Mara
Uheglowofthesettingsun，theshadowofayoungLatinogirlcouldbeseeninthewoods．Thetinybellsatherainkledandjistintinnabutionegfaintlyiwildernessasshewalkedaboutgatheringdrytwigsandbranchesforthecampfire．ShewasMara,Yoko’sbestfriendandfidante，whohadbeeoeandhelpmakepreparationsforthewedding．Yokohadtoldhershemightbebringingtwofriends,soMarabusiedherselffindingacampsitebytheke,setupatentagatheringdrywoodforthecampfire．Asshewalkedabout，shecouldfeegitationbrewinginthedry，parchedforest,wheretreesonceflourishedandthrived．Leavesandbrancheswerealldriedandshriveled，barelyabletosurvive．Theyseemedt，"Ifweothavewatertosustainourlives,giveusabzingfiresothatwedanamerrypyre.”
Marasatbytheentrahetenttowaitfortheingoftheweddingparty．Shetookupherguitarandstrummeditwithhernimblefingers,fillingtheairwithstrandsofmelodiousmusic．Shesometimeslookedfarintothedistance，eloquenteyesfullofmencholy，likethestghesettingsunloathingtopartfromthisearth．Theheathaddiminishedsomewhat,buttheagitation,insteadofabatinghadactuallyheightened．Shadowsflittedhereandthereintheforest,unwillingtoendurebeinghalfdead．Theywaoreviveinthefireanddahebreeze，waitingfortheingofthewindanddirefortheirresurre．Theshadows，alreadyfullyaroused，couldnotwithstandtheprovocationofthewhisperinglulby．Everynowandthen，Marawouldgheagitatedforest,atthebranchesblownaboutharassingly,atthedryleavesflutteringinthewind．Theyremindedherofatraumatie．Uhebzingspotlights,trapezeartistsintheirglitteringeswereswingingandflyingintheair．Alleyeswerefasteheseflyingfiguresandtheexcitedaudience，heartstrag，watchedentranced，exgattheirdangerousexploits．Suddenlyohemmissedbyahair’sbreath,bouncedofftheedgeofthebelowaotheground,hisyounglifesamidthehorrifiedcriesoftheaudiewasherfiancé.Marahadalwaysbeenastreetmusi，livingoffthestydonationsofpassingmusiclovers．Herhopesoffindingasafehavehherfiaragicact．Shetiolivefromdaytoday，insecureastheleavesandbranchesswayinginthewind,uainofwhatmightbefall．
Darknesscoveredtheeveningskies.Leavesrustled,thewindroseanddarkcloudsgathered.Thedangshadows,excitedbytheirdesireforrevival,watchedexpetly．Apprehensive,asifwatdpryingeyeswerepeepingatherfromthedarkenedforest,Maratooksomebranchesshehadgathered,idthecampfireandlitit．Asitburstintofmes，therestlessshadows，disregardingalldangers,rushedoutughinggleefully．ThefiguresofDimitri，RichardandYokojoinedandmixedwiththisjubintcrowd，singinganddangaroundthefire．Bottleinhand，Richarddrankwithgustoandthenpouredtherestoftheliquoronthebze，makingitintoarfire．Theshadowsrevivedinthefireanddahewind，knowingthatatsuhisfreedomwoulddisappear．Theyabahemselvestorevelryandjoyandwaosquaheirenergyandpower．Whatiftheydied?Theywouldhavediedinmidnightrevelry．Perhapsthepurposeoflifewasjusttocapturethismomentofjubilee，evenifittintedofinsanepleasure．Muffledrumblesofthunderrolledcloserandcloser,liketrottinghoofsofrunninghorsesfromfar-offpces．Jamazsatbythefirebeatingthe．Shadowsoftheflickeringfmesdanhisshiningbckbody,andhisbulgingandwell-developedmusclesflexedandrippled,overflowingwithprimitivevitality．Heseemedionthisvigorouspursuitasanoutletforhispent-upfurythattormentedhim．Sexualurgeswereprimarilyintendedfortheproliferationofthespecies,butliketheprogressofcivilization，ithadgraduallytransformedintoaperfectartofenjoyment．Jamazcouldonlygiveventtohisextrabodyenergiesinthevehemeingsofthe,whichbetrayedhisfrustratedaspirations．Themonotonousbuteicdrumbeat，interwovenwithandatedbytherollingthunder，shookthewilderness．Aslightningfshed,YokoandRichard，handinhand，sworetotakeeachotherforbetterorforworsetilldeathdidtheypart．Thelightningdisappeared．Wouldtheirmarriagedisieasquickly?Thefirebzedonfuriouslyasifbentonselfdestru．Thesinginganddrumbeatanddangshadoilyeheirlife．Whatiftheydied?Theirlifemightbeshort,buttheyhadlivedinthismidnightrevelry．Theyhadexisted．
