It makes no sense. Egwene should simply have dumped him and decided to stay single till she found someone who didn't need to be told to respect her in public, but who was also tough enough to not be overshadowed by her simply because she was Amyrlin. Really, I cannot help but see the point of Gawyn except as a glorified guard. What does he bring into the relationship? He isn't more intelligent, he isn't tougher, he isn't more politically savvy... It is a relationship of two people who are far from equal, and I fail to see how it will benefit anyone.