113Please respect copyright.PENANAlCtOEuajrv
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 113Please respect copyright.PENANAUA3RnbQKHM
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 113Please respect copyright.PENANAdWFVDoivPA
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 113Please respect copyright.PENANAWfQXlx67cL
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 113Please respect copyright.PENANABtc0MhQCqI
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 113Please respect copyright.PENANA4QMZpeNh3U
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 113Please respect copyright.PENANA70tOk6Esgz
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 113Please respect copyright.PENANAbjbnZ6oeIu
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 113Please respect copyright.PENANA11HxcY4dhX
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 113Please respect copyright.PENANARtNOVpYfeq
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 113Please respect copyright.PENANA5vJEW3p0WI
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 113Please respect copyright.PENANAXV2RvDvmLU
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 113Please respect copyright.PENANAJDGBD5YN2L
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 113Please respect copyright.PENANAYb7cI1TrM4
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 113Please respect copyright.PENANApfBKFfdIyi
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 113Please respect copyright.PENANAfxvGer11iz
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 113Please respect copyright.PENANAjen9xADEBZ
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 113Please respect copyright.PENANAlZhb6IsryR
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 113Please respect copyright.PENANAgcBW49eFOa
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 113Please respect copyright.PENANAWnpVYtmmfe
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 113Please respect copyright.PENANALTF7gO4tkA
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 113Please respect copyright.PENANAmMYZADCTu1
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 113Please respect copyright.PENANAegOjfrGBtf
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 113Please respect copyright.PENANAx1yCe6Cgv1
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 113Please respect copyright.PENANAu7AtUJFvKh
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 113Please respect copyright.PENANA5tRIvmYpH8
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 113Please respect copyright.PENANAV2TLfxEz4d
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 113Please respect copyright.PENANAWyala7iPX0
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 113Please respect copyright.PENANA5xKSFbUK5L
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 113Please respect copyright.PENANAmTEC0bGfAe
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 113Please respect copyright.PENANAjFiuu8gOPM
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 113Please respect copyright.PENANAUByL6N9kQ5
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 113Please respect copyright.PENANAEoH0vkXEVq
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 113Please respect copyright.PENANA6RDGGu8fZ7
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 113Please respect copyright.PENANAlTXQuqgUV4
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 113Please respect copyright.PENANAP9uITSKjur
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 113Please respect copyright.PENANAGMsYxqGVBN
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 113Please respect copyright.PENANAugFwiCDn4k
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 113Please respect copyright.PENANAwQpuMyYFrW
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 113Please respect copyright.PENANAzpOGAfYfsh
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 113Please respect copyright.PENANAqCCuVQ1kfU
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 113Please respect copyright.PENANAlQBCvw6XHR
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 113Please respect copyright.PENANAFcN3TkdEOd
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 113Please respect copyright.PENANAl58Jqq93GF
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 113Please respect copyright.PENANA6ohO646lXe
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 113Please respect copyright.PENANAhZFOfqqKQ7
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 113Please respect copyright.PENANA6bvveFpbVz
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 113Please respect copyright.PENANAFD2yhUa787
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 113Please respect copyright.PENANA9dyPIClUTc
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 113Please respect copyright.PENANAlaOBcbdrrG
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 113Please respect copyright.PENANApF2K6n6Paf
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 113Please respect copyright.PENANAHzw4xIhfVj
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 113Please respect copyright.PENANAT4U61H7fkW
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 113Please respect copyright.PENANAFkDI7GG8FK
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 113Please respect copyright.PENANAML4G7MBeee
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 113Please respect copyright.PENANA2NOWPGRlih
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 113Please respect copyright.PENANAP9eHyIOz2q
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 113Please respect copyright.PENANAO89K4fSdJb
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 113Please respect copyright.PENANABQZg4sIbgX
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 113Please respect copyright.PENANAt5ob6dZOm7
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 113Please respect copyright.PENANAKlTKkPu1bv
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 113Please respect copyright.PENANAnBawuqbkI9
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 113Please respect copyright.PENANAHSGe7TDngV
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 113Please respect copyright.PENANARjKOVpa90p
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 113Please respect copyright.PENANAyn0XtFTY1K
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 113Please respect copyright.PENANABZ2ZuOxTmM
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 113Please respect copyright.PENANAOYPmZU0f9Q
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 113Please respect copyright.PENANAX5O1NujZLA
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 113Please respect copyright.PENANAXDycH67KUV
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 113Please respect copyright.PENANATatbIdZveo
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 113Please respect copyright.PENANAQzDRZKI63J
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 113Please respect copyright.PENANAOGh5c90KVP
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 113Please respect copyright.PENANA8kc2V1yEiL
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 113Please respect copyright.PENANA3kMvsAxHRn
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 113Please respect copyright.PENANAaCul3x0MGe
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 113Please respect copyright.PENANArfyCbsGkg1
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 113Please respect copyright.PENANAm9kssgp99m
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 113Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1u1aADGrE
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 113Please respect copyright.PENANAqgDcaxJUif
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 113Please respect copyright.PENANAdEecAsWDjy
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 113Please respect copyright.PENANAVhIPU3gqtS
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 113Please respect copyright.PENANApxq974Rsoh
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 113Please respect copyright.PENANAWledrz16Oy
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 113Please respect copyright.PENANAT6FBSubTiv
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 113Please respect copyright.PENANA2CAU8vTaCS
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 113Please respect copyright.PENANAyYRLE2keQE
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 113Please respect copyright.PENANApfZaclxS0P
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 113Please respect copyright.PENANAsm4NSgS3ZQ
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 113Please respect copyright.PENANArkJQsKvYdj
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 113Please respect copyright.PENANA7NAFOu0phu
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 113Please respect copyright.PENANA4iNVqamDqX
we leave?"
"When you are ready."113Please respect copyright.PENANAw9iMeD3wdg
113Please respect copyright.PENANA6fSyCQiTlc