Potential Spoilers Below
The speech that Daenerys
gave on Drogon
to me was very similar to the speech that Couladin gave in TWOT. I believe that there will be another Dance of the Dragons
between Daenerys and Jon Snow. Couladin and
Rand were both trying to gain the support of the Aiel; both had the prophesied
dragon marks on their arms but Couladin’s were fake. Both Couladin and Daenerys gave their speeches in a canyon that had excellent acoustics. Rhuidean to me is ASOIAF's equivalent of the Mother of Mountains. In ASOIAF both Jon Snow and Daenerys are given the attributes that Rand, the Dragon Reborn, demonstrated.
In the following from TWOT Couladin is
represented by the red italicized words and Rand the blue italicized words:
“If this wetlander can speak,” Sevanna said quickly, “so may Couladin.” She
lifted a smooth hand, and Couladin scrambled onto the ledge, face an angry red.
 |
| Sevanna |
Han
rounded on him. “Stand down, Couladin! It is bad enough that Rhuarc violates custom without you doing it
as well!”
 |
| Han |
 |
| Rhuarc |
“It is time to be done with wornout customs!” the fieryhaired
Shaido shouted, stripping off his
grayandbrown coat. There was no need for shouting — his words echoed across the
canyon — but he did not lower his voice. “I am He Who Comes With the Dawn!” Shoving shirtsleeves above his elbows, he thrust his
fists into the air. Around each forearm wound a serpentine creature scaled in
crimson and gold, glittering metallically feet each tipped with five golden
claws, goldenmaned heads resting on the backs of his wrists. Two perfect
Dragons. “I am
the Car'a'carn!” The roar that
came back was like thunder, Aiel leaping to their feet and shouting joyously. The sept chiefs were on their feet, too, the Taardad
clustered worriedly, the others shouting as loudly as anyone.
The clan chiefs looked stunned,
even Rhuarc. Adelin and her nine Maidens hefted their spears as
if they expected to use them any moment. Eyeing the gap leading out, Mat pulled
his hat low and guided the two horses close to the ledge, motioning
surreptitiously for Rand
to get back into his saddle.
 |
| Maidens |
 |
| Rand |
Sevanna smiled smugly, adjusting her
shawl, as Couladin strode to the front of the ledge with his arms high. “I bring change!”
he shouted. “According
to the prophecy, I bring new days! We will cross the Dragonwall again, and take back what was ours! The wetlanders are soft,
but rich! You remember the wealth brought back when last we went into the
Wetlands! This time, we will take it all! This time... !”
Rand let the man's tirade wash over him.
Of things possible, he had never suspected this. How? The word kept sliding
through his head, yet he could not believe how composed he was. Slowly he took
off his coat, hesitating a moment before fishing the angreal from his pocket;
sticking it into the waistband of his breeches, he dropped the coat and walked
to the front of the ledge, calmly undoing the laces of his sleeves. They slid
down as he raised his arms above his head.
It took a moment for the assembled Aiel to notice the Dragons wrapped around his
arms, too, shining in the sunlight. Their hush came by increments, but it was
total. Sevanna's mouth dropped open; she had not known of this. Obviously
Couladin had not thought Rand would follow so quickly, had not told her another
bore the markings, too. How? The man must have believed he would have time;
once he had established himself, Rand could be dismissed as a fraud. Light,
how? If the roofmistress
of Comarda Hold was stunned now,
so were the clan chiefs, save only Rhuarc. Two men marked as prophecy said only
one could be. Couladin ranted on, waving
his arms to make sure all saw. “...will not stop with the lands of the oathbreakers! We will
take all the lands to the Aryth Ocean! The wetlanders cannot stand against —” Suddenly
he became aware of the silence where eager cries had been. He knew what had
caused it. Without turning to look at Rand, he shouted, “Wetlander! Look at his clothes! A wetlander!”
 |
| Aiel warriors |
“A wetlander,” Rand agreed. He did not raise his
voice, but the canyon carried it to everyone. The Shaido looked startled for a
moment, then grinned triumphantly — until Rand went on. “What does the Prophecy of Rhuidean say? 'Born of the blood.' My mother was Shaiel,
a Maiden of the Chumai Taardad.” Who was she really? Where did she come from? “My
father was Janduin, of the Iron Mountain sept, clan chief of the Taardad.” My father is Tam al'Thor. He
found me, raised me, loved me. I wish I could have known you, Janduin, but Tam
is my father. “ 'Born of the blood, but raised by those not of the blood.' Where did
the Wise Ones send to
look for me? Into the holds of the Threefold Land? They sent across the Dragonwall, where I was raised.
According to the prophecy.”
