gia.Thentherewerealsoeveningswhebythesideofthekeuheluminousmoonlightwiththespringbreezerufflingourhair,listeningtoAmaliaretstrangeandoutndishtalesahathappehousandsofmilesaway…Ah!Thosehappydaysaregoneforever,oreturn…IfKingDimitriknewhowsickAmaliahasbee,Iamsurehewouldbeextremelydistressedandworried…”NatalieandLotuswalkedonastheytalked.Theirfootstepsquickastheywentbaansion.

    “Yourwordsremindmeofsomethingthathasalwaysbeenratherpuzzlingtome”saidNatalie.“WhatistherealretionshipbetweenAmaliaandKingDimitri?Orhassomethinghappeostraintheirretionship?It’slikeanenigmaticpuzzle,impossibletosolve.KingDimitriisveryrespectfultoAmalia,muchlikehowasosamother.Amaliareallytreatshimlikeasoimes,butthenatothertimes,shetreatshimlikeanenemy,likeathorninone’sfleshthatmustbepluckedout…“

    “Idon’tkher”repliedLotus.“Thispuzzleislikeahotpotato.Idon’tthinkevenKingDimitriandAmaliaknowthereasonfortheirbehavior,sohowcouldweknow?Wetreatthemonlyasapairofmotherandsonwhohastheiroweretionshiptosolve…”

    Thehurriecamequicklyandwasoverjustasfast!WhenNatalieandLotusgottothemansion,SheiandYokowerekneelingonthegroundbeforeAmalia,grabbingholdsandfher.Amaliawastiring.Havingthrowfit,shewasbeginningtocalmdown.ShepulledupSheiandYokoahreeofthemhuggedtogetherandcried.Elinawalkedovertothetriosmiling.Beinganophthalmologist,shehadmoremediowledgethahersahatnowwasthebesttimetocalmdownanunstablepatient.KnowingthatAmalialovedsweetsanddywasherpacifier,shehandedherapieceofchocote,saying,

    “Thisismyfavoritebrandofchocote.Tryandseeifyoulikeit.”Amaliatookthechocoteandputitinhermouth.“Howwasit?Doyoulikeit?”Amalianodded.“Good.Ifyoulikeit,Iwillgiveyouawholeboxtomorrow.”Amalianoddedagain.Elinapouredsomewaterintoadgaveittohersaying,“Haveadrinkofwaterandtakethisvitaminpill.Youhaven’tsleptallnight;thepillwillreplenishyourenergy.”Amaliaobedientlyswallowedthepill.ActuallythemedicationElinagaveherwasnotavitaminpillbutasedative,becausesheknewwhatAmalianeededmostwassuffitsleep.SoonAmaliawasnoddingoff,soSheiandYokohelpedherstairstoherbedroomandtuckedheriheolddyhadleft,butaheavycloudstillhuhergelivingroom.EveryonewasworriedabouttheswiftdeeofAmalia’shealth.

    “WeshouldtakeAmaliatoseeherpersonalphysitomorrow”saidElina.“Herditionisworseningsohermediayneedadjusting.It’suselessforustoworryinvainaboutit,becausehertreatmentisjobofmedicalprofessionals.”ThoughElina’sonsensewordsweretrue,itcouldnotlessentheheavysuffogatmosphereoftheroom.

    “DoyouknowwhoLotusahegardenatdawnthism?”saidNatalie,wantingtolightenupeveryone’smood.“You’llneverguess…Itwasreallyagreatsurprise…”SheproceededtodescribeidetailthemeetingwithWhiteFairyintheflardeorysucceededindistrageveryotention.Theeyesofthebeautiesopenedwideinsurprise.Theireyeslightedupandallbegantalkingatonce,

    “WhereistheWhiteFairy?”

