Cadsuane Melaidhrin

Cadsuane Melaidhrin is a fictional character in "The Wheel of Time" series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.

Description

Cadsuane is an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. She has nearly black eyes and wears her iron gray hair in a bun with many gold ornaments. The ornaments in her hair are "angreal" and "ter'angreal". These include one that tells her the direction of somebody channeling the One Power be it the male or female half, one that senses a man's ability to channel, one that stores a small amount of "saidar", one that goes cool when a woman embraces "saidar" and one that gives her the ability to disrupt an illusion when in close proximity to it. These items had been earned through trials set for her by a wilder in the Black Hillscite web|url=http://www.wotmania.com/faqtopic.asp?ID=108|title=Cadsuane's Ornaments|accessdate=2007-28-05] . When she went into retirement, Cadsuane had a legendary status amongst the other Aes Sedai. Many believed her to be dead at the time Rand declared himself to be the Dragon Reborn. Her ability to channel was the strongest of any woman in the last 1000 years until Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve were discovered. At the time she meets Rand she is over 270 years old and the oldest (known) living Aes Sedai. She is said to have had more Warders than most Aes Sedai have had shoes [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 19: Diamonds and Stars] .

History

Early life

Cadsuane was born in Far Madding in roughly 705NE. When raised to the shawl, she chose the Green Ajah. Shortly after this, she encountered a wilder called Norla, who taught her a humbling lesson and set her tasks to gain the ornaments that she now wears in her hair [Winter's Heart, Chapter 34: The Hummingbird's Secret] . Over the following years she faced more than twenty men with the ability to channel "saidin", which is more than any 4 members of the Red Ajah [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 18: As the Plow Breaks the Earth] . Also remarkable is that the men she captured tended to live longer after being gentled than those who were captured by other Aes Sedai. During the Aiel War, she came out of a 25 year retirement, during which most thought her dead, with two warders. At the end of the war she encountered a newly raised Moiraine who thought that Cadsuane might be Black Ajah [New Spring, Chapter 17: An Arrival ] . Cadsuane somehow discovered the Dragon had been reborn, and started to research in the Tower Library, where she discovered the flaw of "Callandor". Before Rand declared himself she helped to capture Logain when he was troubling Ghealdan. She then helped to capture Mazrim Taim as she could not face going back to her garden or the White Tower because she still wanted adventure [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 19: Diamonds and Stars] . She was interested in getting another warder but did not think it fair on the man due to her age. During the time before meeting Rand she refused a place as a Sitter in the Hall twice, even though it was unprecedented to refuse once. She also refused the position of Captain-General (leader) of the Green Ajah, and when the Tower thought of raising her to the Amyrlin Seat, she left for 10 years to make it impossible.

Meeting Rand

Cadsuane first meets Rand in Cairhien shortly after the Battle of Dumai's Wells [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 19: As the Plow Breaks the Earth] . Her first meeting is brief, because Rand was being short with her and then Cadsuane leaves with the two Aes Sedai at the meeting to interview them thoroughly. Later, Rand is meeting with the Rebels including Lady Caraline Damodred and High Lord Darlin Sisnera [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 35: Into the Woods] . When the meeting is attacked she slaps Rand down for using Balefire and later after having Rand healed, Min tells her what Elaida's embassy had done to him [A Crown of Swords, Chapter 36: Blades] . Cadsuane continues to interview the other Aes Sedai associated with Rand and she shows her intentions by agreeing a water oath with Sorilea to teach Rand laughter and tears, to teach him to be strong rather than hard [The Path of Daggers, Chapter 12: New Alliances] .

Rand's Advisor

Cadsuane continues to follow Rand as he travels around. She has a group of Aes Sedai with her the whole time. During this she confides in only Verin [Winter's Heart, Chapter 25: Bonds] . Rand eventually asks her to become his advisor and she tells him how [Winter's Heart, Chapter 32: A Portion of Wisdom] . While Rand is cleaning the taint from "saidin" at Shadar Logoth, Cadsuane directs the defence of him against the Forsaken. She uses her "ter'angreal" to hold a shield and to detect channeling by the Forsaken [Winter's Heart, Chapter 35: With the Choedan Kal] . After this, she continues to follow Rand and to act as his advisor, often admonishing his manners. She accompanies him to his meeting with the Seanchan where Semirhage attacks Rand. One of Cadsuane's ornaments helps to break the illusion that Sermirhage was using to pretend to be the Daughter of the Nine Moons [Knife of Dreams, Chapter 27: A Plain Wooden Box] .

References

External links

* [http://encyclopaedia-wot.org:8008/characters/c/cadsuane.html Character chronology]
* [http://www.wotmania.com/faqtopic.asp?ID=108 Cadsuane's Ornaments]