Chapter One Hundred Three

Anastasia Vanderburg had been a bride for four days. And indeed, she was enjoying every minute of her first few days of wedded bliss.



She spent most of that time at the resort with her bridegroom, Lucian, their love on display for everyone to see.



Meanwhile, Patrick, having emerged from his nap, was making good use of Sparkling Sands' gym facilities to stay in shape.



Alexandra rode in the hailstorm back to the resort, eager to boast to her mates of her new discovery.



The next day, Anastasia and Lucian went to the beach adjacent to the resort for even more fun in the sun.



First Lucian took his first cautious steps into the ocean...



...and then the two (even Anastasia) decided to try windsurfing.



But a gust of wind hit, knocking Anastasia off, sending her careening into the ocean! This time, unlike the time she'd fallen into the backyard swimming pool, no one was around to help.



Moments later, though, Anastasia emerged, gasping for air. A rescue boat arrived and took her back to shore.



Meanwhile, Alexandra, who had just gotten up that morning, turned on her tablet and checked her email and read the electronic versions of the Hidden Springs newspapers. "Hmm," Alexandra thought, "so the magistrate decided the Westley case?" Though the child-custody battle between pop star Madison Avenue and actor Sebastian Plumb dominated the headlines, there was one tiny blurb on the bottom asking "Where are the princesses?"



While Alexandra was lying in the sun at the resort, she had no idea what had happened. And a tabloid photographer snapped her lying down in her bikini.





Another tabloid photographer spotted the bronzed newlyweds, who had now made their way to the Isla Paradiso Summer Fiesta.





The same photographer took another shot of Alexandra at the festival.



That afternoon, it was all over. Their adventure-cation in Isla Paradiso ended, and they checked out of Sparkling Sands resort, heading for home.



Back in Hidden Springs, Prince Renauld got the word from the queen's search crew. "We located them, sir. They're in Isla Paradiso."
"Isla Paradiso? That's halfway around the world!"
"It's where our journo found them. There are pictures of your daughters on the beach, your daughter and son-in-law kissing --"
"It sounds like they're having a good time. Thank you so much for your work, sir. It's much appreciated."