rmallythepresentmaheKingdom,MegginnawelvebeautifussistantswouldbebuzzingabouttakingcareofeverythingintheKingdeandsmall.Todaythingsseemedtobeoutoftheordinaryastheofficeswerequietaed.ThedoortoMegginn’sofficeenandKingDimitrisawhersofullyfocusedonthepaperworkpiledhighonherdeskthatshewasunawareofhersurroundings.HetiptoedtothesofabeforetheFrendowfagMegginnandsatdown.Watgthebeautysoimmersedinherwork,KingDimitrifeltdeeplygratifiedandcouldn’thelpsmilingather.MegginnwasusingthepureivorydeskinallyorderedbyEileenforherownusewhehemaheKingdom.Notonlywasthematerialexpehedesignandcarvingsinanduitwasmadewithsuchexcellentcraftsmanshipthatitcouldeasilybecssifiedasanexquisiteandpricelessworkofart.Bothofitsmistresses,thepresentandformermanagers,werestrikiies,capableandintelligent,buttheirheartswereasdifferentasnightandday.Onepure,wholesomeandihrivedinthemagnifitKingdom,whiletheother,schemingandnefarious,plottedinthedarkherregionsoftheunderworld.Megginnknittedherbrowsandmumbled,

    3

    “Whyisn’thehereyet?Somethingmusthaveeup.Hehassomuhispte...”ShelookedupattheskiesoutsidethewindowtogagethetimeofdayandsawKingDimitrismilingather.Hertenanceimmediatelycleared.ShestoodupandwalkedovertoKingDimitrisayingughingly,

    “Whendidyouein?Ididn’thearyouatall.Youscaredme!”KingDimitritookherhandandpulledherovertohimsaying,

    “I’vebeeeawhile.YouweresotratedonyourworkIdidn’twanttointerruptyou.Nowtellmewhatisthisurgentmatteryouwereinahurrytotalktomeabout?IthinkIknowwhatitisaboutthoughI’mnotquitesurehowbadthesituationis.”Meggioldhimaboutitiailfrombeginningtoend.KingDimitristoodupaowalkfromoneendoftheroomtotheotherandthenbackagaihought.Outsidethewindow,thesunbegangraduallytodropbeyondthehorizon.Megginnadded,

    “What’sworseis,rumorshavebeenaboundingthatthemysterioustrillionaireDimitriJahasdied.Whoaretheseemissariesscatteredalroundtheworld?”

    “Friends”answeredKingDimitritersely.“Theyareallmyfriends,justlikeRichardandJamaz.”

    “Haveyoudoneanybackgroundchethem?”askedMegginnnervously.

    “No.Ionlyknowthatmyretionshipwiththemisfulloftwistsandturnsaoryofourfriendshipismoreplicatedaingthanma-sellingnovels.”

    “What?”excimedMegginn.“Whatdidyousay?”Shecouldn’tbelieveherears.“.........youtellmewhatkindofpeopletheyare?”

    “Ofcourse”repliedKingDimitri.“Theyareoxbutchers,disbarredwyers,escapeddeath-rowvicts,dejectedauthangmembers,unsuccessfulfrustratedpolitis...”

    “KingDimitri!”interruptedanangryMegginn.“Doyouknowyouareinchargeofyourvastkingdomandnotwritingahereisadifference,youknow.”

    3

    “OfcourseIknowthat.”saidKingDimitriseriously.“ButIthinktheyarethesamebecauseIbelieveinhumannature.“Iallowthatinthisworldtherearenaturalborncriminalswholivetoitcrime.Butthesearefewandfarbetween.Mosthumansarebasicallygoodandkied.Taketheblueskiesforinstance.Darkayfloatbyanddarkenitandoccasionallymayeveneclipsethesunpletely.Butallthisisonlytemporaryandiheskieswillrevertbacktoitsnaturalbluecolor.Soishumannature.Ifirmlybelievethatbrightnessisalwaysrgerthandarkness.”

