ow.”QueenAishasatuponherbedandsaid,“Pleaseaskhertoeuphere.Iwillseeherinmylivingroom.”

    18

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidtheattendantaocarryoutherorders.QueenAishahastehroughhermablutionsandcasuallytwistedherhairintoaknotatthebackofherhead.Theearlymairwaschilly,sosheputonhermgownaherluxuriousapartment.Inthespaciouscorridor,shesawMedusawalkingquicklytowardsher.Medusabowediingsaying,

    “Iamsorrytodisturbyourmajestysoearlyinthem.Ifmatterswerenent,Iwouldnothavedoneso.”

    “Don’tstandonceremony,Medusa.Quick,tellmepened.”

    “Yes,yourmajesty.Pleaseewithme.”saidMedusa,leadioawidewindow.QueenAishalookedoutandtoherhorror,sawthatthebroadexpanseofkewaterwascoveredwiththewhitebelliesofdeadfishfloatinglifelesslyonthewaves.Shewasthurudspeechlessatthesight.Afterafewminutes,sheasked,

    “Whatisallthisabout?”

    “It’sallCyclops’doing.”

    “Didhepoisoersoftheke?”

    “No.IthinkVietwithdisaster.”

    “Howyoubesosure?”

    “Justthinkaboutit,yourmajesty.ThergewhitefishVictoriaisthemotherofalllivingthingsiarMoohemotherdies,everylivingthinginthekewillsacrificethemselvesahher.Thishasthelooksofmasssuicide.”

    18

    “But...but...Ijustsawherafewdaysagoandshewasfine.KingDimitrievehenameofVictoria!”Medusathentoldheraboutwhatshehadheardduringthenight:thesingingandtheabruptlybrokenoffscream.Theotherbeautiesheardsidetheirbedroomsandcameouttoiigate.QueenAishasaid,

    “WhenZeusandhiscelestiarmycamedowntdomfromseventhheavensttime,wesurvivedonlybecauseKingDimitrihappeobeheretodivertthecamity.Nowthistragedyhappens.HowwillIbeabletoshoulderthisalone?”Allthebeautiesweresilent.

    “PleasebringmeKingDimitri’smagicsword”saidQueenAishaturningtoWhiteFairy.

    “Whatdoyouheswordfor?”askedWhiteFairyquitemystified.

    “Nevermind.Justgetitformeplease.”repliedthequeentersely.

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidWhiteFairy,walkingoutoftheroomandsooncamebackwithKingDimitri’sswordwithitsscabbardstuddedwithmagnifit,glittering,multi-cems.ittoQueenAishawithbothhands,shesaid,

    “Hereyouare,yourmajesty.”QueenAishatooktheswordandhuggedittoherbreast,takingfortinthefeelingofsafetyofferedbythemagicon.Shemurmured,

    “Solongastheswordishere,itisasifKingDimitriishere.”ThenturningtoDeanna,shesaid,“Deanna!”

    “Yes,yourmajesty.”

    “Pleasegotothetriballeadersandaskthemtodividethesurfaceofthekeintodesignatedsesandahepeopletorowtotheseareasandscoopupallthedeadfish.Also,sendagroupofwarriiantMountainanddighugepitsheiron-gildedgoldpacetoburythefish.Ifleftunatteo,theywillrotuheheatofthesun,iheairandwaterandspreaddiseasetothehumanpopution.”

    18

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaandturoleave.

    “Justaminute,Deanna”saidQueenAisha“there’ssomethingelse.PleaseletthepeopleknowthatIwaolookforthebodyofVictoria,therge,whitefish.Oncefound,theyaretotakegoodottodamageitinanywaybutbringittothepace.”

    “Ohno!”criedDeannaappalled,onlythenrealizingwhathadhappenedandburstintotears.ShethoughtofhowgoodVictoriahadbeentoher,howthergewhitefishgraduallyshowedheritsfriendshipaherheartateasesothatshefi

ow.”QueenAishasatuponherbedandsaid,“Pleaseaskhertoeuphere.Iwillseeherinmylivingroom.”

