The torches on the stone walls of the tavern of Veluca: "The Shining Duck" glistened as darkness started to fall on the great merchant city. There were but a few people in the tavern left, Avern the ransom broker and Julion the traveller were locked in silent whispered conversation on the far table. A group of rough and ready men dressed in haubergeons had taken off their helmets and started drinking, waiting for employment, any employment. The empire of Calradia had fallen long ago and now all around was war.

The bartender Torba, originally from Bariye in the far south, but moving to Veluca for a better life, quietly shuffles the mugs of beer behind the counter: as a Sarrinid, he prefers wine, but people in the Kingdom of Rhodoks prefer beer so he sells that. He jingles some denars on the counter out of boredom, then notices Ymira with her head resting on the table on the right. He knows her, she is the daughter of that merchant… what was his name again? Torba forgot. But Ymira looked tired and a bit distraught, with streaks of tears down her red face. What had happened? Why is she in the shining duck? She is a respectable daughter, she doesn't come to places like this! While still jiggling his denars, the door opens downstairs. Everyone falls silent, as those footsteps on the stairs sound like the men are armoured, which means they are knights or fighters. The men in haubergeons in the corner, who had been drinking toasts earlier out of their helmets, suddenly stood to attention and put their helmets back on. The footsteps get louder until a handsome young man in a fine suit of Vaegir elite armour and a nobleman's helmet walks to the counter, speaking in impeccable Swadian: "Bartender, I shall pay 1000 denars for everybody in Veluca to enjoy the generosity of Alayen the Vaegir tonight!" "…Ja?" asked Torba in response. "Ja, naturlich. Verstanten? Hier ist 1000 denars. Schnell! Gibt mir ein Bier!"

Everyone left in the shining duck hooted their approval in Rhodok. Alayen squinted, as he felt rhodok dialect is a bastardization of Swadian, but took in their cheers gratefully. One of the men in haubergeons approached him and said, in halting Vaegir: " chest I'slava, Boyar! My khotim , chtoby sluzhit' vam…" "Yes, yes, how much do you cost?" "Well, sire, we cost 1800 denars" "Done. Come with me. We have work to do." "Where shall we march, Boyar?" "I am not a Boyar! Anyway I am leading a mercenary company, perhaps I shall join King Graveth in his war against the Sarrinids! We shall march to Jamische castle at first light!" Alayen looked back, and there was this pretty girl on the table, in a pink merchant dress looking sad. Puzzled, he walked over and lifted her face up. She immediately grabbed his hand and slammed it on the table, glaring at his eyes.

Alayen was shocked, but as an aristocrat with good education he simply chuckled it off. "Well, we have a saucy one here! Why are you so upset?" The girl ignored him and continued burying her head in her arms on the table. Torbas came running over and in a Sarrinid accent of the Rhodok dialect which made Alayen cringe, said "Sie ist Ymira. Sie kommen… aus… ein… kaufmannsfamilie…" "Be quiet Torbas! I am not a little toy!" She shouted. "I came here because my father wants me to marry a man who is older than even him! It is disgusting! So I ran away from home. I just need a place to rest, Torbas, if you don't mind." Intrigued, Alayen took a closer look at her. She had long disheveled blond hair and smooth white skin: She was quite pretty for a merchant girl. He asked her "well, are you going to brood here forever or do you want to go and do something?" She ignored him. "Very well, sorry for the trouble" and then Alayen turned to go back downstairs when the door opened again.

"Ah, Captain Lezalit, what is it?" "My Lord Alayen, the soldiers are getting a little restless outside. I am still drilling them on the town square, trying to drill them into shape, but they cannot even stay in a proper formation! I suggest you hire Rhodok men: they are more willing to take orders! Your Vaegirs are filthy pigs! Fierce fighters and excellent with their bows, but they MUST listen to MY authority, henceforth…" "Alright, Captain Lezalit, enough. The town of Veluca will not hinder us in our plans now, I've hired some extra blades for our company, and some fine beer too…" "And not a moment too soon! Anyways shall we march?" "No, stay the night first." Alayen and Lezalit exited the tavern onto the deserted streets. " Here are some denars for the inn. I will instruct the men to be disciplined in the inn and not cause any trouble. And why is your hauberk rusty anyway? I thought you were a military trainer?" "Yes, my lord, I am sorry about the hauberk, it is difficult to…" "Yes, I heard you. Just do what I said." "Yes, Lord Alayen, as a military man, I am used to following orders, unlike these Vaegir…" "Shut up already and just do what I say!"

Lezalit saluted Alayen by bumping his hand on his chest and turning on his heels to shout at the soldiers. Suddenly the tavern door opened again: It was the girl! She went straight to Alayen and said "Hey, do you mind if I join your army? Anything's better than just staying here… I have read books about healing and medicine and I can manage household servants extremely well!... And, I have a knife, look!" Alayen couldn't help but laugh. "Household servants?" She looked a bit disheleved in her pink dress, but then again a girl who could dress wounds and was as cute as her was probably worth having around. "Very well, you may join. We can teach you…. Combat skills later…" "Combat? How exciting! I used to do mock swordfights with my boy cousins, you know, I was very good at it! And…" "Wooden swords are nothing like iron swords, lady." Alayen said with a wink, and off they went to look for Lezalit and his group of rowdy Vaegirs…