The Fires of Heaven (Chapter 23): The Fifth, I Give You

Dusty

Jan 7

Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.

You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.

Chapter 23: The Fifth, I Give You

NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com

Point of view: Egwene al'Vere

Egwene watches as the Aiel spread out after their four day journey through the Jangai Pass. Kadere and his wagons begin traveling down the road that carried trade through the pass before the Aiel War. Moiraine and Lan accompany the wagons, keeping an eye on them because they carry many ter'angreal from Rhuidean. Adelin and some other Maidens are carrying dolls as punishment for their failure to guard Rand properly four nights ago. Couladin had also sacked Selean and killed everyone the same as he did at Taien.

Egwene observes as Rand tells the Aiel clan chiefs that they are not to loot or kill without having a reason. He wants to protect Cairhien from the Shaido, not lead another invading force. He will allow them to take the traditional fifth in loot from those conquered, but not more and no food.

She dismounts to walk with Aviendha for a while. Aviendha is distraught over sleeping in the same tent as Rand and asks Egwene to intercede with the Wise Ones for her. Sorilea overhears though and makes sure both women know they are to do what they have been told to do. Egwene and Aviendha decide not to talk to the Wise Ones.

REACTION

I have a lot of thoughts on this one because I think there's a lot happening beneath the surface.

This chapter title is one of the most meme'd things from The Wheel of Time. Every year after Star Wars day on May the 4th, you'll always find a meme or Rand, the next day, telling the world that he gives them the 5th.

The first half of this chapter is just Egwene observing Rand from a distance, agreeing with his decisions, but worrying that he is becoming too arrogant. I think it's difficult to see someone you know well in a position of authority - especially if you knew that person when he or she was young. I have had former classmates run for mayor and district attorney, in relatively large cities, and I absolutely rejected the idea of those people having that much authority.

Sidenote: I think this is why young people lose their idealism, as it relates to institutions, as they grow older. When you're a kid, you have this feeling that the adults are in charge, taking care of things properly, acting with wisdom, etc. When the adults are your peers that you grew up with, and you know that none of that idealism is warranted or realistic, you lose faith in institutions as a whole and you might even want to move off the grid and become a homesteader. Well, maybe that's just me. (Yes, I understand the irony of *blogging* about moving off the grid.)

The other funny part of Egwene worrying over Rand's arrogance is that she would be wise to turn that concern inward. In this chapter, she is *still* inwardly celebrating how she cowed Nynaeve in the World of Dreams. She should actually feel ashamed of that. She let her friend be injured by a monster that she created, just to make a point. It was a good point that might someday save Nynaeve's life, but still.

The second half of this chapter is Aviendha just about losing her mind, Egwene misinterpreting the cause, and then a new person - Sorilea - arriving as what looks like the unofficial leader of the Wise Ones and putting both of them in their place.

"In my day, girls jumped when a Wise One said jump, and continued jumping until they were told to stop. As I am still alive, it is still my day." <--- Awesome line.

Jordan gives us a hint about what Egwene and Avi talked about in her tent, in the previous chapter. Avi must have complained about the way Rand talked to her. Egwene has not figured out yet (or if she has, she's playing along with her friend's lie) that Aviendha hates how much she liked how Rand talked to her and that this is the problem. She *really liked* how he talked to her. Wink wink. Watching him boss around the Clan Chiefs... also something she *really* likes. She is at her breaking point... but not remotely in the way that she's implying to Egwene. (I do think Eggy might have finally picked up the reality of the Rand/Aviendha sleeping wardrobe situation and is all too happy to encourage breaking that situation apart.)

Sorilea clarifies that Rand's rejection of the scabbard constitutes an "interest gift." This is the second one he has given her - both unwittingly. We also learn that it's an interest gift unlike any Aiel has ever given. To some extent, Rand knows what he did. He definitely at least understands that he made Aviendha wealthy. I appreciate that Sorilea talks about this in front of both Aviendha and Egwene. It clarifies what the Wise Ones have intended here all along to both of them. It's evidence of Sorilea's authority that she is able to say this out loud with no worry about that hurting the plan. In fact, saying it out loud seems to have resigned Avi toward her fate. Egwene might now also begin internalizing the situation, too. I suspect Sorilea is aware of Egwene's prior relationship with Rand and wanted to see how Eggy reacted.

Notice also that Sorilea cleverly manipulates Aviendha with the talk of Feran. She states that Avi is going to be married and have babies, either way. This forces Avi to make an inward comparison between the two men and it conveys that Avi might as well let herself act on her feelings for Rand. I'd be very surprised if the Dreamwalkers haven't observed interest in Rand, on Aviendha's part. If they want to spy on Rand (they formerly did before he learned to block them out,) they surely want to spy on Aviendha, too. That might even be how she was chosen for htis role in the first place, come to think of it.

Note also that after talking with Soriea, Egwene subtly encourages Aviendha's potential interest in Feran and despite Sorilea, she also offers to speak to the other Wise Ones on Aviendha's behalf. (Egwene - I think - wants her tall, good-looking, Aiel friend out of Rand's tent during bedtime.)

The way this has all gone down though, Aviendha will not leave Rand's tent, she's very near to giving in to her feelings, and it seems likely that Egwene will feel some kind of way about that when it happens.

Lanfear is in the camp and will have feelings about this when it happens, too. One must be careful to not forget that there is an incredibly powerful Lillith/ succubus/ crazy-ex/ psychopath in this camp, even if the story has not mentioned her in a while.