King’s Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

Chapter 1: Alexander and the Crown

Months had passed since King Graham of Daventry saved his family and Cassima, princess of the Land of the Green Isles, from the clutches of the sinister wizard Mordack. Since Alexander, Graham’s son, had met Cassima at Mordack’s castle, she occupied almost all of his thoughts and dreams. He sought to know where the Land of the Green Isles was, so that he might visit her, but alas, he could find no information on the Land’s whereabouts. Concerned about Alexander’s health, his mother, Queen Valanice, suggested he find something else to think about so that he would not be so upset. No matter how hard he tried, however, Alexander could not get his mind off of Cassima.

One evening, Alexander was sitting in the throne room alone, thinking of Cassima and how he longed to see her again. Suddenly, a radiant light shone from the magic mirror that occupied the east wall of the room. Alexander rushed to the mirror, and his reflection in it slowly changed…into a vision of the princess, Cassima. She had beautiful black hair, and a pink dress, and was gazing out of the window of a high tower at the night sky. “Alexander,” she said, “I feel so alone… I don’t know what to do…” The sight alarmed and thrilled Alexander, who called out, “Mother! Mother, come quick!”

Valanice entered the throne room, wanting to see what the fuss was about. “What is it? Why, Alexander! You’re pale as a ghost!”

“Mother,” Alexander replied, “I saw Cassima! The mirror showed me how to find her… The stars! I can navigate by the stars I saw outside her window!”

He assured his mother that he would be okay, and took an able crew, along with one of the finest ships in Daventry, with him to find Cassima. For three months Alexander and his crew sailed the seas, Alexander constantly peering through his spyglass. One day, he saw a pair of islands through the spyglass and cried to his crew, “Land ho! LAND HO!!!” The crew cheered heartily, and eagerly sailed towards the islands they had seen.

However, as night fell, the weather turned to a raging storm, and the seas became very rough. The terrified crew awaited certain doom, then sprang to the lifeboats. However, before Alexander could reach a lifeboat, a tremendous wave tossed him over the side of the ship, right before it was dashed against the rocks...

The next morning, Alexander awoke to find his ship completely wrecked, and his royal insignia ring lying in the sand near him. He remembered the shipwreck, and hoped that his men had safely survived the currents and returned to Daventry. As for Alexander, however, he was stranded on an unfamiliar beach. The prince reached down into the sand and picked up his ring, placing it in his satchel, which had somehow survived the storm.

Searching for other valuables from the wreckage, Alexander discovered his treasure box under a piece of driftwood, with a single copper coin inside. He pocketed this as well, then decided to follow the path away from the beach. Soon, he came to a crossroads, which left him two options: He could take the path to the left, leading to a peaceful-looking village, or the path to the right, which led to a castle in the distance. Alexander decided to take the path leading right, and traveled along the hills towards the castle.

What a sight awaited him! Two guards stood by the door which led inside the castle…yet they looked more like dogs than men. They were armed with spears, and wore chain mail armor, like humans, yet they did appear to be dogs. Alexander slowly walked towards the door, and the guards crossed their spears, blocking access to the door. “Halt!” they said in unison. “Who goes there?”

“Good day to you, guards,” was Alexander’s reply. “I was cast upon this island in a storm and am a little confused about my location. Could you tell me what place this is, and who lives in this castle?”

One of the guards spoke. “Eh? What is that, you say? A castaway? A likely story. We haven’t had any foreigners in this port since Alhazred arrived.”

The other guard dog piped up, “Don’t be so rude, Gruff. He’s not asking for any secrets.” He then addressed Alexander. “You’re standing on the Isle of the Crown, lad, and this is the Castle of the Crown. The Royal Family resides here…or, rather, what’s left of it.”

“The Isle of the Crown… But tell me, am I anywhere near the Land of the Green Isles?”

The first guard growled, “This IS the Land of the Green Isles! The Isle of the Crown is the main island, foolish boy!” Alexander’s eyes lit up. “Then, Princess Cassima must live in this very castle.”

