Dreams.NowthatIambackhereinthemundaneworld,IwillgoandfindDimitri.Ihaven’tseenhimforalongtimeandmisshim.Heisafatherfiguretome.”HerwaveAishamuchfoodforthought.

    “Whetherdreamsarerealornot,IamtheQueenoftheKingdomofDreams.Backhereinthemundaneworld,Dimitriwouldstillbemyroyalspouse.Ishouldgoandseekhimout.”Shebeedthewaiter,hastilypaidthebilnddroveoffwithDornainhercartofindDimitri.

    ThelinebeforeDream-maker’sBakerywaslong.ItwasthedaybeforeChristmasEveandpeoplewereeagertostockupfortheholidays.AishaandDorothebatrandpushedopeetothebackyard.Ayounggirlwithshinylongbckhairhadherbacktowardsthemandwassquattingonthegroundmixingsomethinginargepan,whichgaveofftheentigsmellofchocote.Thegirl’slongbckhairandsnow-whiteplexiontoldthemshewasthegeus,well-knownamongthebeautiesforhercalmdisposition,neverlosiemper.Dornalovedtopypranks,soshesoherfrombehindandsilentlycoveredLotus’eyeswithhertwohands.

    “Whoisit”criedLotus.“Thisisaverybusytimeandeveryoneiswhard.Howyouhavetimeforsufoolery!LetgoofmeorI’llbeangry!”Dornawithdrewherhandsbutdidnotstepaway.WhenLotusturnedherheadandsawitwasDorna,shewasfilledwithetionandamazement.

    “Dorna!It’syou!You’reback!Thisisreallytoogoodtobetrue!Youaresobrave.EveryoneknowshowyoudefeatedCyclops’barbariansoldiers.Thoughthepacewasburnttotheground,yousavedtheKingdomfromannihitionandmadesureQueenAishaandMedusaretreatedsafely.Youreallyaregreat!”JustthenMegginncamewalkingtowardsthemfromthenewlyrenovatedapartmentbuilding,holdingatraywithfreshlybakedcakesonit,followedbySamantha,whowasalsoholdingatrayofcakes.

    “Wow!Thepresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBankthemselveshaveetopit!Businessmustreallybeflourishing!”WhenMegginnraisedherheadandsawAishastandingbeforeher,shewassosurprisedshenearlydroppedhertrayofcakesontheground.Luckilysherecoveredintimeaonanearbytable.SamanthaalsosetdowrayawoofthemcametoAishaandsalutedheracctopaceetiquette.Aishaquicklystoppedthem.

    “No,no.Wearenolohepace,diessopleasedispehsualitiesfromnowoneorelsepeoplewillfinditstrangeandughatus.”WhenMary,SheiandLaverne,whowerebusyiganddecoratingthecakesintheworkshop,heardtheotioninthebackyardandfoundAishaandDornahadreturheyrushedout.Everyonewashugging,kissingandexg.TheexcitedchatterinthebackyardattractedtheattentionofthebeautiesinthenewlyrenovatedapartmentbuildingandNatalie,elle,NovelandRomialsoputdownwhateverworktheyweredoingandrandowntogreetthenewarrivals.Thedozenorsobeautifulyoungwomengatheredtogetherughing,gandexg.TheonlyonemissingwasElena,atthehospitandhadurned.

    23

    Busithebakerywasbooming.Thesmallstorewascrowdedtocapacitywithersingandgoing.Therackswerequicklyemptyingbutnoonefromthebackcametoreplenishthestock.Yokowasmystifiedatthepsebutwassurroundedbyersandcouldnotgobadcheck.Amaliaalsonoticedthatthingswerenhtabacktoseewhatthematterwas.Shefoundtheworkshopemptyandadozenorsoyoungwomenchattingandughiedlyinthebackyard.Sheshoutedloudly,

    “Youngdies,whatareyoudoing?Theracksarenearlyemptyupfrontandersarestillsurginginandthings.Theroofisabouttoexplodewithnoisea

Dreams.NowthatIambackhereinthemundaneworld,IwillgoandfindDimitri.Ihaven’tseenhimforalongtimeandmisshim.Heisafatherfiguretome.”HerwaveAishamuchfoodforthought.

