When lunch rolled around, Katherine made her way to Devona's office. Anyone who she passed could tell she was fuming, and everyone made sure to stay out of her way.

She pushed open the door to the secretary's room, walking past the secretary's protests. 

She swung Devona's door open and crossed her arms, standing in the doorway. "Devona! How could you!" She exclaimed, pointing her finger at her friend.

Devona paused mid-bite from her salmon bowl and set her fork down on the napkin on the desk. "Katherine," She curtly greeted, pushing up her food and resting her arms on her desk. "Could you elaborate on what I exactly did?"

Katherine impatiently tapped her foot on the floor, crossing her arms over her chest. "How could you not tell me you were allowing Marshall to work here? You know our relationship and I should have been the first one to know!" She exclaimed angrily.

'Apparently, Marshall and Katherine had met, seeing as she's here and livid.' Devona thought to herself before putting on a polite smile. "Katherine, I am the headmistress of the school, therefore what I say goes. Your opinion is irrelevant to who I choose as a teacher."

Katherine tapped her fingers on her arm as she impatiently waited for Devona to finish. "How is my opinion irrelevant? I am a teacher here! I should have a say too!" She exclaimed, her voice growing a few more octaves higher than before.

Devona took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I do not tell the other teachers about decisions I make. Decisions are between Alexander and I only, since we own and run this academy." She calmly replied, crossing her legs.

Katherine frowned, marching over to Devona's desk and plopping down in one of her chairs. "You could have at least given me a heads up that my ex-husband was going to be working here as your friend!" She grumbled, tapping her foot on the floor.

Devona sighed softly, closing the lid to her lunch. "I wasn't the one Marshall asked. You should talk to Alexander about that since he's the one handling finding teachers since we are short-staffed this year." She reminded her friend, calmy.

Katherine's foot tapped a bit faster as she listened to Devona. "I should have known you'd never give the okay and it was your husband! I will go give him a piece of my mind -" She started to go onto a tangent only to be cut off.

"Katherine, please just leave it alone." Devona quickly cut her friend off from speaking another word. "What's done is done and we need the extra help. If things go well, he could be a permanent teacher here and it would be one less thing to worry about." 

Katherine leaned forward in her seat, unable to comprehend how passive Devona was being. "But Marshall has no teaching experience! He didn't do well in school! I've seen his report card." She exclaimed, standing abruptly up and making the legs on her chair squeal against the marble floor.

Devona braced herself for the noise before shaking her head. "You don't have teaching experience, but I allowed you to teach here too. Perhaps this gives you a chance to focus more on being Regent rather than a teacher." She sternly said, picking up her drink and taking a sip from it.

"Do remember there is a counsel of nobility to handle most of the tasks. All I do is an overview and sign off on proposals with the occasional christening of a new building or business." Katherine asked, trying to get her to recall the memory.

Devona inwardly rolled her eyes but kept a polite smile on her lips. "How could I forget? I use to help you organize your day before my grandfather passed away." She deadpanned, opening back her lunch. "I do suggest try and get along for Thea's sake."

Katherine bitterly bit her tongue, recalling Thea had said the same thing. For her sake. "Everyone makes it sound so easy!" She complained, tapping her nails on the armrest. "As I told Thea, I make no promises but I can try. Hopefully, Marshall won't be insufferable as he always is. I hope he will mind his own business and stay out of mine. I don't want him worming his way into kingdom affairs like he's prone to do."

Devona sighed softly, slowly eating her lunch as she listened to Katherine. "Katherine, one of these days you're just going to have to let everything you feel about Marshall go. It's not healthy festering all this hostility towards him." She tried to reason with her friend.

Katherine gritted her teeth. "Anyways," She said, shying away from the subject. "Can I at least know what subject he will be teaching?"

Devona glanced down at her food, it was growing colder by the minute."I don't see how it could hurt." She said, picking back up her fork. "He's going to be helping Alexander teach the boys how to dance since we all know Alexander can't dance to save his life." She explained, taking a bite from her lunch.

Katherine let out a sigh of relief, sitting back in her hair. "At least that doesn't take the experience to teach." She mumbled under her breath then looked up at Devona. "So, there is an issue I wish to speak with you about."

Devona inwardly sighed, setting down her fork and giving Katherine her full, undivided attention. "Pray tell, what could you possibly want to talk with me about?" She asked, already prepared for whatever it may be.

Katherine twisted one of her rings around her finger. "As you know, the percentage of scholarship winners that make it through is very, very small. Do we need to continue subjecting poor, innocent commoners to learn all that is needed to help aid their kingdom in a year when royals and nobles have been learning in their lives?"

