263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYM7Zd4R0P
The wind polished the stones smooth. Wildflowers grew in 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpSy3i6tyX
abundance, the air crisp and clean. Thin clouds streaked across 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKRVeBGQzi
the bright sky on this day.
A few trees dared to grow. The handful that did were solid and 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04XKjwbo1s
stubborn, much like the people. In the distance, a formally shaped 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kQrPl8VoP
stone building stood in defiance of the wind. When all other 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84GE4QFpvq
structures were round stone domes, the Milborrow family kept the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQus3S2A1w
traditional building.
A road to the lower valley wobbled past the estate. Stone walls 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBE3WZf7FZ
telling the road were it stopped and the estate began. A vineyard 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pJYrIEvZv
poked around the corner. Soil brought up from the lower valleys 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAMk6IwlUu
made a garden. A small stream hidden behind a stone stall for the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcORYyS1lBv
estate's horse dashed across the lawn only to disappear over a 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMihQA90Qyw
nearby cliff face.
Inside, fieldstone fitted together by quality masons define a 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgyLKIjJEq
rectangular structure to create an estate of old. Timber, brought 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKK47y4wIrL
from the lower valleys, replaced portions of the stone. A 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYVrCI3EWn
hexagonal fireplace offset from the centre of the room heated a 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqO0753Vvs
stew destined for tonight's supper. A long oak dining table 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKH80MWSA3p
pushed against a far wall showed signs of formality slightly past 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpaFvDDvFj
its date. A large cat stretching across a chair fulfilling its 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetjRseZdG4
obligation of doing absolutely nothing.
The adjoining room appeared to be built by accident. The noise of 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUOWI2RZur
pots, pans, and opinions expressed overflowed into the main 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZ62wlfFoB
dining area. Elsie Milborrow was finishing the process of making 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKFO5QAGyW
her signature soap. She prided herself on using only the finest 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yJp2l6noV
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 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFlITc2yGC
when she was young, they both grew up together. Now Lord Auberon 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDl5S0VnUm
was taking the little one away, transporting him to a far away 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr9VpKhB3h
land.
"I can put together a travelling kit for him. I will include 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwanqa9xhLQ
feeding directions and general care." She finished the statement 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrK7hNOvdkO
while rubbing her hands in a dish towel, her hands already dry.
"Good. You will need it," Lord Auberon sipped the last of his 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvPcKpGUFP
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 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8Lq3CvDrx
qualified to transport your friend to his homeland is you, 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqFg5JC306
Estella."
"But I need to run the house. Aunt Ascelyn won't be back for 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYd0TIYjm6
another month!"
"We have made arrangements. I have spoken with your aunt 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzsLSLkwnY
regarding your trip. She is fine with the idea." The unusually 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwC4wvUq6W
tall gentleman placed the teacup gentle back in its saucer, elven 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCvEnB2WUB
lineage showing in his movements.
Elsie patted her apron clean, "It's quite a trip." She paused 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7297CYKd0
while she thought. Glancing around the room she made a quick list 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeE9yhvC0XB
of all the things that needed to be done, "but what about 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwQxcu2lHy
Katharine! She can bring the dragon home."
"The dragon almost ate her."
"Well there was that one incident," a furrowed brow, "but I'm 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSlTabDp6J
sure they'll get along."
"We are not so sure." Auberon pushed the teacup and its saucer 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1V4kxLVZF
towards the centre of the table creating a space just large 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLkRRiHWiz
enough for an envelope and then continued, "These documents were 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6huOw7s2ih
drawn up by the scribes. They are of the finest of writing as 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXGhBXp759
both elven and dwarven cultures demand it. You are to lead a 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuXH8yO9Uc
expedition to the Silver Forest Fortress of Illytheria. From 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj8F46z9D4
there, you are to gather a representative of the elven lineage and 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmPxhwXVBJ
travel to the dwarven stronghold of Black Ironbear located in the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5QqDLK0I2
Coppermines mountain range. You will present your expedition 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxFNGqWQSV
papers and its purpose to the managing authority. Dieliununi 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnFupo6N5f
Mountainbane has recently passed and we are unaware of whom the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDOUFKozh3
new leadership is."
