The ransom for nearly one hundred women and children came from the Saxons, demanding a large sum of money for their release. Arthur was torn. Ordinarily he would not hesitate to pay the gold but his advisors were dead set against it, pleading a rather persuading case. He paced the war room alone, trying to think of what to do.
He had five days to pay the ransom before a full scaled attack would be launched from the Saxons and with his people still recovering from their last bout of attacks, plus the war against Lazarus and then also the first Saxon invasion that Cerdic had made, he had little spirit to call them to arms once more. Not knowing what else to do, he called for Amaya.
She entered the room gracefully, instantly gripping Arthur's arm then sat him down in a chair to stop his pacing. "Please tell me you have a plan." Arthur begged and was overwhelmingly relieved to see her nod.
"I have one. You won't like it, but it will work." She informed him then drew Arthur's attention to the map that lay spread out on the table. "To reach us, they have to sail from their homeland to ours. Sweden, Denmark and northern Germany are their main ports on the coasts, my bet is they never bothered to return all the way home. They'll have our people ready to sail back when we supposedly pay the ransom, which they said to send to Germany. If we can get them out of there, we can avoid paying the ransom and draw them after us. Then, once we have them approaching from where we can see them, we'll finish them off, or rather, I will." Arthur looked up at her with a frown so she continued to elaborate. "Gawain, Dagonet, Tristan, Ywain and Lionel could all easily pass as Saxons if we give them the right clothes. Let me go with them to take back the women and we'll be back within a week."
"How do you intend to stop an entire fleet of ships, carrying armed Saxons, all alone, Maya?" Arthur asked, rubbing his brow then pinched the bridge of his nose. Amaya smiled and touched his shoulder.
"You have no idea how strong my magic has become. I've been training myself in the woods. I can do it, Arthur, with no losses on our side so long as all goes well with the rescue. This time it is not about strength of numbers, it's about skill, wit and stealth. Thank the gods we have more of those three features in just you and I than the entire Saxon force put together."
"I don't know, Amaya, it sounds too risky." Arthur murmured, unwilling to put his family into such mortal peril. "What if something happens to you or Tristan? Your children are barely a month old." Amaya paused, biting her lip before nodding.
"I know, but this is the only way to send those oversized bastards back to the lands where they came from. We'll sail into port as a cargo ship and I'll cast an illusion around it to make it seem full of treasure, enough to keep the Saxons occupied whilst we all commandeer the ship with the women on, or if they're not on a ship, find them and load them on." Arthur frowned, looking up at Amaya.
"You do not even know which port they are situated." She smiled then tapped her head.
"I know. I've seen them. This will work, Arthur. I'll make it work." Finally, Arthur sighed as he had no better argument or plan. When it comes to outwitting the enemy, Amaya was the best advisor there was and he was grateful for it, no matter how wild and outlandish her ideas seemed.
"Very well. Take whoever you need and go immediately." Amaya nodded her head then ran a finger over the edge of a cliff on the map.
"Be here in six days at dawn. You'll be in for a show." She smiled to him. "You won't need the army, but if you wish to amass the men then don't hesitate if it will make you feel better to have a contingency plan." Nodding his head Arthur rose to his feet as Amaya took a step back, curtseyed then strode away.
"Amaya." She stopped and looked back to Arthur who sighed. "Just be careful." Giving him a single knight, Amaya called the knights to arms. From the Saxons they had taken hostage, Amaya got everyone to dress in the thick furs, flat nosed helmets and arm themselves with their weapons also.
Tristan scowled at the bow, testing the string to find it stiff, unyielding and poor quality. He tossed it aside. "I cannot shoot with a stick like that."
"It's just for show, Tristan." Amaya sighed as she walked towards him. He frowned at her.
"You're not wearing the armour." She sighed with disappointment.
"I know, I have yet to have an excuse to wear it. However seeing as this mission requires a disguise…" She gestured to herself dressed as a serving boy. "This is far more suitable." She looked down at her bare feet, wriggling her toes then smirked at Tristan who arched an eyebrow at her. "Don't look at me like that, I suspect you'll rather enjoy me serving your ever desire." His eyebrow raised further as she shot him a smirk then strode past, ruffling Demon's head as he trotted beside her.
Amaya found herself in the nursery, gazing down at her children whilst letting Tor grip onto her finger, singing softly to them whilst trying not to feel like her heart was bleeding wide open at the thought of leaving them. She looked to Demon who sat up a little straighter, wagging his tail. "You'll protect them for me?" She questioned and he growled softly before barking. "Keep that witch away." The hawk, Lani, landed on the windowsill and called out as if to assure Amaya that she too would be watching over the little ones.
