bakerstreet | OTHERWORDLY.

Jeyne's laughter joins with the naiad's in a happy chorus.

"I agree wholeheartedly, my lady. As his wife I am certain I would need all of the help I could get!" He is easy to like, and she suspects even easier to love, but people are complicated and she would never make the mistake of thinking she knows everything there is to know about him.

"Then consider it my bond."

Which is certainly something to have of a literal piece of the kingdom Jeyne might someday hold court in. The naiad certainly seems to think much of it, even as she begins slipping back down into the water.

"Go on with you to him, Lady. He's liable to be snatched up by a star while you're loitering with me."

Or, more likely, one of the Telmarine Narnian ladies who had remained in court, many of whom had taken advantage of the fact the visiting nobles seemed entirely distracted by the waking landscape.

Jeyne's eyebrows rise even as she regains her feet and stands to wave a farewell to the disappearing spirit. She had no idea that even the stars could be her competition. She holds the naiad's bond close to her heart, though, and will hold her to it if she finds herself fortunate enough to be chosen as Caspian's queen.

She makes her way back to his side, sparing a glance up the hill to wave to her waiting entourage, fronted by her parents. They seem in awe, but pleased.

"Thank you for the introduction, your highness. It may be premature of me to say but I believe she approved of me."

None of the stars have seen fit to climb down from the sky for the arrival of spring, of course, but there certainly are quite a few other ladies and dryads circling the king. Caspian seems almost unaware, certainly happy to reach through the crowd and usher Jeyne to his side again.

"Does she?"

There's a certain calculation to the words, even behind the brightness of his smile. This river, after all, is one of the more feisty; more likely to have been vocal in disapproval. It helps settle him closer to a decision to hear the report.

"You must have been particularly charming with her."

It is incredibly easy to let him lead her back to his side. It feels good to have her hand tucked into the crook of his arm again.

"Aren't I always charming?" she asks, a hint of a crooked grin on her lips.

"She's promised to tell me all of your secrets - upon a few conditions." Jeyne is oblivious of the reactions of the other women around them. When Caspian is speaking to her, everyone else fades away.

The faintly pleased sigh on his lips is likely answer enough to the question. It's amazing how easily fascination can be expressed with a delicate exhale and an attentive squeeze of a hand.

"A few conditions?" Now that sounds more like the pesky river spirit. His free hand settles over hers, directing her very gently to move with him along toward their horses again. "Am I allowed to ask after them?"

Discontented expressions are exchanged by the young ladies who fall into step behind them.

"You may ask, your highness, but I doubt either of us will divulge the details of our arrangement. Perhaps after the agreement has been fulfilled, I will enlighten you, if it does indeed come to pass. Sadly I do not have as much control over the future as I would like." She cannot ensure that she will become his wife, though signs so far seem favorable.

A rock underneath her foot causes her to stumble sideways into him with a gasp. The hill back up to their mounts is steep and she nearly has to reach out with her spare hand to keep herself from falling.

"Oh! I beg your pardon. These shoes are designed for riding, not rock climbing, I am afraid."

There's something infinitely natural about her, despite the occasional sparks of being startled. She seems to be adapting with the same effort as she's breathing, already beginning to flatter the tree and make deals with the rivers as if she had been raised here in the foothills around the Cair her entire life.

The costume she wears today makes her look the part, but his heart swells for the fact she's actually playing it as well.

He had helped her up from the docks before. It's quite natural now to shift his arm out from between them, catching around her waist to hold her steady against his side. "Easy, then. We're hardly in such a rush."

If Jeyne were thinking of anything other than keeping her balance, she might discover the derisive looks of those behind them that clearly depicted a suspicion that Jeyne was putting on a show just to get closer to the king. Of course, to do such a thing would never occur to her.

"Yes, you're right, your highness. I confess I'd rather forgotten about everyone waiting for us to conclude our little excursion, my parents most of all. Now I feel guilty. Thus my haste in returning to them."

"I suspect they'll forgive you," he chuckles softly, still holding her secure against his side and making no effort to increase his speed."The fastest way to the throne in Narnia is through its inhabitants."

The legacy of Telmarine rule had been very contrary to that, yes, but this is a new age in Narnian history. Just because a king named 'Caspian' still sat on the throne didn't stop this from being a particularly important sticking point to the tenth of that line.

"And-- more than that-- I suspect they'll be glad to see you enjoying yourself. It must bring them great joy to see you so thoroughly contented here."

Since they were considering--hoping to be--leaving her here.

"I do hope so." It was such a delicate balance, pleasing everyone, and she genuinely wants everyone to be happy. She reminds herself that though they may be annoyed in the short term, in the long run her spending special time alone with the king will make them happy.

"Yes, I believe they are pleased to see how comfortable I feel here. I feel as if I can relax in Narnia in a way that I cannot in Westeros." Her hand settles overtop of his at her waist, the other still clutching at his steadying arm, as they slowly reach the top of the rise. To Jeyne's pleasure, Hwin seems happy to see her.

"I have you to thank for that."

His hands linger with hers even as they crest the hill, not letting go even once he's fairly certain she's steady on her feet again. It's fascinating, feeling so entirely at ease with this sort of contact.

