Thedaintyshadowofthesmall,exquisitehelicopterstreakedacrosstheclearblueskiesandlandedattheairbaseontherightoftheTwinPeaks,asthefierysungraduallysanktowardsthewest.ThepurringofthehelicopterenginesattractedtheattentionofAishawhohadbeenimmersedinherbooksandstudies.Sheraisedherheadandsmiledasshelookedtowardsthehelicopter,knowingthatthethreebeauties,whohadgonetoinspecttheconstructionsite,wereback.Feelingstiffaftersittingatherlarge,white,exquisitelysculpturedandinlaiddeskforanextendedperiodoftime,sherosetostretchherself,andrestedhereyesgazingfromacrossthewideexpanseofthelaketothefar-offmountains.Thehorizontalrangesresembledaparalyzedgiant,whohadlaintherehopelesslysincethebeginningoftime,hismuscles,bonesandtendonsbecomingstiffandrigid.ButinAisha’seyestheydidnotresembleaprostrategiant.Infact,sheseemedtoseetheprofileofalanguid,nakedwomanlyingtheresidewise.Itisstrangehowtheperceptionofexternal,objectiveenvironmentcanbeinfluencedbythesightandimaginationtosuchadegree!ThecauseandmotiveofthistransformationofobjectiverealitywasmerelyafeelingoffatigueinAisha’stiredbody!Theinteractionofexternalobjectiveenvironmentandinternalphysicalfacultiesisreallystrangeandamazing!AtfirstAishawassurprisedthinkingthatthegianthadcometolifeandturnedintoabeautifulwoman.Sherubbedhereyesandlookedagain.Themountainrangeswerethesameandhadnotbeenchangedintheslightest.

        Aishatransferredherrovingeyestotheyethalf-finishedthesisonherdesk.Itwasthefruitofherlaborofmanydays.Onthetitlepagewaswritten“OnLifeinMatriarchalSociety”.Shehadmadeextensiveresearchthroughinnumerablevolumesofanthropologyandhistory,analyzingandfilteringthematerial,choosingandusingonlythoseworthyofreference.Evenso,shedidnotbaseherthesisonlyonsubjectiveopinion,butmadeexpansive,on-the-spotinvestigations,makingdetailedandconcisenotesofactualsituations.ThenativeslivinginKingDimitri’sKingdomhadadheredtothestyleoflifeinheritedfromtheirancestorssincetheancienttimes.Itwasaformofsocialordercenteredonwomen.ThisproximityfacilitatedAisha’sobservationtoanalyzefromeveryanglethesocialphenomenaandlocalincidentsthathappened,thusculminatingintheproductionofaconcise,well-documentedthesis.Inaword,thenativespracticedpolygamy,onewomanmarriedtoseveralmen.Whenanygirlorboyreachedtheageoffifteen,theylefttheirhomesandhadtherighttoformtheirownfamily.Themenfarmed,huntedandfished,whiletheircommonwifewasheadofthehousehold,withabsolutepowerofjudgmentandwasloyaltohermother.Thus,matriarchywasformed.KingDimitriapprovedofthiswayoflife,promptedperhapsbyhisownworshipofwomen.Aishawasinaquandaryastowhattodowithitonceitwasfinished,notknowingwhetheritwaswisetopublishitintheoutsideworld.Inrecentyears,withtheestablishmentofKingDimitri’sKingdom,manyoftheolderbeautieshadmarriednatives,forminganewnucleus,whichwaseasilyassimilatedintotheoldones.Thus,anewkindofmanwasformed,worthyofresearchbyanthropologistsandethnologists.Oncethethesiswaspublished,itwouldbesuretoattracttheattentionoffellowscholars.Wavesafterwavesofresearchteamswouldarrive,breakingthetranquilityandlife-styleofthisKingdom,hiddeninmountainranges,exposingthemalltounwelcomeattention,whichwascontrarytoKingDimitri’sintent.Intheend,Aishadecideditwasbettertoputawayherthesisandtemporarilyexileittoherbookcase.

        Aishawalkedoutofherstudy,leavingbehindhershelvesofbooksforthetimebeing.Comingintocontactwithfreshoutdoorairvitalizedherandgaveherfleshbodyafeelingofwell-being.Whenhermature,curvaceousbodywasexposedtothegrandeurofnature,everysinglecellseemedtobebreathing.Shewalkedtoandfrointhecorridor,enjoyingthebeautyoftheslowlyvanishingsunset.Atoneoftheturns,shecaughtaglimpseofthebackofabeauty,whoselongblackhairreachingdowntoherankleswasruffledslightlybytheeveningbreeze.ItcouldonlybeStephanie,fornooneelsehadthatheadoflongblacktresses.Shestoodtherestaringintothedistance,eyescenteredhypnoticallyonthesettingsun.Aishawalkedoverandpattedherontheshoulder.Stephanieturnedtowardsher,herindescribablybewitchingeyessuggestiveofdeeplyhiddensecrets.“Whatareyoudoingherealoneimmersedinthoughts?”askedAisha.

