SUNRISE

by Loonywoif

Note: Ahhh... about 4,5 years ago I had a puzzle by Janny Wurts, could never find that artwork again but it showed a yellow/orange/gold dragon with it's lower half curled around. A young blonde knight sat on a large rough gray boulder, his sword was point down and lying against the rock. The knight looked weary as if he was very very tired of whatever he was doing. The knight and the serpentine dragon were talking as the sun set behind them. I LOVE THAT SCENE. I
started a story about thier relationship but it's a monster. And I needed a fic to give to a zine, so i did a short story from that Universe. The blonde was given the name of Eliot. Dragon is
named 'Cath... it's a threesome.

It's not my best work but I am putting this here cause it's never been posted.

Summary: The young knight, Eliot, learns that there is more to know about dragons and love than he knows.

Sunrise
by Loonywoif

/It's strange but after being so wild for so long I never thought I would want to settle down and just be Eliot. /

"Eliot, why are you not down there, celebrating our victory? Your mate awaits you."

"`Cath, when you first rescued me all those years ago, did you ever think we would fulfill the Knowledge? Raising me as wild as I was, as disobedient as I was, and I know the council often took you to task for me, did you ever wish that you hadn't rescued me, or in fact no one had?"

"Not for a second, my Eliot, not for one second. When your first cry pierced my sleep, they said wait, leave the child. I wanted a child so much. I was the only dragon without a child to raise, nurture, or love but that was my fault because I thought human children, even those with magic, were nuisances. But Eliot, why are magic children given to the dragons?"

"Because the dragons can control the magic of the children which keeps them from damaging others."

"Very good, you learned that lesson by rote, ummph." Gently `Cath curled up around a large blue gray pinnacle of slate. A small flame came forth to warm the stone tip gently. Smiling, Eliot sat down, leaning his sword, point down (like any good warrior knows how to do), and he sat on the rock.

"We are given the children of magic not because of the control – though we can do that too – but because of the numbers. For some reason, most of the magic children are very prolific and I don't
doubt, if your mother had lived for more than six months beyond your birth, that she would be pregnant again. The magic needs an outlet and you children are it."

"Oh."

Leaning back against the warm soft skin of his draconic partner, Eliot looked at the sky. The sun was just setting and every cloud had a rim of gold and red and amber. The rays gently lit up each cloud. Turning his head, Eliot could see `Cath. His scales were like burnished copper and gold. His eyes were the yellow of the roses which sprawled over the field, small green flickers like tarnished copper. /He is so beautiful/, Eliot thought how lucky he was to have his mate, Levit and 'Cath, his beloved teacher, parent, dragon, and friend.

"`Cath?"

"Yes, my Eliot?"

"A lot of dragons have already had or have mates, but in our system you don't and only you don't. Why?"

"Eliot? Think back to when you first met Levit."

Eliot thought back to the time when he first meat the man who was to be his mate

//Cath, did I ever tell you how much I 1) hate creeping around and 2) this invisibility spell ITCHES THE HELL OUTTA ME//. Eliot said as he sent the thought back to the hidden dragon.

//Well, my darling little boy, if they didn't know that then, they do now. How about a little less yelling and more sneaking around to find out who is the mage in that place?//

//Oh, YES. Oh wise and wonderful Dragon. Master of Magic and Mystery. Lord of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Void. Great…//

//Eliot?//

//Yes?//

//Shut up.//

::a delicate trace of laughter:: //Yes, 'Cath//

Slipping into the castle quietly, Eliot continued his search for the castle's Mage.

Eliot crept down from the turret room where he entered the castle. Carefully he padded down the stairs, trying not to disturb any of the tapestries that flanked the stairwell. Step by step he walked down the cold and damp steps, trying not make even the smallest sound. /Damn, this place has way too many people and `Cath wants me to infiltrate this place/, Eliot ducked behind a truly ugly statue to avoid a guard patrol, after all he was invisible but not intangible, /– why? Okay, now the mage strength is getting real strong right about here. / Swiftly but discreetly Eliot slipped into the mage filled room, through the cracked door. Cursing the curiosity of dragons, and of one in particular, he tried not to give himself away by the sounds of his chattering teeth, //'Cath is there some kind of guild rule that states all castles must be drafty and cold.//

//Boy, you are lucky it's not cold as well as damp. Now quiet.//

Slipping further into the room, Eliot saw a young man, a little taller than him, standing at the mirror.