    17

    “Wehaven’tseenherforalongtime…”

    “Ireallymissher…”

    “ShewasinahurrytoreportourhappynewsbacktothepeopleintheKingdom”repliedNatalie,“sosheleftratherhastily…”

    “Youshouldnothavelethergo.Ihavealotofquestionsaboutt

gia.Thentherewerealsoeveningswhebythesideofthekeuheluminousmoonlightwiththespringbreezerufflingourhair,listeningtoAmaliaretstrangeandoutndishtalesahathappehousandsofmilesaway…Ah!Thosehappydaysaregoneforever,oreturn…IfKingDimitriknewhowsickAmaliahasbee,Iamsurehewouldbeextremelydistressedandworried…”NatalieandLotuswalkedonastheytalked.Theirfootstepsquickastheywentbaansion.

    “Yourwordsremindmeofsomethingthathasalwaysbeenratherpuzzlingtome”saidNatalie.“WhatistherealretionshipbetweenAmaliaandKingDimitri?Orhassomethinghappeostraintheirretionship?It’slikeanenigmaticpuzzle,impossibletosolve.KingDimitriisveryrespectfultoAmalia,muchlikehowasosamother.Amaliareallytreatshimlikeasoimes,butthenatothertimes,shetreatshimlikeanenemy,likeathorninone’sfleshthatmustbepluckedout…“

    “Idon’tkher”repliedLotus.“Thispuzzleislikeahotpotato.Idon’tthinkevenKingDimitriandAmaliaknowthereasonfortheirbehavior,sohowcouldweknow?Wetreatthemonlyasapairofmotherandsonwhohastheiroweretionshiptosolve…”

    Thehurriecamequicklyandwasoverjustasfast!WhenNatalieandLotusgottothemansion,SheiandYokowerekneelingonthegroundbeforeAmalia,grabbingholdsandfher.Amaliawastiring.Havingthrowfit,shewasbeginningtocalmdown.ShepulledupSheiandYokoahreeofthemhuggedtogetherandcried.Elinawalkedovertothetriosmiling.Beinganophthalmologist,shehadmoremediowledgethahersahatnowwasthebesttimetocalmdownanunstablepatient.KnowingthatAmalialovedsweetsanddywasherpacifier,shehandedherapieceofchocote,saying,

    “Thisismyfavoritebrandofchocote.Tryandseeifyoulikeit.”Amaliatookthechocoteandputitinhermouth.“Howwasit?Doyoulikeit?”Amalianodded.“Good.Ifyoulikeit,Iwillgiveyouawholeboxtomorrow.”Amalianoddedagain.Elinapouredsomewaterintoadgaveittohersaying,“Haveadrinkofwaterandtakethisvitaminpill.Youhaven’tsleptallnight;thepillwillreplenishyourenergy.”Amaliaobedientlyswallowedthepill.ActuallythemedicationElinagaveherwasnotavitaminpillbutasedative,becausesheknewwhatAmalianeededmostwassuffitsleep.SoonAmaliawasnoddingoff,soSheiandYokohelpedherstairstoherbedroomandtuckedheriheolddyhadleft,butaheavycloudstillhuhergelivingroom.EveryonewasworriedabouttheswiftdeeofAmalia’shealth.

    “WeshouldtakeAmaliatoseeherpersonalphysitomorrow”saidElina.“Herditionisworseningsohermediayneedadjusting.It’suselessforustoworryinvainaboutit,becausehertreatmentisjobofmedicalprofessionals.”ThoughElina’sonsensewordsweretrue,itcouldnotlessentheheavysuffogatmosphereoftheroom.

    “DoyouknowwhoLotusahegardenatdawnthism?”saidNatalie,wantingtolightenupeveryone’smood.“You’llneverguess…Itwasreallyagreatsurprise…”SheproceededtodescribeidetailthemeetingwithWhiteFairyintheflardeorysucceededindistrageveryotention.Theeyesofthebeautiesopenedwideinsurprise.Theireyeslightedupandallbegantalkingatonce,

    “WhereistheWhiteFairy?”

    17

    “Wehaven’tseenherforalongtime…”

    “Ireallymissher…”

    “ShewasinahurrytoreportourhappynewsbacktothepeopleintheKingdom”repliedNatalie,“sosheleftratherhastily…”

    “Youshouldnothavelethergo.Ihavealotofquestionsaboutt