    “Whetherdreamsarerealornot,IamtheQueenoftheKingdomofDreams.Backhereinthemundaneworld,Dimitriwouldstillbemyroyalspouse.Ishouldgoandseekhimout.”Shebeedthewaiter,hastilypaidthebilnddroveoffwithDornainhercartofindDimitri.

    ThelinebeforeDream-maker’sBakerywaslong.ItwasthedaybeforeChristmasEveandpeoplewereeagertostockupfortheholidays.AishaandDorothebatrandpushedopeetothebackyard.Ayounggirlwithshinylongbckhairhadherbacktowardsthemandwassquattingonthegroundmixingsomethinginargepan,whichgaveofftheentigsmellofchocote.Thegirl’slongbckhairandsnow-whiteplexiontoldthemshewasthegeus,well-knownamongthebeautiesforhercalmdisposition,neverlosiemper.Dornalovedtopypranks,soshesoherfrombehindandsilentlycoveredLotus’eyeswithhertwohands.

    “Whoisit”criedLotus.“Thisisaverybusytimeandeveryoneiswhard.Howyouhavetimeforsufoolery!LetgoofmeorI’llbeangry!”Dornawithdrewherhandsbutdidnotstepaway.WhenLotusturnedherheadandsawitwasDorna,shewasfilledwithetionandamazement.

    “Dorna!It’syou!You’reback!Thisisreallytoogoodtobetrue!Youaresobrave.EveryoneknowshowyoudefeatedCyclops’barbariansoldiers.Thoughthepacewasburnttotheground,yousavedtheKingdomfromannihitionandmadesureQueenAishaandMedusaretreatedsafely.Youreallyaregreat!”JustthenMegginncamewalkingtowardsthemfromthenewlyrenovatedapartmentbuilding,holdingatraywithfreshlybakedcakesonit,followedbySamantha,whowasalsoholdingatrayofcakes.

    “Wow!Thepresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBankthemselveshaveetopit!Businessmustreallybeflourishing!”WhenMegginnraisedherheadandsawAishastandingbeforeher,shewassosurprisedshenearlydroppedhertrayofcakesontheground.Luckilysherecoveredintimeaonanearbytable.SamanthaalsosetdowrayawoofthemcametoAishaandsalutedheracctopaceetiquette.Aishaquicklystoppedthem.

    “No,no.Wearenolohepace,diessopleasedispehsualitiesfromnowoneorelsepeoplewillfinditstrangeandughatus.”WhenMary,SheiandLaverne,whowerebusyiganddecoratingthecakesintheworkshop,heardtheotioninthebackyardandfoundAishaandDornahadreturheyrushedout.Everyonewashugging,kissingandexg.TheexcitedchatterinthebackyardattractedtheattentionofthebeautiesinthenewlyrenovatedapartmentbuildingandNatalie,elle,NovelandRomialsoputdownwhateverworktheyweredoingandrandowntogreetthenewarrivals.Thedozenorsobeautifulyoungwomengatheredtogetherughing,gandexg.TheonlyonemissingwasElena,atthehospitandhadurned.

    23

    Busithebakerywasbooming.Thesmallstorewascrowdedtocapacitywithersingandgoing.Therackswerequicklyemptyingbutnoonefromthebackcametoreplenishthestock.Yokowasmystifiedatthepsebutwassurroundedbyersandcouldnotgobadcheck.Amaliaalsonoticedthatthingswerenhtabacktoseewhatthematterwas.Shefoundtheworkshopemptyandadozenorsoyoungwomenchattingandughiedlyinthebackyard.Sheshoutedloudly,

    “Youngdies,whatareyoudoing?Theracksarenearlyemptyupfrontandersarestillsurginginandthings.Theroofisabouttoexplodewithnoisea