Chapter 14 - What Wise Ones Know

Summary

Halwin Norry and Reene Harfor deliver palace intelligence, revealing Master Harnder's espionage for the Brown Ajah and Jon Skellit's defection as a double agent. Norry reports coordinated arsons designed to divert water-wagons away from warehouses and uncovers massive loans taken by Arymilla, Elenia, and Naean against their estates. Elayne directs Birgitte to irregularly shift mercenary garrisons to prevent gate betrayals while she confirms her political strategy of using the Borderlander march as a distraction. After the clerks depart, Aviendha detects an eavesdropping attempt, and the group analyzes uncommitted High Seats on a map before Monaelle and Sumeko conduct a pregnancy examination that confirms Elayne is carrying twins. The meeting concludes when Caseille reports Merilille Sedai's suspicious departure with tattooed companions, forcing Elayne to order an immediate city-wide search to prevent a diplomatic crisis with the Atha'an Miere.

Characters

• Halwin Norry — Reports nine arsons designed to draw water-wagons away from warehouses and uncovers massive loans taken by Arymilla, Elenia, and Naean against their estates. He notes declining street crime but warns that the mercenaries' financial instability could lead to gate betrayals.
• Reene Harfor — Discovers Master Harnder's Brown Ajah espionage network and turns Jon Skellit into a double agent who will now deliver messages directly to Elayne's camps. She maintains her professional distance from Norry while efficiently managing palace security.
• Aviendha — Weaves a ward against eavesdropping and later detects an attempted listening spell after the clerks depart. She monitors political developments, questions the beacon's safety, and undergoes a specialized medical weave alongside Elayne.
• Elayne Trakand / Elayne — Receives intelligence on palace spies and mercenary financial schemes, then directs Birgitte to shift guard postings irregularly to prevent betrayal. She confirms her plan to use the Borderlander march as a political distraction and learns she is carrying healthy twins during a medical examination.
• Birgitte Silverbow / Birgitte — Plots warehouse locations against the arsonists and analyzes mercenary loyalty risks based on Norry's financial reports. She tracks uncommitted High Seats on a map, predicts their likely camping grounds, and prepares to shift mercenary garrisons to secure the city gates.
• Dyelin Taravin / Dyelin — Expresses deep distrust of the hired mercenaries and worries about their potential betrayal if bankers discover their double-pledged loans. She debates the movements of uncommitted High Seats with Birgitte and bristles at Sumeko's curt dismissal during the pregnancy examination.
• Monaelle — Performs a specialized weave called Caressing the Child to examine Elayne's womb, confirming the presence of healthy twins and explaining how channeling will become difficult during pregnancy. She announces that the magical beacon to Rand has suddenly vanished, signaling a major change in his fate.
• Sumeko Karistovan / Sumeko — Observes the medical weave with interest and explains its origins to Elayne. She warns of potential mood swings during pregnancy, then reacts with dread upon feeling the beacon's disappearance before being interrupted by a report about missing Sea Folk apprentices.
• Caseille Sokorin / Caseille — Enters to deliver urgent news that Sea Folk apprentices are missing and Merilille Sedai was seen leaving the palace with a cloaked woman whose hands bore tattoos. Her report forces Elayne to immediately shift focus from political strategy to preventing a diplomatic incident with the Atha'an Miere.
• Merilille Sedai / Merilille — Reported by stablehands and guards as having left the palace three hours prior with a cloaked, tattooed companion and a loaded pack mule. Elayne deduces she may be attempting to take Windfinder apprentices to Tar Valon, prompting an immediate city-wide search order.
• Master Harnder — Identified by Reene as a spy for the Brown Ajah who visits Millis Fendry at the Hoop and Arrow inn every few days to send pigeon messages north. His espionage network is noted alongside those of other palace staff and clerks.
• Millis Fendry — Runs the Hoop and Arrow inn and keeps pigeons that Master Harnder uses to transmit intelligence to the White Tower. Three Brown Ajah sisters visit her privately for over an hour, confirming her role as a spy contact.
• Jon Skellit — A barber previously in the pay of House Arawn who now agrees to carry messages directly to Elayne's camps after his previous contacts are eliminated. His greed for dual payment makes him a reliable double agent for the palace.