        “Iwasjustmeditatingandcontemplating”repliedStephaniesmilingslightly.“Iseemtohavegonebacktothepastwithaspeedathousandtimesfasterthannormal.Iwentfrompasttopresentinonlyaflash,buteverythingthereseemedsotrueandreal.Thethings,peopleandplaceswerestillthereandhavenotvanishedwiththepassingoftime.SoIthoughtifthepastwasstillthere,thefuturemustalreadybehere,onlywehavenotexperiencedityet.”

        “Youmayberight”shruggedAisha,“butwhybeconcernedwiththesethings?”

        “Iseemtohaveanunfortunatepremonition...”saidStephanieinprofoundmelancholy,onceagaintakingalookatthesettingsun.

        “Don’tletitbotheryou,Stephanie”saidAisha,pattingherontheshoulder.“Thinkofsomethingpleasant.DidyouknowKingDimitriwouldbecomingbackinadayortwo?”

        “Iknow.Everyoneistalkingaboutit.Butwhatdoyoubaseyourguesson?”

        “KingDimitri’sfavoritehorse,thesnow-whitesteedLightning,hasdisappeared.Everyonethinkshemusthavegoneathismaster’sbidding.”

        “KingDimitrialwayscameandwentwheneverhepleasedandneverneededhishorsetogotohim.Whydidhecallforitthistime?”

        “We’reallafraidhiseyesmightbebotheringhim.Youknowhiseyeshavebeenbotheringhim,don’tyou?Butit’sonlyourguessandnooneknowsforsure.We’llknowforcertainwhenheisback.Let’sgoindoorsnow.TherewillbeameetingthiseveningtotalkaboutpreparationsforwelcomingKingDimitri.”Withthat,thetwobeautieswalkedbackintothepalace.TherubyraysofthesettingsunreflectedonthecrystalclearbluewaterofthelakeaddedaprofusionofblazingcolortotheKingdom.

        ThestoryofLightning,KingDimitri’sfavoritehorse,wasanotherlegendthataddedtotheflavorofmysteryoftheKingdom.Everyyear,thenativesoftheregionheldahorseraceinthemeadows.Oneday,seeingathinneglectedhorseatthemarketplace,Dimitriboughtitforaverylowprice.Itlookedcommonandmediocre,buthecouldseeintelligenceandambitiongleamingfromitseyes.Itmaynotbea“TsienLiMa”-ahorseoflightningspeedandtremendousstayingpower–butitcertainlyhadtheambitionofone.ToDimitri,thatwasbetterthantherealTsienLiMawithnoambitionwhatsoever.HecalleditLightning.Aftercarefulfeedingandexercise,itgrewstrongerandstrongeranditsluxurianthairshone.Dimitristartedtrainingittobearacehorse.Onclosecontact,hefoundthatLightningwasnotonlyclever,butalsohadhighselfesteem.Ifadaywentbywithoutaccomplishment,hewouldrefuseallfeed.Ifamonthwentbywithoutmuchimprovement,hewouldfacethewallandmeditateonhisshortcomings.Thus,Lightning’sspeedbecameasswiftasthewindandliveduptohisname.Dimitritookittothemeadowslikeacoach,butsoonitcouldtrainitself.First,itwouldstretchanddowarm-upexerciseswithitslegsandmuscles.Then,itwouldjogslowlyaroundthemeadow;graduallyincreasingitsspeeduntilitwaslikeastreakoflightning.Throughmonthsofselftraining,itdevelopedaseriesofmovementsthatformeditscheetah-likerunningbodyintoastreamlineinordertoavoidthepressureofair.Winningthechampionshipseemedasurething.Unfortunately,anaccidenthappened.MoleshaddugholesinthegroundandLightningsteppedintoonewhilehewasflyingby.Itfellandbrokeitslefthindleg.Lightningknewitsracingdayswereoverandgrewthinnerandthinnerandmoredespondentthanever.Itsproudtemperamentneverchanged.OnedayDimitriandthethree-leggedhorseploddedwearilyonawindingmountaintrailtowardstheradiantbloodybeautyofsunset.Theshadowstheycastseemedlonelierthanever.Thehorse,withlusterlesseyesanddulldrycoatofhairstoppedbesidethecliffandlookedlonginglyatthevastexpanseofgreeninfrontofit.Itdidthatwheneveritpassedthisway.Itwashisonlyhope.Itseemedtoalwaysbethinkingofstrategiestobeatrivalstallerandstronger.Buttoday,thiswasfarfromitsthoughts.Thebloodysunsetfromthefarwestattractedit.Itraiseditshead,neighedsorrowfullyandplungeddownintotheravinebelow.Dimitriwascaughtbysurpriseandcoulddonothingstopreventit.Butknowingthehigh-mettledcharacteristicsofhishorsesowell,hehadknownthiswouldhappensoonerorlater,buthedidn’texpectittobesosoon.Lightning’swasthestoryofallunsuccessfulheroeswhodied,grievedandindignant.Therewerealltoomanyofthemthroughouttheages.Dimitrithoughtthattheirfateandhisweresimilar,butLightningwasmorecourageous–itdied.Thenextmorning,Dimitriwasastoundedbythefamiliarneighingofhisfavoritehorsepiercingtheskies.HelookedupandsawcloudscometogethertoformtheshapeofaFlyingHorse.“Ah!Lightninghascomebacktome.Withpowerfulwingsathisservicehedoesnotneedhishoofsanymore.”

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