Elodia's Dragon (3 page)

"Everywhere Elodia," Eli said smiling now teasing.

"EVERYWHERE?"

"Even your cute dimpled bottom!" Eli laughed as he continued to tease her.

"My bottom doesn’t have dimples!" Elodia responded tartly. Then laughing herself she caressed his face. "I guess I have no secrets from you now. I'm starving."

"I have breakfast prepared," Myrtle responded.

Elodia sat up slowly and placed her feet on the floor intending to stand and wrap herself in the blanket when she groaned and lay back on the bed, biting her lip with tears streaming from her eyes.

"Odie, what happened?"

"My feet." Elodia panted for several seconds, then opened her eyes. Tears continued to stream from her eyes.

"You can eat in bed Odie. I will feed you."

"I can manage to feed myself," Elodia laughed. "But do sit with me."

Eli propped her up with pillows as Elodia wrapped the blanket around her leaving her shoulders and arms exposed. Eli brought her meal to her and they talked quietly as they ate. Eli loved the sight of her bare shoulders and arms but managed to maintain eye contact as they spoke. Elodia, still very tired, slept soundly after eating. Eli assisted Myrtle to wash the dishes.

"Tell me, Aunt Myrtle, you said your hands were too crippled to manage Elodia, yet you handled breakfast just fine." Myrtle's eyes twinkled as she smiled.

"I thought it best to keep you busy Eli," she said innocently. "And you really did well."

Three days later Myrtle sat with Elodia, "On a scale of one to ten how bad do your feet hurt."

"Not bad at all, five or six. Putting on the ointment brings it to ten, but then it goes down to three."

"And when you stand?"

"Through the roof, twenty at least."

"And when I kiss them?" Eli joked.

"Just wonderful," Elodia laughed.

"I really need to leave today," Eli whispered, concern visible on his face.

"I will be fine Eli."

"I washed your clothes. I did manage to get the blood stains out. Odie I don’t want to go."

"You need to finish the apprenticeship Eli. You’ve been there nearly two years."

"I've wanted you for nearly two years, but an apprentice cannot marry."

"That long?" Elodia said smiling. Eli nodded his head.

"Since the very first time we met at the pond. In three months, two weeks and three days, I'll be back for you."

"I'll be here. I love you, Eli, I will love you for always."

"I'll love you for always Odie," Eli whispered then, kissing her, left.

Elodia sat in the bed struggling not to cry. Then turning to Myrtle, "Are you really Eli's aunt?"

"Not really, we're cousins of some kind, my mother and his grandmother were first cousins."

"And you're a healer?"

"Oh, Dearie I'm so much more than a healer. You're so much more than you can ever imagine."

"I'm the purple maker's daughter and that’s all I am."

"You are in for a real surprise," Myrtle laughed. "Just as I was once."

"When do you think I can wear clothes again?" Elodia asked.

"In a day or so. Once your feet can bear weight. Until then, you're stuck. Do you think you can manage the ointments and wrapping yourself?"

"I could have since day one!" Elodia laughed. "Eli insisted that he do it, and he always had a kiss for my feet."

"Is he a keeper?"

"Yes, forever and always!" Elodia laughed.

A
week passed and Elodia found that she could bear some weight on her feet. The pain was excruciating, but she could manage standing transfers and rejoiced that she was able to dress.

"Elody you’re a pretty girl, why do you wear such baggy clothes?" Myrtle asked as they sat for lunch.

"I dress for work, stinky, sweaty, hard work."

"Do you ever spend time with friends?"

"I really had no friends. Too tall, too outspoken I guess."

"Tall, your short Elody!" Myrtle laughed.

"I'm as tall as most of the village men."

"Eli must seem like a giant to you."

"Oh yes!"

"He's only average Elody, not quite six foot." Elody looked surprised. "If you have not guessed I'm from Bountiful. Eli too."

"I never thought ... that explains why Eli was willing to break guild law and marry outside the guild," Elodia said.

"What happens if you marry outside your guild?"

"If caught, I would be put to death," Elodia said softly.

"What about men who marry outside their guild?"

"Not much, usually nothing. They could lose guild standings at worse."

"You would risk that to be with Eli?"