"Damn eyes, one day someone is gonna notice that they are not blue. Why did mother have to give me purple eyes? A clearer stamp of magehood they do not need." Turning, the young man noticed the door open. Crossing quickly, he shut and locked the door placing a sealing spell over it. "Too close. One day, Levit, someone will notice these infernal eyes and you will be killed."

/He is the mage? But he's so… so… normal. / Realizing that his invisibility spell would work against normal people, he had no idea if it would block a mage. The frightening possibility of his spell failing him, Eliot slips closer to the back wall, away from the mirror. Intent of discovering more of the young mage, he slipped behind a tapestry.

//Eliot?//

//Eliot?//

//ELIOT!//

//Yes, yes. What is it?//

//Where are you? There's magic between you and me! Can you get out? Are you in trouble?//

//In a room with a young man, he's the mage but he's so ordinary except…//

//Except??//?//

//His eyes – they are purple//.

//Really? Perhaps he is her child.//

//Who? Who's child? A brother?//

//No, no relation to you, for which you'll be thankful. You were your mother's first child and your father... well he never had another child. As for this boy, he was lost but now he's found. Talk to him. Convince him to come to the forest. We can talk to him there.//

//But…//

//Do it, Eliot. Convince the child to come to the forest. I must speak with him. He could be the key to our finally stopping the killing of mage children.//

//Like I have a choice. Here goes nothing.//

Dropping the spell, Eliot moved quickly out of the shadows.

"Are you finished talking to your dragon, Eliot?"

If a troll had started to dance ballet, Eliot could not be more surprised. The young man, Levit, walked over and gently pushed Eliot's mouth closed. Laughing, Levit reached into his closet to get
a daypack and some clothes. Hefting the pack to his shoulders, Levit turned back to the frozen Eliot.

"Eliot, if we are gonna go meet your dragon shouldn't we get going? It's a good thing I told father that I was going out for an overnight trip. Ummm Eliot? Don't you think you should raise your invisibility spell before I open the door? I mean you do it after someone may see and I'll thank you not to get me put to death as a sorcerer. Well?"

"Yeah... ok.. First... how did you know?"

"Easy. You aren't shielding carefully enough. After all I'm so ordinary, Eliot. How could I be a mage, except for these damn eyes. A small magic takes care of that. Well?"

+++++

"The first time I saw Levit I thought he was rather plain except for his eyes. He was so ordinary, just like the kids in the caves. So normal, and yet, now I know that his eyes are the plainest thing
about him. He's been at my side, working with me, helping me, he's become your friend and you love him as you do me. He's even rode on your back.

"The people love him but he won't accept the job of ruling them. He's selfish and at times cruel but never intentionally. He's so wrong that he's right.

"He was so normal I never thought about loving him, until I did. I was happy with it being you and me, never thinking life should be more. He came in and taught me that eyes do more than see and a voice does more than talk. He made me think beyond what was obvious. Sometimes I wish he was more like you in that he would tell me straight out but I don't want to change him. He's my mate and I guess to be someone's mate means to be more than what is seen."

"Then Eliot, why don't I have a mate?"

Eliot sat there watching the last of the light die, the dark rich purple velvet cloak of night was just arriving. Slowly the stars shone through. The moons rose and cast their pale light on the scales
of `Cath.

"'Cath? What does your name mean?"

"It means `the lonely sun'."

"What does Eliot mean?"

"It means `my sensitive passionate one'."

"And Levit?"

"It means `He of the far sight'. He has the patience you need, my Eliot. Now ask me about my mate when you see both suns."

