291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiMUgnJ54P
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPrFB1Uule
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV9MRHBYOI
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUM2fQ2KU6I
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOeDZcYQRg
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL8zOfRi6G
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnZlRI8lHr
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNpTh7JPGd
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIMO0s0ivQ
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDPSmgMt8p
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoYH5u77kU
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9JmIvdlR9
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhwkNKCna4
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F4HLhiZ32
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCmQTFFQ3Z
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQftUWSpIRw
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZcvnCACWD
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcktzZsv1Wg
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGizJqPW5CI
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZiIYoObU0
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGHtGRF7p6
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWawQZTc6Vy
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDMLeHpoZl
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 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkZhcHKWg4
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyflcXkeyB3
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCPYYXCHrK
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Qemv2kkl1
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIscWti0LS
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyinHBMkaA
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 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcuLRa3eeJ
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszIgTv1iEW
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXod1wyINA
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ462JxeTuBK
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDL1Kmfsbr
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k5odKqJqU
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPeLJhxbLA
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tfXCrnEL4
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWatqS4KUC
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIlfHCojgb
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkboDPWdHT5
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3NVvqsB27
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3l8K5X3oF
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbqs7d8h3U
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup1LnLJ5AG
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLgUWPfVtp
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcmA4v9ImN
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jdpHZm58p
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFqa576FU6
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP192EK8SNt
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOFFfZl1ej
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2EdH6a5Ar
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUrlkmidcF
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQdCl2ZPnH
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUK6zyZiTJ
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgXRdq20XH
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOi1ZPPN7A
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLwFgEiaom
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrf27c7xTg
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ONCuAb6px
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XqXOf3rnl
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93gBVfi1Fm
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzMspMmagQ
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwvhk1NK2L
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u9Z9SO99h
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoADUR25QZa
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPptifrk0M
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDp1vwEBbr
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TZw5MyEq3
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZ38H35qWn
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHsKiiuS8x
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVkcr7hiu7
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXOelsrjxn
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVrYN3i0o9
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85Rv0ChPYw
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gUD8eNCzt
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 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJMpXQZ2EL
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7tPR7wLxf
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwuYHpcSOl
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 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6tNvbR5ft
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsFr0JibbX
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yR5uIZn0g
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcExjkxCzBO
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTgaRJFP3t
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqD3HCY9Nrt
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJyhl6PMBw
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKAQ5cLPQ8
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3EnjAnafU
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmQmjsYCE1
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rQC3rIggw
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKovZ288J6X
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGOsE3VYYM
we leave?"
"When you are ready."291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjoq56tBUk
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2TCksu959
