What did Elayne see in her testing?

Rhed al'Tere

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This is all pure speculation, of course. But could be fun to come up with. :D

The only clue we have is what she says in Chapter 23: I could not be that awful.

So, what does she have to give up? What does she fear?

I'm 99% certain that at least one of the arches dealt with the throne of Andor. She had to walk away from her people while something awful was happening to them.

I'd guess that another has to do with Gawyn. They're very close, and she obviously loves him, and I think it would crush her to walk away from him if he was in trouble.
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Yeah, I don't think it could be Rand, because I don't think Elaynes feelings for him has developed quite that strongly yet...
I also think that either the present or the future one had to do with the Lion Throne, and maybe her Mother...
 

Toral Delvar

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Probably her behaviour in the later books
 

Elania al'Manir

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Yeah, I don't think it could be Rand, because I don't think Elaynes feelings for him has developed quite that strongly yet...

I'm not sure that matters. Egwene's future showed her as Amyrlin, but that didn't have much basis from her present. She was just a novice, still years away from being Aes Sedai. By that point Elayne had at least met Rand, and I think that's enough for him to appear in her trip through the rings.
 

Ealandrelle Melyma

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I wonder if in one of the scenarios she had to choose between Rand and the Lion Throne.
 
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Maybe she saw herself doing something awful to gain the throne? I feel like that would hurt her a lot.
 

Ealandrelle Melyma

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Maybe she had to kill Rand to take the throne? As in, if he wouldn't give it up, so it was her or him, type thing.
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Yeah, but the test is about becoming Aes Sedai, so choosing between Rand athe Lion throne makes little sense. Maybe the Lion Throne or Aes Sedai? You know, like a vision of how other Aes Sedai rulers have ended, bloodbaths and horrors...
 

Dnae Ila

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Yeah, I don't think it could be Rand, because I don't think Elaynes feelings for him has developed quite that strongly yet...
I'm not sure that matters. Egwene's future showed her as Amyrlin, but that didn't have much basis from her present. She was just a novice, still years away from being Aes Sedai. By that point Elayne had at least met Rand, and I think that's enough for him to appear in her trip through the rings.
What if her feelings for Rand within the rings sparked the greater development of her feelings for him when she returned?
 

Ealandrelle Melyma

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I could imagine a scenario where she is in the middle of trying to sort out the decision of Rand vs the Lion Throne, yet has to abandon it all (potentially leaving Andor to ruin and/or Rand to failure) to go back through the Arch. Elayne is the type of person who feels there is always an answer to a problem as long as she takes long enough to puzzle it out. Having to abandon a puzzle like that (with Rand and Andor on the line) to go back through the Arch would be a huge struggle for Elayne.

Also, regarding Elayne and Rand - remember she was "fated" (by Min's visions) to fall in love with Rand. Love at first sight might seem ridiculous, but if it's what the Wheel has woven (that Elayne "must" love Rand), then I can quite imagine that she could feel quite strongly for him from the word go.
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Gawyn being a Dark Friend/A Dreadlord.
 

Megana Vallentin

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I imagined something like choosing between her duty to the Tower and her duty toward Andor, with Rand somehow being the linchpin of the choice. Perhaps she has him sheltered in Andor and the Tower demands she turn him over, so to resist would mean war with Tar Valon? Or perhaps the Tower has him and she demands him back, also at the risk of war and the destruction of her land and people?
 
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If Elayne already knows that Rand can channel, she could face a similar scenario as Egwene. Kill him to save him from destroying himself and everyone else (that would certainly fit her one line about the arches).
 
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