- Nikolai gets a letter from his folks about Natasha, her illness, and how the marriage is off.
- They write for him to come home, and he would, but he’s not about to leave the army right as the war is starting.
- He writes a letter to Sonya telling her how much he loves her and how he’ll come home to marry her soon.
- The regiment starts in Vilno, then retreats further and further back.
- Nikolai is now a captain in the army and has an adjutant named Ilyin – kind of what Nikolai used to be for Denisov. Ilyin is 16, has a man-crush on Nikolai, and tries to be just like him.
- One night, another soldier is telling some story of war heroics, but Nikolai just gets annoyed listening to him because he knows that all war stories are exaggerations.
- Instead he and Ilyin go to the tavern where the regimental doctor is staying – along with his young, pretty wife.