A Touch on the Cheek

"Nynaeve badly needed to be snatched down a peg or six, and Elayne even more, but he was not about to stand by and listen to this woman talk Nynaeve down."
   — Mat Cauthon when confronted by Joline Maza and Teslyn Baradon

Book Index
0 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV
Chapters
Lightnings 1 High Chasaline 2 The Butcher's Yard 3 Hill of the Golden Dawn 4 Into Cairhien 5 A Broken Crown 6 Old Fear, and New Fear 7 Pitfalls and Tripwires 8 The Figurehead 9 A Pair of Silverpike 10 Unseen Eyes 11 An Oath 12 A Morning of Victory 13 The Bowl of the Winds 14 White Plumes 15 Insects 16 A Touch on the Cheek 17 The Triumph of Logic 18 As the Plow Breaks the Earth 19 Diamonds and Stars 20 Patterns Within Patterns 21 Swovan Night 22 Small Sacrifices 23 Next Door to a Weaver 24 The Kin 25 Mindtrap 26 The Irrevocable Words 27 To Be Alone 28 Bread and Cheese 29 The Festival of Birds 30 The First Cup 31 Mashiara 32 Sealed to the Flame 33 A Bath 34 Ta'veren 35 Into the Woods 36 Blades 37 A Note from the Palace 38 Six Stories 39 Promises to Keep 40 Spears 41 A Crown of Swords

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Setting: Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar

Point of view: Matrim Cauthon

Mat decides to visit Elayne and Nynaeve, so he goes to the front entrance of the Tarasin Palace. The dice are rolling in Mat's head. After a long trek through many corridors and stairways, being handed off to one servant after another, Mat stumbles across Joline Maza and Teslyn Baradon of the White Tower Aes Sedai. Then Adeleas Namelle, Sareitha Tomares, and Merilille Ceandevin of the Rebel Aes Sedai arrive. The two groups of Aes Sedai start a tug-of-war with Mat's coat as the rope. The servant Laren returns to summon Mat to see Queen Tylin, which ends the Aes Sedai confrontation in a stalemate.

Mat gives a flowery greeting to Tylin without realizing that he is speaking the Old Tongue. Tylin allows him to compose a message to Elayne and Nynaeve which he seals with the signet ring he hastily bought when he was following the Darkfriend Mili Skane. He notices that it is a fox startling two birds into flight. He decides to tell the queen that Carridin, the Whitecloak emissary, is entertaining Darkfriends, which she accepts. Tylin tries seducing Mat, gently touching his checks until her son, Beslan, enters. He announces that he's won another duel, but accidentally killed the man and owes condolences to his widow. Tylin introduces Beslan to Mat and suggests they become friends.

Characters

• Mat
• Master Jen servant
• Haesel servant
• Carin servant
• Matilde servant
• Bren servant
• Madic
• Laren servant
• Joline Maza
• Teslyn
• Adeleas
• Sareitha Tomares
• Merilille Ceandevin
• Tylin
• Beslan

Referenced

• Elayne
• Nynaeve
• Elaida
• Thom
• Vandene
• Rand
• Egwene
• Anghara
• Carridin
• Nevin Duelist with Beslan
• Davindra wife of Nevin
• Isebele

Places

• Tarasin Palace
• Ebou Dar

Referenced

• Altara
• Dal Calain
• Caemlyn

Items

Referenced

• Horn of Valere