Lord of Chaos/Chapter 53

== Summary ==
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The Cairhienin are enjoying the Feast of Lights with abandon, very different from their usual prim ways. Everyone is kissing and most of the women don't have their shirts on. Rand has been gone for six days and the Aes Sedai left three days ago. Faile is still jealous and Perrin can't figure out how to resolve things between them. Dobraine arrives to inform Perrin that Lord Maringil was found poisoned while Lord Meilan was stabbed, apparently by a footpad. Also, Colavaere has been meeting with some of the Cairhien houses to push for her right to the Sun Throne. Berelain enters, angering Perrin because she has been stalking him. He shouts at her to leave him alone. Startled, she drops her bundle―Rand's sword, which he would not likely have left behind. Sulin realizes that the Aes Sedai have taken Rand and begins to wail. Sulin tells Luaine to bring her some cadin'sor and to fetch Rhuarc and Nandera immediately.
Aiel begin arriving as different pieces of the situation are brought to light. Colavaere would only be trying for the throne if she was sure Rand would not be back. The Shaido are moving out of Kinslayer's Dagger, so Rhuarc can not bring as many Aiel as he would like. Also, the only Aiel who will be willing to fight against Aes Sedai are the Maidens and the Siswai'aman. Dobraine will bring his men and the Wise Ones will come to counter the Aes Sedai. Perrin also plans to call the wolves to aid him. Perrin shouts at Berelain, again, and for some reason Faile is hurt by this.
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Galina is pressuring Min for information. She doesn't understand why Siuan was so interested in her. Rand killed two of Erian's warders when he saw Min had been captured also. Since then, he has been trying to break the shield, even though he is punished when he tries. There are thirty-three Aes Sedai in the camp. Galina wants to gentle Rand immediately, but that would be against her orders.
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Rand is pulled out of the box they have him in. Erian begins to beat him with channeled flows. After he finally recovers from the beating, he notices that there are Wise Ones in the camp, including Sevanna. He is put back in the box where he competes with Lews Therin for access to saidin. Finally he tells Lews they should work together and gets a response. Lews tells Rand he can unravel the shield if they tie it off, but not so long as they actively maintain it.
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Galina plans to use the Aiel to get rid of Gawyn and his Younglings. She isn't worried at all that the Aiel savages have Wise Ones that can channel. She plans to punish Rand twice a day until they reach Tar Valon, probably in twenty days.
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The Wise Ones learned the weaves to shield and hold Rand, so Sevanna can proceed with her plan to take Rand from them. She is supposed to use the call box to call Caddar, but she decides to discard it, instead. Sevanna plans to marry the Car'a'carn and keep him shielded and on a leash. The Wise Ones kill Desaine, one of Sevanna's rivals, using the One Power to make it appear that she was killed by Aes Sedai. Sevanna will use this as an excuse to attack the Aes Sedai.
==Characters==
* Perrin
* Idrien
* Herid Fel
* Loial
* Faile
* Sulin
* Dobraine
* Luaine
* Sorilea
* Amys
* Rhuarc
* Nandera
* Galina
* Carilo
* Rand
* Gawyn
* Erian
* Lews Therin in Rand's head
* Sevanna
* Therava
* Desaine
===Referenced===
* Min
* Maringil
* Meilan
* Colavaere
* Elayne
* Taringail
* Morgase
* Dannil
* Nynaeve
* Egwene
* Siuan
* Elaida
* Alviarin
* Couladin
* Rashan
* Bartol
==Places==
* Cairhien (city)
* Cairhien
* Sun Palace
===Referenced===
* Two Rivers
* Emond's Field
* Tar Valon
* Stone of Tear
* Mayene
* Rhuidean