"When did you arrive in Caemlyn?" — said Queen Morgase, her eyes narrowed.
"This morning," Rand replied firmly. "Today."
"Just in time," murmured Elaida, almost to herself.
"What a coincidence, don't you think?" the Aes Sedai continued, her gaze sharp. "Today the unbeliever was brought to Caemlyn. In two days, he will be taken to Tar Valon in the north, and with him, the Daughter-Heir will depart for her training. And now, at this crossroads, a young man appears in the palace gardens, claiming to be a loyal subject of the Two Rivers..."
"What are you suggesting? That he's a Darkfriend? A follower of Logain?" Morgase shot back, the tension rising in her voice.
"The Dark One stirs in Shayol Ghul," Elaida replied, eyes locked on Rand. "The Shadow spreads across the Pattern, and the future balances on the tip of a pin. This boy is dangerous."
"Is that a Foretelling, Elaida? Are you reading the Pattern now? You always say it comes when least expected and vanishes just as suddenly. If it is a Foretelling, then I, as Queen, order you to speak clearly. No riddles. Speak. What do you see?"
Elaida straightened, her eyes blazing with something between fervor and fear.
"This I Foretell, and I swear it under the Light—I cannot speak it more plainly:
Pain and division shall come to all the world, and this man shall be at the heart of it."
"I obey the Queen," she added, "and I speak plainly."
Rand stared at Elaida, his gaze intense and unblinking. In an instant, he cast a mental probe, like a spark of Legilimency brushing against the Aes Sedai's mind. For a fleeting moment, he glimpsed her distorted visions—confused and incomplete, pale shadows compared to Helena's clarity.
Then Helena slowly raised her head. Her eyes were glazed, distant, as if staring beyond time and reality. The air in the room thickened, each molecule folding under the weight of an invisible presence. Her voice came low, yet filled with power and inevitability:
"Your deepest desire shall come true, Elaida Sedai... The throne shall be yours. But the day you sit upon it, the Tower shall be forever changed. It will be as cold as marble in winter, stripped of warmth, void of compassion. The Light shall fade from its halls... for one who loves only power can never guide the Light. Blood shall be spilled where once wisdom reigned, and the echo of your will shall be heard at birth as a lament. When the Sun turns to ash and the crown weighs like iron, you shall know you were the beginning of the end."
The silence that followed was so deep, it seemed time itself had stopped.
Elaida trembled. Her lips twitched, her skin pale. Rand, sensing the charged air in the room, stepped beside Helena and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You... you're a Foreteller," Elaida said, her eyes shining as if she had found gold.
"I apologize for what my daughter said," Rand tried to interject.
But Elaida's eyes were now full of fury, locked on Rand.
"Get out, you filth! The girl must be taken to Tar Valon! She must be trained and serve the Tower!"
"I won't let you take my daughter. I will never allow you to lure her into that place!" Rand said, his voice firm as steel.
"Elaida Sedai claims this boy is dangerous, my Queen," a counselor said urgently. "For safety's sake, I recommend he be locked in a cell until Lady Elayne, Lord Gawyn, and of course, the girl Helena, are far away."
"Which part didn't you understand? You won't take my daughter."
Elaida looked ready to burst from rage.
"A few weeks in a cell might make him reconsider—and give us time to persuade the girl."
"That's absurd!" Rand roared. "If someone tried to take the Daughter-Heir by force, what would you do, Queen Morgase?"
The guards stepped forward, swords drawn.
Rand turned on his heels. His eyes glinted dangerously.
"Take one more step and I'll kill every last one of you."
The soldiers hesitated.
"You know you can't win, even if you're a fine swordsman. You're not the only one who bears the Heron-marked blade. But to answer your question—I would never let anyone take my daughter by force."
"Then why would you take mine?!" Rand shouted.
"Because it is necessary!" Elaida cut in. "She must be trained, or she'll be a danger to herself—and to everyone around her!"
"That will be her choice. If she wishes, she'll go. But if she says no... I'll kill anyone who tries to take her!"
"Sorry, but I refuse your offer," said Helena, her voice cold as steel. In a fluid motion, she unsheathed her short sword.
Elaida began to channel—the air around her vibrated... but nothing happened.
Confused, her eyes widened. Rand raised his hand. Five silver rings glinted on his fingers. He pointed his middle finger, with a hint of mockery.
"Interesting, isn't it? Let's see what an Aes Sedai is without the One Power."
Rand surged forward with speed. He made a horizontal slash at Elaida's head—she ducked by instinct, but he spun and drove his knee into her face. The blow was clean, straight to her nose. She staggered back, blood pouring.
Before she could recover, Rand slid behind her and removed a small silver bracelet etched with runes from his tunic. Quickly, he clasped it around her wrist.
She tried to touch the Source again… and nothing. The despair in her eyes was instant.
Meanwhile, Helena faced off against two surrounding soldiers. Her movements were as graceful as a war dancer's. She dodged, parried, and countered with precision. Her strikes were aimed to disarm and disable, not kill—but her fury was palpable. She was enraged not only for being exposed... but because her father now faced the entire court alone.
Blades clashed. One soldier charged with brutality, and Helena spun, striking him with the pommel of her sword against his temple. The man dropped to his knees, unconscious. Another tried to grab her, but she slid under his arm and, with a strong sweep, threw him into a marble wall.
Then the Queen's voice rang out, firm as thunder:
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone froze. The hall fell instantly silent. The sound of swords ceased, and the guards stopped mid-motion.
Morgase descended the steps of her throne with measured steps, but the fire in her eyes betrayed her outrage.
"This madness ends now. No one else will raise arms in this chamber... while I am Queen."