hebeautiestherewhohavebeeerstousandwhomwelovelikesisters.Wewillbeabletohavethebestofbothworlds.Father,pleaseallowusthislittlefavor!”ClementineandCharmaihatZeuswasinagoodandmagnanimousmood.Sotheytooktheopportunitytobegforafavor.TheywereecstatiZeussaid,

    “Siisso,Iwillgrantyouyourrequest...”TurningtoKingDimitri,hesaid,

    “You,KingDimitriseemtohavewon.Youhaveatleastwontheheartsofmybeloveddaughters.”Zeuswavedhisswordintheair.Thecloudyerthathadgatheredherefromthefourersoftheearthgraduallydispersedtobeeindividualcloudsandthehundredsofthousandsofsoldiersfloatedawayonthem.Innotimethecloudshaddisappeared.SodidZeusandhisente.AllthatwasleftwasKingDimitriandhismagichorseLightningflyingfreelyinthecrystalblueskiers.Howspacioustheuniverse!Howmagnifitthemountainsandkes!ButatthatmomentKingDimitriwasinnomoodtoenjoythembecauseinhishearthewasthinkingofhowtofulfillhispromisetoZeus:howtodestroythegoldpace.Adarkspotcameflyingtowardshimfromadistance.Asitear,hesawitwasnaughtygirlDornaridingonAmalia’sflyingbroom,flourishingargehatchetinherhand.KingDimitrimadeaVsignwithhisfingers.Dornauood.Shesmiled,immediatelyturnedaroundaflyingbackdowntothepace.FromafarcametheshoutsofthepeopleoftheKingdomapaheenthusiastidtriumphaingofdrums,astheirbraveandceouskingcamesafelyback,flyingatophismagicsteed,Lightning.

    KingDimitrifeltitstraDornawasabletorideAmalia’smagirightuptotheskiesandwonderedwhattricksthenaughtygirlto.ActuallyDornahadexamihebroommeticulously,lookingcarefullyateveryinchofit,tryingtofindsomeclueastohowtomakeitflybuttonoavail.Louderandloudershoutsandcmorfromthecloudyer,therollofdrumsseemedthertoa,togouptothecloudsandwithefierdearthshakingbattlefirsthand.Inafitoffrustrationandanger,Drabbedthebroomandwalkedthroughthesidehaluntilshecametothelittlecourtyardoutside.Pigupahatchet,sheshookitatthebroomsaying,

    “OK!IotseeapanelonyouthatIusetooperateyou.Youleavemenochoice.Ijusthavetochopyouuptoseewhatsecretyouhaveinside!”Sayingso,sheswuchetasiftomakegoodherthreat.Thebroomtrembledalloverandfloatedhorizontallyintheair,highenoughtoallowDornatogetonit.Intheworld,eachcreaturehasitsnaturalpredatorandtheflyingbroomwasonlyafraidofthehatchet.

    14

    “Soyouareafraidofthis,eh?”saidDornaandimmediatelystraddledthebroomsaying.“Fly!”Shepulledonthelonghailitfloatedatanupwardsntawoofthemshotintothesky.Sheexperimentedongoingup,ingdown,turningright,andturnihebroomco-operatedfullyandDorlikeanexperiencedpilotskillfullyflyierouspneeasilyaly.Dorraighttowardstheheavy,solid-lookingcloudyer,butbythenZeushadgiveowithdrawandthecloudyerdisiedintohundredsofindividualclouds,scatteringtothefourersoftheearth,soondisappearingfromsight.Zeus’formidablearmyhadalsodispersedwiththecloudsandvahoutatrace.DornacaughtsightofKingDimitrionhiswhitehorse,Lightning,flyingfreelyinthecrystalbluesky.ShesawhimmakeaVsignwithhisfingersanduoodimmediately.Sheturnedaroundaraightdowntowardsthepace,hurryingtobethefirstoelleveryohegoodnewsofKingDimitri’svictory.Butalso,WhiteFairywasbeforeheralready,retingthemiraculou

hebeautiestherewhohavebeeerstousandwhomwelovelikesisters.Wewillbeabletohavethebestofbothworlds.Father,pleaseallowusthislittlefavor!”ClementineandCharmaihatZeuswasinagoodandmagnanimousmood.Sotheytooktheopportunitytobegforafavor.TheywereecstatiZeussaid,