"Me?" There's a low chuckle in his throat, fingers squeezing tight again before letting go of her completely. He needs to be free to catch affectionately at Destrier's muzzle as the warhorse comes trotting over. "That's kind of you to say. And-- I do hope it's true, Lady Jeyne."

His attention flits toward her again, despite his hands being preoccupied smoothing along his horse's nose.

"It would bring me-- no small joy to see you comfortable here."

"Considering the fact that meeting you was the single source of my anxiety, you were the only person who could ease it. And you did, from the moment you took my hand and helped me up that hill." Just as he had once again done for her. Every interaction, especially their time alone in the tower, had made her more and more comfortable with him.

Her mount follows the king's, and Jeyne rubs the mare's nose affectionately. "The more I see of this land, the more I fall in love with it. I don't think there is enough time to see as much as I would like."

"There isn't enough time in a hundred years of life to see as much of Narnia as would be best," he agrees with a chuckle, bumping his forehead gently against Destrier's before letting go again. "I must continue to Beruna. Will you join me, or should you rather take your time here in the woods?"

It would be a pity to leave her, true, but it might help her begin more properly on the journey of properly learning the kingdom she hoped to help him rule.

She laughs and Hwin lifts her head with a whinny. It would seem the mare finds the king amusing as well.

"As my time is short, I would like to see as much as possible. I would be honored to accompany you. Though... I am unsure how I am going to regain the saddle." As far as she knows, the small stairs she used to mount the first time were left behind. In ordinary riding apparel she would have no trouble using the stirrups, but her gown is far from ordinary. It is downright cumbersome.

One point of agreement in Telmarine and Narnian history had always been a certain physical comfort between the sexes. Caspian himself had been rather a shy boy, but there weren't any terrible taboos to keep men and women from lending one another a hand. The Narnians even cared a good deal less about the rigidity of ranks involved than Caspian's forefathers had.

So there's no points of hesitation as he moves instantly to offer her his hands as a brace.

"Here. Catch hold of the saddle and give me your foot."

Her eyes widen and she shakes her head.

"Your highness, I couldn't possibly-- step on you." Muddy bits of dirt cling to her shoes from their walk by the river. In Westeros, to treat the king in such a way would earn you a lashing at the very least. Sure there is someone of a more appropriate station who can help her onto her horse.

And yet, he's offered his services so eagerly and openly, it seems to her she might be insulting him by refusing them. Uncertainty tugs at her as she busies herself with gathering her dress into a manageable length for mounting a horse.

"Are you certain?"

"I am," he laughs, unable to stop himself despite her obvious flash of discomfort. It's such an easy thing, after all, to his own mind. "You'd hardly be-- stepping on my face, hm?"

But once the laugh is free from his lips, he takes an assenting step back, glancing toward the nearest soldier riding with them. The young man, also obviously of Telmarine descent, is beside them before the King has even properly lifted his hand in the soldier's direction.

"--here. This is Vidar. Let him help you, if it troubles you."

Jeyne nods reluctantly. He has a point, and if anyone would know his own mind and what he's comfortable with it would be him. Still, she'd be more willing if he was at least wearing gloves.

She shakes her head at the offered substitution. Her ability to adapt to this new land and its customs is something she knows she must demonstrate. Until now it has been easy. And once she's had time to think on it, she will like the less formal nature of things.

With her gown properly tucked and draped over her arm, she does as Caspian suggested, taking hold of the horn of the saddle with both hands before stepping into his offered foothold. She swings herself up and onto the saddle, then shifts a bit until she feels securely in place.

"Thank you, your highness. I never thought I'd be able to say that I had a king kneel before me."

Vidar sticks close all the same, one hand hovering protectively near Jeyne's back as she vaults herself up into the saddle. He's granted an entirely appreciative smile from the king, Caspian reaching to clasp the man's hand briefly as he rises properly again.

"Never thought at all?" he calls over his shoulder as he moves to catch Destrier's reins again. "Even though you came to be courted by a king?"

"Is that why I'm here?" she asks, coy, a twinkle in her eye. She runs her finger through Hwin's mane before patting her neck affectionately.

"I thought I was here to woo you."

"You've surely done quite well if I'm the one kneeling at your feet, then."

Certainly enough to please her parents, he hopes. Possibly enough to please the counselors he would have to bring his own thoughts to quite soon, he suspects.

It's easy to swing up onto Destrier without any assistance, nodding forward as he urges his mount instantly into a light trot. "With me, then."

She laughs as Hwin follows the king without Jeyne having to nudge her along. She hopes that she has indeed wooed him, and that his kneeling was not just to be polite.

"In that case it is a good thing that I accepted your assistance and not the other gentleman. Otherwise rumors might spread about us!"

That brings another cheerful laugh to his lips as he glances back toward her again.

"Should you have stayed, if you found yourself in such a scandal?"

He doesn't seem to quite agree it might have been, of course. It feels lovely to tease this comfortably.

"Oh certainly not. Though I don't think I could abandon Narnia entirely... I would have been forced to flee into the forest and live as a fugitive." It would be easier for her family to deal with her disappearance than the shame, certainly. And she would have no shortage of enjoyment living freely.

"Until you found me, of course. Because a man as noble as yourself would never stand by and let an innocent woman's reputation be ruined."

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