The Aiel reach Cold Rocks Hold, owned by Rhuarc’s other wife, Lian. Couladin oversteps his rank during the welcoming ceremony, and in response is shamed as a beggar. Rand covers for Amys’ issues with Aviendha teaching him about the Aiel, and asks that she keep the role just so he’ll know where their spy is. Over dinner he learns that they’ll have to wait here a month, to be sure that none of the chiefs will arrive to the meeting after him and be dishonored, to which he gets upset and goes for a walk.
Well, not much really happens here, but at least the character material we get is interesting, unlike the last chapter. Even Aviendha is more tolerable as she actually has some fun with her position rather than just having pure contempt for Rand. There’s not much of the book left, but if chapters like this are all we get of this storyline until the next book, I would actually be okay with that.
