Awhileago,CharinaandDimitriweresittingatthetwoendsofheroblongdiningtablewithMaureenbetweenthem.Ablueballoonentangledinabranchofatreeinherbackyard,dancedinthebreeze.Sheoriginallywantedtotreathimtoanicedinneratahighclassrestaurant,butDimitrishrugged,pointedtohisdilapidatedclothingandpolitelydeclinedsayinghewasnotdressedforit.CharinatookhimtoanoptometristandboughthimapairofsunglassestoreplacethepairDavidtookandthenwenttothegrocerystoreandboughtsomegroceryanditemsfordailyuse.Beforegoinghome,shestoppedatapizzashopandorderedsomepizza.Dimitrisatatthetableenjoyinghisextremelysatisfyingmeal,drinkingfromhistallglassofbeerfromtimetotime.Hefeltthatthefoodhewaseatingwasdeliciousandlifewasreallywonderful.FearingthatMaureen’slongearsmightbrushintothecheeseandothersaucesonhisdishwhichwouldtarnishhislongsilkyfur,Charinatiedhisearstogetherwithabowatthetopofhishead,makinghimlookcuterthanever.Shehadcutupsomepizzaintobite-sizepiecesforMaureentomakeiteasierforhimtoeat.Tohismistress,Maureenwasamemberofherfamilyandequalinpositiontoanyotherhumanbeing,sohesatatthetablewiththemandpartookdaintilyofhismeal.AsforCharina,shehadaplateoffreshlettucedribbledwithsomevinegarandpepperandasliceofturkey.Shemurmured,“Womenlovetobebeautiful.Inordertokeeptheirfigurestheyhavetosacrificetheirenjoymentoffood!”ShelookedatMaureenandsaid,“Itisarareopportunitythatbroughthimintothisworld.Iknowdogsarenotsupposedtoeatthesamefoodashumans,butIwanthimtoexperiencethedifferentgourmetfoodwehumanshavesoasnottowastethisuniquechanceofhishavinglivedinthisworldofours.”

        NowthetwoofthemweresittinginCharina’slargebrightlivingroom.Exhaustedbyhismorning’sadventureofrunningaround,jumpingandplaying,Maureenlaybyhismistress’ssidefastasleep.CharinatookasparklingglasshalffullofcrushediceandplaceditinfrontofDimitriandthenpouredsomegoodwhiskeyintoit.Shealsopouredanotherglassforherself,helduptheglasstoDimitriandsaid,“Cheers!”Dimitritoohelduphisglassandthetwoofthembothtookasip.“Well”Charinathensaid,“nowweareallset.HowaboutgoingonwithyourstoryoftheKingdomintheDreams?Itmustbeaveryinterestingandfascinatingstory.Iamallears.”“WhereshouldIbegin?”murmuredDimitri,gazingattheskyoutsidethewindow.“Let’sstartwithmytwenty-fourbeautiesthen.Theyarealldifferentandhavedifferentbackgrounds;Iwillintroducethemtoyou.”Hetookanothersipofthewhiskeyandasifreminiscingaboutthepastbegantotellhisstory.

        Theafternoonheatabatedsomewhatandtheairbegantocooldownwiththeeveningbreeze.AthinthreadtiedtoablueballoonwasentangledwithabranchofatreeinCharina’sbackyard.Theballoonbobbledrestlesslyinthelightbreezeasifstrugglingtofreeitselffromtheshacklesofthethreadandflyawayintotheskies.Butitsfootwasboundbythethinthread.Dimitri’sstorycametoacloseforthetimebeing.CharinaaddedsomemoreicetoDimitri’sglassandpouredmorewhiskey.Shedidthesameforherself.Shetookasipandasked,“WhenyouledthebeautiesonebyonetotheKingdomofDreams,whydidyouforgetme?Whydidn’tyoutakemetheretoo?Ifyoudid,Iwouldhavehadmorematerialformywriting.”

