“Which is better,” asked the ancient dragon, scales dull, horns broken, but eyes bright as he regarded the one sent to slay him, “to be born good, or to overcome an evil nature through great effort?” – Josh
[AN: JOSH! You live! You’re one of my fave anons :D I was getting a little worried that you’d fallen down a hole or something]
The Knight Gainsborough lowered their lance and became lost in thought.
“To struggle against evil would have to be more noble. Being born to virtue is to have no challenge. Maintaining virtue would therefore be easy. A virtuous child has but to remain virtuous. But a nefarious child must struggle against their inner demons on a constant basis.”
The elderly dragon nodded sagely. “Just so. Your lord sent you?”
“I sent myself.”
“Endeavouring. I appreciate it. So why did you come to slay me?”
“You have burned the Forest of Greeb. You have slain fifty head of cattle, and stolen a further fifty sheep. Your very presence threatens my lands.”
“Those sheep and cows… were they young and strong?”
“Uh…”
“Did you ask?”
“By… the accounts and book-keeping… the livestock you stole were bound for the slaughterhouse, anyway. They were old.”
“And the Forest of Greeb… do many go there?”
“Uh…”
“Go ahead,” said the dragon. “I can wait.”
“No. It’s infested by imps.”
“I have a deep mislike of imps. They torture wayward travellers. My methods of… pest control… direct and effective. The forest will recover. The imps will not.”
Gainsborough took off her helm. “You’re telling me that you’re doing my lands a favour?”
“Against my instincts, yes.” The old dragon lifted a wing to reveal a few very portable sacks of gold. “This should reimburse your impoverished farmers. And do let it be known that, so long as I live, I shall buy any livestock I eat. Should they have animals they can not sell, I shall buy them, too.”
“And if our enemies attack?”
“Should the need arise, while I can still make myself useful… I will.”
Which is how the hamlet of Gainsborough became known as a retirement home for dragons. And eventually became renamed as Dunbyrning.
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