dusahadkickedopenthefrontdoormadeofsolidhardwood,whichfelltothegroundwithabang,andsherushedintothehouse.Theredbandaiedonherheadfelloff,freeingtheheadofserpent-hairtupinalldireshissingsavagely.CleverandintelligentlittleMaureenfollowedcloselybehindbarkingloudlyandangrily.OnelookatMedusa,theprotectoroftheKingdomintheDreamsandEmmanuelkhathewasnomatchforherbraveryandstrength.Hequicklywalkedbacktothebedroom,castaregretfundlonginggbeautifulCharinalyingnakedandunsciousonthebedandmadetherelutchoiceofretreat.Smashihewindowohim,heleaptintothebackyard,jumpeduptotheroofandquicklymadehiswayfromrooftoroofandsoondisappearedintothenight.Medusawaogeintoabird,flyupintotheskiesandcapturetheshamelessrapist,butthenshehadsedthoughts.Shedidnotwanttodrawattentiontoherselfandscaretheneighbors.ItwouldalsobeharmfultoDimitriwhowastryingtokeepalowprofile.Lightsintheneighbhousescameoerahadnotbeenpeacefulinthisneighborhoodidaysbecauseoftherapistandeveryonewasonhighalert.Medusadecidedtoleave.AftercupCharina’snudebodywiththelightbhebed,shestoopeddowntoMaureen,pattedhimontheheadandsaid,“Imustleavenow.Takegoodcareofyourmistress,uand?”Maureenbarkedtosignifyheuood.Medusaoncemorecoveredhersnakehairwiththebandanaandwalkedquicklyoutofthehouse.

    Medusawalkedquicklyawayfromthesesprintinglightlyaloeshehadefrom,inahurrytoreportbacktoKingDimitri.WhenDimitri,whowassittingalohesideoftheemptystreet,heardlight,firmfootstepsrunningswiftlyinhisdire,hekwasMedusaingback.Thesoundofhertreadtoldhimthatshecamebearinggdtidings.IndeedMedusasoonappearedbeforehimandbowedsaying,

    “Yourordershavebeencarriedout,yourmajesty.EverythinghasbeenstraighteandIsavedthebeautifulyoungwoman.”

    “Really!pened?”askedDimitricuriously.

    “It’snothingmulyapettyburgrwhobrokeintoaprivatehome.TherascalusedsomekindofpotiontorehemistressofthehouseunsciousandwasabouttorapeherwhenIarrivedandfoiledhisevilpnsjustinanie.Hehastilybrokeabadowandescapedthroughit.IwaorunafterhimandcatchthekhenIwasafraiditwouldscaretheneighbors,disrupttheneighborhoodandbringunwaentiontous,soIlethimgo.”

    “Right.Youdidright.Myphilosophyhasalwaysbeenteissuesintosmallonesandsmalloonothing”saidDimitri,endihematterhadbeenhandled.

    2

    “Butstraosay,thatrapistseemedtoknowme.WhenIrushedintotheroomhewasgreatlyagitatedtoseemeandimmediatelyturaindran.Hebrokeawindowandescapedwithoutlookingback.Hewasextremelyagile,jumpinguptotheroofandmakinghiswayfromrooftoroofasifhewereflyingandsoondisappearedfromsight.TheimeIseehimIwillcatchhimahebottomofthis”saidMedusastillgreatlyannoyed.

    “We’llseeaboutthister.Bytheway,couldyoutellmehowourpeoplearefaringintothedenseforestsandsteepmountains?”

