289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTI9xa0CcCK
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDo7B5uPBQ
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGWSIIC5xx
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70F1Hl5oTJ
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfF2CBqXaS
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqnFRBHc8i
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6JUhfBMjH
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOvLrvidi1
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2e9GNKNAJr
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVqihwiaEu
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXxx0zUvmp
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk575rBA7q
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Pw0OHIIoE
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIYY2tcN6f
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZe198M1jw
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGCLz9h1nc
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhfLwrFiCg
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SzgCcgnf3
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrzBoxqEGv
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxtrVtfF1J
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyRmTYBgjR
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNXGrVAv8H
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQxj9uz4WK
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 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvYJV3RgNt
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoMlswtqs4
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznJfhJLkYx
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJnZwwk6mw
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL84X5QcFm
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqJhjtkSGt
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 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0K3E1Q3SEp
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW4GDag9dx
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJK1p0R6JK7
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEr9cy1OmBV
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1dLGyUQ6d
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLe7fjg80vP
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp84xEMsQlU
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQsqpoWMBn
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3l7bnlDWr8
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyil5LDLDVD
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EBVKHwoDA
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2MEklJO4r
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqmEhYsXSF
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D3nk23Nyr
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXtVoRTR3u
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU3rLGSrtK
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUFrRiVEgO
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelzL0lvy4Y
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuckjMZBvL
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDBQfmwXE4
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcit1kPNvFA
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZsqhOQE3Z
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nM1TVN1eO
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6L9fGbq5w7
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNSsaOygcC
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAPC229xih
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBFk31Jnmm
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRHL5rl3M5
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehVcSgjMlR
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PQl2Pqh8p
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo2W6vifYU
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85HWw169zj
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmfhETNolC
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy2pRyWkrc
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRmS6x6VwD
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkjWndSREO
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6Vd3b1131
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBFJ4hH9G8
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHind8pinu8
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3ECDihnma
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Te0Xae8iW
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmG51tBCM6Z
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BKJrmLDwn
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQS5mBkWrW
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHCDuNchet
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EsXExp4MD
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 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSAdnj6VQd
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRVBWqBmoT
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjQnrMroZw
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 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDMP4olymA
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdlMA6GrhM
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gEB5tO7c5
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgFckcQJ0H
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdX2uJzkbp
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzXk9HmnMb
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRijx8Gsis5
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRV9XJkhxg
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYdyFCDk32
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuVXv9Bdud
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvn9obZZ31h
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKeqocTo2K
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq11LdXoCgS
we leave?"
"When you are ready."289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vOerquA4h
289Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJvPX2CRKf
