sbuteverythinghastogoacctothewofnature,whiransded.Forexample,uhebrightraysofthesunclearkewaterturntosteamandgouptotheskiestobeeclouds.Whensaturated,cloudsdense,beerainandfalgaintotheearth.Suchisthewofnatureandisungeable.”

    “Iknowalboutthesesimplefactsofnature”saidDornaimpatiently.“WhatIwanttoknowisthesecrets”shestressed.“Youknow,likeintations,spellsetc.IwantyoutoteachthesetoVictoria.”

    “Mysecretistime.”

    “Time?Thisisjustemptytalk!”saidDornahaughtilybeginningtogetangry.WhiteFairykhisnaughtygirlbestubbornandunreasoheonlypeopleabletodealwithheratthesetimeswereKingDimitriandQueenAisha.Shethoughtforamomentandthensaid,

    “Letmeputitthisway,Victoria,andperhapsyouwilluand.Whenyouwerebornintothesekewaters,wereyouonlyalittlefly?”

    “Whyyes”noddedVictoria.

    17

    “Whenyouleftyourmother’sbody,wereyouonlyatinyegg?”

    “Yes.”

    “Whenyouwereinsideyourmother’swombyouwereatinyfishegg.Whatwereyoubeforeyouwereatinyegg?”Victoriacouldn’tanswer.

    “Atthattime,youwereonlyanabstracept,subsistiweeentandent.Ifyoureturntothatprimitivestage,itwillbefullofallkindsofpossibilities.”Thewindblewoveranintoxigfragranceofflowers.

    “Doyousmelltheflowers?”WhiteFairyasked.Victorianoddedknowingly.ShegaveWhiteFairyamysterious,uandingsmile.WhiteFairyturoapuffofsmokeandflewaway.Victoriastoodup,walkedintothedeepwaters,ture,whitefishanddisappearedintothewater.OnlyDornaandDeannawereleftdumbfouheke.

    “Didyousmelltheflowers?”askedDorna,turningtoDeanna.Deannanodded.

    “Doyouuand?”sheaskedagain.

    “Idon’t”repliedDeannamystified.“Doyou?”

    “No”repliedDorna.“IsmelledtheflowersbutIstilldon’tuand.”

    Itwas6:30sharpinthemwhenDimitriarrivedatthebakery.Hemixedtogetherflour,oil,abitofsaltandsuitableamountsofyeast,transferredthemintetubandturhemixingmae,whichswirledthemixtureautomatically.Becausetheyweresoshort-handed,Dimitrinolongerinsistedondoihingmanuallybyhandandpromisedaboutusingmaery.Lavernearrivedforwork,bringingMarkwithher.Theirlscamedownandeachbeganwmethodicallyatherallottedtask.By7:30a.veryoneworkedhardragagainsttimetosatisfytheincreasingdemandoftheirflourishingtele.Bytwo,threeo’clotheafternoon,businessbegantosckoffandeveryoneheavedasighofreliefandtookturnsfortheirbreak.Latepatronslookedattheemptyshelvesioreaawaydisappointed.ButsomeoldersstayedtobuyacoffeeandchatwithAmaliaahergirlswinthefrontofthebakerybefoinghomehappily.Theafternoonsunwasbrightandcheery,butitwasquitewindy.Dimitricarriedhisloungechairovertoashelteredspotbythewalndydowntoenjoythewarmafternoonsunshine.Laverne,MarkandYokowerechattingwithAmaliaioreupfrontkeepingherpany.Earlieriernoon,MaryandSheihadlefttodosomeshopping.Marawasalohekitbusypreparingdinnerasitwasherturntocooktoday.Inthebackyard,agatehadbeenopehewalltoectthebakerytothenewlyacquiredthreestoreybuilding.Alotoflivingspacehadbeenadded,soMegginnandSamanthaoftencamebacktostayonweekendsaimewiththeotherbeauties

    17

    InDecember,daylightwasshort,sobyfour,fiveo’clotheafternoonitwasalreadydark.SheiandMaryhurriedinthr

sbuteverythinghastogoacctothewofnature,whiransded.Forexample,uhebrightraysofthesunclearkewaterturntosteamandgouptotheskiestobeeclouds.Whensaturated,cloudsdense,beerainandfalgaintotheearth.Suchisthewofnatureandisungeable.”