"Yes. I would risk everything to be with him."

"What would you like to be Elody?"

"Could I be a healer?"

"I don’t see why not, your aura is right," Myrtle replied smiling. "I can start your training and you can finish it with Eli's sister in Bountiful."

"I'm going to Bountiful?" Elodia asked smiling.

"Dearie where did you think Eli was going to take you?"

"Away from here ... that's all."

"Well, if you're going to be my apprentice you'll have to dress better. Can you sew?"

"Yes, actually, I'm quite good."

"Well let's get started then. You will drill rubrics every morning until you can recite them all. I'll look through my stored fabrics and assist you to pick colors."

"I usually..."

"You'll never wear that color again, what is it puke green?"

"It's my guild color," Elodia said quietly.

“I thought you were Purple Guild?”

“That green is the pre-color. I really love our lavenders and purples.”

“Don’t you wear those colors?”

“Never, purple colors are for Imperial officials only. By law, we are limited to guild green.”

"Have you ever worn a well-fitted corset?"

"Never," Elodia blushed.

"Well, you should. You're tiny and a good fit will support and lift..." Elodia was laughing so hard Myrtle sputtered to a stop mid-sentence. "I'm sure Eli would love the effect."

"I'm sure he will!" Elodia laughed so hard she snorted.

***

T
hey spent the next eight weeks drilling remedies and symptom rubrics. Elodia's feet still hurt but she was walking. Her gait stiff and slow. Elodia was cleaning one of the piled heaps stored in the corner when she picked up a dark, egg-shaped object. It looked huge and black, but as she held it became warm. It vibrated slightly and swirled with greens, blue, violet and red.

"Myrtle, what is this?"

"I've been waiting for you to find the egg. I knew it would be you."

"Me? What do you mean?"

"You’re a witch Elodia, just like me. You are the next dragon rider."

"No, no, no, I'm going to marry Eli, I'm..."

"Yes, you will do that too. I've been waiting here. I took this post to fulfill the prophecy. I knew you would come."

"Prophecy?"

"You will bring the dragons back. My grandmother was part of the first rise of the dragons. You will bring them back."

"You rode a dragon?"

"Yes."

"What happened to the dragons?"

"All things die Elodia, even dragons. Their life is short and glorious. You'll see."

"This egg ... thing will hatch?"

"In about two weeks now that you touched it."

"Didn’t you ever touch it?"

"Many people have, but only one special woman can make it hatch, a witch Elodia."

Elodia discovered she liked the color red. She loved her new red skirt and she wore it with a matching red vest with blue piping and a white blouse. She had a second skirt of a dark, brown-red that matched her hair she wore that with a black vest with a beaded simple floral pattern. Her feet still hurt, but she no longer needed the wrappings or ointment. She could walk about freely, if not slowly. Myrtle had given her sandals to wear and they helped as even the smallest pebble caused severe pains to her feet.

"Your egg will hatch today Elody."

"How can you tell?"

"See it moving?"

"Yes."

"I've set aside some raw meat. You will need to feed it right away. But after that, it will take care of itself."

"I'm so excited!"

"I was too. Have you picked a name yet?"

"Yes, David if a boy, Davida if a girl."

"Nice names Elodia. We'll just wait for now."

At mid-day, the egg began to rock. Then it cracked as the tiny dragon emerged.

"You're so beautiful!" Elodia exclaimed as she offered fresh rabbit flesh to the little dragon. "And greedy too!" The little dragon eating the offered food so quickly that Elodia was afraid it would choke. The little animal literally stuffing itself until its belly bulged.

"Chirrup!" the little dragon said then it flew, landing on Elodia's shoulder wrapping its tail around her neck and rubbing its face against her cheek.

"You have a girl dragon Elody."

"Welcome to my word Davida!"

"Chirrup."

"Look, Myrtle, she's turning blue."

"She's happy, probably needs a nap. Yellow is excited or frightened, red angry, you'll quickly discover her moods."

"Will she talk to me?"

"Give her time, she's just a baby."

Davida flew daily sometimes disappearing for two or three days at a time. The little dragon frequently brought game home to eat. She loved stretching out on the warm hearth at night. Elodia usually had the dragon sitting on her shoulder with its tail wrapped around her neck for balance. The little animal was very affectionate.

