Mat POV#

It is late evening Swovan Night, the same day as ACoS,Ch17. Mat is walking back to The Wandering Woman.[1] There is a 3/4 moon. Three "beggars" attacked him to kidnap him.[2] He sees fireworks and remembers that Nalesean mentioned an Illuminator this morning. He is still looking for one. Back at The Wandering Woman, Caira is jealous. Olver is in bed. She does not know where Nalesean, Harnan or Vanin is, but there is a beautiful lady waiting upstairs. The dice suddenly become much louder. Birgitte is there holding his bow. Mat suddenly recognizes her from Falme with Artur Hawkwing, Mikel of the Pure Heart, Shivan the Hunter, Calian the Chooser, Amaresu with the Sword of the Sun and Paedrig the peacemaker. She explains what happened with Moghedien and Elayne. She says her memories and hero status are fading. Mat says he does not have any secrets and she answers in the Old Tongue, "Nosane iro gavane domorakoshi, Diynen'd'ma'purvene?" ("Speak we what language, Sounder of the Horn?") She says his accent changes from an Eharoni High Prince to a First Lord of Manetheren. They both remember Tovans from a thousand years ago. They both promise to keep each other's secret. They go downstairs to drink. The dice are so loud Mat thinks, "She must be a key to it, somehow."

More Mat POV

Nynaeve POV#

Nynaeve, Elayne and Aviendha turned down Tylin's invitation to a dance. They are with Thom and Juilin waiting for Birgitte to return. She was sent to ask Mat to meet them the next morning. They returned from the Sea Folk ship this morning. Nynaeve's weather sense says there is a bad storm coming. They got Mat's letter. Aviendha still wears her necklace, but not the ivory bracelet. She will not until Elayne has one, too. They only told Thom and Juilin about the Bowl this night. Elayne is acting drunk. Carridin visited the palace that afternoon despite the fact that Tylin knows he is a Darkfriend. Thom explains that Whitecloaks would overrun the city if Carridin were arrested. Elayne mentions Pedron Niall; they do not know he is dead. Elayne uses disguises in front of Thom and Juilin, exposing this ability which they had kept a very close secret. She is feeling drunk through the Warder bond to Birgitte. Birgitte arrives drunk; she was with Mat and Beslan. Nynaeve tells her not to corrupt Beslan, but Birgitte doubts that nine feather-dancers could do that. Beslan is Elayne's age. She reports that Mat will come to the palace tomorrow in exchange for thanks and an apology for rescuing them from the Stone of Tear. Birgitte says she would not have done what he did for anyone but Gaidal. He did not even tell her about the Black Ajah and Be'lal. Aviendha details what they need to do to make up their toh to Mat.

More Nynaeve POV