I once read a book, with so many plot twists that I almost broke my neck. I remember ready the book with my mother and father when I was younger and never thought that I would be able to read it again, especially after they died. That was almost 20 years ago, I was 10 when they died and I was almost immediately placed on the throne. I had no time to grieve my parents because now I was the queen, but I am getting ahead of myself. Oh I have not even introduced myself.

I am Aleksandrya Athena Charissa Antonopoulos. I am the only daughter of King Calix and Queen Evangelina. My parents did everything they could to give me a great childhood. I went to the best tutors, took tours of the Acropolis, and was even allowed to see the common people. I was always protected and feared nothing. That was until I was 10. My parents told me they would have to travel by boat to England.  They never returned.

Now suddenly, I was the one making the decisions for the country. I had help of course. He was a 19 year old advisor to my father when I became queen. His name was Ander and was a very nice man. We married when I turned 16, which I thought at the time was out of love. It was not as it seems. Being only 16 I was still young and naive. I thought I knew what was going on but I found out later what was happening behind the scenes as it were, again I am getting ahead of myself.

I ruled with Ander’s help for years. I thought the people of Greece were happy with the way we ruled. I was told, though, that I must never leave the castle. It was not safe for a queen to be down with the common people. I did not question the advisors that my father had trusted and now I trusted. I stayed in the castle until I turned 20. I do not remember why I left, I think I was in the need of something other than the walls of the castle. So, I left to go pray in the temple of Hera and also Demeter. I left and saw something I had never seen before.

The people had no food. They had very little water and there were many people praying to Demeter for help. I overheard a woman talking to her husband. She said, “Ever since Ander become king, the country has not been the same.” I looked at them and quietly waited my turn behind the woman and her husband. “I do not know why Zeus took the king, queen and princess. I do not know why at 10 years old the poor princess had to die.”

I heard this and could not move. Why did she think I was dead? Did Ander tell everyone that I died along with my parents? Did he want to keep me quite? I ran home and found the only person I knew I could trust. HIs name was Ambrus. He was my cousin and the only man Ander truly feared. I found Ambrus with the servants asking for a different dinner than originally planned. “You change it every evening Ambrus. Do you think Ander wishes harm on the queen?” I heard one of the servants ask this question honestly. “I do not know but I do not want to take that risk.” As Ambrus turned, he saw me standing there with tears in my eyes.

“Alek did you hear?” I shook my head yes and told Ambrus what I had found out down in town. He could not believe what I had heard and told me he had never truly trusted Ander. There was just something about him he did not like. Ambrus told me to pack a few things, as we had to leave that night in order for no harm to come to me. I went to my room and looked for something to pack into. A bag or something. Ander, the man that I loved, was trying to do me harm. I did not know how to process this or how to acknowledge it.

Ambrus knew that this would cause me pain. He came to my door as I was looking for a bag. “I think he did love you at first. He just loves power more. He lied to the people for so long, now he knows that he has to either kill you or tell the truth. I just….I do not want any harm to come to you Alek.” I turned to Ambrus, “My father called me Alek. No one else ever has.” I smiled at Ambrus and we made a plan to leave that night. We would leave at midnight, after the guards all went to bed. Ander always went out to see how the people were at night. I thought how he must be lying about that as well.

Ambrus and I went about our business as usual that night. We did not give any hint as to we knew what was going on in the village. I saw Ander frown at the food, “Ambrus must you change dinner every night?” “You choose food only you like Ander. Maybe you should think of others more.” After dinner, I went into the kitchen and gave orders for the leftover food to go to the village that night. I told them not to let Ander know and make sure it happens every day, after Ander leaves. That was the last order I gave the staff.

In the cover of darkness, Ambrus and I escaped the castle. The place that had been my home and then prison. I never thought I would leave it in this way. I had a feeling I would leave if I married a prince from a different country but now I was leaving a refugee. Not even a refugee but someone without a country. I did not know what Ambrus had planned for our escape but he was the only man I ever truly trusted. We went to a small cottage nearby. Ambrus told me he had this cottage setup for weeks in case something were to happen like this. No one knew where we were and we should be safe.

