ng.

    “Let’sstophereforamomenttoenjoythiscoolbreezeahethisfreshair”saidDimitri.Charinastoppedbytheroadsideasrequestedainthejoyingthedrefreshingair.

    “Whathaveyoubeendoingwithyourselfthesestfewdays,Charina?”tinuedDimitriinaversationalvoice.“Youseemedtobeinahurrytogetme.IstheresomethingIcoulddoforyou?”

    “Doestherehavetobesomethingspecialformetoetoyou?’tIlookforyouifthereisn’tanemergency?”teasedCharina,herrgebeautifuleyesgngathimsoulfully.

    “Alright,alright,teasingaside,I’lletothepointquickly.Stimutedbyourtalks,Ihavebeenfloodedwithinspiratiofewdaysandmybrainhadrecovereditscreativity.Ihadposecludemyselffromtheoutsideworldandtaketwoweeksofftotrateonmywriting.ThismIdrovetothesupermarkettogetenoughgroceriesandsuppliesforthewoweeks.PerhapsIwastooexcitedandgotuptooearlybecausewhenIgottothestore,therewereveryfewcarsintheparkinglot.Isawawhitedoveflyingaroundintheblueskies.Itcircledabovemyhead,sometimesswoopingdowntoflyinfrontofmeasiftocatchmyattention..LookingcloselyIsaieceofwhitepaperinitsbeakaowasamessageforyoufromthatmysteriouspcebeyondtheblueskiessoIheldoutmyhandtowardsit.Thedovedroppedthepaperlettingitfloatdownontomyhandanditflewquicklyawaybacktotheblueskies.

    “Whatdidthenotesay?”askedDimitriurgently.

    “Takeiteasy.I’llreadittoyou”saidCharina,openingherhandbagtolookforthepaper.Shefounditandreadaloud:DearKingDimitri:Severaldaysago,DeannadivedintoourStar-Mooohersurpriseshesawthatoldpacewaspletelyuntouchedandwell-preservedsittingonaerbeachofthesmoothwhitesandatthebottomoftheshallowwaters.Shewasalsoveryfortuorecoveryicbowandarrowthereatthebottomoftheke.NowthetwonationaltreasuresarebaourhandsagainandIhavepcedtheminashriogetherwiththemagicswordinWhiteFairy’stemple.Thebarbariantribeswhooccupieddomhaveretreatedbacktotheirndanddoohaveanyaggressiveiions.Inafewdays,Iioleadourpeoplebacktoourbeautifulhomendagainsothattheycouldresumetheirtasksoffishing,hunting.Everythingwillbebaandourpeoplewouldagaiheirpeadharmoniouslife.Mydearmajesty,pleaseebacktdom.Yourpeopleareawaitingyourpresendleadership.SignedMedusa.”AfterhearingCharihelettertohim,Dimitrifellsilent.

    “IfIreturntotheKingdom,”hethought“Iwoulddisruptthepeadharmoniouslifeofthepeople,wholivesecludedfromtheworld.Whydon’tIjustpretendIhadneverbeenthereahemtotheirpeacefullife?Itwouldbeasifnothinghadeverhappehere,nopaoroyales,noloyalsubjects…Butoherhand,ifIdon’tgobayKingdomwillIbetenttoroamaroundinthismundaneworldasablindhomelessvagabond?Whatandwhereismyfiination?AmItoroamforeverinthismundaneworld,thisinfiniteuniverse?Orperhapsroamingismydestination.”Charina’sbeautifuleyesglitteredasshewatchedDimitri.

    6

    “ThefirsttimeIreceivedmessagesforyoufromthemysteriouspcebeyondtheblueskies”shemurmured,“ittoldyouthatZeus,thegodofheaven,waalktoyou.Thentherewastheseessagetellingofthenaturaldisastersofearthquakeandtsunami.ThistimetheytoldyouyoldpacewasintadyournationaltreasuresofthemagicbowandarrowhadbeenrecoveredandareinsafekeepingatWhiteFairy’stempleinthemountains.Don’tyouthinkthatthesethreele

ng.

