Chapter One Hundred

The Vanderburg twins had arrived on the gorgeous tropical island of Isla Paradiso for Anastasia's honeymoon. Ordinarily only the bride and groom go on these trips, but given the nature of the union and also Anastasia's relationship with her twin sister, she couldn't leave her out. Besides, Isla Paradiso would keep Alexandra plenty enough occupied without even interfering with the honeymoon.



Alexandra was all too happy to leave Hidden Springs, too, but for a very different reason. It had been two weeks since leaked photos appeared in a gossip magazine showing her dancing with an unidentified woman at Anastasia's bachelorette party, and no one at the palace seemed to be able to talk about anything else, even after she'd given a rousing address at Fort Starch Military Academy. She'd hoped that by the time she returned home, all of this would have blown over, and they'd find something else to occupy their time and energy.





Early on Sunday morning, mere hours after a gorgeous wedding ceremony in Hidden Springs' Vanderburg Palace royal chapel, the newly married couple arrived at their pre-chosen honeymoon destination, Isla Paradiso. Bright sun rays and warm tropical breezes greeted them as they arrived, in stark contrast to the crisp mountain air with which they'd grown up and to which they'd been accustomed.



Their limousine pulled up to the Sparkling Sands Resort Hotel and Spa, which, according to its website and brochure, was 'built on the best sand money could buy.' Its clientele included movie stars, the rich and the restless, and families. Hopefully Anastasia and Lucian could buy a little bit of privacy and r and r while on their honeymoon.



"Where is the clerk?" Lucian wondered.
"You'd think they'd have them lined up at the ready to check people in," summed Anastasia.



Two hours later, Frances Adams, wearing a suit, emerged from the back of the building. Frances had hazel eyes and red ribbons holding up two black braids. "May I help you?" she asked with a businesslike tone.



"Yes, we'd like to check in," replied Anastasia.
"And you are --"



Anastasia took a deep breath. She knew that if she checked in under her real name her mother would try to find her. It was her honeymoon, after all. So, after a frustrating two-hour wait, Anastasia checked herself and Lucian into Sparkling Sands in a luxury suite under the assumed names Annie and Luke Van Hollen.
"Annie and Luke Van Hollen it is," Frances repeated. "I've got you down for three nights, enjoy your stay here at Sparkling Sands."



Anastasia took the room key from Frances and walked to the back of the property to have a look around. The suite was small but luxurious and comfortable, and had excellent views of the ocean.



Meanwhile Lucian had whipped out his sketch pad and began drawing something --
"Hey," Anastasia whispered, looking down at her bridegroom's pad. "What are you drawing?"



"This sculpture they have in the hallway is -- interesting."
Anastasia laughed. "It looks like it wants to be an octopus."



Anastasia got into one of Sparkling Sands' many hot tubs and relaxed her cares away. Hopefully her mother wouldn't be able to track her down now.



While Anastasia and Lucian had checked themselves into a luxury resort for their honeymoon, Alexandra and Patrick opted for an adventure fitting their character. They rented a houseboat from one of the ports and set sail for parts yet unknown.
"Nice bag trick, Patrick," Alexandra mused while watching him balance the kicky bag off one foot.
"I learned it from you," he replied. "Hey, you still haven't answered my question."
"What question?"
"The question."
"Patrick, it's much too soon --"
"Is it? In my opinion it's getting pretty late in the game."





Being the outdoorsy types they are, they enjoyed windsurfing...



...and fishing (excuse the gratuitous beach-bum pix here)



Meanwhile, Alexandra had taken up yet another new hobby -- scuba diving.





On one of her dives she found a map piece and a message in a bottle. Not to mention a chest with a thousand simoleans and some gems inside.



She also enjoyed exploring some of the uncharted tropical islands. If she could discover her own island...

Chapter Ninety-Nine

As night fell, however, the longtime monarch would not stay quiet for long. "What is the matter with you, Alexandra? Stuffed full with cake? Or with something else?"
"Shut up, mother. My sister just got married. I'm in no mood to hear you argue tonight."
"Well, you're going to, Alexandra, because I've got a lot to say."
"That doesn't mean, mother, that I will be listening."



"Alexandra, goodness, child, what on earth have you done to your hair? It looks like a child took a pair of scissors and cut it all off. Do not tell me you actually paid someone to do that."
"I happen to like it," Alexandra retorted. "It's very low-maintenance. All I have to do is wash and go."



"Look, Alexandra, I haven't figured out why Anastasia won't speak to me, do not tell me you're going to freeze me out too."
"You know what, mother, that's between Ana and you. Do not involve me in that."
"But you could at least try to talk to her and find out why she isn't speaking to me."



