I was waiting for the sign.

What sign? Who told you that there would be a sign? -- asked Bonsai.

The Princess gave the Writer an angry stare.

Stop looking for anyone else to blame -- said Bonsai. -- It doesn’t matter what anyone told you. The only truth is that you chose to believe what you wanted to believe. And, the proof of that is that when you decided to get out, you did. You gave yourself your own sign and conquered The Dragon of Fear.

But why do I have to keep him now? I mean... it’s not that I don’t want to, but...

This dragon of fear is yours -- Bonsai interrupted. -- He always has been. He is a gift that life has given you, but you haven’t figured out how to use this gift. You let him have control over you for such a long time that you wound up thinking that he was the one that enslaved you and kept you locked up, when the truth is that you locked yourself up.

Me? But why would I do that?

I can’t answer that for you. That you have to find out for yourself -- he said, sweetly. -- Go now and find your answers. Take the dragon with you—he’s your responsibility, it’s part of the responsibility of being free.

So the fear will never go away?

No, never. But fear can be a good thing. Some day you’ll understand.

The Dragon came running back panting, exhausted.

I looked everywhere Mr. Bonsai, but... then I realized... I don’t know what a faralangher is.

Forget it, Dragon. I found it already. Thank you. And as he said this, he took his little stool and disappeared into a hole in a tree.

What happened?

Nothing, Dragon -- said the Princess, who for the first time was looking at the Dragon tenderly, almost with a certain familiarity that provoked in her an inexplicable affection.

Are you leaving? Am I going to stay here all by myself? -- asked the Dragon, as the corners of his mouth drooped and his eyes saddened.

No, I’m not leaving you alone. We’re gonna leave together.

But... -- the Dragon looked happy, yet mortified. -- Where to? Where are we going to live? What are we going to do? What’s going to happen? -- The Dragon was terrified.

Odai looked at him for a moment and smiled. She knew that she didn’t have the answers to the Dragon’s questions and she was a tiny bit afraid, but she somehow trusted Bonsai’s words. (The Law of Life. If they learned to listen and follow it, things would always be so much easier.) She had to learn to trust.