Elodia's Dragon Read Free Page B

professional and extremely caring. He sponged you for hours to break the fever."
    "You sponged me, Eli?" Elodia responded still horrified.
    "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.

Chapter 5 Dragon Egg
    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,