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| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/dragon_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Dragon Chapter Icon'}] ''[TSR|The Shadow Rising]: Hard Heads'' %% 
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! __Elayne__ POV

[Elayne|Elayne Trakand] nervously tells [Rand|Rand alThor] how she feels about him and he nervously does the same. She asks him to kiss her and it lasts a long time. She is determined not to let [Berelain|Berelain sur Paendrag] have him. She wonders if [Min|Min Farshaw] had a [viewing|viewings] about who [Rand|Rand alThor] would choose. [Rand|Rand alThor] apologizes again for scaring them. She asks if he is sorry about the pinch, but he refuses to apologize for that saying they deserved it. For being honest she soothes his pinch, about the most she can do with [Healing|Weaves]. [Gaul] knocks on the door then enters announcing the High Lords. They enter and [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] makes her departure. Seeing [Rand|Rand alThor] among the High Lords, she realizes that he has a commanding presence much like [Gareth Bryne]. She leaves thinking that she has four days left to question [Amico|Amico Nagoyin] and [Joiya|Joiya Byir] and four days left to make [Rand|Rand alThor] hers and not [Berelain|Berelain sur Paendrag]'s.
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More [Elayne POV]

! __Rand__ POV

[Rand|Rand alThor] muses about [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] while the High Lords talk. He likes both [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] and [Min|Min Farshaw] and is confused about his feelings. The High Lords include [Sunamon|Sunamon Haellin], [Carleon], [Tedosian] and [Meilan|Meilan Mendiana]. [Sunamon|Sunamon Haellin] is diffident. [Carleon] and [Tedosian] do not look at each other. From [Thom|Thom Merrilin]'s notes, [Rand|Rand alThor] recognizes this as a subtle sign of tension between them. [Meilan|Meilan Mendiana] openly resents his position. [Rand|Rand alThor] orders them to lower taxes and to hire ships from [Mayene] to ship grain to [Illian|Illian (Country)].[1] He settles in for a long argument with them. He cannot understand their attitudes toward other nations as [Emond's Field|Emonds Field], [Deven Ride] and [Watch Hill] always help out each other in times of trouble.
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More [Rand POV]

! __Egwene__ POV

As [Egwene|Egwene alVere] walks from [Rand|Rand alThor]'s chambers she considers [Amico|Amico Nagoyin] and [Joiya|Joiya Byir]. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] joins her. He is quiet, so [Egwene|Egwene alVere] asks if he is still bothered by the trouble last night. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] complains that they hardly see him any more. He complains that the last time he saw them they came to his room, tied him up and searched his belongings to find the [Amyrlin|Aes Sedai]'s letter. Besides they spend their time with [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] and [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred]. Finally [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] breaks down and asks her for advice on what to do. He wants to leave but cannot. He is worried about his memory loss and his [Old Tongue] attacks. She says she cannot help, but winds up telling him about the [twisted red doorway|Twisted Red Doorway]. She warns him of its dangers. [Mat|Matrim Cauthon] insists again that he wants nothing to do with the [One Power]. He promises he will not leave and adds that he will not use the [twisted red doorway|Twisted Red Doorway] unless his life depends on it.
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More [Egwene POV]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] [Rand|Rand alThor] will probably forget this order, but it will come back to pay huge dividends. ([ACoS,Ch41])
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