Winter's Heart/Prologue

==Summary==
The prologue opens up to a basement in the White Tower where Pevara Tazanovni, Seaine Herimon, Doesine Alwain and Yukiri Sedai are performing a ritual on an Aes Sedai. The ritual is normally used on criminals to make them confess to their crimes and repent. A ter'angreal is used for this, the Chair of Remorse. Yukiri worries that they will be removed as Sitters, and probably worse since they are forbidden to use the Chair on initiates of the White Tower.
At the end of the ritual, Talene Minly is made to renounce her previous oaths and re-swear the three oaths along with the "new fourth oath" to obey the five sisters present. She is then questioned and reveals she is Black Ajah.
Elayne Trakand is in her sitting room with Birgitte Trahelion and Dyelin Taravin, discussing the current state of things and Elayne's plans for the future. Birgitte lets slip another piece of her puzzle when Elayne orders her to make an army good enough to withstand ten houses. They are interrupted by the Sea Folk Renaile din Calon Blue Star, Zaida din Parede Blackwing, and Merilille. The windfinders are badgering Elayne for more teachers to fulfill their bargain. Shortly after an agreement is made for sisters in the Palace to do some teaching, Reene Harfor announces Mazrim Taim who enters unceremoniously with two Asha'man and presents his own demands on Elayne's time and land. Just as Elayne is setting him straight, the Wise One, Nadere enters to call Elayne away.
Elayne needs to answer the summons immediately and without hesitation. She also needs to answer it "as a child comes to birth."
She is told to strip in front of all present. As Elayne complies much to her embarrassment, Taim gives the Asha'man present the order "about face." Several of the ladies present attempt to form a wall between Elayne and Taim (who admires Elayne's hips over his shoulder). After she strips naked, and leaves the room with nothing but a shawl to guard against the cold, she is brought to a room with half a dozen Wise Ones and the birthing ceremony where she and Aviendha become first-sisters commences. 
The ceremony is a ritual involving surrogate mothers for each Elayne (Viendre) and Aviendha (Tamela) as well as a third surrogate mother to "suffer the pangs of birth." Amys serves the last role. Wise Ones weave Saidar and Monaelle, acting as an officiant, asks Elayne and Aviendha a series of questions to be answered with complete honesty about each other and then directs the women to slap each other. The resolve to become first-sisters not shattered by the honesty and pain inflicted, Elayne experiences a simulated gestation as a fetus through birth, sensing Aviendha along side her for the experience.
Elayne notices more than a kinship with Aviendha after the rebirth. She senses a psychic link not unlike her bond with her Warder but fainter.
Toveine Gazal and Gabrelle Brawley Sedai are bound to Logain Ablar by the warder bond. She watches a group walk through the village area, not realizing Mazrim Taim is escorting Elayne and Birgitte until one of the Asha'man calls her Lady Elayne. She has orders to hide her face from outsiders so none will know she is Aes Sedai. 
Toveine learns that Gabrelle is sleeping with Logain and is disgusted by it. Gabrelle explains she was using it to extract information from Logain and begins sharing all she learned. Apparently, Logain is the only full Asha'man in this village while all others are with Taim in his "palace." After reading through Toveine's papers, including Elaida's orders to gentle and hang all male channelers on the spot, he burned them in an effort to protect them. The Black Tower had already begun separating into one faction for Taim and another faction for Logain. Now that their attack on the Black Tower failed, they decide to unite under Desandre Alraed as the only way to keep the 51 captured Aes Sedai together.
Rand and Min are in the Academy at Cairhien so she can get some books from Master Fel's old library. He has apparently been jumping around the world trying to throw various people off his trail and lead others into a trap. Dobraine reports on what is happening at the Sun Palace and Idrien Tarsin reports on the various strange inventions being made at the Academy. After they leave Rand tells Min what his real plan is, to cleanse the taint from saidin. Rand is carrying both of the Choedan Kal access keys with him; he plans to use them, but one will need a woman channeler.
==Notes==
The weave used during the first sisters ceremony to hold the words of Aviendha and Elayne is potentially similar to a weave that could be used to avoid the three oaths by black sisters.
==Characters==
* Seaine Herimon
* Saerin Asnobar
* Pevara Tazanovni
* Talene Minly
* Yukiri
* Doesine Alwain
* Elayne
* Dyelin
* Birgitte
* Renaile din Calon Blue Star
* Zaida din Parede Blackwing
* Merilille
* Reene Harfor
* Mazrim Taim
* Nadere
* Aviendha
* Amys
* Tamela
* Viendre
* Monaelle
* Shyanda
* Toveine Gazal
* Logain
* Akoure Vayet
* Desandre
* Jenare
* Lemai
* Carniele
* Gabrelle
* Evin Vinchova
* Donalo Sandomere
* Androl Genhald
* Mezar Kurin
* Welyn Kajima
* Canler
* Ayako Norsoni
* Rand
* Min
* Dobraine
* Idrien Tarsin
* Lews Therin
* Mervin Poel
===Referenced===
* Ferane Neheran
* Jesse Bilal
* Suana Dragand
* Elaida
* Zerah Dacan
* Bernaile Gelbarn
* Reanne Corly
* Egwene
* Thom
* Mat
* Gareth Bryne
* Arymilla Marne
* Nasin Caeren
* Nynaeve
* Vandene
* Naean Arawn
* Elenia Sarand
* Jarid Sarand
* Luan Norwelyn
* Ellorien Traemane
* Abelle Pendar
* Gaebril / Rahvin
* Morgase
* Gawyn
* Lini
* Nesta din Reas Two Moons
* Careane Fransi
* Sareitha Tomares
* Melaine
* Bael
* Jara Doweel
* Mishraile
* Charl Gedwyn
* Manel Rochaid
* Raefar Kisman
* Peral Torval
* Dashiva
* Damer Flinn
* Eben Hopwil
* Jahar Narishma
* Artur Hawkwing
* Alanna Mosvani
* Herid Fel
* Ailil Riatin
* Shalon din Togara Morning Tide
* Cadsuane Melaidhrin
* Arilyn Dhulaine
* Caraline Damodred
* Darlin Sisnera
* Toram Riatin
* Harine din Togara Two Winds
* Kin Tovere
* Maryl Harke
* Jander Parentakis
* Ryn Anhara
* Niko Tokama
* Gregorin den Lushenos
* Ilyena
==Places==
* White Tower
* Caemlyn
* Black Tower
* Cairhien (city)
* School of Cairhien
===Referenced===
* Tar Valon
* Cairhien
* Emond's Field
* Andor
* Ebou Dar
* Kandor
* Mountains of Mist
* Murandy
* Aringill
* Tanchico
* Tear
* Tel'aran'rhiod
* Ghealdan
* Lugard
* Two Rivers
* Dumai's Wells
* Shienar
* Illian
* Baerlon
* Rhuidean
* Shara
* Aiel Waste
* Chachin
==Items==
* Chair of Remorse
* Oath Rod
===Referenced===
* Horn of Valere
* Bowl of the Winds