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Princeps Ioanna, Joan to her loved ones, knew she wasn't supposed to run in the palace; she even remembered that rule a lot more than she let on. Sometimes before she started running, in fact. But it was one of those rules where her fathers would remind her not to do it and then never punish her for it, and it felt good to break little rules sometimes. She had spent long enough being disobedient to the big ones that now that she was forced to follow more of them, she needed somewhere to put all that mischief.
She suspected this was why the rule existed at all -- to remind her that her fathers had made rules for her safety but also loved her enough to ignore them sometimes.
In any case, there was a sweet joy in fetching her snack from Simon's kitchen in the morning and then running to Parliament, meeting the frowns of MPs and her father's mildly disapproving look as she did so. This morning, however, she nearly ran into someone standing in the lobby, a tall woman in a pretty summer dress. Not a tourist, Joan decided, as she tried to stop and dodge at the same time, executing a little side-step to avoid collision. But not a palace regular, she knew all of them.
"Hi," she said, since helping strangers in the palace took precedence over civil service. Father could supervise Parliament without her for a moment or two. "Do you need help?"
"Hello," the woman replied, tilting her head. She might be Father's age, but it was hard to tell with old people. She had a nice voice, soft and deep. "I was just enjoying the architecture. I'm here to see a friend."
"Who?" Joan asked, and then realized that might be a little abrupt. "I mean, so I can help you find them," she added. The woman smiled, but before she could reply, there was an interruption.
"Haley!" Georgie's voice called. Joan turned to see Georgie, Father's head of security, coming down the grand staircase. The woman -- Haley -- opened her arms and Georgie hugged her, both women laughing. When they let go, Georgie noticed Joan.
"I see you've met the princeps," she said, resting a hand on Joan's shoulder. "Haley, this is Joan, His Grace's eldest granddaughter. Your highness, this is Haley McAllister. She's Mr. McAllister's daughter -- your grandfather's friend?"
Joan bowed. "Nice to meet you."
"Georgie rescued me from kidnappers, once upon a time," Haley added. Joan glanced suspiciously at Georgie.
"It's true. Haley's the reason I have a job here. Ask His Grace, he'll tell you all about it," Georgie said. "You'd better run along to Parliament, I'll take Haley from here."
Joan nodded and scampered off, glancing backwards; when she reached Parliament she flopped down on the king's bench next to Father.
"I was wondering where you were," he said, smiling at her. "Get held up?"
"I met a friend of Georgie's," she replied. "Haley McAllister's here. Georgie says she's Mr. McAllister's daughter. Should we tell Grandfather?"
"Oh! That's nice. He's always been fond of her. Would you text him that she's here?"
She nodded, getting out her phone while Father called Parliament to order. Father says to tell you Haley McAllister is here. Georgie is showing her around.
Her phone was on silent and she wasn't supposed to use it unless Father asked her to; his was always on Do Not Disturb in Parliament, and if he had to look something up he used the computer next to his bench, which monitored what he did on it for the public record. (Grandfather told her he'd instituted that rule after a near scandal in his reign when one of the nighttime cleaning staff used his work computer to look at 'inappropriate material' and Grandfather was accused of doing it during Parliament, until the timestamps proved it wasn't him.) Still, when her phone buzzed in her pocket she checked it quickly.
Excellent. I'll have Georgie invite her to lunch. Let your father know.
She passed on the message at the next break, and her father nodded, pleased.
"I was friends with her brothers at school," he said. "Haley was younger than we were, so I didn't know her as well."
"Is it true that Georgie rescued her from kidnappers?"
"Yes! You'll have to see if she'll tell you the story. Or your grandfather will, perhaps."
Joan nodded, impressed, and began counting the minutes until what was sure to be an exciting lunch.
***
When Michaelis arrived for lunch, Gregory and Joan were already there, sitting with their guest.
"Haley, hello," he said, giving her a hug as she rose to greet him. "So good to see you."
"Thanks! I wanted to come say hello when Dad came to visit you, but Dad had business to talk over with you, and I had a couple of things to do first," she said, sitting down again as Simon brought the food in -- a light salad full of nuts and fruit, along with a platter of cheese, crackers, and olives.
"I'm glad you made time," Michaelis said. "Joan said you met up with Georgie."
