Leo slowly reached out and knocked down one of his own walls. "Okay," he whispered. "Maybe the government seat is a bit lonely today. Can my knights come to the feast?"

"You did," his grandfather agreed softly. "You built a wall so high that no one could get in to play with you. You kept your seat, but you lost the game."

By the end of the hour, Leo had a fortress, but he was sitting all alone in the corner of the board. His grandfather had built a beautiful park where all the other pieces—the commoners, the travelers, even the dragons—were gathered for a feast.

Leo lived in a world where everything was a competition. At school, he had to have the fastest pencil; at home, he had to have the biggest slice of pie. He spent so much time defending his "territory" that his favorite catchphrase became,

"I won," Leo insisted, though his voice wavered. "I have the government seat. Nobody touched me."

His grandfather just smiled and moved a small wooden pawn. "In this game, Leo, the winner isn't the one who takes the most territory. The winner is the one who keeps the peace the longest."

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