Sweeping her blade across Amaya knocked Galahad's aside then lifted her leg up, twisting her body to kick him in the chest then threw her torso downwards, flinging her feet over her head to land one of them on Gawain's blade, forcing it from his grip as she landed, gripped his wrist then elbowed him hard in the face, making both Bors and Dagonet laugh as they watched.
"Wow! Did you see that?" Gilly shook Lucan's shoulder as the boys watched with fascination. Amaya lifted her hands, spinning on the spot to avoid a thrust from Galahad's wooden sword then hooked one of her feet around his ankle, yanking him down to the ground then used his shoulder to wheel over his body, avoiding Gawain as he lunged for her, now recovered from her blow.
Her body remembered the way it had used to move, smoothly rolling into the movements and gliding into the next as gracefully as a swan. Galahad spun around and jabbed at Amaya with her sword and she tilted backwards, avoiding the blow then stepped out of reach, taking a moment to recover her breath. Gawain and Galahad looked at each other and then to Amaya, who slowly began to smirk. "You are good at evading." Galahad said to her finally, changing grips on his wooden sword to hold the blade part behind him. "But you must trust more in your counters and use more offense."
"I am not very good with the blade itself." Amaya admitted, lifting the sword up with a sigh. "I am used to wielding two longer blades of slighter make."
"Like the ones father had crossed behind his leather bundles?" Amaya blinked, shocking that Galahad remembered them. He gave a little shrug. "I remember more than I used to."
"Yes." Amaya nodded. "Those ones."
"We can see if the blacksmith can make something for you." Gawain suggested but Galahad lifted his head and narrowed his eyes.
"Amaya will not need weapons. She is not joining any battles." Amaya quickly hid her smirk. "Why are you doing this again?" Galahad asked her with a frown, peering suspiciously at her. Amaya gave her brother the most innocent look she can.
"If we are going to be at war then I want to be prepared." She replied then lifted her blade. "Let us try again." Gawain nodded his head then gripped Galahad's shoulder, nodding to him. The younger knight relaxed his stance and stepped aside so that Amaya could face Gawain one on one.
"Only attack this time. I will defend." The blond haired knight said to Amaya who nodded her head then strode forwards. She flicked her sword up but Gawain deflected it easily so she moved her hand around and slashed at his exposed stomach but he blocked, countering with a strong flick which pushed Amaya's shoulder away from him. She frowned, trying to think of other attacks.
Deciding that it would be better to simply let her hands do the work and not her mind, Amaya went for Gawain. He parried and blocked her strikes, which were admittedly quite strong though sometimes a little ill placed and she was managing to push him back. When she left her left side open Gawain went for the strike, pressing the length of his blade into her ribs and she gave him a gentle smile. "I did say."
"Do not worry, not everyone is meant to wield a sword." He said to her then looked to Galahad who was speaking with Bors and Dagonet. "What do you all think?"
"You need to use your speed against opponents like us, Amaya." Dagonet said to her and she listened attentively. "It is your greater weapon, do not go for strength in every blow." Amaya nodded then looked to Bors who grinned.
"You're trying to fight like a man." The woman chuckled.
"It was how I was taught." Bors nodded his head then shoved at Galahad.
"Go teach her how to fight like a woman, then she'll be alright." The knight glared at his brother before rolling his eyes and approaching Amaya. He placed one hand on her shoulder then lifted her sword with the other, turning it to knock against Gawain's. "One, two, three and strike." He showed her the movements, twisting the blade to the other side then on the third count, swept it around to lift Gawain's sword up then disconnected to strike forwards quickly. "This is about speed, not strength." Galahad stepped back then nodded. "Try it."
Without giving Gawain the time to prepare himself Amaya shot forwards with the first strike then turned her hand over for the second, Gawain only just keeping up as she then lifted the blade in a circle, drew her own back then stepped closer to slash against his torso, glad that the blade was only wood.
Gawain looked down at the place where Amaya had just landed a hit then grinned. "Perfect." He nodded his head. "Just remain light on your feet and loosen your grip on the hilt, it will help relax your wrist so that you can move it better." Amaya nodded then took up her stance again to repeat the sequence. Galahad and Gawain worked with her, Dagonet and Bors sometimes calling out advice until she was gleaming with sweat and gasping for breath. Seeing her exhaustion, Gawain called for a stop. "We can continue tomorrow, if you like?" Amaya nodded her head, her throat too dry to speak as Lucan and Gilly rushed over, the former holding some water for her to guzzle down.
"Will you be a knight one day?" Lucan asked as Amaya tipped back her head, gulping down the refreshing water before looking down at them.
"No." Galahad said brusquely before she could answer. "Not if I have any say in the matter." Amaya rolled her eyes but smiled all the same, reaching out to touch his shoulder.
"You worry too much." She said to him with a pointed look before returning her gaze to the two boys before her. "But my brother is right. I am just a maid." Gilly grabbed the sword from Amaya's hand and lifted it awkwardly, turning to face Lucan.
"Prepare to fight to the death!" Lucan's eyes widened and he leaped out of the way of Gilly's clumsy swing, grinning suddenly.
"Have to catch me first!" Lucan cried then raced off as fast as he could.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Gilly shouted after the boy, dropping Amaya's sword then ran after Lucan, yelling for him to come back so he could fight with him like a man. Amaya laughed, retrieving the sword then dropped it onto one of the slots in the rack. Taking a deep breath Amaya lifted her head towards the sun, closing her eyes to bathe in its warmth.
"You're looking better." Dagonet said to her gently, coming to stand with her. "Not so pale."
"I slept rather well the last few days." Amaya said to him. "For a change."
"Now we just need to get your appetite up." The woman chuckled as she lowered her head and opened her eyes.
