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| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_lft.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=WH,Ch26'}] 
| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/lion_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Lion Chapter Icon'}] ''[WH|Winters Heart]: To Surprise Kings and Queens'' %% 
| [{Image src='Chapter Icons/btar_rgt.gif' link='Wiki.jsp?page=WH,Ch28' align='right'}]
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! __Elayne__ POV

[Elayne|Elayne Trakand] sends [Merilille|Merilille Ceandevin] back to the [Borderlanders|Borderlands] with word that she is coming. [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] and [Aviendha] try to talk her out of going because she is so tired. [Aviendha] says even %%ot [Sha'mad Conde|Thunder Walkers]%% know when to be cautious. She says she will go alone with her [Warder|Warder] and her sister. [Doilin Mellar|Daved Hanlon] agrees easily, but [Caseille|Caseille Raskovni] and the other guardswomen are incensed. [Essande] comes to help [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] dress appropriately. [Reene Harfor] will have to handle her appointments for the rest of the afternoon. [Careane|Careane Fransi] groans when she hears that she will have to take the lesson with the [Windfinders|Sea Folk] this evening. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] already got advice from [Vandene|Vandene Namelle] on the [Borderlands]. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] makes sure the [Sea Folk] do not learn what she is doing as she does not want [Zaida|Zaida din Parede Blackwing] butting in. 

[Reanne|Reanne Corly] weaves another gateway for them. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] rides [Fireheart] and [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] rides her horse [Arrow|Arrow (Birgitte)]. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] also wears the [amber turtle] %%ot [angreal|Angreal]%%. They arrive at the [Shienaran|Shienar] camp. Lord [Kayen Yokata] of [Fal Eisen] greets them and takes them to a large tent where the four rulers await. [Merilille|Merilille Ceandevin] is in the tent with King [Easar|Easar Togita], Queen [Ethenielle|Ethenielle Cosaru Noramaga], King [Paitar|Paitar Neramovni Nachiman] and Queen [Tenobia|Tenobia si Bashere Kazadi]. They comment on [Elayne|Elayne Trakand]'s age, but [Merilille|Merilille Ceandevin] assures them that she is [Aes Sedai]. To put them off guard, [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] identifies [Aviendha] as her sister and [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] as her [Warder|Warder]. She tells them she knows that they came because of the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor] and her connection to him. 

They acknowledge that they are looking for the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor], but will not say why. [Easar|Easar Togita] says that the [Last Battle|Creator] will be fought in the [Blight], yet the [Dragon Reborn|Rand alThor] ignores the [Borderlands] and stays in the south. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] tells them that they are going in the right direction to find [Rand|Rand alThor]. They quickly understand her tactics. A huge army marching toward [Caemlyn] will allow [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] to unite [Andor]. Then she will "negotiate" peace when they pass. 

[Tenobia|Tenobia si Bashere Kazadi] demands to know where [Davram Bashere] is. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] says he is near [Caemlyn]. The four rulers agree with [Elayne|Elayne Trakand], then she tells them that [Rand|Rand alThor] is near [Murandy].[1] [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] is thrilled. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] moved from [Murandy] to [Tar Valon] today. This move may force [Arathelle|Arathelle Renshar], [Luan|Luan Norwelyn] and [Pelivar|Pelivar Coelan] to side with her. Strangely, the [Borderlanders|Borderlands] do not seem excited on learning where they can find [Rand|Rand alThor].[2] [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] asks if they have seen [Aes Sedai], but the rulers waffle instead of giving her a clear answer. 

[Elayne|Elayne Trakand], [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion], [Aviendha] and [Merilille|Merilille Ceandevin] leave and ride until they are sure they have not been followed. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] then opens a gateway and they [Travel|Weaves#t] back to a field south of [Caemlyn] that she knows well.[3] By the time they make it back to the [Royal Palace], [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] is dozing. As [Birgitte|Birgitte Trahelion] carries her into the palace, [Halwin Norry] insists that he has urgent news. There are four small armies, twenty or thirty thousand men, marching toward [Caemlyn] from the east.[4] They will arrive within a week. [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] heads to her apartments to begin planning the defense of [Caemlyn].
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More [Elayne POV]
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] He is actually currently in [Far Madding] which is pretty close.
\\[#2] We finally learn their exact intentions for [Rand|Rand alThor] in [ToM,Ch51].
\\[#3] This appears to be an error like the one in [KoD,Ch2]. If [Elayne|Elayne Trakand] goes from a place she does not know to a place she knows well she would [Skim|Weaves#s], not [Travel|Weaves#t].
\\[#4] The forces of [Arymilla|Arymilla Marne], [Nasin|Nasin Caeren], [Elenia|Elenia Sarand] and [Naean|Naean Arawn]. ([CoT,Prologue], [CoT,Ch15])
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