    “Youare

rmallythepresentmaheKingdom,MegginnawelvebeautifussistantswouldbebuzzingabouttakingcareofeverythingintheKingdeandsmall.Todaythingsseemedtobeoutoftheordinaryastheofficeswerequietaed.ThedoortoMegginn’sofficeenandKingDimitrisawhersofullyfocusedonthepaperworkpiledhighonherdeskthatshewasunawareofhersurroundings.HetiptoedtothesofabeforetheFrendowfagMegginnandsatdown.Watgthebeautysoimmersedinherwork,KingDimitrifeltdeeplygratifiedandcouldn’thelpsmilingather.MegginnwasusingthepureivorydeskinallyorderedbyEileenforherownusewhehemaheKingdom.Notonlywasthematerialexpehedesignandcarvingsinanduitwasmadewithsuchexcellentcraftsmanshipthatitcouldeasilybecssifiedasanexquisiteandpricelessworkofart.Bothofitsmistresses,thepresentandformermanagers,werestrikiies,capableandintelligent,buttheirheartswereasdifferentasnightandday.Onepure,wholesomeandihrivedinthemagnifitKingdom,whiletheother,schemingandnefarious,plottedinthedarkherregionsoftheunderworld.Megginnknittedherbrowsandmumbled,

    3

    “Whyisn’thehereyet?Somethingmusthaveeup.Hehassomuhispte...”ShelookedupattheskiesoutsidethewindowtogagethetimeofdayandsawKingDimitrismilingather.Hertenanceimmediatelycleared.ShestoodupandwalkedovertoKingDimitrisayingughingly,

    “Whendidyouein?Ididn’thearyouatall.Youscaredme!”KingDimitritookherhandandpulledherovertohimsaying,

    “I’vebeeeawhile.YouweresotratedonyourworkIdidn’twanttointerruptyou.Nowtellmewhatisthisurgentmatteryouwereinahurrytotalktomeabout?IthinkIknowwhatitisaboutthoughI’mnotquitesurehowbadthesituationis.”Meggioldhimaboutitiailfrombeginningtoend.KingDimitristoodupaowalkfromoneendoftheroomtotheotherandthenbackagaihought.Outsidethewindow,thesunbegangraduallytodropbeyondthehorizon.Megginnadded,

    “What’sworseis,rumorshavebeenaboundingthatthemysterioustrillionaireDimitriJahasdied.Whoaretheseemissariesscatteredalroundtheworld?”

    “Friends”answeredKingDimitritersely.“Theyareallmyfriends,justlikeRichardandJamaz.”

    “Haveyoudoneanybackgroundchethem?”askedMegginnnervously.

    “No.Ionlyknowthatmyretionshipwiththemisfulloftwistsandturnsaoryofourfriendshipismoreplicatedaingthanma-sellingnovels.”

    “What?”excimedMegginn.“Whatdidyousay?”Shecouldn’tbelieveherears.“.........youtellmewhatkindofpeopletheyare?”

    “Ofcourse”repliedKingDimitri.“Theyareoxbutchers,disbarredwyers,escapeddeath-rowvicts,dejectedauthangmembers,unsuccessfulfrustratedpolitis...”

    “KingDimitri!”interruptedanangryMegginn.“Doyouknowyouareinchargeofyourvastkingdomandnotwritingahereisadifference,youknow.”

    3

    “OfcourseIknowthat.”saidKingDimitriseriously.“ButIthinktheyarethesamebecauseIbelieveinhumannature.“Iallowthatinthisworldtherearenaturalborncriminalswholivetoitcrime.Butthesearefewandfarbetween.Mosthumansarebasicallygoodandkied.Taketheblueskiesforinstance.Darkayfloatbyanddarkenitandoccasionallymayeveneclipsethesunpletely.Butallthisisonlytemporaryandiheskieswillrevertbacktoitsnaturalbluecolor.Soishumannature.Ifirmlybelievethatbrightnessisalwaysrgerthandarkness.”

    “Youare