White Jenna by Jane Yolen

Author:Jane Yolen
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504034524
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy

THE STORY:

It was two days before they left New Steading, for it took that long to round up and equip two hundred young men. In fact, there were two hundred and thirty-seven by actual count, including the mayor’s oldest son. And there was new clothing for the men already following the king, as well as dozens of pikes and swords loaned by the town fathers. Carum looked splendid in a wine-colored jerkin and trews and a showy white shirt pipped with gold. The king was all in gold weave. Even Piet looked resplendent, though he had chosen green and brown “to blend in with the woods,” he had muttered, adding, “Gold is fine for ceremony, my lord, but war is another matter altogether.”

Gorum had laughed at that. “Wherever a king is, there is ceremony.”

“Wherever a king is, there is war,” Carum had put in, but they ignored him.

Jenna had refused her new clothes since all they offered her were women’s skirts and bodices dressed with fancy beading. She knew the skirts would make riding difficult, guessed the beads would catch in any brush and leave an easy trail to follow. Instead she brushed out her old skins, borrowing a needle and thread to mend the few tears. She did not need to be fancy. In war one needed the proper equipment. And as Catrona had reminded her in training: In a fight anything is a sword.

She did accept their offer of a bath, however, and spent over an hour soaking. Her only regret, as she sank into the warm water, was that the smell of Carum’s flesh on hers disappeared in the first soaping, though when she closed her eyes, she could recall its deep, tangy odor. She thought she would know him anywhere, just from that smell. Still, as the water enveloped her, she gave herself over to its ministry. Such long ridings offered only cold country streams and though she was used to the chilly lavings, having had long practice out in the woods, and washed herself dutifully every day they found so much as a catchpool, she had, after all, been brought up in a Hame with a famous deep-heated bath. It was the only bit of civilization she really missed.

When had she taken her last hot bath? It felt like forever since she and Petra had soaked in the Hame together. But in the Dales they said: Forever is no distance at all.

Jenna knew that the distance was there. Something had certainly changed Petra—or changed Jenna. She and Carum had emerged from the council room holding hands but once they had found the main door, had moved apart swiftly, walking down into the town square so removed from one another, they could not have touched even by stretching.

They had found Petra leaning against a wall, nibbling on a piece of chicken, eyes closed.

“Petra!” Jenna whispered.

Petra’s eyes opened slowly, almost reluctantly.

“And where did you two get to?”

Carum turned and left abruptly, without even trying to offer an excuse.

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