Demira Eriff

Under the circumstances, it was decided that I should speak for all. We intend you no harm here today, but the strictures we accepted before, that you would feel safe, we must now reject. Obviously you have never learned the respect due Aes Sedai. You must learn it now.
— Demira to Rand (Lord of Chaos, Chapter 49)

Demira Eriff is an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah.

Appearance and Personality

Demira is a gracefully beautiful Domani with coppery skin. She wears clothing in the fashion of her native Arad Doman, although she often contemplates switching to less provocative dresses. as she does not like the unwanted attention. However, she never got around to changing her dresses as she was preoccupied with other matters.

Strength

Demira is of high average strength for an Aes Sedai, with a One Power level of 18(6). She is stronger than the minimum stated strength needed to Travel.

She is the third weakest among the sisters making up the Salidar Embassy to the Dragon Reborn, with only Berenicia Morsad and Valinde Nathenos being weaker and Kairen Stang being her equal. She is, however, only slightly weaker than Merana Ambrey and several others.

History

Demira has a single Warder named Stevan Gedarien.

She is 70 years old. She was born in 930 NE and went to the White Tower in 947 NE. After spending nine years as a novice and eight years as Accepted, she was raised to the shawl in 964 NE.

She has had an agent who is a librarian in the Royal Palace of Andor named Milam Harnder for the last thirty years.

Activities

Demira is allied to the Salidar Aes Sedai and is part of the embassy sent to Rand in Caemlyn. She feels positive about meeting Rand, based largely on the rumor of his creation of a school in Cairhien. "No man who started a school could be all bad in Demira's eyes."

In Caemlyn, Demira approaches Ellorien Traemane with certain implied promises regarding the Lion Throne. Ellorien is one of several Caemlyn nobles the Salidar Aes Sedai delegation approaches to gain support in their handling of Rand.

On the streets of the New City of Caemlyn, Demira ducks into a crossing run (alleyway) and is attacked by men dressed as "Aiel" who were short with black eyes. (In other words, people who do not fit the description of Aiel warriors. See note.) They give her a message: "Tell the other witches to stay away from the Dragon Reborn." Demira takes two spears in her side before blacking out. It would later be revealed that these men were Whitecloaks corrupted by Padan Fain.

Demira wakes up in the Crown of Roses inn, having been saved by her Warder Stevan and Healed by Berenicia Morsad. She learns that Stevan had been tipped off by another supposed "Aiel" shortly before the assault, which suggests the whole ordeal was a well coordinated trap. The Salidar embassy, along with Verin Mathwin, agree that Rand must have been behind the attack. Verin Mathwin makes suggestions and gives Demira the final say on how the embassy should act in response to the aggressive act. Demira decides on a passive aggressive approach: refrain from the expected visit to the Palace for several days with no explanation, or at least a transparent one, to let him "worry over what we intend to do" and "let him stew."

Demira is mostly upset about how the situation will affect her ability to do research in the Royal Library. She is eager to get her hands on its resources for information particularly regarding the Seals on the Dark One's prison. She had been galled at being restricted from the Inner City where the library is located before the assault and is now doubly rankled at Rand for "forgetting who Aes Sedai were."

She is put in charge of the sisters (Kairen Stang, Berenicia Morsad, Valinde Nathenos) that were to accompany the girls from the Two Rivers to the Rebel Aes Sedai. Initially, Merana Ambrey was put in charge, but Merana was able to convince the other Sisters with them to take her to rescue Rand. Although Kairen Stang had the same strength as Demira and had a shorter training time, Demira was put in charge - possibly because of her injury.

Notes

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