Duxo as well climbed the hill, shirking the fraying strands of the rope. All of them proved successful in their climb, and soon were off again. It seemed, for those who glanced behind them for a moment, that it was good that Duxo took the hill and shirked the rope, for when a Royal Guardsmen got halfway up it, the rope snapped, and his flailing arms failed to grab at the hill to stop his descent. Alas, the tumbling soldier failed to disrupt most of the other climbers, and the chase was once again on.
The hill itself was a short one, with a very short crest. The running group came to a bridge, walled and made of stone, connecting the tops of two hills. A quick glance beneath it revealed a dense swampland and mudpit: no doubt why the builder chose to build here.
Halfway across the bridge, they could see something that was very... Misfortunate. A traveler, on top of a cart pulled by a donkey, was blocking the road, leaving small spaces on either side for others to use, impractical for those at full speed.
Upon seeing the five runners, and especially the Royal Guard, the traveler looked in terror and cracked his whip, anxious to get the donkey moving faster. The donkey, however, was in no rush, and kept plodding along at the same speed no matter how much the whip cracked.
Seeing no response, Duxo climbs the hill.
As you all took the faster route, RG is still 50 feet behind you. As for the current obstacle, get past it as you please! I can see a variety of ways to get part it: let us see if you pick a good one!