Tristan could not take her with him, it would be too obvious so Lani had been told by Amaya through magic to remain here and the hawk would obey until Tristan returned for her. Reaching forwards Amaya kissed Ruth's face and then Tor's, struggling to hold back her tears.
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she did not need to look around to know it was Tristan. "They will be safe here." All the same, Amaya had placed a protective enchantment on their cot to keep them safe from anything Morgana may try through the day or the night. So long as they were in their cot, they would be safe.
"I do not want to leave them. Not even for a week." She murmured, unable to keep her fingers from brushing their sleeping faces. "My little miracles."
"The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back." He whispered. Slowly Amaya stood, eyes fixed on her children before Tristan tugged on her arm and pulled her away. Demon got up, walked to the cot then lay down beside it, watching his mistress with a silent promise to not move more than a foot away from the little infants who screeched like the hawk.
Amaya followed Tristan, letting his hand slip from hers as she glanced back to the nursery. She wanted to run back and hold them one more time, whisper them promises to return swiftly but she forced her head to face forwards, continuing down until they were in the courtyard.
Arluin was already waiting for her so she greeted him softly, stroking his face before mounting up. "Knights, go with good fortune. May your mission be successful. Maya?" Arthur looked to the woman before shaking his head. "I hope you know what you're doing." She cracked a sly grin.
"When have I ever let you down, my king?" She returned before leading the way out into the streets, the guards all thumping their chests to cry out her chosen battle cry.
"RUS!" The sound echoed in her head and Amaya smiled, letting it wash her body in confidence before looking ahead, focusing on the road before her as the city quickly peeled away and they raced through the woods, heading for port where a ship lay in waiting for them.
With a soft groan Amaya lifted her head from the arm she rested against. Dagonet shifted, his head lifting slightly before it dropped but he turned onto his side, his arm still trapped by Amaya's head. Tristan stretched, growling softly as he turned his face closer into Amaya's torso and her legs were flung out over Gawain who was curled up close to the others.
They'd all fallen asleep closely tangled together to avoid freezing to death overnight as the temperature suddenly dropped. They would reach port today, where they would then take back the women that had been stolen and bring them home.
"Maya, stop wriggling." Gawain grumbled sleepily as she tried to get more comfortable.
"But my legs are numb." She complained, twisting so that Tristan lost his comfortable headrest, making him growl.
"Lie still, woman." He shot at her so she growled in return.
"Will you all just shut up?" Lancelot yawned wearily then dropped his head back onto his arm. "It's still early." Amaya, sensing that dawn had already come and was nearly gone, kicked Gawain awake.
"Hey!"
"Up. Everyone up." Tristan shot her a filthy look as she shoved him from her. "We're coming into port."
"No one's called us yet." Lancelot argued with a whine then grabbed Amaya as she tried to get up, pulling her closer. "How about you and I leave those ugly bastards to freeze as we kindle some heat between us?" She smirked then arched an eyebrow at him.
"Lancelot, one day I am going to castrate you. I swear to all the gods, if you don't let me go then I'll do it right now." He laughed, kissed her face then let her go so Amaya rolled to her feet. "Gaheris, get up." He snarled at her but she ignored him, shaking his shoulder violently until he sprung to his feet and she smartly stepped back out of the reach of his fist as he yelled, swinging his clenched fists around before blinking.
"Damn it woman, you know not to wake me like that!" She rolled her eyes.
"I've slept only a cell away from you for six months, Gaheris, I know how to wake you up without getting my head cut off." She told him gently but with a smirk. "Come on, everyone get ready." Lancelot turned over, pulling his blanket over his head so Amaya whisked it away.
"No!" He whined, groping the air for it but Amaya tossed it aside. Just then there was a thud from above.
"We're coming to port, get your lazy asses up here!" Sending everyone a smug smirk, Amaya pulled her hair up under a cap then looked around to the others as they finished putting on their Saxon clothing.
"This stuff stinks." Gawain muttered, grimacing as he shrugged into a fur cloak.
"At least no one will look at you, you're even uglier than usual wearing those drab clothes." Lancelot pointed out with a grin. "I, on the other hand, look rather dashing in everything."
"Lancelot? If you want to live, keep that tongue inside your mouth where it belongs." Amaya said to him. "No one is to speak otherwise we'll give ourselves away." He turned his devilish smile on her.
"But of course, my sweet, the only other place my tongue belongs is in your…" Tristan slammed a fist into the knight's jaw, effectively shutting him up.
"That's my woman you're talking to." He growled so Amaya stepped forwards, placing a hand on his shoulder then reached up, tentatively kissing his face and at the brush of her lips, Tristan was instantly calmed.
"Ah, the beauty who tamed the beast." Lancelot laughed, wiping the blood from his split lip. Amaya rolled her eyes then helped him up, giving him a warning look before looking to the others.
