17th May, Grand Review - 33rd.

On the whole, Hakeswill had decided that he did not like Coimbra. It bored him. After the initial upset at the tavern with the girls he had decided to lie low for a few days, seeing as thew hole of the 27th were still on the lookout for him and any move he made had to be one that avoided dark alleyways in far flung parts of the city. Which meant that his leisure time had been necessarily boring, as the only safety he possessed at the moment was safety in numbers.

By God, that Welsh bugger had very nearly had him! Hakeswill did not often feel vulnerable, not with his darling mother watching over him as she was, bless her wonderous heart - yet trapped in that circle of Inniskillings baying for his blood had given him a stark reminder of what evil forces so often played against him. He had been trapped, but yet again he had pulled through, had seen his chance and fled, and once more he was still alive.

His face twitched and shuddered with glee at the thought. Yes, he still could not die. For again he had been given proof of it and blessed his dear mother for her protection as he stood in line with the 33rd, waiting to receive Sir Arthur.

Hakeswill looked as always. A gleeful little bugger, by whom any soldier wished not to be noticed or singled out. Ever. Even on his finer days there was something beneath the surface that would not reward men who's guard had been dropped. Today was no exception, though at least the sergeant's attention would be more on pleasing the officers. Never a foot out of place, when he needed it.

Private Pye was just another face amongst the 33rd, though inwardly his mind was rather elsewhere. Sir Arthur would come soon, and till then they were all to wait in their places.