Elodia's Dragon (12 page)

"First, we fly to the coast to gather mollusks. Then the stinky stuff begins."

It took several days before all the preparations were made. Elodia and Maryann packed a generous lunch and two towels each and a blanket. These filled one saddle bag. Elodia was excited with her plan. If all went well a lot of people would benefit from their little enterprise.

Early in the morning, after dressing in their dragon riding uniforms and saying their goodbyes, they were again flying. In an instant, they were cloaked and they silently landed near Elodia's former village. They had timed their arrival for the slack tide.

"What do we do next?" Maryann asked.

"Get naked and enter the water." They undressed, packing their clothes into the empty saddlebag. They each carried a moderate sized canvas sack as they entered the water. "I forgot to ask, can you swim?" Elodia asked sheepishly.

"Try and keep up with me."

Elodia dove and came up with a large white snail with blue stripes. "This is what we want. About twenty pounds total. Be careful how you handle it, hold it just like you see me doing. It can sting. It's terribly painful."

Maryann nodded and they began to work the bottom. The snails were abundant but not easy to see. Elodia had spent a lifetime gathering the snails, she quickly filled her sack. She then assisted Maryann. They had spent about three hours in the water. They had just crawled carefully over the large rocks and boulders on the shore and come ashore when they saw the six uniformed imperial guards watching them. Both of them dropped their bags and attempted to cover themselves with arms and hands.

"Look what we found," one of the imperial guards said as he leered at them.

"Two naked mermaids perhaps? Or two purple makers?"

They laughed as they seized both women knocking them to the ground, beating them with the butts of their muskets and kicking them. It took three men to hold each of them down. Elodia and Maryann fought back but were simply overpowered as they kicked, scratched, punched and bit their adversaries. The guards were surprised by the ferocity of their defense. Several were bleeding from bites on their arms and hands. In the end, the guards prevailed, planning far greater injury to the women. They were forced to kneel, their hands tied in front of them and a rope tight around their neck. The guards laughed at them and described in detail the treatment they were to receive.

“We will have the secret of purple from you. Your deaths may be swift if you co-operate. It’s your choice,” the leader said as he laughed at their distress and fondled Elodia then Maryanne. Elodia closed her eyes in disgust and turned her face away. The man roughly seized her face and forced her to look at him. “You won’t be so arrogant and pretty when we finish you girl. You will tell us what we want!”

Ragnar appeared overhead harassing and biting at the men holding the rope around Maryann’s neck. They swatted at the little dragon. Then Davida landed before them, she was bright red in color, her wings fully extended in her furry. The six men ran. Davida blew fire, instantly incinerating the fleeing men and causing the gunpowder in their powder flasks to explode.

"We need to move fast, more will come," Elodia said panting. They simply jumped onto the saddle not strapping in, "To the pond, Davida." Davida cloaked and smoothly glided to the pond. "We're safe here for now. Let's wash off the salt water and get out of here."

They spent several minutes soaking and rinsing their hair after they removed the bindings. They left the pond and emptied the saddle bag of their clothes, towels and lunch. Unbinding their hair they dried and wrapped it in a towel then dried the rest with their second towel. Once dry they dressed and sat on the blanket for their lunch.

"That was close!" Maryann whispered. "I've never been so frightened in my life. Did you see my brave little Ragnar?"

"That was close," Elodia replied.

"Is this the pond you and my brother met at?"

"The very one."

"Did you ever swim together?"

"We never did. Thought about it a lot," Elodia laughed.

"Is this the only place with these snails?"

"The only one that I know. But, I doubt it is."

Packing the saddle bags with the snails they took to the air. They flew over the area they had been swimming and it was crawling with at least one hundred imperial guards. Ragnar dove on the men biting and harassing then joined Davida as she entered the void. They spiraled down, landing quietly as Eli and Walter joined them.

"What's next?" Eli asked.

"The stinky stuff," Elodia laughed.

"I
'm so tired Eli, and I hurt all over."

"I promised you a back rub, I'll be right with you."

"Rub my feet first, please."

