Actually, I wasn't referring to that agreement. While it does increase Egwene's personal influence, I do think it will be beneficial for all involved.

I was, in fact, referring to her dealings with the Hall of the Tower. Gaining exclusive authority to deal with every other monarch in the Westlands is ridiculous enough, even without that childish trick of "Oh wait, the Dragon Reborn counts as a monarch?" and I really have no idea how the Hall let that pass. Actually, I do, I've been saying throughout The Gathering Storm and even before - Egwene's successes are built on Aes Sedai idiocy. So this is par for the course.

But then there's the rescinding of the tradition that allows the Hall to convene without the Amyrlin. Not saying that it wasn't an idiotic tradition that would naturally lead to deceit and backstabbing, I'm just saying that wasn't the reason why Egwene wanted it abolished. Now she's limited the Hall's ability to operate as a check to the Amyrlin's power. And that's why she did it.

And there's this gathering of people of influence she's calling to stand against Rand - under the White Tower. Tell me, do you really believe that once under Egwene's grasp she'll ever willingly let them go?



The Last Battle is about to appear, and they haven't even agreed to this procedure yet. Even when they do, it'll be two women in each exchange. This not going to have any impact on the Last Battle, and don't even try to use it as a justification.



I do hope you're kidding. If you're not, then this seems like justification for the Seanchan conquest of the entire continent.



So her pursuit of personal power is justified because it will result in additional personal power. This is nonsense. Every other bickering noble is trying to gain additional power and stop their rivals from opposing them too.



They'll all be allied against the Shadow anyway.



I wasn't aware that Egwene had made any particular mention of it, but if she does want Elayne as Queen of Cairhien it's probably so she can have an Aes Sedai as Queen of Cairhien.



Of course she does. Every nation is justified in wanting them, it makes their nation more powerful. She has the same justification as Murandy or Tear or Arad Doman or the Seanchan or even the Shadow.

Now, what about the fact that she seizes some of the richest estates in her kingdom from their owners so that she can give them to people she needs to bribe to fulfil her own ambitions? A ruler who claims to have the right to seize your property for her own benefit is in direct violation of one of the three natural rights of John Locke - life, liberty and estate.

Or how about that bit about starting a war with the Two Rivers on the eve of the Last Battle to either soothe her pride or else to increase her own power? Starting a war with one of the Light's champions isn't going to help in the Last Battle, far from. What's your justification for this one, the Seanchan?



Yes, you use external threats as a justification for all kinds of political power-seeking. Watch:

Colavaere: Yes, I seized the throne, but with the Last Battle looming, we cannot await for Egwene to decide that she's tired of playing around in Altara and take the Sun Throne herself, Cairhien needs a monarch to restore order and prepare the nation to fight against the Shadow!

Fortuona: We are perfectly justified in attacking and capturing the White Tower. This number of channelers represents an invaluable asset for the Last Battle and under the banner of the Empire they can offer a much stronger bulwark against the Shadow!

And so on.