111Please respect copyright.PENANARLHd7DAhlo
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 111Please respect copyright.PENANAhPG7wj3mur
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 111Please respect copyright.PENANA22X0y2zg6l
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 111Please respect copyright.PENANAY2OPEZK0Xw
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 111Please respect copyright.PENANAFH2r0Jk4k5
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 111Please respect copyright.PENANA1mM3Gl3qLB
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAlSCMkd5n9e
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 111Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7vdtkwIiG
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 111Please respect copyright.PENANAEqdWeBVsH9
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 111Please respect copyright.PENANAdoX94IpexY
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAA9yuUprS4Z
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 111Please respect copyright.PENANAoGln0ULOB5
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 111Please respect copyright.PENANAmRmjS8imja
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 111Please respect copyright.PENANA1rm0Hgd5Cu
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 111Please respect copyright.PENANAHwzGQu5JTr
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 111Please respect copyright.PENANA8KMeLwbpJc
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 111Please respect copyright.PENANAn7AVQEyBGJ
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 111Please respect copyright.PENANAW6BxTjVUi0
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 111Please respect copyright.PENANAAjZjt4w2dZ
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 111Please respect copyright.PENANAHL4uAAfiMa
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 111Please respect copyright.PENANA5yd56eGR2y
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 111Please respect copyright.PENANAZVUmnN2CGN
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 111Please respect copyright.PENANA9Kx0Ipl04v
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 111Please respect copyright.PENANAHSFBu5QjLT
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 111Please respect copyright.PENANAi1N5KbnXE6
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 111Please respect copyright.PENANAG1NIUxCc11
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 111Please respect copyright.PENANAyVStIJjNqg
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 111Please respect copyright.PENANA96jBdVDInc
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 111Please respect copyright.PENANALxKTqGxSjr
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 111Please respect copyright.PENANAhnF8Z1nN4D
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 111Please respect copyright.PENANAmunyIhvULH
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 111Please respect copyright.PENANA1zMrqKHcVZ
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 111Please respect copyright.PENANAL1p36txtE6
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 111Please respect copyright.PENANAX7H4vFd1Tz
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 111Please respect copyright.PENANAy3NIemA4Pv
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 111Please respect copyright.PENANATalFbW6995
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 111Please respect copyright.PENANATklz0SoWZs
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 111Please respect copyright.PENANAcq3TcTfxIQ
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 111Please respect copyright.PENANAQKDFaWaYFO
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 111Please respect copyright.PENANAYTiRUrpxiB
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 111Please respect copyright.PENANAK1pkZLPSKN
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 111Please respect copyright.PENANAhkxpEKO6JT
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 111Please respect copyright.PENANA1YRMR20dea
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 111Please respect copyright.PENANAlbRKZwKlRJ
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 111Please respect copyright.PENANAw4wbaNIl82
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 111Please respect copyright.PENANAVC2C5MWb8P
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAtycL8ktgV3
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 111Please respect copyright.PENANABk2szS1lq6
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 111Please respect copyright.PENANASAEA8IqwSX
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAKGLYAn99un
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 111Please respect copyright.PENANANtkjHsGiLM
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 111Please respect copyright.PENANAQi5dk0elQp
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 111Please respect copyright.PENANAVZTL60iF1e
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 111Please respect copyright.PENANASMBKnsaJVm
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 111Please respect copyright.PENANAozn57c0i5J
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 111Please respect copyright.PENANARPmqHrjPG7
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 111Please respect copyright.PENANAdocY4Wag6z
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 111Please respect copyright.PENANAOioWVWEiJD
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 111Please respect copyright.PENANAIKapvlCZMw
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAkH0PUoGdD3
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 111Please respect copyright.PENANAOFydbMvR0I
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 111Please respect copyright.PENANAaKqOYjYWTB
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 111Please respect copyright.PENANAj0Gw9QAWqk
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 111Please respect copyright.PENANA9wo4iitv1L
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 111Please respect copyright.PENANAqGZ8XDw8EJ
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAfLTvPc0W0Z
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 111Please respect copyright.PENANAUzMCstcrSE
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 111Please respect copyright.PENANArfUSEkgMPo
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 111Please respect copyright.PENANAIDWp56cikv
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 111Please respect copyright.PENANAymBLOMf894
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 111Please respect copyright.PENANAauugeRH3Wu
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 111Please respect copyright.PENANArh5X57Xgo0
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 111Please respect copyright.PENANAYxDDNHBL6M
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 111Please respect copyright.PENANAG9kTUf3Xjc
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 111Please respect copyright.PENANACZiLQZCE71
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 111Please respect copyright.PENANAi9oJv33BuO
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 111Please respect copyright.PENANAGR7Yuq3lh5
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 111Please respect copyright.PENANAQ77YfdLprk
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 111Please respect copyright.PENANAurnl0mh2WM
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 111Please respect copyright.PENANAMRDVhZBDk7
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 111Please respect copyright.PENANAYKMcI5voRP
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 111Please respect copyright.PENANAYIZAbkGtmN
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 111Please respect copyright.PENANAWFqGcgGeno
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 111Please respect copyright.PENANA3KDOmPCxVi
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 111Please respect copyright.PENANAZgJPfMfX9i
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 111Please respect copyright.PENANAeDTgfarlVC
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 111Please respect copyright.PENANA97xOxPh9kB
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 111Please respect copyright.PENANA6xAqrEOKyJ
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 111Please respect copyright.PENANAq0VLVBAXSI
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 111Please respect copyright.PENANApYqEB2rOgi
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 111Please respect copyright.PENANAvn3jzS6qRw
we leave?"
"When you are ready."111Please respect copyright.PENANAX2ki5uWkea
111Please respect copyright.PENANA0Dhsdygbh2