In the midst of a storm, the father of Aldred is shocked to learn that his son has been taken prisoner by the enemy. He immediately rushes to find Aldred, who has been shot in the arm. The father tells his son that he will take Aldred to the city of Medillum, where he will be able to see his son's grave. Aldred tells his father that he and the other men have been marching through the city for five days, without any success. He says that they will never win the war because they have no more powerful weapons. He asks his son if he knows what they are, and he tells him that they are pebbles that he has found in the storm. He then asks his father to bring the pebbles back to him, and the father agrees. He tells Aldred that he is safe now, but that they must go to Medillum to find the pebbles and bring Aldred back to them. He explains that in the spring, the king of the kingdom of Onfidhe came to sell his best furs, but for Aldred it was the first time he had visited the city. The city was impenetrable, and no one dared challenge it