ikeaseaofgoldendaffodils.KingDimitrirememberedseeingMaryforthefirsttimewhenshewasrunningtocatchherschoolbus.Justasnow,sheranwithhershiningandripplinggoldenhair,trailingbehihewind.ItwasamomentthatremaiampedinKingDimitri’smemory.

    12

    AloudspshcaughthisattentionandKingDimitrisawaslimgirlburstoutofthewaterandwalkonshore.Herwell-tonedbodyseemedtobenaturallyoiled,aswaterranoffherhairandbodylikepearls.SheisDeanna,asagileandquiderwaterasamermaid.Shecouldremainforthreewholedaysier,evensleepingonitssurface.Shewasborninthesepartsandgrewuphere.Likethenarcissusthatgrowsbythewateranddownatitsrefleallday,Deannaisshyandintrovert.

    MarystoodbyherthekesidewithWhiteFairyandNatalie.Allthreeofthemhadlonghairfallingtotheirwaist.Theirthreedifferenttrastingcolorsplementedeachotherandmadeaprettypicture.Anotherspshofwaterbroughtoutanirl–naughtyDorna.Sheraisedherarmandshowedthemthergecarpshehadaught.Sheputdowthewater,butjustasitwasabouttoswimaway,shecaughtitagainbyitstail.Shedidthisseveraltimes,lettingitgoauringituntilthepoorfishwrithedandstruggledfuriously.Intheend,sheletitgoandthefishshehadteasedtofrenzyslinkedaway.Dornawalkedonshore.Shehadnopatiehlonghair,soshekeptitshort,lettingitframeherlovelyface,muchlikeacy.

    Notfaraway,theysawLotusstandingbeforeastrawhutholdingsomethinginherarms.Theysawherthrowitupwardsaethingflewhighintotheskylikeacloud.Lotushadbeenstayinginthelowlyandhumblestrawhutspinningallnight.Shepreferredthistolivinginstyleatthemagnifitpace.Shewaolivesimplyandquietlyclosetonature.Oh,shehadnotsimplybeenspinning.Allnight,shehadweavingacloudwhichsheisnowsendingintotheearlymskyandwatgitflitawayhigherandhigher.KingDimitrifelthisheartliftinhappinessandpride.“Ah!ThatismybelovedLotus.Ifyouarewillingtospeofyourlifeinthislovely,humblestrawhut,Iamwillingtogiveupmynomadlife.”KingDimitrigraduallywokefromhisreverieandlookedaroundatallthebeautiesaroundhiminthegreathall.Thebeauties,meantime,haddiscoveredhehadwokenupfromhisdeepreverieandtheyalllookedathimsmilihought,“Imustestablishaparadiseohandcaremeticulouslyforeadeveryohesepreciousflowers.Iwillgivemylifetothisendeavorandwillevehemwithret.”

    KingDimitriwokefromhisreverieandbecameawareofthefactthathehadbehavedsomewhatoddlyandinappropriatelyfortheoccasion.

    “Sorry,everyone”hesaid.“Ijustsnoozedforalittlewhileandwoketofinditisalreadyspring.Thesuniswarmandalltheflowersareblooming.Rememberhowinthemundaneworlditwaswinter,coldandwindy.Insomepcesitwasevensnowingheavily.ButhereindomofDreams,springisintheairandalltheblossomsareflourishing.”

    “Didn’tyouknow”askedQueenAisha“thattheclimateintheKingdomgeacctoourwhims?Itbeanythingyouwantittobe.”

    “Really?”excimedKingDimitri.“Idon’tbelieveit!”

    “Ihavebeensobusythesestfewdays”saidMegginn“wdayandnightthatIneverrealizedtheKingdomofDreamshadsuchmagicalfuns!”

