“Well…”murmuredMedusawithashiver,“nowthatyousayso,Iremembersomethingsuspicioustoo…Thatday,whenLightningcamebackhisbodyallwet,Iwasafraidsomethingmighthavehappehemagicswordaocheit.Ifoundtheswordsafelyhangingonthehorse’sbaakesureallwasright,Ipulledtheswordoutofthescabbardandsawthatitwascoveredwithmudandtinyparticlesofrock….CouldKingDimitrihaveriddenhishorseandusedhisswordtostab,hadchopatsomerodmudthuscausihquakeandtsunami?”WhiteFairyraisedherheadandlookedatthecrestmoonintheskiessaying,
“That’snotwhatIwasworriedabout.IwasafraidthatourintimateretionshiphadbeenexposedandKingDimitriknowsaboutitnow.”MedusaloosenedherarmswhichhadbeenaroundWhiteFairy’swaistaowalktoandfroherexpressioncalmandposed.SheturnedherpiergeyestowardsWhiteFairyandsaid,
“KingDimitriisagreatsn,wise,sagaciousandbroad-minded.Hismottohasalwaysbeentobeseverewithhimselfbutleowardsothers.Heiscalm,collectedandreasonable.Idonotthinkhewillmindourintimateretionship.heryounorIbelongtothehumanspecies.YouareaflouffofsmokeandIambutabckbird.Eventhoughwehavebeeurnintohumanformafterthousandsofyearsofprayerandself-cultivation,strictlyspeakingwearenothumanarestrictedbythemoralsandwsofman.IamsureKingDimitriisawareofthatandwouldnotmind.Ifheshouldbedispleasedbyouras,westilrgueourcasestrongly.Don’tyouthinkso?”AfterhearingMedusa’swords,WhiteFairy’stimorousheartcalmeddown.
Onthedayofthedisaster,KingDimitrididgobacktotheKingdomofDreams.Hedidnotnotifyanyoneandjustiedtheareawherethevariousnativetribeshadretreatedto.Hewasrelievedtofindthattheyweresafeandwerelivinganormallife,eventhoughtheirsurroundingswerenotasdesirableasthoseintheirownhomend.HehadlongsuspectedthepossibilityofanintimateretionshipbetweenMedusaaeFairy,buthadneverprobedfurtherintoit.Hissuspiwasfirmedthatdaywhehetwoofthemmakingloveardentlydeepintheforest.Atfirsthewasdispleasedandevenalittleangry,butliketherippleoer,owidenedanddispersed,everythingcalmeddownagain.Alltwenty-fourbeautieswereproductsofhisheartandbrain.Sincehehadcreatedthemhefelttheywerelikehischildrensoheshouldberesponsiblefortheirfutureandfindthemdesirabledestinations.JustasMedusasaid,becausetheywerenothumans,theyshouldnotbefinedbywsandmoralsofhumansociety.Siheywereiheachothertherewasnoreasonwhytheyshouldnotbeallowedtobetogetherforever.God’swsshouldbeobeyedandhisandthatsamesexmarriageshouldbeforbiddenmustbeupheld.ButMedusaandWhiteFairyweretwomainstaysoftheKingdomofDreams.MedusawasabravewarriorandprotectoroftheKingdom.WhiteFairywastheihereroftheKingdom,willinglyriskingherlifetotakeonthedangerousassigofgatheringenemyintelligence.WhiteFairywastheonewhopresentedDimitriwiththemagicswordandthemagicbowandarrow,thenationaltreasuresoftheKingdomofDreams.Soshouldn’ttheybetreatedmorelely?Dimitri’sdispleasurewasdiffusedbyhisownthoughts.Hewasnolryandwishedthetwoofthemthebestoflutheirunion.
