a?Isherditionstable?”

    “Sheissoundasleep.ElinasaidthatsheshouldbeOKwithsuffitresttolesseension,spsheshouldbealright.”

    “That’sgood!That’sgood”excimedagreatlyrelievedAisha.LotustappedDornaontheshouldersaying

    “Hey,naughtylittlegirl,youarereallybrave.Youdaretofightwiththebarbarians.IfitwereI,IwouldhavefaintedawayrightbesideAngelica!”

    “That’snothing!”boastedDorna,heair.“KingDimitritaughtmesomeesekungfu,whichIusedtosendthemsprawliime,IwillrideAmalia’sbroomandflyintotheairandbatZeushimselfoneonone!”

    “Don’tbrag!”admonishedAishaseriously.“ThistimeyouwononlywiththehelpoftheceoustigersKojakandCortez.Otherwiseyoutoowouldhavebeeasacrificeofthebarbarians.Ifthereisaime,don’tshowoffandthrowyhtaround.”Dornamadeaicalface.QueenAishaturoLotusandsaid,

    8

    “It’sgettingte.etothesidehalndhavedihus.”Lotusthoughtforamoment,thenreplied.

    “IfIgowithyouandAngelicawakesup,shewouldfretandbescaredagain.Ihadbetterstayhereandkeepherpany.”

    “That’sgood.Iwillsendyourdinnersherethen.”Sayingso,shewentdowairswithDorna.

    TherestofthebeautiesfiledintothesidehalldiningroomafterAisha.Aftertheywereallseated,thepaceattendantslightedthedlesoableinfrontofthem.Theflickeringdlelightseemedlonelyandforlorninthedeepeningdusk,afarcryfromthejoyoustimeswhenallthebeautiesgatheredtogetherherewithKingDimitri,enjoyingluxuriousbas,ughinganddrinkinginanatmosphereofwarmthandgeniality.Thebeautiessattherewiththeirheadsbowed,slowlyandsilentlychewingthefoodsetbeforetheshalookedatWhiteFairyandasked,

    “WhiteFairy,hastherebeenanynewsofKingDimitritely?”WhiteFairydidnotpartakeofearthlyfoodandwasonlydrinkingsomeredwine.Shereplied,

    “Iwenttowaitforhimathisstudioapartmentbytheke,buttherethetableandchairswerecoveredwithdust,tellingmehehasn’tbeenbackthereforquitesometime.Idon’tknowwherehehasgoo.”

    “IsawMegginnstnight”saidAisha“andtalkedtoherforalittlewhile.ShetoldmeKingDimitriandsomeofthebeautiesfromtheKingdomhaveopenedupasmallbakerysellingbreadandpastries.Iwonderwhy?”ThebeautieslookedatAishainsurprise.

    “What!”saidDorna.“KingDimitribakebread?Itseemsthere’snothinghe’tdo!”

    “Whatishethinkingof?”mutteredAisha,swallowingthefoodinhermouth.“HeleaveshisKingdomwithoutathoughtaoopenupasmallbakery!ImustaskhimaboutthistheimeIseehim.”Natalie,theballerina,wasalighteaterasshewasusedtobeingonastridiettokeepdownherweightsoshecoulddanimblyandlightlyonstage.Shewasthefirsttofinishhermeandstoodup.WhiteFairyalsostoodupawoofthemtooktheirleaveofAisha.SoonNovelandElinaalsotooktheirleave.elledrankhergssofredwineandstoodup.

    “Justaminuteelle”saidAisha.“CouldyoupleaseaskoheattendantstosendupsomedioLotusandAngelica?We’tletthemgohungry.”

    8

    “Noproblem.IwillbriheirdinnermyselfasIwasabouttogoandvisitthem.”

    “Waitforme!”saidDornawhostooduphurriedly,hermouthstillfulloffood.“Waitforme!Iwillgowithyou!”AftertheyhadleftonlyAishaandDeannawereleftinthealmostemptydiningroom.Theytoohadfiing.DeannaturoAishaandsaid,

    “YourMajesty.WhiteFairytoldmeyouhavesomethingtoaskme.”

a?Isherditionstable?”

