“Noproblem.IfI’tdealwithit,Ialwaysvamoose.Iwillpyhide-and-seekwithherandleadheronamerrychase.”
“Ohyes!”excimedQueenAisha,“IrememberyourmentioningyousawMr.FihecourtyardinfrontofKingDimitri’sstrawhutohersideoftheke.TherehasbeennoboatgoiheothersidethesestfewdaysandLotushasmovedbacktothepace/Howdidhecrossthekeandebacktothisside?”
“Er......er......Idon’tknowandIdidn’task”repliedthecarelessDorna.
“Theimeyouseehim,don’tfettoask.”QueenAishawasnormallyverythh.Shewasdetailorientedandcarefulinherhandlingofaffairsrarelymissingmuch.Butinthisinstance,herfailuretoinquirefurtherintothiscriticalmatteraingitslipbysoeasily,wouldevolveintoadisastrouscatastrophe.
“HowdidyouhappentocatchMr.Finger?”shetioask,jokinglyimitatingDorna’svoidmanner.
Afterleavihofthergewhitefish,Mr.Fingertinuedswimminguntilhereachedtheshore.Hestaggeredontothewhitesandandmadehiswaywearilytowardsthepace.Thedaywasbeginningtodawn.Beingfamiliarwiththeyofthend,Mr.Fingersooheentrahepadsqueezedthroughthecrackofthedoor.Assooihepace,hebegantowanderaroundlookingforwine.Hesearchedhighandloweverywhere,thegreathall,thesidehall,thenumerousrooms,butcouldfindnotraceofanykindofwioquenchhisthirst.Justthen,heheardthesoundoftinklingughterandspiedDornaandDeanna,whomhelookeduponwithenmity,walkingdowairstowardshim,talkingandughichedthemleavethepace,walktowardsthekeanddiveintothecrystalclearbluewater.Theywereswimmingtomeetwiththergewhitefishattheirpre-arrangedmeetingpce.Soontheinhabitantsofthepacebeganstirringandthebeautiesgotuptobegintheirday’swork.Mr.Fingerfelttiredanddecidedtofindasecludedspotandtakeanap.Thesunwasalreadyiwhenhewokeup.Herubbedhiseyesandsatup.HesawWhiteFairyeoutofthesidehalndsilentlythestairsandsooncamedownagainholdingKingDimitri’sswordinherhandandcarryinghismagicbowandquiverofarrowsonhershoulders.AshotthroughMr.Finger’sbodyandhisheartwasfullofjoy.
“Aren’tthesetheonsIcameherefor?Isn’titluckythatIcameupoheveryfirstdayIamhere?Butthesethingslookveryheavy.HowohamItocarrythem?Nevermind.I’lldealwiththatwheimees.ForthemomentIwilljustwaitandfindoutwheretheystorethem.”Mr.FingerslidintothesidehalfterWhiteFairyandfoundadiscreethidingpcewherehecouldseebutnotbeeasilyseen.HesawWhitefairypulloutKingDimitri’ssword.Thesheenandlusterofthismagicalonfilledtheroom.Thisswordwasrazorsharpandcouldeasilycutthroughmetal.WhiteFairyusedawhiteclothtowipeitandthebeforereturningittoitsscabbard.Thescabbardwaseboratelycarvedanddecoratedwithmulti-coloredpreciousgems.WhenwornatKingDimitri’swaist,itmadehimlookimposingandmajestic.WhiteFairythendustedoffthebowandadjustedthestringsothatitwasreadyforuse.Sheexaminedeveryarrowinthequivertomakesuretheywerestraightandsharp.ThesewereWhiteFairy’sgiftstoKingDimitriwhentheyfirstmet.NowtheyhavebeethenationaltreasuresoftheKingdomofDreams.Forsomereason,shehadapremonitiontodaythattheymightbehoughshehadnowayofknowingwhenorwhere.
LaughterandmerrychatterapaniedDornaandDeannaintothepace.Earlythatm,thetwoswamtoapre-arrangedmeetingpcewheretheymetwiththergewhitefish.Itwasasecluded,shallowbeachsurrourees,notfarfromKingDimitri’sstrawhut.Deannabedherhairforherandtookhermeasurementssothatceremonialrobescouldbemadetoorderforher.Althoughthebeautiespreferredtogoaboutintheirnaturalstatemostofthetime,theyalwayswnifitlybeautifunddecorouscourtrobeswhentheyreceivedtheirsubjects.DornawaeachthergewhitefishsomewordsofhumanspeechsothatshecouldsurpriseKingDimitribyversingwithhim,butthergewhitefishwasnotabletospeak,thoughshecouldsingwithaloud,clearvoiceofsingursweetnessandpurity.Herfeetcouldhewater,orshewouldfeeshortnessofbreathandfindithardtobreathe,almostsuffog.Itwasnotaneasypassagetoturnfromfishtohumanandasiderableamountoftimeandprayermayyetbeopletethemetamorphosis.Thethreeofthemarraomeetatdawneverymsoshecouldlearnhumahergewhitefishwalkedintodeeperwater,turnedbatoafishanddisappeared.Thetwogirlsthenswamthelongdistancebacktothepace.Feelingtiredandthirsty,Dornapouredherselfagssofpomegranatewinewhichshebrewedherselfbeforeevendryingherhair.Thewinewaslightandtastyandcouldquenchthirst.DornaandDeaheirgssesandwereenjoyingtheirdrinkswhentheysawWhitefairypagupKingDimitri’sonsinaeroftheroom.
“Hi,WhiteFairy.Thisisnotatimeofwar.Whydidyoutaketheseonsdownfromtheattic?”
“Noreason”repliedWhiteFairysmiling.“Justingandoilihattheywouldbereadyforuseshouldtheoccasionrise.”
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