A Crown of Swords

"Men scheme and women plot, but the Wheel weaves as it will"
— Saying in Tear

For other uses of the word "sword," see Sword.

Book Index

0 I II III IV V VI VII
VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV

Chapters

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

<<< A Crown of Swords >>>

Setting: Illian (city), Sun Palace, Outside Caemlyn, Shadar Logoth

Summary[]

Point of view: Rand al'Thor

Rand is dreaming of Elayne, Aviendha, and Min, that they look at him with scorn but then wakes up with Min's arms around him. Amys, Bera, and Kiruna are one faction, Cadsuane and some of her Aes Sedai are another, and both are faced off against some of the Asha'man who are holding saidin. Rand has been unconscious for two days. Rand asks all of the women to leave except Min.

Adley gives his report of the fight at the palisaded forts that guard Illian. Sammael arrived as soon as they started channeling and he is very strong in the Power. Rand plans to go after Sammael right away and Min agrees to distract the Maidens even though they will be very angry when they find him gone again without them. Rand makes a Gateway to Bashere's camp near Caemlyn, which is the strike force for taking the city of Illian. He has nine thousand Saldaean horse and fifteen thousand crossbowmen, composed primarily of men passed along by Taim. Rand makes a large Gateway to the Square of Tammuz and runs through followed by the Asha'man. As the army begins to come through Rand travels to the highest spire of the King's palace.

Rand and the Asha'man channel flows all over the city to disrupt any wards Sammael may have placed. Sammael arrives and Rand travels to meet him. Sammael challenges Rand, the makes a gateway to Shadar Logoth and Rand follows. Rand sees some movement and follows, doubtful that it would be Sammael. Darkness falls and Mashadar, the evil of Shadar Logoth, begins to flow from some of the windows. Trollocs begin to appear and Liah, who Rand thought was lost some time ago, leaps down to attack them. Liah flees when she recognizes him. He encounters a Myrddraal and some Trollocs and channels a sword of fire to deal with them. Sammael attacks then with lightning bolts. The floor beneath him gives way and he barely catches himself on a ledge. A strange man, dressed in black, extends a helping hand saying he doesn't choose to see Rand die today.

As Rand reaches the ledge, he sees a large tendril of Mashadar descending toward them and channels balefire, and the other man does the same. The two bars intersect and both men are jarred; Rand starts seeing double. Lightning bolts from Sammael come again as they run away. The other man leaves Rand, giving him some advice on Sammael's behaviour, and Rand realizes he didn't feel the man channeling when he created balefire. Rand climbs to the top of a tower overlooking the Waygate, where he expects Sammael to be waiting. Rand spots Sammael and then sees Mashadar descending toward him. As Rand begins to channel balefire to kill Sammael Rand hears a scream. He looks around and sees Liah being touched by Mashadar. Rand changes target to mercifully kill Liah instead. When he turns his gaze toward Sammael there is only a lake of Mashadar, so he assumes that Sammael is dead.

Rand returns to the King's palace in Illian where Bashere, the Asha'man, and the Illian Council await. Gregorin den Lushenos and the Council offer Rand the Laurel Crown as the new King of Illian. They reveal they choose to follow him because of the grain he had Tear send to Illian even when both countries were preparing for war against the other.

The Council members chant "The Light illumine Rand al'Thor, King of Illian".

Point of view: Omni

Stories and rumors fly, some more fantastic than others. But one rumor is constant, that the Laurel Crown of Illian is now called the Crown of Swords.

A Crown of Swords

Contents

Summary[]

Characters[]

Referenced[]

Places[]

Referenced[]

Fan Feed