thefavorofhisleniency.AfterthatIwillseekmyrevenge.”

    “Whyareyousoperverseandwillnotetoyoursenses?Ileenseducedyou.ShewaouseyourstrengthtodefeatKingDimitriandusurphisKingdom.Shewasexecutedforhertreachery.WhathasthattodowithyouandKingDimitri?Whyareyouseekingrevehelegitimateexecutionofjustice?”

    “Talkingaboutthepast”musedCyclops,hisfierceeyesturnile,“Irememberbeingedinacavebyyouforalmostahundredyears.Itwasthehappiesttimeofmylife.DidyouthinkIdidn''''thavethestrengthtobreakthoses?Heavyandthickthoughtheywere,Icouldeasilyhavegottenoutofthem.IdidnotdosobecauseIwaswillingtobeyourprisoner.Youhuofeedme.YoulivedinthesamecaveasIdid.Youhealedmywoundswiththebloodins.Iwouldhavestayedinthecavewithyouforever.ItwasKingDimitriwhobrokeintothecave...Ifitwerenotforhisappearance,wouldyouhavestayedwithmeforever?”

    “Yes”Medusanoddedandsaid,“Iwouldhavestayedwithyouayoupany.Butsuchisfate.ImetKingDimitri.HeisthemasterIbeloyaltomywholelife.”Cyclopswasangry.

    “Iwaitedinthecaveforyouforalongtime,expegyoutoeback.Butyouneverdid.Ileeead.ShestoleKingDimitri’sswordaofreeme.Shegaveherbeautifulbodytome...ButKingDimitrihadherkilledbybeinghalfatthewaist.Atthetime,sheregnantwithmychild.Didn’tyoupeopleknowthat?”Hestoppedforamomentandthentinued

    “Sobeit.Iwillstiyownpn:paymydebtbeforeIseekrevenge.Iwillbeatthefootofthemountainatdaybreaktomorrowtoawaityourorders.Iwilldoanyhardworkassigometothebestofmyability.”Medusafelttherewasnothiobesaid,soshegedintoahugebckbirdandflewbacktowardsKingDimitri’space.HearingMedusa’sreport,KingDimitriwasdeeplyaffectedanddidnotsayanything..Hisfacewasstormyandhisheartheavy.”

    “Goa,yourmajesty”saidQueenAisha.“Youfoughtahardbattlethism.Goa.Iwillbeheretotakecareofthingsandmakesureeverythinggoesacctopn.”

    Whegotclosetoshore,Vioceasedrowingafloatslowlytowardsthebank.Shejumpedout,tiedittothereebrandrememberedtowashthedustandsoiloffherface.Thesunhadset,leavingapaleremnantofitsformerbrilliancebehind,ctheclouds.Whenshecametothepatchoftulips,Viogedherbodybacktoitsinalshape,closetoMr.Finger’sdimensionsandwalkedintothebedofflowersuntilshecametothewitheredtree.Brushingasidethedriedgrassclutterisofthetree,sheeheholeandclimbedup.Loudsnreetedherwhileshewashalf;andwheotheptformamidthebranches,shesawMr.Fingerlyingspread-eagledonherbedofflowerpetals,fastasleep.

    “Didn’tIsendhimtoscoutoutKingDimitri’spaeheisbacksosoon?Hashebeendiscoveredorhashebroughtbackgoodnews?”Shewalkedovertothebedandshookthelittlemanuntilhewokeup.

    “Howeyouarebacksofast?Anynewdiscovery?”Mr.FingerwasebeingsorudelyawakenedfromhisbeautifuldreamsandwasabouttoventhisaheculpritwhenheopenedhisdrowsyeyesandsawitwasVio.Hisaurojoyasheexcimed,

    15

    “Idon’tknowhowIcametobehere.IopenedmyeyesandfoundmyselfinKingDimitri’sdipidatedstrawhutbytheke.Ididn’twanttostaytheresoIcamebackhereihisismyhome.”

    “ThisisMYhome”saidViocrossly.“Sincewhenhasitbeeyours?”

    “Yes,itisyourhome”repliedMr.Fingersmilingcheekily.“Butwearemarriednow,soyourhomeisalsomyhomenow.”