“Aye,” the second guard replied, “the Princess is indeed our treasured jewel to guard, and we consider it an honor.”

Alexander, now knowing that Cassima resided within the castle, resolved to get inside and see her by any means necessary. He showed the guards his insignia ring, and the guard dogs eyed it suspiciously. It was the only calling card he could think of; all of his papers were lost in the shipwreck. “I am Prince Alexander of Daventry,” he said. “I’m an acquaintance of Princess Cassima. If you could just inform her that I’m here, please...” Then, one of the guards walked closer to him. “Yeah, so everyone says. Let me just get a better look at that ring...”

The second guard asked, “What does it say, Gruff?” To which the first answered, “‘Kingdom of Daventry, Prince Alexander!’ Wait while I go see what Captain Saladin thinks of this!” The guard then walked to the door of the castle, and walked inside. Moments later, he returned; the creature who followed him out was a larger dog, a very majestic-looking creature, with tannish-brown hair and a white “beard” of fur. He wore a teal suit of armor, and a sword at his waist.

“Prince Alexander of Daventry, I presume,” the larger dog said. His voice was gentle, but firm, and reflected a will of iron. “I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with your country, but I’m sure Vizier Alhazred would like to meet you, if indeed you are a friend of the Princess. Please, follow me.” With that, he walked back inside the castle, with Alexander following behind him.

As he walked through the castle, Alexander couldn’t help but admire its beauty. Soon, Saladin stood to the side, revealing a man about as tall as Alexander, but obviously older. He had a mustache and a small beard, and wore magnificent clothes. Alexander couldn’t help but notice a gleam of ambition in the man’s eyes. To Alexander’s right was another man, a bare-chested man with a golden necklace around his neck and a turban-style hat on his head. He wore green and purple pants, and, oddly enough, his eyes seemed to be, well, golden in color. He stood silently while Alexander and the other man talked.

Saladin stated, “Lord Alhazred, a visitor to see you. Prince Alexander of Daventry.”

The ornately-clothed man smiled and acknowledged Alexander. “What is it that you seek, Prince Alexander?” Alexander replied, “Pardon the intrusion, my lord, but I came to see Princess Cassima. Some months ago, my father, King Graham, saved my family and I from imprisonment under an evil wizard named Mordack.”

Alhazred seemed to be interested upon hearing that. “The same wizard who kidnapped the princess?” he asked, seemingly intrigued.

Alexander responded, “Exactly. When my father rescued us, he also liberated Cassima, and sent her home.”

The Vizier nodded. “Then your father has my gratitude, and that of the entire kingdom. But I’m afraid I still fail to see the purpose of your visit.” Alexander said, clearing his throat, “I came to see that Cassima arrived safely, and to pay my respects. Before we parted, she gave me an invitation to visit.”

“I have no doubt that she did exactly that at the time, Prince Alexander,” Alhazred replied, “but I’m afraid things have greatly changed for Cassima since her ordeal at Mordack’s castle. Her parents both took ill and passed away while she was gone. Cassima is sequestered in mourning, as befits a princess. She is not receiving visitors of ANY kind. Even if she were, I do not think your visit would be...appropriate. You see, the time has come for Cassima to take her responsibilities seriously. With her parents gone, she no longer has the luxury to be a carefree maiden.”

Upon the mention of the death of Cassima’s parents, Alexander felt grief begin to cloud his heart.

“As was her parents’ wish, Cassima and I are to be wed,” Alhazred continued. “We shall rule the kingdom together. I assure you, our marriage is all Cassima wants now. As a prince and a gentleman, it would be best for you to leave now before there is any further...embarrassment.”

With that, Saladin led the slightly disheartened Alexander out of the castle. “You have had your hearing with Vizier Alhazred,” he said to the prince. “I trust you will respect his wishes and not return. I have been instructed NOT to let you into this castle again. Good day, my lord.” Saladin then turned and went back inside the castle, the guards closing the door behind him.