"Same old Georgie," Haley said with a grin. "Proud of her, being head of security now and all."
"Yes, she's done very well. I knew she would. Have you told Joan about the kidnapping?"
"Just finished," Haley replied, nodding as she helped herself to some salad. "I got a ton of mileage out of that story when I went back to school in the fall."
"I can imagine. How long are you in town?" he asked, tucking into the charcuterie.
"Depends. I don't have anywhere to be, particularly, but I came in to speak with you about something," she said, and Michaelis raised his eyebrows. "I don't mind talking shop over lunch, but if you don't want to, I can wait until you're free."
"We can give you the room," Gregory said, glancing between them.
"Actually, I'd like your thoughts too," Haley replied. "It's...personal but not private, I suppose? I mean I don't mind letting you in on it."
"Then by all means," Gregory said, gesturing for her to go on. She turned back to Michaelis.
"Dad said you're beefing with Institut Alpin," she said.
"He definitely did not say it like that," Michaelis replied, amused. "But yes, I've been dissatisfied with the school lately. Their accommodations for students with learning disabilities are not meeting some new standards I have for them, and they have not been particularly open to discussion about it. Why do you ask?"
"Well, Dad didn't know when he mentioned it, but I'm pretty annoyed with them too," she replied. "I'm not super surprised they're not listening to you. They don't really seem to want alumni input."
"It's the new headmaster," Gregory said. "He's only been there, what, five years?"
"Not even that. He started my last year at school," Haley said. "I mean, the school's always been slow to adapt, but he just doesn't want to listen to anyone about anything. I don't think he's spending much time on the school, either. I know it's part of the job to do fundraising but that's all he wants to do, and I don't think he's very good at it."
"Have you had any dealings with him?" Michaelis asked Gregory, who shook his head.
"He knows better than to come to me for money, he knows you control the family endowment. Which I was a little irritated by too -- it'd be nice to at least get a nod out of courtesy -- but it's one less meeting I have to have. Though I suppose soon enough I'll get calls about the twins -- Alanna's already had outreach to recruit Serafina."
"But it's not even the fundraising that's ticking me off," Haley continued. "I've been going back and forth with them for a couple of months about getting a new diploma with my new name on it and they're being real arseholes about the whole thing."
"Do they not believe you're still you?" Michaelis asked, frowning. "Do they think it's some kind of fraud?"
"I think maybe they did at first, but I've sent them everything from my corrected driver's license to my name change documentation to a letter from my doctor," Haley said. "If they just gave me a flat no they'd at least be wasting less of my time but they keep coming up with excuses, and the latest one just -- I dunno, Michaelis, I saw red. They said it was an unnecessary request made out of vanity because only one letter in my name changed. They basically told me to put some white-out on the diploma I already have."
Gregory set his silverware down sharply. "I beg your pardon."
"I know it seems like a small thing, and I know it's such a small change but I really liked my name and I didn't want to change much, but the change is still -- "
"Important," Michaelis said. "You don't have to justify it to us, Haley."
She looked relieved. "I thought you'd understand."
"Of course. And that's appalling treatment of an alumna making a fairly easy to fulfill request," Michaelis said. Joan didn't speak, but he could see her looking visibly confused, and shot a questioning glance at Haley.
"My name used to be Halley -- two Ls -- when I thought I was a boy," Haley said to Joan. "It's just Haley now, one L."
"Oh!" Joan nodded, realization dawning.
"Anyway, I told Dad I was wrestling with them, and he was furious too."
"To be honest, I respect Olly a great deal but I didn't think he'd do as well as he has, supporting you," Michaelis said.
"Yeah, I didn't either, but you know how Dad is. The kid always comes first with him. Anyway he loves calling me his daughter, I think he was kind of annoyed he had three sons," she said with a smile. "The point is, we're cracking a plan and he said I should talk to you about getting in on it."
"Well, storming the school and staging a sit-in outside the headmaster's office has crossed my mind, but I'm getting a little old to spend that much time sitting on the ground," Michaelis said.
"Oh, we're taking a much tighter aim than that," Haley said.
"Do tell."
"School policy is set by the Board of Regents. That's the Headmaster, the Dean, and five Regents -- it's almost always alumni, and usually big donors," Haley said. "Potential Regents have to be nominated by current Regents but they're elected by alumni vote."