Ander never sent anyone to look for us. If he had he would have never found us, because we made sure to disguise ourselves where ever we went the next few days. The following week, we went to the town and they were happy for the first time in years because they had food. Ambrus and I saw the happiness and knew we had to do something to keep it going. We knew it would not be able to last long. I looked over to see that Ander was there that day. He was walking around the village trying to figure out how they had food.

I made sure he did not see me. He stood on a platform made for him by his advisors. “Ladies and gentlemen! I am glad you have enough food to eat but I must inform you that our kingdom must go to war. We must fight the English for killing our king and queen. I know it has been several years since the royal family has died but we must go and get our revenge.” Ambrus and I listened to Ander, knowing all he wanted was more money. One very brave man stood up, “You said the same thing five years ago when you raised our taxes. We pay too much as it is, 90 percent of our wages goes to you Ander.”

Ander did not like the way this man spoke to him and a guard I had never seen before was ordered to go to him. “If Aleksandrya Athena Charissa Antonopoulos was alive and her parents, then what would you have done Ander? How would you have taken power?” The guard got to him and Ambrus wanted to help, but I stepped in. “You are ordered to back away from the man.” The guard turned around and looked at me. Ander smiled and said “Kill anyone who gets in your way Aias.” I took my hood off and turned to face Ander. “Does that include Aleksandrya Athena Charissa Antonopoulos? Your queen and wife?”

Ander stopped speaking and for the first time looked scared. The old man yelled, “I knew it! I knew she was alive!” The guard knelled to me and looked at Ander. “My queen how may I please you?” I smiled at the guard who was only about 3 years older than I. “Please take my husband to the castle and put him in the dungeon. I will be there shortly.” Ander still looked as if he had seen a ghost as he was led away back to the castle. Ambrus took the platform and spoke, “My cousin, whom you know as the princess and queen, has something she would like to tell you.”

I walked up to be beside Ambrus. “I am the one who has been sending you food from the palace. I will continue to do so. I will also lower the taxes you pay to this great country. I will be the ruler you want me to be and need me to be.” The people all clapped. “Ander will be taken care of as well.” The people applauded to that in a resounding noise, unlike I had ever heard before. As Ambrus and I walked to the castle, the people were happy. Now we knew we had to deal with Ander.

Ander was waiting in the dungeon when Ambrus and I arrived. He looked at me and tried to speak. “I do not want to hear any explanation from you Ander. I know you told the people I was dead, that you raise taxes to fight non-existent wars, you wanted to kill me so I would never find out and to top it all off you made me trust you. I will never make that mistake again.” I stared at the shell of a man Ander had now become. His trusted guards now did not listen to him and looked at me for orders. “What are you going to do to me? I love you.” Ander stated this in one voice I never thought I would hear, a pleading voice.

Ambrus stood next to me and whispered, “What are you going to do with him?” “Well killing is not my style so he will be exiled. You will go to the Saronic Islands and never return. If you return Ander, then I will not hesitate to kill you. You have been a plaque on my people and will not ever be again. Guards! Take him to the Saronic Islands. If he resists or tries to escape, kill him.” Ander knew I was serious because of the look on my face. Ander left that day and I never saw him again.  For those of you who are wondering, Ander tried to return on my 29th birthday. He thought I would have a change of heart. My guards’ arrows proved otherwise.

The day following Ander’s exiled proved to be happy days throughout the kingdom. I ruled the country and made sure the people we treated the way they should be. Ambrus helped me rule until I could “find someone more appropriate for the role.” I slowly started to fall in love with him and once Ander was killed we were married. We had planned on getting married but knew Ander must die first in order for it to me recognized. I truly loved Ander and, I believe, is why I wanted to wait.

We were married three days after and today is our first anniversary. So like the book I read as a child, my life has had many plot twists in it and will continue to as Ambrus and I welcomed our first child yesterday. We named her Amethyst Calliope Cayliegh. One day she will read the same book and understand no matter how many plot twists happen, there is always a new adventure to follow. Embrace the plot twists readers and go along with the adventure.