inmybackyardtoday…”Sayingsosheopenedherpurse,tookoutapieceofwhitepaperwhichshehaoDimitriandsaid“Hereyouare.”

    “Don’tfetIamblind”saidhesmilingwryly.“Iotsee.Pleasereadittome.”Charinatookoverthepaperandread,

    “MydearMajesty:TherewasargeearthquakeintheKingdomtheotherdaywhichcausedgreatgesih’scrust.GiantMountainhasbeentotallydestroyedandthegoldpaktothebottomoftheke.Thebarbariantribeshavedisappeared.Thisisagreatopportunitytore-establishdom.PleaseebacktdomandleadusinthisendeavnedMedusa.”Afterreadie,CharinasattherestaringatDimitri.Hecalmlytookanotherdrinkfromhisgssandsaid,

    “DoyourememberthefirsttimeIvisitedyouatyourhouse,Charina?ThatdayIwasverytiredandyouofferedmesomeverygood,rarewine,soIfelsleeponyoursofa…”

    “Yes,Iremember”repliedCharinaafteramomentofreminisce.“Imadeyouyourdinnerwhileyouweresleeping.”

    “ImadeuseoftheopportunitytovisitmyKingdomintheDreamsandfulfilledaveryimportantmission…”

    “What?Whatdidyoudo?ortantmission?”askedCharina.

    “I’lltellyouaboutitoneday.Nowisnotthetimetodoso.Oh,youjustsaidthatrapistlefthisclothesatyourhouse.Isthatright?”

    “Yes,thatisso.Thepolicetookthemasevideobeusedagainsthimshouldhegetcaught.”

    4

    “Mydearlittlefriend,doyourecallthestofthatman?”askedDimitripattiledog.Maureenbarkedloudlyandboldlyasifsayingfidently‘OfcourseIdo.Thislittlethingisnothingtome!’.”TurningtoCharinahesaid,“MayIborrowyourlittledogforawhile?Iwillreturnhimtoyoubynightfall.Ineedhisstrongsenseofsmelltoleadmetotherapistwhotriedtoattackyou.Ialktothemface-to-faordertosettletheoldscorebetweenusanduhedeadknot.IdidnotexpectthemtomovesofastandIaminsedthattheychoseyouasthetargetoftheirrevenge…IneverdreamedthatthetimediffereweentheKingdomofDreamsandthemundaneworldweliveinissogreat.It’sreallyhardtocalcute.Butwehavenotimeforthatnowandwillleavetheproblemfortheastrophysiciststosolve.Wemusttrateonsolvingourimmediateproblems.”Charinaopenedhereyeswideasifabouttoaskanotherquestionbutdidnotquiteknowwhattoask.Dimitritinued,“Iottellyouthepletestoryjustyet.Pleasegobaeandwaitforme.Iwillreturnytoyoubynightfall.”

    Thewindwashowlinginthemountains.Bythesheercliffthebarbarianshadpiledupmoundsofrattan-likevineswhichCyclopsformedintoatough,thickrope.Hetiedoneendofitaroundahugetreebythecliffwhichrequiresseveralpeopletogethertoembrace.Theotherendwasedaroundanenormousstoneweighingseveralhundredpounds.Cyclopsraisedthestohhishugearmsandthrewitdowntheabyss.Onitswaydowohroughthetreesandbushesthatgrewonthesideofthecliffgivingoffaloudrustlingnoise,andgedandcrashedasitimpactedtheprotrudingrocks.Thelongropesliddownwardsquicklywiththestone.Finallyafteranintermi,camethefinalboomasthestoroandcametoastop.Cyclopstriedtuggingattherope,whichwasjustlongenoughandytofinditintadhadnotbrokenonitswaydown.Viowavedthebarbariansawaysaying,

    “Gobadguardmybelovedgoldpace.SeethatnoharmestoitorelseIwillcutoffallyourheadswhenIeback.”Hersubjectsbowedinsubmissionsa.CyclopstookDimitri’smagicbow,hisquiverfullofsharparroutthembehindhisback.Viothenturnedherselfintoatin

inmybackyardtoday…”Sayingsosheopenedherpurse,tookoutapieceofwhitepaperwhichshehaoDimitriandsaid“Hereyouare.”