    “Ifyoudon’tbelieveme”smiledQueenAisha,“erimentonit.”Ilikesummer.Itinvigoratesme.”Allofasudden,theenviroseemedtoge.Treesandgrassturoadarkershadeofgreen.Thesunshhterandwarmer.Eveerinthekeseeme

ikeaseaofgoldendaffodils.KingDimitrirememberedseeingMaryforthefirsttimewhenshewasrunningtocatchherschoolbus.Justasnow,sheranwithhershiningandripplinggoldenhair,trailingbehihewind.ItwasamomentthatremaiampedinKingDimitri’smemory.

    12

    AloudspshcaughthisattentionandKingDimitrisawaslimgirlburstoutofthewaterandwalkonshore.Herwell-tonedbodyseemedtobenaturallyoiled,aswaterranoffherhairandbodylikepearls.SheisDeanna,asagileandquiderwaterasamermaid.Shecouldremainforthreewholedaysier,evensleepingonitssurface.Shewasborninthesepartsandgrewuphere.Likethenarcissusthatgrowsbythewateranddownatitsrefleallday,Deannaisshyandintrovert.

    MarystoodbyherthekesidewithWhiteFairyandNatalie.Allthreeofthemhadlonghairfallingtotheirwaist.Theirthreedifferenttrastingcolorsplementedeachotherandmadeaprettypicture.Anotherspshofwaterbroughtoutanirl–naughtyDorna.Sheraisedherarmandshowedthemthergecarpshehadaught.Sheputdowthewater,butjustasitwasabouttoswimaway,shecaughtitagainbyitstail.Shedidthisseveraltimes,lettingitgoauringituntilthepoorfishwrithedandstruggledfuriously.Intheend,sheletitgoandthefishshehadteasedtofrenzyslinkedaway.Dornawalkedonshore.Shehadnopatiehlonghair,soshekeptitshort,lettingitframeherlovelyface,muchlikeacy.

    Notfaraway,theysawLotusstandingbeforeastrawhutholdingsomethinginherarms.Theysawherthrowitupwardsaethingflewhighintotheskylikeacloud.Lotushadbeenstayinginthelowlyandhumblestrawhutspinningallnight.Shepreferredthistolivinginstyleatthemagnifitpace.Shewaolivesimplyandquietlyclosetonature.Oh,shehadnotsimplybeenspinning.Allnight,shehadweavingacloudwhichsheisnowsendingintotheearlymskyandwatgitflitawayhigherandhigher.KingDimitrifelthisheartliftinhappinessandpride.“Ah!ThatismybelovedLotus.Ifyouarewillingtospeofyourlifeinthislovely,humblestrawhut,Iamwillingtogiveupmynomadlife.”KingDimitrigraduallywokefromhisreverieandlookedaroundatallthebeautiesaroundhiminthegreathall.Thebeauties,meantime,haddiscoveredhehadwokenupfromhisdeepreverieandtheyalllookedathimsmilihought,“Imustestablishaparadiseohandcaremeticulouslyforeadeveryohesepreciousflowers.Iwillgivemylifetothisendeavorandwillevehemwithret.”

    KingDimitriwokefromhisreverieandbecameawareofthefactthathehadbehavedsomewhatoddlyandinappropriatelyfortheoccasion.

    “Sorry,everyone”hesaid.“Ijustsnoozedforalittlewhileandwoketofinditisalreadyspring.Thesuniswarmandalltheflowersareblooming.Rememberhowinthemundaneworlditwaswinter,coldandwindy.Insomepcesitwasevensnowingheavily.ButhereindomofDreams,springisintheairandalltheblossomsareflourishing.”

    “Didn’tyouknow”askedQueenAisha“thattheclimateintheKingdomgeacctoourwhims?Itbeanythingyouwantittobe.”

    “Really?”excimedKingDimitri.“Idon’tbelieveit!”

    “Ihavebeensobusythesestfewdays”saidMegginn“wdayandnightthatIneverrealizedtheKingdomofDreamshadsuchmagicalfuns!”

    “Ifyoudon’tbelieveme”smiledQueenAisha,“erimentonit.”Ilikesummer.Itinvigoratesme.”Allofasudden,theenviroseemedtoge.Treesandgrassturoadarkershadeofgreen.Thesunshhterandwarmer.Eveerinthekeseeme