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| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TGS,Ch42'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/tar_valon_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Tar Valon Chapter Icon'}] ''[TGS|The Gathering Storm]: Sealed to the Flame'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=TGS,Ch44' align='right'}]
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! __Egwene__ POV

[Egwene|Egwene alVere] sits in her tent attended by [Chesa]. She thinks her "rescue" is a disaster. She blames herself as well as [Siuan|Siuan Sanche], [Gawyn|Gawyn Trakand] and [Bryne|Gareth Bryne]. She cannot return to the [White Tower] as prisoner; [Elaida|Elaida do Avriny aRoihan] would have her executed. With [Rand|Rand alThor] and the [Seanchan|Seanchan (People)], the stalemate cannot continue. Her only recourse seems to be to use her army to attack. She does not know [Elaida|Elaida do Avriny aRoihan]'s status, but she must assume that she is still in control.[1] To succeed she must use the best aspects of each of the [Ajahs|Aes Sedai] in herself. She opens the tent flap to find [Gawyn|Gawyn Trakand] right there. He seems even more attractive to her than [Galad|Galad Damodred]. She is furious with him but he stubbornly refuses to accept that rescuing her was a mistake. She heads for the [Hall|Sitters] of the [Sitters].
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More [Egwene POV]

! __Jesse Bilal__ POV

[Ajah|Aes Sedai] heads [Jesse Bilal] ([Brown|Brown Ajah]), [Adelorna|Adelorna Bastine] ([Green|Green Ajah]), [Suana Dragand] ([Yellow|Yellow Ajah]), [Ferane Neheran] ([White|White Ajah]) and [Serancha Colvine] ([Gray|Gray Ajah]) meet to discuss what to do about leadership of the [White Tower]. [Tsutama|Tsutama Rath] ([Red|Red Ajah]) is too new to her position to be part of the meeting. The five of them have secretly been working together to try to manage [Elaida|Elaida do Avriny aRoihan].[2] This has happened before in the history of the [White Tower], notably during the reign of [Cemaile Sorenthaine]. Their attempts completely failed and now the [Tower|White Tower] is adrift without a leader. Their attempts to manage the rebellion by secretly sending junior [Sitters] to join the rebels and appointing temporary replacements also failed.[3] Many of the junior [Sitters] actually came to sympathize with the rebels. They agree that they can no longer salvage their plans; they need to select a new [Amyrlin|Aes Sedai]. Each suggests sisters from her own [Ajah|Aes Sedai] such as [Saerin Asnobar] or [Seaine Herimon] and each is promptly shot down. [Adelorna|Adelorna Bastine] finally suggests [Egwene|Egwene alVere] and the others agree. They will choose an [Amyrlin|Aes Sedai] of strength.
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More [Jesse Bilal POV]

! __Siuan__ POV

[Siuan|Siuan Sanche] watches as [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] closes the flap to the [Hall|Sitters]. A ward against eavesdropping appears. [Gareth Bryne] comes up. She thinks she has lost [Egwene|Egwene alVere]'s trust by disobeying her, but [Egwene|Egwene alVere] did not realize how close she was to losing control of the rebels. [Bryne|Gareth Bryne] tells her that his second demand will be that she marry him, but he will wait until her mission to save the world is done. [Siuan|Siuan Sanche] thinks that he really does understand her.
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More [Siuan Sanche POV]

! __Egwene__ POV

In the [Hall|Sitters], [Kwamesa] weaves the ward against eavesdropping. There are only twelve [Sitters] as each [Ajah|Aes Sedai] sent one to the [Black Tower].[4] The [Gray Ajah] replaced [Delana|Delana Mosalaine] with [Naorisa Cambral]. [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] wears a bandage on her left hand.[5] [Romanda|Romanda Cassin] looks satisfied while [Lelaine|Lelaine Akashi] looks sulky.[6] [Varilin] asks what news she brings. 

First things first, [Egwene|Egwene alVere] pulls the [Oath Rod], retrieved late last night, from her pouch and swears the Three Oaths. She then tells them that one of the [Black Ajah] confessed to her. She states that she is not a [Darkfriend|Darkfriends] and tells them they will each have to reswear. [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] embraces the [True Source] and [Egwene|Egwene alVere] shields her. [Berana|berana] cries out. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] questions [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] and tricks her into a lie. She tells [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] it was [Verin|Verin Mathwin] who came to her. [Moria|Moria Karentanis] tries to escape and she is caught as well. Each of the remaining [Sitters] reswears the Oaths proving themselves. [Takima] asks if there are others and [Egwene|Egwene alVere] replies that there are over two hundred, seventy in the rebel camp. They will seize them one [Ajah|Aes Sedai] at a time. [Bryne|Gareth Bryne] will set up a perimeter for sisters and [Warder] who try to escape. Once the camp is cleansed, the army will begin the assault on the [White Tower] that evening. She tells them to pass the word. The news will be a distraction to cover their work.
\\%%follow [Follow Egwene, the White Tower and the rebels|TGS,Ch45]%%
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] Not!
\\[#2] This explains the secret meetings of the [Ajah|Aes Sedai] heads. There is still one unexplained detail. How do the [Ajah|Aes Sedai] heads know the identity of each other? For instance, after the disappearance of [Galina|Galina Casban], how did they learn that [Tsutama|Tsutama Rath] was chosen by the [Reds|Red Ajah] as her replacement?
\\[#3] This nicely wraps up two mysteries, the too young [Sitters] problem as well as the odd behavior of [Takima], [Varilin], [Faiselle], [Saroiya], and [Magla|Magla Daronos]. The [Ajah|Aes Sedai] heads saw to the selection of appropriate "temps" in the [White Tower] and the five moles did the same with the rebels, e.g., [Romanda|Romanda Cassin]'s thoughts on [Magla|Magla Daronos]. ([KoD,Ch23])
\\[#4] We can only be certain that [Lyrelle|Lyrelle Arienwin] was one of the delegates. If we make an assumption that the five [Sitters] who were violently opposed to the delegation were not sent, then we have the following:

* [Blue|Blue Ajah] - [Lyrelle|Lyrelle Arienwin] Arienwin
* [Brown|Brown Ajah] - [Janya Frende] or [Escaralde]
* [Gray|Gray Ajah] - [Naorisa Cambral]
* [Green|Green Ajah] - [Malind Nachenin] or [Samalin]
* [White|White Ajah] - [Aledrin]
* [Yellow|Yellow Ajah] - [Salita Toranes]

In addition, several other sisters were sent. ([TGS,Ch45]) The [Black Tower] delegation includes [Lyrelle|Lyrelle Arienwin], [Myrelle|Myrelle Berengari], [Nisao|Nisao Dachen], [Faolain|Faolain Orande] and [Theodrin|Theodrin Dabei]. ([TGS,Ch45])
\\[#5] Evidently [Sheriam|Sheriam Bayanar] was one short on the Dream %%ot [ter'angreal|Angreal]%% she delivered to [Mesaana]. ([TGS,Ch25]) But there is a complication. ([TGS,Ch45])
\\[#6] [Lelaine|Lelaine Akashi] has been getting the upper hand on [Romanda|Romanda Cassin]. [Egwene|Egwene alVere]'s return brings them back to equal footing.
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