tshadhadenoughtoeatanddrinktheywouldfeelrightathome.CharinawasbusyiwheretheentigaromaofFrenionsoupstewingoovefilledtheair.Othersidedishessuchaskingcrablegsandlobstershadbeenboughtready-made.BeefsteakhadbeenmarinatedandwouldbereadytobecookedassoonastheguestsarrivedandCharinahummedhappilyasshepreparedafruitsad.DimitrisippedhisOolongtea.Onthecoffeetablewereanotebook,apenandavoicerecorder,forCharinawouldbeingsoontohearhimtellthestoryofthekingdombeyondtheblueskies.Hewaswwhereheshouldbeginthisplicatedandintricatetaleiedininnumerableways.Hethoughtforamomentandthenmurmured,“Yes,thatwouldbeagoodpcetostart.”

    Uhehazymoonandmistyfog,awispofsmokeflewoutofthedenseforest,ndingamidabedofflowersattheborderofthetreesandgedintoawhitelily.Inappearawasmuchthesameastheotherflowersandbloomedsilentlyintheirmidstuhegentlemoonlight.Themeanderingliheforestextendedindefiowardstheskies,wherethefppingofmightywingswereheard.Ahugesnake-hairedbckbirdwithahumanfaceflewdownfromonhigh,somersaultedwhenithegroundandgedintohumanform.Shendedhebordersoftheforest,hereyesseargalroundthesurroundingarea.

    “That’sstrange!”shethought.“ThisisthetimeaeFairyandIagreedo.Whyisn’tshehere?”Herpiergeyesiedeverywhiteflowerarouilshesawawhitelilyandsaidwithasmile,“eout!Ihavefoundoutwhichwhitelilyisyou.Ifyoudon’tshowyourself,Iwillpullyououtbytheroot!”Awhitelilygedintohumanform,ranswiftlytowardsMedusaandembracedheraffeately,throwingherlovelywhitearmsaroundMedusa’sneck.MedusaloweredherheadandkissedWhiteFairy’srosylips.Thetwoofthemstoodtherekissingandhuggingforalongtime,untilWhiteFairyutteredstranglingnoisesasifsheneededairtobreathe.HerfeeblearmspushedMedusaawayandgaveherawhiteeye.

    “Youarereallygreedy”shescolded.“YouhavesuckedoutallthearIhavebeengatheringforalongtime!”

    “Hm,”saidMedusaproudly.“Tobeabletotastethehoneymadebythegoddessofflowersherselfisreallythemostiimablepleasurebetweenheaveh!”SayingsosheliftedWhiteFairy’sbeautifulfacewithherhands,coveredthepetal-likelipswithherownandagainstartedtogreedilysuckthesweetar.WhiteFairydidnotmindandwillihehoneysheworkedsohardtocolletoMedusa’smouth.ThetwoofthemstoodmouthtomouthforalongtimeuntilWhiteFairypantedandoncemorepushedMedusaaway.Shebedthroughhertangledhairwithherfingers,gncedreprovinglyatMedusaandsadlyhungherhead.Medusawasgreatlysurprisedandasked,

    “Mybeautifulgoddess,issomethingwyou?Dimitri’snationaltreasures,themagicbowandarrowandthemagicswordareallbackwiththeirrightfulowner,safelystoredinyourtemple,InafewdaysIwillbebringingallthenativetribesbacktotheirbeautifulnd.Whyareyousad?”

    “I…”saidWhiteFairysadly,“Ithink…youandme…ourretionshiphasbeendiscoveredbyKingDimitri.”

    “Really?Whywouldyouthinkso?”