Alexander had a grave feeling that the guards wouldn’t be letting HIM into the castle again, so he took the path back to the crossroads. This time, he took the path closer to a large pile of rocks, towards a village. Two shops were visible here: a pawn shop and a bookstore. Alexander walked into the pawn shop, and the owner called out, “Good day!”

The pawn shop was a dimly-lit place, with a slightly musty smell. Several unusual items were on display, such as a giant stuffed bear, a headless suit of armor (as well as a helmet), and a crystal ball. Alexander marveled at these treasures, and made his way to the counter. The merchant was a strange fellow, who appeared to have a glint of sheer iron in his gaze. Still, Alexander felt that this was someone he could trust.

“Good day, merchant,” he said. “What can you tell me about the Land of the Green Isles?”

The owner of the pawn shop replied, “I can tell you she is in a dark time. Without the ferry, communication between the islands has ground to a halt, and so, nearly, has my business. Why the long ages of peace have gone, and why the Crown has done nothing about it, is beyond me! But then again, I am a shopkeeper, not a politician, and can only hope for better days.”

Alexander decided that it would be wise to gain as many allies as he could in this strange land, so he showed the pawnbroker his insignia ring.

“Pardon me, good merchant, but do you know what the value of this ring might be?”

The pawnbroker’s eyes widened as he examined the ring. “By the sands of the sea, what a beauty! What fine gold, and masterful artistry!” Handing the ring back to Alexander, he added, “That ring is quite valuable, sir! I would not feel right taking it in trade; none of the treasures in my shop are even close to the value of that ring.”

Then Alexander remembered the Daventry coin he had kept in his pocket, which he showed to the merchant. The pawn shop owner eyed it with interest, having not seen a Daventry coin before. He offered Alexander one of the items on the front counter, and the prince took a closer look at them.

What strange, yet wondrous, items they were! The item farthest from Alexander was a clockwork nightingale made of tin; to its left was a tinderbox and material for starting a small fire; to the right was a painter’s brush, which looked almost new; and nearest Alexander was a small, wooden flute.

“Hmm... That mechanical nightingale looks intriguing. I’ll take it,” Alexander said, gently picking up the clockwork nightingale. The pawnbroker took the coin, and wished Alexander the best of luck as the prince walked out the door...but not before taking a mint from the dish on the counter.

Alexander next decided to check out the bookshop. As he entered, he saw a man in a red and blue shirt, and blue pants, sorting books on one of the shelves. “Hold on a minute,” the man said, “I’ll be right up.” He walked behind the counter, and gazed at Alexander through his thin spectacles. Standing by one of the shelves was a strange man in a black cloak, who made every intention to ignore Alexander. Rather than pursue a response from the cloaked man, Alexander looked around. He saw a book on a table, and the table was decorated with a sign. The sign apparently showed the price of the book; it read “10 pence”, but that was crossed out, as were “5 pence,” “2 pence,” “1 pence,” and even “Free”. The sign currently said, “Take one, PLEASE!” Obviously, the owner of the bookshop REALLY wanted to get rid of that book!

An antique, leather-bound book was prominently displayed on the counter. According to the owner of the bookshop, it was a spell book taken from the estate of the only magician in the area, who had allegedly transformed himself into an aardvark by accident. The bookstore owner also said that if Alexander were to find an equally rare book, he could have the spell book.

With that knowledge in mind, Alexander decided to ask the owner of the bookstore about what was going on. What he learned was that in addition to the Isle of the Crown, the Land of the Green Isles also consisted of three other islands: the Isle of Wonder, the Isle of the Beast, and the Isle of the Sacred Mountain. There were also rumors of another island shrouded in mists, but those were, after all, rumors. The bookshop owner, whose name was Ali, advised Alexander to go to each island to learn more about them, and said that the ferryman might be able to shed more light on the present situation. Alexander picked up the boring-looking book off the front table, and went on his way. Making his way past an estate, he soon came to the docks.