`Cath lowered his head and closed his eyes. Soon all Eliot could hear was the slight breath sounds of `Cath. Looking up he could see all the constellations. Oh, how he loved looking at them while his teacher told the stories. /But wait! What's this? I don't remember two bright violet eyes in the sky…/

"Hello, love." Eliot said as he looked up at his love

"Pleasant talk?" Levit asked as he sat beside his mate.

"Yeah."

"Share?"

"Yeah. What is love? And why doesn't he have a mate?"

"He being our draconic friend here? Who said he has no mate? Did he answer you?" Levit asked mildly.

"Not really, he told me to ask tomorrow." Eliot turned to stare at his love.

"Well then what the hell did you learn? I mean not even you are so stupid as to spend half the day talking to a dragon and not learn anything. Just remember to listen to what he doesn't say as well
as what he does."

"Thank you for your faith in my abilities," Eliot replied sourly.

"Ah." /Think, idiot! What did you say wrong! / "I didn't mean it as it sounded, love."

"I know that, but I can't help teasing you. I learned that love isn't like the books say where it cures all. Love sometimes is unexpected and sometimes not even within what most people call normal. That love is worth anything and I'd live for love if that's what it took."

"What is a mate?"

"A Mate is someone you can depend on, who you love, whose happiness is essential to your own. If you're not happy, their world has no sun, no light"

"Eliot, in my world I have two suns. If one left, I'd still have light but I'd be cold. How many suns are in your life?" With that Levit slipped down between `Cath and the rock, pulling `Cath's wing
over him. `Cath's eyes opened slightly at the sensation of a body snuggling close to him.

/Two suns?

He has two suns?

Two suns. Suns that give him warmth. Two suns. Two loves. He loves me. He loves Cath. If I left he would still have Cath but he is my mate.

I have two suns. Two lights in my life. By the Powers, if I lost Cath, I'd want to die. Levit would want me to live for him. I would but... to be without Cath. Powers, what if Levit died! I couldn't.... ok Levit, Cath, sometimes I'm stupid but I love you... both. /

"Then Eliot, why don't I have a mate?" `Cath's voice rang in his mind.

*"Just remember to listen to what he doesn't say as well as what he does."*

*"Then Eliot, why don't I have a mate?"*

Eliot thought back to the first meeting to his beloveds.

"Hello `Cath, I'm Levit. Never met a dragon before. May I assume you aren't gonna eat me, since I'm not a virgin?" Levit asked smirking.

"Actually virginity is overrated, I prefer my meat a bit more… seasoned."

"What are you two talking about? Levit, `Cath doesn't eat people."

"I know but haven't you ever read all those Dragonslayer books or at least heard the stories? Supposedly the dragon always wants a tender young nubile virgin, usually of the female persuasion. Though male will do too. The dragon threaten to decimate the country unless he gets his sacrifice after which he eats said sacrifice and realm is saved for another seven years. Eliot? Eliot what's wrong"

"They write books about killing dragons? Beasts." Walking over and burying his head in `Cath's shoulder, Eliot tried not to cry.

"Eliot, my Eliot. Don't fear they won't catch us. They rarely do, love."

"Of course they don't Eliot. After all," Levit smirked at `Cath, "they, our oh so wonderful government mages are the trickest people in the world."

Bringing himself back to the present, Eliot looked up into the sky. His eyes quickly finding the dragon constellation. And thought about what was said and what wasn't said in the talk with Cath today

`Cath's eyes at him, shining in the dark as if his eyes were pieces of the sun. His memory stirred.

*"My world is complete, my sons reign in my sky."*

/Perhaps he meant suns not sons. `Cath has two suns. OH I am an idiot. He doesn't have a mate because he has mates. /

Slipping down to kneel at `Cath's snout. "Thank you for being my sun, `Cath. For always being my light and warmth. Thank you Levit, for letting me find out myself that I have and always will have two mates." //Ok, so he knew. Before I knew, he knew. He's always known. Is Levit always going to see before me? // Sliding in next to Levit, Eliot fell asleep listening to the rhythm of his two pulsing suns.

In the dream world there flies three dragons, one of pure gold, one of the delicate amethyst, and one of emerald. They flew of a world of the greenest plains and bluest seas and in their sky was three suns.

end