A Royal Marriage

Chapter Thirty-Five: School Visit

Isla of Sussex

October 21st, 2014

Today I would be having a separate engagement from Harry. While my engagement would be during the day, Harry's would be at night.

Today I would be visiting Lubavitch Girls' Primary School and I would be helping them prepare for their Halloween play.

I sat beside Sarah in the car who grinned at me.

"I cannot believe you are having another baby!" She said and I nodded as I looked at my belly. I was officially five weeks pregnant but Dr. Jackson still worried that if I had a fainting spell I would pass out and lose the baby.

"Neither can I. It is very stressful at the beginning with the possibility of losing the babe because of my fainting," I explained before we pulled into the front of the school.

"Do not think about that. Thinking about it all the time causes so much stress and anxiety. You do not need that."

I smiled at my friend before my security detail opened my door for me. I scooted to the end of my seat and stepped out and waved to the group of students waiting for me.

I grinned when I saw them and waved my hands at them.

"Hello everyone! I hope you aren't cold!" I called out before I turned to Headmistress Daisy Hugo who bowed her head to me.

"Your Highness we are so glad you could join us today!" She said as I shook her hand.

"Honestly I am very excited to be here! Halloween used to be one of my favorite holidays as a child and I enjoy dressing up Diana now in different costumes." I explained and she chuckled.

"Leigh here has some flowers for you." She said and I looked down to see a Year 3 girl holding a bouquet of different flowers up to me.

I bent down to her side and smiled at her.

"These are beautiful! Did they come to your school garden?" I questioned as I took the flowers away from her.

"They are. Do you like them?" She asked and I smiled at her.

"I love them. Thank you very much Leigh." I said before I stood up and looked at Headmistress Daisy.

"Well, let me led you to the auditorium. The Year Six's are in their painting and beginning to set up. They cannot wait for your help and you opinion on their rehearsal." She explained as we walked into the school. I handed the flowers and my purse to Sarah as I shook my jacket off before reaching for my things again.

As we entered the auditorium I smelt the paint first and nearly got sick from it. On the stage were nearly twenty kids as they worked painting and handing things up.

Headmistress Daisy clapped her hand five times in rhythm and all of the kids stopped what they were doing and looked around to find their headmistress.

"Good morning ladies. Let us give a warm Lubavitch welcome to Isla, the Duchess of Sussex!" She said and the girls broke out into cheers. I waved to all of them before Daisy cleared her throat.

"Her Royal Highness is here to help us today and give us advice for the play. I want everyone to be on their best behavior tonight. Do you understand?"

Everyone yelled out yes. I broke apart from the headmistress and began to make my way onto the stage.

"Good morning everyone! How are you all doing today?" I asked and everyone yelled out different answers.

"Well can I just ask what play you are preparing for? No one seemed to tell me." I said and the girls chuckled.

"We are performing The Legend of Sleepy Hallow. I am Stephanie Tanner. I am the co-stage manager along with our Theatre teacher Mr. Riordan."

"Hello, Stephanie. It is wonderful to meet you. Do you not need boys for this play?"

"We do! We have after school practice with the boys down the street at the all-boys school. But during the school day, it is just us." Stephanie explained and I went to follow her towards the podium.

"Well as you are the stage managers what do you have to do for this play?"

"I make sure everything runs smoothly! Costumes are easy to change and if the actor or actress isn't well their understudy can handle it." She explained with a grin on her face.

"Is it stressful? You can't be more than ten or eleven years old?" I offered and Stephanie nodded.

"It only gets that stressful when we have bad days. People don't show up or the music isn't right. Then it gets really stressful." She confessed and I smiled at her.

"Well with all the hard work you are doing I bet this is going to be an amazing play!" I said as I patted her shoulder.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Stephanie grinned at me before we heard someone call out for her and she had to rush off to the person. I walked over to the group of girls putting up the cardboard cutouts of houses with doors that opened.

"Wow! Whoever painted these did an amazing job!" I called out and the four girls smiled at me.

"We all did them!" They said before they climbed down and made their way over to me.

"Well, you four did a good job. I'm Isla. What's your name?"

"Annabeth Jackson."

"Victoria Blue."

"Grace Sim."

"And I'm Cassandra Fray. Your Princess Diana's mom!"

"I am! Diana is home with her dad right now hopefully not causing too much trouble." I commented as I went to pull the rope so the four of them could stand the cardboard up correctly.

"Have you ever see the play of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?" Victoria asked and I shook my head.

"I have not. I usually get invited to a lot of plays and ballet but I have some jobs that have to come first before those plays."I explained and Victoria nodded.

"My sister was in this play ten years ago and when she heard I was helping create the set she was happy to help," Victoria explained and I nodded.

"What about you three? Do you enjoy these plays? Did you try out for any of the parts?"

"I am more of behind the scene. I do not like the attention on me." Grace said and I chuckled softly. I wrapped the rope around the poll that Cassandra told me to,

"Grace, I am the same way at times. I at times don't like the cameras in my face but there will be a day you'll break out of that shell." I told her and Grace smiled.

"Does Princess Diana go to the plays or ballets with you?" Annabeth asked but I shook my head.

"No Di is a bit to young. She is turning two in April and she does not like sitting still for long. She gets fussy and needs to run around."

"Is she excited to be a big sister?"

"I do not know yet if she truly understands she will be a big sister. She loves other kids when she sees them at the park but the attention being taken away from her, I do not know yet." I explained and Cassandra giggled.

"My mummy and momma just had their third baby. I now have two younger brothers but I want a little sister." She explained and I smiled at her as I looked all around the set.

"I always wanted a little sister. I only have a big brother." I explained and Annabeth cleared her throat.

"What do you think of the set?"

"You guys have worked so hard in just under a month! I do not know how you guys did it all but I know this play will be amazing! You guys behind the scene make sure everything is amazing on set." I explained and the four girls stared at me for a moment before they all rushed me and pulled me into a hug.

I laughed softly as I bent down as much as I could and hugged the four girls back.

A part of me couldn't help but say I would not mind having four children and I would not mind them being all girls.