-----Squinting at the open barn, he adds, “Four wagons. Do we have the horses to pull them?” He looks at Sol and glances at Thunder.
-----Sol's eyes darken momentarily but he shrugs it off and answers, "Thunder is a mount bred fer war. I'd prefer any others be used. Mayhap a couple o' ye can head back int' town an' grab a pair o' stout ones from my companions. They're mostly riding horses, an' should be suitable. If ye bump int' any o' my friends, just tell 'em I sent ye."
-----Two men quickly volunteer and they hurry off toward the village. About an hour later they return with two horses and a familiar face. Strolum, off his time with the watch, accompanies the two men with the red-haired warrior’s horse and one from one of his companions.
-----Strolum stands slack-jawed as he looks over the gold-laden wagons. “Tis a curious turn o’ happenins, this be,” he says. “Didn’t expect t’be guardin’ orc gold on this quest!”
-----"Better these people take it, than th' dark priests causing more trouble wi' ill-gotten wealth." Sol replies as he helps hitch horse and wagon. "Since yer here, can ye stay here whilst I go along wi' th' first load int' Ku?"
-----“Aye, th’t I be a’doin’,” Strolum replies as he lends a hand. Two horses are hitched up to the wagon and as one man climbs aboard to take the reins, the others all stand back. At first the horses strain and have trouble getting started. Finally five of the men begin pushing from the back of the vehicle and it begins to move steadily out of the building. Sol is one of the men in the back and when the wagon continues on at a steady pace, he waves at Raven, Strolum and four of the men who are remaining behind to guard the rest.
-----As they move toward the village of Kulendra, the men behind the wagon find that they have to occasionally push the vehicle if it gets slowed by the wet ground. Finally they make it to the village square and pull up to the inn. Jyan is there as his father is ‘running’ the inn while everyone waits for Lord Howrun’s army to arrive. The mage quickly helps them organize the transport of the bags of gold into the cellar of the inn.
-----So it is that before evening sets in, the gold has been transferred to the inn’s cellar. During the trips, there was nothing from the watches about the village that disturbed the operation and it wasn’t until the fourth wagon was delivered that word really got out among the village residents of what was found.
-----As they waited to catch their breath before they started back, Strolum who took his turn to help transport gold on this round said, “All there be now is them bags of gold th’t be loose in th’barn.” The red-haired warrior stretched his arms as he looks at Sol.
-----"Aye, an' I'm not keen on leaving it there fer another night." Sol replies, eyebrows furrowed as he considers the likelihood of any remaining gold remaining there by morning.
-----Nodding to himself, Sol heads towards the barn, motioning for the others to follow, "Let's get th' last o' it done now, then I should probably look t'taking one o' th' shifts fer th' night. Seems Howrun's men are later than I'd hoped."
-----Raven quips that he hopes that they didn’t run into any trouble but seems confident that Howrun’s army of men and elves should win through. The heroes in the company of Strolum and the men helping out on the wagon ride back to the barn. There, they quickly grab up the last of the gold bags; seventeen of them and then head back toward the village square.
-----As they come back in, the sun is close to setting behind the clouds. Now the village square is alight with torches and many people are gathered close to the inn. Many of the young men and women mill about and excited voices are heard as words of gold are uttered.
-----As the heroes ride in with the wagon, many of them move closer to the wagon to hear of what is transpiring.
-----Smiling politely, Sol continues to forge a path through the throng of villagers for himself and the other gold bearers, determined to get all of it inside and secure. Any questions are met with non-committal shrugs.
-----All of the spectators seem very supportive and even though Sol offers little in response to them, other men offer to help by holding some of the displaced citizens back. Finally, Sol, Raven and Strolum bring the last of the gold bags into the cellar where Jyan is counting the bags and writing information down on a piece of parchment.
-----Wiping the sweat from his brow, Strolum straightens, rubbing his own back muscles. “I be thankful I’m not a rich man,” he grunts, “All that gold be a’pain t’lug ‘round!”
-----Sol nods fervently, as he turns and says to the young man, "Make sure ye post some sort o' guard here. Temptation might be strong for some." To the others, the Gorian nods his goodbye, explaining, "I'm off t'take watch at th' bridge again, at least till midnight. Thanks fer th' help all." Taking himself back upstairs, Sol leaves the inn quietly and looks for Thunder.
-----“Take care,” Raven says to Sol as they leave the inn. “I’ll probably join the watch on the western side again. First I want to see how Rinda is doing.”
-----Sol then finds his stallion standing ready just a few feet from the inn. The rest of the village square looks more relaxed as some gather their families for the night while some of the warriors take their watch. The evening begins to cool although it still feels humid and muggy.