"About those photographs, Alexandra --"
"Oh, please, mother, I've heard enough about those for the past week and a half --"
"But I need to know. What is the meaning of those pictures? I've looked at them countless times and I have trouble believing that is my daughter. You've got your hand on a woman's backside, Alexandra! That's absolutely unseemly behavior, unbecoming of a princess!"
"What are you upset about, mother, the fact that I was dancing or the fact that I was with a woman? As I told Patrick, we were doing rounds, and it was one song. You act like we're dating."
"Alexandra." Queen Catarina let out a resigned sigh. "I am your mother. You cannot lie to me! I saw those pictures. The looks you were giving that young woman were the same looks I used to give your father. You absolutely know how I feel about that, Alexandra. Now since your sister refuses to release the guest list, I'm going to have to ask you directly. Who was she?"
"None of your business."
"I ask you again."
"And I repeat, it isn't your business."
"Alexandra, this is not a game. I will find out who she is. I promise that."





Meanwhile, Princess Anastasia and Prince Lucian took their first dance as husband and wife.
"I could get used to this," Anastasia murmured seductively.
"We've got the rest of our lives," replied Lucian.
"This was the most perfect day ever. I'm not going to let my mother ruin it."





The limousine was waiting as the snow had melted and turned into a cold rain. 

Chapter Ninety-Eight

Finally the day had come.
The weather wasn't perfect -- overcast and a little chilly, with a fresh coating of wet slushy overnight snow -- but that was to be expected more than a mile above sea level.
The Vanderburg royal chapel had been beautifully decorated with imported flowers and an arch at the front.



Princess Anastasia, youngest of Queen Catarina's four children, sat in the chapel, wearing her designer wedding gown, alone with her thoughts on what would be the biggest day of her life. It was a day even she hadn't fully prepared for, hadn't fully expected, hadn't even completely wanted. And yet, she was here, as a blushing bride. No, she hadn't been sold in marriage to the highest bidder, or sent off to some distant shore to marry someone she hardly knew, as some of her ancestors had. She had too much pride for that. She was doing this on her own terms, with a groom of not only her own choosing, but her own creation, fashioned from her own mind.



She was interrupted in her reverie by the one person who, other than her fiancé, knew her better than anyone. Though fraternal twins, and though they grew up to be very different women living very different lives, one thing that remained constant was their bond.
"Ana."
Anastasia turned around. She recognized that low, Dutch-accented Simlish anywhere. It was Alexandra. And she was grinning.
"Welp, today's the day."
Anastasia sighed. "I guess so."
"Whaddya mean you 'guess' so? Don't tell me you're nervous."
"What if I mess up? Trip over my dress?"
"Ana, come on. You're going to do fine. This place looks great. And you -- you look fantastic. As always."
"Have to say, Alex, that haircut really does suit you."
"It does, doesn't it? Mom's going to go ape over it when she sees it today."



After Anastasia posed for obligatory photos for the gossip rags, it was time for the ceremony to begin.



Guests took their time filing in.



Prince Renauld escorted his daughters down the aisle, with Alexandra on one arm and Anastasia on the other, and then he then handed Anastasia off to her waiting groom, Lucian. There was no sign of his wife, Queen Catarina, at the ceremony.



"With this ring, I thee wed," Lucian mouthed as he slipped a band on Anastasia's finger. Anastasia did likewise as she slipped an identical band on Lucian's finger.



"You may now kiss the bride." When the couple kissed, the chapel erupted in joyous cheers.



It was quite possible the two happiest people in the room were standing side by side.



Oh, and the royal butler. (Max Skills now works for Crown Prince Sebastian)



Later, Anastasia called everyone into the royal ballroom to cut the cake.



Who would appear then but the Queen herself, who missed her daughter's wedding ceremony? The longtime monarch was all smiles as she exchanged pleasantries with the gathered guests. However, the iciness between the bride and her mother was palpable. Anastasia didn't even afford the Queen as much as a glance.

Chapter Ninety-Seven

This time around, the inclement weather wasn't snow, but heavy rain and thunder. Even so, it would eventually give way to a rainbow overhead.



Anastasia attended her final fitting for her Tyler Wentworth-designed wedding gown. She had made her choice, and for once she was pleased with it.



After a week of questions about a set of pictures taken by an overzealous paparazzo at a private party, it was time for the speech everyone had been waiting for. Alexandra ended up addressing hundreds of cadets in the driving rain, with her grandfather Rudolph's stone statue standing forcefully ahead in the background. Whose idea was it again to have an outdoor ceremony?
"Each and every one of you is not here by accident," she began, her microphone-enhanced voice echoing through the air, with the slightest hint of her native Dutch accent. "You are here because you are the few and the proud!" Those opening lines drew thunderous applause, drowning out the rain falling from the sky.



Hoping that her voice would carry over the rain and thunder, she shouted in conclusion, after a fifteen-minute oration, "And so, cadets, future astronauts, it is our duty and our responsibility, to ensure the future of our realm, of other realms within our galaxy, and of galaxies yet to be discovered..."
Diplomat's daughters don't cry, but Alexandra, daughter of Hidden Springs' monarch and its highest-ranking diplomat, fought back a few tears after her speech.

