KingDimitriandhisentewerehurryingposthastetowardstheKingdomofDreamswhentheyheardtheshrillneighingofahorse.Withhandsshadinghiseyesfromthesun’sdazzlingrays,KingDimitrilookedtowardsthedireofthenoiseandsawasmallbckspotianingveryfasttowardsthem.Asitgotnearer,hewasveryhappytofinditwashisflyinghorseLightning.Hewhoopedindelightandwavedtohisbelovedsteed.Thefactofthematterwas,onthenightofthecatastropheafterLightningflewdownfromtherounddomeofthegoldpace,itwenttograssndsbythesideoftheforestandbegangrazihewhistlingarrowsshotbythesentrieshighintothenightskytoldLightningthateroopshadiheKingdom;butfidentinthepowersofMedusaandCyclopsitwasnotworriedinthebeginning.However,itwasfbbergastedwhenitlifteditsheadfromgrazingonthegrassandsawMedusadiewithanarrowtoherthroatandtersawtheleaderofthebarbariansoldiersrideuponhismagnifitbckhorseandwithoneswipeofthemagicswordinhishandseveredCyclopsheadfromhisbody.Itreizedtheswordintheenemyleader’shandastheonebelongingtoitsmaster,KingDimitri;andlookingstillmorecloselyrealizedthatthebowandarrowthemanhadoverhisshoulderswasalsoKingDimitri’s.HowdidthesestatetreasuresoftheKingdometobeinenemyhands?ItwasthenthatLightnihatacatastrophehadhappenedandtheKingdomwasindangerofbeingtoppled.TheclevermagichorsedidnotrushouttochalleheaggressorsbecauseitkwasnomatchfortheleaderofthebarbarianswhohadsomehowgottenholdofKingDimitri’sonsanditwoulddieinvain.LikeDeanna,itdecidedtofindKingDimitriandtellhimaboutthetestcatastropheintheKingdom.However,unlikeDeannaitwasnotfortunateenoughtoeuponImaginationaivity,KingDimitri’stwoloyalservantswholedDeannatotheirmaster.Feelingthepainofanexilewithnohometoreturnto,Lightninggotlostiexpanseofblueskies.Justasitwashesitatingastowhatcoursetotakeandwhichdiretogo,itsawKingDimitriandhisenteflyingswiftlytowardshim.Neighingloudlyinsalutation,itfppeditswidewingsandflewswiftlytowardsitsmasterwhenhewaved.KingDimitriwentstraighttothepointandaskedanxiouslyandurgently,
“HowarethingsgoingintheKingdom?”Onhearingthequestion,tearssprangintoLightning’seyesandKingDimitrikmustbeverybadindeed.Hestoodupstraightandjumpedontohishorsewithoutquestioningitanymore.Thissuddenvaultingmovementofhisgavehispanionsagreatscare.TheywereallflyingintheblueskieswhenDimitrisuddeontoLightning’sback.Theslightestmiscalcutionandhecouldhavefallentohisdeathfromtheskiesandbeensmashedtopieces.Luckilythisdidnothappen.KingDimitriwasacautiouspersonandwhateverhedid,hedidwithdeliberatecalcution.Hewouldnotactwithoutfidenceofsuccess.KingDimitrisatmajesticallyonhismagichorse,hisheroidradiantbearingthepleteoppositeofhisformerpersonaofashabby,dispirited,homelessman.Heresumedonceagainhistruecolors,thatofabrilliant,resoluteandadaptmilitaryking.DeannainallyrodeontheflyingbroomwithKingDimitri,thedoubleweightslowingdowntheirspeedsomewhat.NowthatthepressurehadlesseheyspedattopspeedtowardstheKingdomofDreams.
Thesunwashighintheskiesandshonedazzlinglyontherounddomeofthegoldpace,refragoffbrilliantlyglitteringrays.Ihepacestructuredwithsolidgold,theatmospherewascolorfundmajestic.Apuffofwhitesmokefloatedarouopoftheeaves,keepingaclosewatthegloatingAtssittingonthesolidgoldthroneseemiremelysatisfied,asifhealreadywastheowhegoldpadthekingofthiskingdom.Seeinghimthus,WhiteFairywasveryangryaedhimsaying,
“Don’tyouhavetheleastbitretinyourheartforwhatyoudid?Don’tyoufeetalpologetictowardsthewholefieldofsoldierswhojustdiedtogetyouhere?”
