smiledateachother.Handinhand,theyleftthegreathalndwalkedintothemoonlight.

    Thekingandhisqueenwalkedhandinhandbythekeuheluminousmoolebreeze,thetwinklingwavesweavedatouagictothese.

    “Heydad,Iaskyouaquestion?”saidQueenAishabreakingthesilence.

    “Yesmom.Whatisit?”repliedKingDimitri.QueenAishahesitatedforamoment,butthendecidedtospeakout,

    16

    “Retly,Ihavefeltthatyouarenothappy.Youseemtohavealotonyourmind,asiftherewereveryheavyburdensonyourshoulders.AreyouworriedaboutStephanie’sdeathbedprophesy?”

    “Iwon’tsayit’spletelyduetoherprophesy”saidKingDimitri.Hethoughtforamomentandthentinued,“ButIhavetoadmitithasaffectedmypeaind.YoumustuandthatitwasIwhhtthebeautiestotheKingdomonebyohereisanydahattheKingdommightcrumbleanddisie,ImustbrioftheKingdomandbaundaneworld,beforecatastrophestrikes.Thisismyduty.”

    “IfStephanie’sprophesydoesnotetrueahinggowell,whatthen?”teredQueenAisha.

    “Won’tthatbeeveerstill?”ughedKingDimitri.“Weliveinbothworlds.UsetheKingdomasaresortandtravelbetweewill.”

    “Iamrelievedyouthinkofitthatway.Itsetsmymindatrest.Likeyou,IdonotdisbelieveStephanie’sprophesy,butherdoIbelieveitpletely.However,IhavemadeupmymindthatifStephanie’sprophesyestrue,Iwillnotgobaundaneworld.IwillliveahtheKingdodidnotkeepmyvowofchastity,butyoustillmademeyourqueen.Forthat,Iamgratefultoyoufromthebottomofmyheart.IwillstayonhereandguardtheKingdomnomatteratwhatcosttoprovemyeternalloyaltytoyouandtoexpressmydeepesttrition.”

    “No.No.No”interruptedKingDimitri.“Youmustnotdosoandshouldnotthinkthatway.YouarethequeenofthisKingdoso,Ihaveadream,oneperhapsthatImayneverrealize,butIneedyourhelpintrying.”

    “Oh?Whatdream?”askedQueenAisha,quiteastoellmeaboutit.”KingDimitriwassilentforamoment,andthenhesaid,

    “Ihavealwaysthoughtthatweareallfromthemundaneworldandthereforeshouldreturnthereintheend.”Hewasagaiforamomentbeforetinuing,“Youhaveseenwithyourowhatwhimsandaspirationsofpeopleindomgetheexternalworld,buttheexternalworldotgeone’sinternalworldbecauseeveryoneherehastheKingdomofDreamsintheirhearts.domisfullofpeace,lightandtranquility.Ourpeopleotbeinflueheoutsideworld,buttheygeitwiththeirwhimsandaspirations.Ifwebringthismagiovelpowerbaundaneworld,wouldn’tthatbethesameasifwetooktheKingdomofDreamsbackthere,too?Webuildanotherbeautiful,newworldthereinthemundaneworld.Ifreadthisspectacurideatoeveryeroftheearth,itwouldbelikerestrugabeautifulnewworldoh.”

    “Ohgood!Good!Thatwouldreallybegreat!”excimedQueenAishahappily,throwingherselfintoKingDimitri’sarms.ButKingDimitrisighedandsaid,

    “Thismayonlybeadreamthatotberealized.Butdon’tweallhavedreamswepursueinthisworld?Aren’twealllivingforadreamouldetrue?”

    16

    “Yes.Solongaswehavedreams,thereisalwaysthepossibilitywewillrealizethem.”Theroyalcouplestrolledhandinhandbythekesideuhetranquilmoonlight.

    Suddenly,theyheardrunningfootstepsbehindthemandagirl’svoicewassaying,

    “Waitforme!Waitforme!Youguysjusttookoffamebehind.That’sreallytooselfishofyou!”KingDimitriandQueenAishaturnedaroundandsawitwasn

smiledateachother.Handinhand,theyleftthegreathalndwalkedintothemoonlight.

