ghttowardsthemandturohumanform.ItwasWhiteFairywhowalkedoverandboweddeeplytoAishainsalutation.

    “Hi,WhiteFairy”saidAisha.“Isawyoubusygoingtoandfrothesedays.What’shappening?”

    “LargeveinsofironorehavebeenfoundaivechieftainsareeagertomeetwithDeannaanddecidehowtogoforwardwiththisproject.”

    “Good!”saidAisha.“Thisisaveryimportantandmusthavefirstpriority.Gothereatonce,Deanna.TakeKingDimitri’sLightningsoyouwon’thavetoclimbupmountainsandsailoverwateranditwillsavetimeaswell.”Deannatookherleaveainahurry.WhiteFairythenturoAishaandsaid,

    “IwouldliketogototheoppositeshoreandvisitLotus.Ihaven’tseenherforawhileandwonderhowsheisdoing.”Aishanoddedandsaid,

    “Good.Givehermyregardsandaskhertoeandvisitthissideoftheke.Itoowouldliketoseeher.”AfterWhiteFairytookherleave,AishaturoDornaandasked,

    6

    “Noouldyouliketodo?ewithmeanddosomehomework.Doyouwanttodomathorrecitesomepoetry?”

    “Idon’twanttodohomework”poutedDorna,makingafaceatAisha.“Ihavemyownpnsformytime”Sayingso,shetookthebroomaasawalkingstickthewayAmaliausedtoandwalkedaway.AishawatchedDorna’sregfigurewithmaterioionshipwiththeyounggirlwasascloseasmotheranddaughter.

    AtthebackoftheGreatHall,therewasadoorosideleadingtoasidehall,whereKingDimitrioftenhelddlelightbas.Sometimeonmoonlitnightsevendlesweresuperfluous.Everyonewouldbaskinthemoonlightsinging,drinkingaingpoems.Butsuchpoetiightbashaven’tbeenheldforalongtime.hewindow,therewasalongtablewherethebeautiesoftencameforbreakfast,andtoseeeachotherandsocialize.AishawalkedintothesidehalndfoundMegandrinkingcoffeewhileflippingthroughsomemagazines.WhenMegansawAishaein,sheimmediatelystoodupatattention.

    “Pleasebeseated”saidAisha.“Rexanddon’tbesoformal.Itmakesmefeesifwearenotascloseanymore.”

    “No.No.”repliedMegan.“Thisistherespectwemustgiveourqueen.”ShedidnotsitdownagainuntilAishawasseated.Theattendantbroughtssoffreshlysqueezedejuice,avegetablesadandafewpiethatAishahadorderedforherbreakfastthedaybefore.Aftertheattenda,Aishaasked,“Iseverythinggoingwell?”

    “Yes.Everythingisgoingsmoothly.”Thenshefrownedandadded,“ButtherewasastrangehappeningIfottotellyouabout.”

    “Oh,whatisit?”

    “Doyourememberthereisasmallsecretroomatthebackofthergeferenwhereonlyauthorizedpersonnereallowedtogoin?Itaketwelveassistantsthereeverynighttoputfreshsoarofthegodofwealth.Thesarealwaysadozenfresheggs.Ipcethemoarandtakeawaythosepcedtherethenightbefore.Theoakeawayareextremelylightasonlyayshellremained,soallbelievethegodofwealthisalive.Thatday,Iwentinasusualbutfouueofthegodofwealthgohestatueisextremelywellmadeandverylifelike.Butitismadeofmudandwaterafteralndcouldhardlyhavewalkedoffbyitself!Ididnotthinkmuchofitatthetime,butnowthatIthinkofit;it’sratherstrange,isn’tit?”

    “IhaveheardKingDimitritalkaboutthestatue”repliedAisha,feelingherheartlurchatMegan’stale.“HetoldmeitwasexquisitelymadeandthatitwasdressediumeandcuplikecapofthegDynasty.KingDimitrisaidhewasgreatlyinspiredbythestatueandthatthoseinspirationswereinstrumentalinbuildinguphisvastfinancialempire

ghttowardsthemandturohumanform.ItwasWhiteFairywhowalkedoverandboweddeeplytoAishainsalutation.

