pturedyourhearts.Iwasfortunateenoughtogettoknoentsometimewithhim.HepersonallytookmeonaguidedtourofhisKingdomofDreams,whereIsawanothersideofhimwhichmademefallihhiwouldthinkitanhonortobeallowedtobeemberoftheKingdomofDreamsandjoinyourranks.IwillbesatisfiedevenifIlyget1/25thofthisman’slove.ThatiswhyIhaveidoffallpretensesandpersonallyetoyourmajestywithmyboldandtroublingrequest…”Charinaloweredherhead;withheralmosttougherchest.Sheblushedfuriously,hereyesmoistahtearsthreateningtofall.Foraproudaifulyoungwomanlikeherandanotableauthoresstoboot,tohumbleherselfbeforesomanytopetitiontomarryanoldanduglyhomelessmanandberefusedreallyputherinanuntenableandembarrassingposition.AngelicastoodupandwalkedovertositontherightsideofAisha,whileDornasatoside,sandwigAishabetweenthem.

    “Yourmajesty”saidAngeliabeseegvoice“Letmesayafewwords.NowweknowKingDimitrididnotevaporatefromtheworldbutisstillliving.Buthechoosestoavoidus.YouarenowourQueenandyourwordisreallymovedme.Ithinkyoushouldaccepther,orelsehowarewetoresolvethis?IthinkonedayifweseeKingDimitriagain,hewillnotbmeyouforit.”

    16

    “Yes,yes”saidDornashakingAisha’sarms.“Angelicaisright.IthinkthatCharinahasdoneyouagreatfavorbybringingbackyourunfinisheddissertationthatwaslostintheruinsofthepatheKingdomofDreams.Justforthatgreatmeritoriousdeed,youshouldgrantherrequest.Lookathowyouhaveembarrassedher.Ifyoudon’tgrantherrequest,sheisgoingtocry!Thatwouldbetoobad.YouareourQueen,belovedbyallyoursubjects,whyareyouinsuchaquandaryand’tmakeupyourmindaboutsuchasmallmatterasthis?”

    “Idon’tthinkKingDimitriwillhaveanyobjes”tinuedAngelica.“WheookCharinatotheKingdomofDreamshimselfandshowedheraround,IthinkhehadalreadythoughtaboutherbeingamemberoftheKingdom.Yrantingherrequestwouldjustbecarryingouthisinaliioonlywon’tscoldyou,Iamsurehewouldpraiseyourintelligence.Don’tyouthinkso?”

    “IfKingDimitriscoldsyou”interruptedDorna,“Iwilljumpoutandarguewithhimtilltheend.HedaredtogobacktotheKingdomofDreamsandexperieheearthquakeandtsunamiandallthosegrandadvehoutme,afterhehadgivenmehiswordthathewouldtakemealong!YouknowIloveadvehihquakeandtsunamiwouldbesomethinglikeridingonthoserollercoastersIhaven’tgottenonhiscaseyet,sohewouldnotdaretoscoldyou.Don’tbeafraid.Withmeasyeneral,standingbymybeautifulqueen,protegyou,whodarestosayanythingobjeabletoyou?”Withthetwoofthemchatteringbyhersidenon-stop,wheedlingandcajolinghalfpyfullyandhalfinear,Aishabegantohavesedthoughtsaboutherposition.ShelookedinquiringlyatMegginn,whowasintelligentandcalmandwasherrighthandintheKingdom.Megginnlookedathersteadilyasifsaying,“Goon.Grantherrequest.It’shardtofindsuintelligentandcleverauthoressevenifyoulightedanternalookingforone.ShewillbeaheKingdom.Sincesheisadamantaboutjoiningus,lether!”

