ghisheadwithawrysmile.“Inthismundaneworldonemanothavesomanyyouifulwomenkeephimpany.Thatwillneverdo.Also,awoman’syouthayaretra.Fortheirsakes,wemustmakepnsfortheirfuturehappiness...”

    “Ofcourse...ofcourse...naturally...ButintheKingdomofDreamsIamyourqueen,yourroyalspousewhomyoupersonallychoseandeted.BackhereinthemundaneworldIamyourwife.Idonotneedarge,eboratewedding,butIwouldliketolegitimizeourretionshipbyasimplelegalprocedure.”Dimitriwasgreatlyagitatedbyherwords.Hiseyesglistenedandhisvoicetrembledashereplied,

    “Don’tyouknowthathereinthemundaneworld,Iamonlyapennilesshomelessperson?AndIampletelyblind.Doyoureallywanttomarryauseless,disabledperson?Dreamsaredreamsayisreality.Don’tfusethetwo.”

    “No.Tomedreamsayarethesame.Inourdreamsyouarea,abraveandgenerousking.Iamyourqueen.Youmaybeapenniless,homelesspersonandablindman,butyouaremyhusband.Iamproudtobeyourwife.”Dimitrisattheresilentlyandmadenoreply.

    “Asamatteroffact,”Aishatihebeautiesallthinkthisway.Tothemyouarea,thekingtheyloveandrespect,whichiswhytheyallwanttoremainwithyouforeverandkeepyoupahisseemstobeanunsolvableproblem.Let’sleaveitfortimetoresolve.”

    24

    “Yes”saidDimitri“Let’sleaveitfortimetoresolve...IknowwhatIshoulddo.Yes,that’stheonlywaytosolvethisproblem.”QueenAishadidnotknowwhatDimitrimeant.Shethoughtitoverforamomentbutcouldetonoclusion.Thesunwassettingaemperaturewasdroppingdramatically.Shestoodupandsaid,

    “IhavetogoaDornanow.Leftalohatnaughtygirlwillgetintotrouble.Iknowyourfriendswillbeheresoon,butpleaseleavetomorrownightopenforme.It’sChristmasEveandIhaveaskedAmaliaandthegirlstoetomypdcelebrate.Youmustetoo.”DimitrinoddedhisassentandAishaleft.Onthewaybacktothebakery,Dimitri’spartingwordskeptresoundinginhermind,‘IknowwhatIshoulddo.That’stheonlywaytosolvethisproblem...’

    “Whatdidhemean?”sheaskedherself.“Howdidheiosolvethisproblem?”

    Them,boththeworkshopandthegirls’neartmentdormitorywerequiet.BusinesshadbeensobriskthedaybeforebecauseoftheupingholidaysthatevenElinacametohelpout.Everyoneworkedtill10p.hebeautiesdidnotofteheopportunitytoetogetherandhsoma,sotheygatheredtogetherandtalkedanimatedlytillmidnightbeforeretiring.Itwasn’tuntil11a.m.thattheexhaustedbeautiesbegantostir.SheiandYokostoleoutoftheirroomssoasnottowakeAmalia,whonormallyslepttilltwo,threeo’clotheafternoononnon-wdaysbeforewakingupunwillingly.Theywalkedthroughthebackyards,cametothenewlyrenovatedapartmentandwalkedupthestairstothethirdfloor.elleearlyasusuandwassayinghermprayers.Thenshemadecoffeeandcookedbreakfastfortheotherbeauties,whosooragglingintothethirdfloortearoomonebyone.

    “Don’tfetQueenAisha’sChristmaspartytonight”remindedMegginn.

    “Ohyes,weshoulddecideaboutwhattowear”saidSamantha.“Shouldwealldressaliketoshowuniformity?”

    “Ithink”saidLotus“thatsi’safamilyChristmasdihedresscodeshouldbemoreinformal,gradingoodtaste,butnothingeborate.”

