“ItisYoko.Thatwaswhatsheefirstmet.Butherdimplesaremorepronounowandthereforemorefasating.Shewasababy,abandonedonastreeter.Amaliatookherinandbroughtherupasherown.Amaliaisoldenoughtobehergrandmother,butYokolovesherlikeamotherandtakesgoodcareofher.YokoismarriediomygoodfriendRichard.Whewegobacktoourbakery,Ithinkitwouldbegreattogivethemaformal,livelyandcheerfulweddingparty.”

    othecherrytreeisacamellia,whereanirlisstanding,thelovelyanddelicateShei.Sheoor,homelessmegirlwhousedtobeateen-ageprostitute.Lefttofendforherselfatanearlyage,shewasfortoprostitutionandwastroduponbytheunderworldelementsofthestreetsandofferedlikeasacrifithealtaroffate.Amaliatookpityonher.Usinghermagicpowers,sheshrankthegirl’sbodytothesizeofafingerandswallowedherwhole,feelingherpassthroughherabdomenandreachherwomb.Thereshewasmadewholeandrebornwithanewbody.Hermenessdisappearedandshewasnormandpleteineveryrespecludinghervirginity,whichshenowprizedaboveallelseintheworld.LikeYoko,shelovedAmalialikeamotherandwasgratefulforthesedlifegiventoher.Bothofthemtookgreataliainheroldage.KingDimitrithought,

    “Howluckythesetwogirlsaretofindtheirmother.Sowhatiftheyareedbyblood?Whoismymother?CouldAmaliabemymothertoo,whogavebirthtome,isretedtomebybloodandwhosepedigreeIshare?”NaughtygirlDornabecameimpatientatKingDimitriforlosinghimselfinreverieforsolong.Shewalkeduptothethroneandwavedherhandsbeforehiseyes.KingDimitrididnotrespond.QueenAishaquicklypulledheraway,whispering

    “Don’tdisturbKingDimitri.Heisvulnerabletointerruptionsatthispoint.”

    12

    KingDimitricametoagardenthatseemedfamiliartohim.

    “I’vebeenherebefore”hethought,buthecouldn’trememberwhen.Fragrantjasminesclimbedalloverthefences,almostobliteratiructuretheygto.Redandwhiterosesandpinkhibiscusflourishedonthegroundbelowit.Thesetwospeciesofflowersbelongtotwodifferentclimatezones,butstrangelyenough,theyarebloomingtogether.KingDimitrilookedatthemassesrantgoldandsilverjasmineblossomsbeforehimandwaslostinthought.Heseemedtorememberasefromthepast.OnenighthehadgooseeDr.Elinaatherhouseforhiseyeexam.Usingherinstruments,Elinalookedilyintohiseyesatcle,almosttoughischeeks.Dimitriihefaiofherbreathahesoft,geouchers.Ah!Howhewishedtheclosetactcouldbeprolongedindefinitely,foreachsedofitrecious.HerememberedElinahadsilverbsoldenhairandsilverear-ringsohatnight.EliresponsiblebecauseitwasthemedicationshehadprescribedthatcausedDimitritolosehissightsoohanheshouldandturnedhimintoavictimofFate–ablindmaninthemundaneworld.Buthehilosophicaboutit.“It’sOk,Elina.Don’tbmeyourselftoomuch.IalwaysregainmysightintheKingdomofDreams.”

