AloudspshcaughthisattentionandKingDimitrisawaslimgirlburstoutofthewaterandwalkonshore.Herwell-tonedbodyseemedtobenaturallyoiled,aswaterranoffherhairandbodylikepearls.SheisDeanna,asagileandquiderwaterasamermaid.Shecouldremainforthreewholedaysier,evensleepingonitssurface.Shewasborninthesepartsandgrewuphere.Likethenarcissusthatgrowsbythewateranddownatitsrefleallday,Deannaisshyandintrovert.
MarystoodbyherthekesidewithWhiteFairyandNatalie.Allthreeofthemhadlonghairfallingtotheirwaist.Theirthreedifferenttrastingcolorsplementedeachotherandmadeaprettypicture.Anotherspshofwaterbroughtoutanirl–naughtyDorna.Sheraisedherarmandshowedthemthergecarpshehadaught.Sheputdowthewater,butjustasitwasabouttoswimaway,shecaughtitagainbyitstail.Shedidthisseveraltimes,lettingitgoauringituntilthepoorfishwrithedandstruggledfuriously.Intheend,sheletitgoandthefishshehadteasedtofrenzyslinkedaway.Dornawalkedonshore.Shehadnopatiehlonghair,soshekeptitshort,lettingitframeherlovelyface,muchlikeacy.
Notfaraway,theysawLotusstandingbeforeastrawhutholdingsomethinginherarms.Theysawherthrowitupwardsaethingflewhighintotheskylikeacloud.Lotushadbeenstayinginthelowlyandhumblestrawhutspinningallnight.Shepreferredthistolivinginstyleatthemagnifitpace.Shewaolivesimplyandquietlyclosetonature.Oh,shehadnotsimplybeenspinning.Allnight,shehadweavingacloudwhichsheisnowsendingintotheearlymskyandwatgitflitawayhigherandhigher.KingDimitrifelthisheartliftinhappinessandpride.“Ah!ThatismybelovedLotus.Ifyouarewillingtospeofyourlifeinthislovely,humblestrawhut,Iamwillingtogiveupmynomadlife.”KingDimitrigraduallywokefromhisreverieandlookedaroundatallthebeautiesaroundhiminthegreathall.Thebeauties,meantime,haddiscoveredhehadwokenupfromhisdeepreverieandtheyalllookedathimsmilihought,“Imustestablishaparadiseohandcaremeticulouslyforeadeveryohesepreciousflowers.Iwillgivemylifetothisendeavorandwillevehemwithret.”
KingDimitriwokefromhisreverieandbecameawareofthefactthathehadbehavedsomewhatoddlyandinappropriatelyfortheoccasion.
“Sorry,everyone”hesaid.“Ijustsnoozedforalittlewhileandwoketofinditisalreadyspring.Thesuniswarmandalltheflowersareblooming.Rememberhowinthemundaneworlditwaswinter,coldandwindy.Insomepcesitwasevensnowingheavily.ButhereindomofDreams,springisintheairandalltheblossomsareflourishing.”
“Didn’tyouknow”askedQueenAisha“thattheclimateintheKingdomgeacctoourwhims?Itbeanythingyouwantittobe.”
“Really?”excimedKingDimitri.“Idon’tbelieveit!”
“Ihavebeensobusythesestfewdays”saidMegginn“wdayandnightthatIneverrealizedtheKingdomofDreamshadsuchmagicalfuns!”
“Ifyoudon’tbelieveme”smiledQueenAisha,“erimentonit.”Ilikesummer.Itinvigoratesme.”Allofasudden,theenviroseemedtoge.Treesandgrassturoadarkershadeofgreen.Thesunshhterandwarmer.Eveerinthekeseemedclearerandbluer.Megginnjumpedupandcppedherhaedlylikeachild.
“Itry?”askedLaverne.
内容未完，下一页继续阅读