Rand stands before the Amyrlin, who reveals she knows his secret and confirms his identity as the Dragon Reborn. Meanwhile, Nynaeve and Lan’s relationship progresses as usual — in awkward, stilted jolts.
Rand finally stands before the Amyrlin. She begins softly, saying Mat and Perrin will ride with Agelmar to retrieve the Horn and the dagger. Does Rand wish to accompany them? Of course he does, Rand says. Gosh, that was easy. Well, I’ll just be going now, Ms. Amyrlin Seat…
SIUAN: I know you can channel, boy.
Rand’s head spins as he hears this from the Amyrlin Seat.
SIUAN: You’ll need to learn to control it — you’re the Dragon Reborn.
Moiraine rehashes the events of New Spring and other events that led her to Emond’s Field. They won’t gentle him, says Siuan, because the alternative is to watch the world burn. No pressure, Rand! You do you!
Nynaeve and Lan reconcile. Lan gives her his Malkier signet ring, calling her mashiara — beloved of heart and soul.
I think this was the inspiration for the Nynaeve/Lan pairing.
Okay, fine. I guess that makes Nynaeve and Lan kind of sort of an item? If you don’t count the fact that he’s bonded to the woman Nynaeve hates? I don’t know, this whole romance seems to have sprung out of nowhere. But maybe I was just sleep-walking through the relevant material, so let’s review.
In The Eye of the World, Lan is impressed by Nynaeve’s tracking skills in Chapter 16: The Wisdom. Then they bicker in Chapter 19: Shadow’s Waiting, and in Chapter 21: Listen to the Wind Nynaeve sneaks up on Lan and Moiraine’s camp, and she’s extremely smug at Lan not realizing she was there. It’s all so… childish. Does that mean their romance is like Sorsha and Madmartigan from Willow? It sort of makes sense, but here’s the thing: in Willow, Madmartigan’s face gets sprinkled with the Dust of Broken Heart, which is why he becomes infatuated with Sorsha. What’s Lan’s excuse?
Nothing else happens between them for the longest time, and then in Chapter 47: More Tales of the Wheel Nynaeve learns that Lan is king of the dead nation of Malkier. And let’s just say, this seems to change everything. Lan? A king? Now Nynaeve simply must have him, so she stops just short of proposing marriage in Chapter 48: The Blight. Maybe Nynaeve got hit by the Dust of Broken Heart? Or maybe this is just clumsy character development? Either way, this reeks of hand-waving.
But hey, let’s be happy for the couple. At least they are going to get to be together on the way to the White Tower. Rand and Egwene, on the other hand, say a tearful goodbye as everyone prepares to depart Fal Dara.