— Egeanin Tamarath to Bayle Domon
- For other uses of the word "Seanchan," see Seanchan.
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In the Shadow
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| <<< Seanchan >>> |
| Setting: Falme, Aryth Ocean |
Summary[]
- Point of view: Geofram Bornhald
In a village there are many prisoners and also many that have been hanged including children. Bornhald questions one of his men and it becomes clear that the villagers were hung by disguised Questioners. The Lord Captain does not like that the Children's Questioners have been so violent, and says to tell the remaining villagers this will not happen again, and goes into the inn. Bornhald is seeking information on the invaders from Toman Head, but what he hears is not credible.
A messenger arrives with a message from Jaichim Carridin telling him to stay away from Toman Head and focus on rooting out the Darkfriends on Almoth Plain. Byar wants to follow the instructions but Bornhald dismisses them as ridiculous, as they have seen no Darkfriends on the Plain. Certainly not the children who were hanged. Bornhald decides they are going to Toman Head to confront the invaders who are the true Darkfriends. He questions one of the local soldiers who has been captured regarding the invaders.
- Point of view: Bayle Domon
Bayle Domon's ship, the Spray, is being chased by a Seanchan vessel, and Domon attempts to get too close to shore for the larger ship to pursue him. He recalls learning about the Seanchan as he traded with villages on Toman Head. When the villages tried to defend themselves against the invaders, lightning from the sky devastated them. The invading soldiers also attacked with monsters and quickly subdued all resistance. After each village was conquered, the Seanchan would force the populace to reswear forsaken oaths, without explaining how the oaths had been forsaken. They also examined each woman and some would be taken to the ships never to be seen again, often the Guides and Healers. They would also replace the Mayor and Village Council, and anyone protesting any of that would often be killed. Yet after having done all that the Seanchan typically left and never returned. Falme was the only town they stayed in to occupy.
After hearing all those stories of these Seanchan, Domon wants to avoid them if at all possible. Sudden explosions in the water force him to reconsider, and he surrenders. The leader of the boarding crew wears a helmet that looks like an insect, but when the helmet is removed, Domon is surprised to see a woman. She asks if there are women among his crew or passengers. No, he says, wondering what they want with them. Two women board. One of them has a collar, the other has a bracelet with a chain connecting the two. The captain says her name is Egeanin. She wants Domon to swear fealty again. He thinks the one on the collar end of the leash is Aes Sedai and says so. Egeanin slaps him saying, "We do not use that name, there are only the Leashed Ones." He says he does not mean disrespect and hears her call them damane. Egeanin says she will claim these lands again, and then he will know all their ways. She orders Domon to sail to Falme where his ship will be inspected and if he is confirmed to be a peaceful trader as claimed, he will be let go.
Egeanin places one man on Domon's ship, Caban. Domon is able to get Caban to answer a few questions, although when he asks about the damane Caban threatens him with a sword. The closer the two ships came to Falme, the more Seanchan ships he sees. He counts over two hundred. Domon sees the watch towers on the shore. The Watchers Over the Waves they are called. A cage hangs over the watch towers with a man sitting inside. Domon asks about it, and Caban says he is the First Watcher, not the original since a new one is chosen each time the old one dies. When he asks why he is in the cage again, she says, "He watched for the wrong thing, and forgot when he should have been remembering."
Egeanin and her soldiers along with the damane search Domon's ship once the crew was on the dock. Then Domon sees a three-eyed monstrous-looking thing on the dock being led by someone in one of those strange helmets. When Egeanin and her soldiers come onto the dock from searching his ship, she has something in her hands.
She leads Domon through the town with her soldiers. Domon can see that the people of Falme are very afraid of the Seanchan and their strange creatures. Egeanin takes him to see High Lord Turak. Domon realizes Egeanin took the Seal from his ship. She gives it to Turak and is dismissed. Turak questions Domon about it and he says that he doesn't know what it is. Domon follows Turak into another room where he has a cabinet with another Seal, among other things. He says only the Empress has a bigger collection of cuendillar. Domon is a collector of old things, so the Lord wants to talk to him. Someone brings Turak a cup with black liquid, kaf. Turak wants to know how he came about the Seal, and Domon decides to lie all about it until the Lord is satisfied and lets him go.
Characters[]
- Geofram Bornhald
- Byar
- Muadh
- Jeral
- Egeanin Sarna (first appearance)
- Caban
- Bayle Domon
- Yarin Maeldan
- High Lord Turak (first appearance)
- Serrisa - as the damane
Referenced[]
- Earwin
- Wuan
- Artur Hawkwing
- Jaichim Carridin
- Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar - as King of Illian
- Radhanan Paendrag - as Empress of Seanchan
Groups[]
Referenced[]
Places[]
Referenced[]
Items[]