Chapter Ten
Jocelyn shifted slightly from foot to foot, bored and more than a little apprehensive. Standing in the hall awaiting Uther's arrival was never the most restful of experiences, but when he had summoned her specifically the wait was excruciating.
Finally, the King came striding into the court from the back of the hall, Arthur just behind him.
"Ah, Jocelyn," Uther remarked, as if he hadn't requested her presence.
"Good morning, my lord," Jocelyn murmured, sketching a curtsey before straightening and regarding him uneasily.
Uther took his time in seating himself in his throne and glancing around the hall to check who was present. After several long minutes his gaze returned to his ward. He frowned.
"I hear that you are not getting along particularly well with your governess," he said, watching her closely to gage her reaction.
Jocelyn couldn't help but give a guilty start. She hadn't seen the woman in days, let alone had a lesson with her. Before she could summon anything like a suitable answer, the King spoke again.
"It is unacceptable that you have no formal education. You must have someone to teach you the ways of the court."
"I hardly think Mistress Coulthard is the best person for that job."
The words slipped out of Jocelyn's mouth before she could think to stop them and they were uttered scornfully enough to make Uther frown more heavily.
"Indeed. Well, if that is so perhaps she will be relieved of her duty. Clearly you are in need of a stricter chaperone, someone who will teach you to mind what you say."
It was clear from the King's tone that his ward had managed to anger him and Jocelyn cursed herself inwardly for allowing her unruly tongue to get the better of her judgment. She risked a glance at Arthur, briefly wondering if he might be persuaded to step in for her, but the Prince was looking bored and completely uninterested in her predicament. Jocelyn returned her gaze to her guardian.
"I'm sorry, my lord. I should not have spoken."
"No. You shouldn't," he agreed.
There was a pause while it appeared Uther was making a decision. Jocelyn shifted awkwardly under his steady gaze, debating whether it would benefit her to try and argue her case. She was in the act of opening her mouth to say something when the servant standing to her left suddenly stumbled forwards, the tray that he was carrying and the goblet of wine on it crashing to the ground with a bang.
She being the closest person to him, he grabbed onto Jocelyn as he collapsed, fighting to stay upright. His grip failed him, serving to only slow his falling. Staring down at him, Jocelyn's shocked eyes took in his deathly pale skin, cobwebbed with prominent blue veins and the unnaturally wide gaze that seemed to be clouding over. He choked once, before hitting the floor and moving no more.
Jocelyn was frozen to the spot. One of the man's hands was still resting on the hem of her skirt and his eyes were staring, but he was stone dead. Had died at her feet. The crimson of the wine spread out across the floor, staining her shoes a blood red.
"Arthur, fetch Gaius, immediately."
The words came from far away and Jocelyn barely recognised Uther's terse tones or Arthur hastily departing the room. No one else in the hall moved, reluctant to approach the dead man in case whatever he had died of was contagious.
"It's alright, Jocelyn. Come and stand over here."
Uther's calming words didn't penetrate her mind; all she could do was stand and look.
Soon Arthur reentered the hall, Gaius and Merlin in his wake. The physician approached the body, moving Jocelyn gently to one side so he could kneel down beside the man. She managed to take the few steps that he propelled her before stopping again, her mind seemingly unable to control her body. Arthur reached forward to take her arm and pull her back out of the way. As he held onto her he noticed she was shaking, her hands trembling as they took hold of his arm and her skin was ghostly pale. Frowning, he led her towards a chair and sat her down in it, pausing for a moment to check that she wouldn't faint before returning to the dead man.
"What's happened to him?" Uther asked apprehensively, trying to get a look at what Gaius was doing without getting too close.
"I don't know, sire. It's the second case I've seen today," Gaius sounded concerned as he checked the man.
"Why didn't you report it to me?" the King demanded.
"I was attempting to find the cause," his physician replied patiently, straightening up.
"What did you conclude?"
"I don't think it is time to hurry to conclusions, the scientific process is a long one." Gaius protested.
