I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

by Peter S. Beagle

“I do hope you won’t hold my somewhat strained relationship with your father against me. Considering that he destroyed me completely, after all, I rather think that I have been quite forbearing in my treatment of him. Believe me, he will come to be quite content in his new role as my seat of power—there’s never been a throne that didn’t have its own opinions.”

“You are the one who must stand away, my friend. This is the moment I was born for.” “Actually, it’s not,”

“My own opinion,” Robert said tightly, “is that you have fiendishly set out to bore us to death. It’s working.” “Have mercy!” Prince Reginald chimed in. “Whatever you do to us, great wizard, we beg you—stop talking, and just get it over with. In a heroic lifetime devoted to slaughtering villains, I have never encountered one who chattered so!”

How can you fear your father ever again, when you’ve seen him being a fancy footstool?”