557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9MazIuBkL
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2zETUdya7
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL473fWbJi1
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5K5b2bLKP5
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXgBseD6sT
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm9wzrcEy4
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHO25gumhOm
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoRTm2p0KE
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGeLNtJ6tP
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKGWUxsGZs
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY8GaKJBmE
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0f3zbpdloR
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyPoPmTt1K
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbIlWbZ3it
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXziaTgtBK2
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56uimCPrld
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHibidSFiT
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3t1Zvn08o
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1HUPX5yYn
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLTdRUK9kc
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGHmrbM2J5
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡut352NkLBj
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6ZRDTVaI6
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 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUsRvedAF7
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqncsi4IQ8c
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZcBGzFJyh
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUPPiesk1r
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qROhpnyO3
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVA2w8D72e
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 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWBXdcG5M6
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ8YQdZbYm
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINKo8rzQbd
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrqFRMmuzC
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHlPLZrMoV
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1OfkkU86I
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRV6DpdfJZy
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBWbLNrUPI
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7MAJYn3Zi
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z73hmFymL
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFYdRasnrH
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlVfeR8qbg
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7SPEksps2
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQHFK99ZDC
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZabuZugY46
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIb9LFBMMG
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchE3WLhIoI
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZuie9xO2V
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoFZOfxPDf
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8As7eWnRlZ
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt41Z0PP4Dv
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmpkRIP1WK
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aICMEu6Qq
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JPTzUi71h
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcysvMZ4KW
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OGHCUXecj
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYTq8U7P52
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdZmKKN5IB
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgeOfnArdV
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqc3rcemHCx
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeBhWMo7Wt
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0nyTuRifr
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUZXpTePfI
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfjqgPdIPk
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4f6k2tKCz
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GDRhAmGKa
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJAAHpkzNp
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9YTmndGtx
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTyWznVZ82
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlX63PxqTb6
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0EHn2NkOa
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfH9nszXTr
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZYnN2mzOx
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRUlT1Jo3z
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ErXstS5Ci
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY5joaOk57
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 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGARkr9ZihA
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡll6OmFLeOy
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lj1f8BYBI
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 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdhvg3xPRs
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3ZZjyl2Xs
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvz29IPLlz
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDCrPsh4qf
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKFh9TfseU
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZ0PwlSgGB
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Q9zuJqdki
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4FYERnytr
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOLErcXH8v
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReW0WiQlaR
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQQTAKde7n
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXK2xN3fik
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGswgs3uZI
we leave?"
"When you are ready."557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJiVSNBo6P
557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD94q9hI1db
and then Add to home screen.