Cyndane



Cyndane, meaning “Last Chance”, first makes our acquaintance when she leads Moghedien to Graendal’s abode to summon Graendal to Moridin. Cyndane is described to us as a short, bosomy young woman with long silver hair, vivid blue eyes and full lips, over all a very pretty woman except the eyes that are often described as “cold” or “glacial”. Graendal describes Cyndane’s personality as “haughty”, “arrogant”, and “obnoxious”. Cyndane’s attitude at being allowed to lead between the two Chosen and her black and red silk dress seems to suggest that Cyndane’s is the other cour’souvra held by Moridin.

The reader knows two things from Moghedien’s point of view. One that red and black is Moridin’s color and secondly that Moridin holds two cour’souvra. Moghedien thinks to herself: “the black and red dress was Moridin’s joke. They were his colors and she would wear them while she was in his service. It was livery no matter how fine.” (ACOS, Ch. 30, pg. 483) The cour’souvra is aptly called a “mindtrap”. It appears to simply be a red crystal in a case of gold wire; however, the very fragile ornament holds the mind and soul of the channeler. If the cour’souvra were to be broken one’s soul would be trapped within a body that could still see, hear, taste, and touch; but would be helpless within an “automaton…utterly obedient to whoever held it”. (ACOS, Ch. 25, pg. 419) Cyndane’s fear of Moridin suggests that she may indeed be held by the other mindtrap in Moridin’s keeping. Confirmation itself comes later when from Cyndane’s own point of view she can "feel Moridin’s hand caressing her cour’souvra" (WH, Ch. 35, pg. 641).

After this initial meeting, many readers speculated that Cyndane might have been Lanfear “transmigrated”, (the word Demandred uses when thinking about the ‘resurrection’ of the Chosen). Cyndane knows the Rand holds the Choedan Kal access keys, which was only known by Rand and Lanfear. This idea seems to be confirmed when Graendal realizes that Cyndane is stronger in the power than even her which was “uncommon “ among men in the Age of Legends, and “very rare among women”. Later though Demandred gives the reader reason to doubt by stating that Mesaana had told him that Cyndane was weaker in the power than Lanfear had been. This particular mystery was solved by Cyndane’s own thoughts when she meets Alivia outside of Shadar Logoth: “[Alivia was] stronger than [Cyndane] before being held by the Aelfinn and Eelfinn” (WH, Ch. 35, pg. 649)

The only real question this leaves us then is: Does Cyndane still love Lews Therin and intend to continue trying to pursue a relationship? All evidence points to a resounding NO! When Rand uses the keys in Shadar Logoth, Cyndane feels that Lews Therin scorned and betrayed her. Due to her rage and hatred she wants nothing more than to see him die. As a matter of fact she thinks to herself that she is "determined to see Lews Therin die". (WH, Ch.35, pg. 649) Through the threads of fate Rand al’Thor may discover if the old saying ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ is true.

~ Submitted by Jayna, December 2002, as her Accepted contribution ~



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