Anaiya (pronounced: ah-NYE-yah) was an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah. It is speculated that she was the First Selector.
Appearance
She was dark haired and homely with a 'blunt face' but she had a beautiful smile. She had a warm and patient voice that matched her face.
She had a fondness for wearing lace. [1]
She was strong in the One Power by Aes Sedai standard, roughly equal to the likes of Amys, Myrelle Berengari, Nesune Bihara and Kiruna Nachiman. She possessed the Talent of Healing.
History
She was not a flighty woman. Instead, she was deliberate, unflappable, and careful with her words.[2]
She, Cabriana Mecandes and Kairen Stang were nicknamed "The Three" because they did not share any of their activities with anyone else except each other.
When Verin Mathwin injured herself in Tel'aran'rhiod, she went to Anaiya for Healing.
Anaiya was present at Moiraine Damodred's test for the shawl and Healed her afterwards. She was then the first to greet both Moiraine and Siuan Sanche to the Blue Ajah living quarters.
She had an interest in lost Talents, so much so that some thought she should have been a Brown.
She had a single Warder, Setagana.
Activities
At Fal Dara
She was one of two representatives for the Blue Ajah sent to Fal Dara as part of the Amyrlin's entourage. While traveling back to the White Tower, she began lessons with Nynaeve al'Meara and Egwene al'Vere. She was the first to believe that Egwene may be a Dreamer.
Rebellion
She was one of the original leaders of the Salidar Aes Sedai, known informally to fans as the Salidar Six, having fled the White Tower following Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan's usurpattion.
While searching the Amyrlin's study in Tel'aran'rhiod for information on what Elaida has received, the Salidar Six were attacked by a stray nightmare of Trollocs. They were saved when Elayne Trakand and Siuan reminded them about the dream not being real, after which the nightmare faded away leaving only injury.
When a bubble of evil attacked Salidar, she took control of a link that contains Elayne, Nynaeve and Nicola Treehill to destroy all the inanimate objects that have come to life. It was during this time she observed Nicola have her first Foretelling.
She was with the rest of the Salidar Six in Tel'aran'rhiod, when she summoned Egwene to become Amyrlin.
She showed Matrim Cauthon to Nicola, who has the Talent of seeing ta'veren.
She was also a member of Egwene's Council. She swore an oath of fealty to Egwene. Egwene sent her on a secret meeting to meet with the group of nobles that blocked the Salidar army on the border of Andor.
She was with Egwene and Gareth when they surveyed the area around Tar Valon.
Murder
Anaiya and her Warder were murdered the night the Rebel Hall voted to make an alliance with the Black Tower. Nisao Dachen found them and, after testing for resonance, determined they had been killed by suffocation with an air weave of saidin. [1]
Aran'gar, in the guise of Halima, had killed them to prevent them from betraying her lie of being a companion of Cabriana, or, and more probably, to discourage the Rebel Hall from forming an alliance with the Black Tower.
First Selector?
She might have been the First Selector of the Blue Ajah before she was murdered, and even if not, she was certainly someone who many Blues listened closely to. Several indications have occurred that support this idea, although there is no hard evidence for this. First and foremost, Moiraine's cryptic "I will leave the Hall to you, Anaiya" [3] suggests that Anaiya held a station of importance, and she was not a Sitter. Secondly, Lelaine Akashi was mentioned as the First Selector not until Knife of Dreams, timely after Anaiya's death. Thirdly, it is likely that the First Selector would be one of the Salidar Six, but she probably gave way for Sheriam not to reveal herself. In short, she is the most likely First Selector for the main part of the series.