Merilille Ceandevin is an Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah.
Appearance[]
She is a short and slender Cairhienin with glossy black hair and large liquid dark eyes. She is pale skinned and elegant.
Strength and Abilities[]
Merilille has a strength in the One Power of 22(10) which is average for an Aes Sedai.
This level of strength is on the edge of allowing Merilille to Travel, but she seems to lack the Talent to make the weave work. On several instances had to rely on the help of Reanne Corly to open a Gateway.
History[]
Merilille was born in 827 NE in Cairhien.
She went to the Tower in 845 NE at the age of 18, relatively late for a novice.
She spent thirteen years as Novice and twelve as Accepted. This total training time of twenty five years is considerably longer than might be expected for a woman of her strength.
She was raised to the shawl in the year 870 NE at the age of 43.
At least one of the Kin, Solain Morgellin, was Accepted over Merilille, who remembered jumping when Solain snapped her fingers.
Activities[]
Ambassador[]
She allies herself with the Salidar Aes Sedai and is sent as their ambassador to the Ebou Dari court. In particular Merilille was the leader of the embassy and while inside the Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar, she vigorously opposes the White Tower delegation when they suggest that Matrim Cauthon should be returned to the White Tower.
She later dresses down Elayne Trakand for almost revealing to the Kin that the White Tower knows of their existence. Elayne is furious, as the other Aes Sedai had never informed her about the Kin, or the Tower's knowledge of them. Elayne sets Merilille in her place and takes charge of the embassy using her higher standing in the One Power as reason. Merilille could not help but adhere to Tower hierarchy, though she still did her best to persuade and convince Elayne whenever she disagreed with something.
She Travels from Ebou Dar to the Kin's farm with the the rest of the group led by Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne when they move there with the Bowl of the Winds.
Windfinders[]
The Windfinders have claimed Merilille as their teacher in payment for their assistance with the Bowl of the Winds,as Merilille let slip that she would help teach them. She is kept constantly busy with teaching them and is sometimes used as a test subject for their lessons. She is regarded as lower than even an apprentice; not considered one, but forced to share a bed with the apprentice Windfinders and her own maid Pol. She has become increasingly withdrawn and subservient.
Some time after she is sent by Elayne to meet with the Borderlander rulers that have camped down in Braem Wood with their huge armies. She reports back to the Daughter Heir about the state of the camp and is sent back again to prepare the meeting between Elayne herself and the rulers.
Merilille fled the Royal Palace in Caemlyn probably because of the unfair treatment suffered from the Sea Folk and surely fearing to being sent to the Athan'n Mier ships for one year, following the bargain obtained by Nynaeve and Elayne; one of the Windfinder apprentices, Talaan din Gelyn, fled with her.
The Last Battle[]
Having disappeared entirely for some time, Talaan and, presumably, Merilille made an appearance in the Valley of Thakan'dar during the Last Battle as part of Dragonsworn forces. It is unknown how Merilille and Talaan spent the time they were missing or what activities they undertook. It is very likely Merilille had been teaching Talaan during that time.