A young man, some years younger than Alexander by the looks of him, dove right into the sea before the prince’s eyes! He must have been an incredible swimmer, and his eyes seemed to...gleam? Alexander was sure it was probably the reflection of the sunlight on the water that created that gleam, but the youth called out for Alexander to jump in. Knowing that the ocean was probably not as calm as it appeared, the prince politely declined and headed towards the ferry docked at the pier. He knocked on the door, then turned back to the boy...but the boy had just disappeared! Alexander was quite puzzled, but guessed that the boy had either dove underwater or was pulled under by the currents.

The ferryman walked out, and welcomed Alexander inside. He sat down in a chair, and Alexander sat across from him. “Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about, young man?”

Alexander replied that he was curious about the islands. The ferryman informed the prince that the islands were currently feuding with each other. Vizier Alhazred had ordered the ferry shut down until things cooled off. The islands’ feud was the result of stolen property, and the unrest was quite recent, having started a couple of years back. There was almost no way off of the Isle of the Crown, as the ferry was past repair.

Then, the ferryman confessed that he did know of one way off of the Isle: a magic map. He said that the owner of the pawn shop would be able to tell Alexander more, and offered the prince his rabbit’s foot, then sent Alexander on his way, his spirit lightened by talking with the prince.

Alexander returned to the pawn shop, and encountered the strange man from the bookshop. He approached the owner of the shop and said, “Good day, merchant. I believe the ferryman told me that you possess a magic map of the Land of the Green Isles.”

“Why, as a matter of fact, I do,” the pawnbroker answered. “I keep it under the counter. It has been gathering dust for so long, I nearly forgot about it.”

Alexander offered his insignia ring, and after assuring the pawnbroker that he was not a king, but a prince, the merchant accepted it. “Then you now own a magic map, Prince Alex. I will keep your ring out of sight for a few days.” With that, Alexander took the map. The pawnbroker warned Alexander that, because of the nature of the magic within the map, it could only be used at the shore of the sea.

The cloaked man snuck past Alexander and, with a quick dart of his hand, stole a mint from the jar. He stuffed it into his mouth, and wobbled unsteadily towards the door, hiccupping occasionally.

Seconds later, back in the Castle of the Crown, the old man appeared before Alhazred, and in a cloud of smoke, he somehow became the golden-eyed, bare-chested man from Alhazred’s meeting with Alexander! Truly this man was a powerful magician! “Master! *hiccup* I followed Alexander as you wanted. He just obstained--*hic* He reprieved... *hic* He’s got a magic map!” With that, the golden-eyed man collapsed to the ground.

Alhazred’s eyes narrowed angrily. “You fool... You’ve been eating those mints again! I told you to stop!” To which the other man answered, “Yes *hic* master.”

“Now, what’s this about a magic map?”

The bare-chested man responded, “With that map, he can travel anywhere as bickly *hic* uh...as QUICKLY as I can!”

If Alhazred was mad before, he was FURIOUS now. “What?! I thought I took care of the only means of travel! By my scimitar, I can’t have him stirring up things now!” It was then that the Vizier concocted a devious plan. “Listen, Shamir. Go to the other islands and tell them...” He then whispered into the golden-eyed man’s ear, and the man giggled impishly.

Meanwhile, back in the village, Alexander made his way to the crossroads. A nightingale was perched on a branch, singing sweetly. The prince wound up his mechanical nightingale, which produced an equally melodious song, and the real nightingale approached him. He held out a page of a book of love poems that had fallen out while he was reading, and the nightingale flew away...towards the castle! Meanwhile, a snake had wrapped itself around the trunk of the tree...a snake with gleaming eyes! Unfortunately, Alexander took no notice of the snake, as they both watched the nightingale fly away.

Alexander walked down the path to the beach, and pulled out his magic map. Sure enough, four islands were visible. Alexander placed his finger over the Isle of the Sacred Mountain as it was located on the map, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a strange, pulling sensation...

...and he was gone.