hefeltasifshewasinasmall,solitaryraftbeingtossedaroundhelplesslyinanangryseaamidtallwavesandmightywinds,indangerofbeingswallowedupbythewavesanymiheskyseemedtobefallingdownsoCharinasqueezedhereyestightlyshut.Shecalmeddowninthefaideathahateternalsleepwasnotasfrighteningasshehadthought.

    Afterawhilethemoremomentousoftheearthquakesseemedtoslowdown.Theskyhadnotfallendownandtheshrillneighingofahorsebrokeintohersciousness.Sheopenedhereyesinsurpriseandusedherbinocurstosearchtheskiesabove.ShesawKingDimitrieflyingtowardsheronhismagichorseLightningthatfppedhismightywingsasheflewacrossthewideexpanseofblueke.Astheycameclose,Lightningsloweddownaeadilyonthebankoftheke.KingDimitridismounted,smiledatheranduheropeathiswaist.Charinacouldnottroltheexcitementandagitationinherheart.Shestoodupunsteadilyandtotteredtowardshim.KingDimitriopenedhisarmsandenfoldedherinhisembrace,pattihebacksaying,“It’salrightnow.Theworstisover…Youmusthavebeenfrightened.Ididn’tthinkitwouldbethatbadeither.IhoughtGiantMountainwouldbreakintoseveralses.Butit’sgreatthateverythingisalrightnowandhurt…”Hesighedandtinued,“AtleastIhavefulfilledmypromisetoKihegoldpacehasfallenintothekewaters.”HetookhisarmsfromaroundCharinaandpattedtheheadofhistwopettigerssaying,“Goodforyoutwo.YoudidareallygoodjobprotegmyguestCharina.IwillrewardyouteronwhenIhavemoretime.”KingDimitrirolledupthecoilofropeandputitbahishorseaightehestrapseghismagicswordoherfnk.Hehuggedtheneckofhisfavoritesteedandsoftlycaressedhismanesaying,

    10

    “ThankyouLightning.Ifitwerenotforyourquickthinkinginspringingupabovethewatertohelppullmeoutofthewhirlpool,Iwouldhavebeenpulleddownintothebottomofthekeanddied…NowwehavetopartforatimebutIamsurewewillbeseeingeachothersoon.Youmustgobaedusaforshewillbegreatlyworriedifyoudisappeared.Mydearfriend,adieu.Gobaedusa…”Sayingso,KingDimitritookafewstepsbacktogivethisuniquecreatureenoughspacetotakeoffintotheair.TherewasataderstandiweenthemagichorseLightninganditsmaster.Itknewinstinctivelythatthiswasnotthepceforthemtolinger.Fppingitswings,itsoaredupintotheskiesaowardsthemountainandforestsbuttursheadseveraltimestolookbackdownatKingDimitri,expressingitsrelucetoleaveitsbelovedmaster.

    KingDimitristoodbythekelookingtowardstherightattheGiantMountainwhichhadbrokenintoseveralses,someofwhichhadfallenintotheke,hiseyesrefleg,sorrow,paina.Hestoodinthecoldwind,withhiswetclothesgingtohisbody.Charinasaidsoftlytothetwotigers,

    “Goandfindsomedrystidilethembehindthefallenwall.It’snotwindythereastartafiretoletKingDimitrigetwarmanddryhisclothes.Goquickly.”Thetwoofthemimmediatelytookofftocarryoutherorders.Charinaranbacktothethroookupherbackpack,rummagingforthebottleofhundred-year-oldmaotaiwine.ShehaoKingDimitrisaying,

    “Heredrinksomeofthisoryou’llgetsick.Youarewetthroughandthrough.Thewinewillhelpyougetwarm.”Dimitritookthewineanddrankstraightfromthebottle.Awarmstreakwentfromhisthroattohisstomadhisbodyimmediatelyfeltwarmer.

