Elodia's Dragon

by Jerry Skell

  Chapter 8 Burnt Ruins

  Eli had just finished his dinner at the guild hall. He heard his name called and he stood. Two other apprentices were advancing today. The three of them were loudly cheered as they were called to ‘walk the tables’. They walked around the hall past all the tables then stood before Master Abner.

  "Signalman may I present our newest journeymen and journeymen as you all know travel. Journeyman James, your new posting will be Riverdale. Journeyman William Canal City, I'm counting on you to bring order there, they seem to be having difficulty. Journeyman Eli, I am posting you to Novi. Your position there will be as an instructor. I fully anticipate a very marked improvement in our apprentice candidates from Novi."

  Eli met later with Master Abner, "Thank you, Master Abner, I didn’t even dream of such a posting."

  "You deserve nothing less Eli, your level of patience and skills at teaching are needed. Candidates from the Novi School have been less than acceptable. You will be needed to bring order to the school. You are not expected there until mid-summer."

  "Thank you!"

  "You have to get that young woman of yours to Novi and settled in. I look forward to meeting her."

  "You're coming to Novi too?"

  "I will be school president. After ten years living here in imperial lands, I look forward to returning home and marrying."

  "It will be good to serve with you again Master Abner."

  Eli was excited and happy with his new posting. He would be close to family and he would have Elodia. Eli needed to pack rather heavily as the trip included crossing the mountains. If all went as planned they would winter on the Great Inland Lake and reach Bountiful and Novi by early spring. He had it all planned. They would marry at the Bountiful Temple, find a nice home in Novi. He could see her smiling face in his mind and hear her laughter.

  Buoyed by such happy thoughts Eli took only three days to reach the little house where he had left Elodia. His heart stopped as he approached the burnt ruins. He knelt in the ruins. He found the scorched and burnt dress that had been Elodia's and collapsed in tears. He just lay in the ruins unable to move, unable to think.

  In the morning light, he began to explore the ruins. He would find and bury any remains. He searched the ruins for four hours and found no remains. He continued in desperation for any sign of her. He went to lift an iron bar buried in the rubble and a stone slab slid open. Eli was panting when he realized what he had found. Elodia had survived the fire. Eli fell to his knees prayed to the gods, thanking them for her deliverance. He spent a second night at the ruins and arrived at the trading post the next evening.

  He made inquiries about any travelers that may have stayed at the inn. "There were two women that stayed here," the innkeeper reported. "A crippled girl traveling with her aunt."

  "What did the young girl look like?"

  "I don’t recall, kind of pretty. She was crippled, damn shame being so pretty and all. She sang, had a lovely voice."

  "Can you remember anything else?"

  "They bought a bunch of stuff at the trading post."

  Eli purchased a room for the night and had dinner at the inn, he would visit the trading post in the morning.

  "Do you remember two women stopping here about a fortnight ago," he asked the shopkeeper.

  "Yes, a crippled girl traveling with her elderly aunt."

  "What else?"

  "They bought a lot of clothes. Socks, boots and a coat, a red coat. The girl could hardly walk. She was a real looker. EILEEN! Come here."

  "Yes, Will?"

  "Do you remember those two women that came here?"

  "The cripple and her aunt?"

  "Yes," Will nodded.

  "They bought a lot of stuff. Paid in gold they did. The girl liked a red dress, but wanted it way too short. Just below the knees she said."

  "Do you recall her name, either woman's name?"

  "The older woman called the crippled girl Melody I think ... yes, Melody. She was a nice girl, too bad she was crippled."

  Disappointed nearly to the point of heartbreak Eli returned to his room. His trail and hope so quickly dashed. He ate dinner at the inn and tried to sleep. He was restless as he dreamed of his short time with Elodia. Her soft skin as he sponged her. Her cute feet so damaged and painful. He remembered kissing them and wrapping them. "My Elody," he whispered.

  "Melody!" he sat up in bed, "Melody," he repeated out loud. His heart soared.

  Chapter 9 Wolf Maiden

  "You look tired Elody."

