127Please respect copyright.PENANATspKfOiNSX
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQx2zMONgG8
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 127Please respect copyright.PENANABJM9a4U2xg
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 127Please respect copyright.PENANARR7QX8PDIr
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 127Please respect copyright.PENANAr1TyT8gdPy
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 127Please respect copyright.PENANAfOU6oDIKsN
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAoZ827AX36C
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 127Please respect copyright.PENANAnQJbgKVmka
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 127Please respect copyright.PENANA8t5MoCIT2l
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 127Please respect copyright.PENANAmod7O1NPS8
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAPn7XMGGr4r
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 127Please respect copyright.PENANALhBYZvsOWC
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 127Please respect copyright.PENANA2OxSyXGBK6
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 127Please respect copyright.PENANA8vvu4JZVDf
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 127Please respect copyright.PENANARk1UqHR7fk
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 127Please respect copyright.PENANAo1JHgGGzTT
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 127Please respect copyright.PENANAzhDKi5Z8eC
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 127Please respect copyright.PENANA7uAyQIqTtN
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 127Please respect copyright.PENANAAy0WcChrjY
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQNwb2FRatf
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 127Please respect copyright.PENANAM2m3z3PDHG
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 127Please respect copyright.PENANAf7xnDCJZCO
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 127Please respect copyright.PENANA84tOJKENY4
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 127Please respect copyright.PENANAerawvqipKW
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 127Please respect copyright.PENANAsDY4oVmrS5
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQleTBnKAK0
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 127Please respect copyright.PENANAm1soGZeAEc
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 127Please respect copyright.PENANAP7TVs8JzFx
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 127Please respect copyright.PENANAEil4yYnKoP
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 127Please respect copyright.PENANAzUXFDxxD0Z
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 127Please respect copyright.PENANAOGmenf2Lxi
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 127Please respect copyright.PENANAWPgzjGG7lC
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 127Please respect copyright.PENANADWcXeHTTGG
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 127Please respect copyright.PENANAZA384kLKai
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 127Please respect copyright.PENANAbeB9SFPOrp
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 127Please respect copyright.PENANAxNaNLwrf1t
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 127Please respect copyright.PENANAfBGpyKLIBg
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 127Please respect copyright.PENANAOmysQEFSwh
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 127Please respect copyright.PENANASghwcMqMEV
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 127Please respect copyright.PENANAdKJl3S8DRM
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 127Please respect copyright.PENANANt0b9HmPjS
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 127Please respect copyright.PENANAH0gNIaz9vV
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 127Please respect copyright.PENANAtzbQ6EHFLg
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQA2XaY25jq
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 127Please respect copyright.PENANAiSA5fp3TYF
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 127Please respect copyright.PENANA9CqdVWPXlx
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAx8DSrNC2Ij
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 127Please respect copyright.PENANAuMcjaoi7zY
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 127Please respect copyright.PENANAUJJVzKa12U
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAHl3cly0NZc
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 127Please respect copyright.PENANAhZLlutCrkz
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 127Please respect copyright.PENANA7968UFWJLy
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 127Please respect copyright.PENANAzUEtGvmh9f
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 127Please respect copyright.PENANAi4TTwnGHhp
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 127Please respect copyright.PENANAmHUGpqKAAP
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 127Please respect copyright.PENANAskpOa0s9Zv
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 127Please respect copyright.PENANAoRIQ2uZyZk
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 127Please respect copyright.PENANAsZNKP9wCxe
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 127Please respect copyright.PENANAUmYIafrUpw
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAkSmJF4wBxK
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 127Please respect copyright.PENANAb5YosUeTBl
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 127Please respect copyright.PENANAUgDOTLt9ga
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 127Please respect copyright.PENANAR9Ro6M3WwU
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 127Please respect copyright.PENANAD5zWPdEUvr
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 127Please respect copyright.PENANAzC3rzQyQSj
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAMqMQHySqRh
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 127Please respect copyright.PENANA3Dz6cgYzKh
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 127Please respect copyright.PENANAK38UTMsozG
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 127Please respect copyright.PENANAWrCuc8Ki8j
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 127Please respect copyright.PENANAzOI1N5vWOa
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 127Please respect copyright.PENANA7C1BkppHik
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 127Please respect copyright.PENANAR2mCiGAAAM
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 127Please respect copyright.PENANAMDZ1zQw098
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 127Please respect copyright.PENANAZA9YsK21n0
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQF4iKYkfjV
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 127Please respect copyright.PENANAqogyfmJnPK
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 127Please respect copyright.PENANAwz3cEaibB8
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 127Please respect copyright.PENANAaJkJ4PLB1G
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 127Please respect copyright.PENANAqNqYF4lPWm
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 127Please respect copyright.PENANAjKf064USyV
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 127Please respect copyright.PENANAmhgynOtxcY
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 127Please respect copyright.PENANA4sLFZaSxQK
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 127Please respect copyright.PENANAZgKgPi3XZb
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 127Please respect copyright.PENANA4uX5Wfdu9J
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 127Please respect copyright.PENANAsQ7Q58eMwj
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 127Please respect copyright.PENANA59hSWk0s0y
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 127Please respect copyright.PENANAQRkz9P5MbG
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 127Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZBIFmqxat
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 127Please respect copyright.PENANAbX51cIWtaR
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 127Please respect copyright.PENANARVtGjii1pW
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 127Please respect copyright.PENANAUEaI1jjWkT
we leave?"
"When you are ready."127Please respect copyright.PENANAE1cv9tvYuG
127Please respect copyright.PENANAIo7Lgg9XKl