Bael
and the other three nodded slowly, but reluctantly; there was still the matter
of Couladin also bearing the Dragons, and doubtless they would rather have one
of their own. Sevanna's face had firmed; no matter who bore the real markings,
there was no doubt whom she supported.
 |
| Bael |
Couladin's confidence never wavered; he
sneered openly at Rand, the first time he had even looked at him. “How long since the
Prophecy of Rhuidean was first spoken?” He still seemed to think he
had to shout. “Who
can say how much the words have changed? My mother was Far Dareis Mai before
she gave up the spear. How much has the rest changed? Or been changed! It is
said we once served the Aes Sedai. I say they mean to bind us to them once more! This wetlander
was chosen because he resembles us! He is none of our blood! He came with Aes
Sedai leading him on a leash! And the Wise Ones greeted them as they would firstsisters! You have all heard of Wise Ones who can do things beyond
belief. The dreamwalkers used the One Power to keep me from this wetlander! They used the One Power, as
Aes Sedai are said to do! The Aes Sedai have brought this wetlander here to
bind us with fakery! And the dreamwalkers help them!”
“This is madness!” Rhuarc strode up
beside Rand, staring out at the still silent gathering. “Couladin never went to
Rhuidean, I heard the Wise Ones refuse him. Rand al'Thor did go. I saw him
leave Chaendaer, and I saw him
return, marked as you see.”
“And why did they refuse me?” Couladin snarled. “Because the Aes Sedai told them to! Rhuarc
does not tell you that one of the Aes Sedai went down from Chaendaer with this
wetlander! That is how he returned with the Dragons! By Aes Sedai witchery! My
brother Muradin
died below Chaendaer, murdered by this wetlander and the Aes Sedai Moiraine,
and the Wise Ones, doing Aes Sedai bidding, let them walk free! When night
came, I went to Rhuidean. I did not reveal myself until now because this is the
proper place for the Car'a'carn to show himself! I am the Car'a'carn!”
 |
| Rhuidean |
Lies, touched with just enough flecks of
truth. The man was all victorious confidence, sure he had an answer for
anything.
“You say you went to Rhuidean without
the permission of the Wise Ones?” Han demanded, frowning. Towering Bael looked
just as disapproving with his arms folded, Erim and Jheran only slightly less so. The clan
chiefs, at least, still wavered. Sevanna gripped her belt knife, glaring at Han
as if she would like to drive it into his back.
 |
| Erim |
 |
| Jheran |
Couladin had his answer, though. “Yes, without it! He
Who Comes With the Dawn brings change! So says the prophecy! Useless ways must
change, and I will change them! Did I not arrive here with the dawn?”
The clan chiefs stood balanced on the
edge, and so did all the watching Aiel, all on their feet now, staring
silently, waiting in their thousands. If Rand could not convince them, he
likely would not leave Alcair Dal
alive. Mat motioned again to Jeade'en's saddle. Rand did not even bother
to shake his head.
 |
| Mat |
There was a consideration beyond getting
out alive; he needed these people, needed their loyalty. He had to have people
who followed him because they believed, not to use him, or for what he could
give them. He had to.
“Rhuidean,” he said. The word seemed to fill the canyon. “You claim you
went to Rhuidean, Couladin. What did you see there?”
“All know Rhuidean is not to be spoken of,” Couladin shot
back.
“We can go apart,” Erim said, “and speak
in private so you can tell us —” The Shaido cut him off, face flushed angrily.
“I will speak of it with no one. Rhuidean is a holy place, and
what I saw was holy. I am holy!” He raised his Dragon marked arms
again. “These
make me holy!”
“I walked among glass columns beside Avendesora.” Rand spoke
quietly, but the words carried everywhere. “I saw the history of the Aiel through my ancestors' eyes.
What did you see, Couladin? I am not afraid to speak. Are you?” The
Shaido quivered with rage, face nearly the color of his fiery hair.
Uncertain looks passed between Bael and
Erim, Jheran and Han. “We must go apart for this,” Han muttered.
Couladin did not seem to realize he had
lost his advantage with the four, but Sevanna did. “Rhuarc has told him these
things,” she spat. “One of Rhuarc's wives is a dreamwalker, one of those who
aids the Aes Sedai! Rhuarc has told him!”
“Rhuarc would not,” Han snapped at her.
“He is clan chief, and a man of honor. Do not speak of what you do not know,
Sevanna!”
“I am not afraid!” Couladin shouted. “No man can call me afraid! I, too, saw with my
ancestors' eyes! I saw our coming to the Threefold Land! I saw our glory! The
glory I will bring back to us!”