  "Didn’t you hear the wolves last night Aunt Myrtle? They were really close."

  "You need never fear the wolves."

  "I was raised on stories of them eating naughty children."

  "Oh, they will readily eat people, but not you. But I bet you were very naughty," Myrtle laughed.

  "And you know this because...?"

  "The prophecy; the dragon will be returned by the Wolf Maiden. You are obviously the Wolf Maiden. 'She will speak to the wolves and lead them to safety.'"

  "So you heard the howling?" Myrtle nodded. "I'm afraid of large furry animals with teeth. I do not want to be anyone's lunch. Does the prophecy mention a wolf maiden? "

  "You're not afraid of Davida are you? Actually, it does not say anything about a wolf maiden. I took a little license adding that, but you can talk to them."

  "Of Davida, not at all. Under different circumstances, I would be terrified."

  Davida had left with the first light of dawn. The mules were nervous and reluctant to leave the stable. The snow continued to fall and there were three-foot drifts everywhere as the wind whipped up the snow. The next Inn was about seven miles in the distance and even with the snow, it was an easy downhill walk for the mules.

  They traveled about a mile when they were surrounded by several large wolves. The mules refused to move and huddled together. Several more very thin wolves joined the group and Davida landed in the snow at Elodia's side. Davida was much larger than the wolf, almost the size of the mules and yellow showed her alerted mood. Davida made no move against the wolf.

  Elodia dismounted her mule and walked to the largest wolf and kneeling in the snow put out her hand as the wolf approached. "They're starving Aunt Myrtle. The snows came early at the higher elevations and they've been cut off from their food source. Several pups have died! I can understand them!" Elodia embraced the wolf as others approached. Davida spoke in a low tone. "Davida, you angel, you clever girl, yes please."

  Davida flew off as Elodia knelt in the snow touching the wolves. About twenty minutes later Davida returned carrying a large elk. She lay the elk in the snow and flew off. The wolves moved quickly to the elk and, opening its belly, began to eat. Elodia mounted her mule and they renewed their decent through the widening pass. The snow continued to fall heavily, but they reached the inn by late evening. The mules were turned over to the livery and they entered the inn.

  "You both are really lucky, we expect twelve or fifteen feet of snow in the pass from this storm," the innkeeper's wife said. "I don’t expect anyone else through the pass until spring. By the way welcome, we have hot springs here too and I'll arrange to have your things taken to your room."

  The inn was crowded, but they found a seat by the hearth and ordered dinner and ale. "Dinner was excellent!" Elodia said.

  "I think you just enjoy eating," Myrtle teased.

  "Traveling does build quite an appetite. I hope they have singing here too!"

  Elodia spent most of the night singing with the patrons. Myrtle went to bed early. Still reluctant to dance Elodia declined offers to dance but enjoyed herself thoroughly. Then late that night Elodia joined Myrtle and slept. The morning was devoted to soaking in the baths.

  "It feels so good to be warm, and look my feet are finally healed," Elodia held her feet out of the water for Myrtle to see.

  "Did you dance last night?"

  "I wanted to. I was afraid of injuring my feet." Elodia was inspecting her foot, checking between
her toes and rubbing the soles. "Aunt Myrtle do you think Eli would be OK with my dancing?"

  "I'm sure he would love to dance with you Elody," Myrtle teased.

  "That's not what I meant," Elodia said as she examined her other foot.

  "What did you mean Dearie?"

  "Would Eli mind if I danced with other men?" Elodia put her foot down as she looked at Myrtle. "I would hate to hurt his feelings or make him jealous. I would have to tell him of course," she continued. "I have so little experience dancing. Dancing with men at least. Well, not counting my dad."

  "I think you should dance Elody. Dance to your heart's content."

  "YOU DO!"

  "You're only young once. Didn’t they have dances in your village?"

  "Rarely. The nearby villages did, but the boys always made fun of us holding their noses and laughing. I would really love to dance."

