emandsawtotheiramazementthatmyriadsofmulti-coloredflowersofallsizesandshapeswerebloomingonallthetreesandbranches.Eadeveryflowerrepresentedabrandnewidea.

    Standingbytheporch,Dornalookedtowardsthergegardenandsawthatiaherewerelotsofgardenersbusilycuttingdowntheflowers.Thentherewereotherswhocarefullysortedthemoutbyspecies,bouobunchesathemintocartswhichtookthemtothecoolundergroundparkinglot.Therewaswatersupplythereandhumidifiers,whichcouldkeeptheblossomsmoistandcool.

    “Everythingisgoingacctoschedule”saidDorna.“Allseemsfine,sowhyareyousighingandlookingsomiserable?”Nataliearmsseemedtobeag,sosheputlittleMaureendowntothegroundandexcimed

    “Hey,youarenolightweight,Maureen!Youwalkbyyourself,butdon’twanderfar,keepwithinht.”TurningtoDorna,sheadded,“JustnowIjusttoldyouhalfofwhatening.There’sstilltheotherhalf.Don’tbeimpatient,I’lltellyoutherest.”Sayingso,theytialkingandwalkingtowardstheflarden.

    Thewispoflightsmoke,personificationoftheWhiteFairy,flewfartherandfartherawayuntilitblendedpletelyintothefirstlightofdawn.Nataliefeltanindescribablemencholyriseinherheart.ShewasrememberiimewhenKingDimitridirectedandchraphedtheballet“TheBearandtheFlower.”Iheses,theFlowerFairy,inationofWhiteFairy,wasborn.ItcouldbesaidthatitwasKingDimitriwhocreatedWhiteFairyandgaveherlife.Butnowshehaddecidedtogoherownseparatewayandliveherlifeacctoherownfreewill,choosingherowinationandhappiness…Lotus,oherhand,ilydashinginandoutoftheflowerbeds,carefullyexaminingthecolorsandshapesofthenewlybornblossoms,silentlydesigninginherheadtheflementsshewouldbecreatinginthebahall.Suddenlytheharshandpieroiseofgssshattering,theloudcrashofheavyobjectsfallingtotheground,mixedwithdistressedcriesandshoutsrentthecalm,serenesilehedawn.

    “Ohmygosh!”criedNatalieindistress.“ItmustbeAmaliaagupagain!I’venoticedthatifewdaysherashavebeoreandmoreabnormandweird.Lastnightereallinbed,shesuddenlyturnedonallthelightssothewholehousebecamebrightlylitfromtoptobottom.Thensheknockedoneverybedroomdoorsshoutingloudly,“Hey!It’sdaytime,girls.Lazybo’stimetogetup!Whyareyoustillinbed?Yousleepfrtillnight.Isn’tthatenough,yousluggards?Up!Up!Getupatowaslikethatseveraltimesstnight,sononeofuswasabletogeta…AsIcouldn’tsleepanywaywithAmaliaagup,Idecidedtogetup,gotothegarden,andtryoutsomeofWhiteFairy’sdaepsaswelssomeofmyownwhichhadgottenrustywithckofpractice.Thewayit’sgoing,I’mafraidAmalia’sditionisgoingfrombadtoworse…SheiandYokohavereallydoneaspectacurjoboftakingalia,silentlyenduringalotofhardshipandinveniehoutpint.Idon’tseehowwearetoresolvethisinthelongrun…”

    17

    “Ohyes,”agreedLotus.“Thesetwohaveenduredalotandyouseetheyhavedarkcirclesbeheireyesallthetimebecauseofoverworkandckofsleep.SheitoldmethatAmaliahasbeenverydestructiveretly.Sheusedtoloveflowers,sotheykeptthevasesinherroomfilledwithfreshflowers.Nowadaysshewouldgetupstealthilyatnight,pulltheflowersoutofthevases,andsnapthestemsintwo.Thenshewouldpulloffthepetalsoftheblossomsandscatterthemalloverthefloor,creatingabigmess.Theyspendalotoftimeeverydayingupafterher,

emandsawtotheiramazementthatmyriadsofmulti-coloredflowersofallsizesandshapeswerebloomingonallthetreesandbranches.Eadeveryflowerrepresentedabrandnewidea.

