theoteringbrightasthesunwashisbelovedsonApolloandwaswwhotheimposingfigureonasnowwhitesteedridingbesidethesungodwas.Whentheyear,herealizedthatitwasKingDimitriwhomtheyhaven’tseenforalongtimeandasmilecametoKingZeus’normallysolemnface.HiseyessoftenedandhisexpressionshowedhisreliefatseeingDimitriwholeandunharmed.HethoughtDimitrilookedmagnifit,braveandheroicasever,belyingtherumorsthathisKingdomhadbeenoccupiedbybarbariantroops,hispaceburntandthathehimselfwasdestituteandhomeless,roamireetsofthemundaneworldasablindbeggar.Hewasgdthattherumorswereunsubstantial.WhenKingDimitricametothebigtent,hequicklyjumpedoffhishorse,walkedintothetentaonekneebeforehisliegelordsaying,

    “Yourmajesty,pleaseexcuseyourvassalDimitriforbeingteinansweringyoursummons.Iamnowhereforyoutoand.Pleaseletmeknowwhatyouwishofme.”KingZeuswasveryhappytoseethatDimitriwassorespectfulofcourtprotocol.Heughedheartily,andstoodupsaying,

    “KingDimitri,youandIarebothsns.Weareequalsoyoukome.Pleasestand.”SungodApollowasastouoseehisnormallysternanddighertreatanyonesopolitelyandgenially,whilyshowedhisfather’shighregardforDimitriinhisheart.Kiwindaughter,Charmaineainewhoweresnuggledbytheirfather’sside,lookedatDimitriwitheyesbeamingwithaffe.Hewasthemanoftheirdreamsandtheirhero.TheyhadbeenseparatedfromhimforsuchalongtimeandonlythepreseheirfatherprevehemfromshowingtheiremotionsandthrowingthemselvesintoDimitri’sarms.KingDimitristoodupasandedandKingZeussatbahisroyalthrone.

    “Ithadbeeedtomethatydomhadbeeninvadedandoccupiedbybarbariantroopsandyourpaceburntdown.Thesesoldiershadtheimpudeearofftheironcoveryouputoldpacesoitisonceagainglitteringandsparklinguhesun,outshiningmybronzepacehereintheseventhheaven.ThisissomethingIotpossiblyallow.Itoldmysontodrilndtrairoops,gettingthemreadyforbattle.Theywillswoopdownandobliteratetheseupstartbarbariansandatthesametimerestoreydomtoyou.Thetimingofyourarrivalisreallyexcellent.Iamputtingyouinchargeofmyarmy.Yougivetheordertoattadtheywillswoopdownandkilllthesebarbariansandappeasemyanger.”

    “MyKingdomintheDreamsisonlyatinypiedontheedgeoftheuniverse”saidKingDimitri,bowing.“IamanxiousthatundeservingasIam,yourmajestyhasseenfittobestowyourloveandfriendshipoIamalsoextremelygrateful.However,Imustbegyoutoresdyourorder.Annihitingthebarbariantroopswillcausesavageandbrutalbloodshedbothtotheenemyandtoourowntroops,whichissomethingIwouldliketopreventatallcost.Ihavealreadydevisedaporemykingdomanddrivethebarbariansbacktotheirownndwithoutsheddinganyblood.IalsomakethegoldpaGiantMountaindisappearfromthehorizonforever.Ibegyourmajestytotakebackyourorder.”

    “FatherZeus,”saidApollowhowasstandingby.“Ifitispossibletoaplishwhatwedesirewithoutbloodshedthatnaturallywouldbethebestwaytogo.SingDimitrialreadyhasapn,whyhimtry?Ifhefails,wealwayssendiroops.Whatdoyouthink,Father?”

    8

    “Areyoufidentthatyoucouldrecoverydomwithoutafight?”askedKingZeusdoubtfully.