Eli sat on the bed and gently rubbed Elodia's right foot. “You have really been busy, I have seen your village making purple. You do it differently. How did you learn the process? I thought it was a guarded secret?”

"Anyone with an ounce of sense would know the secret by simple observation. I’m no genius, but I could see what they were doing.”

“Elody you are much smarter than you give yourself credit for. The process was a guarded secret.”

“I tried to get them to keep the snails in the bag and crush them all at once and put the bag in the kettle. It's so much easier than crushing each one then putting in the kettle and then having to remove them once they rot. And the wire baskets will make it so much easier to put the wool in and take it out. I hated having to reach in that stinky water and pull each one out."

"What did they say about your ideas?"

"Stupid girl, we've ALWAYS done it this way, and your just lazy Elodia, and you just don't want your skin to turn purple."

"I'm sorry Elody."

"It's OK. At the time, it really hurt. Eli don't forget to kiss my foot when you're finished with it," Elodia laughed as she gently caressed his face with her foot.

"You’re a demanding little thing, Odie!" Eli kissed her foot and rubbed the left one kissing it when he finished.

"OK turn over I'm going to rub you back, I got scented oil."

"OOOH, what scent?" Eli opened the bottle and sniffed it.

"Sardine, or maybe anchovy."

"Give me the bottle Eli!" Elodia took the bottle and sniffed. "Liar, liar it's lavender. You're incorrigible!" Eli folded the blanket back exposing Elodia's back and stopped.

"Odie, you're covered with really nasty bruises!"

"I took Arnica when I got home yesterday. They can't be that bad."

"What happened?"

"Maryann and I got in a fight."

"She did this!" Eli was shocked.

"No silly, the Imperial guard did. THEY caught us."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I forgot. I was so excited when I got back."

"If you're bruised this bad after taking arnica and wearing your heavy padded flight jacket it was an awful beating."

"I didn't have my flight jacket on."

"What did you have on?"

"Nuthin'," Elodia laughed. "We had just gotten out of the water from gathering the snails. Davida and Ragnar attacked the guard. Davida burned them up." Eli put the scented oil on his hands to warm it, then gently rubbed Elodia's back and shoulders. "That feels so good, you have nice hands Eli" Eli massaged her back with a very light touch, he continued very slowly until he reached her feet, "The guards blew up when Davida burned them."

"That must have been their powder flasks."

"We were afraid the noise would bring more so we just hopped on Davida butt naked and flew to the pond."

"That would have been a sight to remember Elody."

"You think so?"

"I would have loved to see it!" he teased. "Now I will make all those nasty bruises better!? Eli kissed every bruise from her shoulders to her ankles.

"Did I really have a bruise for those last two kisses?"

"Not really, but I thought you might be saddle sore."

"You're INCORRIGIBLE! I want to cuddle."

"You already said that now turn over please."

"Why?"

"So I can make your other bruises better, then we'll cuddle." Smiling brightly and with a little laugh, Elodia turned over.

It had taken several days to prepare the dye. The snails were allowed to rot in water then removed and the liquid boiled and allowed to cool overnight. The four of them gathered at the shed. The two wire baskets were already filled with the skeins of wool. They also had two white skirts and two white under bust corsets in the basket for themselves. Elodia removed the lids to the deep pots.

"It smells lot rotting fish!" Maryann exclaimed, holding her nose.

"AH! Reminds me of home." Elodia laughed as she inhaled. "We only have two pots, imagine hundreds."

"The lids really keep the smell down," Eli added.

"Now, Eli if you would be so kind, add the magic secret ingredient," Elodia said. Eli poured a measured amount into each pot.

"What are you adding?" Maryann inquired.

"Urine, stale urine," Eli replied.

"Only the finest MALE stale urine," Elodia added laughing.

They slowly lowered the baskets into the pots. Elodia waited about ten minutes then removed the skirts.

"There a yellow-green, not lavender like you said!" Maryann said sounding disappointed.

"Aunt Myrtle called that puke green," Elodia laughed. "It's my guild color, be patient and let the magic work."

"Let's have lunch while we wait," Walter said.

