276Please respect copyright.PENANAINkYB9m5BN
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 276Please respect copyright.PENANAzyaYVFZuis
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 276Please respect copyright.PENANAOz3TDdbmkG
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 276Please respect copyright.PENANAlesNl4O8s6
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 276Please respect copyright.PENANADA1kPoE97t
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 276Please respect copyright.PENANArWfo7PabGA
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAHpQ3ujNRNp
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 276Please respect copyright.PENANAHVLYFLxTtd
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 276Please respect copyright.PENANAuHGfriGf8I
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 276Please respect copyright.PENANAsXc7wHHWTQ
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAjcpnqeuz6o
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 276Please respect copyright.PENANAzya0UfVcyc
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 276Please respect copyright.PENANAhxEYc2y22c
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 276Please respect copyright.PENANAgiMBSLlV1T
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 276Please respect copyright.PENANAvFJKDPbmhb
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 276Please respect copyright.PENANANqJxvdNxHQ
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 276Please respect copyright.PENANAhauMMoyfH1
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 276Please respect copyright.PENANAHvoOCE9QTS
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 276Please respect copyright.PENANAbpKdY0sc7y
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 276Please respect copyright.PENANAnQdFANaQWt
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 276Please respect copyright.PENANAClHWpABzbc
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 276Please respect copyright.PENANA6FcS4QERuW
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 276Please respect copyright.PENANAf7RInG5wlW
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 276Please respect copyright.PENANAt7tWzOMqAk
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 276Please respect copyright.PENANAPAIVYHRhrX
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 276Please respect copyright.PENANA9EmbNlbYG3
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 276Please respect copyright.PENANAqfFN6zWEvX
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 276Please respect copyright.PENANA5E0Urm6DIn
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 276Please respect copyright.PENANAcEtKpa6kp8
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 276Please respect copyright.PENANAQQXkJV9Pfj
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 276Please respect copyright.PENANAWxayjMu5Ze
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 276Please respect copyright.PENANAcaOLkNTNWH
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 276Please respect copyright.PENANAOwAC0WiLWf
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 276Please respect copyright.PENANAS0SIkg4iMR
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 276Please respect copyright.PENANA5iIRBzu9Wl
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 276Please respect copyright.PENANAN3zs18dbzl
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 276Please respect copyright.PENANA2LRAGctXi8
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 276Please respect copyright.PENANA3EV7slvA2k
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 276Please respect copyright.PENANA9iKoTWt0Hh
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 276Please respect copyright.PENANAf1FeQzpJcw
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 276Please respect copyright.PENANACa8wqHEPU5
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 276Please respect copyright.PENANAx4ouZEAL8h
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 276Please respect copyright.PENANAFzFBB4JwgM
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 276Please respect copyright.PENANAB9UcuJV8mf
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 276Please respect copyright.PENANAc8iQnLr9ka
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 276Please respect copyright.PENANA52HLy0vc8k
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAu0Fec7QzUS
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 276Please respect copyright.PENANAJFpsKtMORL
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 276Please respect copyright.PENANAW3dSg3iJXL
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAexHQCpQHp2
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 276Please respect copyright.PENANA8ELqe8cHPc
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 276Please respect copyright.PENANAub3eManjgU
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 276Please respect copyright.PENANAxxksJKbDzw
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 276Please respect copyright.PENANAAjuH2QsbJj
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 276Please respect copyright.PENANAzZckAOZZMN
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 276Please respect copyright.PENANA8pvmICT7Cz
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 276Please respect copyright.PENANAaSkWgou0Al
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 276Please respect copyright.PENANAAzGJfVIy8d
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 276Please respect copyright.PENANAU5c2ucTtud
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAoDKkiYWw9H
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 276Please respect copyright.PENANAAPlBMT0Lnm
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 276Please respect copyright.PENANAk4ckfQYwFu
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 276Please respect copyright.PENANA1ZYTtaNRmW
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 276Please respect copyright.PENANAatNwH5ZlVP
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 276Please respect copyright.PENANApLhX22MfPI
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 276Please respect copyright.PENANATznklK2aey
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 276Please respect copyright.PENANADXGm1LwF7s
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAyjmdTGHckK
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 276Please respect copyright.PENANA50ZUJJ21hB
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 276Please respect copyright.PENANAo3U7q7lcYf
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 276Please respect copyright.PENANAF0XRdxvzDa
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 276Please respect copyright.PENANAyHN3fyZdxK
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 276Please respect copyright.PENANAAnvA9t0Nxt
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 276Please respect copyright.PENANAjAFiM4yAdG
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 276Please respect copyright.PENANAFwp9foEGaY
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 276Please respect copyright.PENANAklVc5l9aiw
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 276Please respect copyright.PENANARgxfTwU1wo
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 276Please respect copyright.PENANAcZAXtZhvRN
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 276Please respect copyright.PENANAWmWYPYWee8
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 276Please respect copyright.PENANADxVVz9hrxv
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 276Please respect copyright.PENANACFkC3QFhkl
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 276Please respect copyright.PENANAoQUjh5TYBv
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 276Please respect copyright.PENANAjW6CDRpBnv
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 276Please respect copyright.PENANADn44idnH2E
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 276Please respect copyright.PENANA7C6IAhCUKQ
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 276Please respect copyright.PENANAto7Dq6iDN3
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 276Please respect copyright.PENANA3RRfEbgSDA
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 276Please respect copyright.PENANAYSqhyaFgFd
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 276Please respect copyright.PENANAVjGEJzqbb4
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 276Please respect copyright.PENANAr3BEZkjCvU
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 276Please respect copyright.PENANAD9PSsHOivB
we leave?"
"When you are ready."276Please respect copyright.PENANAl03WqThr6W
276Please respect copyright.PENANAtuCkzTZqgp