Fromafar,DimitrisawhismagichorseLightningfreelygallivantingonthesmoothpins,stoppingnowaomunthefreshgrass.Asifsensinghewasbeingwatched,thehorseraiseditsheadandsawDimitrismilingathimsomedistanceaway.Ecstatiperceivinghisbelovedmasterwhomhehadnotseenforalongtime,Lightniloudaedneighsandgallopedtowardshightningimmediatelyleaptintotheairandwithjustafewfpsofhismightywingsstoppedbeforehismaster.Dimitripattedhisnecklovinglyandthehorsenudgedhimaffeately.Dimitrisawthathismagicswordwassafelytuckedbythesideofthesaddleashejumpedontothebackofhismagicsteed.Dimitritookupthereinsandsaid,“Let’sflyuptotheKingZeus’sseventhheavestoseemeforsomethi’sgoahadhappened.”Lightningfppedhismightywingsandmanandhorseflewupintotheskies.SuddeoppedandflewbackbecauseDimitrirememberedheseemedtohavepromisedtotakeCharinawithhim.
Maureen,whohadbeenlyingquietlyonDimitri’spasifasleep,suddenlyraisedhishead.Earserect,helookedvigintlytowardsthefrontdoorandjumpeddowntothegroundbarkingferociously.DimitrihadbeenreminisgandretioriesoftheKingdomofDreamsandCharinawaslisteningilywhiletakingnotes.Maureen’sfranticbarkingfollowedbythedoorbell’sinsistentringinginterruptedtheirdreamliketrance.Charinalookedoutthewindowandsawitwasgettingdark.Thenlookingattheclockshesawitwasalready8:05p.m.
“Howtimeflies!uestsarehere”excimedCharinaandhurriedtoopenthedoor.Shefoundfourandahalfmenofdifferentshapesandsizesstandingoutside.ThefourtalndmuscurmenwereofcourseRichard,Jamaz,Mr.KaffeeandBig-O.WhenCharihedoor,thehalf-manwhowasstraddledpiggybaRichard’sneck,whowasofcoursethewhite-beardedDwarfMickey,squeakedinhishighpitchedvoicesaying,
“Hi,wearetheoneswho,asyousay,looklikevaudevillians.Wearehereatyourinvitationandhopeyouhavelotsofgoodiesforustoeat.Gothemout.Ha,ha…”ChariheseweregoodfriendsofDimitri’s,sosheopehedoorwideandwarmlyweledthem.RichardandJamazshehadseenbefore.DwarfMickey,likeMr.Finger,wasnotoocareaboutnormalcourtesiesandtheiesofsociety,sideringtheserulesaionsvulgarandmeaningless.HestrodeintothelivingroomandwassoonchasingafterhisoldfriendMaureewoofthempyinghappilytogether.DimitricameoverandintroducedCharinatoMr.KaffeeandBig-O.Mr.Kaffeewasdressedinanexpensivedarkgraysuit,welldofsuperiorqualitymaterial.Hehadapolishedmahatbespokeamanofsequence,abigshotridiial.WhenCharinaheldouthersnow-whitehandtoBig-Oforahandshake,shesuddenlyrealizedthathewasaformercold-bloodedassassinwhokilledwithoutremorseandthathishaaihblood.Theverythoughtbroughtshiverstoherbodyandherskincrawled.Mr.Kaffeeuoodthedelicacyofherfeelingsandsawherfear,sohesaidgently,
“Ah,miss,don’tbeafraid.Thatwasalli.Big-Ohasreformedandisnowabenevolentmonkandspendshistimeinprayerandhelpingothers.Ifyoudon’tbelieveme,sphimonthefadhewillnotbeangry.”Mr.Kaffee’swentleandicatthesametimediffusedthesituation,fullyexhibitinghisdiplomaticcapabilities.Dimitriledhisgoodfriendsintothelivingroom.Richardwasnotoandonceremoverymuchathomeandmadestraightforthekit.Hesawthesteaksmarinatingontheterandsaid,“Hey!Cookingsteakismyspecialty,leavethemtome.”Holdingthergeptterofmeatinonehaooktheportablegastankfromtheerofthekit,aswelsthefryingpanandotherutensilsinhisotherhaeppedoutoftheFrenchdoorsintothebackyard,preparedtostartcookieaks.AbeautifultableclothcoveredthediningtableandCharinahadspreadthetablewithlovelynapkins,ptesandsilverware.AsshewaslightingthedlesshesawthatJamazwasbusyopeningupbottlesfillingtheroomwiththeentigfragranceofwineandliquor,stimutingeveryone’sappetite.RichardwalkedpastJamazandcautionedhimsaying,
