Chapter 17 - A Bronze Bear

Summary

Elayne navigates palace corridors where Birgitte notes hallways have shifted or vanished, causing unease among noble guests and staff. She meets with Dyelin in the Map Room to review military maps showing Arymilla's siege and Borderlander camps waiting for the outcome. Dyelin reports that six major nobles have rejected Arymilla's invitation but remain noncommittal about supporting Elayne. Young High Seats Catalyn, Conail, Perival, and Branlet interrupt their meeting, prompting tension over strategy and supplies. Later, Vandene informs Elayne that Reanne Corly and other Kin members were murdered by a Black sister who left clues to make it appear they fled. Elayne orders the remaining Kin to stay in groups and warns them against Careane and Sareitha. Meanwhile, Arymilla dines with her allies, dismisses complaints about rancid food and strategy, maintains psychological control over Naean and Elenia, and agrees to pay mercenaries in full upfront to secure their loyalty.

Characters

• Elayne — Walks through shifting palace corridors, discusses the instability with Birgitte and Dyelin, reviews military maps showing Arymilla's siege and Borderlander camps, learns of Reanne Corly's murder by a Black sister, orders Kin members to stay in groups, and dines alone feeling lonely.
• Birgitte — Observes that palace corridors have been rearranged or disappeared, shares fears about losing past-life memories, warns Elayne of the danger posed by vanishing rooms, and clashes with Dyelin over strategy before drinking wine to ease tensions.
• Deni Colford — Leads the royal guard with a placid demeanor, deflects Birgitte's comment about her guardsmen, and states she fears actual death more than the palace's shifting corridors.
• Sergase Gilbearn — Arrives at Caemlyn with twenty armsmen, exchanges courtesies with Elayne, and displays visible worry despite pledging support.
• Kelwin Janevor — A wiry noble who brings ten armsmen to Elayne's cause and shows unease about the siege.
• Barel Layden — High Seat of a minor house who rides to Elayne's support with his forces, appearing uneasy but offering good wishes for a speedy coronation.
• Anthelle Sharplyn — Stout High Seat of a minor house who rides to Elayne's support with her forces, appearing uneasy but offering good wishes for a speedy coronation.
• Arilinde Branstrom — Normally ebullient noblewoman now chewing her lip in worry over the siege and palace instability.
• Laerid Traehand — Stocky and taciturn High Seat whose furrowed brow reflects his anxiety about the situation.
• Aubrem Pensenor — Elderly noble who arrives early with nearly a hundred men, reminisces about past service, and asks Elayne to deliver regards to Dyelin.
• Dyelin — Arrives at the palace after washing up, learns of the shifting corridors, reports that six major nobles have rejected Arymilla's invitation but remain noncommittal, and leaves watchers on Borderlander camps.
• Catalyn Haevin — Young High Seat who demands to know Aviendha's whereabouts, insists on her perquisites, and smirks at younger boys before being silenced by Dyelin.
• Conail Northan — Teenage High Seat who swaggeringly asks when allies will join them, ruffles the hair of two younger boys, and drinks wine with boyish enthusiasm.
• Perival Mantear — Twelve-year-old High Seat who serves Elayne goat's milk, offers a logical theory about Borderlander motives, and blushes at Catalyn's superior smile.
• Branlet Gilyard — Young High Seat who reaches for the wine pitcher, is corrected by Dyelin, buries his face in his goblet, and dislikes goat's milk.
• Vandene — Green Ajah sister who enters Elayne's apartments with Kirstian and Zarya, reveals Reanne Corly was murdered by a Black sister using excessive saidar, and shows signs of deep weariness and ageless features.
• Kirstian — Former runaway novice now serving under Kin rules, appears pale and meek, and solemnly nods along with Vandene's instructions.
• Zarya — Saldaean woman with tilted eyes and a hooked nose who unwraps Mirane Larinen's doll to prove the Kin members were murdered rather than fled.
• Arymilla — High Seat of House Marne commanding a siege camp, dismisses complaints about rancid food and strategy, maintains psychological control over Naean and Elenia, and agrees to pay mercenaries in full upfront to secure their loyalty.
• Lir — Drunken High Seat of Baryn who grumbles about pinprick attacks and demands a heavier push against Caemlyn's walls.
• Karind — Intoxicated High Seat of Anshar who fiddles with her signet pin and agrees with Lir that pressing home the attack is necessary.
• Nasin — Elderly, senile noble wearing a flower-embroidered coat, eats heartily despite rotten stew, leers at Elenia, and repeatedly reminds Sylvase she will inherit his seat after he dies.
• Elenia — Fox-faced woman who controls House Sarand but flinches in fear whenever Nasin looks at her, meekly obeys Arymilla, and drains her cup to avoid conflict.
• Sylvase — Nasin's granddaughter who speaks rarely but asks a sharp question about accepting Luan's truce, displaying unexpected insight before masking it with an insipid gaze.
• Jakob Hernvil — Lean, discreet secretary who waits in the mud to deliver news that mercenaries have agreed to fight for Arymilla on condition of full upfront payment.
• Yurith Azeri — Guardswomen stationed outside Elayne's apartments, noted as an excellent conversationalist despite her silence regarding her past.