Aishawalkedoutofherstudy,leavingbehindhershelvesofbooksforthetimebeing.ingintotactwithfreshoutdoorairvitalizedherandgaveherfleshbodyafeelingofwell-being.Wheure,curvaceousbodyosedtothegrandeurofnature,everysinglecellseemedtobebreathing.Shewalkedtoandfrointhecorridor,enjoyingthebeautyoftheslowlyvanishingsuoheturns,shecaughtaglimpseofthebackofabeauty,whoselongbckhairreagdowntoherankleswasruffledslightlybytheeveningbreeze.Itcouldoephanie,fornooneelsehadthatheadoflongbcktresses.Shestoodtherestaringintothedistance,eyesteredhypnoticallyoingsun.Aishawalkedoverandpattedherontheshoulder.Stephaurowardsher,herindescribablybewitgeyessuggestiveofdeeplyhiddes.“Whatareyoudoingherealoneimmersedinthoughts?”askedAisha.
“Iwasjustmeditatingandpting”repliedStephaniesmilingslightly.“Iseemtohavegonebacktothepasteedathousandtimesfasterthannormal.Iwentfrompasttopresentinonlyafsh,buteverythingthereseemedsotrueahethings,peopleandpceswerestillthereandhavenotvahthepassingoftime.SoIthoughtifthepastwasstillthere,thefuturemustalreadybehere,onlywehavenotexperieyet.”
“Youmayberight”shruggedAisha,“butwhybeedwiththesethings?”
“Iseemtohaveanunfortunatepremonition...”saidStephanieinprofoundmencholy,onceagaintakingalookatthesettingsun.
“Dobotheryou,Stephanie”saidAisha,pattiheshoulder.“Thinkofsomethingpleasant.DidyouknowKingDimitriwouldbeingbaadayortwo?”
“Iknow.Everyoalkingaboutit.Butwhatdoyoubaseyuesson?”
“KingDimitri’sfavoritehorse,thesnow-whitesteedLightning,hasdisappeared.Everyohihavegohismaster’sbidding.”
“KingDimitrialwayscameawheneverhepleasedandneverneededhishorsetogotohim.Whydidhecallforitthistime?”
“We’realfraidhiseyesmightbebhim.Youknowhiseyeshavebeenbhim,don’tyou?Butit’sonlyuessandnooneknowsforsure.We’llknowforcertainwhenheisback.Let’sgoindoorsnow.TherewillbeameetingthiseveningtotalkaboutpreparationsforwelingKingDimitri.”Withthat,thetwobeautieswalkedbatothepace.TherubyraysofthesettingsunreflectedonthecrystalclearbluewaterofthekeaddedaprofusionofbzingcolortotheKingdom.
ThestoryofLightning,KingDimitri’sfavoritehorse,wasanendthataddedtothefvorofmysteryoftheKingdom.Everyyear,thenativesoftheregionheldahorserathemeadows.Oneday,seeingathinedhorseatthemarketpce,Dimitriboughtitforaverylowprice.Itlookedonandmediocre,buthecouldseeintelligendambitiongleamingfromitseyes.ItmaysienLiMa”-ahorseoflightningspeedandtremendousstayingpower–butitcertainlyhadtheambitionofooDimitri,thatwasbetterthantherealTsienLiMawithnoambitionwhatsoever.HecalleditLightning.Aftercarefulfeedingandexercise,itgrewstrongerandstrongeranditsluxurianthairshone.Dimitristartedtrainingittobearacehorse.Onclosetact,hefoundthatLightningwasnotonlyclever,butalsohadhighselfesteem.Ifadaywentbywithoutaplishment,hewouldrefuseallfeed.Ifamobywithoutmuchimprovement,hewouldfacethewalateonhisshortings.Thus,Lightning’sspeedbecameasswiftasthewindandliveduptohisname.Dimitritookittothemeadowslikeacoach,butsoonitcouldtrainitself.First,itwouldstretddowarm-upexerciseswithitslegsandmuscles.Then,itwouldjogslowlyaroundthemeadow;graduallyincreasingitsspeeduntilitwaslikeastreakoflightning.Throughmonthsofselftraining,itdevelopedaseriesofmovementsthatformeditscheetah-likerunningbodyintoastreamlineioavoidthepressureofair.Winningthechampionshipseemedasurething.Unfortunately,anacthappened.MoleshaddugholesinthegroundandLightningsteppedintoonewhilehewasflyingby.Itfelndbrokeitslefthindleg.Lightnisragdayswererewthinnerandthinnerandmoredespohasproudtemperamentneverged.OnedayDimitriahree-leggedhorseploddedwearilyonawindingmountaintrailtowardstheradiantbloodybeautyofsuheshadowstheycastseemedlohahehorse,withlusterlesseyesanddulldrycoatofhairstoppedbesidethecliffandlookedlonginglyatthevastexpanseofgreeninfrontofit.Itdidthatwhepassedthisway.Itwashisonlyhope.Itseemedtoalwaysbethinkingiestobeatrivalstallerandstronger.Buttoday,thiswasfarfromitsthoughts.Thebloodysufromthefarwestattractedit.Itraiseditshead,neighedsorrowfullyandplungeddownintotheravinebelow.Dimitriwascaughtbysurpriseandcoulddonothingstopreventit.Butknowingthehigh-mettledcharacteristicsofhishorsesowell,hehadknownthiswouldhappensooer,buthedidn’texpectittobesosoon.Lightning’swasthestoryofallunsuccessfulheroeswhodied,grievedandindignant.Therewerealltoomanyofthemthroughouttheages.Dimitrithoughtthattheirfateandhisweresimir,butLightningwasmoreceous–itdied.Them,Dimitriwasastouhefamiliarneighingofhisfavoritehorsepiergtheskies.HelookedupandsawcloudsetogethertoformtheshapeofaFlyingHorse.“Ah!Lightninghasebae.Withpowerfulwingsathisservicehedoesnotneedhishoofsanymore.”
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