Itsspectacurboisterousnessabating,thefireburntonmorecalmly,thefmessubsidingtoasteadyglow．Jamaz,hisfuryspent,ythereexhaustedandintoxicated，dozingbesidethefire．Marawasalreadyasleep,thoughtheairstillseemedtoresoundwithhermencholytunes．YokoandRichard,tooexcitedtosleep,saturee，whisperingtoeachother．Dimitriwaslookingatthecampfire．Aminuteago，thebzingfmesseemedtoresembleaphoenixwithherwingsfullyspreadasiftosoartotheheavens．Butthwartediempts,thismagnifitbirdmetamorphosedfromwood，wouldfinallyberedubersandashes．Dimitriraisedhiseyestothekeiandmarveledatitsresembheoneinhisdreams.HehadbeenwanderingtoolongandthisseparationincreasedhislongingforhisKingdom;sohetooydownandsoonfelsleep．
Chapter7CrisisintheKingdom
Throughtheheavyfogthatpervadedheaveh，hazyglimpsesofthemooncouldbeseen,pearlyandopalest．Itwouldhavebeenalovelymoonlitnightifithadnotbeenforthefog．Abare-footedIleen,holdingaswordinherhand,tip-toedherwaytowardstheke,intendingtorowtothemeadowontheoppositeshiantMountain．Justassheushingtheoeintothewater,shecaughtsightofahugeEasterlily,snow-whiteincolor,blossomingbythewater．Surprisedtoseeitblossomingoutofseasooopeddownandtoucheditsdaials,meaningtopickit,butthengedhermindanddecidedtodosoonherwayback．Shepushedtheoeswiftlyandnoiselesslyintotheke,andpaddledonwithsurreptitiousbuthelessstronganddecisivestrokes．Itwasonlyinsuchthickfogthatshecouldhopetoevadethesharpeyesoftheever-vigintMedusaandhaveacetospirewiththecaptive,Cyclops．Thethoughtofhimbroughttohermindhisstrongmuscurbody，andshecouldfeewildtingliionatherloins．Hissiheprotrudinghornatthetopofhishead，hisveryuglinessaddedtohisprimitivesexuattra，andshecouldfeeltheheatofarousalpermeatingherbody．ShehadeuponthecavewhereCyclopswasdetainedquiteactally,whileseargforasuitablesitefDimitri’sgoldpaceatthetopofGiantMountain．ShehadlongbeenseekingforanapliallywhocouldhelpherusurptheKingdom,forshekhatshealonewasnotuptoaakingofsograndascale．WhocouldbemoresuitablethanCyclopswhohimselfhadanaxtogrind?Somakingfulluseofherphysicattras,sheehebarbarousandsimplemindedmonster,whowouldwillinglycarryouthereverybidding．Reagthemeadow,Ileentiedheroetoastakeandwasabouttoleavewhenshefoundaniaerlilygrowingbythewater,simirtotheoheoppositeshore．Shecaresseditfondlyanddecidedtopickbothofthemonherwayback，thinkingthatingupontwosuchgeousflowerswasagoodomen．
WhenIleenhadwalkedawaytowardsthemountains,theEasterlilygedintoanaked，curvaceousfigure，whosefeatureswereindistinguishableinthefog，butwhosewhite，flowinghaircouldbeseenswayingasshefollowedinthedireIleenhadtaken．ItwasWhiteFairy,whomDimitrihadmetiempleinthemountainsduringoneofhiswanderingsandwhohadnowfinallyetohelphimbuildhisempireasshehadpromised．Onherfirstdayhere,shehadeuponthissuspiciousevent：apacebeautyfurtivelyingtothiswild，desertedmountainalohickfog,holdinginherhandtheswordtheFairyhadgiventoDimitriatparting．Shefeltitneedediigation，soshetailedhertoacaveatthebackofGiantMountain．CyclopswasoverjoyedtoseeIleenandswoopedherintohisarmsinatightembrace．Butshepushedhimaway,saying，
"Slowlynow,Cyclops．You’vebeenedupsolongyouoexerciseabackyoursuperstrength．ThefogissothickIthoughtI’debyandtakeyouforawalk.”Sayingso,shecutthroughhiscumbersomeswithafewsshesofthemagicswordaseasilyasifitwereasickleharvesti.WhiteFairyfoundastrategicspotattheedgeofthewoods,andbarelyhadtimetogebackagaintoaerlilywhewocameoutofthecavehandinhand．Theywalkedaboutslowlyinthedensefmentsoflow，spiratorymurmurscouldbeheard,butWhiteFairywasnotabletoheartheirversationuntiltheycamewithinafewfeetofthepceshewashiding．
"Ihavebeenimprisohatdarkcaveforalmostahundredyearsandthisismyfirsttasteoffreedom．Iamsogratefultoyou，Ileen．Ifitweren’tforyou，I’dneverseethelightofday.”
内容未完，下一页继续阅读