The Kingdom Switch




Alison

I hear the rooster screech, telling me that the sun is rising. I rub my eyes clearing the dust from them that has fallen from the rickety ceiling. I look at the wall next to me, 13 tick-marks. One mark for each day,I think as I scratch the 14th and final mark in. Two weeks I have slaved in the hot sun when I should be in the castle in satin dresses and studying mythology. Still I’m here and I can’t change the facts. I get up and head down to breakfast.


Maddie

I wake up to see the sun rising. I have always been a morning person. I guess that comes from waking up every morning at the crack of dawn to start working in the fields before it gets too hot. I look at the scroll across the room and see the date circled date and 13 x-out numbers behind it. Today is my last day in the castle, THANK GOD! I think as I pull the down covers off the queen bed and head downstairs for breakfast. I sit down at the end of the long Oak table across from my dad or, the temporary king. I can tell he has been awake all night worried about all the money the kingdom has lost because of him. He knows the real king will have him executed because of his poor choices, but he has until noon today to fix it.


Alison

I’m in the field hitching up the horse when I hear the royal trumpets blow. 11:00.

At 11:00 two weeks ago I was in a satin dress.It was a warm summer day, perfet. My father and I were walking in the village when my father noticed that nobody was giving him the respect that he needed as the king. He asked one villager why nobody was bowing when they saw him. The villager replied by saying that nobody believed that he was doing anything. Now that was the WRONG thing to say. My father got so pissed off that he turned red within second, “And do you agree with them?” he asked. The villager hesitated wringing his hands but then nodded meekly. Thats when my father blew. He got real close to the peasants face and whispered, “I do, do work. You people do nothing! You walk so slowly, how do you get anything done?”

The present shook his head. “You could not last two weeks doing what we do!”

“I can do anything. You come with me and take your daughter.” The peasants eyes grew big and he nodded. He got his daughter and we headed to the castle. What is he going to do to them?


Maddie

I go to the library to study mythology. What a waste of time, I’d rather be in the fields.

The last time I was working in the fields was when my father came home and told me that were were going. I asked him why and he said that he would tell me on the way. Why? Too where? I remember thinking. We walked and he told me what happened. How he challenged the king, and told him that the king does nothing. “How stupid can you be Papa? Why would you do that?” I kept rambling on until I saw the angry king. I stopped dead in my tracks. I knew we were dead. The king told us to follow him and off to the castle we went. That was when the king told us that the families were to switch places for two weeks. My jaw dropped. I’m going to be a princess! What fun!



Alison

What? I am going to be a peasant for two weeks? Not that they they do anything, they are just so dirty and slow. Still that day by noon we were in the peasants hut. I remembered it well and probably never would forget.

My father called me into the house to get dressed. We were going back to the castle. I got into the dress I brought for this ocation. Working in the fields was harder than I thought. I’m sure my father and I were very tired on our first day and have hardly gotten any sleep sense. Soon after I came in, the royal carriage pulled up and we went to the castle.


Maddie

At 11:30, I got back into my rags. They were so comfortable. I had no idea that princesses went through so much pain! I was happy we were going back to our house. I never would have imagined how much work a princess does and I am sure my dad thought that being king was hard. I don’t think he has had sleep in two weeks. He has to pay bills and have ‘royal fittings’, and I had to balance so many plates on by head. I broke half a dozen each day!

I saw the king and his daughter arrive. I was so happy this was over. My father greeted the king, and they talked. Probably saying how hard each job was, well thats what Alison and I talked about. I know my father had trouble and Alison said the same thing about hers. Well I am off to go home. Finally done whith this bull s***.


Alison

As I walk the familiar corridors, I think of how much I missed this place. I hated working in the fields and was so glad when it was over. I look out the window and see a light close to the borders, It is probably just I a villager coming in for the night. I head off to bed. When I pass the kitchen, my father is looking at long bill. He slowly shakes his head muttering to himself about “bad king,” or “what was I thinking…” I go to bed happy to be back home.


Maddie

Late into the night I hear shouting and screaming. I look out my window and see houses on fire. I We are under attack! I start to panic. What do I do? Where is Papa? Sombody help!!! With those last thoughts a soldier sees me. He is not our soldiers, he is from the neighboring kingdom. I see my father coming behind him with an ax, The soldier swings his sword around chopping my father in half. “Nooooooo, Papa!” I cry out. The soldier then comes towards me. I run, but he catches me. I kick and scream, but he has his fingers locked around my shoulders and I can’t get out. He blindfolds me. Then I feel a sharp pain around my neck. Blood runs down my neck and everything blurs. I shout “Help” one last time, then everything is dark and I am looking over the kingdom. Death. So much death. I see my Papa and we embrace. I never have to work again he says. So this is what heaven is like I think to myself.


Alison

I hear a banging at the castle door. I look out my window. Ther I see soldiers ramming the door down. I run to my father. He is watching the door. “What are you doing father?”

“I am waiting for the men. I do not wish to fight. This kingdom has gone into anarchy, let them take it.” We wait. Suddenly they burst through. My father gets down on his knees. “I give up. Spare my daughter.”

What? Why? “Father no!”
“Yes, I wish to be with my wife. I have never been happy since she died. I Kill me now. Kill me here”. And with that, off went my father's head. I started sobbing when one of the men picked me up and carried me off. I kicked and screamed, but nothing worked He had his fingers locked around me. No way out, I thought.