"That's what the school considers student self-governance," Michaelis said to Joan. "Which is a polite fiction we've all abided by for many years. So, perhaps we should lean more heavily on the regents? Outside of the Headmaster? I don't know the Dean's politics at all."
"No -- there's three Regents rotating off this year," Haley said. "I think you and Dad should join the board."
Gregory let out a soft, surprised whistle of admiration. "Oh, that's good," he said admiringly. "They don't know your dad's as pissed at them as you are, and Father's only spoken to the education office about his grievances -- at least unless you've been escalating," he said to Michaelis.
"Not yet. I was asked to let it go for a little while," he said. Haley looked curious. "My anger is on behalf of a former student who didn't get the attention and accommodation he deserved," he said to Haley. "I'm letting him call the shots, and we didn't want to raise a fuss just yet -- but I think he'd find this highly amusing. You think you could get us nominated for election?"
"One of the board members rotating off is a little more sympathetic," she said. "He can nominate up to five candidates, and the election isn't by seat -- it's just top three people by vote get the seats. With you and Dad on the board, you'd still be in the minority, but you could cause a lot more problems. A lot of board business has to be by unanimous vote."
"Hm. And we've both maintained fairly good relations with our class, plus we have children from several other classes. What about the third seat?"
Haley spread her hands. "If you've got someone in mind, I'm all ears. I suggested Gregory, but Dad thought there might be some kind of conflict of interest because of all the politics."
"I really don't have time, either," Gregory said regretfully. "But I think I see your angle," he added to Michaelis. "You think he'd go for it?"
"Not sure he has the time either, but we can -- " Michaelis began, then broke off because, as if summoned, Gerald put his head in the doorway.
"Hey, I heard Haley was here," he said, beaming. "Look at you, ma'am!"
"Speak of the devil," Michaelis said, waving him in. "Haley has a suggestion for us that I think you may find intriguing. Gerald, do you mind if I speak freely? About Institut Alpin."
The other man hesitated, glancing back and forth, and then nodded.
"Haley wants Olly and myself to stand for the board of Regents, to bring a more liberal viewpoint to the school," Michaelis said. "I think, however, you might be better suited."
Gerald sat, tipping his head, considering. "I do have an infant they very, very much want attending. And they don't know I'm the reason you've been fighting with them."
Haley raised her eyebrows.
"The school missed my ADHD diagnosis," Gerald said. Haley blinked at him. "It's not widely known, I haven't spoken publicly about it. If that was the only issue, it wouldn't be worth fighting over; things were different twenty years ago. But when Michaelis tried to address the idea of more extensive testing and more services for students with disabilities, or even just students lagging behind..."
"We think they would rather not admit students with disabilities, which includes testing students already admitted," Michaelis said.
"Fuck," Haley said, and then covered her mouth, glancing at Joan.
"It's okay, we're all thinking it," Joan said calmly.
"It's one of a few reasons we haven't considered it for Joan," Gregory said. "And one reason, so far, that we haven't put the twins or Serafina on the future-student rolls."
"Have you considered getting yourself nominated?" Gerald asked Haley. "Instead of your father."
"I don't think I could get in," she replied. "Dad's more of a sure thing. I could get both of us on the ballot but that'll smell, don't you think? And I'm really young, Regents are usually -- " she stopped and glanced at Michaelis.
"Old white men, I'm aware," he said.
"Who cares if it smells? You were popular at school, weren't you? I seem to recall Will bragging about how well you were doing," Gerald said. "And those Regent votes are always basically just trying to figure out if you recognize any of the names. I could send a text message today and get half of my class and most of Gregory's on our side. If we loop in Milo he could probably get the class below yours, too," he said to Gregory, who nodded. "Even if you don't get in, it'll really put some fright into them."
"And if three of us do get in, well," Michaelis said with a sharp grin. "We only need one more person on side in any given vote for a majority. While my specialty in trade was never arm-twisting, I do in fact know how to do it quite deftly."
"Let me put some things in motion," Gerald said, tapping away on his phone. "I did tell Al I thought it'd be fun to run a political campaign," he added without looking up.
"I mean, you don't have to," Haley said.
