The guard marches to the cavern with three menhirs.

Domic had spent the rest of the evening with Izabel listening to what she did while he was gone - nothing exciting, but that mundanity provided a pleasing distraction from his worries about the next day. Then they had said their goodnights to each other and had gone to bed.

He somehow finds himself relaxing in a pleasingly warm tub in his room, which seems much bigger than normal. There's a knock on his door. "Come in," he mumbles and the door opens. In through it walks{if Izabel ****=1} Izabel{else} Cerni{endif} wearing a long white cotton shift. She steps into the water beside him, pushing the shift down into the water. "Join me?" he says, too late, as he becomes more and more aware of laying in bed while the dream keeps playing.{if Izabel ****=1} Someone is gently shaking him awake.

"Domic? Wake up Domic," Izabel is saying.

"Muh?" he mumbles, his eyes snap open. She is standing beside his bed, lips pursed, looking down and gently shaking him.

"Don't you have to get going? It's been a while since the six o'clock bell."

"Oh? Oh yes! I do - I didn't hear it," he says, sitting up. His morning wood makes a small rise beneath his blankets. "Did she notice that?" he thinks.

"Alright, you get dressed - I'll set your things out in the entryway," she says, as she turns around and leaves his room.{else} He wakes up, rubbing the sand out of his eyes. {endif}

He rolls out of bed and quickly puts on a linen loincloth and shirt, then woolen breeches and a dark green tunic. Izabel is downstairs, holding a cup of some liquid for him, as well as chunk of bread, stuffed with dry fruits. His musket, sword, and pack are by the door. "Thank you," he says, as he downs the fruity liquid and takes a bite out of the bread. "I don't think I'm late yet for the muster, but it might be close," he says, as he pulls on his boots.

"Eat that on the way then," she says, handing him the rest of his gear. "Be safe," she whispers, as they embrace. She looks at him with watery eyes and a sad smile. She kisses his forehead{if Izabel ****=1}{if Izabel's Love=10} and then gives him a quick peck on the cheek.{elseif Izabel's Love=15} and then gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.{endif}{else} and pulls away.{endif} "Goodbye, I love you," she says.

"I love you too - let's go do something in town when I get back, alright?" he walks out their door.{if Izabel ****=1} "Did she really just kiss me on the cheek? She's never done that before...I guess she just really cares," he thinks.{else}{endif}

"I'd love to," she says. They wave goodbye to each other until she disappears from his view.

...

Domic quickly walks to the commandery. Inside the courtyard, around two dozen men and women muster for the expedition to the cavern, dressed in dull greens and greys. Some clean their swords or musket barrels, others stuff food and bedrolls inside their packs. Steel brigandines and burgonet helmets are laid beside powder horns and shot boxes. He sees Torjo, who nods to him, and Cerni sitting on a stool, honing the edge of her sword - they give each other little waves as Captain Halle stomps towards him.

"Domic, good of you to show up. You need a helmet and armor. Yulda!" he shouts at a dark-haired woman, filling her horn with powder from a barrel. Her face is long and pale, and she looks to be in age somewhere Izabel and Torjo. "Help get Domic fitted to a brigandine and helmet in the armory," he yells. She nods and points toward the commandery's doors, and he follows her inside to the armory. There, she rummages around on a shelf for a linen measuring strip.

"Hmm, yes," she says, as she wraps it around his chest and then around his arms. "Go find a gambeson and arming cap that fit you," she says, pointing to a long shelf and a big chest. Domic spends a few minutes looking through the heavily padded garments, before finding one that doesn't smell too bad and isn't discolored with blood. Then he grabs a surprisingly clean cap from the chest and walks back over to Yulda, who holds a brigandine and burgonet in her arms. He slips on the gambeson and cap, then she helps him put on the armor. "A bit tight? You're muscled enough to be **** to squeeze into it, but not fat enough to go up a size," she chuckles.

"A bit, but I think I can manage," he says, flushing. Then she helps him take the brigandine off and they walk back to the courtyard, where Halle is finishing up a speech to the arrayed guards.

"...'For the pride of Pael,'" he monotones, "and good luck, and may the gods guard you," he says with heart. Torjo is motioning at Domic, who walks over with Yulda.

"Ah, Domic, I see you've met Yulda, my second. She get you outfitted?"

"Yes, Sergeant Torjo."

"Good. Well, once Cerni is done," they look over to see her hugging Halle, who looks rather self-conscious, "then we're ready for you two to lead us to the cavern." Cerni walks over, Torjo shouts a command, and they all march out of the courtyard.

...

Torjo calls a break when Domic estimates they're about thirty minutes or so away from the cavern. The sun is high in the sky, but the land is chilled underneath the branches of trees that become barer with every gust of wind. Yulda and Cerni outfit each other, while Torjo tightens the straps on Domic's brigandine.

"Where'd you get that ring lad? Never seen anything like it," Torjo asks, as Domic pulls on buff leather gloves.

"Oh, um, my sister gave it to me, from our late mother. She said it was lucky."

"Really? Interesting."

"Why's that?"

"Oh, lots of so-called lucky rings around. Never seen a hexagonal one before though. Maybe you have the real thing," Torjo chuckles. "Here you are, lad," he hands him his helmet. "Now, listen," he says, leading him slightly away from the others, "we're going to lure the orcs out of the cavern, and ambush them as they rush out. Maybe we'll gun 'em all down, maybe we'll have to charge 'em. If that happens, Yulda's sticking with you, and you to her, alright? She's a good blade."

"What about Cerni?"

Torjo looks him in the eyes and smiles pleasantly. "Already ignoring Halle, huh? I told him you'd probably be just like your sister. Don't worry about Cerni, she'll be with me, behind it all. Halle was not happy to find out she'd run off with you, didn't want her to come today, but decided she needed the command experience, such as it is. You just focus on staying alive, alright? Stick with Yulda," he says, pointing his finger for emphasis.

"Wait, Sergeant, why have Yulda stick with me? Shouldn't she be with you and Cerni?" he asks as Torjo turns away.

"Halle ordered she stay with you," he says, and then pauses. An argument flashes in his eyes, and he loses against himself. "And then Cerni asked me later to stick her to you," he says, looking at him, eyebrow askew. Domic nods thankfully.

...

Domic crouches down behind a boulder flecked with quartz bands, looking between it and a tree at the two men creeping towards the entrance. He breathes in and out slowly, but his heart hammers against his layers of protection. He glances over to Yulda, a few feet away, back against a tree. She nods reassuringly and winks cockily at him, then he watches as the two men place several small clay-colored balls on the ground at the entrance. One of them lights a fuse, and they both scamper away back to the trees as Domic ducks down. There is a tremendous noise as the grenades explode and then the air is filled with smoke and the screeches of every bird for a mile around taking flight. He cocks his musket and points it at the entrance, as the ringing in his ears die down. "Surely they've heard that? How long will it take them to come out? Are they even still in there?" those and a hundred other thoughts sprint through his head as he breathes in and out slowly. Then he hears them - the yells and snarls, the stomping of boots - and suddenly they're streaming out of the entrance, hazy with smoke - one, two, five, a dozen, more!

"AIM!" Torjo's voice rings out.