    “Right”agreedSamantha.“Imadeafauxpassttime.Iworealowcutsilkblousetogetherwithadiamondneckce.WhenAmaliasawit,shewasnothappyandbluntlytoldmeso.With

ghisheadwithawrysmile.“Inthismundaneworldonemanothavesomanyyouifulwomenkeephimpany.Thatwillneverdo.Also,awoman’syouthayaretra.Fortheirsakes,wemustmakepnsfortheirfuturehappiness...”

    “Ofcourse...ofcourse...naturally...ButintheKingdomofDreamsIamyourqueen,yourroyalspousewhomyoupersonallychoseandeted.BackhereinthemundaneworldIamyourwife.Idonotneedarge,eboratewedding,butIwouldliketolegitimizeourretionshipbyasimplelegalprocedure.”Dimitriwasgreatlyagitatedbyherwords.Hiseyesglistenedandhisvoicetrembledashereplied,

    “Don’tyouknowthathereinthemundaneworld,Iamonlyapennilesshomelessperson?AndIampletelyblind.Doyoureallywanttomarryauseless,disabledperson?Dreamsaredreamsayisreality.Don’tfusethetwo.”

    “No.Tomedreamsayarethesame.Inourdreamsyouarea,abraveandgenerousking.Iamyourqueen.Youmaybeapenniless,homelesspersonandablindman,butyouaremyhusband.Iamproudtobeyourwife.”Dimitrisattheresilentlyandmadenoreply.

    “Asamatteroffact,”Aishatihebeautiesallthinkthisway.Tothemyouarea,thekingtheyloveandrespect,whichiswhytheyallwanttoremainwithyouforeverandkeepyoupahisseemstobeanunsolvableproblem.Let’sleaveitfortimetoresolve.”

    24

    “Yes”saidDimitri“Let’sleaveitfortimetoresolve...IknowwhatIshoulddo.Yes,that’stheonlywaytosolvethisproblem.”QueenAishadidnotknowwhatDimitrimeant.Shethoughtitoverforamomentbutcouldetonoclusion.Thesunwassettingaemperaturewasdroppingdramatically.Shestoodupandsaid,

    “IhavetogoaDornanow.Leftalohatnaughtygirlwillgetintotrouble.Iknowyourfriendswillbeheresoon,butpleaseleavetomorrownightopenforme.It’sChristmasEveandIhaveaskedAmaliaandthegirlstoetomypdcelebrate.Youmustetoo.”DimitrinoddedhisassentandAishaleft.Onthewaybacktothebakery,Dimitri’spartingwordskeptresoundinginhermind,‘IknowwhatIshoulddo.That’stheonlywaytosolvethisproblem...’

    “Whatdidhemean?”sheaskedherself.“Howdidheiosolvethisproblem?”

    Them,boththeworkshopandthegirls’neartmentdormitorywerequiet.BusinesshadbeensobriskthedaybeforebecauseoftheupingholidaysthatevenElinacametohelpout.Everyoneworkedtill10p.hebeautiesdidnotofteheopportunitytoetogetherandhsoma,sotheygatheredtogetherandtalkedanimatedlytillmidnightbeforeretiring.Itwasn’tuntil11a.m.thattheexhaustedbeautiesbegantostir.SheiandYokostoleoutoftheirroomssoasnottowakeAmalia,whonormallyslepttilltwo,threeo’clotheafternoononnon-wdaysbeforewakingupunwillingly.Theywalkedthroughthebackyards,cametothenewlyrenovatedapartmentandwalkedupthestairstothethirdfloor.elleearlyasusuandwassayinghermprayers.Thenshemadecoffeeandcookedbreakfastfortheotherbeauties,whosooragglingintothethirdfloortearoomonebyone.

    “Don’tfetQueenAisha’sChristmaspartytonight”remindedMegginn.

    “Ohyes,weshoulddecideaboutwhattowear”saidSamantha.“Shouldwealldressaliketoshowuniformity?”

    “Ithink”saidLotus“thatsi’safamilyChristmasdihedresscodeshouldbemoreinformal,gradingoodtaste,butnothingeborate.”

    “Right”agreedSamantha.“Imadeafauxpassttime.Iworealowcutsilkblousetogetherwithadiamondneckce.WhenAmaliasawit,shewasnothappyandbluntlytoldmeso.With