125Please respect copyright.PENANAWf1r2QWEM4
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 125Please respect copyright.PENANA7DEQ8kZBzn
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 125Please respect copyright.PENANA3qlhHwDdcF
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 125Please respect copyright.PENANAShlbiHuqgr
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 125Please respect copyright.PENANAzsNDHf7OFp
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 125Please respect copyright.PENANAcSAu5f1TVn
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 125Please respect copyright.PENANA7JCkat0F60
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 125Please respect copyright.PENANAE1Uo5ko2i2
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 125Please respect copyright.PENANAhjlSI78B2P
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 125Please respect copyright.PENANADaVvFJtXB0
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 125Please respect copyright.PENANA9nv5kEE9ma
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 125Please respect copyright.PENANAKCVeUXLbV2
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 125Please respect copyright.PENANAdEJCDi3uz8
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 125Please respect copyright.PENANAj47rYrnHyo
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 125Please respect copyright.PENANAcnX0IYWYuH
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 125Please respect copyright.PENANAzCioorW0KQ
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 125Please respect copyright.PENANAW3wUO00IJi
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 125Please respect copyright.PENANA6L51jqkVnW
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 125Please respect copyright.PENANAsETIq21usA
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 125Please respect copyright.PENANAh6XmHl48IR
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 125Please respect copyright.PENANAF0KWQxFaQB
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 125Please respect copyright.PENANA2QYHYig1Py
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 125Please respect copyright.PENANA1E9deDDp7B
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 125Please respect copyright.PENANA2kKCdNxpGP
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 125Please respect copyright.PENANA1NvwvY7adJ
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 125Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6APsgtXv6
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 125Please respect copyright.PENANA3r9hYlf4E4
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 125Please respect copyright.PENANAiZOjt7C05s
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 125Please respect copyright.PENANAhLY9UsnEXM
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 125Please respect copyright.PENANAd2FPaQ0aMw
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 125Please respect copyright.PENANAodrNF8WMSN
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 125Please respect copyright.PENANAxnNGKI63Hd
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 125Please respect copyright.PENANAaC3Kblx2zT
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 125Please respect copyright.PENANA0q2PYyG5bb
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 125Please respect copyright.PENANAXE1EjgeHph
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 125Please respect copyright.PENANAADc7lSPQ6p
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 125Please respect copyright.PENANASw7g5kgjyV
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 125Please respect copyright.PENANA8xlhckpB4I
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 125Please respect copyright.PENANAG9eXa6KRtN
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 125Please respect copyright.PENANAhmSLSxWfPV
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 125Please respect copyright.PENANAq04DP0qcLU
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 125Please respect copyright.PENANA0OAIL9TE4l
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 125Please respect copyright.PENANAUmHREpVBH7
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 125Please respect copyright.PENANA447JIabPdb
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 125Please respect copyright.PENANA9oUR2EJOd3
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 125Please respect copyright.PENANAiZkKRTDYMS
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 125Please respect copyright.PENANAXKWWzqaDIT
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 125Please respect copyright.PENANANcDd7BNR8A
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 125Please respect copyright.PENANAUqw3MBLB1z
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 125Please respect copyright.PENANAeHtQ2ApGGV
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 125Please respect copyright.PENANASjKjNxMmeO
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 125Please respect copyright.PENANAwZYjEFJKZZ
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 125Please respect copyright.PENANApU1ieEIkMQ
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 125Please respect copyright.PENANArK9rioZFPC
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 125Please respect copyright.PENANATtE24jfKtY
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 125Please respect copyright.PENANAE7yI1zvhZO
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 125Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7KxgF8jXN
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 125Please respect copyright.PENANA7P5cCIMQUu
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 125Please respect copyright.PENANANwwuip8kl9
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 125Please respect copyright.PENANA87ttQQos3d
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 125Please respect copyright.PENANAfAaTGGH2bI
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 125Please respect copyright.PENANAZPARQTo4aO
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 125Please respect copyright.PENANAvaZICRQZ3K
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 125Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1pjykUI2l
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 125Please respect copyright.PENANAw77RHxcBCA
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 125Please respect copyright.PENANAOuqx0k4Qx6
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 125Please respect copyright.PENANAQXNPEvL6lZ
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 125Please respect copyright.PENANAxDtjvrWUMA
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 125Please respect copyright.PENANArKm6UGbY4y
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 125Please respect copyright.PENANAIJy0wttqTd
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 125Please respect copyright.PENANATfwqiANjnc
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 125Please respect copyright.PENANAEUXLJYn4QI
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 125Please respect copyright.PENANA08jSOyIyHD
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 125Please respect copyright.PENANAPLlszNL1oS
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 125Please respect copyright.PENANAxopucqLR8x
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 125Please respect copyright.PENANAEjeEatFG66
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 125Please respect copyright.PENANAV7qBrm3SfV
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 125Please respect copyright.PENANAWtWwAD7127
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 125Please respect copyright.PENANAsDV5q7o2Ba
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 125Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZUgQnvPUW
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 125Please respect copyright.PENANAZu6IFRmnNo
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 125Please respect copyright.PENANAUzZR1okp8L
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 125Please respect copyright.PENANAceeYRVejsd
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 125Please respect copyright.PENANAAfVoOZSBCK
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 125Please respect copyright.PENANA9C0pY3daz8
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 125Please respect copyright.PENANAk6or684TrC
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 125Please respect copyright.PENANAIYNuB99MOL
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 125Please respect copyright.PENANAsu1VZ34vzg
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 125Please respect copyright.PENANAi1ZD93wrqi
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 125Please respect copyright.PENANAPrITzxH19v
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 125Please respect copyright.PENANA9C02qklJYa
we leave?"
"When you are ready."125Please respect copyright.PENANA7LTFhxfofn
125Please respect copyright.PENANA7suPLOq2YX