Devona frowned deeply, taking a sip of her drink. "Katherine, it's been going on for centuries. The percentage may be low, but that doesn't mean we should do away with the scholarship when it gives chances for a better life." She explained, setting her drink back on the napkin on her desk.

"I know we get most of our viewing because of the scholarships but we give all this money away to their families while they're here and then they drop out. Shouldn't we be putting that money into other things?" Katherine inquired, her voice seemingly hopeful.

Devona frowned, shaking her head and sighing as she leaned back in her chair. "$1,000 is chump change to us, especially you. With how high the economy is, that is hardly anything to barely enough to keep them afloat."

Katherine smudged her shoulders, uncrossing her legs. "The economy isn't an overnight fix, Devona. I've been working closely with the Duke and Duchess Roe over the kingdom's finances, while the other nobles have been stingy on their part." She replied, indifferently. 

Devona knew that was a cop-out for Katherine, putting blame off on other people but never taking any for herself. "Aren't you Regent? Shouldn't you use your authority to do something instead of blaming it on others?" She asked, her voice stern.

Katherine slammed her hands down on her armrest. "It's a democracy! I may be Regent but I only have half the power my daughter will have once she's Crown Princess. I've been trying my best, but Duke and Duchess Bitesenna are stubborn mules when it comes to doing what's best for the kingdom."

Devona took a deep breath, steadying herself so she could remain calm. "Even in a democracy someone has the final say and that would be you, Katherine. You've always gotten your way, so, how is this any different?" She inquired, placing her hands on her lap.

Katherine crossed her arms over her chest and bounded her foot in the air. "It's different because other nobles aren't fond of being removed from their spots for their children when Thea becomes Crown Princess." She complained, letting out a huff of air.

Devona removed her glasses and set them on her desk, then pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "They can either like it or lump it. It's not that hard! It's the law for when a new ruler takes the throne. It's cleaning house, per se. They should be happy that she is picking their children and you should put your foot down and give it to them straight instead of complaining to me."

Katherine abruptly stood up and crossed her arms. "If this is a nail-Katherine-to-the-wall conversation where you blame me for everything and tell me what to do, then I'm not sticking around to listen anymore." She commented, turning towards the door and taking a few steps.

Devona sighed, closing up her lunch, now having lost her appetite at how childish her friend was acting. "That is not what this is. I'm trying to have a civil conversation with you, like I did back when your brother was still a newly crowned king." She said, picking back up her glasses and putting them on.

Katherine slumped her shoulders after uncrossing her arms. "I know, I know. I should immerse myself in my Regent duties, shouldn't I?" She asked, breaking composure for a brief moment before standing up tall. "Take care Devona." She said, brushing past Sidney, whom she didn't give a second look to.

Sidney, with permission from the secretary, knocked on the headmistress' door. "Uh, Headmistress Devona?" She called out through the glass door, giving an awkward wave.

Devona's eyes met Sidney's, her brow furrowing. "Sidney, come on." She beckoned the brown-haired girl, cleaning up her desk from her lunch. "What can I do for you?"

Sidney slipped into the room, her fingers fighting with a small white envelope in her hands. "I, uh, have something here for you that I should have given to you yesterday but I was too ashamed to do it." She replied, sitting down in the chair.

Devona leaned back in her seat. 'Sidney was too ashamed to give me something yesterday?' She asked herself, pressing her lips together in a thin line before she spoke. "What do you mean ashamed?"

Sidney looked downbeat the envelope and extended it out to Devona. "My papa told me to give this to you. It explains my circumstances and um, something else." She hesitantly replied, her stomach doing flip-flops.

Devona took the envelope and opened it up, reading through the contents silently. 

After a few minutes, she set it down and gave Sidney her full attention. "You were ashamed that someone would find out you dropped out of school four years ago." She said, lacing her fingers together and resting her hands on her desk.

Sidney slowly nodded her head, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Um, yeah. I'm not exactly proud of it but it wasn't like I had a choice. I don't want people to find out that I don't have but an 8th-grade education."

Devona's eyes softened as she looked at the girl before her. "Sidney, there is nothing to be ashamed of. From what your father said, you did it because you wanted to take care of your family after what had happened. That's very noble of you." She softly spoke, meaning every word.

Sidney gripped the fabric on her skirt between her fisted hands. "I know, but that is why I need help with getting my GED. I don't want to lie to people when they ask - if they ask - but I don't know how to go about it." She replied, looking down at her lap and slumping her shoulders.

Devona opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a bulky laptop. "Your father had explained that. It shouldn't be too hard, but it's making time for it that is going to be challenging." She blew the dust off and opened it, plugging it into the wall behind her to charge it. "You do realize you'll not only have to study for your GED but for every class you take here on with the weekly test?"

