Yew said nothing for a moment, his head extended over the blank portion of the map swaying with his eyes closed.

“Are you playing games with me, Wizard Gandalf?” The dragon fixed his gaze upon the wizard, hints of flame flickering in their depths. “Why would you send me some place where people would be unsuspecting and defenseless against me?”

“I’m not sure you are prepared for the answer, Yew.”

“Humph! Because I am young? Because I am small? I am most knowledgeable.” Yew puffed up, looking ready to blast the wizard at any moment.

Gandalf grinned beneath his mustache and beard. How like Pippin this young fire-drake was! The lad could take nearly anything – except being considered too young or too small.

“No, Yew. It is not because you are young or small. It is because you may not wish to hear my opinion on this matter.” Gandalf stretched. His back ached from leaning over the maps. He walked around to the front of the desk and sat down in the Man-sized chair Bilbo kept in his study. “Paladin Took related the whole of your story in his letter.”

“The whole of my story?”

“Yes. I have great hope that you have become different than others of your kind by virtue of being raised by Hobbits. Although all fire-drakes know how to be mannerly, they only behave so when it is to their advantage. You have shown manners even when it is to your disadvantage. And, note this well, Yew of the Dragons, you surrendered your hoard without hurting young Peregrin. That is a most unusual thing for a dragon to do.”

Yew’s mouth opened and closed as though he had an answer to this, but he did not.

“Quite!” Gandalf smiled broadly. “You are, as you’ve claimed, an intelligent young dragon. There is it, my fiery friend, not only did you not fight to keep your treasures, but you have on several occasions apologized for your actions and behaviour. It is my belief that you will be able to give your kind a new reputation. Not that you are the first dragon with such tendencies. I’m certain Peregrin has told you the tale of “The Dragon and The Faeries”, has he not?”

“He has, yes. How one of my kind helped those of another race and is forever honored by them.”

“Indeed. See, there is precedence for your actions and I think that the love and kindness of the Took household has brought it out even more clearly. I think you, my little dragon . . . eh, pardon me, my dear dragon, will be able to raise your kind to that same status among the people of the realm in the distant east.”

Yew pondered this revelation. The thought appealed to him. It would be pleasant to be honored instead of feared, to be respected out of affection instead of respected out of terror. But that still left one growing concern.

“What of my hoard? I need to have a hoard and I am only aware of one means by which to acquire one.” The dragon’s head drooped. “I doubt they will revere me if I am stealing their wealth. And would they not defend it? I shall most likely have to kill them to obtain my hoard and that certainly will not endear me to them.”

Gandalf laughed until he caught Yew glaring at him. “No. That most certainly will not endear you to them. But, there are other ways to acquire wealth.”

“Such as?”

“Reward for services rendered. Gifts given out of respect, honor, gratitude or affection.”

“You jest! No one gives away their riches for such reasons.”

“Hobbits give gifts to each other all the time to honor or remember special occasions or to show honor to an elder. Many other races do the same. Bilbo himself was greatly rewarded for assistance given to some dwarves.”

“Humph! Dwarves!” Yew crinkled his face in disgust. “And here I thought he was noble yet he has dealings with dwarves.” But the young dragon’s curiosity got the better of him. “How did he assist them and what sort of reward?”

“He helped them reclaim their mountain realm from . . . an enemy.” Gandalf refrained from saying they had vanquished a dragon. “In return for his deeds he was given a small chest of gold.”

Yew’s eyes lit up at the word gold. “But only a small chest? ‘Twill take me forever to obtain a decent hoard at that rate, for I shall someday be quite large and will need a hoard to match my size.”

“It was only one small chest because that was all Bilbo would accept. Most Hobbits don’t put much value on having great stores of gold or jewels. Not that certain families aren’t extremely well off, the Tooks being foremost amongst them. But for most Hobbits their riches have no hold on their hearts.” Gandalf leaned foreword and tapped on the eastern edge of the map. “If you do well, if you properly endear yourself to the people in these realms, you will assure yourself, and any dragons you sire, of a magnificent hoard.”

Yew stared at Gandalf’s finger resting on the map.

“Mountains. You are certain there are mountains and rivers and forests and game I may feed upon in that place?”

“Certain. It is a vast area and there are no other dragons there.”

Yew grinned at the wizard. “Then how will I manage to sire any offspring?”

Gandalf returned the grin. “I think arrangements can be made. Wizards are surprising and resourceful sorts.”

Yew nodded. “I am in agreement with your proposed arrangements. What token do you offer in trust?”

Gandalf pulled something out of the pocket of his robe. Gold glinted from between his fingers as he uttered words over the object. Then he opened his hand and looked at Yew.

“In token of our agreement I give you this necklace, Yew of the Dragons. I have spoken such words over it that will cause it to grow as you do. As long as you hold to our agreement, it will never become too small. Our agreement is this: that you shall be a help, guardian and benefactor to the peoples of the realm to which you are sent. You will not hurt them for any need of your own, other than self-defense or the defense of those whom you promise to protect.”

Yew pulled from his side one of his shimmering red scales then laid it on the desk before him.

“In token of our agreement I give you one of my scales as it is all I have to give, not yet having a hoard. I will go with you to this new land. I will work out a way to become a guardian and benefactor to the people there and I will not harm them except to protect my own life or the lives of those I have sworn to protect.”

Gandalf draped the necklace over Yew’s neck till it was settled nicely against his withers and upon his chest. Yew picked up the scale and handed it to Gandalf. He opened up a small, plain wooden box and dropped the scale inside, then put the box back into his pocket.

“Done and done!” they said in unison.

“Now,” Yew said, sounding a great deal like young Pippin, “When do we leave?”