Dena

Author: Kyria d'Oreyn

General

Dena was a Cairhienin woman and would have been the first female bard. She was pale and slender with shoulder-length dark hair. She was pretty and in her mid-twenties.

She wanted to be the first female gleeman, but Thom would have prevented her from living such a life.

She was a very skilled story-teller, juggler, flute and harp player. Thom could picture her as a Court-bard for a King or a Queen. They intended to travel to Tear once they had enough money and then maybe to one of the Sea Folk's islands.

She loved Thom, even though he could not think of why, and he returned the feeling. Yet even if she did not, Thom would never let skill like hers be wasted.

(Reference: The Great Hunt, Chapter 26)

Timeline

• She and Thom shared a room in The Bunch of Grapes. Rand and Loial meet her there, when they come for Thom (TGH, Ch. 26).

• She won at dice against Loial (TGH, Ch. 27).

• She was killed by two of Galldrian's men (TGH, Ch. 33).

• Thom still thinks of Dena and blames himself for her death (TDR, Ch. 31).

Quotes

"Thom always moans about losing the best flute and the best harp he ever had. You would think he was a court-bard, the way he carries on. Very well. You can wait, but I must practice. Thom says he will let me perform in the halls next week." (Dena to Rand and Loial; The Great Hunt, Chapter 26)

"She listens to a tale once -- once only, mind! -- and she has it right, not just the words, but every nuance, every rhythm. She has a fine hand on the harp, and she played the flute better the first time she picked it up than you ever did." (Thom to Rand; The Great Hunt, Chapter 26)

"Forget playing the Great Game, Thom. Marry Dena. She'll take you, the more fool her, bony and white-haired as you are. Marry her, and forget this young lord and Daes Dae'mar." (Zera to Thom; The Great Hunt, Chapter 26)