Sidney watched as Devona booted up the old laptop and after it was on the screen began to type away. "I know. I can manage. I've handled three or four jobs at once when we were low on staff at the hotel." She said, picking at the bottom of her vest.

Devona lifted the laptop and tapped the bottom of it where the battery pack was then set it back down on the table. "As long as you won't slack off, I will help in every way I can." Her eyes flicked up to Sidney and a soft smile graced her lips.

Sidney's eyes began to get misty as she blinked them away. "I won't! I promise I won't slack off! I will study in my free time and study until it's time to go to bed." She vowed, feeling a wave of emotions elope her.

Devona glanced up at Sidney, feeling assured Sidney would do no less than her best. "Good. I do expect nothing less, especially from a scholarship winner." She flashed a smile turning back to the laptop.

There was one thing on Sidney's mind since she had got here. "Headmistress," She inquired, getting Devona's attention. "Why are you so supportive of scholarship winners? Most people have very low expectations and we don't have exactly the best track record for graduating." 

Devona knew it was bound to come up sooner or later. "Sidney," She began, giving the brown-haired girl her undivided attention. "When I wasn't in school I helped my grandfather with the academy and saw firsthand how many scholarship winners drop out because they just can't catch up. It broke my heart to see so many shattered dreams, and even now, I see far too many. I try my best to give them support and show that someone is rooting for them to defy the odds."

Sidney let those words resonate with her. 'I can't imagine how mentally draining that would be. To have such high hopes and give encouragement to scholarship winners only to be disappointed that they couldn't last.' She thought to herself. 

Devona continued. "Unfortunately, as you know, most don't make it that far into the school year, and rare few that do, well, it's because their kingdom's royalty has their back. I wish it was for your way but you and Witty are the only two scholarship winners attending the academy with your kingdom's royalty and nobility which don't support you."

Sidney thought back to Thea and how cruel she was, her words mostly, it didn't help Dree was egging her on. "I can't help but be worried that if I graduate, Thea won't appoint me to anything." She almost whispered, beginning to chew on her bottom lip.

"Well," Devona began, her tone turning optimistic. "If she just so happens to snub you, I'm sure Alexander and I could use some help with running the academy, Mr. Moss included, if he manages to get snubbed too." 

Sidney's heart swelled, never having felt such gratitude for someone's kind efforts. "That is very nice of you. It means a lot and hopefully, that will help me endure whatever this year throws my way."

Devona simply continued to smile, closing the laptop. "Now, you should be getting back to lunch. I don't want you to miss out on it since you'll have to wait until supper to eat." She said, standing up and walking around the desk to the door.

Sidney stood up and walked towards the door. "Thanks," She said, looking up into Devona's eyes and smiling softly before walking out of the room and down the hall toward the cafeteria. 

Alexander exited his office, walking up to Devona who was watching Sidney walk away. "What was that about? First Katherine, now Miss Barnes?" He inquired, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway.

Devona turned on her heels and walked back to her desk. "Ah, yes, first: Katherine was just throwing a fit because Marshall showed up and declared he was going to work here too." She shuddered at the memory of how livid she was only to mellow out after hearing the full story. 

Alexander's mouth formed an 'O' as he nodded slowly. "Oh, Marshall is here? I wonder why he didn't tell me. Hmm," He mused, feeling a bit jaded. "What's the second?"

Devona sat down at her desk and crossed her legs. "That is between Sidney and I. She dared to come to me about it and it wouldn't be right to share it without her permission, even if you're my husband and the headmaster. I do hope you understand." She sat back down in her chair

Alexander was curious to know what it was but he knew Devona. "I understand, I wouldn't want to compromise any confidentiality between you two." He flashed her a smile. "Should I go find Marshall or do you think he'll find me?"

Devona furrowed her brows and shook her head. "Do you need to ask me what you can and can't do?" She asked, leaning forward in her chair.

Alexander opened his mouth for a rebuttal but closed it just as quickly as he opened it. "I'll just call him and see if she's still here, then we can meet up." He turned on his heels and walked away.

Devona let out the air she had been holding in, in a long sigh. 'I've got new issues to worry about, especially Marshall and Katherine. I can only hope we don't regret this.' She thought to herself.

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A/N:
Sorry about the updates. I've been editing and fixing this, including working on filler chapters like this one. I didn't like how fast paced things were going and wanted to set more up for the characters rather than skipping days and only going for breakfast or lunch. They got free time I gotta add in.

Chapter Talk:
It took me a little while because I didn't want to drag it out with Katherine but then I realized I had forgotten about the letter Cody had written and figured it was best to add that part in. Don't want any plot holes now do we?? Lol

Thanks for reading!