ingeverymomentofherpreciousnightwithhermaster,naked,freefromallinhibitions,arareihathadneverhappenedbeforewhentheyweresurroundedbyDimitri’snumerousretiheKingdomofDreams．ButMedusanotiabsentmindednessabouthimthatseemedtotellhertherewassomethingonhismind．

    "Issomethingwyou,YourMajesty?”Dimitrihesitatedforamoment．

    "Wellyes．IpromisedsomeoneIwouldhelpwithhisfriend’shospitalbillsandwaswwhereIcouldgetthemoney.”

    "YourMajesty,haveyottenthattheWorldBankisnowyours,andyoutakeoutwhateveryouwantto?"Dimitrilookedatherinamazementandgratificatioappedhisforeheadwithhishandandsaid，

    9

    "Whatarelief!Itslippedmymindpletely!Howstupidofmetetthat!"

    "Well,nowthattheloadisoffyourmind，IhopeYourMajestyhaveagoodnight’srest．ImustgobacktotheKingdomandmakesurenothingisamiss.”Medusaheadedfortheentrahehut．Asshewasbendingtoleave,sheturnedbadsaid．

    "IfYourMajestyshouldevermeetwithsomeproblemandneedme,youonlyhavetocallmyloudthreetimesandIwillknowandwilletoyoursideatonce.”Dimitrinoddedandwatchedassheleftthedipidatedshelter，spreadoutherhandsandslowlyfloatedupwards．Assheasdedabovethesurroundingrooftop,shesuddenlysomersaultedintheair,transformedintoahugebirdandshotupintothesky．

    Medusatraveledinthenightatatremendousvelocity．Theflutteringewingsstirredupaswirlingwindimosphere．Lookingdownfromonhighatthemassesoftwinklinglightsshiningbelow,shefeltthatthishumansocietythathadostracizedherthousandsofyearsago,nowseemedseandunfamiliar．Thegeswerephenomenal．Godcreatedtheworld,butmaedcivilization,whichhaddevelopedsoswiftlyitseemedalmosttohavereacheditsextreme．Whatwouldeafterthat,Medusawondered．Aftertraversingtensofthousandsofmiles,shewasfinallynearingtheKingdomofDreams．Medusasloweddownherpadflewlower,encirgthesurroundingmountainsseveraltimes．Findingnothingoutoftheordinary,sheflewlowerstilloverthetwinpeaks．Shesawlightsbytheke,whereLotus，Deanna，ElinaandNovelweretalkingi，decidednottodisturbthem，andmadeforthehighestroofofthepace，whereshesettleddownandscoutedthedistrict．PairsofnternsmovedbrisklyacrossthedrawbridgeandshekwastheeffitIleenaaffgoingtoworkattheadministrativebuilding．

    Ileen

    InthegreathalloftheadministrativebuildingwerespreadboxesoftributessenttoKingDimitrifromhisemissariesallovertheworld．Knowingthereweretwenty-fourbeautieswhomhefavored，manyofthempaidtributesintheforminandexpensivegemsandexquisitelymountedjewelry．IleengncedoverthelotandsawthattherewasnothiacurorunusualbecausegemsandjewelswereinabundanKingDimitri’sKingdom．Sheorderedherstaff，

    "AsktheBeautiestoeinahere’sanythingtheywouldliketokeep．Whateverisleftbeitemizedandputinthesafe.”

