Eulia And The Butterfly Dragon

Chapter 9 Outed

"Euly, Euly!" Rebecca cried happily, "I named all the baby dragons. Did you think of a name for your big dragon?"

"Yes baby...oops I forgot that you're not a baby now. I'm calling my dragon Mari." Rebecca was frowning when Eulia said baby but was smiling now.

"That's my Mommy's name, two men came by and said we had to leave."

"Why?" Eulia asked Agnes. Her face showing her concern for the older woman.

"My home is on your father's property, I rented from him. The new owner General Gerard wants me out."

"I want to see my Momma!" Rebecca said. Eulia knelt then held the child and kissed her cheek.

"Your Momma and Daddy aren't here any more. They went to heaven to live."

"With my other sissy's?"

"Yes Becky."

"Can I go too?"

"Someday, but not now, I need my little sister to stay a while."

"Momma used to lay on the ground by my sissy's and cry. Daddy never knew. She really missed them."

"Your Mommy and Daddy loved you so very much." Eulia turned to Agnes, "When do you need to leave?"

"I've been given three days," Agnes said. "But that's not the worse." She handed Eulia a paper flier. It was a printed wanter poster and her name was handwritten across the top.

"I've already seen the poster," Jacob said, "but you being named is new. Someone in the village must have named you. What dragon is Becky talking about?"

"You both had better sit down," Phoebe said softly. David and Jacob sat on the ground and were joined by the girls who sat next to them holding their hands. "Dragons please show yourselves," a dozen brightly colored dragons began flying erratically around them and two larger dragons landed on their shoulders.

"These are our dragons," Eulia said, "This is Mari. I will fly her soon."

*****

Initially they had spoken about and planned to take Eulia and Rebecca to Jacob's home and have them stay with Phoebe in her room room. The possibility of Eulia finding her way to Jacob's bed at night excited Jacob, but the fact that she was named on the poster put an end to those plans. "I guess we can camp in the bush," Eulia said as they ate dinner in Agnes's cottage.

"I can't go home either," Phoebe said, "Everyone knows we're best friends."

"I have an idea," David said, "My family has an old hunting cottage on South Gaiter island in Big Murky. It only gets used in the late fall and winter but not since my Mom and Dad died two no three years ago. I've kept it up. You can stay there." Phoebe smiled and took his arm laying her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you Davie."

"It has a deep well for water and the stove supplies a cistern for warm water for baths. You have to pump it full every morning before you light it. And chop your own wood. The mosquitoes seem to shun the island during the day as it usually windy and it's well screened.

"We'll be living in the lap of luxury," Eulia teased.

"And an indoor dry toilet," David added.

"Is Mama coming too?" Rebecca asked.

"Your Mama is in heaven with your Daddy and sisters, remember," Eulia said softly, "But she can see you, and wants you to be happy."

"Can my dragons come?"