"When we get ashore stick together, no one is to go off on their own for any reason. I'll find the women and perhaps a lot of our gold as well. Something tells me that these idiots haven't a brain between them and have probably hoarded everything here so that they could return to their king with an endless bounty of war spoils." Amaya sighed, rubbing her brow which ached. She was so weary, tired of fighting, tired of constantly having to use her wit to outsmart the constant stream of enemies. All she wanted was to go home and raise her children in peace.
Tristan, seeing her falter slightly, placed a hand on her back and she looked at him. He saw the exhaustion in her eyes. She was battle tired, as was he. Nodding his head slowly in understanding, he touched his head to hers and she sighed, relaxing into him.
When the hatch was opened and a ladder slid down, Amaya climbed up first, glancing around before nodding to the others. They climbed up and Amaya focussed on casting an illusion around the ship, fillings its belly with gold, jewels and trinkets of great value until even the deck was almost overflowing.
"A little bit overwhelming, don't you think?" Lancelot questioned, picking up a gold coin before tossing it aside.
"That's the idea." Amaya shrugged. "It's the eastern wall all over again." Gawain laughed, grinning broadly.
"I shall never forget those battles." He declared then clamped his mouth shut as Amaya touched a finger to her lips as they slid ashore. She hid behind Dagonet who remained perfectly still, watching as the ramp was lowered and then they moved down as curious Saxons came closer as the men aboard shouted out, calling everyone over to see the treasure they had found. With every Saxon man, woman and child running forwards to see and possibly partake in the bounty, the others slipped forwards, no one ever casting them a glance.
Amaya cast her eyes over the ships, searching for the one she had seen in her vision. It was several ships down, long and agile. It had been the ship she had seen in her vision, filled with gold but there were no women. There were somewhere else. Gawain touched her arm and she looked at him briefly before nodding her head towards the ship.
Instantly they all moved forwards but Amaya held Dagonet and Tristan back, inclining her head towards one of the large halls of the Saxons, where the lord of the port resided. They followed her as she slipped forwards, avoiding notice as the Saxons danced on the ship practically made of gold, calling and shouting in celebration.
There was no one guarding the door as the men had abandoned their posts to see the treasure so Amaya pulled it open and looked inside. Terrified faces looked up at her, pale, blood stained, withdrawn and utterly hopeless. Amaya smiled.
"We're here to take you home." She said and they all gasped, eyes widening further as they heard Amaya's soft, motherly voice. "Can you stand?" Instantly the women scrabbled to their feet, though their hands were all bound together. They all pushed forwards, sobbing and offering prayers of thanks to god but Amaya quickly hushed them, hissing with a sharp look. "Quietly now, we're boarding you all on a ship to sail home. Act they way you look, like miserable hostages." Instantly they quietened down, sniffing and bowing their heads as Amaya stepped back and allowed the light to spill through onto them.
At first they whimpered and turned their heads away from the brightness, shuddering at the intensity before their eyes adjusted and they shuffled forwards, gripping onto one another for comfort as Dagonet led the way, Tristan glancing around to make sure it was safe before moving with them.
Gawain, Gaheris and Lancelot stepped forwards, shoving the women forwards roughly to keep up appearances and they walked onto the boat that was berthed next to the one filled with gold. "Amaya, I do not like the way those Saxons are looking at us." Dagonet murmured, not turning his head. Amaya sighed softly, her hand slowly creeping for a dagger.
"Get on the ship. Carry on with the plan and I will deal with this." Amaya murmured, refraining from turning her head as she listened to the heavy footfalls of several Saxons approaching them. "Is Lionel in position?"
"Looks like it." Dagonet answered quietly so Amaya nodded her head then gave him a gentle push forwards, signalling that he should leave her. "Maya…"
"Go, I shall be alright." She promised him. "This is the next stage of the plan." Nodding his head Dagonet left just as the other Saxons arrived. Amaya turned to face them, pressing her lips together and squinting slightly, her shapeless clothes hanging off her as she stood barefoot on the frosty ground. They growled at her in their own language and Amaya listened but when the time came to answer, she said nothing.
One Saxon stepped forwards, his dark beard glistening with the stink of sour ale as he snarled again, speaking in sharp grunts and uncomprehending words as Amaya continued to stand there. Tristan tensed, seeing the Saxons tense and he read their aggressive body language and instantly moved to go to Amaya and drag her back to safety but Gawain gripped his arm.
"She's giving us time. Just get these ropes off, Tristan and get us to sea, then we can worry about the next part of this crazy plan." Tristan growled, eyes fixing on Amaya as he cast off the ropes, allowing the boat to go free as the wind caught in the sails and began to draw them out.