"But why do we need the dwarves?"
"This is an issue for all Sapiens." Lord Auberon watched Elsie, 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRLNMd3K7Y
"additionally, the expedition needs to cross their lands. Without 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbVjWX5D2o
formal approval, we cannot travel over their mountains."
"Why not fly over them? Airships do that all of the time," 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFqUd9q4mx
Elsie was stamping her heal on the ground, there had to be some 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5f2KK3e77Q
way out of this.
"Trade. Dwarven made goods are highly praised. The merchant 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxI1JXTfYA
guilds would not sign on as support agents without that 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpgqf1DBby
requirement. We must have dwarven authority to cross their 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdlXvXaQob
lands."
"And what if they don't agree?" Find something in a pocket. Maybe 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoZGUyF0xH
the answer is in this pocket here.
"That is your responsibility." This stopped Elsie cold. "As 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWlFXz02qE
expedition leader you will need to make your case to both the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2dAhg6weI
elves and the dwarven leadership as to the validity and necessity 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6vRQI47Zc
of your cause."
"But the," she searched for the strange word, "elves have already 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJg47ki8lS
agreed?"
"Mostly."
Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier Province was rummaging through 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloaByPQMbP
the towel in her hands looking for an answer. And found none. "I 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrp7lZd5bau
am an 'expedition leader'?"
"Yes."
"But I don't know how to be an expedition leader," her voice 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOlJ4AumCI
trailed off.
"We have assigned the Flying Salamander with its captain to the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEdv9g2EDN
expedition. The merchant guild of Kovale has funded the auditor 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyzOOLfohi
Obadiah McNarlin. They will support you." Lord Auberon slid the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Th3Hh7SA
papers back into their envelope then left them on the table. "It 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAswx1RThQW
is our conclusion that if this expedition fails, war is eminent."
"War?!"
"Merchants have noticed an increase to demand to supply soldiers 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIimJd4ZwLW
in Lorfell. The previous time this occurred was before the 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLILyU0nhk
outbreak of the Athorn War. Additionally, the airship guilds have 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaus1mQn3Wq
noticed an increase in dragon activity along the Boundary. 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplFGqBjIEA
Several reports of dragons flying in formation have been 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkwLrq6RP0
received."
"Flying in formation? That is only done if they are regimented."
"Yes. According to the few books that we have, the dragons will 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJV33JONFvq
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 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhxGZwFI4P
two adolescent dragons all of the stone variant." Deep lines 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxC8DnHpAn
appeared across the elder gentleman's face as he spoke, "the lead 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSn4SyECvm4
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 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7YJDmgNwE
established communication between the two sides have been poor." 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNNJlPKrkf
He watched as Elsie scribbled notes into a small journal. "We can 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDj6OyWf8e
supply you with --"
"Most of what you know about dragons was from my aunt," she 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkF8Hd01llY
paused, "I'll review this with our family records. Are you sure 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSxkNE9olU
Katharine won't go on this trip?"
"The dragon tried to eat her."
"There is that point." Estellaese Milborrow of Oldfarrier 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAzRIAd6uy
Province which is located in the Shire of Greenspan Southlands 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqucOpSyHf
was of the bloodline that few nobles dared to cross. Her lineage 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkpry4gSHd
was in every major battle and went back several centuries. Few 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTHohJ0Nvs
dared to be in a stone's throw of a dragon of any size, yet they 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY4Ko7Hu31
looked at these creatures in the eye. Few could tame a dragon, or 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpF85gbAK6
them.
The ancient fire of an old lineage travelled to the surface. An 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BKkyEC6Y2
energy that created the world leapt forth, "Okay, I'll go. When do 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtQjr6Etq1
we leave?"
"When you are ready."263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEYPyNgdZA
263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx95WyNNjvv