        “Er...er...Ineverthoughtofitatthetime.”Dimitrineverthoughtshewouldasksuchaquestionanddidnotknowwhattosay.“ButyoucanmakeuseofthecreativityandimaginationthatisinherentinyouandcreateforyourselfyourownKingdomintheDreams.”

        “Butmykingdomwouldnotbeasbeautifulandperfectasyours”

        “No.No.No.No.”saidDimitriwavinghishandsindisagreement.“Youjustneedtoscattersomeseedsinthefertilesoilofyourdreamsandtheywillnaturallygrowandblossomintobeautifulflowersinyourdreams.Likethereflectioninthewaterofthemagnificentscenicmountains,theywillbejustasbeautiful.Solongasyouhaveapureandkindheartwhatappearsinyourdreamswillsuretobebright,calmandbeautiful.”

        Charina’seyesbrightenedathiswordswhichshookupherheartwithunrestrainedsentimentsbutshecouldnotdistinguishwhatkindoffeelingthatwas.Shesuddenlystoodupsaying,”EverydayIreleaseablueballoonintotheskiesfrommybackyard,hopingitwouldbringmebacksomemessageabouttheworldbeyondtheblueskies.Butdayafterdaymyhopeshaveallbeendashed.Inevergaveupandcontinuedtodoso.Let’shopethattodayIwillgetsomeextraordinarynews.”Sayingso,sheopenedtheFrenchwindowsandsteppedintothebackyard.Shegrabbedholdofthethreadtiedtotheblueballoonandthenletouttheairintheballoon.Shewaskeyedupasherhandsfeltnervouslyallovertheflatballoonandthenexclaimedexcitedly,“It’shere!It’shere!Ihavenewsfromtheworldbeyondtheblueskies.It’sanote.Thisisreallytoofascinating!”Affectedbyheremotions,Dimitrialsobecameexcited.Hetookuphiswhitecane,gropedhiswaytowardstheFrenchwindows,alsowalkedoutintothebackyard.Charinaheldapieceofpaperinherhandandsaid,“It’shere.It’shere.”Thetwoofthemstoodtoreadthenotefromheaven.Itsaid,“DearKingDimitri,Knowingyourloveforroamingfreelyaroundtheworld,Iwouldnothaveintrudedonyouexceptforrealemergencies.Recentlyemissariessentbythealmightygod,Zeushavebeenflyingoverourkingdom.TheyreportedtohimthatourmagnificentpalacehadbeenburntdowntothegroundandthecoatofironcoveringthegoldpalaceattheotherendoftheKingdomhadbeentornoffanditisagainshiningbrilliantlyinallitsglory.Zeuswasmystifiedastowhathadhappened.HewantsyoutocomebacktoyourKingdomofDreamsandwantstomeetwithyou.SignedMedusa”

        “Medusa...Medusa...thenamesoundssofamiliar.IssheoneofthegoddessesinGreekmythology?”

        “Yes,”noddedDimitri.“That’sher,Medusa.”

        “Howcouldthatbe?Howcouldthatbe?”mutteredCharina.

        “Whycouldn’tthatbe?”askedDimitri.“Anythingispossibleindreams.”

        “Comeon.Comeon”urgedCharina.“ComebacktothelivingroomandtellmeindetailabouteverythingthathappenedinyourKingdomofDreams.”Dimitrisatdownathisoriginalseatinthelivingroomandfellintoadeepreverie.“WhydoesZeuswanttoseeme?HeknowseverythingthathappenedintheKingdom.HistwobeloveddaughtersCharmaineandClementinewouldhavetoldhimindetailaboutit.Whatmoreisthattotalktomeabout?”Charinacameoutofherroomcarryingabottleofwineinherarms.Thebottlelookedclassicandantique,obviouslyquiteaged.Shesaid,“Comeon.ThisisabottleofwineItreasure.Iinheriteditfrommyfatherandhavekeptforalongtime.UptonowIhaveneverbeentemptedtoopenitwhatevertheoccasion.Today,Iwillmakeanexceptionandopenthebottleforyou.Youcandrinkthisrareanddeliciouswineandtellmeyourstoryatthesametime.”

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