"No, this seems easy enough," Gerald replied absently, as his phone rang. "Hey, Milo," he said, getting up to answer it and walking out of the dining room again, swiping a handful of cheese cubes on the way. There was a contemplative silence in his wake.
"Did you ever think you'd see the day," Gregory said.
"No, but I'm delighted it's here," Michaelis replied.
"Do you think he really can swing it?" Haley asked. "I know he's a good guy, he was always super nice when we visited as kids, but..."
"Well, he won't hang you out to dry," Gregory said. "Once he's in he's all in. Well, Haley, it looks like you have yourself a little insurrection."
"If they didn't want people to think for themselves they shouldn't have bothered with all that talk about leadership at school," Michaelis said. "Can't raise generations of leaders while calling yourself the school of kings and then get mad about a little coup."
"All right, wheels in motion," Gerald announced, returning. "Up the old school, as they say."
"They never say what it's up," Haley added, and Gregory sighed as Joan giggled.
***
AP - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INSTITUT ALPIN ELECTS NEW REGENTS
AUGUST 1, 2023 -- Institut Alpin, the prestigious "School of Kings", announced Thursday that the student-alumni self-governance body has elected three new members of the Board of Regents, to replace those who have completed their terms and wish to rotate off. New board members include His Grace Gerald dux Shivadlakia (IB'06); Oliver George McAllister (IB'78, P'05, P'07, P'21); and His Grace Michaelis ben Jason (IB'78, P'07). His Grace Gerald is currently advisor to the King of Askazer-Shivadlakia; Mr. McAllister is manager of the well-known London hedge fund Tobin-McAllister, and His Grace Michaelis is the retired former head of state of Askazer-Shivadlakia.
"I'm excited to get to participate more fully in the governance of Institut Alpin, especially as the youngest Regent," Duke Gerald said. He stated in his candidacy bio that he is interested in expanding and updating educational curriculum ahead of his daughter, Lady Serafina dux Shivadlakia Daskaz, potentially attending. "As an alumnus who struggled at times to maintain the standard of excellence the school expects, I'd like to explore options for students like myself."
His Grace Michaelis, a relative of Duke Gerald, has expressed an interest in addressing extracurricular services for students, as well as bringing his recent experience with local secondary schools in his own country to the board. "My stepson and granddaughter have both had unusual schooling outside of the boarding system," he stated, "and I'm concerned both with the needs of students like them, and ensuring that Institut Alpin has adequate plans in place to address bullying amongst the students and staff."
Mr. McAllister, whose two sons and daughter all graduated from Institut Alpin as well, brings his long career in finance to school investment management and fundraising, as well as services for alumni. "I have had concerns for a time over the visible lack of response to alumni requests," he said. "Hopefully my presence on the board can aid the school in developing a more robust alumni services office."
In a first for the Institut Alpin Board of Regents, one of the more popular runners-up in the vote was Haley McAllister, daughter of Oliver McAllister, the first transgender candidate to stand for Regent and the youngest candidate ever. Ms. McAllister hopes that with more time and experience she will be able to replace her father on the board eventually.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL: Institut Alpin is an elite boarding and day school for students beginning age eight. The school offers International Baccalaureate diplomas to students who complete the course. Known internationally as The School of Kings, it offers unparalleled opportunity for children of prominent public figures as well as high-achieving underserved youth. Alumni include politicians, royalty, financial leaders, leading cultural lights, and policymakers worldwide.
***
"Isn't that a puff piece the Institut PR office wrote?" Gregory asked, when Gerald sent him a link to the story. "How the hell did you convince them to put Haley's name in there and get them to gender her properly?"
"That was all Michaelis," Gerald said. "He told them if they didn't include a mention of Haley he'd decline to serve and she'd be on automatically as first runner-up, so either way her name was going in."
Michaelis, bouncing Zach on his knees, radiated smugness.
"It would be great if, someday, a single solitary woman of any kind got on that board," Alanna said, as Gerald tried to get Serafina to eat her pasta instead of wearing it.
"Agreed, but at least this way Olly and I can take some of the body blows first," Michaelis said. "Tell you what, when I rotate off I'll nominate all women. That'll annoy them, won't it?" he asked Zach, who beamed at him.