-----Seth shakes his head and than adds, "How dare they come up to Lord Zantar seeking thieves." He shakes his head again. "I do not think they have found the lair of the dragon, you know. The carcass is on the road, maybe we could skin the carcass and then search for the lair of the beast. Before doing that though we need to find Marast and maybe secret our treasure hoard in Oakwood!"
-----He looks a bit guilty as he adds, "You know I could do with a bath and a good sleep and meal at Maimes, and while I know it is against your religion but after that episode in the drains you could do with some 'freshening up'".
-----The Dread Pirate waves magnanimously as Seth hops up on the wagon. Dread's expression alternates between relief at the news of the dragon being slain and outrage at being described as a 'thief'. He then says, "Aye, we'd best be gettin outta town then, if'n they be lookin fer us. This village isn't really big enough fer us to hide in fer very long. It is nice though that the dragon is just layin out in the middle of the road. Kazel can finally put her butcherin skills to work and skin that critter. I was also thinkin we could cut its head off and then show it to Lord Lambert and tell him that 'we' killed the beast. Maybe he'd up our reward a bit. I don't know how we can find the thing's lair though. That might take a bit of thought. And maybe more time than we can afford right now. Especially without Marast to help us track the thing. As fer now, let's just worry about gettin outta town in one piece. That family idea is pretty good. Let's check out the rest of the tunnels first though. Maybe one of 'em leads outside the walls. Then we can just take the wagon out and pick up our loot when we get outside the walls. If the tunnels don't lead outside, then we'll go with the family idea."
-----Dread hops off the wagon, telling Seth, "I'll go get the mercs and send the wounded ones down here. I've also got an idea fer gettin the gold outta town if'n the tunnels idea falls through. Anyway, I'll leave Krord to guard the treasure, while I go check out the tunnels real quick like. It shouldn't take me too long, but keep the wagon in the shadows just in case. If somethin happens to me, then try smugglin the loot out in the bodies of the dead. Just gut 'em, stuff em full of bags o' loot, then tell the guards that yer takin the plague-dead out to be burned outside o' town. I'm bettin that the guards won't be too eager to examine plague corpses. We can use the bodies o' those undead things, so we don't have to actually deal with actual plague victims and maybe contract it ourselves. Errmmm....well, you won't contract it anyway. Unless I didn't catch the plague, or the holy water worked, then I'm already infected. Yet another reason to get outta town real quick and head fer Oakwood."
-----Dread then hops down off the wagon and races into the tower, where he sends the mercs down to Seth and then zips through the tunnels looking for alternate routes out of town.
-----Seth nods in agreement as Dread runs off, secretly hoping they do not have to dirty themselves with the dead bodies.
-----In a few moments, Runik and Brandel exit the tower and, seeing Seth by the wagon, come over to him. Both mercenaries still look pretty beat up although they still seem willing and capable.
-----"So what be the plan?" Runik asks while Albert settles on Seth's shoulder.
-----"Well", Seth begins, "Dread is going to see if he can sneak the gold out through the sewers. If he can, we will just go through the town gates and drive off to Oakwood collecting the treasure on the way. The dragon is dead. We may stop to take its head and carcass - Dread wants to make some armour! By the way Brandel, do you have a brother serving with the soldiers here?"
-----"No, what made you think that?" the young man asks.
-----Within a few moments, Kazel is seen heading toward the tower riding a horse while leading the other horse and the two ponies. As she pulls up to them, they can see that she is not alone. In the saddle in front of her is a girl no older than five years old with long black hair and wearing a dull gray common dress. It is the child who offered Kazel a flower earlier.
-----Soon afterward, the Dread Pirate bolts from the tower and announces, "Aye, there is a tunnel leading under the wall to the south o' town. Krord, Runik, and Brandel can help me haul the loot to the tunnel entrance. We'll wait fer ye and the wagon there. Keep the disguise on though, just in case the heroes of Hearthorn are waiting there."
-----"They be able to find us?" Runik asks, noticing the fading light behind the clouds.
-----The Dread Pirate shrugs in response to Runik's question, "I don't know if they'll be able to find us or not. I'm guessin not. At lest not with all the traffic headin outta town. Just to be safe though, you mercs come with me and haul the loot. Seth can disguise himself, and Kazel can turn invisible and help Seth if'n he runs into trouble. But we'd better hurry, if the undead start gettin active at night, we don't have much time. Besides, I think we've done and suffered enough in this little burg. If there be anything left to do, let the heroes of Oakwood deal with it. Errmmm, who's yer little friend there, Kazel?" That said, Dread begins directing the mercs in unloading and hauling the loot through the sewers.