s note asking about the [Daughter of the Nine Moons|Tuon]. Evidently these items do not come to the attention of the [Seanchan|Seanchan (People)] (or do not matter to them) as [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] recuperates in the [Tarasin Palace]. ([WH,Ch15])
%%
----
More [Category Chapters|Category.Chapters], [Dice Chapter Icon]