Before dawn saw everyone gathered in the small courtyard. Medusa had a proud smile on her face that did nothing to hide the worry in her eyes. "You will come back immediately if anything goes wrong. We will figure something out."

"Yes Medusa."

Letholdus nodded to the boy, while Manannan sat in the doorway, refusing to go outside and get dirt in his white fur, but both cats had spent time purring against him that morning before they all got out of bed. Gwydion knew that was their way of saying good luck. Belt in place, rucksack on, Gwydion held up the amber, and the moment the sun rose above the horizon and shone through the amber, Gwydion wished as hard as possible for him to be in Daventry, to save the Prince and keep his family safe.

With the sensation a hook in his stomach pulling him inside out, and a loud CRACK, Gwydion disappeared to somewhere else.

~~~~~Elsewhere~~~~~

The first thing Gwydion recognised was the massive turrets, from which the guards could defend the castle, stretched to the sky above. He blinked a few times, as if his eyes had been delayed in travel. Eventually, everything came back into focus, or as in focus as it ever was for the boy. High above the castle, the flags waved in the wind. He was standing in the leafy shade from a large old oak next to a deep moat. The moat was deep and dangerous with slippery sides to prevent anyone escaping. He was surprised to see small flowers growing along the moat, which did nothing to hide the smell from the murky water. Gwydion could see alligators floating in the water. A very small, wooden barrel bridge stretched across to the castle. Gwydion carefully crept across the bridge to the castle gates. Gwydion expected to see guards at the door, but only two pots of vines creeping up the walls of the castle watched over the intimidating closed portcullis, the only entrance to the King's castle. Unsure, Gwydion knocked, but it echoed within the castle. Gwydion waited, but no one came to answer. Feeling the press of time, Gwydion was about to try and push open the portcullis, when they swung out, almost hitting him, causing him to trip backwards.

Gwydion, from his position sprawled across the ground, had a brief impression of a dark hood over blond hair. The figure was carrying a large bundle, from which a soft coo emitted before they darted away, almost running in their hast to get over the bridge. They were out of sight before Gwydion was over his shock. Muttering, he climbed to his feet, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. The portcullis was still open, and he peeked around the hall on the other side, and more curious still, the room was also deserted; Gwydion expected someone to at least be waiting in such a large castle. Gwydion began to feel deeply disturbed, he hoped he was not too late.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Gwydion tried shouting. He didn't want to enter, that felt rude, but he was well aware of how little time was left. Tonight was the new moon.

The breeze was the only answer.

"Anyone?"

Gwydion frowned. Slowly, ready to defend his actions if needed, he edged into the hall. It was then, once his eyes had adjusted to the relative dim compare to outside, he saw the slumped over figure to one side of the doors. Gwydion crept closer, "Hello?"

The figure flopped to its side when Gwydion shook the closest shoulder. Gwydion stiffened in fear for while the body was the shape of a man, it's face was that one of Aunt Marges' dogs. The dog-man, teeth bared in snarling lips, growled lowly in sleep. Gwydion slowly backed away, remembering Ripper, it's teeth nipping at his ankles as he desperately tried to climb away. He could almost hear the Dursley's laughter echoing.

He wasn't there anymore. He had a family that loved him. He had nothing to fear from Marge and her dogs.

That didn't mean he was going to wake this guard.

Gwydion bit his lip, thinking deeply. What did he do now? Should he just wait? Should he go further and try and find someone to warn about blond maid?

Blonde maid… a blonde figure carrying a bundle which could easily be a small child.

Manannan's voice echoed in his memory, 'Some of the guards have been paid to absence themselves, and those that haven't been will be given a potent sleeping draught.'

Gwydion spun, racing outside again. He had been right there! He could have stopped it! He couldn't see the figure, but he knew where she was going, Port Karlavaegen. If he could catch up to her… without another thought, Gwydion was racing over the bridge and in the direction he remember her running. A path of through the trees. Surely he could catch a women carrying a baby, he had always been fast. The green country was a blur as he ran and ran and ran.

Before he knew it, the sun was high overhead, and the smell of rotting fish was the first sign of the coast. Cresting over a small hill, a small cove came into view. A handful of houses were scatted along the protected beach. To either side, steep short cliffs rose. A few small fishing boats bobbed gently in the surf. There was no big ship waiting, which he took as a good sign. The path followed the top of the cliff, and then down into the town. By now, Gwydion was panting, his legs burning from the all the running. How had the maid managed to be so fast? It was too late now to turn back, so he continued down into the town. As he got closer he could make out the four relatively large houses, and what looked like a warehouse of some kind. Two row boats sat on the beach, empty for now.

One of the houses turned out to be a tavern, and Gwydion thought they might know where the maid was. He wasn't quiet sure what he would do when he found her, but he put that aside for now. The style of houses were different to Port Bruce, despite also being wooden these were all grey and worn. Their roofs were a darker grey slate, the windows small and grimy. The air was heavy with rotting fish, and everything felt gloomy. He entered the tavern and was greeted to a thick smoky atmosphere. He had only a moment to take in the slender women with blonde hair holding a tubby toddler, surrounded by large angry looking thugs before she saw Gwydion and screeched, "He followed me all the way from the castle! Do something!" Gwydion had sneaking suspicion that he had made a big mistake. These were the pirates! But before he could act on it, before he could run, he felt was a heavy muscular arm snapping around his face, the soft feel of a rag over his mouth and nose. As the heavy sweet musk choked him, distantly Gwydion heard, "Take 'is things an put 'im in the 'old until I figures out what ta do with 'im."

After a few seconds, all was darkness.