  After lunch, Elodia frequently walked out in the snow. Today she had borrowed a pair of snowshoes as she walked along with the innkeeper's daughter Susan. They were both the same age and Elodia liked the girl. They spent a lot of time together talking. They took meals together and soaked in the baths together. Their frequent topic of conversation, men.

  "You're so lucky to live here Susan. I will never get tired of snow."

  "In about six weeks you'll hate the stuff," Susan laughed. "But I do like it here. I meet a lot of interesting people. I'm heading back. I'm cold."

  Elodia kept walking parallel to the inn. Then she saw the wolves approaching. They were running toward her. Some at the inn saw the wolves too and screamed the alarm. Several guests and inn staff watched in horror as the wolves ran to the helpless girl in red. Elodia knelt in the snow holding her arms out as the wolves ran to her licking her face and rolling in the snow. Then Davida overflew them and turned south as the wolves ran following the dragons flight. Elodia stood and walked back to the inn.

  Susan rushed to her, "Elody what happened?"

  "I've always liked dogs," Elodia said with a mischievous smile. Myrtle rolled her eyes and laughed. The dragon's overflight was the main topic at the inn. No one connecting Elodia with either the dragon or the wolves. The accepted story was the dragon scared the wolves away and Elodia was the lucky recipient of the overflight.

  That night, as usual, Elodia danced. Susan was more than happy to teach her several dance steps, and all of the men and boys were eager to dance with the girl who thought wolves were dogs. Elodia was tired and slept soundly that night. In the morning after hugging Susan, they boarded a horse-drawn sleigh to Eastpointe, the eastern terminus of the canals.

  Chapter 10 Snowed In

  By the time Eli reached the inn at the narrows he was assured that Elodia was the crippled girl witnesses were reporting having seen. He thought it odd that all they remembered of her was her penchant for dressing in red and her difficulty in walking. Her wit, her laugh, her hair color, her lovely voice and her beauty all overshadowed by her infirmity. Eli realized that he too had been guilty of such limited vision and promised himself that never again would he be so short sighted.

  "Yes, she was here with her elderly aunt. They entered the narrows just two days ago," the innkeeper reported.

  "Can I hire a pack mule tomorrow?"

  "I think not, look around. We are snowed in. There is at least fifteen feet of snow in the pass."

  "How long until it opens again?"

  "A few weeks, although it could take until April or May." Eli was devastated, he had come within two days of reuniting with Elodia. Now he was stranded. "If you need cash money I can find you work," the innkeeper added. "It may get you through the pass earlier. I see your signal guild."

  "What work? I would be grateful for anything."

  "The Semaphore stations across the high pass have been cut off. I need men to snowshoe supplies in."

  "I would be willing."

  "It's dangerous. If you get stranded there is no one I can send. It will take you four to six weeks unless we get more snow."

  "Give me a couple of days to rest up. I want to enjoy your mineral baths then I will make the crossing."

  "Good I have two other men who will make the trip. It will take a couple of days to get everything in order. Your name?"

  "Journeyman Elijah Lehmanson,"

  "That woman you're chasing, your wife?"

  "Yes, her name is Elodia. She is traveling with my Aunt. Thank you."

  "No charge for your room or meals, it's the least I can do for you for accepting my offer. I need to get food and supplies to those men. The snows came weeks earlier than expected."

  The three men assembled at the stables and put on a harness to attach themselves to the sledges. They also had backpacks for personal items and snowshoes. No additional snow fell and they were off. There were eight semaphore stations across the high trail. Eight other stations would be supplied from the other side of the pass. Each one in a line of sight from the other linking communications across the continent. Both of the men traveling with Eli were replacements for men at the stations and those being replaced would join Eli and continue across.

  The sky was clear and the sun bright as they started off. The semaphores were all carrying the message that a dragon had been sighted. By the end of the week, the entire continent would be talking about it. In three weeks even the Imperial Republic would know. While the news was exciting, Eli simply ignored it, his mind occupied with his personal quest.

  By the end of the third week, four of the stations were resupplied with lamp oil and dried and dehydrated food. One of the men had been left behind and another joined the trek.

