Reasons not to mess with a Princess

The Switch

Elise:

Soon, we were following Alexander yet again. The experience seemed far too weird to be an ambush, so we just ended up following him in silence. As I walked I tried to think about all of the islands my sisters and I had found with our dragons, hoping that maybe we had been here before. That this was just a big misunderstanding and Alexander had finally lost it.

Of course, Alexander lost it years ago if he even had his wits about him in the first place, and us princesses were not far behind him.

I don't remember much of that walk, my head hurt with every step, but I do remember how beautiful it was. The trees were tall and lush and swaying in a nice breeze. The flowers were everywhere and most were unrecognizable, even to me. I could not help but marvel at the fact that my sisters and I had never known it had existed.

"Alexander," I said, "How did you find this place?" The awe in my voice was unmistakable.

"This is where I first came when I landed in Calaydril." Alexander answered, his voice unreadable.

"Landed?" Anna and I asked.

Alexander ignored us.

"Elise," Anna murmured to me, "Alexander is right, this island reeks of magic. How could we not know about this? I mean, if Alexander knows this is here, he could use it to betray the kingdom. We've got to let Emerald know, maybe she could-"

"Emerald knows."

My step faltered.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"What I said," Alexander replied in an annoyed tone. "When I found the island again, I told Emerald. Anyone who controls it controls the entire Queendom, no questions asked. If it got in the wrong hands we all would be doomed."

"And that isn't you?" Anna questioned. "Since when do you care for the good of our country?"

Alexander was quiet for a moment. "I live here same as you, princess. I may not be first in line to join your personal bodyguards, but I still don't wish this kind of havoc on any country."

"Since when?" Anna muttered behind me as we walked.

My brain was buzzing. Alexander cared about Calaydril? If anyone were to use this island against us, how, I still didn't understand, my first guess would always be him. What changed him?

And now Emerald knew. Emerald was the oldest, she knew things we didn't know. But knowing about this...

Normally I would have questioned this, questioned Emerald even. But at that moment Alexander stopped in front of me, causing me to stop and Anna crashing into me.

After Anna and I gathered our wits about us, we looked to see the source of our sudden halt.