ToM: Working Leather

Androl POV#

Androl skillfully crafts a leather armguard. He is missing his shears and Cuellar is sharpening his belt knife so he weaves a mini-gateway to trim the leather. He is very weak in the One Power but he is the best there is at Traveling. Logain promoted him to Dedicated personally against Taim's wishes. He walks through the Black Tower village where the houses would look normal in New Braem or Grafendale. He hands candies to some children then coaches some Two Rivers men building a canal led by Jaim Torfinn. Androl empties himself of feeling[1] as his first sword master Garfin taught him.

Trost asks him if he has heard from Logain who has been gone on a scouting mission for a long time.[2] He left in the night weeks ago taking Donalo, Mezar and Welyn with him. And now there are two groups of Aes Sedai, one in the Black Tower grounds and one camped outside. The shadows start creeping toward him so he releases saidin.[3] Androl walks on through the village which is growing fast. He comes to the practice field and sees Dedicated divided into two groups, Canler, Emarin, Arlen Nalaam and Jonneth Dowtry in one and Taim's cronies including Coteren in another. Jonneth Dowtry's whole family including his grandfather Buel came with him. Emarin is a nobleman who arrived one day with Logain.[4] Androl has traveled widely, even to a Sea Folk island Retash. Androl gives the armguard to Jonneth Dowtry who gives a brief demonstration of the Two Rivers longbow. Coteren belittles them and Androl has to calm the others so they do not get into serious trouble. Nalaam talks gibberish, his symptom of madness.

Androl is worried that more and more men are taking personal lessons with the M'Hael. Nensen and Kash became strong very fast and were rapidly promoted to full Asha'man. Canler says that Norley, Evin, Hardlin and the Two Rivers men are trustworthy but not a one is full Asha'man. Androl is also worried about the Aes Sedai bonding them. Full Asha'man, all of Taim's cronies, are exempt. They are also spreading rumors that Rand has abandoned them. Emarin says Rand is not mad. He met Rand just before he came to the Black Tower.[4] They plan to gather information against Taim for Logain when he returns. They look to Androl as their leader.

More Androl POV

Notes (Possible Spoilers)#

[#1] Apparently the same as the flame and the void (TEotW,Ch13) and ko'di. (NS,Ch16)
[#2] Reporting to Rand.
[#3] The taint madness still affecting Androl.
[#4] Most curious! Cadsuane took Emarin to the White Tower to be gentled more than ten years ago. (CoT,Ch23) And when would he have met Rand? Or perhaps Algarin is masquerading as Emarin for some reason?


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