    “Thisisaveryharddecisionformetomake”saidAisha.Shefinallynoddedandsaid“Alright,sobeit.IwillmakethedecisiDimitriandgrantyourrequesttobeethe25thbeautyintheKingdomofDreams.IureifKingDimitrishouldreprimandus,Ialonewillberesponsible.”Atherwords,everyoneughedandcppedandexpressedtheirsatisfaa

pturedyourhearts.Iwasfortunateenoughtogettoknoentsometimewithhim.HepersonallytookmeonaguidedtourofhisKingdomofDreams,whereIsawanothersideofhimwhichmademefallihhiwouldthinkitanhonortobeallowedtobeemberoftheKingdomofDreamsandjoinyourranks.IwillbesatisfiedevenifIlyget1/25thofthisman’slove.ThatiswhyIhaveidoffallpretensesandpersonallyetoyourmajestywithmyboldandtroublingrequest…”Charinaloweredherhead;withheralmosttougherchest.Sheblushedfuriously,hereyesmoistahtearsthreateningtofall.Foraproudaifulyoungwomanlikeherandanotableauthoresstoboot,tohumbleherselfbeforesomanytopetitiontomarryanoldanduglyhomelessmanandberefusedreallyputherinanuntenableandembarrassingposition.AngelicastoodupandwalkedovertositontherightsideofAisha,whileDornasatoside,sandwigAishabetweenthem.

    “Yourmajesty”saidAngeliabeseegvoice“Letmesayafewwords.NowweknowKingDimitrididnotevaporatefromtheworldbutisstillliving.Buthechoosestoavoidus.YouarenowourQueenandyourwordisreallymovedme.Ithinkyoushouldaccepther,orelsehowarewetoresolvethis?IthinkonedayifweseeKingDimitriagain,hewillnotbmeyouforit.”

    16

    “Yes,yes”saidDornashakingAisha’sarms.“Angelicaisright.IthinkthatCharinahasdoneyouagreatfavorbybringingbackyourunfinisheddissertationthatwaslostintheruinsofthepatheKingdomofDreams.Justforthatgreatmeritoriousdeed,youshouldgrantherrequest.Lookathowyouhaveembarrassedher.Ifyoudon’tgrantherrequest,sheisgoingtocry!Thatwouldbetoobad.YouareourQueen,belovedbyallyoursubjects,whyareyouinsuchaquandaryand’tmakeupyourmindaboutsuchasmallmatterasthis?”

    “Idon’tthinkKingDimitriwillhaveanyobjes”tinuedAngelica.“WheookCharinatotheKingdomofDreamshimselfandshowedheraround,IthinkhehadalreadythoughtaboutherbeingamemberoftheKingdom.Yrantingherrequestwouldjustbecarryingouthisinaliioonlywon’tscoldyou,Iamsurehewouldpraiseyourintelligence.Don’tyouthinkso?”

    “IfKingDimitriscoldsyou”interruptedDorna,“Iwilljumpoutandarguewithhimtilltheend.HedaredtogobacktotheKingdomofDreamsandexperieheearthquakeandtsunamiandallthosegrandadvehoutme,afterhehadgivenmehiswordthathewouldtakemealong!YouknowIloveadvehihquakeandtsunamiwouldbesomethinglikeridingonthoserollercoastersIhaven’tgottenonhiscaseyet,sohewouldnotdaretoscoldyou.Don’tbeafraid.Withmeasyeneral,standingbymybeautifulqueen,protegyou,whodarestosayanythingobjeabletoyou?”Withthetwoofthemchatteringbyhersidenon-stop,wheedlingandcajolinghalfpyfullyandhalfinear,Aishabegantohavesedthoughtsaboutherposition.ShelookedinquiringlyatMegginn,whowasintelligentandcalmandwasherrighthandintheKingdom.Megginnlookedathersteadilyasifsaying,“Goon.Grantherrequest.It’shardtofindsuintelligentandcleverauthoressevenifyoulightedanternalookingforone.ShewillbeaheKingdom.Sincesheisadamantaboutjoiningus,lether!”

    “Thisisaveryharddecisionformetomake”saidAisha.Shefinallynoddedandsaid“Alright,sobeit.IwillmakethedecisiDimitriandgrantyourrequesttobeethe25thbeautyintheKingdomofDreams.IureifKingDimitrishouldreprimandus,Ialonewillberesponsible.”Atherwords,everyoneughedandcppedandexpressedtheirsatisfaa