~~~~~Sometime Later~~~~~

Gwydion awoke in the dank cargo hold of the pirate ship. With caution, he looked around the dim surroundings. Each movement of his head sent waves of stabbing pain to his neck, eyes and mind. Mostly, all he could see was stacks of wooden crates. Looking upward, he noticed a rope ladder dangling partway through an opening in the hold ceiling. The ladder was directly over the largest crate. A couple of little gray mice scurried to and fro on the floor of the hold. Gwydion watched them dart around while his head throbbed.

"Do you know where the pirates are taking us?" one gray mouse asked the other.

"I heard them talking about a buried treasure chest," the other mouse answered. "I think it's buried on a beach and they're going to dig it up."

"Oh, I remember!" squeaked the first mouse. "Remember when they first buried the treasure? I remember hearing one pirate say that nobody has ever crossed those mountains alive."

"That's because of the dragon!"

"Well better that then what happened to the last cabin boy they had."

"What happened to the last cabin boy they had?"

"Didn't you hear? They fed him to the sharks just for sport."

"Maybe this one will last longer."

Gwydion blinked at the mice, which were looking back at him. When the mice both realised he was awake they squeaked and ran into the deeper shadows. There was a long pause as Gwydion started to feel a little better. His head still ached, but he felt like he might be able to stand without falling over. His bladder made itself be known, uncomfortably full. He didn't particular want to alert the pirate he was awake yet, so, awkwardly, he empty his bladder in the furthermost corner, behind some boxes. By the smell he wasn't the first to do so.

Far above he heard the pirates shouting and working, and the soft rush of waves breaking on the ship. Gwydion realised a potion would be good right now, but is belt and rucksack were gone. What was he meant to do now? Was the Prince on board still? By the sounds of the mice, they were going to a beach somewhere near the dragon. Gwydion just hoped the maid wasn't still going to sacrifice the Prince.

There was no window in the hold, but eventually the light from the hole above dimmed in what he thought might be night time. His stomach grumbled. He had gotten used to eating three meals a day, and now he had had nothing since breakfast hours ago. He thought about yelling to the pirates for food, but bringing attention to himself had never ended well. He explored the hold, but the creates were sealed tightly closed and quiet heavy. After some time the sounds from the decks above quieten, and Gwydion pushed the creates to make a ladder of boxes high enough to reach the rope ladder. He tugged on it to test how strong it was, but it seemed ok. Quickly, he scrambled up the ladder. The ladder sagged under Gwydion's weight. He had a vision of one of the large pirates dangling and then falling from the thin ropes. He muffled his giggles against his arms.

