After I was scrubbed, trimmed, oiled, and perfumed, the maids brought out the clothes Lord Reinard had left for me. Quite noble clothes, indeed. First came the bleached-white undertunic and the woolen stockings, followed by a light blue robe than fell to my ankles. Gold embroidery trimmed the neckline, sleeves, and hem. They girded a leather belt at my waist, one trimmed with gold and silver studs, and fastened a dark blue mantle over my shoulders with an emerald and ruby pin. They forced leather boots on my feet: stiff, hard, and painful. All the clothes were crisp and new, a fortune to spend on a lowly harper.
"And you’ll be wanting this," said the matron, setting a fur-lined cloak in my arms. "Now you’re ready for high adventure."
There was more here than simple humiliation of a heathen harper, I knew. What was my lord up to?
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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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