    “Don’tworry,yourmajesty”repliedMedusainhighspirits.“WeevacuatedtoWhiteFairy’stempleacctoyourordersaasourterand.Wehavesetupguardsinthesurroundingforestsandmountainsaablishedstronglinesofdeferesistanyoffeion.Allyoursubjectsareuheirdeterminationtthenourselvesandexpandourpotential,waitingforthedaywhenyourmajestyreturnsandleadusoutofsteepmountainsandtroubledwate

dusahadkickedopenthefrontdoormadeofsolidhardwood,whichfelltothegroundwithabang,andsherushedintothehouse.Theredbandaiedonherheadfelloff,freeingtheheadofserpent-hairtupinalldireshissingsavagely.CleverandintelligentlittleMaureenfollowedcloselybehindbarkingloudlyandangrily.OnelookatMedusa,theprotectoroftheKingdomintheDreamsandEmmanuelkhathewasnomatchforherbraveryandstrength.Hequicklywalkedbacktothebedroom,castaregretfundlonginggbeautifulCharinalyingnakedandunsciousonthebedandmadetherelutchoiceofretreat.Smashihewindowohim,heleaptintothebackyard,jumpeduptotheroofandquicklymadehiswayfromrooftoroofandsoondisappearedintothenight.Medusawaogeintoabird,flyupintotheskiesandcapturetheshamelessrapist,butthenshehadsedthoughts.Shedidnotwanttodrawattentiontoherselfandscaretheneighbors.ItwouldalsobeharmfultoDimitriwhowastryingtokeepalowprofile.Lightsintheneighbhousescameoerahadnotbeenpeacefulinthisneighborhoodidaysbecauseoftherapistandeveryonewasonhighalert.Medusadecidedtoleave.AftercupCharina’snudebodywiththelightbhebed,shestoopeddowntoMaureen,pattedhimontheheadandsaid,“Imustleavenow.Takegoodcareofyourmistress,uand?”Maureenbarkedtosignifyheuood.Medusaoncemorecoveredhersnakehairwiththebandanaandwalkedquicklyoutofthehouse.

    Medusawalkedquicklyawayfromthesesprintinglightlyaloeshehadefrom,inahurrytoreportbacktoKingDimitri.WhenDimitri,whowassittingalohesideoftheemptystreet,heardlight,firmfootstepsrunningswiftlyinhisdire,hekwasMedusaingback.Thesoundofhertreadtoldhimthatshecamebearinggdtidings.IndeedMedusasoonappearedbeforehimandbowedsaying,

    “Yourordershavebeencarriedout,yourmajesty.EverythinghasbeenstraighteandIsavedthebeautifulyoungwoman.”

    “Really!pened?”askedDimitricuriously.

    “It’snothingmulyapettyburgrwhobrokeintoaprivatehome.TherascalusedsomekindofpotiontorehemistressofthehouseunsciousandwasabouttorapeherwhenIarrivedandfoiledhisevilpnsjustinanie.Hehastilybrokeabadowandescapedthroughit.IwaorunafterhimandcatchthekhenIwasafraiditwouldscaretheneighbors,disrupttheneighborhoodandbringunwaentiontous,soIlethimgo.”

    “Right.Youdidright.Myphilosophyhasalwaysbeenteissuesintosmallonesandsmalloonothing”saidDimitri,endihematterhadbeenhandled.

    2

    “Butstraosay,thatrapistseemedtoknowme.WhenIrushedintotheroomhewasgreatlyagitatedtoseemeandimmediatelyturaindran.Hebrokeawindowandescapedwithoutlookingback.Hewasextremelyagile,jumpinguptotheroofandmakinghiswayfromrooftoroofasifhewereflyingandsoondisappearedfromsight.TheimeIseehimIwillcatchhimahebottomofthis”saidMedusastillgreatlyannoyed.

    “We’llseeaboutthister.Bytheway,couldyoutellmehowourpeoplearefaringintothedenseforestsandsteepmountains?”

    “Don’tworry,yourmajesty”repliedMedusainhighspirits.“WeevacuatedtoWhiteFairy’stempleacctoyourordersaasourterand.Wehavesetupguardsinthesurroundingforestsandmountainsaablishedstronglinesofdeferesistanyoffeion.Allyoursubjectsareuheirdeterminationtthenourselvesandexpandourpotential,waitingforthedaywhenyourmajestyreturnsandleadusoutofsteepmountainsandtroubledwate