121Please respect copyright.PENANAu6H6NHJttR
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 121Please respect copyright.PENANAycNYnfqgbe
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 121Please respect copyright.PENANAoTxXRoyZYi
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 121Please respect copyright.PENANAL6At39rtoR
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 121Please respect copyright.PENANAULx1eMWTPz
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 121Please respect copyright.PENANAj80jCrE61E
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 121Please respect copyright.PENANA1FsfXKb3Nt
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 121Please respect copyright.PENANA5IEq9U6uHd
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 121Please respect copyright.PENANAMaGEYW9odt
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 121Please respect copyright.PENANAW4RWdeVHtb
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 121Please respect copyright.PENANA7suvcRYFZd
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 121Please respect copyright.PENANA7FRoYJYWWh
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 121Please respect copyright.PENANARvbHdGpyXR
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 121Please respect copyright.PENANAGBARgB5qpd
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 121Please respect copyright.PENANAnNdxGI9ttb
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 121Please respect copyright.PENANAJnagdc6Iqb
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 121Please respect copyright.PENANAx80sbR4i7R
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 121Please respect copyright.PENANAkRbIxfVifz
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 121Please respect copyright.PENANATOpkaEQw3Z
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 121Please respect copyright.PENANAdczEso9d5v
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 121Please respect copyright.PENANApcwYudX9XL
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 121Please respect copyright.PENANAiB5JO3qvW3
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 121Please respect copyright.PENANAr37bn3LjgB
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 121Please respect copyright.PENANAIrZR8O5SMp
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 121Please respect copyright.PENANAmyGnC5ZEci
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 121Please respect copyright.PENANAd5JNBR8WtG
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 121Please respect copyright.PENANADHz9srPbcl
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 121Please respect copyright.PENANA2QcGnjh586
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 121Please respect copyright.PENANAJtTDPDB5Sq
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 121Please respect copyright.PENANAlvfQsgL4cF
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 121Please respect copyright.PENANARbUokUNL62
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 121Please respect copyright.PENANAx9RBxUykhR
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 121Please respect copyright.PENANAnSXax9vHzd
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 121Please respect copyright.PENANAV9pkGrrf25
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 121Please respect copyright.PENANA3h76q3jaEU
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 121Please respect copyright.PENANAgjxREkGZKx
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 121Please respect copyright.PENANAXd79j4iK31
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 121Please respect copyright.PENANA3M3Z68yabo
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 121Please respect copyright.PENANA4SGLbS8hSQ
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 121Please respect copyright.PENANAZikheBCEKQ
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 121Please respect copyright.PENANAZiWjRX8ZVu
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 121Please respect copyright.PENANARnTwE5Igg0
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 121Please respect copyright.PENANADXhMUC3Wpe
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 121Please respect copyright.PENANAP20r2kJsgD
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 121Please respect copyright.PENANAwWHIbxy8lY
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 121Please respect copyright.PENANA62kJKJWaEC
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 121Please respect copyright.PENANALh1QK8PYw5
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 121Please respect copyright.PENANAbs7z9XMotw
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 121Please respect copyright.PENANAkTism4UHH2
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 121Please respect copyright.PENANAtlMDYESnyc
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 121Please respect copyright.PENANArusxFDnr73
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 121Please respect copyright.PENANAzePFKOsRZc
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 121Please respect copyright.PENANAPwlKY8Ho0r
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 121Please respect copyright.PENANAKkgtn1j4UV
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 121Please respect copyright.PENANAn0yow3izku
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 121Please respect copyright.PENANAIEfXCGH6nX
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 121Please respect copyright.PENANAcN2O6flD7g
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 121Please respect copyright.PENANAHNuJ4gnOHk
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 121Please respect copyright.PENANArjmRSbgHv3
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 121Please respect copyright.PENANAS3bLF6dGYb
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 121Please respect copyright.PENANAcIbVvKSUtx
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 121Please respect copyright.PENANAtMHbZFXLiP
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 121Please respect copyright.PENANAe1hetBln01
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 121Please respect copyright.PENANAnQLLzM3Nmy
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 121Please respect copyright.PENANApIIogpt94O
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 121Please respect copyright.PENANAQg4D4gxOnw
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 121Please respect copyright.PENANAFnepRbt6mw
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 121Please respect copyright.PENANAF6R4QN7ad4
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 121Please respect copyright.PENANAXLf1u4u0Nk
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 121Please respect copyright.PENANAP20hoFZ8fC
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 121Please respect copyright.PENANAzmmwCC1Tzs
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 121Please respect copyright.PENANABORjzvNKDo
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 121Please respect copyright.PENANA8636ggW9k8
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 121Please respect copyright.PENANAiQ6oRwHJpV
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 121Please respect copyright.PENANAIOvAytZPDl
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 121Please respect copyright.PENANAnrzvTZYO5B
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 121Please respect copyright.PENANAHtYCqPU0Iv
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 121Please respect copyright.PENANAogR5uLd3HV
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 121Please respect copyright.PENANA3cchu3pcCm
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 121Please respect copyright.PENANAfKuCjnWYFJ
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 121Please respect copyright.PENANAVrLcIzaf7B
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 121Please respect copyright.PENANA14yduesVT6
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 121Please respect copyright.PENANAxIBBiE8Yd0
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 121Please respect copyright.PENANAkinbOOI8QR
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 121Please respect copyright.PENANAfgvzjohu6A
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 121Please respect copyright.PENANAIp1tq97lJ7
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 121Please respect copyright.PENANAr9AXthsVsF
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 121Please respect copyright.PENANAso2X2N7IlA
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 121Please respect copyright.PENANAV2NoBsHcvp
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 121Please respect copyright.PENANAM5CL2NIxnD
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 121Please respect copyright.PENANAwjz83LR7LK
we leave?"
"When you are ready."121Please respect copyright.PENANA6TCpSoKeJB
121Please respect copyright.PENANAgYB7SDwvYN