The rescue begins.

Kriss and her unit of ten warriors had struck out along the top of the heights to avoid the enemy patrols down in the valley which was not easy. It was rocky terrain but leaving when it had been dark at least meant they were not hot. They had travelled fast and made good time but as the sun came up they found themselves deep inside enemy territory. They had located a cave and after making sure it was empty they rested eating and drinking and while some of them slept the others stood guard. Kriss made sure everyone was set and the guards on duty would be relieved so they got some sleep as well for the night's travel. She headed to a spot in the cave that was a little further from the others and sat down resting her back against the wall of the cave. She stretched out her legs and started to think of the orders that Julieanna had given her. Find Arerto and save her then place her under arrest and take her back to camp. She had not told the others yet as she closed her eyes in thought.

She thought back to her first battle when she had been almost killed. She had been surrounded along with her fellow soldiers and the enemy had been advancing on their position. There had been three of them and twenty enemy bandits and she and her comrades took a battle stance they expected the worse as the men approached through the mist. Just then a figure emerged from the mist behind Kriss and she soon recognised Arerto's sword and shield in her hands. Her body covered in armour and she stepped past them and faced down the enemy who suddenly charged and with her swinging short sword dropped five of them before the others crashed into the fallen bodies. They fell back and regrouped into one mass which was their mistake and they charged again and again five fell. Now the Arerto considered the odds were even as the rest of the men retreated and she turned to Kriss smiled and disappeared back into the mist. Arerto had saved her life and now she had been ordered to arrest her when she found her.

Night came everyone was rested as they headed off aa Kriss recalled her second meeting when Arerto had visited the barracks and after a talk Arerto had offered some advice. Always follow your orders however much you may disagree with them, a warrior's duty was to obey orders and only disobey them if they considered them morally wrong. This did not comfort Kriss as she had sworn an oath to the crown and at the moment Queeb Alcippe was the crown so she had to obey. The group moved on until they came to what looked like an inn with an attached stable and they decided that they would wait until day break before heading to look for the residence. They sought shelter in the long grass and trees of the woods each looking at the inn for signs that they had been spotted. Kriss wondered how many guards they would encounter at the residence and figured that being far from the danger there would be a small garrison. They would move at first light and wait until nightfall before they went in for the rescue.