Chapter 3
As predicted, Alice's friends' parents agreed and all of them and their puppies were going to Dove Isle.
The next day, the five friends and the five puppies gathered at the airport. All expenses had been paid, so the kids and their dogs were flying first class. It was an amazing trip for the kids and their dogs.
Alice spent most of the flight drawing in her sketchbook.
"How are you're designs Alice?" asked Peter.
"Alright," said Alice admittingly. "I'm just unsure if lady Bethany will like it."
"I'm sure she will," assured Bartleby. "You make better designs then any other student in school."
"And we'll get to attend the wedding," added Billy. "Attending a royal wedding is a once in a lifetime chance. Something we'd only see on TV."
"But I'm still just a kid," admitted Alice. "She'll probably find a better designer in a grownup."
"Who's this lady Bethany anyway Dawg?" asked B-dawg.
"She's prince Edward's fiancée" explained Rosebud.
"It's a tradition in aristocracy for the parents to betroth their children," added Buddha.
"Ladies and gentleman," said a flight attendant. "Flight 29 is about to land in Dove Isle, please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts and put trays in the upright position."
The kids had their puppies next to them as the plane landed on the ground. After passengers got off the plane, the kids grabbed their luggage and walked along the airport.
Just then, they saw two men dressed in suits.
"Are you Alice Finch, a girl in the wedding dress design competition?" asked one of the men.
"Yes, I am," said Alice. "And these are my friends, Bartleby, Peter, Sam and Billy and our dogs, Budderball, B-dawg, Buddha, Mudbud and Rosebud."
"I'm Richard Gardener," said the man. "The person in charge of planning all the events in the castle. The king has had escorts to bring the people in the competition to the castle."
"Thank you," said the children.
"We will give you a tour of the island on the way to the castle," said Richard as he and the guard escorted the children and the buddies to a black Cadillac. Inside the back were seats facing each other.
Richard got up front with the driver and the guard got into a federal agent car from behind the Cadillac. The kids and the buddies climbed into the seat and the car left.
The car went through town. Most of the buildings looked old fashioned.
"House Markle has been ruling over Dove Isle for the past 200 years," explained Richard. "The dynasty started 1805 when House Markle was once an American plantation in Kentucky. A slave named Bakari was in love with the owner's youngest daughter Rosalie. Rosalie didn't like her parent's path of slavery, so she and Bakari along with other escaped slaves and slave opposers traveled to Dove Isle, there they were married and became the first king and queen. It was named Dove Isle because doves are a symbol of love."
The kids and the puppies were fascinated by the story. Even B-dawg was impressed, but he tried not to show it.
The car kept driving throw town.
"Our agriculture covers 60% of the island," went on Richard. "We are known for our peppers, grapes and beans."
The Cadillac past a building.
"And that's our art gallery," said Richard. "One of the biggest attractions on Dove Isle."
The Cadillac drove out of town and down into the country.
"Up ahead is the castle" declared Richard.
The kids turned to look outside the windshield. Coming up was a beautiful castle, it was a long building made out of bricks. The castle was painted in a glossy reddish-brown color and the window frames were blue as the sky.
The car stopped at the gates and the driver gave a signal to the guard at the gate to open them.
As it went through the gates, the kids looked to see a flag with a picture of a white dove on a green field.
"That's the symbol of our kingdom" explained Richard as the car went through the gates. The driveway went in a circle at the front of the building and on the side of the castle was a three doored garage.
Richard, the kids, and the buddies got out of the car and stared in amazement of the sight.
"Come on," said Richard leading the kids and puppies up the stairs leading to the front doors.
Inside was the most glamorous sight, the walls in the grand hallway were painted in eggshell white, and there was a chandelier made of gold and diamonds and the furniture had red velvet. There were also paintings on the walls.
The kids and the buddies stared in amazement at the castle. Even Mudbud was amazed.
Servants and members of the court were walking around in all directions. The kids looked at the paintings. They saw a painting of a couple. There was an African American man wearing blue robes and a Caucasian woman wearing a silver gown with a ruffled collar.
"That's king Bakari and queen Rosalie on their coronation day in 1806," said Richard. "I'll ask one of the servants to escort you to your rooms for you're stay and to get settled in. Alice is too report to the sewing room here on the ground floor with the other contestants this afternoon for the introduction announcement."
"Thank you" all the children said together.
"And be sure for the mucky pup doesn't track mud across the floor" Richard added as he stepped away.
Mudbud huffed indigently.