The rule stated that clubs that conspired to cause harm to other students would be permanently dissolved. At this rate, Prince Keith was going to conspire with other students to storm the student council. If he didn’t calm down now, things were going to get even worse.
“Yes, I agree,” I responded. “The knight club is a storied institution of this academy. If the club were to be permanently dissolved, I’m sure alumni in the knights’ order would be outraged. Even my cousin, Lord Salius, said he would punch President Hammond himself. The knights’ order seems to be full of hotheaded people.”
Princess Margaret and I discussed how we should proceed.
“First, we’ll have dinner with Keith and his friends,” the princess said. “The other riled-up members of the knight club will have to go sit down and have dinner separately. That way, we’ll at least get some food in them. Being hungry only leads to more irritation.”
Princess Margaret was going to handle inviting Prince Keith to eat with us, which was a relief. Still, that wasn’t going to be the difficult part.
“In that case, you will be suggesting to Prince Keith that they start a petition to keep the knight club going?”
Princess Margaret just smiled.
Wait, are you serious? You want me to do it?!
“Please wait one moment,” I said. “I’m going to read through the guidelines.”
Is there anything written here about petitions? I thought as I flipped through the pages.
“Petitions... ‘Students who are dissatisfied with decisions made by the student council may submit a petition, which shall include more than half of the student body’s signatures. Once the petition is submitted, the student council shall consider the matter noted in the petition and decide whether the decision will be overturned.’”
So they have to get more than half of all the students to sign? That sounds like a lot of work.
“More than half is going to be difficult,” the princess remarked. “First off, the mage-track students won’t sign. Neither will the members of the riding club. If Percival himself collects the signatures, he may be able to get students in the home ec track to sign. Keith may be able to get most of the junior division students to sign. That leaves the civil service track. A lot of the students in that track never liked the knight club. They might not get the signatures they need.”
I thought about the music club. Percival could likely get the girls to sign, but he probably wouldn’t be able to persuade the boys.
Our discussions had made the time pass, and the dinner bell was already ringing.
“All right then. Let’s go settle everyone down,” the princess declared.
The two of us headed down to the dining hall. The commotion hadn’t settled at all, and the students who’d just arrived to eat dinner seemed to be at a loss for what to do.
Princess Margaret straightened her back and stood tall as she made her way toward Prince Keith, who was in the middle of all the ruckus. Though the members of the knight club were all agitated, they still noticed the intimidating presence of the first princess and made way for her.
Wow, she’s like Moses parting the Red Sea, I thought as I followed behind. We’re surrounded by walls of people! This is terrifying!
“Keith, let’s eat dinner together,” Princess Margaret said. “You should both join as well,” she said to Ralph and Hugo.
For a brief moment, an irritated look that said This isn’t the time for that flashed across Prince Keith’s face, but he quickly gave in to Princess Margaret’s powerful gaze.
“Yes, sister,” Prince Keith replied.
One after another, we grabbed our trays, got in line to be served food, and took our seats at a table.
“Eat before you do anything else, Keith,” Princess Margaret ordered.
Prince Keith seemed displeased to be powerless against his sister’s intimidating stare, but after taking a bite, he proceeded to inhale the rest of his meal. Judging from the way Ralph and Hugo were both chowing down, they’d probably also skipped lunch.
Growing boys have such impressive appetites. I’m not even hungry right now.
“Would you like this as well?” I said, offering a dish I hadn’t touched.
“I’m fine,” Prince Keith insisted, his eyes firmly locked on my food. “I ate already.”
“Eat mine as well, Keith,” the princess ordered, offering her own plate to Keith as well. “You mustn’t skip lunch. If you won’t eat, I will be speaking to mother about this.”
“Please keep this a secret from mother,” Prince Keith replied, taking his sister’s plate and eating it.
“I’m sure you’re both hungry as well,” I said, offering my plate to Ralph and Hugo instead. “Please take this and split it in half.”
Ralph and Hugo were both upper-class nobles, so they’d had proper etiquette drilled into them from a young age. They first declined my offer, stating they wouldn’t dare take a lady’s meal from her. But Prince Keith was already right there, eating Princess Margaret’s food. I went ahead and gave each of the boys half of my food. I was used to doing this, since I’d given my younger brothers my serving of ham for a long time.
Princess Margaret shot me a look that commanded, Talk about the petition! It seemed that it was indeed going to be my job to bring it up. I felt that Princess Margaret was better suited for the task, so I looked back at her, begging for mercy. The princess just tapped her shoe against mine, urging me to speak up.
I guess I’m not getting any mercy today.
I pulled out the student handbook, which I’d folded and stashed in the pocket of my jacket. It was Princess Margaret’s copy, and since I couldn’t fit it in my pocket without bending it, I’d gotten her permission to treat it so roughly.
“Prince Keith, please take a look at this rule in the student council guidelines,” I said.