[{Table style='width:100%'

| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=WH,Ch24'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/dragon_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Dragon Chapter Icon'}] ''[WH|Winters Heart]: Bonds'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=WH,Ch26' align='right'}]
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! __Rand__ POV

[Rand|Rand alThor] is in his room in [The Counsel's Head|The Counsels Head] that overlooks the [Nethvin Market|Far Madding].[1] [The Counsel's Head|The Counsels Head] is better than [The Crown of Maredo]. He is playing the flute [Thom|Thom Merrilin] gave him - a tune he learned from [Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon]. [Min|Min Farshaw] is with him. [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] has been in [Far Madding] for a day and he knows that she is coming. [Min|Min Farshaw] is upset about [Alivia]. She had a [viewing|viewings]:

* [Alivia] is going to help [Rand|Rand alThor] die.

[Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon] says that death is a relief. [Rand|Rand alThor] recalls being told, "To live, you must die."[2] 

There is a knock on the door and [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] and [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] enter. [Rand|Rand alThor] can feel joy in his bond to her. [Rand|Rand alThor] asks [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] where she learned to [Travel|Weaves#t] but she will not say.[3] He asks what she is doing in [Far Madding] and she just says she has a right to visit her birthplace.[4] She tells him she brought [Nesune|Nesune Bihara], [Sarene|Sarene Nemdahl], [Erian|Erian Boroleos], [Beldeine|Beldeine Nyram] and [Elza|Elza Penfell] with her. [Sorilea] insisted, saying they were good for nothing until they could see [Rand|Rand alThor]. She also brought the three [Asha'man] and [Harine|Harine din Togara Two Winds], [Shalon|Shalon din Togara Morning Tide] and [Moad]. She plans to send the [Sea Folk] and the [Aes Sedai] to [Rand|Rand alThor] and let him deal with them. He politely asks her not to and she agrees. She then tells him that [Merise|Merise Haindehl] bonded [Narishma|Jahar Narishma], [Corele|Corele Hovian] bonded [Damer|Damer Flinn] and [Daigian|Daigian Moseneillin] bonded [Hopwil|Eben Hopwil]. [Rand|Rand alThor] swears and she slaps him hard. 

[Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] leaves taking [Min|Min Farshaw] with her. [Rand|Rand alThor] asks why [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] told [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] where he is. She demands to know what [Rand|Rand alThor] did that rendered her unconscious for three days. [Rand|Rand alThor] tells her that he let someone else bond him and she is outraged. [Rand|Rand alThor] asks her to release his bond. He learned about that from [Lan|al'Lan Mandragoran] and his bond to [Myrelle|Myrelle Berengari]. She refuses because he will not tell her who bonded him. She says she did not tell [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] where [Rand|Rand alThor] was. [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] doubts that there is a shepherd in [Seleisin] who does not wonder where [Rand|Rand alThor] is. She begged to come along when she learned that [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] and [Verin|Verin Mathwin] were coming here.[5] [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] also taught [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] to [Travel|Weaves#t], so [Rand|Rand alThor] cannot evade her so easily from now on. She says she heard [Merise|Merise Haindehl] ask [Jahar|Jahar Narishma] to be bonded. The three [Asha'man] were afraid to go back to the [Black Tower] after the attack.[6] She tells him that [Damer|Damer Flinn] [Healed|Weaves] [Irgain|Irgain Fatamed], [Ronaille|Ronaille Vevanios] and [Sashalle|Sashalle Anderly]. All of the [Aes Sedai] prisoners now have sworn fealty to [Rand|Rand alThor], but [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] does not trust them. She would not let the five bring their [Warder]. [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] begs [Rand|Rand alThor] to let the [Aes Sedai] help him. She tells him that many do not like [Dobraine|Dobraine Taborwin] in [Cairhien|Cairhien (Country)] and might support [Toram Riatin] if he reappears. [Darlin|Darlin Sisnera] is ruling in [Tear|Tear (Country)], but the rebels in [Haddon Mirk] have not returned. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] may or may not support him in [Andor].[7] She reminds [Rand|Rand alThor] that [Rafela|Rafela Cindal] and [Merana|Merana Ambrey] got everything he asked for in the treaty with [Harine|Harine din Togara Two Winds]. 

