Chapter 35: Stedding Tsofu

Chasing Fain away from Toman Head, the party rides two days from Cairhien to Stedding Tsofu. Ingtar grumbles about the detour, but Verin keeps the pace.

Crossing into the stedding, Rand feels saidin vanish; the void is empty. The young Ogier Erith meets them and asks most of the Shienarans to wait Outside. Only Ingtar and Hurin come in with the rest.

As they walk, Loial tells the others of the Longing: an Ogier kept Outside too long sickens and dies. He grows nervous as Ogier women keep appearing to look him over.

At the town centre they meet three Aiel Maidens of the Spear. The Maidens veil and advance, but an Ogier named Juin invokes the Pact that forbids violence in a stedding. The women stand down, ashamed. Rhian says they came for sung wood from the stedding's Treesingers.

Waiting for the Elders, Perrin and Mat tell Rand the Aiel are truly searching for He Who Comes With the Dawn, and they think it is him. Rand refuses the idea. Loial admits he fears the Elders will learn he left Stedding Shangtai without permission and write to his mother to have him married off. Juin returns to bring them before the Elders.