The infirmary was dark. A’zam shifted his weight and looked down at the sleeping face of his dragon. Conjusquath had always been so bright. He’d exploded into this world full of colour, excitement and wonder. Now it looked like the colour had seeped out of him and into the ground. His bright blue hide turning a dull gray, the pale blue on his face losing almost all trace of colour. Had A’zam not welcomed the vibrant dragon into the world himself, it would be hard to rationalise the blue that had hatched with the dragon that lay before him. Most weyrlings said that, but it was in relation to the growth of their dragons. Conjusquath had grown, his shoulder was now higher than A’zam’s head, but the plague had robbed him of any muscle gain. The young blue’s body tried to grow, even as the sickness ate away at him, leaving a skeletal frame in its wake.
The young man’s eyes roamed over his dragon. The sharp angles of his chest and forelimbs. The lack of muscle in his shoulders. His clutchmates had taken to the air for the first time this month. Conjusquath had been so eager to fly, but now he would never get the chance. The blue had wanted to take part in the rodeo, but there had been no way his frail frame would have been able to handle the strain. Not that it mattered. A’zam hadn’t been assigned a set of straps. There had been no point, he knew it. They all knew it. There had been hope a month ago. That he would recover. Like Cochith and Montezumalth. That he would overcome it, like his siblings had proved possible. Now though. They all knew.
Sitting in the dark infirmary, listening to the rasping breaths of his dragon, A’zam knew.
Do you regret it?Not for a moment. A’zam replied instantly, reaching out to stroke the blue’s face. Large, dull, eyes stared back at him.
I have lived more vibrantly with you than in my twenty-two turns without you. I would rather I had never been born, than live a life without you in it. He had waited so long as a candidate. Been rejected so many times. Even now though, it had been worth it. A’zam wished he could go back, to tell his younger self of the wonderful times that were ahead of him. Of this wonderous mind that would love him so completely. That he would love more than life itself.
A rasping sigh was the only reply he heard in the dark, but inside he could feel it. Not once did Conjusquath’s love ever dim. Even as his muscles wasted and his hide dulled, the love between them burned as brightly as ever. They sat in the darkness, A’zam quietly holding Conjusquath’s head in his lap. The coughing wasn’t as bad as it had been. Unfortunately for them, that didn’t mean recovery. Conjusquath may not be choking like other dragon’s had, but his body was drained. Too much had been taken by the sickness for his body to heal. It was only a matter of time before it started to shut down.
A’zam didn’t know how much time passed in the darkness, but soon the soft blue light of morning was filtering into the infirmary. Beneath his hands, Conjusquath stirred. Slowly the blue lifted his head, looking toward the source of the light.
Will you watch the sunrise with me, mine?Of course I will.Their progress outside was slow. They were in the higher levels of the infirmary. Able to look out over the edge of the Weyr. Soft orange crept across the sky as the pair stood on the ledge. The morning was calm, a gentle summer breeze drifting across the mountains. Mist hung in the bowl, waiting for the heat of the sun to brush it away. Conjusquath looked out across it all. His eyes settling on the weyrling barracks, where he could feel the minds of his siblings beginning to stir. Carefully, unusually quietly for the blue, he reached out and brushed their minds with his own. Not enough to wake them, but enough to leave a gentle impression.
Beside him A’zam watched colours rise over the horizon. They didn’t need to discuss it. So interwoven were their minds that they knew what was next. There had been many nights lying together in the darkness for them to come to terms with it. Without a word, Conjusquath slowly knelt. A’zam climbing onto his back just as silently.
The blue stood and he could already feel his muscles complaining. It wouldn’t be long. He didn’t need long. Slowly the blue turned his head and locked eyes with his rider. Adoration and love flowed between the two.
Are you ready to see my greatest trick?Pushing off the ledge it was more a controlled fall than flight. The blue wasn’t strong enough, and his wings only barely managed to keep it from being a straight plummet. Still it brought him happiness. Rooted in each other’s mind they shared the sensation. The wind stinging A’zam’s face. The feel of each air current caressing Conjusquath’s aching wings.
I love you, A'zam.I love you, Conjusquath.Moments later the mournful keen of dragons filled the Weyr, just as the first rays of run struck the bowl.
((You're welcome to post your characters' reacting to these characters' deaths. Feel free to create background relationships with the characters as you see fit.))
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