Book2:KigdomIteDreams (第143/246页)

yfastifonlytheyhadlegs.KingDimitri’sloyalsubjectswhohadgatheredaroundthepace,escapedtothedepthoftheforesttogetawayfromitsblindingrays.Somesimplyjumpedintothecoolkewaterstomprotecttheirsafety.Medusa’slusterlesseyesseemedtohaveregainedsomeoftheirsplendor.Shewasimmuheblindingraysofthesunsandlookeduptowardstheskies.Aflyingarrowhitohetensuns,sendingitspiralingdowninaburstoffmetodestinationunknown,itsdazzlingradiainguished.MedusareizedthemagicarrowasbelongingtoKingDimitribecauseshehadoncebeenwoundedbyit.Soonanoldarrowhitanothersun,makingitburstinfmesanddisappearintooblivionsomewhereintheuniverse.Thegoldarrowthenflewbacktoitsowner.Medusasuddenlythought,“Yes!ThatgoldarrowmustbelongtoApollo,Zeus’belovedson.Itwashewhoshotmejustnow.”

    QueenAisha,whowashnearbyexcimed,

    “Oh!HohiteFairywouldebadreportonwhat’sgoingon!Thisckofinformationisreallygettingtous.Iwonderwhyshehasn''''teback!”Justthen,apuffofwhitesmokeflewintothegreathalnddroppedstraightintoKingDimitri’scrystalgoblet.WhiteFairydrankthewihirstily,parchedforliquid.Shelookedhaggardandwilting.Someofhertealshadbeenscorchedbckbythestrongsun.QueenAishawasveryhappytoseeherandimmediatelygotsomeclearcookwaterandsprioals.Thebeautiescrowdedaroundhereagerfornewsastowhatening.

    “Good.Icamebacktyouthetestnews,”WhiteFairysaidpanting.“ButletmecatchmybreathfirstandthenIwilltellyoueverything.”

    Ridingonthebackofhisflyingsteed,Lightning,KingDimitristreakeduptotheclouds.Hesawendlessnsofsoldiersalroundhim,figuredinpreciserows,theirarmhtandshiny,andtheirbearingsstrongandrobust.Hethought,

    “ThesemustbethecelestialhostsbroughtdownfromtheseventhheaveheKingofgods.”Inthemidstoftheseformidabletroops,twebanners,oingthesuherthemoon,couldbeseenflutteringinthebreeze.Behem,twochariots,onegoldonesilver,fhesidesofathirdcharierandmoreeboratelyequipped.Initstoodadignified,awe-inspiringandmajesticmiddle-agedgodwearingadazzlinggold.Byhisside,twinnymphs,youngaiful,weregazingatKingDimitriwitheyesbeamingwithaffe.KingDimitri,themasClementineandCharmaine,whohadstayedforatimeinhisKingdomofdreams.HeytoseethatCharmainehadnowattainedherownimage,butdidprudenttoaowledgethem.Witheyeslookingstraightahead,KingDimitrigallopedfearlesslyforward,stoppingatadistanKingZeus’chariot.Hebowedlowonhishorseandsaid,

    “Yourmajestymustbemyliegelord,KingZeus.IhadnoknowledgeIwouldbehavingthehonorofyourvisitandsoamteiningtoweleyou.Ihopeyouwillfiveme.”AsmileliftedtheersofKingZeus’lips,butitwashardtofathomitstruemeaning.Itheldatraceofridicule,buthealsoseemedtohavesomerespedappreciationforthislittle-knownrulerofasmallremotekingdom.Hesaidinaloudvoice,

    “Didyoueherealone?”

    “Yes,yourmajesty,”repliedKingDimitri,againbowinglowfromatophishorse.“Yourmajestyismyliegelord.Youefromfarawayintheheavenswithyhtarmytomyremoteandisotednd.MayIaskwhatordersyouhaveforme,yourmosthumblevassal?Pleaseletmeknow.”Zeusgaveaheartyughwhichstoppedabruptly.Hisfaceturernandaustereandsaid,

    “Good!Itisdaringandboldofyoutoeandfacemealone.Youhavetheoaskmepointbnkofmyi