Hedge turns his gaze downward. It's obvious that he's humiliated by this turn of events. His men stand around and watch helplessly as their commanding officer loses his nerve. Corporal Hedge shakes his head slowly.
"Just leave. We'll come up after you. We may be letting you go, but not one of us is going to be tied up or gagged. Get going."
He turns around and sits on the cold stone floor. It becomes obvious that Hedge no longer wants to talk to you.
[sblock=ooc]I'm just going to assume everyone's going to keep moving upstairs. If there's anything you'd like to do or say beforehand, just indicate it in your post.[/sblock]
As Thorn leads the party upstairs, the sounds of battle echo in the distance. Stealthily, you approach the next floor only to find it empty. It seems that Hedge's reinforcements have left their posts.
The next floor up is Castle Hood's ground level. As you emerge from the dank stairwell, the half-molded smell of the dungeons is replaced by that of the slightly perfumed royal palace. The massive, ornately decorated silver door of the castle stands a few yards in front of you. This is your chance for escape. As you look around, though, you hear the sounds of clanging swords and the growl of a fierce battle coming from upstairs. The fight wouldn't hinder your escape. Of that, you can be sure.
[sblock=Choice]You must decide whether to escape or to go investigate the fighting. You may split up if you like.[/sblock]