[Rand|Rand alThor] realizes that fear of manipulation kept him from making use of the [Aes Sedai] until now. [Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon] says, "A man who trusts everyone is a fool and a man who trusts no one is a fool. We are all fools, if we live long enough." [Rand|Rand alThor] tells [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] to go back to [Cairhien|Cairhien (Country)] and send [Rafela|Rafela Cindal], [Merana|Merana Ambrey], [Bera|Bera Harkin] and [Faeldrin|Faeldrin Harella] to [Haddon Mirk] to negotiate with the rebels there. Those were the four besides [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] that [Min|Min Farshaw] said he could trust.[8] [Rand|Rand alThor] tells her she can come back to [Far Madding] after that. [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] leaves and [Rand|Rand alThor] decides that he must repair his relationship with [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin].
\\%%follow [Follow Rand and Min|WH,Ch32]%%
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More [Rand POV]

! __Verin__ POV

[Verin|Verin Mathwin] returns to [Aleis Barsalla]'s palace.[9] She uses the false name, [Eadwina|Verin Mathwin], because [Verin Mathwin] was exiled from [Far Madding].[10] The women of [Aleis Barsalla]'s family have been involved with trade and politics since [Far Madding] was called [Fel Moreina|Far Madding]. [Verin|Verin Mathwin] finds [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] in a sitting room with [Elza|Elza Penfell]. [Elza|Elza Penfell] is furious that [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] let [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] leave. Now they have no way to track [Rand|Rand alThor]. [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] listens to her for a minute, then dismisses her. [Elza|Elza Penfell] departs. [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] asks [Verin|Verin Mathwin] to pour tea. [Verin|Verin Mathwin] asks if [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] has any idea why [Rand|Rand alThor] came to [Far Madding]. She deduced he was here when he stopped moving.[11] [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] confides that she does not care what [Rand|Rand alThor] does as long as he lives to reach [Tarmon Gai'don|Creator] and she can teach him to laugh and cry again. She learned that [Min|Min Farshaw] told him that he needs her, but she must still move carefully. Sure of [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] at last, [Verin|Verin Mathwin] slips the small vial back in her purse unopened.[12]
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More [Verin POV]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] The three Strangers' Markets are named after the three most revered women in [Far Madding] history, so there was a famous First Counsel named [Nethvin].
\\[#2] From the [Aelfinn|Finn]. ([TSR,Ch15], [LoC,Ch26])
\\[#3] [Sorilea] taught her. ([TPoD,Ch12])
\\[#4] The [A Crown of Swords],Glossary entry on [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] says she is believed to be from [Ghealdan], but at [signings|Guide#3] Robert Jordan confirmed that she is from [Far Madding]. It is not clear if the Glossary entry is an error or an intentional deceit.
\\[#5] [Verin|Verin Mathwin] somehow deduced that [Rand|Rand alThor] was in [Far Madding].
\\[#6] It may well be that [Cadsuane|Cadsuane Melaidhrin] blackmailed them into allowing themselves to be bonded as the price for remaining in [Cairhien|Cairhien (Country)]. ([WH,Ch13])
\\[#7] [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] is only guessing here. She does not know about [Rand|Rand alThor]'s and [Elayne|Elayne Trakand]'s relationship.
\\[#8] There is an error in early printings where [Rand|Rand alThor] tells [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani] to take [Rafela|Rafela Cindal], [Merana|Merana Ambrey], [Bera|Bera Harkin] and ''[Kiruna|Kiruna Nachiman]''. This is corrected in later printings.
\\[#9] No clue where she has been.
\\[#10] The nature of her crime is a complete mystery. The only thing that is clear is that it was a long time ago.
\\[#11] Was this a simple exercise in logic and a general direction from [Alanna|Alanna Mosvani], or did [Verin|Verin Mathwin] have some way of knowing where [Rand|Rand alThor] is?
\\[#12] This is undoubtedly the small vial that [Sorilea] gave her. ([WH,Ch13]) Three drops induce sleep. A few more can kill.
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