  Eli spoke with Jacob who had joined him, "How long do you stay on the station?"

  "Ninety days on and one hundred eighty days off, it's not so bad except winters can be brutal. We can be fogged in for days at a time."

  "I'm to be stationed at the school in Novi," Eli said.

  "I'd rather be here than dealing with Novi, it's a bunch of spoiled little brats."

  "You like the mountains then?"

  "Love it here. Grew up here. I'm going to marry my sweetheart once I get down."

  "Congratulations Jacob."

  "I'll introduce you to Susan if you promise not to steal her away," Jacob joked. "My next station will be Eastpointe. Still close to my mountains. I'll be master when I get there."

  "I just made journeyman. Been trying to catch up with my future wife for weeks." They continued their conversations as they traveled. On the second day of the fourth week, a snow storm blew in and they spent two days huddled in tents. Luckily little snow fell and they completed their mission and were joined with a third man who was excited to be relieved after ninety-eight days.

  They looked across a wide valley as they stood on a steep slope." I hate the downhill part," Jacob said. "The sledges are really a pain. Avalanches are always a threat."

  "Why not ride the sledges down. There're not many trees and we got about ten feet of snow."

  "What about avalanches?" Jacob asked.

  "We sit on the sledge and steer with our feet. We'll disturb much less snow and if worse comes to worse we can outrun the avalanche."

  After discussing the plan for several minutes they agreed to give it a try. They sat on the sledge and removed their snow shoes, tying them to the deck behind them. Then putting their feet on the steering yoke began rocking back and forth until the sledges began the downward run. The speed built slowly as they flew over the snow. Snowflakes thrown into the air, dusted them with snow. The speed was exhilarating.

  "YAHOO!" Eli yelled as his sledge took the lead early on. Yelling gave him a mouthful of snow.

  Eli left a trail of snow powder in his wake, then hitting softer snow slowed as Jacob took the lead. It took very little movement on the yoke to make alterations in direction. All three of them using the distant inn as their target.

  At that moment, Eli realized he had no idea how to stop the runaway sledges. "We need to veer off a bit or we may hit the inn," he shouted
. His companions waved and they slowly altered their course. In the end they overshot the inn by an eighth of a mile.

  The staff and guests at the inn had come out to cheer the racing sledges. Susan running to Jacob jumping on him both, rolling in the snow laughing. They all met at the tavern laughing. The main topic of discussion: the dragon's over flight. Eli sat with Jacob and Susan. Eli paying little attention to their talk when he heard Susan mention a girl named Elody.

  "Elody was here?"

  "Yes, about six weeks ago, you can't be her Eli?"

  "I most certainly am. She talk about me?"

  "Constantly!" Susan laughed. "She is one lucky girl. She was about to be attacked by wolves when a dragon flew over and drove the wolves off."

  "Why was she with the wolves?"

  "She thought they were dogs, she is a really nice girl."

  "A dragon?"

  "It just flew to the south."

  "Where did Elodia go?"

  "She went due west to Eastpointe. She and her aunt were going to take a canal boat to the coast then across the lake to Fareast. They were bound for Bell Isle and the city of Bountiful."

  "I been trying to catch up with her since I walked the tables. She walking OK?"

  "We danced the night away before she left. Give her a hug from me."

  "Susan thank you. You have given me peace and renewed hope."

  "Teach her how to differentiate dogs from wolves," Jacob teased.

  "There's a difference?" Eli joked.

  Chapter 11 Canal

  "Aunt Myrtle this is way to travel!"

  "You like canal boats?"

  "Oh yes, no bumps, nice and warm inside and thirty-five miles a day," Elodia said still lying in her bunk.

  "If you want breakfast you better get moving."

  Elodia was up and dressed quickly. She braided her hair washed her hands and face; presenting herself at the breakfast table. The canal barge was meant for carrying bulk cargo but it had two small cabins forward for passengers. The small cabin had two main births and two canvas births above the main births. These were kept rolled unless in use. It also had a small iron stove and commode.