The room he emerged into was also enclosed, still part of the inside. Gwydion didn't know anything about ships. On one side was a closed door, the other two darkened doorway. Gwydion found himself below the lower deck. On one side the ship's lifeboat was stored. There was a shovel lying by the lifeboat. There was a further open doorway at either end of the compartment. Beyond was rows of hard bunks lined the walls of the crew's quarters. Gwydion couldn't imagine that the pirates would get a good night's sleep in the cramped bow of the ship. Actually, the bunks didn't look much more comfortable than Gwydion's old miserable cot from Before used to be and the space was just as cramped. On the closest bunk he could see a sleeping pirate, only the long dirty dreads visible in the dim lighting. Gwydion backed out of the room, not wanting to wake the large man, or any others who might be further in the dim lighting.

Gwydion sneaked into the other doorway lead to find the kitchen of the pirate ship. A large iron wood stove dominated one wall. Pots, pans, and barrels surrounded it. When Gwydion peeked into the closest barrel he found it full of rum, causing his nose to twist at the smell. There was a long dining table at the other end of the room. The wooden dining table was not too clean, making Gwydion's hands itch for a rag and bucket. The remains of many meals were lodged between the oaken planks. Its top was deeply gouged and stained. It was obvious the pirate's eating habits were less than desirable. Through the window the dark sight of the rolling swells against the star filled sky made Gwydion a little queasy. To his relief, there was no pirates around. A loud snore started Gwydion. On a small cot tucked behind the small kitchen the cook was sleeping. His snores were so loud they seemed to rattle the walls. Carefully, using skills long learned from Before, Gwydion crept around picking up a hunk of cheese, half a loaf of bread, and a small skin of water, which despite being stale and slightly dirty, was wonderful to Gwydion's parched throat. The food he tucked into a pouch he made by curling up the bottom of his tunic.

Gwydion ate half the bread and cheese in the first room, ready to scramble back down the ladder if he heard anyone approaching. Once he had had enough to no longer feel light headed, considered dropping the rest in the hold, but was unsure how loud a noise it would make. Instead he left them to one side, ready to grab on the way back down. There was one last door to check before exploring the stairs leading up.

Gwydion peaked into the last room, this had to be the Captain's cabin. He seemed to be a bit more tidy than his mates, as the room was clean and orderly. Before he could explore more, a shuffling from the bed alerting Gwydion the Captian was currently sleeping. He closed the door again carefully.

Up the stairs was the top of the ship, Gwydion paused to take in the solid mast which was swaying slightly in the breeze and swell, solid against the moon. A flimsy rope ladder lead up into the rigging. Behind him the hatchway lead back below decks. Gwydion scanned the horizon. There was nothing but sea in every direction.

"What d'ya think yer up ta, boy!?"

Gwydion started, backing away from the pirate looming out of the darkness. "I, um…"

"I'm warnin' ya, boy. I gots a tricky sword hand. Better go back to bed afore I cain't stop meself!"

"O-of course." Gwydion hesitated, did the pirate not know who he was?

"Are ye deaf, or just daft, boyo? No? W'll go!"

Gwydion scrambled back down the hatch. Just a he was doing so he heard the pirate mutter, "Cap'n n'er tell me wakeman when we get sprogs. Cab'n boyo better be learnin' fast."

On the way past Gwydion grabbed the cheese and bread, and awkwardly held them while he climbed back into the hold.

He settled in one corner, and listened to the tiny voices of the mice.

"It's getting so musty and damp down here, don't you think?" Gwydion heard one gray mouse ask the other.

"That's water seeping through the hull," explained the second mouse. "But, I agree with you, it is getting uncomfortable. Why, I have a hard time keeping mildew off my nest!"

"Yes, but it is safer down here," returned the first. "I guess we gotta take the bad with the good."

He fell asleep propped up in one corner, exhausted.