    “Sheissoundasleep.ElinasaidthatsheshouldbeOKwithsuffitresttolesseension,spsheshouldbealright.”

    “That’sgood!That’sgood”excimedagreatlyrelievedAisha.LotustappedDornaontheshouldersaying

    “Hey,naughtylittlegirl,youarereallybrave.Youdaretofightwiththebarbarians.IfitwereI,IwouldhavefaintedawayrightbesideAngelica!”

    “That’snothing!”boastedDorna,heair.“KingDimitritaughtmesomeesekungfu,whichIusedtosendthemsprawliime,IwillrideAmalia’sbroomandflyintotheairandbatZeushimselfoneonone!”

    “Don’tbrag!”admonishedAishaseriously.“ThistimeyouwononlywiththehelpoftheceoustigersKojakandCortez.Otherwiseyoutoowouldhavebeeasacrificeofthebarbarians.Ifthereisaime,don’tshowoffandthrowyhtaround.”Dornamadeaicalface.QueenAishaturoLotusandsaid,

    8

    “It’sgettingte.etothesidehalndhavedihus.”Lotusthoughtforamoment,thenreplied.

    “IfIgowithyouandAngelicawakesup,shewouldfretandbescaredagain.Ihadbetterstayhereandkeepherpany.”

    “That’sgood.Iwillsendyourdinnersherethen.”Sayingso,shewentdowairswithDorna.

    TherestofthebeautiesfiledintothesidehalldiningroomafterAisha.Aftertheywereallseated,thepaceattendantslightedthedlesoableinfrontofthem.Theflickeringdlelightseemedlonelyandforlorninthedeepeningdusk,afarcryfromthejoyoustimeswhenallthebeautiesgatheredtogetherherewithKingDimitri,enjoyingluxuriousbas,ughinganddrinkinginanatmosphereofwarmthandgeniality.Thebeautiessattherewiththeirheadsbowed,slowlyandsilentlychewingthefoodsetbeforetheshalookedatWhiteFairyandasked,

    “WhiteFairy,hastherebeenanynewsofKingDimitritely?”WhiteFairydidnotpartakeofearthlyfoodandwasonlydrinkingsomeredwine.Shereplied,

    “Iwenttowaitforhimathisstudioapartmentbytheke,buttherethetableandchairswerecoveredwithdust,tellingmehehasn’tbeenbackthereforquitesometime.Idon’tknowwherehehasgoo.”

    “IsawMegginnstnight”saidAisha“andtalkedtoherforalittlewhile.ShetoldmeKingDimitriandsomeofthebeautiesfromtheKingdomhaveopenedupasmallbakerysellingbreadandpastries.Iwonderwhy?”ThebeautieslookedatAishainsurprise.

    “What!”saidDorna.“KingDimitribakebread?Itseemsthere’snothinghe’tdo!”

    “Whatishethinkingof?”mutteredAisha,swallowingthefoodinhermouth.“HeleaveshisKingdomwithoutathoughtaoopenupasmallbakery!ImustaskhimaboutthistheimeIseehim.”Natalie,theballerina,wasalighteaterasshewasusedtobeingonastridiettokeepdownherweightsoshecoulddanimblyandlightlyonstage.Shewasthefirsttofinishhermeandstoodup.WhiteFairyalsostoodupawoofthemtooktheirleaveofAisha.SoonNovelandElinaalsotooktheirleave.elledrankhergssofredwineandstoodup.

    “Justaminuteelle”saidAisha.“CouldyoupleaseaskoheattendantstosendupsomedioLotusandAngelica?We’tletthemgohungry.”

    8

    “Noproblem.IwillbriheirdinnermyselfasIwasabouttogoandvisitthem.”

    “Waitforme!”saidDornawhostooduphurriedly,hermouthstillfulloffood.“Waitforme!Iwillgowithyou!”AftertheyhadleftonlyAishaandDeannawereleftinthealmostemptydiningroom.Theytoohadfiing.DeannaturoAishaandsaid,

    “YourMajesty.WhiteFairytoldmeyouhavesomethingtoaskme.”