sturheright,acrossthewideexpaheke,towardstheoutlineofGiantMountain,stretchedhorizontallyonthehorizon.Onthechestofthefallengiantroseanotherpacebuiltold.Uheraysofthesettingsun,thegoldpacewaseye-dazzling.ThegoldIhavebeheapedintoamountaindazzlinginitsgoldenmagnifice.Dimitribroughthisgazebathefarawayhorizon.HishandwasstilllightlycaressingLotus’silkenhairaifulskin,softassatinandsmoothasjade.Hisheartwasfilledwithaninexplicablesadness.Hethought,

    “EventhoughinmyKingdomofDreams,Ipossessfabulouswealth,intherealworldIhavefritteredawayhalfmylifeinaimlessdriftingandwandering.Irealizenow,tomydeepestregret,thatIhaveunsciouslywastedthegoldenyearsofmylife.EvenifIwerewillingtospendallthegoldIhave,Iotredeemasedofthetimethathasgoneby.Yes,youthhasvaimehasflownbyandotberetrieved.Springbreezeblowsohyearafteryear,butnomatterhowassiduouslythespringbreezeblowsorhowfertilethesoil,tendergreenleaveswillneverburstforthfromthewitheredbranchesofarotted,rootlesstree.”Lotus’softsmoothskincoveredDimitri’swholebodyandDimitrifeltasifhewerelyingonacloud,fettingevenhisowence.Heohetougofskinonskin.Thatsoft,smoothskinwaswarmandfresh.Dimitrifelthewaslyingbuoyantlyonacloud,floating,floatingtoafarahisheart,therewasalwaysthisinexplicablesadhathehadtrifledthroughthegoldenyearsofhislifeandthattodayhewaslikearootlesstree.Noamountbreezeailesoildudergreenleavestainonitswitheredbranches.Yes,try,tryagain;squeeze,squeezeagain;buttonoavail.Timeotberecoveredandyoutheagaihesungoesdownthehorizon,whenwhitehairgraduallyclimbupmyskull,theregretsiwillonlygrow.Inthismundaneworld,Ihavewastedhalfmylifeindriftingandwanderingaimlessly,squanderingmygoldenyears.Thenighttimeoflifewillsoonapproach.Let’shopethatinthenighttherewillbeafullmoon.ButIamonlyawitheredtree,standingalohekeside.Uhemoon,theglisteningwavesofthekeshimmerinsilverysplendor.Mysilverhairisruffledbythespringbreeze.Ah!Don’tthesilverywavesandmysilveryhairenhanceeachother?AlthoughIhavewastedmyyouth,brilliantasgold,Iwillnotfailtoliveuptotheremainingyearsofmylifewhosesparklingsheenisaslustrousassilver.Eventhoughthesunhassetandsankbeyondthehorizon,inmyabdomenasunhasriseleandgenial,givingofflight,silentlysendingoutitsresidualwarmth.Solongastheredsuninmyabdomeextinguish,solongasthespringbreezedoesnotstopblowing,oendergreenleaveswillburstfainonmywitheredtrunk.

    Justthen,Dimitri’scaressinghandstouchedthesensitivebudofthatspotbetweenLotus’thighs,butwaslightlypushedawaybyanentlehand.Dimitriopenedhiseyesandlookedatherquestioningly.

    “Whydoyourefuseme?”Lotussatup,smoothedherruffledhair,puthersofthandintohisandsaid,

    “ItisnotthatIwanttorefuseyou,KingDimitri.YoushouldknowhowmuchIwanttodevotemyfleshbodytoyou,buttherearesomaiesintheKingdomwhoallwishtogainyourroyalfavor.Ihaveheardthattoomuchexpendingofaman’ssemenisharmfultohishealthandmayevenshortenhislifespan.Iwantyoutosafeguardyourprecioussemen.Asforme,Ibelongtoyoubodyandsoul.Whetherwemakeloveornotisthereforeinsequential.”Dimitriwasgreatlymovedbyherwordsandafeelingofwarmthfilledhisheartasifamyr

sturheright,acrossthewideexpaheke,towardstheoutlineofGiantMountain,stretchedhorizontallyonthehorizon.Onthechestofthefallengiantroseanotherpacebuiltold.Uheraysofthesettingsun,thegoldpacewaseye-dazzling.ThegoldIhavebeheapedintoamountaindazzlinginitsgoldenmagnifice.Dimitribroughthisgazebathefarawayhorizon.HishandwasstilllightlycaressingLotus’silkenhairaifulskin,softassatinandsmoothasjade.Hisheartwasfilledwithaninexplicablesadness.Hethought,

