Chapter 4: The Second Day of Flight!
The Third of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----The rogues now pass a few hills, which feature rocks exposed from weathering and little vegetation covering them. Birds begin to sing from the distant trees and the air seems fresh and calm with no wind.
-----Finally as the sun begins to rise over the distant forest line, the riders move across a wide-open plain. Brandel tells everyone they are about ten miles from the village of Grute.
-----Seth eyes the direction toward the village. "Does anyone need more sleep or shall we continue? I did not have enough rest to recover all of my spells!"
-----The Dread Pirate shrugs his shoulders and says, "Let's just avoid the village this time. We can camp here for a few hours, catch up on our sleep. How far are we from Krondor's keep?"
-----Dread dismounts and begins to set up camp, intending to get some rest.
-----Kazel says, "Somehow I think that smiling man has to do with that bloody stag last night. I don't think we need to visit any village if we just need rest."
-----Seth shrugs and mumbles, "Oh well, back to more nights without baths and dirty laundry." He wheels his horse and follows the others towards their new camp site in the mud, but his eyes keep darting towards the village, dreaming of a nice soft bed.
-----"Once we pass Grute, it is eighteen miles to the river," Brandel says dismounting. "Your 'friends' back in Oakwood said that the keep is located east of Nox, which is on the river."
-----Suddenly the horse that Krord is on begins to get very agitated. His eyes widen in protest as if suddenly sensing the big guard on his back. The steed begins to whinny and rock back and forth as if to begin bucking. Krord grabs the reins a bit tighter, but the horse continues to protest.
-----The Dread Pirate looks bewildered as Krord's normally placid mount begins to act up. Then his jaw sags open and he gapes at Krord for a moment. Gimplefwick then says, "The Dread Pirate Occam once said that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Or somethin like that. Krord! Get off yer horse and hand the reins to Brandel."
-----Dread then begins to eye Krord warily and says, "Krord, have ye ever been bitten by a wolf or a bear while ye were stationed out here? Judging by the size o' those animals that left the stag last night, I'd say a bear, but I'm just guessin'. Now I didn't think much o' when Raven singled ye out and stared at ye back at the inn. Or when that lunatic approached ye at the tavern as though he recognized ye. But what if those animals last night weren't leavin that dead stag as a marker to find us, but as a gift to one o' their own who was camped out nearby. And now yer horse is actin all funny. How close are we to a full moon, Krord?"
-----Dread then pulls out one of his throwing knives and wipes the paralytic poison off on his saddle blanket. He then throws the knife at Krord's feet, saying, "Now I don't know fer sure, o' course. And if'n I'm wrong then I'll apologize and ye can keep that magic sword I lent ye. But ye have to take that knife and make a small cut on yer arm, so I can be positive. If it heals right up, then we'll know. If ye bleed like a stuck pig, then I'm wrong. I'm rightly sorry, but I don't know of any other way to tell. Unless ye know and will admit to it."
-----The Dread Pirate looks at Krord speculatively, waiting for him to act or say something.
-----Seth seems amazed at Dread's request. "Um, I thought Krord's parentage may be similar to Raven's.. Which is why Raven looked at him that way. Ah, how do I say it... Ahhh some one like Sir Slappy somewhere in the system like as a father or grandfather... Can't you see it in Raven? It's why he hates himself so much!" Seth looks at Krord and shrugs.
-----Kazel looks puzzled. "And I thought it was just because Krord here is too heavy. We missing something here Brandel? Or should we just use this chance to trade in the horses at Grute?"
-----"One moment here . . . !" Brandel begins to protest as he holds the reins of the huge horse. The horse, suddenly rearing up and bolting away, interrupts him causing him to lose his grip. The steed begins to gallop madly in a northern direction.
-----Momentarily forgetting the horse, Brandel looks over at Krord who is curiously picking up the Dread Pirate's knife. "No!" the shorter human yells as he approaches Krord and holds his hands out. He motions for the large guard to drop the knife.
-----"What madness is this?" Brandel turns and asks Gimplefwick with a pleading look. "I do not know what you exactly suspect, but I can vouch for Krord's character. I think I am right in assuming that Marast and Runik would too." Brandel looks at the other two guards with an assertive glance. The dwarf nods calmly while the elf simply cocks an eyebrow and dismounts.
-----With a hint of frustration, Brandel looks at his employers and says, "Two years ago, our company hunted down a marauding band of orcs. What we did not know at the time was that at least two ogres were guiding them. When we found their lair, we drove to force all of the humanoids out into the open. Due to the ogres half of our company was downed or injured. When we were about to retreat, Krord appeared and single-handedly slew one of the ogres. At that point, the tide turned in our favor."