330Please respect copyright.PENANA0NUPCaPM91
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 330Please respect copyright.PENANA15fpQoL0p5
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 330Please respect copyright.PENANA3hP5oQVagG
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 330Please respect copyright.PENANAKiUwUHVb4N
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 330Please respect copyright.PENANAhPonw2PfES
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 330Please respect copyright.PENANAnC4SLvqyiY
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAyCntamN2X7
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 330Please respect copyright.PENANAvZL4rxgviC
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 330Please respect copyright.PENANAYl1rkQtxMY
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 330Please respect copyright.PENANABlZxiN77jN
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 330Please respect copyright.PENANANkC9EDnyqv
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 330Please respect copyright.PENANARfB5VaLemU
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 330Please respect copyright.PENANAot0GimfK91
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 330Please respect copyright.PENANAxCnz29MCWS
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 330Please respect copyright.PENANA6lbnMX0zlY
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 330Please respect copyright.PENANAs6YDkdQuZN
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 330Please respect copyright.PENANAKJFA3lX7U0
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 330Please respect copyright.PENANAilXM9LGMUj
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 330Please respect copyright.PENANAfu9QScTBcv
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 330Please respect copyright.PENANAnCqH4blNc6
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 330Please respect copyright.PENANANv64wFO1or
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 330Please respect copyright.PENANAmGsQnEwpIj
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 330Please respect copyright.PENANAo6bpBAwFwe
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 330Please respect copyright.PENANA1qPvljakIa
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 330Please respect copyright.PENANAkM9DMahb2d
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 330Please respect copyright.PENANA5ok76m9df4
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 330Please respect copyright.PENANAXXE9O1aJSM
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 330Please respect copyright.PENANAWP1FcsogRD
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 330Please respect copyright.PENANAzYSg5Tbadl
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 330Please respect copyright.PENANADY0RKoCbDn
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 330Please respect copyright.PENANAqUa4umo5Nk
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 330Please respect copyright.PENANAsPKqZBEzlI
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 330Please respect copyright.PENANAZHVYMYxXxr
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 330Please respect copyright.PENANAXh9mORJWAC
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 330Please respect copyright.PENANAiqhWhLOM74
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 330Please respect copyright.PENANAHbaN4mY7x1
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 330Please respect copyright.PENANAjaCRA2m5l0
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 330Please respect copyright.PENANAmJWbkDshTg
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 330Please respect copyright.PENANA3K6zbE3BzY
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 330Please respect copyright.PENANA8zxL2uOrfq
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 330Please respect copyright.PENANAuHMYrv4Vjm
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 330Please respect copyright.PENANAMkJpyvOvHS
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 330Please respect copyright.PENANALDSmCCcrdR
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 330Please respect copyright.PENANAAyrjjE31Oh
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 330Please respect copyright.PENANAHykgWaxGTV
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 330Please respect copyright.PENANAt26XTdtZED
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 330Please respect copyright.PENANA9lPQRPncee
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 330Please respect copyright.PENANAvZPFyx7R6H
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 330Please respect copyright.PENANAonafiGTHXA
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAv7rrQCi5iA
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 330Please respect copyright.PENANAUch1LfdHff
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 330Please respect copyright.PENANAtimLoESWxX
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 330Please respect copyright.PENANAuzSoysB7ad
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 330Please respect copyright.PENANA7S8ICOoegH
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 330Please respect copyright.PENANAFg7439WnOj
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 330Please respect copyright.PENANAxLKsB2h17P
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 330Please respect copyright.PENANAxHM6oQyMiv
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 330Please respect copyright.PENANAPwqDPvg5xz
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 330Please respect copyright.PENANAfehHUDiEuP
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAC5Zy7VzwnN
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 330Please respect copyright.PENANA2PXfJ85yPw
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 330Please respect copyright.PENANAsQPicaF8LR
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 330Please respect copyright.PENANACX4B4jMqsf
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 330Please respect copyright.PENANAd5TQ3JZ1Bh
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 330Please respect copyright.PENANAApZHw2QQYp
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAn0y1dOaVc6
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 330Please respect copyright.PENANAKXw6vAWW9D
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAbjHgxUjylR
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 330Please respect copyright.PENANANBu3EO88Ld
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 330Please respect copyright.PENANAgjlIiNswML
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 330Please respect copyright.PENANAOOqoKXuUm6
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 330Please respect copyright.PENANAoWqs6zj9sg
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 330Please respect copyright.PENANAarBSiGFrTk
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 330Please respect copyright.PENANAkDz6Zsu2K2
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 330Please respect copyright.PENANAQyE1n4gmFR
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 330Please respect copyright.PENANAiqEIkB4lxe
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 330Please respect copyright.PENANADQb2yjA2lG
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 330Please respect copyright.PENANAnpyhBAWvVk
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 330Please respect copyright.PENANA6p8HEc73XB
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 330Please respect copyright.PENANA0YxHgPJ0FV
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 330Please respect copyright.PENANAbyc5EuQZrq
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 330Please respect copyright.PENANAnwFMWke6Bs
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 330Please respect copyright.PENANAyt4SibGKX7
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 330Please respect copyright.PENANAthHAkFlBkl
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 330Please respect copyright.PENANA4u5amzcDjt
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 330Please respect copyright.PENANADKgSnwVhmP
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 330Please respect copyright.PENANAUfxnrPOaVk
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 330Please respect copyright.PENANA5z91vQCY0F
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 330Please respect copyright.PENANAHhJiERoRLA
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 330Please respect copyright.PENANAVDRS3MepOm
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 330Please respect copyright.PENANA9uoiykm3Ra
we leave?"
"When you are ready."330Please respect copyright.PENANAp20asqh3QG
330Please respect copyright.PENANAqSYKI15ypz