    “Don’tfetIamblind”saidhesmilingwryly.“Iotsee.Pleasereadittome.”Charinatookoverthepaperandread,

    “MydearMajesty:TherewasargeearthquakeintheKingdomtheotherdaywhichcausedgreatgesih’scrust.GiantMountainhasbeentotallydestroyedandthegoldpaktothebottomoftheke.Thebarbariantribeshavedisappeared.Thisisagreatopportunitytore-establishdom.PleaseebacktdomandleadusinthisendeavnedMedusa.”Afterreadie,CharinasattherestaringatDimitri.Hecalmlytookanotherdrinkfromhisgssandsaid,

    “DoyourememberthefirsttimeIvisitedyouatyourhouse,Charina?ThatdayIwasverytiredandyouofferedmesomeverygood,rarewine,soIfelsleeponyoursofa…”

    “Yes,Iremember”repliedCharinaafteramomentofreminisce.“Imadeyouyourdinnerwhileyouweresleeping.”

    “ImadeuseoftheopportunitytovisitmyKingdomintheDreamsandfulfilledaveryimportantmission…”

    “What?Whatdidyoudo?ortantmission?”askedCharina.

    “I’lltellyouaboutitoneday.Nowisnotthetimetodoso.Oh,youjustsaidthatrapistlefthisclothesatyourhouse.Isthatright?”

    “Yes,thatisso.Thepolicetookthemasevideobeusedagainsthimshouldhegetcaught.”

    4

    “Mydearlittlefriend,doyourecallthestofthatman?”askedDimitripattiledog.Maureenbarkedloudlyandboldlyasifsayingfidently‘OfcourseIdo.Thislittlethingisnothingtome!’.”TurningtoCharinahesaid,“MayIborrowyourlittledogforawhile?Iwillreturnhimtoyoubynightfall.Ineedhisstrongsenseofsmelltoleadmetotherapistwhotriedtoattackyou.Ialktothemface-to-faordertosettletheoldscorebetweenusanduhedeadknot.IdidnotexpectthemtomovesofastandIaminsedthattheychoseyouasthetargetoftheirrevenge…IneverdreamedthatthetimediffereweentheKingdomofDreamsandthemundaneworldweliveinissogreat.It’sreallyhardtocalcute.Butwehavenotimeforthatnowandwillleavetheproblemfortheastrophysiciststosolve.Wemusttrateonsolvingourimmediateproblems.”Charinaopenedhereyeswideasifabouttoaskanotherquestionbutdidnotquiteknowwhattoask.Dimitritinued,“Iottellyouthepletestoryjustyet.Pleasegobaeandwaitforme.Iwillreturnytoyoubynightfall.”

    Thewindwashowlinginthemountains.Bythesheercliffthebarbarianshadpiledupmoundsofrattan-likevineswhichCyclopsformedintoatough,thickrope.Hetiedoneendofitaroundahugetreebythecliffwhichrequiresseveralpeopletogethertoembrace.Theotherendwasedaroundanenormousstoneweighingseveralhundredpounds.Cyclopsraisedthestohhishugearmsandthrewitdowntheabyss.Onitswaydowohroughthetreesandbushesthatgrewonthesideofthecliffgivingoffaloudrustlingnoise,andgedandcrashedasitimpactedtheprotrudingrocks.Thelongropesliddownwardsquicklywiththestone.Finallyafteranintermi,camethefinalboomasthestoroandcametoastop.Cyclopstriedtuggingattherope,whichwasjustlongenoughandytofinditintadhadnotbrokenonitswaydown.Viowavedthebarbariansawaysaying,

    “Gobadguardmybelovedgoldpace.SeethatnoharmestoitorelseIwillcutoffallyourheadswhenIeback.”Hersubjectsbowedinsubmissionsa.CyclopstookDimitri’smagicbow,hisquiverfullofsharparroutthembehindhisback.Viothenturnedherselfintoatin