I'm doing a reread in anticipation of #12 and came across something I hadn't noticed before, or if I did, it didn't strike me as odd until now.

 

Fal Dara keep has just been attacked by Trollocs and Mat has just been given a dose of Healing by 4 Aes Sedai with Moiraine's angreal, but the link to the evil of SL cannot be broken without the dagger.

 

As Leane directs the litter bearers carrying a deeply sleeping Mat Cauthon,

 

Moiraine muses to herself.

 

*How will this affect matters?* Moiraine wondered. *He is not necessary with the Horn gone, and yet ...*

 

Why is Mat no longer necessary without the Horn?  He hasn't blown it yet and won't have until the end of the book. 

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

She's thinking about Rand. It's the belief of Moriaine and Suian that Rand will be the one to blow the Horn. Her plan was to convince Rand to go after Padan Fain in order to get the Horn because he needs to blow it, but now with Mat hurt they might be able to convince Rand to go to save Mat's life. She's wondering if they can still control Rand enough to get him to do what they want.

I believe she and Siuan planned to have Mat carry the Horn to Illian, so that he would be more firmly connected to Rand's cause since he was the wild card, so to speak.  I might be mistaken, though, I haven't reread TGH in a while.

She's thinking about Rand.

 

So, you're saying Moiraine thinks Rand is not necessary without the Horn?  Rand is the Dragon Reborn, and she knows it. He would still be necessary, with or without the Horn.

She's thinking about Rand.

 

So, you're saying Moiraine thinks Rand is not necessary without the Horn?  Rand is the Dragon Reborn, and she knows it. He would still be necessary, with or without the Horn.

 

Thanks for taking that out of context. Read the rest of my post next time.

What Kadere said fits right in with how Moiraine was manipulating Rand early on. Rand would have to go after the Horn or else Mat would perish. They were both connected through Fain.

I think her plan was to spend most of her time in Fal Dara convincing Perrin and especially Mat how super fun it would be to help carry the horn to Illian. She figured they would leap on the opportunity (especially Mat) and want to do it. Rand, eager to remain with his friends a bit longer, would then want to go without Moiraine ever telling him to. He was all set up to ignore whatever she told him to, so now she can get what she wants by manipulating the situation with the Horn.

 

Thus, when Rand rolls into Illian with the horn, and all the Shienarans doing what he says (after she told them to follow his orders), it would be a good setup for making his name known before he declares himself.