170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQ58E9Pt4k
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUOhdVweg5
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNpui9gZuH
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6z5LZiAkrC
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmbaffMCfe
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zN6HDY6VF
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUgzdMTlvB
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡte0sBBWurJ
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp6h9cAkKc
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAJp4Nx7Ad
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4s1lwYhoZh
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa8kK7RpTN
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNyolQ6P6K
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmQv13VjKl
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtwXF8BEgX
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0N5fb2Y9z
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmGB8iZrua
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R6sh9dt6e
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw75ZXj5Ug
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwkm2PO6zE
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXR3NlsSC9
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcXdHdQoi7
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIR57dKZ8aV
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 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKFJICokgA
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXDzSXTSTn
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYBYkPd23i
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVyxVHRP6m
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7uZFOdzTH
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtXnRVVpDj
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 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqRZ70MpMN
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sFkhsWcnh
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1SOMBuTBa
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmhYZKUMFG
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBzaT9aoPf
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7acopKeeq
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GY04WSG4m
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEakb0nreP
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuRrm2ccXz
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6ePkmK4Il
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarbGkOxNuT
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3UbpK6XrR
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpiSJy4o3t
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKXcnN4Hb7
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbasY8mBoMc
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAA2OxMEvC
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkoriGNRru
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUVuxd4V6x
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmYQ37ikpZ
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpysBqHmF2
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHCEEwjV54
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxbWbvy5pY
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfxDy1uKWm
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSi9rZVove
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcijJktobR
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB7SFkc0Tg
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAS2znX0MHg
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhswaMIbYn
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp3TMWyMRf
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYM3nRnno6
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMevFt6mN36
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0pwKuHI63
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mqjdasgOh
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztxQYqshRs
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIJnkVY8EU
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotZkqBDCix
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TEJo94YAz
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2r4zTblvP
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQPvoHqrvO
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotEnX8fZAk
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiVjtZs6xd
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhK01mnnGP
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3w4fDnmmw
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GIhh4n2uR
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScLhXLu5BD
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQsLcuE3X4
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 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYUXDdMv3b
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDljdrso2dl
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA8DqoDCS9
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 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarwsJoEOU1
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzd6XCio1rr
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QaTy80Ywc
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NTJYhLfrJ
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTitSwOI4v
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRdZ78KoNM
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4uOC9PZMR
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yeNRyzY7Y
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkj7JrTMk6
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eEJqv9mXC
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzwShKJQLM
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMAyQnBpku
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58yrZTNflP
we leave?"
"When you are ready."170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnpB9xUykP
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXNuKjy3OE