    “Don’tinterruptm

thefavorofhisleniency.AfterthatIwillseekmyrevenge.”

    “Whyareyousoperverseandwillnotetoyoursenses?Ileenseducedyou.ShewaouseyourstrengthtodefeatKingDimitriandusurphisKingdom.Shewasexecutedforhertreachery.WhathasthattodowithyouandKingDimitri?Whyareyouseekingrevehelegitimateexecutionofjustice?”

    “Talkingaboutthepast”musedCyclops,hisfierceeyesturnile,“Irememberbeingedinacavebyyouforalmostahundredyears.Itwasthehappiesttimeofmylife.DidyouthinkIdidn''''thavethestrengthtobreakthoses?Heavyandthickthoughtheywere,Icouldeasilyhavegottenoutofthem.IdidnotdosobecauseIwaswillingtobeyourprisoner.Youhuofeedme.YoulivedinthesamecaveasIdid.Youhealedmywoundswiththebloodins.Iwouldhavestayedinthecavewithyouforever.ItwasKingDimitriwhobrokeintothecave...Ifitwerenotforhisappearance,wouldyouhavestayedwithmeforever?”

    “Yes”Medusanoddedandsaid,“Iwouldhavestayedwithyouayoupany.Butsuchisfate.ImetKingDimitri.HeisthemasterIbeloyaltomywholelife.”Cyclopswasangry.

    “Iwaitedinthecaveforyouforalongtime,expegyoutoeback.Butyouneverdid.Ileeead.ShestoleKingDimitri’sswordaofreeme.Shegaveherbeautifulbodytome...ButKingDimitrihadherkilledbybeinghalfatthewaist.Atthetime,sheregnantwithmychild.Didn’tyoupeopleknowthat?”Hestoppedforamomentandthentinued

    “Sobeit.Iwillstiyownpn:paymydebtbeforeIseekrevenge.Iwillbeatthefootofthemountainatdaybreaktomorrowtoawaityourorders.Iwilldoanyhardworkassigometothebestofmyability.”Medusafelttherewasnothiobesaid,soshegedintoahugebckbirdandflewbacktowardsKingDimitri’space.HearingMedusa’sreport,KingDimitriwasdeeplyaffectedanddidnotsayanything..Hisfacewasstormyandhisheartheavy.”

    “Goa,yourmajesty”saidQueenAisha.“Youfoughtahardbattlethism.Goa.Iwillbeheretotakecareofthingsandmakesureeverythinggoesacctopn.”

    Whegotclosetoshore,Vioceasedrowingafloatslowlytowardsthebank.Shejumpedout,tiedittothereebrandrememberedtowashthedustandsoiloffherface.Thesunhadset,leavingapaleremnantofitsformerbrilliancebehind,ctheclouds.Whenshecametothepatchoftulips,Viogedherbodybacktoitsinalshape,closetoMr.Finger’sdimensionsandwalkedintothebedofflowersuntilshecametothewitheredtree.Brushingasidethedriedgrassclutterisofthetree,sheeheholeandclimbedup.Loudsnreetedherwhileshewashalf;andwheotheptformamidthebranches,shesawMr.Fingerlyingspread-eagledonherbedofflowerpetals,fastasleep.

    “Didn’tIsendhimtoscoutoutKingDimitri’spaeheisbacksosoon?Hashebeendiscoveredorhashebroughtbackgoodnews?”Shewalkedovertothebedandshookthelittlemanuntilhewokeup.

    “Howeyouarebacksofast?Anynewdiscovery?”Mr.FingerwasebeingsorudelyawakenedfromhisbeautifuldreamsandwasabouttoventhisaheculpritwhenheopenedhisdrowsyeyesandsawitwasVio.Hisaurojoyasheexcimed,

    15

    “Idon’tknowhowIcametobehere.IopenedmyeyesandfoundmyselfinKingDimitri’sdipidatedstrawhutbytheke.Ididn’twanttostaytheresoIcamebackhereihisismyhome.”

    “ThisisMYhome”saidViocrossly.“Sincewhenhasitbeeyours?”

    “Yes,itisyourhome”repliedMr.Fingersmilingcheekily.“Butwearemarriednow,soyourhomeisalsomyhomenow.”

    “Don’tinterruptm