Dagonet stood at the tiller, gripping it tightly as he began to steer out of port. Suddenly the Saxons yelled and surged forwards but Amaya moved with blinding speed, cutting her dagger across the Saxon's throat, slicing off his beard in the process of silencing his warning.
Dumbstruck, the other watched as their comrade sank to his knees, choking on his own blood before slumping forwards. Amaya lifted her bloodied blade, a slow smirk rising to her lips as she took slow steps back.
They all bellowed, alerting the other warriors to the escape of their prisoners as the ship pulled out. Amaya flung out a hand, sending all five men tumbling to the ground with a gust of wind before racing for the second ship with the gold. "Cast off!" She bellowed to Lionel and Gaheris who held onto the last ropes, anchoring the ship to the port. "Now!" If they let go then she would not make it, they couldn't let go. "Do it!" Giving in to her command, Lionel tossed the rope aside with a wince as Gaheris did the same then raced to the head of the ship, leaning forwards to catch the rope that Lancelot flung to him then ensured that the noose caught around the monstrous head of the narrow boat which then began to pull taut as the first ship began to reach the open waters, pulling the gold along with it.
Lionel looked back to Amaya who slashed her knife at a Saxon who had lunged for her, her blade dancing across the man before he fell and she continued to run, putting her dagger away. "Amaya!" Tristan growled sharply, fear gripping him as he prepared to dive into the water and swim back to shore to fight by her side if she did not make it.
Amaya stopped at the shoreline, the boat too far out of reach. A heavy growl made her spine tingle as hands reached for her from behind. Amaya turned, gripping the Saxon then used his momentum to fling him over her head and into the water.
Undeterred, Amaya took a few steps back then ran forwards, diving into the freezing water. Flicking her pointed toes to keep going, Amaya broke the surface then began to streak after the ship, though it was moving swiftly away.
Arrows darted after and Amaya felt something sharp cut into her arm, causing her to flinch with a grunt, jerking away from the pain before sliding through the water, fighting against the choppy waves with all her strength. "Amaya! Take hold!" Gaheris shouted out to her and she lifted her head, taking a deep breath to look up to them as the waves slapped into her face. They flung a rope over the side and it splattered to the water.
Instantly Amaya darted after it. Arrows hissed through the air, sliding into the water after her and Amaya felt another sharp sting through her cheek and she yelped. "Maya!" Lionel thundered with rage. Tristan gripped onto the side of the boat, straining to see what was happening. He could hear the others shouting his wife's name, was she hurt? She had better be alright he'll turn this damn ship around and kill every Saxon in that port in vengeance.
Amaya whimpered slightly but as her hands found the rope, she gripped on then felt herself lurch forwards. Lionel and Gaheris drew her in like a drowned fish, pulling her up over the side as she bled. She did not feel cold as her magic kept her warm, but she needed to see to her wounds before she lost too much blood. "Maya, are you alright?" Amaya nodded her head, touching her cheek and drawing a line across it, healing it over then touched her arm. "You were damn lucky not to be hit! Was that really your plan?" Lionel demanded angrily, grabbing Amaya's shoulder and pulling her towards the supplies they had moved into the ship with them so that he could cover her in blankets once she had magically blown a hot wind around her, drying out her clothes.
"Magic is such a blessing." Amaya groaned, drawing the blanket around her to appease her brothers. "But no, that was not the last of it." She looked back towards the village then narrowed her eyes. Suddenly the roof of the mead hall burst into flame, climbing higher and higher until it was a pillar of heat that the knights could feel on their faces even when out on the open waters. "Now that we have their attention, I suspect they'll be pissed off enough to follow us." Sure enough the Saxons began to organise their fleet, drawing forwards from a bay where they all gathered by the hundreds.
"You are insane. I have decided, completely mad!" Gaheris decided, staring at the fleet as it slid into view from behind the cliff, the blaring horn haunting his mind as it sounded after them, mellow but strong. "You want us to face an entire fleet of Saxon ships?"
"No, I expect us to outrun them and draw them to the cliffs just off Camelot's Port. Then we shall face them." Amaya smirked. "Or at least, I shall." Lionel and Gaheris looked to each other in alarm.
"Insane." Gaheris declared once more then dropped down to the deck, sitting there as he glared at Amaya. "You will be the death of us." She laughed.
"Most probably, but you cannot deny, you will die whilst carrying out the craziest mission ever imaginable. It will be on for the scholars, for definite." She sighed then rested back on a mound of gold, frowning slightly. "This is uncomfortable."
"Here, come here you mad woman." Lionel sobered, stretching out a hand and shifted closer. "I'm fat and warm, I make a good softener." Amaya chuckled but wriggled closer to him, shifting across the decking then leaned into him, closing her eyes as she relaxed. Gaheris watched her fall asleep, wondering how in hell she came up with these plans.