    "WhatshouldbedohthefiftykilosofdiamofromAfrica?"askedoneofherstaff.Ileenlookedatthemagnifitlycarvedboxofredsandalwoodfullofdiamonds,theirbrilliandingoffmulticoloredsparksuhelights．Shehesitatedforamomentwhilehereyestraveledaroundthehalndfelloerfountaininthemiddle．Ninegonsfroligier,eaadifferentpose,werepcedatstrategicpositionssothatthestreamsofwatersproutingfromtheirmouthswouldcrisscrossandformaravagantwate

ingeverymomentofherpreciousnightwithhermaster,naked,freefromallinhibitions,arareihathadneverhappenedbeforewhentheyweresurroundedbyDimitri’snumerousretiheKingdomofDreams．ButMedusanotiabsentmindednessabouthimthatseemedtotellhertherewassomethingonhismind．

    "Issomethingwyou,YourMajesty?”Dimitrihesitatedforamoment．

    "Wellyes．IpromisedsomeoneIwouldhelpwithhisfriend’shospitalbillsandwaswwhereIcouldgetthemoney.”

    "YourMajesty,haveyottenthattheWorldBankisnowyours,andyoutakeoutwhateveryouwantto?"Dimitrilookedatherinamazementandgratificatioappedhisforeheadwithhishandandsaid，

    9

    "Whatarelief!Itslippedmymindpletely!Howstupidofmetetthat!"

    "Well,nowthattheloadisoffyourmind，IhopeYourMajestyhaveagoodnight’srest．ImustgobacktotheKingdomandmakesurenothingisamiss.”Medusaheadedfortheentrahehut．Asshewasbendingtoleave,sheturnedbadsaid．

    "IfYourMajestyshouldevermeetwithsomeproblemandneedme,youonlyhavetocallmyloudthreetimesandIwillknowandwilletoyoursideatonce.”Dimitrinoddedandwatchedassheleftthedipidatedshelter，spreadoutherhandsandslowlyfloatedupwards．Assheasdedabovethesurroundingrooftop,shesuddenlysomersaultedintheair,transformedintoahugebirdandshotupintothesky．

    Medusatraveledinthenightatatremendousvelocity．Theflutteringewingsstirredupaswirlingwindimosphere．Lookingdownfromonhighatthemassesoftwinklinglightsshiningbelow,shefeltthatthishumansocietythathadostracizedherthousandsofyearsago,nowseemedseandunfamiliar．Thegeswerephenomenal．Godcreatedtheworld,butmaedcivilization,whichhaddevelopedsoswiftlyitseemedalmosttohavereacheditsextreme．Whatwouldeafterthat,Medusawondered．Aftertraversingtensofthousandsofmiles,shewasfinallynearingtheKingdomofDreams．Medusasloweddownherpadflewlower,encirgthesurroundingmountainsseveraltimes．Findingnothingoutoftheordinary,sheflewlowerstilloverthetwinpeaks．Shesawlightsbytheke,whereLotus，Deanna，ElinaandNovelweretalkingi，decidednottodisturbthem，andmadeforthehighestroofofthepace，whereshesettleddownandscoutedthedistrict．PairsofnternsmovedbrisklyacrossthedrawbridgeandshekwastheeffitIleenaaffgoingtoworkattheadministrativebuilding．

    Ileen

    InthegreathalloftheadministrativebuildingwerespreadboxesoftributessenttoKingDimitrifromhisemissariesallovertheworld．Knowingthereweretwenty-fourbeautieswhomhefavored，manyofthempaidtributesintheforminandexpensivegemsandexquisitelymountedjewelry．IleengncedoverthelotandsawthattherewasnothiacurorunusualbecausegemsandjewelswereinabundanKingDimitri’sKingdom．Sheorderedherstaff，

    "AsktheBeautiestoeinahere’sanythingtheywouldliketokeep．Whateverisleftbeitemizedandputinthesafe.”

    "WhatshouldbedohthefiftykilosofdiamofromAfrica?"askedoneofherstaff.Ileenlookedatthemagnifitlycarvedboxofredsandalwoodfullofdiamonds,theirbrilliandingoffmulticoloredsparksuhelights．Shehesitatedforamomentwhilehereyestraveledaroundthehalndfelloerfountaininthemiddle．Ninegonsfroligier,eaadifferentpose,werepcedatstrategicpositionssothatthestreamsofwatersproutingfromtheirmouthswouldcrisscrossandformaravagantwate