Dragon Father recovered quickly. He stood up, and, clearly trying to maintain a normal tone of voice, said, “Joy, we have to go.” 

“We’re going, sir!” Dragon Little shouted at the elderly goblin whose son she killed a few moments earlier. 

Dragon Father approached her and put his hand around her shoulder. “You want to tell him you feel bad?” 

She nodded. 

“Then usually what we say is ‘I’m sorry for your loss’.” 

“I’m sorry for your loss, sir!” 

The elderly goblin nodded somberly. “You know…” he said in his slow way. “I knew this day would come.” 

Dragon Little inhaled quickly and listened. 

“He never listened to what I said. He only wanted to kill and destroy and it did not matter what I said to him and it did not matter how much I tried to teach him otherwise.” 

Dragon Little nodded.

“It was only a matter of time,” the goblin monster’s father continued. “I knew one day he would get out of hand and then a heroine would come and kill him.” He shrugged. “Or a hero.” He thought about something for a second, then took a step towards Dragon Little and bent down to look her in the eyes. “You did the right thing,” he said.  

“No, I didn’t,” she reacted in an instant. Then, just as quickly, said, “Yes, I did.” Then, “No, I didn’t.” 

The goblin monster’s father straightened as Dragon Father held Dragon Little’s shoulder more tightly. “You were right to kill him. It just feels bad,” he told her.

Dragon Little looked down and said nothing. 

“Let’s go,” Dragon Father said. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 

The elderly goblin nodded, turned around, and walked back into his hut, as Dragon Little and Dragon Father climbed the small fence. 

They walked slowly and without words to where Bonny’s Revenge lay, overturned having crashed in the beginning of the adventure.

Dragon Father summoned big cranes that straightened the ship and put it upright. Dragon Little watched silently. 

As they climbed aboard, Dragon Little said, “Say that to me again.” 

Dragon Father looked at her. “You were right to kill him, Joy. It just feels bad.” 

She grunted. 

“You understand?” 

She nodded and grunted. 

“You agree?” 

She nodded and grunted again. 

“Let’s fly back home, then.” 

—Told by The Red Dragon