295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv2tF3QyI5
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxzXbleVxJ
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LsTJ4PleH
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbFtlibpQG
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNQLW2CKYb
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPEbs4r30Q
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAWhraBvD4
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlCovmlHtO
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehWlzz36xk
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4QNmkPAUc
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqr2AcoLHc
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXSRJjlrIJ
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcNNjRt13E
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgpIDo5DB3
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXTh0pLpGF
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MzvmL3S8x
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE81N8zL3hi
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W29nesChA
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVKI34B959
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK73F6rep8
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NkdNVOBYP
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZWLKLTag0
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhri1XkgudP
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 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2pAm676j7
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1os7tR4evI
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41LW86FwOz
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLAuBqn8EG
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimq2OIEkdE
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBkn7OtXsi
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 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ7FXHvjWn
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LJfgbnsDX
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6mLrIXhQv
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVdy5Dkgxo
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwHq1Fxw1N
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDLv1uLtIu
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDY8dgetuDX
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCfEOoHFi7
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEfMn84xc8
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZgF6NzTXF
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRimsM5wec
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TSHHkDh0A
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUJNrV9XhG
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4tNDdrNfK
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAc3cI1Vno
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q6685eq0L
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2kCpFRa4g
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyjkuxIgjf
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSwzushAqj
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtyJ2wsN7N
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvvPBsH4pk
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WJQvT5D5H
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJrSWnY2Br
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI42Il9EYxi
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosV7FBIwB5
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmhjCJMrp7
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbJ91mZpEW
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZrNjdZbDS
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpw4hHjUv92
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2UtcNnDOp
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9J8IyG3jP
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMvOUp782k
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JmsKkpl96
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdazFpPjZh
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PQf2xPkAV
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiI3QiLlap
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13asqWj3UB
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeffOnkSfi
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhzCKJblrS
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjvhGro82m
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegHGnb7p8p
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ149R59I1aG
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcKfHY1Up5
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9Qhlbznw7
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GQkWEOKlu
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzddHxTuvTH
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 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5blRY8wqn
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHhJFwxosc
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0PFb5kVfL
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 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJpIDI0nIP
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvgEUCA8ny
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpPltEF0vW
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAV82BSqCZz
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaVJXZd1V0
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDp6XTzC4s4
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJAxGBmVdP
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGq5sFBxoWe
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC77bZwdWFT
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRFDZnOLxE
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWsx55MJtu
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAMepCNgyn
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7ef3Ihfhc
we leave?"
"When you are ready."295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZQ2vq96QU
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywqpBiApHQ
