118Please respect copyright.PENANAvQ204TLwZi
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 118Please respect copyright.PENANA7VL7N6Hrmw
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 118Please respect copyright.PENANAM421951Z9N
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 118Please respect copyright.PENANAmuLuykLqHZ
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 118Please respect copyright.PENANAGDyLwCaR2F
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 118Please respect copyright.PENANA9tHLsURmlo
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 118Please respect copyright.PENANA0xej1MdDfh
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 118Please respect copyright.PENANAMy58fqiyHb
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 118Please respect copyright.PENANAzl7acB1kDA
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 118Please respect copyright.PENANAlky0lgICwW
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAdY51x3FQyb
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 118Please respect copyright.PENANAxq1ryVVbm5
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 118Please respect copyright.PENANAgaA0skTW6i
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 118Please respect copyright.PENANAmqO4nIYpUs
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 118Please respect copyright.PENANA5MXoTUT2BD
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 118Please respect copyright.PENANAHILacnyexr
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 118Please respect copyright.PENANArIWXTnxrM5
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 118Please respect copyright.PENANAfWgKuPxNg1
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 118Please respect copyright.PENANAK47Vb6UfwQ
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 118Please respect copyright.PENANA05LRclWGvJ
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 118Please respect copyright.PENANAO5FaDPBP9b
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 118Please respect copyright.PENANAsDjmEMxjPz
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 118Please respect copyright.PENANAfEpn6s0c23
of herbs from the garden.
"Tea?" she inquired to her guest.
The lord gently shook his head, "It is time Elsie."
She frowned. Elsie grew up with the little fellow. A hatchling 118Please respect copyright.PENANAVfIOc0txCK
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 118Please respect copyright.PENANA1Pnfi65T9x
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 118Please respect copyright.PENANAtvC8NIDX0O
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 118Please respect copyright.PENANAX1K1Xqwg78
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 118Please respect copyright.PENANAntOwGOAdTZ
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 118Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZKivKkSoI
tea. Head lowered, his eyes looked upward to observe her.
"I will need it?"
"Yes. The council and I have decided the only person whom is 118Please respect copyright.PENANAeY9NJHv7ae
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 118Please respect copyright.PENANA14sR4KyJYq
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 118Please respect copyright.PENANACUHRXhGSAW
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 118Please respect copyright.PENANAsYsl6CTfaT
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 118Please respect copyright.PENANAwC6ytinWuz
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 118Please respect copyright.PENANAUgf7I5Bdt9
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 118Please respect copyright.PENANAKdnFGgduxx
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 118Please respect copyright.PENANAkOnMOwwBHF
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 118Please respect copyright.PENANAnQs1iIUXSq
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 118Please respect copyright.PENANAJ75NXdrxwA
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 118Please respect copyright.PENANAh96mVbypk3
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 118Please respect copyright.PENANAbQgGvkCCNv
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 118Please respect copyright.PENANADxzxcw1wLG
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 118Please respect copyright.PENANA9orITcucQc
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 118Please respect copyright.PENANAx5bAk2w7CE
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 118Please respect copyright.PENANAaYKy0RvwTJ
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 118Please respect copyright.PENANAYVyP30Gbwz
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAGmZKupT2a0
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 118Please respect copyright.PENANAtY3RNv5PA0
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 118Please respect copyright.PENANAddbESbeGPQ
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAGLfygkflsj
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 118Please respect copyright.PENANAXcMTi5xdNe
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 118Please respect copyright.PENANA347saym2GV
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 118Please respect copyright.PENANA6XRQ2sGxM4
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 118Please respect copyright.PENANAacoQ0EMXhC
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 118Please respect copyright.PENANA4vkXsLvjAR
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 118Please respect copyright.PENANASfKMXxxj7C
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 118Please respect copyright.PENANA8rWffsTTLB
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 118Please respect copyright.PENANAvsE2BBVLLE
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 118Please respect copyright.PENANA7jf2m1xXx7
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAYBrIY4r7og
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 118Please respect copyright.PENANAIx12Hi0QyU
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 118Please respect copyright.PENANAgz5PdRdxpo
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 118Please respect copyright.PENANAlsJI7tae8T
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 118Please respect copyright.PENANA2eUxXB45q7
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 118Please respect copyright.PENANAWlZ40e8b0x
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAX2So0hq1xd
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 118Please respect copyright.PENANAz3v3F4iZxu
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 118Please respect copyright.PENANAtb4pwYcjsN
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 118Please respect copyright.PENANAuyP77J1jTE
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 118Please respect copyright.PENANAHVGe9cMTbn
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 118Please respect copyright.PENANA1bNBCqAXQ0
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 118Please respect copyright.PENANADWzn7c0YiJ
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 118Please respect copyright.PENANA8tKBKUhdr3
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 118Please respect copyright.PENANAJUbYHMKZzr
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 118Please respect copyright.PENANALWfPsiOK3i
fly in formation when in military discipline."
"Much like our airships," Elsie commented.
"The same. According to one report, there was a senior dragon and 118Please respect copyright.PENANA5hVzBQV72k
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 118Please respect copyright.PENANACgITpO3Ys9
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 118Please respect copyright.PENANA2i63ESzw8L
dragon was a scarred Obsidian named Rhylag."
"You know their names?!" Elsie looked for her journal.
"We know some. These are difficult to get. After the Boundary was 118Please respect copyright.PENANA4LTxxwSVgE
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 118Please respect copyright.PENANA0JAKmuf3vt
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 118Please respect copyright.PENANAsjE8tkUrzO
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 118Please respect copyright.PENANA7GZcW3V1Dr
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 118Please respect copyright.PENANAAoskfiioky
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 118Please respect copyright.PENANAEij33yOc5t
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 118Please respect copyright.PENANAwGJbHc4eyE
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 118Please respect copyright.PENANAZCglDNOws8
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 118Please respect copyright.PENANA01ZkAkgTD7
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 118Please respect copyright.PENANAg5Px0eG66C
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 118Please respect copyright.PENANAIupAE7h1g3
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 118Please respect copyright.PENANANGaOCeQMPQ
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 118Please respect copyright.PENANAgUkLZi3Xw8
we leave?"
"When you are ready."118Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZYahu9KNJ
118Please respect copyright.PENANANZS5OAJEYj