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One

To many people, Catarina Vanderburg WAS Hidden Springs. She'd been the monarch of the mountain municipality for as long as anyone cared or remembered.
When she became queen, she was a mere slip of a girl, the only child of King Rudolph and Queen Eloise Vanderburg - the former a respected scientist, the latter a great patron of the arts and learning. She lost both of them at an early age, one behind the other.
When she took the throne, no one knew she'd be there for sixty years. Or that under her leadership, Hidden Springs would grow from a backwards mountain village into a noted tourist getaway for celebrities and the rich.
To be sure, Queen Catarina had been a capable administrator who expected nothing short of perfection from her staff and her legislature. If she hadn't exactly been a beloved ruler, she was very much respected in Hidden Springs and the surrounding communities. The royal family's popularity was based upon mutual respect and admiration, and upon the Vanderburgs' good name.
However, over the years, events happening within the family began to erode at this popularity. First among them was Francisca's disappearance and the palace's subsequent reaction. Next was the new crown prince, Sebastian, and his playboy lifestyle. Finally came the behavior of the twins, which exploded and exposed the royal family's antics to a new generation of watchers.



Queen Catarina and her daughter, Princess Anastasia, hadn't seen or spoken to each other in almost a year. Anastasia had been known for giving the silent treatment to people she was upset with, but the year-long freeze with her mother had been the longest she'd given anyone.
Anastasia was a stunningly beautiful woman -- and she knew it. The princess of Hidden Springs, who had turned down a multi-year modeling contract, was looking as elegant as ever, wearing a stunning cocktail dress in her favorite color, white. Her jade-green eyes sparkled under expertly applied makeup and her jet-black hair was done in a stylish curly updo. She waited patiently for her mother in the formal dining room of the palace, where she'd spent so much time growing up. If she was nervous about seeing her mother for the first time in a year, she wasn't showing it.



"Well -- if it isn't my dahling Anastasia," began the queen, inspecting her daughter as she approached. The long-term monarch, her dirty-blond hair now fully silver, was sporting a new roller-set coif. "It's been a long time."
"Hello, mother." Anastasia brushed her dress and stood up straight.
"Marriage seems to have agreed with you, Anastasia," Queen Catarina grudgingly admitted while looking her over. "You've turned into quite the proper lady. I assume some things I've been teaching you over the years have finally begun to stick."



With Alexandra looking on, Queen Catarina reached for Anastasia and gave her a hug.
"When are you going to give me some grandchildren? And where is that husband of yours? I asked the two of you to meet me with them."
"He's teaching an art class over at Alpine."
"Ah, a cultured sort, isn't he?"



A few moments later, Queen Catarina also gave a hug to her other daughter, Alexandra. Over the past year Alexandra, unlike her sister, maintained relations with her mother, but they were strained, mostly over her sexuality. Ever since Alexandra publicly admitted to being bisexual, and numerous photographs were published in the tabloids of the princess with various women, Queen Catarina was conflicted over her own feelings about the matter. A bill was on her desk right now banning same-sex marriages in Hidden Springs. But she couldn't bring herself to sign it...



Now Queen Catarina was facing her daughters as women for the first time, these two women she birthed and raised -- and yes, they were indeed women now, with husbands and careers and lives. Different women though they were, they had arrived at the same place in their lives, the same place at this moment, facing their mother.
"I called the two of you here because I need to make an announcement. This announcement is sure to change both of your lives. You see, I'm an old woman, and my time here is nearing an end. I have cancer. I've been fighting it for awhile now. The treatments I've undergone at the hospital are not working. I've been a trooper as long as I could, given my subjects the appearance of strength. But I'm frail and weak. Just getting up in the morning has become quite a chore."
Just then Alexandra piped in. Barely able to contain herself, she asked, "Have you -- have you -- tried the water? From the spring? It's said to have mystical powers."



Queen Catarina let out a deep sigh. "Oh, Alexandra. You know, your sister went in search of that spring -- she never returned."
Anastasia replied, "You mean Francisca."
"She was sneaking out of the palace at night. I kept telling her it was nothing more than a fairy tale. Then after your father died and you set out on that mad quest to revive him --"
Alexandra was surprised. Her slate-gray eyes narrowing, she asked her mother, "What quest?"
"Alexandra Maria-Louisa. Do not feign ignorance with me! Do not think I've been living under a rock all this time! I know you disappeared at night looking for that spring. I know you spent hours in the basement with all those machines you have down there. Your father went behind my back and bought all that equipment -- even took the two of you to Comic Con one year. You don't think I know about your mad scientist baloney?"
"Mother --"
"Alexandra."
"I'm a full fledged astronaut now. Soon I'll be the first royal in space. Surely I could obtain spring water to help cure your illness."
"Alexandra, my illness has advanced past the point where a cure would help. It's a matter of time, love."