They returned after eating to lift the baskets from the pots. The chain fall helped and the baskets hung over the pots, draining.

"The skeins are all dark green!" Maryann said, "But our skirts have turned lavender just like you said."

"They turn color as they dry. A couple of days outside and the odor dissipates. It always seemed like magic to me."

"Does it have to be male urine?" Maryann asked.

"I doubt it, but now is not the time to experiment. We have a lot riding on this," Elodia replied. The dragon pendants began to glow on Elodia and Maryann. They both held hands closing their eyes. "Eli, the coven has just summoned us. We are needed. Could you and Walter finish up here please?"

"Of course, Odie."

"Walter once the skeins dry take them to 'The Shaman's Modiste" they are expecting them. The corsets are for us."

"We will be back to talk before we go off flying."

Elodia and Maryann went and washed up and put on their dragon riding uniforms and left for the meeting with the coven.

E
lodia and Maryann decided not to braid their hair and simply brushed it out and let it hang down to their waist in a thick ponytail. They walked rapidly towards the harbor of Novi. Their uniform’s riding boots gave them four additional inches of height and the sight of them walking rapidly in uniform was disastrous to traffic. They reached the harbor and hired a longboat and crossed Turnagain Bay landing in Grand Isle. Then they continued to the Coven House. This was their first time they were in the capital in uniform. They were recognized immediately as dragon riders and were hailed as they walked.

They were surprised to see all five members of the coven present. Mother Ruth hugged them as they entered, "Welcome sister-daughters!" The group, now numbering seven, sat. "We are grateful to have you both," Ruth continued. "There has been an outbreak of a respiratory illness in Eastpointe. Because it is the main terminus of the canals we fear its spreading. We called you here with a request."

"We are at your service Mother," Elodia replied, Maryann nodding in agreement.

"We have the vaccine, but no means to deliver it quickly enough. You and your dragon can."

"We can leave now," Elodia replied.

"I thought you would say that," Ruth said smiling. "You have time to make your goodbyes. Maryann can Ragnar carry additional vaccine?"

"Yes. He is about the size of a large dog now. He loves to carry things for me."

"This trip will be physically exhausting. There are over forty stops. The last one far to the north in Churchill. You have the right to say no. It will take a fortnight to complete."

"We are the dragon riders Mother, we will go."

"One more thing. In Eastpointe, a young woman will see Ragnar cloaked and comment on it. She will become the recipient of the next egg. Tell her and welcome her."

"Yes Mother."

"The vaccine is being delivered to your home now, along with money for your journey. Go with our blessings sister-daughters."

They loaded the saddlebags with a change in clothes so they could launder their uniforms as needed. The vaccine was in three large bags. The two larger ones Davida would carry and a smaller one for Ragnar. Then mounting their dragon and a final wave goodbye, they were off. The package was heavy and the dragons labored to get airborne. The finally turned east and with a pop passed through the void and arrived in the sky above Eastpointe. They circled the village then descended and landed on the village green. 

"Susan! Eli said you were living here," Elodia said as she embraced her friend. "Maryann, this is Susan, Susan, Maryann."

"What a beautiful little dragon!" Susan exclaimed moments before Ragnar uncloaked. "I didn't know you were the dragon rider Elody!"

"I have so much to tell you, Susan. Let's get the cargo distributed. Are you the Mayor?" Elodia asked a tall man standing close by.

"Yes, Mayor Edward at your service."

"Both of us are also healers. We have the vaccine for you to distribute. If healers are needed we will be here for two days. We then will continue our deliveries."

They made their way to the inn as Susan and Jacob joined them for lunch. "I'm so happy you and Eli are together," Susan said. "I never guessed that dragon was yours."

"You were able to see my dragon before it uncloaked," Maryann said smiling.

"I'm sure a lot of people saw the little dragon."

"No Susan, only a dragon rider can see a cloaked dragon," Elodia responded.

"Only a dragon rider?" Susan said confused. Elodia and Maryann nodded.

"You will receive an egg," Elodia said. "I can't tell you when, but soon you will join us."