Gemstone Academy

Chapter 3

"Wrong," My tutor, Mrs. Russell, said throwing my math paper back at me. Mrs. Russell had been my tutor ever since I was 11 and my previous tutor, Mrs. Poppy, left the castle. She ended up getting married and left. Anyway, Mrs. Russell taught me math and science. She was a strict woman with blonde hair that was always pulled into a tight bun and she had fierce blue eyes. She had worn the same type of outfit ever since she stepped foot into this castle. She wore a blouse with a knee length skirt, tights, and some types of flats. The flats were normally the most interesting thing about her. She had a different pair on each time I saw her. Today she was wearing lavender ones.

"All of it?" I asked picking my math paper back up.

"Most of it," She said.

Ugh. I hate math. What's the point of math? I understand needing to know simple algebra, but why did I need to know the quadratic formula? Or any calculus? Or any math above algebra one for that matter? Answer: I don't.

I never had this much trouble with my English and History teacher, Mr. Rons. Mostly because I was actually good at English and History. That's how it worked, didn't it? You were either good at Math and Science or English and History. Then there were those freaks who were good at all of them. I hated them.

I went to fix my answers on my math work when Grey entered the room. "Your parents want to see you," He said to me.

Oh no. I've been avoiding my parents ever since yesterday at breakfast. Actually, I haven't seen them since then. I stayed in my room all day yesterday and took breakfast in my room this morning as well.

"Okay, where are they?" I asked deciding to stop avoiding the inevitable.

"In the thrown room," Grey answered.

"I'll be down in a few minutes," I said. Grey nodded and left the room.

After a few minutes of staring at the numbers in front of me, I sighed and stood up. Dealing with my parents would probably be way easier than continuing to attempt my math work.

I went down stairs and headed for the center of the castle, which is where the thrown room was located. I passed maids and soldiers and said hi to all of them. I started small talk with some of them, like how they were or what they were up to. A good queen always talks to her help as equals. It's only polite. You don't want to have staff that hates you. I mean, can you imagine if the people who served you your food hated you? All they'd have to do is poison your food then you'd be dead. Also, a castle can't run properly without servants running around for us. I appreciated them greatly.

I entered the long hall that was the thrown room. My parents sat at the end of the room in their large gold throwns on a platform. I walked for what felt like ages until I was standing right in front of them. It was like I was a prisoner sent in here for questioning.

"Hello, Elizabeth, how are you today?" My mother asked me.

"Fantastic," I replied.

"We thought about what you said yesterday. About how you think you should get the crown."

Oh great. I knew this couldn't go anywhere good.

"And we think you may be right," My father said.

"What?" I asked stunned. Surely, I heard him wrong. They agreed with me? Maybe I'm dreaming. No, I don't dream about stuff like this, I dream about waaaaayy weirder things, like pink dinosaurs with blue stripes.

"Obviously you want the crown, so we think you should get a fair chance at it," Mother said simply.

"However, we also can't allow you to sabotage your brother's chances," Father said sternly.