116Please respect copyright.PENANAGmH5tlieV4
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 116Please respect copyright.PENANATSEWlkrWEA
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 116Please respect copyright.PENANABQPsuV62UF
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 116Please respect copyright.PENANAtsV4HoTOPs
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 116Please respect copyright.PENANAWWb2GzaS9v
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 116Please respect copyright.PENANAYdSm5yEplV
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 116Please respect copyright.PENANAxFMeau2AnA
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 116Please respect copyright.PENANAuUeUi0trQm
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 116Please respect copyright.PENANAt50PxD4Itg
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 116Please respect copyright.PENANA3ACjQiKOie
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 116Please respect copyright.PENANAIJAa4UHUZb
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 116Please respect copyright.PENANAk3RPEMyjIL
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 116Please respect copyright.PENANAShOvAF9IiZ
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 116Please respect copyright.PENANAKZKw6Xx0n0
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 116Please respect copyright.PENANAbjeKDnoeiu
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 116Please respect copyright.PENANARbOmGpoklD
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 116Please respect copyright.PENANA6yWISNsle2
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 116Please respect copyright.PENANAVMsm6g31eJ
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 116Please respect copyright.PENANAD4OduiPJDX
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 116Please respect copyright.PENANAxKYBjHr7Nd
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 116Please respect copyright.PENANA4vgRp7y5z2
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 116Please respect copyright.PENANAsSgVX5IQ4r
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 116Please respect copyright.PENANAkUs4yjP8gs
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 116Please respect copyright.PENANA9svUzUsB0H
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 116Please respect copyright.PENANAtpaNSOcLii
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 116Please respect copyright.PENANAGIYWfKhvfv
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 116Please respect copyright.PENANAOHn3AkuBVd
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 116Please respect copyright.PENANA5g09HxprER
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 116Please respect copyright.PENANAqvj1E1bsBi
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 116Please respect copyright.PENANAGbdm8gwURx
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 116Please respect copyright.PENANAKKGOpG8vSl
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 116Please respect copyright.PENANAoVmLDqU6sm
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 116Please respect copyright.PENANAoJXOiyNmKU
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 116Please respect copyright.PENANAry2doOUY5e
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 116Please respect copyright.PENANAEhmjr2pRUg
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 116Please respect copyright.PENANArfgutdFoRl
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 116Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6b2Yhdaea
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 116Please respect copyright.PENANAPTJRnVzoD2
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 116Please respect copyright.PENANA4Q67iyL3q5
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 116Please respect copyright.PENANAUNNRNiL62I
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 116Please respect copyright.PENANAH63ztxGqPc
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 116Please respect copyright.PENANAXVF12z57zk
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 116Please respect copyright.PENANAXTIZccKtlo
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 116Please respect copyright.PENANAoEajckst6V
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 116Please respect copyright.PENANAXHQeNUFiLA
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 116Please respect copyright.PENANAdzHYB2sSpy
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 116Please respect copyright.PENANAN4mgsODdjz
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 116Please respect copyright.PENANARFusil33cx
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 116Please respect copyright.PENANAbhVqpw342L
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 116Please respect copyright.PENANA772HDusPID
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 116Please respect copyright.PENANAi1yhHRKL94
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 116Please respect copyright.PENANAGzjNXfrIcU
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 116Please respect copyright.PENANACkzv6FBgDr
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 116Please respect copyright.PENANAnCpKkAr4Ar
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 116Please respect copyright.PENANAcyMpA54k3j
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 116Please respect copyright.PENANApkdmRsgCzK
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 116Please respect copyright.PENANANThX0uenLn
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 116Please respect copyright.PENANAY49rNxm43D
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 116Please respect copyright.PENANAe3uoTHWyBj
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 116Please respect copyright.PENANA25EhFrnGeI
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 116Please respect copyright.PENANAuHCu7Ao04L
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 116Please respect copyright.PENANA1enTsaFXom
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 116Please respect copyright.PENANAkN4hcUAUbc
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 116Please respect copyright.PENANAm2LUK4K1DX
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 116Please respect copyright.PENANAplN9bTALxl
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 116Please respect copyright.PENANAR9z1h9jUID
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 116Please respect copyright.PENANAU6wRkdtY4t
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 116Please respect copyright.PENANA3J2REPDBgn
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 116Please respect copyright.PENANArUXHMJh1tj
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 116Please respect copyright.PENANA6BIPntIqIU
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 116Please respect copyright.PENANAJgPi3QJjey
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 116Please respect copyright.PENANAni5ufsvkXR
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 116Please respect copyright.PENANAaWGNtKJ5EC
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 116Please respect copyright.PENANACTVdd92Hut
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 116Please respect copyright.PENANAuD5JCTMzSd
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 116Please respect copyright.PENANAkYUeeyuBjW
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 116Please respect copyright.PENANAb9da2h7zHS
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 116Please respect copyright.PENANAc5oorN6yai
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 116Please respect copyright.PENANAX0gCb4bigb
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 116Please respect copyright.PENANANf7CS5X0Su
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 116Please respect copyright.PENANA8JAeSddXDb
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 116Please respect copyright.PENANArn7pODt1gy
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 116Please respect copyright.PENANAQZKI2Y05qS
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 116Please respect copyright.PENANAtD71JmB44x
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 116Please respect copyright.PENANAVWuIGSpatp
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 116Please respect copyright.PENANA8I2t0cJ6P0
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 116Please respect copyright.PENANACqoV0NL6HQ
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 116Please respect copyright.PENANA9Lyy5x64ZP
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 116Please respect copyright.PENANAShcAZC3FOE
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 116Please respect copyright.PENANAUAj8zCxJGs
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 116Please respect copyright.PENANAzf8FTQz9Zo
we leave?"
"When you are ready."116Please respect copyright.PENANANvU0p5Pwc2
116Please respect copyright.PENANAjF0HUlp74i