"Myrtle, she said my name!"

"I heard it too Elody."

"You are such a smart little girl Davida!" Elodia said as she gently oiled the dragon's skin while it lay on her lap, making a rumbling growl.

"How long do dragons live?"

"Less than two decades Elodia. Mine was sixteen when I lost him. He was a wonderful friend."

"They are beautiful," Elodia laughed. "Davida's agreeing. Their terribly vain too."

Myrtle laughed as the little dragon chirruped loudly and flew out the window.

"Did I upset her?" Elodia asked.

"OH NO! We've been discovered," Myrtle gasped. Elodia stood next to Myrtle at the window.

"Imperial Guard, all is lost! I'm so sorry Myrtle. I never meant for this to happen."

"We have a chance Elody, let's act quickly."

"I can't run!"

"Just close the shutters and pray they burn us out."

"I would rather burn, than face torture!" Elodia said as she closed and barred the shutters and doors.

"Trust me, we will survive a burning." Elodia gave Myrtle a confused look as she double barred the door and windows.

M
yrtle had a lamp lit by the time Elodia had closed and double boarded the door and windows. Elodia was terrified as she heard the guard shouting for them to come out and surrender. They were beating against the door and boarded windows with their heavy muskets. Burning to death was not an appealing option either. Myrtle moved a small rag rug aside and lifted a hidden trap door. She seized a large iron lever and lifting it, a small irregular slab of stone dropped and slid aside. Elodia looked into the dark pit and saw nothing.

"I'll go first Dearie as I know the way. Send the lamp down when I call for it."

The opening was a little over two and a half feet wide and three feet long as Myrtle sat on the floor, then finding the iron ladder, she disappeared into the darkness. The shouting and hammering of the doors continued as Elodia waited, terrified by the loud clamor.

"Send me the lamp Elody, then come down."

Elodia tied a rope to the lamp’s handle as she slowly lowered it. It seemed to take an eternity before she saw Myrtle take the lamp. Then sitting on the floor she felt for the ladder with her bare feet. She made contact with the cold, hard iron and began her decent. She winced each time her foot contacted a new step. The decent was very painful on her healing feet and she had tears in her eyes by the time she reached the bottom. Myrtle climbed the ladder again and closed the trapdoor, then descending again, she pulled a second lever as the stone slab covered the opening. Elodia sat on a bench rubbing her aching feet as Myrtle joined her.

"How deep are we?" Elodia asked.

"A little over forty feet, safe from the fire and discovery."

"Who built this? It's been burnt before?"

"Safe House? It's been burned ... let me think ... three, this is the third time." Myrtle laughed at the expression on Elodia's face. "We're spies Dearie, Eli, me, the entire signal guild. It's through safe houses that we send our spies in and remove them. It is considered a great service by guild apprentices to give two years in Imperial Territory. Some like Eli's uncle, Master Abner, have been in the service over a decade. "

"I didn’t know," Elodia whispered. "Oh no, I left my guild dress drying on the clothes line.

"I told you to throw it out," Myrtle laughed. "And please Elody it’s Aunt Myrtle, we are family.

"Aunt Myrtle," Elodia repeated as she hugged the older woman.

"Let me see your feet, Dearie. You've reopened the new skin everywhere your feet contacted the ladder. I bet it hurts." Elodia nodded as she examined her injured feet.

On the surface, the guard continued its effort to break open the house. The wood was solid and would not give. One of the guards brought the dress he had found hanging behind the house to an officer.

"Sir, it's her alright. This is a guild dress. See the colors."

"Did any of you see the girl?"

"She is a pretty thing, can't wait to play with her," one of the guards laughed.

"There was a second woman at the window too," a second added.

"OK, set fire to the back of the house. That will drive them out to our loving arms."

"If they refuse?"

"They'll roast, they're dead either way," the officer replied.

It did not take long before the entire house was engulfed in flame. The guard stayed in place until the house collapsed then threw Elodia's guild dress onto the cinders and left.

Elodia was startled by a loud crashing sound, "What's that Aunt Myrtle?"

"The house collapsed, that's all."