    “Iknowalboutthesesimplefactsofnature”saidDornaimpatiently.“WhatIwanttoknowisthesecrets”shestressed.“Youknow,likeintations,spellsetc.IwantyoutoteachthesetoVictoria.”

    “Mysecretistime.”

    “Time?Thisisjustemptytalk!”saidDornahaughtilybeginningtogetangry.WhiteFairykhisnaughtygirlbestubbornandunreasoheonlypeopleabletodealwithheratthesetimeswereKingDimitriandQueenAisha.Shethoughtforamomentandthensaid,

    “Letmeputitthisway,Victoria,andperhapsyouwilluand.Whenyouwerebornintothesekewaters,wereyouonlyalittlefly?”

    “Whyyes”noddedVictoria.

    17

    “Whenyouleftyourmother’sbody,wereyouonlyatinyegg?”

    “Yes.”

    “Whenyouwereinsideyourmother’swombyouwereatinyfishegg.Whatwereyoubeforeyouwereatinyegg?”Victoriacouldn’tanswer.

    “Atthattime,youwereonlyanabstracept,subsistiweeentandent.Ifyoureturntothatprimitivestage,itwillbefullofallkindsofpossibilities.”Thewindblewoveranintoxigfragranceofflowers.

    “Doyousmelltheflowers?”WhiteFairyasked.Victorianoddedknowingly.ShegaveWhiteFairyamysterious,uandingsmile.WhiteFairyturoapuffofsmokeandflewaway.Victoriastoodup,walkedintothedeepwaters,ture,whitefishanddisappearedintothewater.OnlyDornaandDeannawereleftdumbfouheke.

    “Didyousmelltheflowers?”askedDorna,turningtoDeanna.Deannanodded.

    “Doyouuand?”sheaskedagain.

    “Idon’t”repliedDeannamystified.“Doyou?”

    “No”repliedDorna.“IsmelledtheflowersbutIstilldon’tuand.”

    Itwas6:30sharpinthemwhenDimitriarrivedatthebakery.Hemixedtogetherflour,oil,abitofsaltandsuitableamountsofyeast,transferredthemintetubandturhemixingmae,whichswirledthemixtureautomatically.Becausetheyweresoshort-handed,Dimitrinolongerinsistedondoihingmanuallybyhandandpromisedaboutusingmaery.Lavernearrivedforwork,bringingMarkwithher.Theirlscamedownandeachbeganwmethodicallyatherallottedtask.By7:30a.veryoneworkedhardragagainsttimetosatisfytheincreasingdemandoftheirflourishingtele.Bytwo,threeo’clotheafternoon,businessbegantosckoffandeveryoneheavedasighofreliefandtookturnsfortheirbreak.Latepatronslookedattheemptyshelvesioreaawaydisappointed.ButsomeoldersstayedtobuyacoffeeandchatwithAmaliaahergirlswinthefrontofthebakerybefoinghomehappily.Theafternoonsunwasbrightandcheery,butitwasquitewindy.Dimitricarriedhisloungechairovertoashelteredspotbythewalndydowntoenjoythewarmafternoonsunshine.Laverne,MarkandYokowerechattingwithAmaliaioreupfrontkeepingherpany.Earlieriernoon,MaryandSheihadlefttodosomeshopping.Marawasalohekitbusypreparingdinnerasitwasherturntocooktoday.Inthebackyard,agatehadbeenopehewalltoectthebakerytothenewlyacquiredthreestoreybuilding.Alotoflivingspacehadbeenadded,soMegginnandSamanthaoftencamebacktostayonweekendsaimewiththeotherbeauties

    17

    InDecember,daylightwasshort,sobyfour,fiveo’clotheafternoonitwasalreadydark.SheiandMaryhurriedinthr