Helga's Heroines

Once upon a time: Princess Yowanda

What a lot of people may not know is that I was American before I was African. I was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. I met Prince Makabana when he took a trip to America in New York, I happened to be taking a vacation to New York. Us meeting, was as if fate had pulled us together. It took Makabana no time to become smitten with me. But what prince--nevertheless a regular person could resist me? I had the looks and the personality of a real princess. Not long after we met, we married. It may have been foolish to marry somebody so soon after meeting them, but it was how the fairy tales were always told. As soon as you meet the prince, you marry them. Princes were supposed to be charming, kind, your dream man. Prince Makabana may have been a good looking man like you see in the fairy tales. But the outside wasn't as handsome. Prince Makabana was a greedy, selfish and awful man who only cared about three things. Himself, money and power. But I only married him for that money and power, so maybe I shouldn't be talking so nastily of him.

When the war broke out, our country was supposed to remain neutral, not wanting to be involved with it at all and not wanting to be bombed. However...When the Germans made an offer to Prince Makabana that came with a large paycheck, our country was now secretively with the Axis Powers. What the Germans wanted was a submarine base in our country.

While my husband was in it for the money, I was in it for myself. I wasn't with the Allies or the Axis, but instead, myself. My husband traveled to that famous Stalag 13 in order to make a deal with the Germans. It's quite odd how much happens at what is supposed to be a P.O.W. camp.

I arrived to the camp after Makabana did, my husband was not there like he was supposed to be. There was a man who looked identical to my husband. So identical, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart. But there was one thing that wasn't identical one bit...Their personalities and that gave it away to me that this wasn't Prince Makabana.

This was Sergeant James Kinchole. His personality made him much sexier than Makabana. He was kinder and although we had just met, he was more affectionate. But what I loved the most is that he actually cared about what I thought. Makabana ignored all my thoughts, opinions, feelings, everything. Makabana does kiss me, but he doesn't kiss me with love like James does.

And because James was with the Allies and I liked him, I agreed to help the allies. Against my husband's wishes. I called the people of my country and told them to switch sides.

The Germans would find out and I would face backlash from them that I can't even imagine. Hogan's heroes help me flee from Germany to the United States. James and I shared one last final kiss before I left.

I gave up my power to help the allies and James....

It may have been my biggest mistake yet. America wasn't all as wonderful as my country. I've been princess for so long; I had forgotten what it felt like to be an average citizen. Some ordinary people down the street would judge me for simply existing, they were rude with the way they look at me and the way they spoke.

I began to grow miserable with the way I was living, being accustomed to luxury, this wasn't anything that I was used to. I wanted to return to being royalty or...For something to happen, anything to happen. That's when I met two blonde girls, the German girls that would change my life.

I would describe these girls as 'creepy'. Germans in America were unusual and unwanted. The girl in pigtails didn't express much emotion, other than an attractive smile and a soft and somewhat flirtatious tone in her voice. The girl in the green turtleneck sweater just seemed...Unhappy. She barely smiled and wasn't as chatty as the other was. They introduced themselves as "Helga" and "Gretel".

Helga and Gretel would explain to me that they were here for a meeting with a certain American colonel. They didn't fill me in with much information, other than telling that colonel about their team, which they would then explain to me. This extraordinary team called 'Helga's heroines'. I didn't find it very tasteful that Helga would use her own name for the group. But she was the founder; founder gets to choose any name they want.

When Helga and Gretel explained that their team is particularly made up of 'girl power' that assists Hogan's Heroes and the allies to foil the Nazis plan. It sounded absurd, a couple of girls, risking their lives? No, no...Fighting was supposed to be the men's job and not for women, and certainly not for a princess, right?

Helga explained that she needed a translator. Everyone who is has knowledge of foreign countries knows about 'Princess Yowanda'. That I was a wonderful leader to my people and that I could speak several languages. I wasn't happy in America and I felt unwanted, but Helga did make me feel wanted. She promised that I wouldn't have to face much action if I didn't like it. I wasn't very happy with how my life was currently going, so I agreed to Helga's and Gretel's offer and followed them back to Germany.

"Now that we've explained everything, can we please be off the hook?"

"No, that's not everything that I wanted..." Tiger shook her head. "I still need to hear the leader's story. How did you make this team in the first place and just what was going through your mind?"

Helga nodded. "I'll be glad to explain."