    18

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidtheattendantaocarryoutherorders.QueenAishahastehroughhermablutionsandcasuallytwistedherhairintoaknotatthebackofherhead.Theearlymairwaschilly,sosheputonhermgownaherluxuriousapartment.Inthespaciouscorridor,shesawMedusawalkingquicklytowardsher.Medusabowediingsaying,

    “Iamsorrytodisturbyourmajestysoearlyinthem.Ifmatterswerenent,Iwouldnothavedoneso.”

    “Don’tstandonceremony,Medusa.Quick,tellmepened.”

    “Yes,yourmajesty.Pleaseewithme.”saidMedusa,leadioawidewindow.QueenAishalookedoutandtoherhorror,sawthatthebroadexpanseofkewaterwascoveredwiththewhitebelliesofdeadfishfloatinglifelesslyonthewaves.Shewasthurudspeechlessatthesight.Afterafewminutes,sheasked,

    “Whatisallthisabout?”

    “It’sallCyclops’doing.”

    “Didhepoisoersoftheke?”

    “No.IthinkVietwithdisaster.”

    “Howyoubesosure?”

    “Justthinkaboutit,yourmajesty.ThergewhitefishVictoriaisthemotherofalllivingthingsiarMoohemotherdies,everylivingthinginthekewillsacrificethemselvesahher.Thishasthelooksofmasssuicide.”

    18

    “But...but...Ijustsawherafewdaysagoandshewasfine.KingDimitrievehenameofVictoria!”Medusathentoldheraboutwhatshehadheardduringthenight:thesingingandtheabruptlybrokenoffscream.Theotherbeautiesheardsidetheirbedroomsandcameouttoiigate.QueenAishasaid,

    “WhenZeusandhiscelestiarmycamedowntdomfromseventhheavensttime,wesurvivedonlybecauseKingDimitrihappeobeheretodivertthecamity.Nowthistragedyhappens.HowwillIbeabletoshoulderthisalone?”Allthebeautiesweresilent.

    “PleasebringmeKingDimitri’smagicsword”saidQueenAishaturningtoWhiteFairy.

    “Whatdoyouheswordfor?”askedWhiteFairyquitemystified.

    “Nevermind.Justgetitformeplease.”repliedthequeentersely.

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidWhiteFairy,walkingoutoftheroomandsooncamebackwithKingDimitri’sswordwithitsscabbardstuddedwithmagnifit,glittering,multi-cems.ittoQueenAishawithbothhands,shesaid,

    “Hereyouare,yourmajesty.”QueenAishatooktheswordandhuggedittoherbreast,takingfortinthefeelingofsafetyofferedbythemagicon.Shemurmured,

    “Solongastheswordishere,itisasifKingDimitriishere.”ThenturningtoDeanna,shesaid,“Deanna!”

    “Yes,yourmajesty.”

    “Pleasegotothetriballeadersandaskthemtodividethesurfaceofthekeintodesignatedsesandahepeopletorowtotheseareasandscoopupallthedeadfish.Also,sendagroupofwarriiantMountainanddighugepitsheiron-gildedgoldpacetoburythefish.Ifleftunatteo,theywillrotuheheatofthesun,iheairandwaterandspreaddiseasetothehumanpopution.”

    18

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaandturoleave.

    “Justaminute,Deanna”saidQueenAisha“there’ssomethingelse.PleaseletthepeopleknowthatIwaolookforthebodyofVictoria,therge,whitefish.Oncefound,theyaretotakegoodottodamageitinanywaybutbringittothepace.”

    “Ohno!”criedDeannaappalled,onlythenrealizingwhathadhappenedandburstintotears.ShethoughtofhowgoodVictoriahadbeentoher,howthergewhitefishgraduallyshowedheritsfriendshipaherheartateasesothatshefi