-----Giving one last look around, the village ruins seems quiet and this time it seems as if it is really devoid of any living occupants. The trio of rogues and the four bodyguards mount up and leave the ancient stones behind.
-----Riding out on the trail road, the larger horses set a slower pace while the two ponies trot along snorting into the air.
-----After a half-hour's time, the road leads them past a large swampy area on their right filled with standing pools of water and dense vegetation in places. Tall leafless trees the color of bone white reach upward like skeletal fingers toward the blue sky. To the east, they see open plains and the other road leading straight south toward Nox.
-----Within another half-hour, it is the warmest part of the day. Leaving the swampy area, a wooded hill is revealed to the west at a distance of about two miles. A slender stone structure seems to rise just above the trees there.
-----The road ahead begins to turn toward the southwest and through a field of scrub vegetation and briar hedges. To the south at a mile's distance, there looks to be a concentric castle structure in the middle of an open plain.
-----The Dread Pirate squints at the isolated keep, "Could that be the keep we're looking for? It was pretty easy to find, if that's it. Maybe Albert could fly overhead and take a look fer us."
-----Dread turns to the mercenaries and queries, "How bout you guys? Does that keep seem familiar?"
-----Seth hands Albert some of the mutton and asks him to fly ahead and see if he can see any birds in the castle.
-----"That can't be Redmarsh can it? And they said the keep is east of Nox, which is not here." Kazel squints ahead to check for any smoke or activity from the keep.
-----Brandel smiles at the sudden excited flurry of questions from his employers. "No, that is a castle maintained by a knight loyal to Sir Zantar. We must be roughly ten miles east of the town of Redmarsh. The village of Nox is about ten miles south of us."
-----By this time, Seth's crow is high in the sky winging its way toward the castle.
-----"Hmm, who's this knight and how many men does he have? Never know if he's still loyal or even still there." Kazel waits for the crow to return. "By the way Brandel, what do you know about this Sintor of Ravenhold? His reputation if nothing else."
-----The Dread Pirate glares at the castle in their way, "Well, if it's still held by loyalists, then I think we had best skirt it and continue on. Once we know for sure that is."
-----Kazel adds, "If only we have more magical hats. I suppose we can cause some mischief as Sol or Sarah before we leave Redmarsh, if not at this keep, to slow them down."
-----Seth smiles at the suggestion and then adds for everyone's benefit, "There is a garrison in the castle. I am not sure how many though."
-----Brandel replies to Kazel, "The town of Ravenhold is many miles south of the river. Lord Sintor has the same reputation that I have always heard of the other Lords, in that he is loyal to the crown. I have never heard of any trouble that Sir Zantar has had from Ravenhold."
-----Runik holds his right arm up shielding his eyes from the mid-afternoon sun. "From what I be recollectin' there be a coupl' score o' guards in that keep."
-----The Dread Pirate tilts his head to one side, considering laying some sort of trap for anyone who might be following them, then says, "Well, I can't think of anything that wouldn't involve the possibility of wanton bloodshed. I'd feel somewhat guilty if we got a bunch of guards slaughtered by Sol and Raven. Besides, I'm willing to bet that if Sol and Raven ride this way, they'll stop at the keep and either ask for directions or to find out if we passed this way. In any case, they'll be slowed down for a bit."
-----Dread is quiet for a moment as the group continues riding around the keep, then says, "There is one possibility, I suppose. I'd have to borrow Seth's disguising hat and your invisibility ring. I could then use my boots to catch up with you further down the trail. That way we still make forward progress and lay a trap, without being forced to stop and delay for a trap that might get tripped or might not."
-----Seth smiles at Dread and says, "Sure, if Kazel agrees to give you the ring, but I want something from the keep, something nice! Ok?"
-----With that Seth digs out his cap and hands it to the Dread Pirate.
-----"Maybe that knight knows where Krondor's keep is. See what he's up to first before making a mess." Kazel smiles as she gives Dread her ring. "Then we might even be able to skip Redmarsh unless there's something to do there. Get us if you need help though, even if it's just to haul off booty."