    “Hi,WhiteFairy”saidAisha.“Isawyoubusygoingtoandfrothesedays.What’shappening?”

    “LargeveinsofironorehavebeenfoundaivechieftainsareeagertomeetwithDeannaanddecidehowtogoforwardwiththisproject.”

    “Good!”saidAisha.“Thisisaveryimportantandmusthavefirstpriority.Gothereatonce,Deanna.TakeKingDimitri’sLightningsoyouwon’thavetoclimbupmountainsandsailoverwateranditwillsavetimeaswell.”Deannatookherleaveainahurry.WhiteFairythenturoAishaandsaid,

    “IwouldliketogototheoppositeshoreandvisitLotus.Ihaven’tseenherforawhileandwonderhowsheisdoing.”Aishanoddedandsaid,

    “Good.Givehermyregardsandaskhertoeandvisitthissideoftheke.Itoowouldliketoseeher.”AfterWhiteFairytookherleave,AishaturoDornaandasked,

    6

    “Noouldyouliketodo?ewithmeanddosomehomework.Doyouwanttodomathorrecitesomepoetry?”

    “Idon’twanttodohomework”poutedDorna,makingafaceatAisha.“Ihavemyownpnsformytime”Sayingso,shetookthebroomaasawalkingstickthewayAmaliausedtoandwalkedaway.AishawatchedDorna’sregfigurewithmaterioionshipwiththeyounggirlwasascloseasmotheranddaughter.

    AtthebackoftheGreatHall,therewasadoorosideleadingtoasidehall,whereKingDimitrioftenhelddlelightbas.Sometimeonmoonlitnightsevendlesweresuperfluous.Everyonewouldbaskinthemoonlightsinging,drinkingaingpoems.Butsuchpoetiightbashaven’tbeenheldforalongtime.hewindow,therewasalongtablewherethebeautiesoftencameforbreakfast,andtoseeeachotherandsocialize.AishawalkedintothesidehalndfoundMegandrinkingcoffeewhileflippingthroughsomemagazines.WhenMegansawAishaein,sheimmediatelystoodupatattention.

    “Pleasebeseated”saidAisha.“Rexanddon’tbesoformal.Itmakesmefeesifwearenotascloseanymore.”

    “No.No.”repliedMegan.“Thisistherespectwemustgiveourqueen.”ShedidnotsitdownagainuntilAishawasseated.Theattendantbroughtssoffreshlysqueezedejuice,avegetablesadandafewpiethatAishahadorderedforherbreakfastthedaybefore.Aftertheattenda,Aishaasked,“Iseverythinggoingwell?”

    “Yes.Everythingisgoingsmoothly.”Thenshefrownedandadded,“ButtherewasastrangehappeningIfottotellyouabout.”

    “Oh,whatisit?”

    “Doyourememberthereisasmallsecretroomatthebackofthergeferenwhereonlyauthorizedpersonnereallowedtogoin?Itaketwelveassistantsthereeverynighttoputfreshsoarofthegodofwealth.Thesarealwaysadozenfresheggs.Ipcethemoarandtakeawaythosepcedtherethenightbefore.Theoakeawayareextremelylightasonlyayshellremained,soallbelievethegodofwealthisalive.Thatday,Iwentinasusualbutfouueofthegodofwealthgohestatueisextremelywellmadeandverylifelike.Butitismadeofmudandwaterafteralndcouldhardlyhavewalkedoffbyitself!Ididnotthinkmuchofitatthetime,butnowthatIthinkofit;it’sratherstrange,isn’tit?”

    “IhaveheardKingDimitritalkaboutthestatue”repliedAisha,feelingherheartlurchatMegan’stale.“HetoldmeitwasexquisitelymadeandthatitwasdressediumeandcuplikecapofthegDynasty.KingDimitrisaidhewasgreatlyinspiredbythestatueandthatthoseinspirationswereinstrumentalinbuildinguphisvastfinancialempire