“Heybuddy,Iknowthisisverytemptingbutremembertodrinkfromyourdnotguzzleitstraightfromthebottle.That’stoobarbaric.You’llscareourbeautifundculturedhostess.”Jamaznodded.Hepouredsomestrongwhiskeyintss,drankthreegssesoeranotherandthenwipedhismouthwithhissleeves.Hesighedinsatisfaandsaid,“Nowthat’swhatIcaltreat!Ireallycouldn’tstanditthereatthatFKingjewelryexhibition.ItwassostuffyIfeltstifled!Theyservedwhattheysaidwasthemostexpensivechampagtomeittastedlikesodawater.That’snotwiall!Iwon’tfeeldrunkevenifIdrankfiftygallons!”Charina’sbeautifulrgeeyesopenedwideasshestaredunbelievablyatthistall,muscurbwhocoulddrinklikeafish.Jamazdrankanssbeforepthedrinksintothessesoable.Charinashookherheadandwalkedintothekit,followedbyBig-Owhocourteouslyandhumblyofferedtohelp.Shetookoutthefreshly-bakedFrenchrollsfromtheovenandputthemintotwobasketscoveredwithcheckeredcloth.ShehahemtoBig-Osaying,“Taketheseouttothediningroomandputthemateadofthetable.Thenebadhelpmetakeoutthesoup.Thankyou.”Big-Obowedandsaid,”Sure,miss.”HewassoonbadtookthebowlsofdelicioushotFrenionsoupintothediningroomandputthemonthepcemat.Charinalookedathimandthought,“Helookssoobliging,politeandhumble.It’shardtoimagiheusedtobeaprofessionassassin,aremorselesscold-bloodedkiller.Themoldingofaperson’scharacterisreallyintriguing.Theluringaromaofbarbequingsteakfromthebackyardmadeeveryonehungry.Richardkneweveryone’spreference.Dimitriwantedhissteak100%welldone,whileMr.Kaffeepreferredhis80%done.Richard,JamazandBig-Olikedtheirsmediumrare,about40-50%cooked,butDwarfMickeyhadnoprefereall.Hecouldeathishoweveritisdoneandcouldevendevourhisraw.Yetnomatterwhatheate,hisstomaevergavehimanytrouble.JamazwentintothebackyardandhelpedbrieaksontothetableassoonasRichardpronouhemdone.Charinaslippedupstairstofreshenup.Shehastilywashedherfadbedherhair,buthadnotimetodomore.Shelookedatherownrefleinthemirrorandthoughtshelookedalright.Itwouldhavetodo.Shehurriedbacktothediningroom,saidafewwordsofwele.Holdinguphergssshesaid,“Cheers!”anddinnerbegan.WiththeexceptionofMr.Kaffee,thediiquetteofDimitri’sgoodfriendswasfarfromdesirable.TheworstoffenderwasofcourseDwarfMickey.Takingthesoupbowlwithbothhands,thewhite-beardedolddwarfdrankhisgreedilystraightfromthebowl,drippingalloverhimself.Hedidnotutilizehisknifeandforkatallbutusedhisfingersforeverything,grabbingatwhatevertookhisfancy.Whenhishandswereoilyanddirtyhewouldjustwipethemonthenapkinorthetableakingamessofeverything.EvenhiswhitebeardatteredwithsteaksaudTabasco,givinghimaicappearancewhichmadeyouugheventhoughyouwereannoyed.Richard,JamazandBig-Otratedalltheirattentiononthefoodbeforethemaowithgusto.Perhapsthesehomelessvagabondshadbeenlivinganomadlifestylefortoolong.Oheycameintoawarm,fortablehomeaogetherwiththeirgoodfriends,theirappetitesgreatlyincreasedandsoontheyhadeduptheptesandfinishedeveryscrapoffoodoable.
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