    “Thisisthehundred-year-oldwineIhadbeenhforalongtime.Itisveryluckyforyoutofindth

hefeltasifshewasinasmall,solitaryraftbeingtossedaroundhelplesslyinanangryseaamidtallwavesandmightywinds,indangerofbeingswallowedupbythewavesanymiheskyseemedtobefallingdownsoCharinasqueezedhereyestightlyshut.Shecalmeddowninthefaideathahateternalsleepwasnotasfrighteningasshehadthought.

    Afterawhilethemoremomentousoftheearthquakesseemedtoslowdown.Theskyhadnotfallendownandtheshrillneighingofahorsebrokeintohersciousness.Sheopenedhereyesinsurpriseandusedherbinocurstosearchtheskiesabove.ShesawKingDimitrieflyingtowardsheronhismagichorseLightningthatfppedhismightywingsasheflewacrossthewideexpanseofblueke.Astheycameclose,Lightningsloweddownaeadilyonthebankoftheke.KingDimitridismounted,smiledatheranduheropeathiswaist.Charinacouldnottroltheexcitementandagitationinherheart.Shestoodupunsteadilyandtotteredtowardshim.KingDimitriopenedhisarmsandenfoldedherinhisembrace,pattihebacksaying,“It’salrightnow.Theworstisover…Youmusthavebeenfrightened.Ididn’tthinkitwouldbethatbadeither.IhoughtGiantMountainwouldbreakintoseveralses.Butit’sgreatthateverythingisalrightnowandhurt…”Hesighedandtinued,“AtleastIhavefulfilledmypromisetoKihegoldpacehasfallenintothekewaters.”HetookhisarmsfromaroundCharinaandpattedtheheadofhistwopettigerssaying,“Goodforyoutwo.YoudidareallygoodjobprotegmyguestCharina.IwillrewardyouteronwhenIhavemoretime.”KingDimitrirolledupthecoilofropeandputitbahishorseaightehestrapseghismagicswordoherfnk.Hehuggedtheneckofhisfavoritesteedandsoftlycaressedhismanesaying,

    10

    “ThankyouLightning.Ifitwerenotforyourquickthinkinginspringingupabovethewatertohelppullmeoutofthewhirlpool,Iwouldhavebeenpulleddownintothebottomofthekeanddied…NowwehavetopartforatimebutIamsurewewillbeseeingeachothersoon.Youmustgobaedusaforshewillbegreatlyworriedifyoudisappeared.Mydearfriend,adieu.Gobaedusa…”Sayingso,KingDimitritookafewstepsbacktogivethisuniquecreatureenoughspacetotakeoffintotheair.TherewasataderstandiweenthemagichorseLightninganditsmaster.Itknewinstinctivelythatthiswasnotthepceforthemtolinger.Fppingitswings,itsoaredupintotheskiesaowardsthemountainandforestsbuttursheadseveraltimestolookbackdownatKingDimitri,expressingitsrelucetoleaveitsbelovedmaster.

    KingDimitristoodbythekelookingtowardstherightattheGiantMountainwhichhadbrokenintoseveralses,someofwhichhadfallenintotheke,hiseyesrefleg,sorrow,paina.Hestoodinthecoldwind,withhiswetclothesgingtohisbody.Charinasaidsoftlytothetwotigers,

    “Goandfindsomedrystidilethembehindthefallenwall.It’snotwindythereastartafiretoletKingDimitrigetwarmanddryhisclothes.Goquickly.”Thetwoofthemimmediatelytookofftocarryoutherorders.Charinaranbacktothethroookupherbackpack,rummagingforthebottleofhundred-year-oldmaotaiwine.ShehaoKingDimitrisaying,

    “Heredrinksomeofthisoryou’llgetsick.Youarewetthroughandthrough.Thewinewillhelpyougetwarm.”Dimitritookthewineanddrankstraightfromthebottle.Awarmstreakwentfromhisthroattohisstomadhisbodyimmediatelyfeltwarmer.

    “Thisisthehundred-year-oldwineIhadbeenhforalongtime.Itisveryluckyforyoutofindth