    Standingbytheporch,Dornalookedtowardsthergegardenandsawthatiaherewerelotsofgardenersbusilycuttingdowntheflowers.Thentherewereotherswhocarefullysortedthemoutbyspecies,bouobunchesathemintocartswhichtookthemtothecoolundergroundparkinglot.Therewaswatersupplythereandhumidifiers,whichcouldkeeptheblossomsmoistandcool.

    “Everythingisgoingacctoschedule”saidDorna.“Allseemsfine,sowhyareyousighingandlookingsomiserable?”Nataliearmsseemedtobeag,sosheputlittleMaureendowntothegroundandexcimed

    “Hey,youarenolightweight,Maureen!Youwalkbyyourself,butdon’twanderfar,keepwithinht.”TurningtoDorna,sheadded,“JustnowIjusttoldyouhalfofwhatening.There’sstilltheotherhalf.Don’tbeimpatient,I’lltellyoutherest.”Sayingso,theytialkingandwalkingtowardstheflarden.

    Thewispoflightsmoke,personificationoftheWhiteFairy,flewfartherandfartherawayuntilitblendedpletelyintothefirstlightofdawn.Nataliefeltanindescribablemencholyriseinherheart.ShewasrememberiimewhenKingDimitridirectedandchraphedtheballet“TheBearandtheFlower.”Iheses,theFlowerFairy,inationofWhiteFairy,wasborn.ItcouldbesaidthatitwasKingDimitriwhocreatedWhiteFairyandgaveherlife.Butnowshehaddecidedtogoherownseparatewayandliveherlifeacctoherownfreewill,choosingherowinationandhappiness…Lotus,oherhand,ilydashinginandoutoftheflowerbeds,carefullyexaminingthecolorsandshapesofthenewlybornblossoms,silentlydesigninginherheadtheflementsshewouldbecreatinginthebahall.Suddenlytheharshandpieroiseofgssshattering,theloudcrashofheavyobjectsfallingtotheground,mixedwithdistressedcriesandshoutsrentthecalm,serenesilehedawn.

    “Ohmygosh!”criedNatalieindistress.“ItmustbeAmaliaagupagain!I’venoticedthatifewdaysherashavebeoreandmoreabnormandweird.Lastnightereallinbed,shesuddenlyturnedonallthelightssothewholehousebecamebrightlylitfromtoptobottom.Thensheknockedoneverybedroomdoorsshoutingloudly,“Hey!It’sdaytime,girls.Lazybo’stimetogetup!Whyareyoustillinbed?Yousleepfrtillnight.Isn’tthatenough,yousluggards?Up!Up!Getupatowaslikethatseveraltimesstnight,sononeofuswasabletogeta…AsIcouldn’tsleepanywaywithAmaliaagup,Idecidedtogetup,gotothegarden,andtryoutsomeofWhiteFairy’sdaepsaswelssomeofmyownwhichhadgottenrustywithckofpractice.Thewayit’sgoing,I’mafraidAmalia’sditionisgoingfrombadtoworse…SheiandYokohavereallydoneaspectacurjoboftakingalia,silentlyenduringalotofhardshipandinveniehoutpint.Idon’tseehowwearetoresolvethisinthelongrun…”

    17

    “Ohyes,”agreedLotus.“Thesetwohaveenduredalotandyouseetheyhavedarkcirclesbeheireyesallthetimebecauseofoverworkandckofsleep.SheitoldmethatAmaliahasbeenverydestructiveretly.Sheusedtoloveflowers,sotheykeptthevasesinherroomfilledwithfreshflowers.Nowadaysshewouldgetupstealthilyatnight,pulltheflowersoutofthevases,andsnapthestemsintwo.Thenshewouldpulloffthepetalsoftheblossomsandscatterthemalloverthefloor,creatingabigmess.Theyspendalotoftimeeverydayingupafterher,