Note: This is a fanfic about the 'Dragon Knight' series, done by Gordon R. Dickson. This is about ten years in the future when James Eckert's child asks him how he happened to meet his best friend Brian, who happens to be nearby.

"Father?"

"Yes Rob? What is it?"

"How did you meet Sir Brian? I know that an evil magician captured mother and spirited her away, but how exactly did you meet Sir Brian."

James sat still, staring at his child for a moment, floundering for an explanation. It was a little embarrassing, and defiantly grated on his pride a little. And Brian was only two seats away, listening very intently. "Well…um… How to explain this. I was in a dragon body right then, and had gone up a tree to scout out the land ahead of me—"

"Why didn't you fly?" The ten year old interrupted.

Brian frowned at the child, and was about to reprimand him for speaking out of turn, but James quickly said, "I had flown all night. You see, dragon wings aren't made for flying, more for gliding. So my wings were sore, and I was very worried for your mother. So I climbed up a tree and while I was up their I heard singing. The lyrics were…what were the lyrics Brian?"

Brian cleared his throat as he said,

"A right good sword, a constant mind

A trusty heart and true!

The Dragons of the Mere shall find

What Neville-Smythe can do!"

James nodded as he turned to his child. "Yes, and in a few seconds Brian was beneath the tree, asking me to come down and fight. I did not wish to fight, especially since I wanted to find your mother, so I spent a good half day, up in that tree trying to convince him that I was a good Christian man, magicked into a dragon's body."

"How?"

Angie, Jim's wife swept into the room. She cocked an eyebrow at him, and Brian was oddly silent. Jim explained, "I finally got Brian to agree to let me swear by the cross on the hilt of his sword that I was indeed a Christian man. After that, it was quiet smooth."

James refrained from saying that Brian had accepted this as proof quiet reluctantly, and still eyed him while in his dragon body with a very odd look indeed. There was no need to. Both he and Brian had been relieved when Cornalious, a respected man, had agreed that Jim was a man in a dragon body, so Brian's natural attitude was to forget about it completely. Yes, no reason at all. Nothing to worry about at all.

"Then, Father."

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you turn out of your dragon form? Can't you do magic?"

"Well yes, but I couldn't do magic then-"

"But you said you came from a university and were a master of the Arts!" Rob interrupted, scowling slightly. "Surely you could of turned yourself human."

James floundered for an explenation, and at last said, "I was being kept from making any magic while in that dragons body."

Rob looked at him, still curious. "Then Dafydd! What about Dafydd?"

"What?"

"How did you meet Dafydd?"

"Look it up in the bard version."

"I heard that you fell in love with Danielle."

"NO!" James spluttered, as Angies hands clenched slightly. "I might of been attracted to her, but that was because she reminded me slightly of your mom."

Rob looked at the floor, then back up at him. "Oh. Ok. I'm going out now papa."

Before James could say anything, Rob had skipped off, whistling happily. Brian turned to James, somewhat coolly. "And why have you never explained to him about such matters?"

"Because it was somewhat of an embarrassing time, what with the social security numbers to become Companions and all."

Brians face lightened, and he nodded. "True enough. But now I have mine, by George!"

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

Yeah, I was recently re-reading that book, and I just couldn't resist.