“Regret?”askedAtsboldfadself-fident.“WhyshouldIfeelregret?Ibelievethatevenmytribesmenwhoarelyingdeadilefieldoutsidewillnothavetheleastbitret.Youshouldknowthatourndsaresobarrenthatweseldomreapanythingfromtheseedswesowthere.Thepasturesareileeitherandourmbandcalvesdiebeforetheymature.Iledmymentothisbeautifuilendahoughtheyalldiehere,Iamsuretheywillbehappyandsatisfiedtoknowthattheyareburiedinsuchawonderheywillbegratefultome…”Beforehefinishedspeaking,WhiteFairyinterruptedhimindignantlysaying
“Nonsense!Rubbish!Thisisonlyyourpersonalopinionandisnotrepresentativeofyourtribe.Tobeperfectlyfrank,you,fueledbyyreedandambitioheculpritthatcausedthisirreparabledisaster.Lookatallthecorpsesolefield.AtleasthalfofthemareinativewarriorsofKingDimitri’sKingdom,theirlivesdefendingtheirhomendagainstyression.Areyounotfullyresponsiblefortheirdeaths?”Atsshruggednontlyandspreadhishandswidesaying,
“WhatresponsibilitydoIhavetowardsthem?OccupyingKingDimitri’sKingdomartofmypn.ThesewarriorsoftheKingdomdiedbecausetheytriedtopreventmefromaplishingmygoandwerekilledinsteadbymysoldiers.Itistheirownfaultandnoresponsibilityofmine…Youknow,youhavereallystraheories…Yousee,ifIdon’toccupythiskingdom,IotbeetheroyalruleroftheKingdomofDreams;andifIamnottheKingofthisKingdom,IaminnopositiontopursueZeus’,twobeautifuldaughtersClementineandCharmaine.IfIdon’tpursuethesetwobeautifulnymphs,Iotbeetheirhusband.Willyouberesponsibleforallthat?Youarereallycuckoo,youknow.DoyoumeantotellmethatyoupeoplewithKingDimitriareallsobrainless,withnopowertothinkatall?”WhiteFairywassofbbergastedwiththearrogandselfishnessofthisirrationalmanthatshewastoiedforamomentanddidn’tknowhowtochallengehim.Shecouldonlysay,
“Alright…alright…NeverinmywholelifehaveIevermetamoreunreasohanyou.Notonlyareyouavariciousandgreedyandcovetdom;youaresoptibleandshamefulthatyoueveKingDimitri’sbeauties,ClementineandCharmaineandwantbothasyourwives.Youareadespicablerascal…”AtswasnottheleastashamedbyWhiteFairy’swords,herepliedcarelessly,
“Despicable?Foramantowantawifeisreasonableandjustified.TocourtwomenIloveisperfeormalbehavior.What’ssodespicableaboutthat?Ohyes,IheardthatyouareoneofKingDimitri’s24beauties.Whydon’tyoushowyourselfameseeifyouarebeautifulenough.PerhapsIwouldevenbewillingtoincludeyouinmyharem…”WhiteFairy’sheartburhrageandanger,butverysoonawaveofsorrowoverwhelmedher.
“Thisman’sarroganowsnoboundsanddarestoflirtwithme”shethought.“IfMedusawerehere,hewouldneverdaretotakesuchlibertieswithme.Why,Medusawouldpeckhiseyesout,butas,sheisdeadandtothinkshewaskilledbyKingDimitri’smagicarrow!Whatatragedy!”Theverythoughtofherpartnerboostedherspiritsandsheaddedangrily,“Good…Good…KingDimitriwillbeheresoon…Don’tbesococky.Lookatallthecorpsesolefield,youhadbetterthinkofhowtoexpinallthistohim.Ifyouareaman,gofacethemusiottrytoslinkaway.KingDimitriwillbebacksoon.”Atsughedheartilywithunbridledandefferentarrogancesaying,
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