    “Let’sstophereforamomenttoenjoythiscoolbreezeahethisfreshair”saidDimitri.Charinastoppedbytheroadsideasrequestedainthejoyingthedrefreshingair.

    “Whathaveyoubeendoingwithyourselfthesestfewdays,Charina?”tinuedDimitriinaversationalvoice.“Youseemedtobeinahurrytogetme.IstheresomethingIcoulddoforyou?”

    “Doestherehavetobesomethingspecialformetoetoyou?’tIlookforyouifthereisn’tanemergency?”teasedCharina,herrgebeautifuleyesgngathimsoulfully.

    “Alright,alright,teasingaside,I’lletothepointquickly.Stimutedbyourtalks,Ihavebeenfloodedwithinspiratiofewdaysandmybrainhadrecovereditscreativity.Ihadposecludemyselffromtheoutsideworldandtaketwoweeksofftotrateonmywriting.ThismIdrovetothesupermarkettogetenoughgroceriesandsuppliesforthewoweeks.PerhapsIwastooexcitedandgotuptooearlybecausewhenIgottothestore,therewereveryfewcarsintheparkinglot.Isawawhitedoveflyingaroundintheblueskies.Itcircledabovemyhead,sometimesswoopingdowntoflyinfrontofmeasiftocatchmyattention..LookingcloselyIsaieceofwhitepaperinitsbeakaowasamessageforyoufromthatmysteriouspcebeyondtheblueskiessoIheldoutmyhandtowardsit.Thedovedroppedthepaperlettingitfloatdownontomyhandanditflewquicklyawaybacktotheblueskies.

    “Whatdidthenotesay?”askedDimitriurgently.

    “Takeiteasy.I’llreadittoyou”saidCharina,openingherhandbagtolookforthepaper.Shefounditandreadaloud:DearKingDimitri:Severaldaysago,DeannadivedintoourStar-Mooohersurpriseshesawthatoldpacewaspletelyuntouchedandwell-preservedsittingonaerbeachofthesmoothwhitesandatthebottomoftheshallowwaters.Shewasalsoveryfortuorecoveryicbowandarrowthereatthebottomoftheke.NowthetwonationaltreasuresarebaourhandsagainandIhavepcedtheminashriogetherwiththemagicswordinWhiteFairy’stemple.Thebarbariantribeswhooccupieddomhaveretreatedbacktotheirndanddoohaveanyaggressiveiions.Inafewdays,Iioleadourpeoplebacktoourbeautifulhomendagainsothattheycouldresumetheirtasksoffishing,hunting.Everythingwillbebaandourpeoplewouldagaiheirpeadharmoniouslife.Mydearmajesty,pleaseebacktdom.Yourpeopleareawaitingyourpresendleadership.SignedMedusa.”AfterhearingCharihelettertohim,Dimitrifellsilent.

    “IfIreturntotheKingdom,”hethought“Iwoulddisruptthepeadharmoniouslifeofthepeople,wholivesecludedfromtheworld.Whydon’tIjustpretendIhadneverbeenthereahemtotheirpeacefullife?Itwouldbeasifnothinghadeverhappehere,nopaoroyales,noloyalsubjects…Butoherhand,ifIdon’tgobayKingdomwillIbetenttoroamaroundinthismundaneworldasablindhomelessvagabond?Whatandwhereismyfiination?AmItoroamforeverinthismundaneworld,thisinfiniteuniverse?Orperhapsroamingismydestination.”Charina’sbeautifuleyesglitteredasshewatchedDimitri.

    6

    “ThefirsttimeIreceivedmessagesforyoufromthemysteriouspcebeyondtheblueskies”shemurmured,“ittoldyouthatZeus,thegodofheaven,waalktoyou.Thentherewastheseessagetellingofthenaturaldisastersofearthquakeandtsunami.ThistimetheytoldyouyoldpacewasintadyournationaltreasuresofthemagicbowandarrowhadbeenrecoveredandareinsafekeepingatWhiteFairy’stempleinthemountains.Don’tyouthinkthatthesethreele