So where *did* she go?

[Marie 73]

So. Yes. I understand how RJ wanted there to be mystery to Moiraine and have readers question her motives (that didn't really work with me..but then I never liked Rand anyway!) so having her be elsewhere the same time as the darkfriend social clearly helped in that regard. We know, of course, she isn't a darkfriend but I still want to know where she went and why!

 

Perhaps it is because it is the Borderlands, and I can't see any reason why anyone would want to be alone up there that close to the Blight, Aes Sedai or not. Unless she didn't leave the city and just went to an inn or something which is just pointless if you ask me.... But I can't see her as the camping type just to enjoy the great outdoors. I kind of lost my train of thought here.

[Vertex 23]

Who can know? I think we've seen very little of what she does in private. Perhaps she roams cities she visits at night, using all her stealth and skills to find out information. Or maybe she just sneaks up to bedroom windows to watch people make babies. It's only one H and 'peeping' away from explaining why she finds Thom a kindred soul.

[Marie 73]

To be honest I always thought she wanted alone time for uh, well, Vertex like deeds, so I can't exactly call you a pervert.

[Olivia 26]

I think RJ had her disappear for the reason you already mentioned, to make us suspect she was BA. And also just to give all the Emond's Fielders some time away from her so they could each start developing their own quests, etc. and get out of the shadow of the Gandalf figure. Same reason she didn't get to Falme until after all the action. I remember those mock summaries having her say "Luckily, I arrived just in time to do nothing" or some such, which made me laugh because it was so true.

 

Or it could be that she was info hunting at places other than Adeleas/Vandene's place, but I wonder what possible info she thought she could find that would make her leave the boy she's been searching for for twenty years. Maybe the Dark Prophecy about Lanfear in Fal Dara scared her enough that she went info hunting for the Forsaken to have some edge against them when they came at Rand. You'd think she would have at least left Lan with Rand to protect him though.

[Vertex 23]

Maybe the Dark Prophecy about Lanfear in Fal Dara scared her enough that she went info hunting for the Forsaken to have some edge against them when they came at Rand. You'd think she would have at least left Lan with Rand to protect him though.

 

Ooh, but I think Marie meant before that. That Lanfeary stuff happened after Moiraine Sweet Socks came back from her campy trip.

[Olivia 26]

That Lanfeary stuff happened after Moiraine Sweet Socks came back from her campy trip.

Did it really? I seem to remember the Dark Prophecy about Lanfear and the Seanchan being at the beginning of TGH, when all the AS and Emond's Fielders are in Fal Dara. Verin is the one who reads the prophecy to Moiraine and Siuan. I thought that after that was when Moiraine disappeared, once Rand and the boys left after Fain, and Siuan and the AS took the girls down the river to the Tower. I remember Moiraine specifically asking Vandene/Adeleas (can't remember which one) about Lanfear too.

[Marie 73]

"Now she's gone off somewhere, vanished..."

"I told you she needs to be alone sometimes. It isn't for you, or anyone else, to question her actions."

"...without telling anybody where she was going, or when she'd be back, or even if she would be back."

"She's back, sheepherder. Last night."

 

That was in chapter 1.

[Olivia 26]

Ohhh. I had completely forgotten about that! I was only thinking of the later disappearance. My mistake, very much! In that case, I really have no idea what she was doing.

[Kaitlin 22]

Is it wrong that I knew exactly what this thread would be about from the title?

 

I say she was doing something with the horn. Something sexy? Something evil? Or, she was recovering from the healing I kind of suspect she got from Nyn in the last book (but I doubt it, since she was all content to sit in her Chair of Plotting and Spying before that). Or, she had to send a message to Siuan. I am unsure!

[Sam 19]

maybe she has a boy in ever town

[Erika 4]

Lan says she does it every now and again. Maybe she just needs to get away from Lan?