Chapter Fourteen

Jocelyn was walking down the castle's stone steps, pulling on her thick riding gauntlets, when Gwen's call halted her.

"My lady!"

She turned at being so addressed and saw Gwen at the head of the stairs, another girl hovering behind her, one of the kitchen maids probably, Jocelyn did not immediately recognise her.

"Gwen, how are you?"

Ever since Gwen had been threatened with execution, Jocelyn couldn't help feeling guilty around her; though it hadn't been her fault, that she had actually fought against Uther's ruling. Her own recovery hadn't helped Gwen's case, however, and she now found herself on edge around the maid, never having had the easy relationship Morgana shared with her, generally feeling too young to encourage the respect of a servant several years her senior.

"Fine, thank you, my lady," Gwen and her companion had by this time reached Jocelyn's side. "I have come to introduce Elaine to you, the King has chosen her to be your maid."

Jocelyn had been smiling and nodding at the girl, but at Gwen's information she turned from her.

"My maid?" she repeated. "As in, my personal maid?"

"Yes, my lady. It seems he thinks it is time you had one."

"Does he now?"

There was a slight pause as Jocelyn brooded over the fact that Uther had probably decided she needed a maid in exasperation at the fact she was never quite so suitably dressed as Morgana was, and Gwen and Elaine stood at a loss of how to reply.

"If you will excuse me, my lady," Gwen finally said. "I must attend to your sister."

"Yes, of course, Gwen. Thank you."

Gwen bobbed her a quick curtsey and hurried back up the stairs.

Jocelyn took a moment to look her new maid over, slightly puzzled as to what to do with her. Elaine was not built on the tall lines of Jocelyn and her sister, smaller and delicate, fair blonde hair gently curling down her back, the foremost segments caught up and twisted away from her face. She was very pretty, Jocelyn realised, clear blue eyes looking up at her shyly and a soft mouth that she was biting at one corner.

Recalling the fact that it was she who was the mistress and therefore it was she who would have to ease the situation, Jocelyn threw her new maid a smile.

"Do you ride, Elaine?" she asked, starting off down the steps once more.

"A little, my lady." The girl replied, hurrying after her.

"Well, we shall see if Owen can find you a suitable horse."

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"Up you go, my lady." Owen invited, holding out his clasped hands for her foot.

Jocelyn boosted herself up onto the horse's back, hooking her right leg over the front of the saddle while Owen placed her left foot in the stirrup. Once settled she looked down to find Elaine craning her neck to look up at her, fear in her expression.

Jocelyn attempted what a kind smile might do as Owen went to help Elaine onto her own horse, guiding her much more carefully than he had Jocelyn. The girl made it onto the horse, but looked incredibly uncomfortable and as if she thought the horse might bolt from underneath her at any moment.

"Do not worry, Elaine," Jocelyn tried to reassure her. "Delente is the gentlest horse imaginable and we will take it very slowly."

Elaine did not look convinced, but she gave a slight nod anyway and Jocelyn took this for encouragement enough and urged her horse forward.

True to her word, Jocelyn did not take them above a walk until they were outside the city and safe on a wide stretch of grass. She persuaded her horse into a trot and was unsurprised when Delente followed suit without any prompting from Elaine.

"You see, Elaine, it is not so bad."

"No, my lady," the maid agreed, not all together sure.

It was at this propitious moment, that a hare appeared out of nowhere and darted across their path. Jocelyn's mount, Aherin, being higher spirited, reared at the sudden disturbance and she had all of her concentration taken up by controlling him for several minutes. It was not until she had calmed him so he merely tossed his head to indicate his irritation every now and again that she could look towards her maid.

When she had said Delente was the gentlest horse earlier, she had been telling the truth. She was the mount of choice for all beginners or anyone looking for an easy ride, and as such had merely shied away from the hare. Due to Elaine's inexperience and nervousness however, she had been unable to calm the horse, and Delente was still sidling away from the spot where the hare had appeared.

To her credit, Elaine had retained her seat throughout, but her grip on the reigns was white knuckled and she looked terrified. Jocelyn attempted to remember how her riding instructors had encouraged her when she was first learning, but she had been very young and the memories were unclear. Thinking it would probably work as well as anything, she settled for being cheerful and encouraging.

"Don't worry about her being spooked, it happens to the best horses," Elaine nodded but didn't relax her grip. "Perhaps," Jocelyn suggested uncertainly, "Perhaps I should hold your bridal to ride back."

Elaine heaved a sigh of relief and readily agreed and Jocelyn was able to reach down and grasp onto Delente's bridal one handed and lead them back to Camelot, happy in the knowledge that she had done the right thing for once.

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The horses' hooves clacked loudly against the stone of the courtyard when they finally made it back to Camelot. Jocelyn usually ended her rides at the stables, returning her horse to its stall and staying to look over the other mounts with Owen. Her arm was aching, however, and Elaine looked like she might faint if she was asked to ride any further, so Jocelyn judged it safer for them to dismount here.

This did present a problem, as the courtyard was not littered with obliging grooms as the stables were. While Jocelyn would easily have managed to dismount by herself, her maid would not, and nor would Elaine allow her to release Delente's bridle. They were saved from this impasse when Jocelyn caught sight of Arthur's manservant hurrying from the kitchens.

"Merlin!" she called and he turned in surprise, smiling when he saw her.

"My lady," he greeted her as he got closer, reaching out a hand to Aherin's head.

"Merlin, could you help us? We've managed to misplace our grooms and I was wondering if you could help Elaine down from her horse."

"Of course," he threw Elaine a grin and went to stand on Delente's left side.

Elaine was watching him warily and didn't look as though she entirely trusted him to support her.

"Just put your hand on Merlin's shoulder," Jocelyn instructed. "Swing your leg off the saddle and slide down. You can let go of the reigns, I'm holding the bridle."

Her maid nodded firmly, casting one more look to make sure that Jocelyn did indeed have a tight hold on the horse, gripped Merlin's shoulder and slid as quickly as she could from Delente's back. She landed on the ground, somewhat shakily, and Merlin had to steady her with both hands. Jocelyn allowed a moment for him to grin and her to blush and be generally flustered, before recalling them to the situation.

"Hold Delente for me, would you please, Merlin."

He released Elaine and hurried to take the reigns from her. Free from the responsibility of a second horse, Jocelyn demonstrated to perfection how to dismount a horse without any aid, one minute high on Aherin's back, next safe on the ground.

"Merlin!" Arthur's shout rang out across the courtyard and all three looked up to see him standing at the top of the stairs. "If you've quite finished."

"Yes sire." Merlin replied cheerfully.

Jocelyn raised a hand in greeting and Arthur nodded in reply, disappearing back into the castle. Merlin handed her the reigns and went to disappear after his master.

"What has him in such a bad temper?" Jocelyn asked.

"Bayard's men have been spotted on the road and apparently he gives very dull speeches."

Jocelyn nodded in agreement and allowed Merlin to leave. "Not to mention the threat of hostilities breaking out again." She muttered quietly.

"My lady?" Elaine asked, not catching her words.

"Nothing," Jocelyn replied. "Let's find someone to give these horses to, I will have to be in the hall to meet Bayard and his men." She began to lead the horses in the direction of the stables, hoping to meet someone to pass them off to along the way.

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