Egwene remembered her pity for poor Meidani. No sister should be treated in such a way. Imprisonment was one thing. But beating a woman down, toying with her, hinting at the torture to come? It was insufferable.Each of these things was a pain inside of Egwene, a knife to the chest, piercing the heart. As the beating continued, she realized that nothing they could do to her body would compare to the pain of soul she felt at seeing the White Tower suffer beneath Elaida's hand. Compared with those internal agonies, the beating was ridiculous.And so she began to laugh.
Egwene reflected on the suffering of Meidani, feeling deep sympathy for her. She believed that no sister should endure such mistreatment, noting that while imprisonment is harsh, the torment and humiliation inflicted on her was entirely unbearable. The ongoing violence was a source of anguish for Egwene, causing her immense emotional pain as if a blade was piercing her heart.
As she witnessed the brutal treatment of her fellow sister, Egwene recognized that the physical harm they inflicted was nothing compared to the sorrow she felt for the White Tower's plight under Elaida's leadership. This internal torment overshadowed the external violence, leading her to an unexpected reaction—she began to laugh, finding a strange release amidst the chaos surrounding her.
