The Great Hunt - Chapter 30 : Daes Dae'mar
Ch.30
Symbol : The symbol is the sun of Cairhein. I predict this chapter will take place during the day. After reading I now think the symbol was either foreshadowing the inn fire - the horn being stolen or everyone being reunited again.
Chapter title : The chapter title is Daes Dae’mar. In this chapter I’ll believe we’ll learn more about Daes Dae’mar or “The House of Games” and see how it may impact other people based on a single person's actions or a faction of people similar to Game of Thrones.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how Rand handles the game and if he decides to be a part of the game that he’s clearly denied being a part of when he first received the letters.
Main Points of the Chapter (aka what I thought was important from the chapter)
Mentioned characters : The Illuminator’s, Cuale, Captain Caldevwin, Elder Haman, Lord Barthanes and King Galldrian
“The Illuminators are now the talk of Cairhein after what happened with the fireworks, “The Illuminator’s were on everyone’s tongues in the city, even now, days after the night when they had lofted only one nightflower into the sky, and that early. A dozen different versions of the scandal were being told, discounting minor variations, but none close to the truth” (365). This makes me think everyone has a different account of what happened that night and people aren’t afraid to tell what they think happened. I feel this could be slightly dangerous.
*366, Rand wants to be called Lord Rand again, and Hurin doesn’t think it’s a good idea to start calling Rand a Lord again and Loial just a stops and just does what he says so Rand will stop nagging about it.
367, “If I go wherever it is they’ve invited me, the Cairheinin will read something into it and think I am part of somebody’s plot. If I don’t go, they’ll read something into that. If I send back an answer, they will dig for meaning in it, and the same if I don’t answer. And since half of Cairhein apparently spies on the other half, everybody knows what I do. I burned the first two, and I will burn these, just like all the others.”’ “One day there had been twelve in the pile he tossed into the common-room fireplace, seals unbroken.” “‘Whatever they make of it, at least it’s the same for everybody. I am not for anyone in Cairhein, and I am not against anyone.”’ “‘I have tried to tell you,”’ Loial said, “‘I don’t think it works that way. Whatever you do, Cairhein will see some sort of plot in it. At least, that is is what Elder Haman always said”’ (367).
To this point he had always had Moiraine (who was running the show) and now he’s stuck with Hurin and Rand is trying to decide what the right choices to make are but is turning to Loial more than Hurin and Hurin gives Rand more guidance about the House of Games.
Hurin doesn’t usually say things verbally but by his body language.
368, “If my Lord accepts both, both Houses will know it as soon as he sends his answers, and they’ll both think he’s part of some plot by the other against them. They’ll use the knife and the poison as quick as look at you.” “‘And I suppose,”’ Rand growled, “‘if I only accept one, the other will think I’m allied with that House.”’ Hurin nodded. “‘And they will probably try to kill me to stop whatever I’m involved in.”’ Hurin nodded again. “‘Then do you have any suggestions as how I avoid any of them wanting to see me dead?”’ Hurin shook his head. “‘I wish I’d never burned those first two.”’ “‘Yes my Lord. But it wouldn’t have made much difference, I’m guessing. Whoever you accepted or rejected, these Cairheinin would see something in it”’ (368).
370 : They claim to not have seen either Ingtar or Selene at first I thought it was all part of the game and that they weren’t in any trouble; and I later realized they were telling the truth about Ingtar but I’m still not convinced they’re telling the truth about Selene.
“‘All I want is to give the dagger to Mat, and the Horn to Ingtar.”’ “Then what? Go mad? Die? If I die before I go mad, at least I won’t hurt anybody else. But I don’t want to die, either. Lan can talk about Sheathing the Sword, but I’m a shepherd, not a Warder.”’
“‘If I can just not touch it,”’ he muttered, “‘maybe I can…. Owyn almost made it”’ (371-372).
The Fire
372, “A thick column of black smoke billowed up above the rooftops. He could not see what lay at the base of it, but it was too close to the inn.” “‘Darkfriends,”’ he said, staring at the smoke. “‘Trollocs can’t come inside the walls without being seen, but Darkfriends…. Hurin!”’ He broke into a run, Loial easily keeping pace beside him (372).
373, “It was the first Rand realized that Loial had followed him.” “‘Go back, Loial. I’ll bring him out.”’ “‘You cannot carry Hurin and the chest both, Rand.”’ The Ogier shrugged. “‘Besides, I won’t leave my books to burn”’ (373). “‘Rand ….”’ Loial coughed. “He was beside his bed, with the covers thrown to reveal the bare boards underneath. The chest was gone” (373). “‘Get your books. I will take Hurin. Hurry.”’ “He started to drape the limp sniffer over his shoulders, but Loial took Hurin from him. “‘The books will have to burn, Rand. You can’t carry him and crawl, and if you stand up, you will never reach the stairs”’ (373).
374, “The banner was still in there. The banner of the Dragon. Let it burn, he thought, and an answering thought cane as if he had heard Moiraine say it. Your life may depend on it. She’s still trying to use me. Your life may depend on it. Aes Sedai never lie.” “….. His saddlebags lay inside, still protected from the fire, one side bulging with the banner of Lews Therin Telamon, the wooden flute case beside them. For an instant, he hesitated. I could still let it burn” (374).
374, “‘He needs help.”’ “The woman looked at him blankly, and he tried to remember the other names he had heard people call the women who would be Wisdoms in the Two Rivers.” “‘A Wise Woman? A woman you call mother somebody? A woman who knows herbs and healing?”’ “‘I am a Reader, if that is what you mean,”’ the woman said, “‘but all I know to do for this one is to make him comfortable. Something is broken inside his head, I fear”’ (374).
At least Rand got something to lighten the mood of the chest being stolen by the Darkfriends once again; he gets reunited with Mat, Perrin, and Ingtar finally but they’re way too late (I’m assuming “too late” is referring to the fact the dagger is gone and they can’t get Mat better).
375, “Rand felt a shiver run through him.” “‘It’s too late,”’ he told them. “‘You came too late.”’ And he sat down in the street and began to laugh (375).
At the end of the chapter I started thinking there was sorta like an exchange at the end of the chapter for Rand, “do I keep the horn in exchange for seeing my friends again or not see them again and keep the Horn”, and Rand didn’t really have a choice but seeing his friends lightened losing the Horn.
I’m also thinking that either King Galldrian or Lord Barthanes are Darkfriends and perhaps knew about catching the inn on fire and helped start the fire to give Fain an opening to steal back the chest.
Lord Barthanes is the High Seat of House Damodred and that is also Moiaine’s house.
“House Damodred held the throne until Lamen lost it, and they want it back. The King would crush them, if they weren’t nearly as powerful as he was. You can’t find bitterer rivals than House Riatin and House Damodred” (368).
Rand has gotten himself tangled in a mess with the two most powerful houses in all of Cairhein.
Rand is sitting in the street laughing and Verin seems concerned about Rand and she might be thinking that Rand is being consumed by the taint and might be going mad.
Point of View at the end of the chapter
I predict this’ll be a chapter from Rand’s point of view.
The inn is on fire and now they’re back on the hunt for the Horn.
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