ThetwotigersthatapaniedDornasuddenlygaveoutalowgrowl.Fhtandglitteringeyesfocusedonapointiernotfarfromthesideoftheke.Dornapattedthemontheheadandsaid,“Don’troar!”Thetigersnodded.Somethingcameoutofthewatershandtheysawaslimfiguremakeitswaytotheshore.ItwasDeanna.
“It’sveryte”saidKingDimitritoher.“Howeyouarestillier?eshorequickly.”
“Didn’tyoutellmetotakethergewhitepearlbacktothepceItookitfrom?Itookitfromahugeoysterlivinginthedeepwatersinthemiddleoftheke.ThatwaswhereIreturo.It’sreallyapitytoleaveaperfectlyshaped,rge,luminouspearlinthedarkreachesoftheke.WhenthehugeoysterrealizedIwasbringingbackherpreciouspearl,sheopenedandclosedherrgemouthiasyagainandagainasifinughter.
“Ohyes,”saidKingDimitri,sppinghishandagainsthishead.“Irememberthatnoseemsmymemoryisnotasgoodasitusedtobe.”
“Yourmajesty”saidDeanna“MayIpresentafriendofmine?”Withoutwaitingforhispermission,Deannawavedherhandtowardstheke“eonout.ishere.eandpayyourrespects.”Therewasanotherspshofwaterandastrikingwomanwithafull-figuredandmaturebeautywalkedoutofthewater.Shyly,sheapproachedKingDimitriandhispartyiantstepsasifafraidtoleavethewater.Shestoppedjustshortofnd,leavingherfeetstillier.Neverhavingseenherbefore,KingDimitrilookedinquiringlyatQueenAisha,whosaid,
“Yourmajesty,haveyotten?Italkedtoyoubeforeabouther.Sheisthemotherofalllivingthingsintheke.Shehaspracticedasceticismformanyyearsandowgeintohumanform.Butsheeashorejustyet.Herfeetmustremainierorshemightdieofsuffocation.”
“Yourmajesty”saidthebeautifulwoman,makingherobeisaoKingDimitriasshehadbeentaughtandspokeinhumannguagesaying,“PleasebestowanameohiswaswhatDeannaandDornahadbeenteagandpractigwithherthesestfewdays.KingDimitriwasveryhappyandsaid,
“Good.Good.ItseemsthatthereisnothingthatotbedohisKingdom.IwillcallyouVictoria.Fromnowonyouwillbeknownbythisname.”Victoriabowedlowagainsaying,
“Thankyou,yourmajestyforbestowinganameonme.”
“Ihopeyouwilltinueyourasceticism,Victoria”saidKingDimitri“andwillsoonbeabletoeashain.Weweleyoutoetoourpadlivewithus.Itiste.Wehadbetterturnback.Ihopethattheimeweseeeachother,itwillbeinthepace.”
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