Gold's Rule ✔️

Chapter 2 - Call it a Hunch

I pushed open the door to the classroom. The smell of new textbooks and chalk immediately wafted to me, and I took a deep breath. I missed this smell. The quiet babble if students filled the room.

The classrooms worked in shifts, since we only had 3 teachers. There would be a morning class, and an afternoon class. This would so happen to be the afternoon class, which looked like it was in full swing. Rainbow looked hesitant to come inside, so I just told her to leave it to me. She left without a complaint.

The classroom was once an old guest room, but I'd had people come in and decorate it so it looked somewhat like a classroom. Funneh would've loved this, she was always complaining of how the village school is so boring. I'd written the study curriculum myself, including equal parts of hard study and basic self-defence.

The teacher, and old friend of Madame Jane's, looked up at me from where she was scribbling something down on the board. She looked old, just like Madame Jane, but unlike her Mrs. Dove had on no makeup to cover her wrinkles. She smiled with her chapped lips and stood up, making the arm chair she was sitting in creak.

"Hello Miss Gold, what can I do for you today?" She asked in a hoarse voice. I looked around and noticed that most students were either looking out the window, looking bored, or doodling in their notebooks.

I'd always had my doubts about Mrs. Dove, but Lady Jane ensured me that she is the best there is. I smiled back and said, "Hello. I'd just like to inform you that I'd found these two troublemakers," I gestured towards the boys, "bullying this poor girl right here."

Mrs. Dove eyebrows shot up, her surprise clear. "You must have made a mistake, David and Alex are angels! On the other hand..." She glanced at the girl. "Selene is always getting into trouble. Never finishing her homework. Always stealing from the other children."

I gapped. Oh my dear cake lords. I was at a loss for words. Shocked. Speechless. "Mrs. Dove... are you sure?"

"I'm absolutely positive, your majesty." Mrs. Dove confirmed, nodding her head so hard her cheeks were jiggling.

I bit the insides on my lip, thinking. There was no way, just no way, that Selene was the troublemaker.

Mrs. Dove must've seen the hesitation on my face, because she added, "In fact, today is the fourth day in a row that Selene hasn't handed her homework in. She always, always, hands her homework in a day late."

I frowned a bit, studying Selene. Now that I was looking closely, I recognized her as the daughter of Jane, my mother's lady-in-waiting and best friend. You may think it's odd that mother had positioned her best friend as her servant, but I assure you, Jane was anything but that.

Selene was looking at me with wide eyes, bottom lip trembling. She looked wronged, innocent.

Then an idea popped into my mind.

"May I see the most recent and first homework of these three?" I asked Mrs. Dove as innocently as I could.

"I can assure you, your majesty, that-"

"No no, I insist." I said firmly, eyes narrowed.

She swallowed and nodded, turning back around to ruffle through her desk drawers. Was it my imagination, or was that a burrito in her drawer? Gosh, I really need to change the teacher, better add that to my long mental to-do list.

A while later, after many ruffling through her shockingly unorganized desk, Mrs. Dove finally pulled out 6 separate crumbled pieces of paper, handing them to me.

I laid them out on a nearby table and compared them.

Aha. Just as I'd thought. Selene's old and recent homework had the same neat handwriting. The boys, on the other hand, had completely different handwritings. Their first paper was done poorly, with lots of holes poked through and rough handwriting. Their most recent paper, however, was done in neat handwriting not unlike Selene's.

Coincidence? I think not. (Ahaha yes this is a reference to my main book lolol, comment if you get it!)

I explained it all to Mrs. Dove, watching her reaction. The whole class was now seated forward and listening.

After I'd finished, there was a beat of silence. Then applause. I looked away from Mrs. Dove, surprised, as the rest of the class erupted into applause. I smiled, a little sheepishly, and winked at them.

"Wow.. I must admit, I did not think of that!" Mrs. Dove explained, eyebrows raised. Was it just my imagination, or did she look surprised, maybe too surprised?

I gave a serene smile, shaking my head. "No, it's absolutely fine, it took a while for me to think of it too."

Mrs. Dove turned a stern look on the boys, who, on closer inspection, looked quite similar to each other- and to Mrs. Dove. "Boys, I am so disappointed in you. I hope a week of cleaning the stables will be enough for you to reflect on your actions." She scolded with the whole I-am-so-mad-and-embarrassed-so-I'm-taking-my-anger-out-on-you thing. Not that they don't deserve it, but cleaning the stables is a nasty job, and can a dangerous one sometimes.

Immediately, my mind went back to Funneh, who loved spending time at the barn with all the horses, especially Brownie. She used to come back for dinner everyday with hay stuck in her hair and gown, which made mother freak out.

Speaking of Brownie, I haven't seen him ever since.... ever since that night. I wonder if he's alright, I don't remember seeing him at the cliff. I winced; just thinking about that night on the cliff made my head- and heart- hurt.

Mrs. Dove turned back to the class and clapped her hands. "Alright class, let's get back to it!" The class settled down and I look that as a cue to make my grand exit. I gave the boys a look, indicating for them to follow me as I grabbed Selene's hand and left.

Once the door clicked closed, I threw the boys a sharp look and turned to Selene. "Now, these boys should have learned their lesson. But if they cause you trouble again, come find me. That's an order from your queen." I said, shooting her a smile. Selene nodded, smiling back. I stood up, glanced at the boys one more time, then strode down the hallway.

I was about to walk upstairs when I heard someone running towards me, yelling my name. Rainbow was panting, a paper held in one hand, the other keeping her hat on her head.

"Alec... he's gone."

I grabbed the note and read out loud:
This job is just not right for me. Thanks for giving me a chance. I'm really going to miss Funneh- her laugh, her smile...
Don't try to find me, and do me a favour and make Kyran head guard instead of me.
I'm going to miss you. Sending my best wishes.
~Alec

I felt like my emotions were jumbled. Mad, worried, sad. I turned to Rainbow. "Go tell Kyran he has been upgraded, show him the note, and fill him in on his new duty's. Once you make that official, go find Lunar and tell her the news." Rainbow nodded, took the note back, and rushed down the stairs. "Oh! Don't forget about Lady Jane's lesson tomorrow! Remind Lunar of that!" I yelled down the stairs. "La la la I can't hear you!" Rainbow yelled back. I bit back laughter. Sure Rainbow loves Lady Jane, but let's be honest... we all hate lessons.

I started up the stairs, wondering.

Just how many more people are we going to lose?