"What are you concealing from me?" Uther asked, not deceived.
"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in twenty four hours and it's spreading fast."
"What is the cause?" Uther ground out.
Gaius regarded him for a moment before saying, "I think we should say the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery."
There was an instant reaction from all the occupants in the hall, one lady so overcome as to burst into tears. Uther pulled his son aside and addressed him in an undertone.
"You must find who did this."
"I will, father," Arthur promised without a moment's thought, his gaze still on the body.
"Conduct door to door searches, increase your presence in the town, double the guards on all the gates," Uther instructed. He took a breath and added, "Lend Gaius your servant."
"Merlin?" Arthur interrupted, annoyed.
"We need Gaius to find a cure," his father reasoned. "He needs all the help we can give him. If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out."
This statement roused Jocelyn from her stupor and she turned a shocked look on the father and son.
"This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we have done," Uther continued, casting an anxious glance around the room, fear clear in his voice. "If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer and quickly."
"Yes, father." Arthur agreed and Uther nodded before sweeping from the room, unhappy about spending a moment more in the dead man's company.
Arthur directed one more anxious look at the corpse before leaving as well, striding off to round up the guards. Gaius waved forwards the two that stood by the door to pick up the man to bear him to the physician's rooms and preceded them out of the hall. Merlin lingered for a moment, watching Jocelyn as she concentrated on breathing calmly.
"My lady?" he asked quietly. She didn't respond so he took a couple of steps closer. "Jocelyn?"
She blinked and turned to look at him.
"Are you alright?" he asked in concern.
"I'll be fine, thank you, Merlin."
He watched her hesitantly for a moment longer before nodding and leaving the room to aid Gaius.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Though the day outside was not cold the next morning, Jocelyn sat close to the fire in her room, the chill that had settled on her when she had seen the dead man still refusing to be eradicated. The night before she had barely slept, and when she had managed to drop off for a couple of hours, her dreams had been plagued by the sight of his last moments.
There came a brisk knock at her door and before she could say anything, it was opened and Mistress Coulthard entered.
"Good morning, Jocelyn, I am here for your lessons."
"Oh!" Jocelyn said in surprise. "I thought – "
Quickly she broke off, knowing that anything she said would be reported back to Uther.
The governess sent her a look and pursed her lips, before seating herself on the chair opposite her student, arranging her skirts and taking her embroidery out of her basket.
"Now, where shall we begin?" as she spoke her fingers worked constantly. "I thought we might revisit the etiquette for a state feast."
Jocelyn got impatiently to her feet, going to stand by the window while Mistress Coulthard launched into a lecture Jocelyn had heard several times already. Letting the words wash over her and not paying them the blindest bit of attention, Jocelyn frowned down at the pitiful picture the courtyard below her displayed. It was completely deserted apart from the splashes of white that stood out starkly from the dark cobbles: the covered bodies of the dead where they had been laid in state before they could be buried. She had been watching their number grow through the night and if what Gaius and Uther said was true, there would be many more laid out beside them before this plague was stopped.
Not long afterwards, there came another knock at the door. Glad of the distraction, Jocelyn turned and called 'Come in' before her governess could make any protestations.
Arthur entered swiftly on her summons and Jocelyn glimpsed a handful of guards in the corridor behind him.
"Sorry, Jo," he said as he looked around her room. "I have to check everywhere."
Jocelyn nodded. "Have you made any progress?" she asked, regarding him closely.
"No." he said shortly before sighing. "None at all. Sure we'll find something soon though."
She nodded again.
"My father has ordered me to block off the lower town, to stop the disease from spreading."
Jocelyn frowned, empathising with his struggle of conscience.
"Quite right too." Mistress Coulthard declared primly, Arthur turned to stare at her for a moment before turning back to Jocelyn.
"Right. Well, sorry again, Jo. I didn't mean to interrupt." He went to leave, but paused just before he closed the door. "Oh, I think your maid has had some bad news. Morgana said something about it."
