261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRhnOguc8o
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxWI0t2E4L
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB0czN5P9X
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH1QPsH50D
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhwKARLMs9
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5UAtTCiRd
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa828Nx5Ka
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5Rmnl9D1A
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlseYG0G6zS
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXXJJqnWpr
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IQQMiLwlv
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVP0CygREj9
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMW7j5kvUz
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ370mN0gvua
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicdCaUehAk
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg92PM55Ef
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjTgYzYAAa
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnq8ej3PB8
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGOGiyPLyu
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTxGK5eAlm
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmK5UDdRUJ
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡql3Y2lr71C
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSWq4jUcLO
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 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXum0PYI4um
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFet0oyUNtr
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2HtVRnaG9
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLw1kMgOJ2L
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTNN5wuGOu
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpW9P85gX7
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 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa38vDXdzc3
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3VZM5o9eZ
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFwM1GRXVS
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPt1ELGUBl0
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwFoCr6Maw
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXFsz46hSO
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWYBIH98PC
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22qzQiZqRl
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlUcZq8qfT
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtKvVRbMTq
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MGsB1H34S
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo11nkf4zCh
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ctxgiJaP3
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaf3cLXD2Ua
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfKJPePdCt
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0DoNVRHmJ
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ341NGjr3lI
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNcekqTDm7
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6lGTHLS99
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdeYEsGk73
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISQzbYrWSx
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ1etdgLH6
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsGp6pDuXj
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBalFCskVRU
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtL96gfzfy
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrONneR1Fha
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPKsHYNkHH
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuXd26IS2u
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTGYk4PzHu
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5KzeLkQ7q
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIpCmwakeW
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztr4oWcpkT
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TuO0vnShY
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdGsLgqpsx
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShCCCq0jCa
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZvfJYZNwo
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Bq3XFbExE
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofLpL8nvkh
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfeCL5SAIc
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGU2GaqPvQ
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImaJoQ8aSY
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJT7eIQ3nZ
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziFrWK1GYf
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljDLm1Cjwo
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJ6Mo35mZc
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb4DLQ71PN
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 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysQO72vZYX
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRA8PvxRcC
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9rMqlMop9
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 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YuCfyfVHM
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDN3XgSpfT
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndlfdIhCbn
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwsjtPz1EZ
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhP8N6mdar1
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJ0bktc5BR
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUlkQRXffv
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd3TDJeJxL
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaFEFoAxQH
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZW6LreQdzg
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDexI649Kk
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFkHgcAjWR
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZUi6wnS3b
we leave?"
"When you are ready."261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hceamzhAm
261Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sxQ6kggqZ