    “Siisso,Iwillgrantyouyourrequest...”TurningtoKingDimitri,hesaid,

    “You,KingDimitriseemtohavewon.Youhaveatleastwontheheartsofmybeloveddaughters.”Zeuswavedhisswordintheair.Thecloudyerthathadgatheredherefromthefourersoftheearthgraduallydispersedtobeeindividualcloudsandthehundredsofthousandsofsoldiersfloatedawayonthem.Innotimethecloudshaddisappeared.SodidZeusandhisente.AllthatwasleftwasKingDimitriandhismagichorseLightningflyingfreelyinthecrystalblueskiers.Howspacioustheuniverse!Howmagnifitthemountainsandkes!ButatthatmomentKingDimitriwasinnomoodtoenjoythembecauseinhishearthewasthinkingofhowtofulfillhispromisetoZeus:howtodestroythegoldpace.Adarkspotcameflyingtowardshimfromadistance.Asitear,hesawitwasnaughtygirlDornaridingonAmalia’sflyingbroom,flourishingargehatchetinherhand.KingDimitrimadeaVsignwithhisfingers.Dornauood.Shesmiled,immediatelyturnedaroundaflyingbackdowntothepace.FromafarcametheshoutsofthepeopleoftheKingdomapaheenthusiastidtriumphaingofdrums,astheirbraveandceouskingcamesafelyback,flyingatophismagicsteed,Lightning.

    KingDimitrifeltitstraDornawasabletorideAmalia’smagirightuptotheskiesandwonderedwhattricksthenaughtygirlto.ActuallyDornahadexamihebroommeticulously,lookingcarefullyateveryinchofit,tryingtofindsomeclueastohowtomakeitflybuttonoavail.Louderandloudershoutsandcmorfromthecloudyer,therollofdrumsseemedthertoa,togouptothecloudsandwithefierdearthshakingbattlefirsthand.Inafitoffrustrationandanger,Drabbedthebroomandwalkedthroughthesidehaluntilshecametothelittlecourtyardoutside.Pigupahatchet,sheshookitatthebroomsaying,

    “OK!IotseeapanelonyouthatIusetooperateyou.Youleavemenochoice.Ijusthavetochopyouuptoseewhatsecretyouhaveinside!”Sayingso,sheswuchetasiftomakegoodherthreat.Thebroomtrembledalloverandfloatedhorizontallyintheair,highenoughtoallowDornatogetonit.Intheworld,eachcreaturehasitsnaturalpredatorandtheflyingbroomwasonlyafraidofthehatchet.

    14

    “Soyouareafraidofthis,eh?”saidDornaandimmediatelystraddledthebroomsaying.“Fly!”Shepulledonthelonghailitfloatedatanupwardsntawoofthemshotintothesky.Sheexperimentedongoingup,ingdown,turningright,andturnihebroomco-operatedfullyandDorlikeanexperiencedpilotskillfullyflyierouspneeasilyaly.Dorraighttowardstheheavy,solid-lookingcloudyer,butbythenZeushadgiveowithdrawandthecloudyerdisiedintohundredsofindividualclouds,scatteringtothefourersoftheearth,soondisappearingfromsight.Zeus’formidablearmyhadalsodispersedwiththecloudsandvahoutatrace.DornacaughtsightofKingDimitrionhiswhitehorse,Lightning,flyingfreelyinthecrystalbluesky.ShesawhimmakeaVsignwithhisfingersanduoodimmediately.Sheturnedaroundaraightdowntowardsthepace,hurryingtobethefirstoelleveryohegoodnewsofKingDimitri’svictory.Butalso,WhiteFairywasbeforeheralready,retingthemiraculou