OnhearingMegginn’swords,alleyesturoAmalia.Shewasgreatlyembarrassedandmumbledunfortably,
“Idon’tremember.Idon’tremember.Itmayhavehappened,butIhavenomemoryofit.”EveryoneknewAmalia’sdispositionwasratheroutoftheordinary,andherageandillnesscausedgreatmemoryloss,sotheydidnotpursuetheianymore.
“Ithinkit’salmisuanding”saidDimitritoMegginn.“TellSamanthatodresscasuallyandbringherheresomeothertime.ExpintoAmaliawhosheissotherewouldhermisuanding.’Megginnnoddedheragreement.Dimitritinued,
“It’sveryte.Gobaeandgotobedimmediately.YoumustgobacktotheKingdomofDreamsanddealwiththeplicatedbusihere.Thentomorr,youmustbeatWorldBankandtakecareofthingshere.Youneedalotofeodobothjobs.”TheyallwalkedMegginntothebackdoor.DimitriassignedMarkandLaverofollowMegginnintheircar,tobethereforherincaseheroldbeigejalopybrokedownagain.Markansweredinaloudvoice,
“Sure.Noproblem.Youwaopushthecarfrombehind?Noproblem.Ihaveenoughmuscle.”MegginnkissedDimitrionthecheekandwavedgoodbyetoeveryoanttoleave.Theintotheddroveoff.
YearsofexposuretotheelementshadmadesleepingoutdoorsaseaturetoDimitri.ItwasalreadyteintothenightafterhesawMegginnoff,sowheneveryonehadsettledforthenightahingquieteddowouttothebackyardandydownontheloungechair,chimselfwithanoldjacket.Theskyabovewashisopyandthegroundbelowwashisbed,carefreeanduered.HewasveryhappytohavemetMegginnbyactoreettoday,butsomehowhisheartwassmittenbyaslightpangofmencholyaswell.Hethought,
“HowfaractuallyismyfarawayKingofDreamsfromtheearth?ThesetwoarenotreallyseparatedbyspaddistanceasItravelfreelybetweenthemwhenthemoodtakesme.Ifdreamsayarenotreallydividedbyspaddistaheynaturallyhavenottimedifferentialseither.inally,Iwaoseekoutaformyself,apcewhereIfindrefugeandasylumfromthedangersofthemundaneworld,apcewhereIescapetoatwill.ThatiswhyIestablishedtheKingdomofDreams.Butnow,itseemsthisKingdomisnotasafehavenafterall.ThereistheoppressionfromZeusfromonhighandthehiddendangerfromtheprimitivetribeswhoarecreepingthreateninglynearerandnearer.WhereImovemyKingdomofDreamsandmynumeroussubjectsto?Whereisthepcethathasnosorrow,onlyhappiness?Istheresuchaptheuniverse,wherethereisonlypeace,harmony,tranquilityandbrightness?Idon’tknow.Itseemedthattoomanydreamsbringonlysorrowandnightswithoutdreamswouldbepreferable.Fortonight,Ionlyhopetohaveanightwithoutdreams.”
Bluewavesrockedthewideexpaheke.Initscrystalclearwater,argewhitefishcouldbeseenfloatingwiththemovementsofthewater.Shewasreminisgabouthowsheheldtwolittlepeopleinhermouthandswamagainsttheragingcurrenttotakethemtotheoppositeshorewherethegoldpacewas.Amidthedeafeninghewindandwaves,sheakeoutthewordsofthelittleman.
“IamafriendofKingDimitri”saidhe.“HeonisedmethatinhisKingdom,noperson,i,fish,birdorbeastwouldeverharmme.Ifnecessary,theywouldprotectmeandhelpme.Thankyouforhelpinguscrosstotheothersideoftheke.”Thensheheardthelittlewomansay,
“SinceDimitriistheKingofthisregion,hiswordisw.NowIorderyou,bigwhitefish,whehereisneed,youmustappearbeforeus.ThisisKingDimitri’sorderwhichmustbeobeyed.”Thewhitefishthought,
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