    Once,whenSamanthawasattheheightofhercareerasafamousiionalmodel,KingDimitrihadpresentedherwithabouquethtred,long-stemmedrosesafterashowandshehadaccepteditwithherownhands.Hehasetedaboutitfordaysonend.Samanthawastheredrose,brilliantaiful,butalsothornyandhardtotouch.Herexpressionwasalwaysaloof,buthersocialskillswereimpeccable–agile,flexibleandadroit.Alltherichpyboyadmirerswhoflockedaroundherwouldlovetohaveaceatintimacy,butwereafra

“ItisYoko.Thatwaswhatsheefirstmet.Butherdimplesaremorepronounowandthereforemorefasating.Shewasababy,abandonedonastreeter.Amaliatookherinandbroughtherupasherown.Amaliaisoldenoughtobehergrandmother,butYokolovesherlikeamotherandtakesgoodcareofher.YokoismarriediomygoodfriendRichard.Whewegobacktoourbakery,Ithinkitwouldbegreattogivethemaformal,livelyandcheerfulweddingparty.”

    othecherrytreeisacamellia,whereanirlisstanding,thelovelyanddelicateShei.Sheoor,homelessmegirlwhousedtobeateen-ageprostitute.Lefttofendforherselfatanearlyage,shewasfortoprostitutionandwastroduponbytheunderworldelementsofthestreetsandofferedlikeasacrifithealtaroffate.Amaliatookpityonher.Usinghermagicpowers,sheshrankthegirl’sbodytothesizeofafingerandswallowedherwhole,feelingherpassthroughherabdomenandreachherwomb.Thereshewasmadewholeandrebornwithanewbody.Hermenessdisappearedandshewasnormandpleteineveryrespecludinghervirginity,whichshenowprizedaboveallelseintheworld.LikeYoko,shelovedAmalialikeamotherandwasgratefulforthesedlifegiventoher.Bothofthemtookgreataliainheroldage.KingDimitrithought,

    “Howluckythesetwogirlsaretofindtheirmother.Sowhatiftheyareedbyblood?Whoismymother?CouldAmaliabemymothertoo,whogavebirthtome,isretedtomebybloodandwhosepedigreeIshare?”NaughtygirlDornabecameimpatientatKingDimitriforlosinghimselfinreverieforsolong.Shewalkeduptothethroneandwavedherhandsbeforehiseyes.KingDimitrididnotrespond.QueenAishaquicklypulledheraway,whispering

    “Don’tdisturbKingDimitri.Heisvulnerabletointerruptionsatthispoint.”

    12

    KingDimitricametoagardenthatseemedfamiliartohim.

    “I’vebeenherebefore”hethought,buthecouldn’trememberwhen.Fragrantjasminesclimbedalloverthefences,almostobliteratiructuretheygto.Redandwhiterosesandpinkhibiscusflourishedonthegroundbelowit.Thesetwospeciesofflowersbelongtotwodifferentclimatezones,butstrangelyenough,theyarebloomingtogether.KingDimitrilookedatthemassesrantgoldandsilverjasmineblossomsbeforehimandwaslostinthought.Heseemedtorememberasefromthepast.OnenighthehadgooseeDr.Elinaatherhouseforhiseyeexam.Usingherinstruments,Elinalookedilyintohiseyesatcle,almosttoughischeeks.Dimitriihefaiofherbreathahesoft,geouchers.Ah!Howhewishedtheclosetactcouldbeprolongedindefinitely,foreachsedofitrecious.HerememberedElinahadsilverbsoldenhairandsilverear-ringsohatnight.EliresponsiblebecauseitwasthemedicationshehadprescribedthatcausedDimitritolosehissightsoohanheshouldandturnedhimintoavictimofFate–ablindmaninthemundaneworld.Buthehilosophicaboutit.“It’sOk,Elina.Don’tbmeyourselftoomuch.IalwaysregainmysightintheKingdomofDreams.”

    Once,whenSamanthawasattheheightofhercareerasafamousiionalmodel,KingDimitrihadpresentedherwithabouquethtred,long-stemmedrosesafterashowandshehadaccepteditwithherownhands.Hehasetedaboutitfordaysonend.Samanthawastheredrose,brilliantaiful,butalsothornyandhardtotouch.Herexpressionwasalwaysaloof,buthersocialskillswereimpeccable–agile,flexibleandadroit.Alltherichpyboyadmirerswhoflockedaroundherwouldlovetohaveaceatintimacy,butwereafra