    Thekingandhisqueenwalkedhandinhandbythekeuheluminousmoolebreeze,thetwinklingwavesweavedatouagictothese.

    “Heydad,Iaskyouaquestion?”saidQueenAishabreakingthesilence.

    “Yesmom.Whatisit?”repliedKingDimitri.QueenAishahesitatedforamoment,butthendecidedtospeakout,

    16

    “Retly,Ihavefeltthatyouarenothappy.Youseemtohavealotonyourmind,asiftherewereveryheavyburdensonyourshoulders.AreyouworriedaboutStephanie’sdeathbedprophesy?”

    “Iwon’tsayit’spletelyduetoherprophesy”saidKingDimitri.Hethoughtforamomentandthentinued,“ButIhavetoadmitithasaffectedmypeaind.YoumustuandthatitwasIwhhtthebeautiestotheKingdomonebyohereisanydahattheKingdommightcrumbleanddisie,ImustbrioftheKingdomandbaundaneworld,beforecatastrophestrikes.Thisismyduty.”

    “IfStephanie’sprophesydoesnotetrueahinggowell,whatthen?”teredQueenAisha.

    “Won’tthatbeeveerstill?”ughedKingDimitri.“Weliveinbothworlds.UsetheKingdomasaresortandtravelbetweewill.”

    “Iamrelievedyouthinkofitthatway.Itsetsmymindatrest.Likeyou,IdonotdisbelieveStephanie’sprophesy,butherdoIbelieveitpletely.However,IhavemadeupmymindthatifStephanie’sprophesyestrue,Iwillnotgobaundaneworld.IwillliveahtheKingdodidnotkeepmyvowofchastity,butyoustillmademeyourqueen.Forthat,Iamgratefultoyoufromthebottomofmyheart.IwillstayonhereandguardtheKingdomnomatteratwhatcosttoprovemyeternalloyaltytoyouandtoexpressmydeepesttrition.”

    “No.No.No”interruptedKingDimitri.“Youmustnotdosoandshouldnotthinkthatway.YouarethequeenofthisKingdoso,Ihaveadream,oneperhapsthatImayneverrealize,butIneedyourhelpintrying.”

    “Oh?Whatdream?”askedQueenAisha,quiteastoellmeaboutit.”KingDimitriwassilentforamoment,andthenhesaid,

    “Ihavealwaysthoughtthatweareallfromthemundaneworldandthereforeshouldreturnthereintheend.”Hewasagaiforamomentbeforetinuing,“Youhaveseenwithyourowhatwhimsandaspirationsofpeopleindomgetheexternalworld,buttheexternalworldotgeone’sinternalworldbecauseeveryoneherehastheKingdomofDreamsintheirhearts.domisfullofpeace,lightandtranquility.Ourpeopleotbeinflueheoutsideworld,buttheygeitwiththeirwhimsandaspirations.Ifwebringthismagiovelpowerbaundaneworld,wouldn’tthatbethesameasifwetooktheKingdomofDreamsbackthere,too?Webuildanotherbeautiful,newworldthereinthemundaneworld.Ifreadthisspectacurideatoeveryeroftheearth,itwouldbelikerestrugabeautifulnewworldoh.”

    “Ohgood!Good!Thatwouldreallybegreat!”excimedQueenAishahappily,throwingherselfintoKingDimitri’sarms.ButKingDimitrisighedandsaid,

    “Thismayonlybeadreamthatotberealized.Butdon’tweallhavedreamswepursueinthisworld?Aren’twealllivingforadreamouldetrue?”

    16

    “Yes.Solongaswehavedreams,thereisalwaysthepossibilitywewillrealizethem.”Theroyalcouplestrolledhandinhandbythekesideuhetranquilmoonlight.

    Suddenly,theyheardrunningfootstepsbehindthemandagirl’svoicewassaying,

    “Waitforme!Waitforme!Youguysjusttookoffamebehind.That’sreallytooselfishofyou!”KingDimitriandQueenAishaturnedaroundandsawitwasn