Chapter 6

Alexandra

Duchess Alexandra was having trouble with her councilors. Two years of trying desperately to rule over an ever-growing portion of the School Kingdom, as well as an increasingly uncontrollable council had made her use everything that she had ever read. For the last few months she left the books behind and was making it up as she went along.

Prince Herbert was red faced and shaking. He stood over Princess Anaeth still trying to come up with a suitable retort for her last outrageous insult. The princess sat smugly surveying the havoc she had wreaked on yet another meeting. Only Herbert had the nerve to cross the princess and he continually paid dearly for his courage. The others just sat and endured, occasionally applauding an especially telling insult. They blamed Alexandra for their situation, and Alexandra knew they replayed the council meetings after curfew. She didn't stand a chance.

"The peasants are increasingly angry," Prince Michael said. "We need to do something or there will be open rebellion." He kept a somber face until he caught Princess Avi's eye. They were a destined match, but they were also madly in love. No matter the subject, Alexandra knew that Avi would distract him.

"We all know who gave the peasants the idea that they have rights," Anaeth said.

"Peasant rights were enshrined in law more than a hundred years ago," said Alexandra.

"Oh, sure, in law," said Anaeth, "but no one ever paid attention until you started giving them ideas."

"It wouldn't be so, so bad if we ruled with some consistency," Herbert said, and Alexandra had to smile. He was the only one who actively supported Alexandra.

"And your rulings are consistent?" asked Anaeth. "I don't think you've made a judgment yet that anyone could understand."

"Well, that is consistency," Neje said, "of a sort."

Alexandra stifled a sigh. Herbert always paid for his loyalty.

"The fact is that the peasant unrest is a direct result of the failure of our governing." Alexandra looked at each of her council in the eyes, except for Avi and Michael who were making eyes at each other. "It is not because the peasants have got out of place. It is because you have forgotten that you are here to learn to rule justly. Those of you who haven't actively subverted my rule have sat back and allowed it."

She got up and walked to the window and stood with her back to the table. She knew what each of them was doing. Anaeth was smirking while Neje watched her for cues. Avi and Michael were staring into each other's eyes. Herbert would be looking at her with a worried face. The others would be watching her or Anaeth with varying degrees of confusion or anger.

The School Kingdom was in the worst shape ever, and it was Alexandra's fault. The Kingdom of Sopo continued to harass the school, even threatening military action if the "upstart impostor" wasn't removed. The Governors were after her to control her council, the people burned her in effigy. Her council sabotaged her at every turn. Alexandra wasn't going to let it continue. Enough was enough. She took a deep breath of the musty air. The school courtyard was green with new grass and the fruit trees were in bloom. She was going to miss this place. She knew only one way to cut through this mess and perhaps give the school a chance to recover. Taking another deep breath, the Unenchanted Princess turned and faced her council.

"I have decided what I will do." The quiet certainty in her voice cut through the silence. Her council looked at her with the familiar expressions of fear, hope and contempt. Alexandra wiped her hands on her skirt, and Anaeth pounced on her hesitation.

"So, are you finally going to hang all those disgusting peasants? If you were a real princess this wouldn't have happened." Anaeth looked around at her supporters, and seeing nods of agreement she smiled at Alexandra.

"I am going to do what I should have done a long time ago. I am going to hang every one of you for treason to the state. The execution will be held in public so that the dirt grubbing commoners know that I am serious about how I deal with traitors." Alexandra almost spoiled her announcement by laughing at her councilors' reaction.

Princess Neje burst into tears, and while Avi took a death grip on Michael's hand, Ariel ran for the door, but Princess Anaeth of Sopo just sat with her mouth open, finally left completely speechless. Only Herbert had anything to say. He cheered. He kept cheering as the students dressed as guards stepped into the room and escorted the princesses away to be locked in their dorms for lack of a better place. Only at the last second did Alexandra remember to tell them not to arrest Herbert.

She sent Herbert to make sure that the others were secure, then alone again Alexandra gave into her feelings and laughed until the tears streamed down her face. She threw open the window and shouted her laughter to the whole world.

The next morning the courtyard was filled with peasants who had been informed by Alexandra's workers from the younger classes that something unusual was in the works. Set up in the courtyard were four gallows, and off to one side were four effigies which Alexandra's agents had purchased. The effigies were dressed in royal clothes. Herbert and the guards brought out the prisoners. Alexandra stood on a platform beside the gallows and wondered why the teachers and Governors hadn't come to stop her. Nothing like this had ever happened in the history of the school. She wasn't sure she could see all the consequences of her actions, but she was sure that nothing would ever be the same again.