    “Yes,yourmajesty,”repliedKingDimitri.“Tonightaftersuwhenthemoonfirstrises,Iwilldrivethebarbariantroopsbacktotheirownndandwi

theoteringbrightasthesunwashisbelovedsonApolloandwaswwhotheimposingfigureonasnowwhitesteedridingbesidethesungodwas.Whentheyear,herealizedthatitwasKingDimitriwhomtheyhaven’tseenforalongtimeandasmilecametoKingZeus’normallysolemnface.HiseyessoftenedandhisexpressionshowedhisreliefatseeingDimitriwholeandunharmed.HethoughtDimitrilookedmagnifit,braveandheroicasever,belyingtherumorsthathisKingdomhadbeenoccupiedbybarbariantroops,hispaceburntandthathehimselfwasdestituteandhomeless,roamireetsofthemundaneworldasablindbeggar.Hewasgdthattherumorswereunsubstantial.WhenKingDimitricametothebigtent,hequicklyjumpedoffhishorse,walkedintothetentaonekneebeforehisliegelordsaying,

    “Yourmajesty,pleaseexcuseyourvassalDimitriforbeingteinansweringyoursummons.Iamnowhereforyoutoand.Pleaseletmeknowwhatyouwishofme.”KingZeuswasveryhappytoseethatDimitriwassorespectfulofcourtprotocol.Heughedheartily,andstoodupsaying,

    “KingDimitri,youandIarebothsns.Weareequalsoyoukome.Pleasestand.”SungodApollowasastouoseehisnormallysternanddighertreatanyonesopolitelyandgenially,whilyshowedhisfather’shighregardforDimitriinhisheart.Kiwindaughter,Charmaineainewhoweresnuggledbytheirfather’sside,lookedatDimitriwitheyesbeamingwithaffe.Hewasthemanoftheirdreamsandtheirhero.TheyhadbeenseparatedfromhimforsuchalongtimeandonlythepreseheirfatherprevehemfromshowingtheiremotionsandthrowingthemselvesintoDimitri’sarms.KingDimitristoodupasandedandKingZeussatbahisroyalthrone.

    “Ithadbeeedtomethatydomhadbeeninvadedandoccupiedbybarbariantroopsandyourpaceburntdown.Thesesoldiershadtheimpudeearofftheironcoveryouputoldpacesoitisonceagainglitteringandsparklinguhesun,outshiningmybronzepacehereintheseventhheaven.ThisissomethingIotpossiblyallow.Itoldmysontodrilndtrairoops,gettingthemreadyforbattle.Theywillswoopdownandobliteratetheseupstartbarbariansandatthesametimerestoreydomtoyou.Thetimingofyourarrivalisreallyexcellent.Iamputtingyouinchargeofmyarmy.Yougivetheordertoattadtheywillswoopdownandkilllthesebarbariansandappeasemyanger.”

    “MyKingdomintheDreamsisonlyatinypiedontheedgeoftheuniverse”saidKingDimitri,bowing.“IamanxiousthatundeservingasIam,yourmajestyhasseenfittobestowyourloveandfriendshipoIamalsoextremelygrateful.However,Imustbegyoutoresdyourorder.Annihitingthebarbariantroopswillcausesavageandbrutalbloodshedbothtotheenemyandtoourowntroops,whichissomethingIwouldliketopreventatallcost.Ihavealreadydevisedaporemykingdomanddrivethebarbariansbacktotheirownndwithoutsheddinganyblood.IalsomakethegoldpaGiantMountaindisappearfromthehorizonforever.Ibegyourmajestytotakebackyourorder.”

    “FatherZeus,”saidApollowhowasstandingby.“Ifitispossibletoaplishwhatwedesirewithoutbloodshedthatnaturallywouldbethebestwaytogo.SingDimitrialreadyhasapn,whyhimtry?Ifhefails,wealwayssendiroops.Whatdoyouthink,Father?”

    8

    “Areyoufidentthatyoucouldrecoverydomwithoutafight?”askedKingZeusdoubtfully.

    “Yes,yourmajesty,”repliedKingDimitri.“Tonightaftersuwhenthemoonfirstrises,Iwilldrivethebarbariantroopsbacktotheirownndandwi