    “EventhoughinmyKingdomofDreams,Ipossessfabulouswealth,intherealworldIhavefritteredawayhalfmylifeinaimlessdriftingandwandering.Irealizenow,tomydeepestregret,thatIhaveunsciouslywastedthegoldenyearsofmylife.EvenifIwerewillingtospendallthegoldIhave,Iotredeemasedofthetimethathasgoneby.Yes,youthhasvaimehasflownbyandotberetrieved.Springbreezeblowsohyearafteryear,butnomatterhowassiduouslythespringbreezeblowsorhowfertilethesoil,tendergreenleaveswillneverburstforthfromthewitheredbranchesofarotted,rootlesstree.”Lotus’softsmoothskincoveredDimitri’swholebodyandDimitrifeltasifhewerelyingonacloud,fettingevenhisowence.Heohetougofskinonskin.Thatsoft,smoothskinwaswarmandfresh.Dimitrifelthewaslyingbuoyantlyonacloud,floating,floatingtoafarahisheart,therewasalwaysthisinexplicablesadhathehadtrifledthroughthegoldenyearsofhislifeandthattodayhewaslikearootlesstree.Noamountbreezeailesoildudergreenleavestainonitswitheredbranches.Yes,try,tryagain;squeeze,squeezeagain;buttonoavail.Timeotberecoveredandyoutheagaihesungoesdownthehorizon,whenwhitehairgraduallyclimbupmyskull,theregretsiwillonlygrow.Inthismundaneworld,Ihavewastedhalfmylifeindriftingandwanderingaimlessly,squanderingmygoldenyears.Thenighttimeoflifewillsoonapproach.Let’shopethatinthenighttherewillbeafullmoon.ButIamonlyawitheredtree,standingalohekeside.Uhemoon,theglisteningwavesofthekeshimmerinsilverysplendor.Mysilverhairisruffledbythespringbreeze.Ah!Don’tthesilverywavesandmysilveryhairenhanceeachother?AlthoughIhavewastedmyyouth,brilliantasgold,Iwillnotfailtoliveuptotheremainingyearsofmylifewhosesparklingsheenisaslustrousassilver.Eventhoughthesunhassetandsankbeyondthehorizon,inmyabdomenasunhasriseleandgenial,givingofflight,silentlysendingoutitsresidualwarmth.Solongastheredsuninmyabdomeextinguish,solongasthespringbreezedoesnotstopblowing,oendergreenleaveswillburstfainonmywitheredtrunk.

    Justthen,Dimitri’scaressinghandstouchedthesensitivebudofthatspotbetweenLotus’thighs,butwaslightlypushedawaybyanentlehand.Dimitriopenedhiseyesandlookedatherquestioningly.

    “Whydoyourefuseme?”Lotussatup,smoothedherruffledhair,puthersofthandintohisandsaid,

    “ItisnotthatIwanttorefuseyou,KingDimitri.YoushouldknowhowmuchIwanttodevotemyfleshbodytoyou,buttherearesomaiesintheKingdomwhoallwishtogainyourroyalfavor.Ihaveheardthattoomuchexpendingofaman’ssemenisharmfultohishealthandmayevenshortenhislifespan.Iwantyoutosafeguardyourprecioussemen.Asforme,Ibelongtoyoubodyandsoul.Whetherwemakeloveornotisthereforeinsequential.”Dimitriwasgreatlymovedbyherwordsandafeelingofwarmthfilledhisheartasifamyr