    “Trytothinkback…ThatdayjustbeforetheearthquakeandtsunamihappehoughtIheardLightningneighhappilyasifhehadcaughtsightofhisbelovedmasterwhomhehadn’tseenforalongtime.Thenthereeriodofretivecalmandquiet.AtthetimeyouandIweremadlymakingloveihoftheforest.Thenallhellbrokeloosewhehquakeandtsued.Whenthingsfinallysettleddown,IsawLightningf

tshadhadenoughtoeatanddrinktheywouldfeelrightathome.CharinawasbusyiwheretheentigaromaofFrenionsoupstewingoovefilledtheair.Othersidedishessuchaskingcrablegsandlobstershadbeenboughtready-made.BeefsteakhadbeenmarinatedandwouldbereadytobecookedassoonastheguestsarrivedandCharinahummedhappilyasshepreparedafruitsad.DimitrisippedhisOolongtea.Onthecoffeetablewereanotebook,apenandavoicerecorder,forCharinawouldbeingsoontohearhimtellthestoryofthekingdombeyondtheblueskies.Hewaswwhereheshouldbeginthisplicatedandintricatetaleiedininnumerableways.Hethoughtforamomentandthenmurmured,“Yes,thatwouldbeagoodpcetostart.”

    Uhehazymoonandmistyfog,awispofsmokeflewoutofthedenseforest,ndingamidabedofflowersattheborderofthetreesandgedintoawhitelily.Inappearawasmuchthesameastheotherflowersandbloomedsilentlyintheirmidstuhegentlemoonlight.Themeanderingliheforestextendedindefiowardstheskies,wherethefppingofmightywingswereheard.Ahugesnake-hairedbckbirdwithahumanfaceflewdownfromonhigh,somersaultedwhenithegroundandgedintohumanform.Shendedhebordersoftheforest,hereyesseargalroundthesurroundingarea.

    “That’sstrange!”shethought.“ThisisthetimeaeFairyandIagreedo.Whyisn’tshehere?”Herpiergeyesiedeverywhiteflowerarouilshesawawhitelilyandsaidwithasmile,“eout!Ihavefoundoutwhichwhitelilyisyou.Ifyoudon’tshowyourself,Iwillpullyououtbytheroot!”Awhitelilygedintohumanform,ranswiftlytowardsMedusaandembracedheraffeately,throwingherlovelywhitearmsaroundMedusa’sneck.MedusaloweredherheadandkissedWhiteFairy’srosylips.Thetwoofthemstoodtherekissingandhuggingforalongtime,untilWhiteFairyutteredstranglingnoisesasifsheneededairtobreathe.HerfeeblearmspushedMedusaawayandgaveherawhiteeye.

    “Youarereallygreedy”shescolded.“YouhavesuckedoutallthearIhavebeengatheringforalongtime!”

    “Hm,”saidMedusaproudly.“Tobeabletotastethehoneymadebythegoddessofflowersherselfisreallythemostiimablepleasurebetweenheaveh!”SayingsosheliftedWhiteFairy’sbeautifulfacewithherhands,coveredthepetal-likelipswithherownandagainstartedtogreedilysuckthesweetar.WhiteFairydidnotmindandwillihehoneysheworkedsohardtocolletoMedusa’smouth.ThetwoofthemstoodmouthtomouthforalongtimeuntilWhiteFairypantedandoncemorepushedMedusaaway.Shebedthroughhertangledhairwithherfingers,gncedreprovinglyatMedusaandsadlyhungherhead.Medusawasgreatlysurprisedandasked,

    “Mybeautifulgoddess,issomethingwyou?Dimitri’snationaltreasures,themagicbowandarrowandthemagicswordareallbackwiththeirrightfulowner,safelystoredinyourtemple,InafewdaysIwillbebringingallthenativetribesbacktotheirbeautifulnd.Whyareyousad?”

    “I…”saidWhiteFairysadly,“Ithink…youandme…ourretionshiphasbeendiscoveredbyKingDimitri.”

    “Really?Whywouldyouthinkso?”

    “Trytothinkback…ThatdayjustbeforetheearthquakeandtsunamihappehoughtIheardLightningneighhappilyasifhehadcaughtsightofhisbelovedmasterwhomhehadn’tseenforalongtime.Thenthereeriodofretivecalmandquiet.AtthetimeyouandIweremadlymakingloveihoftheforest.Thenallhellbrokeloosewhehquakeandtsued.Whenthingsfinallysettleddown,IsawLightningf