a third. Elodia was now shaking uncontrollably when one of the observers covered her nakedness with a blanket. Patricia and David Michael were wrapped in blankets and carried to their cabin. Then the captain lifted Elodia and carried her to her cabin. Myrtle added blankets to her. Then there was a knock at the cabin hatch and the captain handed a heated blanket to Myrtle. She added this to those already covering Elodia. The captain returned with a kettle of hot tea.
"Please thank the girl," he said.
Elodia's shivering had stopped and she was exhausted, "My socks! I must have kicked them off." Then she slept. Elodia did not sleep long. She sat up and sipped the hot tea, then dressed. She dried her hair, leaving it down and unbraided. "What happened Aunt Myrtle, my hands glowed."
"You're a witch Elody, just as I told you."
"Am I to be burned?" she asked her eyes wide with fear.
"Oh, no. Witches are appreciated here in the republic. To be more precise you're an empath Elody."
"An empath?"
"You can take the pain and injury of others into your own body, you can give comfort and together with a healer do wonderful things. It’s fraught with danger as you can die taking on too much. Many young empaths do. The temptation to throw caution to the wind to help will be great."
"Why didn’t I know this?" Elodia asked confused.
"You powers only emerged minutes ago. Your love for David Michael and your willingness to sacrifice your own life for him triggered it."
"I could feel the fluids from his lungs enter mine. I could feel his fear, I could even feel how cold he felt. I could feel myself falter for a minute, you also took some of the lung fluids? Davida was flying overhead wasn’t she?"
"Yes, there was quite a reaction seeing the dragon. I almost lost you so I assisted. My life force is no longer strong enough to be of much help, but a healer and a witch together are more powerful and can do wonders.”
"Once Davida knew I was safe she disappeared."
"Dragons can cloak, disappear in midair," Myrtle added.
"I'm starving, but I don’t know about ... ah,"
"They all saw you naked, you can hide in here and I will bring your dinner or you can brazen it out and come with me."
"I'll go," Elodia said blushing.
"ODIE, ODIE!" David Michael shouted as he ran to her, hugging her as she lifted him in her arms. Patricia then rushed to her weeping and adding her hug, then finally and more slowly the captain.
"Thank you Elody," the captain whispered. "Thank you for saving my family."
They finally reached Williamstown on a small bay on the Great Inland Lake. They took rooms at one of the town's inns. They planned to purchase passage on one of the lake schooners to Fareast. These plans were dashed as Myrtle became ill with a respiratory infection. A local healer was called and Elodia prayed for Myrtle's recovery.
Chapter 12 Eastpointe
"I 'm so grateful that we could share the costs of the sleigh, my funds are getting low," Eli said as he sat across from Jacob and Susan.
"Glad we can help, the sleigh costs the same with one or a full load, besides we are all going to Eastpointe," Jacob replied.
"I was paid well to resupply the stations. If I'm lucky I'll hire on one of the narrowboats," Eli added.
"Elody told us how you would meet at that pond. Did you swim together?" Susan asked.
"No, she would come with her little brother Davey to swim. I would come later and eat with them and swim after they left. I had dinner at her mother's home several times. All I want now is to find her and find a place to live."
"You know Eli the Novi School has housing for journeyman," Jacob added.
"I have thought about that. I would rather rent something in Old Novi near the harbor. It's a matter of funds."
"I really don’t think Elody will care where you live," Susan said. "She would be happy in a cave with you."
"You think so?"
"That girl is in love Eli. You are all she talked about."
"Do you know where she might be?" Jacob asked.
"Five
"Please thank the girl," he said.
Elodia's shivering had stopped and she was exhausted, "My socks! I must have kicked them off." Then she slept. Elodia did not sleep long. She sat up and sipped the hot tea, then dressed. She dried her hair, leaving it down and unbraided. "What happened Aunt Myrtle, my hands glowed."
"You're a witch Elody, just as I told you."
"Am I to be burned?" she asked her eyes wide with fear.
"Oh, no. Witches are appreciated here in the republic. To be more precise you're an empath Elody."
"An empath?"
"You can take the pain and injury of others into your own body, you can give comfort and together with a healer do wonderful things. It’s fraught with danger as you can die taking on too much. Many young empaths do. The temptation to throw caution to the wind to help will be great."
"Why didn’t I know this?" Elodia asked confused.
"You powers only emerged minutes ago. Your love for David Michael and your willingness to sacrifice your own life for him triggered it."
"I could feel the fluids from his lungs enter mine. I could feel his fear, I could even feel how cold he felt. I could feel myself falter for a minute, you also took some of the lung fluids? Davida was flying overhead wasn’t she?"
"Yes, there was quite a reaction seeing the dragon. I almost lost you so I assisted. My life force is no longer strong enough to be of much help, but a healer and a witch together are more powerful and can do wonders.”
"Once Davida knew I was safe she disappeared."
"Dragons can cloak, disappear in midair," Myrtle added.
"I'm starving, but I don’t know about ... ah,"
"They all saw you naked, you can hide in here and I will bring your dinner or you can brazen it out and come with me."
"I'll go," Elodia said blushing.
"ODIE, ODIE!" David Michael shouted as he ran to her, hugging her as she lifted him in her arms. Patricia then rushed to her weeping and adding her hug, then finally and more slowly the captain.
"Thank you Elody," the captain whispered. "Thank you for saving my family."
They finally reached Williamstown on a small bay on the Great Inland Lake. They took rooms at one of the town's inns. They planned to purchase passage on one of the lake schooners to Fareast. These plans were dashed as Myrtle became ill with a respiratory infection. A local healer was called and Elodia prayed for Myrtle's recovery.
Chapter 12 Eastpointe
"I 'm so grateful that we could share the costs of the sleigh, my funds are getting low," Eli said as he sat across from Jacob and Susan.
"Glad we can help, the sleigh costs the same with one or a full load, besides we are all going to Eastpointe," Jacob replied.
"I was paid well to resupply the stations. If I'm lucky I'll hire on one of the narrowboats," Eli added.
"Elody told us how you would meet at that pond. Did you swim together?" Susan asked.
"No, she would come with her little brother Davey to swim. I would come later and eat with them and swim after they left. I had dinner at her mother's home several times. All I want now is to find her and find a place to live."
"You know Eli the Novi School has housing for journeyman," Jacob added.
"I have thought about that. I would rather rent something in Old Novi near the harbor. It's a matter of funds."
"I really don’t think Elody will care where you live," Susan said. "She would be happy in a cave with you."
"You think so?"
"That girl is in love Eli. You are all she talked about."
"Do you know where she might be?" Jacob asked.
"Five
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