“I saw the Age of Legends,” Rand announced, “and the
beginning of the Aiel journey to the Threefold Land.” Rhuarc caught
his arm, but he shook the clan chief off. This moment had been fated since the
Aiel gathered before Rhuidean the first time. “I saw the Aiel when they were called the Da'shain Aiel, and followed the Way of the Leaf.”
“No!” The shout rose from out in the
canyon and spread in a roar. “No! No!” From thousands of throats. Spearpoints
shaken in the air caught the sunlight. Even some of the Taardad sept chiefs
were shouting. Adelin stared up at Rand, stricken. Mat shouted something at
Rand, lost in the thunder, waving urgently for him to take his saddle.
“Liar!”
The canyon's shape carried Couladin's bellow, wrath mixed with triumph, over
the shouts of the gathering. Shaking her head frantically, Sevanna reached for
him. She must at least have suspected now that he was the fake, yet if she
could keep him quiet they might yet pull it off. As Rand hoped, Couladin pushed
her away. The man knew Rand had been to Rhuidean — he could not possibly
believe half of his own story — but neither could he believe this. “He proves himself a
fraud from his own mouth! We have always been warriors! Always! To the
beginning of time!”
The roar swelled, spears shaking, but
Bael and Erim, Jheran and Han stood in stony silence. They knew now. Unaware of
their looks, Couladin waved his Dragonwreathed arms to the assembled Aiel,
exulting in the adulation.
“Why?” Rhuarc said softly beside Rand.
“Did you not understand why we do not speak of Rhuidean? To face that we were
once so different from everything we believe, that we were the same as the
despised Lost Ones you call Tuatha'an.
Rhuidean kills those who cannot face it. Not more than one man in three lives
who goes to Rhuidean. And now you have spoken for all to hear. It cannot be
stopped here, Rand al'Thor. It will spread. How many will be strong enough to
bear it?”
 |
| Tuatha'an |
He will take you back, and he will destroy
you. “I bring
change,” Rand said sadly. “Not peace, but turmoil.” Destruction follows
on my heels everywhere. Will there ever be anywhere I do not tear apart? “What will be,
will be, Rhuarc. I can't change it.”
“What will be, will be,” the Aielman murmured
after a moment.
Couladin still strode up and down,
shouting to the Aiel of glory and conquest, unaware of the clan chiefs staring
at his back. Sevanna did not look at Couladin at all; her pale green eyes were
intent on the clan chiefs, lips pulled back in a grimace, breasts heaving with
anxious breaths. She had to know what their silent stares meant.
“Rand al'Thor,” Bael said loudly, the
name slicing through Couladin's shouts, cutting off the roar of the crowd like
a blade. He stopped to clear his throat, head swinging as though seeking a way
out of this. Couladin turned, folding his arms confidently, no doubt expecting
a sentence of death for the wetlander. The very tall clan chief took a deep
breath. “Rand al'Thor is the Car'a'carn. Rand al'Thor is He Who Comes With the Dawn.”
Couladin's eyes widened in incredulous fury.
“Rand al'Thor is He Who Comes With the
Dawn,” leatheryfaced Han announced, just as reluctantly.
“Rand al'Thor is He Who Comes With the
Dawn.” That from Jheran, grimly, and from Erim, “Rand al'Thor is He Who Comes
With the Dawn.”
“Rand al'Thor,” Rhuarc said, “is He Who
Comes With the Dawn.” In a voice too soft to carry even from the ledge, he
added, “And the Light have mercy on us.”
For a long, stretched moment the silence
lasted. Then Couladin leaped snarling from the ledge, snatching a spear from
one of his Seia Doon, hurling it straight
at Rand. Yet as he moved down, Adelin leaped up; his spearpoint stabbed through
the layered bullhide of her outstretched buckler, swinging her around.
Pandemonium exploded through the canyon,
men shouting and shoving. The other Jindo
Maidens jumped up beside Adelin, forming a screen in front of Rand. Sevanna had
climbed down to shout urgently at Couladin, hanging on his arm as he tried to
lead his Shaido Black Eyes against the Maidens between him and Rand. Heirn and a dozen more Taardad sept chiefs
joined Adelin, spears ready, but others were shouting loudly. Mat scrambled up,
gripping his blackhafted spear with its ravenmarked sword point, roaring what had
to be curses in the Old Tongue.
Rhuarc and the other clan chiefs raised their voices, vainly trying to restore
order. The canyon boiled like a cauldron. Rand saw veils lifted. A spear
flashed, stabbing. Another. He had to stop this.
Comments
encouraged. Love to hear the idea's of others. Most believe that
since I present my idea's as "fact like" I'm not open to change my
viewpoints which as far from the truth. I simply look at the information
presented and go from there. If you can shine a light on another way of
thinking that opens the door to debate.