"I do not think you should worry, Dagonet. I feel as if I could eat a horse already." He smiled, glad that Amaya was beginning to pick herself up from the pale, ghostly person she had been only a week ago. She seemed so much brighter, full of life and joy. It was hard to find her without a smile these days and she sang from time to time, though mostly when she was alone. You would have to hide behind a door to listen to her which was what the children mostly did.
Amaya left the knights to continue their training, using a towel to wipe her face from the sweat that stuck to her brow and neck horribly. Her thoughts wandering away with the wind Amaya stepped around the corner the same moment as someone else but she just about managed to draw back before she could collide with the scout. She shot him a look then stepped around him, continuing to wipe the sweat from her. Tristan watched her go out of the corner of his eye, a strong tug pulling on his chest to follow her but he broke it by turning his head and continuing forwards again.
She could not help but look back, pausing before climbing the stairs. She tossed her towel into the laundry room then went to the kitchens to plate up some food to take to Arthur as he had not been present at breakfast and she doubt he had eaten at all this morning. Taking some warm, freshly baked bread she sliced up three pieces then took some grapes, apple slices, cheese and cold ham with a mug of ale before climbing up to the war room where he had not moved from all night as Guinevere had complained.
Balancing the tray on one hip Amaya knocked then waited for Arthur as he got up and opened the door, his frown disappearing when he smiled down at Amaya. "Good morning Amaya, how can I help you?"
"I think it is I who needs to help you." She said to him then lifted her tray of food. "You need to eat, my lord."
"Arthur. Just Arthur." He said to her then permitted Amaya to enter. She walked over to the table and set down the tray and ale, which Arthur picked up and drank from deeply, sighing contently as he then slumped in his chair. Amaya looked at him then glanced to the map before him. "Is there anything I can do, sire?" He shook his head, rubbing one hand down his face.
"I had hoped for a little more time of peace and plenty before my next adversary revealed himself." Arthur murmured softly, plotting another mark on the map. He slowly looked up to Amaya who met his eyes evenly. "Perhaps you can help me." She tilted her head, signalling she was listening. Arthur beckoned her forwards and she stood at his shoulder as he ran a hand over the map. "The story you told the children the other night about a horse lord and the invaders from another land, do you know the one I mean?"
"Yes Arthur." Amaya nodded her head. "But it was not just a story, it is our history. Sarmatian history." Amaya explained. "One of the few battles that my people won against the Romans." Arthur nodded his head in understanding.
"I want you to explain the battle to me again, only with more detail. I could not hear it all when you last told it." He tapped a finger to a point on the map and Amaya looked at it briefly. "And perhaps it may save our lives if I can recreate it." Nodding her head, Amaya thought back to the battle that her father had told her at least a hundred times before.
"I do not remember names but I know what happened." She excused with a little embarrassment, she should have paid better attention to her father's storytelling. "The foot soldiers of my people lay in wait for the Romans to appear in a vast grassland of space, facing the hill that the Romans would march over." Arthur lifted a finger, signalling for Amaya to pause so she waited as Arthur sought the map for a suitable location. He planted several markers down on the map before nodding.
"It was dawn, the sun not yet arisen but it was light enough for the warriors to see. They waited until finally, the Romans were in sight. They attacked one another, neither army gaining the upper hand. Eventually the Sarmatians called for a retreat, drawing the Romans forwards where they then entrapped themselves at the base of a cliff." Arthur moved a few markers away and Amaya waited for him before continuing. "They remained in formation and drew up their shields over their heads, lowering themselves down to protect themselves from the storm of arrows and stones that fell from the cliff top, cutting down the Roman army by a third. Before the invaders could reform the ranks, the sun rose from under the hill and the infantry turned their shields over, the bright beaten metal reflecting the sunlight into the Romans' eyes, blinding them."
Amaya took a breath, pausing to glance to Arthur who was frowning at the map before him so she lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Before they could turn to gain the upper ground again, the cavalry rode over the hill and from the flanks, sweeping away the invaders under not a drop of blood had not been spilled." Arthur nodded his head, leaning back in his chair then flicked away one of the markers, leaving only one standing. Amaya looked to it, seeing the land markings which showed her the high and low ground as well as the cliff. There was a lot of trees surrounding the area, which wasn't entirely to their advantage but it had higher ground than the other marker, making it more suitable.
"Well. If your plan works, I'm afraid I may have to promote you to being one of my council members." Arthur said to her and Amaya smiled warmly down at him then reached across, pulling the plate of food towards him.
"Eat. Or Dagonet will not be impressed when you fall ill." Arthur nodded his head and picked up the bread and began to bite into it with slices of cheese, sighing as he let his head roll back wearily. Once he had finished eating his mouthful he looked to Amaya, who was looking at the map intently.
"We could cut off their escape through the trees with trenches of pitch." Amaya suggested slowly, tracing her finger along the treeline. "They are likely to have horses so the fire will scare them and the archers can deal with them once they are disbanded." Arthur nodded his head.
"It is a good idea." He agreed, leaning forwards again but Amaya pushed him back in his chair then dropped his plate in front of him again with a small flick of her finger. "No more planning until you have eaten everything before you." She told him sternly, turning around to lean against the table and make sure he ate the food. Arthur ate rather hungrily, wolfing down everything quite quickly before leaning back in his chair again and smiled up at Amaya who took the plate then the mug, nodding to Arthur before curtseying. "I pray all goes well." She said to him.
"Thank you, Amaya. You have been a great help."
"My pleasure, Arthur. Should you need me to tell you any other stories, I shall be glad to be of service." The king chuckled, nodding his head as Amaya dismissed herself, leaving Arthur in peace and to return to her duties.
This girl is smart :)