Book2:KigdomIteDreams (第168/246页)

eredowasalreadyquitedark.

    “Imustleavenow”saidVio.“Ifyouofindme,etothegoldpace.Thoughit’sbeencoveredwithacoatofironandisveryugly,nolongerwasanythinglikeitbefore,Istillloveit.Oneday,Iwillletitseethelightofdayagain.”

    “HowIlivewithoutyou?”criedMr.Fingerindismay.Andbeingsosmall,howIcrosstheketofindyou?”

    16

    “Askthergewhitefishtohelpyou.IwillebatoseeyoufromtimetotimewhenIhavethece.”Standingup,shewentoutsideandsawmyriadsofcampfiresdottingthegroundsofthepace.Manysmallboatswerealsobusyrowingtoandfrooer.VioknewKingDimitri’scelebrativeactivitieswerestillinprogress.Sherowedhersmallboatandmadeforthedesertedgoldpace.

    Thergehallwasbrightlyillumihebrilliahefullmoon,whieedednoartificiallight.Everythingerfectlyclearanddistinitssoft,gentleradiahebeautiessang,dancedorpyedoninstrumentsacctotheirskills.Theywerealbletopyowoinstruments,soQueenAishaahemtogethertoperfe-scalecert.NightwasdeepandKingDimitriwashalfintoxicated.SeeingAmalia’sclumsyagedbodyswaywiththemusicgreatlyfortedhim,becausehekhenthatAmaliawasstillhealthyandcouldstillenjoyherself.Justasthefirstperformancewasending,lessuddenlysoundedfromseveralmountaintops–thesignalofarm!Medusarushedoutofthehall,gedintebckbirdandflewswiftlyintothedarknight.QueenAisha’sheartseemedtojumpintohermouth.Shemurmuredsoftly“Idohopenothingdrasticwillhappen...”Medusaflewoverthemountaintopsandthencircledtwiceoverthefnifitgoldpaowreducedtoanuglypileofiron.Thensheflewstraightbacktothepaceataspeedandstylethatprovedshehadfullyrecovered.Medusaturheair,droppedtothegroundinherhumanformandwalkedquicklyihoutwaitingforhertocatchherbreathe,KingDimitriaskedurgently,

    “pened?”MedusawalkedovertoKingDimitri’sthrone,bowedlowandsaid,

    “Restatease,yourmajesty,nothingmuchhappened.Severalrgebatsinvadedourairspace.IthinktheymustbeagebyZeus.Theyhave.Iamsuretheywillreportthatwehavekeptourwordandhavecoatedthegoldpacewithiroupforeverwithintheallottedtime.Thatshouldsettletheflidallwillbewell.”

    “Hm”saidKingDimitritosignifythathehadheardthereport.Heraisedhiseyestothewindowandsawthathispeoplehadgatheredtogetheratthepacegroundholdingallkindsofprimitiveonsintheirhands.TheyhadallheardtheemergencycalloftheleandwereanxioustoknopeurningtoDeanna,KingDimitrisaid,

    “Goquicklyahetribalchiefsthatalliswell.Dismissthecrowdsahemgobacktotheirtentstorest.”

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaaoutofthehalltocarryoutKingDimitri’sorders.

    “Yourmajesty”saidMedusa.“Iure,Ithinkweogethetargetofourdefeem.Ourpriorityshouldnolongerbeonattacksfromtheair,butrathertrateondefendingourhearthavetogetheahosemeismswehadsetuponthemountaintopstoshootearrows.Nomatterwheretheetacks,iftheydaretoiheartnd,theyotescapethewebofarrows.”

    “Verygood.Thatisanexcellentsuggestion”endedKingDimitri.

    Thehoughtofsomethingandsaid,“Iure,ifCyclopsdoesnotdoanythingexcessiveandbeyondthepale,justleavehimalone.Don’ttreathimlikeanenemy.”

    16

    “Yes,yourmajesty,but...”saidMedusahesitantly.“Evenifwedonottreathimlikeanenemy,I’mafraidhewillbebentonrevenge.”

    “Y