Amalialookedlikethetraditionalwitchinfairytales,butsofarasherbehaviorinDimitri’sKingdomofDreamswasconcerned,shewasreallyakind-heartedelder.Heractionsweresometimessobizarrethatthebeautiesdidn’tquiteknowwhethertolaughorcry.Butshewasveryprotectiveofthem,andtheywillinglycametobeonintimatetermswiththissinister-lookingbutkind-heartedoldwoman.Sometimesshewasconfusedandsilly,butsometimesshrewdandcapableandthebeautiestreatedherliketheiroldgrandmother.Yoko,theAsianbeautywithapairofenticingdimplesonhercheeks,wasespeciallyclosetoAmalia,whopickedherupfromthestreetsaftershewasdesertedbyherparents,andpracticallyraisedherfrominfancy.Butthatwasinthebygonedaysofthesmokypast.OnhearingLotus’wordsDornasaid,

        “Don’ttrytoscareme.Amalialovesmeandwouldneverliftafingertome.Anyway,sheisnotinthepalaceatthemomentandhasgoneroamingsomewhere.Whenshecomesback,Iwillaskherwhereshehasgoneandwhyshehadn’ttakenmewithher.Thatwillmakehersorepentantthatshe’llnevereventhinkofspankingme.”

        “OK.OK,mylittleprincess!”laughedLotus.“Stoptalkingandeatmoreofthesedumplings.Afteryouhavefinished,goandwashupandrestforawhile.It’slateandIheardAishahassomethingimportanttoannouncetonight.”

        Thefourgirlssataroundthechoppingboardandfelltowithzeal.AsDeannaate,shewasthinking,

        “Imustswimtothedeepwatersinthemiddleofthelakeassoonaspossibleandseewhatit’sallabout.IfDorna’scuriosityisnotsatisfied,thestrong-headedgirlwillbesuretosetoutbyherself.Ifanythinghappenstoher,itwouldbebecauseofmeandIwouldneverforgivemyself.”Theirappetitesfullysatisfied,thefourgirlseachwentherownway.Soon,otherbeautieshearingofLotus’freshandtastyrefreshmentscameintwosandthreesfollowingoneachother’sheelstotrythesteamingdumplings,whicheveryoneofthemdeclaredtobeuniqueanddelicious.Lotus,everthegracioushostess,talkedtothemandsawtoitthateveryonewasserved.Soonitwasduskandthebeautieshadallleft.Therewerestillthreebamboosteamersleftonthestove,whichLotuskeptwarmingforMegginn,RomiandClementinebecausesheknewthattheywouldsurelybehungryafteradayofinspectiononGiantMountainandwouldneedasnack.Also,theever-vigilantMedusa,whoflewaroundtheskiescarryingoutherdutyasGuardianoftheKingdom,wouldbehungry,too.

        JustasLotuswasclearingawaythetables,alate-comingbeautywalkedin.ItwastheAsianbeauty,Yoko,witheyesfullofafascinatingsmile.TheytalkedwhileLotuswentonwithherworkathandandYokosatdowntotrythevegetabledumpling.

        “Yoko,Amaliahasbeengoneforquitesometimenow,hasn’tshe?”

        “Yes,”sighedYoko,andherbeautifulfaceclouded.“Itoldhertimeandagainthatshewasgettingoldandshouldtakebettercareofherselfandnotgoroamingabout.Butshewon’tlistentome,andkeepsdisappearingforlongperiodsoftime.Itworriesme.”

        “HercharacterissomewhatlikeKingDimitri’s”observedLotus.“Theybothlovetoroamaroundtheworldanddon’tliketosettledownathome.”

        Similarityincharactermaybecausedbybloodrelationship,ortheycouldbetraitsdirectlyinheritedfromone’sparents.Scientistshavenotbeenabletocometoanydecisiveconclusiononthat,buttherewasundeniablysomestrangebondbetweenDimitriandAmalia.Firstofall,Amaliadidhaveason,whohadbeenlostandsheknewnothingofhispresentwhereabouts.Dimitri’smother,fromwhomhehadbeenseparatedsincehisyouth,wasalsocalledAmalia.Ofcoursethesecluesdidnotproveanything,butithadgivenrisetoallkindsofsurmisesandconjectures,whichhunglikeapuzzlingcloudoverthemysteriouspalace.Noonewaswillingtosolvethepuzzle,fearingoncethingswereoutintheopen,unforeseeablechangesmighthappenthatcouldwrenchthetwolong-lostmotherandsonapartagain.NoneofthebeautieswantedthattohappenandneitherKingDimitrinorAmaliawerewillingtoreopenwoundsofthetraumaticpastburiedsodeeplyintheirhearts!Soonthesurfacethingsremainedthesame,andlettingsleepingdogslieseemedtobethemostexpedientofplans.Atthispoint,LotusandYokobecamesilent,bothwishingtoavoidtheissue,sotheychangedthetopicoftheirconversationquitenaturallytothemeetingthatwasbeingcalledthatevening.ItwassaidAishawantedtogatherthebeautiestogether,hopingtousetheircombinedintelligencetoformataplausibleplanofactionthatwouldexpeditethecompletionofthegoldpalace,soitwouldbefinishedbeforeKingDimitricameback.ThatmadehisreturntotheKingdomseemmorerealandimminent.ThisconfirmationbroughtsmilestothefacesofthetwoAsianbeauties.SuddenlyYokosaid,

        “DoyouknowLotus,whileIwaswalkinginthegardenatnoontimetoday,Isavedagorgeousbutterflytrappedinawebandletitgo.Italmostbecamefoodforthatfierceblackspider.”

        “Well”answeredLotushappily,“There’saproverbinChina‘thosewhodogoodwillberewarded’.Heavenwillrecompenseyouforyourgooddeed.”Whatthetwobeautiesdidnotknowwas,thatthegorgeousstrippedbutterflywasactuallythereincarnationofDimitriinhisdreams.

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