He gave her a small smile and left. Jocelyn went to follow him, wanting to find Gwen and ask what was wrong, but Mistress Coulthard checked her.
"Ah, not so fast, Jocelyn. We still have many lessons to cover. Your guardian says you may not be permitted to leave until they are all complete."
There was a glitter in the governess's eye that convinced Jocelyn that she would follow through on her thinly veiled threat. They stared at each other for a minute before Jocelyn dropped her gaze and went to sit by the fire once more.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
When she was finally released from her lessons, Jocelyn hurried to find Gwen. She was feeling groggy, probably from spending too much time cooped up inside, and had developed a headache through worry for the maid.
She reached Morgana's rooms quickly and entered with barely a knock, but there was no one there to meet her. Leaving again, she paused for a moment to consider where she should check next. A wave of dizziness washed over her and she grabbed onto the wall for support. Closing her eyes briefly she tried to still her whirling mind.
The feeling passed, leaving her light-headed, and she decided that it would be prudent to visit Gaius; despite all the work he had to do. She could ask about Gwen at the same time; the physician knew most of the happenings of the castle.
Jocelyn had to stop to take a breath before she entered Gaius' rooms, her skin feeling unbearably hot all of a sudden. Composing herself she knocked on the door and entered the room. The physician was leaning over the body of a courtier that was stretched out on a bed. The woman had the same pale skin and raised veins as the servant that had collapsed over Jocelyn the day before. He looked up with a harassed expression, which turned to surprise when he saw her.
"Jocelyn, what can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if you knew what was wrong with Gwen?" Jocelyn asked him, taking a few steps forward before grasping onto the back of a chair for support.
"I'm afraid her father is ill." Gaius replied gravely.
"The plague?" Jocelyn questioned sharply. Gaius nodded. "Poor man." Jocelyn sighed.
Another wave of faintness came over Jocelyn before she could say any more and she shut her eyes, holding onto the back of the chair so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
"Jocelyn?" Gaius asked anxiously, coming to her side. "What's wrong?"
She opened her eyes again and tried to smile. "Oh, nothing. I'm just feeling a bit funny."
"In what way?" he asked frowning.
"Just a little dizzy and I have a slight headache. It's nothing."
Gaius reached out a hand to place on her forehead. "And you have a raging fever. You need to be in bed, my lady." He took hold of her arm and began to guide her from the room. "Ah, Merlin," he addressed the boy who had just walked through the door. "Help me escort Lady Jocelyn to her room, she is feeling a little under the weather."
Merlin frowned suddenly as he took in Jocelyn's white face.
"Has she…" he began, but Gaius interrupted him before he could get any further.
"Take her other arm. That's it."
The three of them traversed the corridors to Jocelyn's room slowly. As time passed she sank further into a delirium, almost fainting twice. They finally got her into her bed and Merlin went running for a maid to look after her. When she was quieter and Gaius had administered a draft to ease her fever, they left the room and Merlin finished his question.
"Has she got the sickness?" he asked anxiously.
"I am afraid so." Gaius replied. "I must inform Uther." With a sigh he turned from Jocelyn's room, leaving Merlin looking conflicted behind him.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
"Forgive my interruption, my lord." Gaius walked reluctantly into the hall, wishing he didn't have to break this news to the King.
"Gaius, have you found anything out?" Uther asked eagerly.
"No further progress I am afraid, Sire."
The King nodded, turning back to the paper he was considering.
"I do have something to tell you though, My Lord."
"Yes?" Uther didn't bother looking up.
"I am sorry to tell you that Jocelyn has the sickness."
Uther's head shot up, staring at Gaius in disbelief. "No," he breathed.
"I am afraid so, Your Highness."
"And you can do nothing?" Uther demanded.
Gaius shook his head. Uther looked away, closing his eyes briefly. He appeared oddly defeated as he took a few faltering steps backwards to sink into his chair.
"I shall return to my work." Gaius said, watching the king quietly.
Uther made no response, his head hanging forwards as he sat ineffectually on the throne, a broken king.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X