(A/N) So I changed some of the workings of the Senate and Reyna is off to NY. Please remember to review.
Reyna was on a bus. A crowded bus to be specific. She was getting shipped off to a private school because Jason was still unconscious. He had been three days late in awakening and Octavian had seized the praetorship with no problem. He simply 'forgot' to write Reyna's name on the ballot and then declared that redoing an election due to a 'small mishap' was 'not Roman'. The only good thing to come out of this was that Frank Zhang had become the other praetor. His success as one of the Seven and now as one of the five that had challenged the Tower, had lead him to victory. Frank had rallied the Senate as no other Praetor had before. He had challenged Octavian's decision outright trying to keep Reyna from being shipped off to Jupiter knows where.
It had all started off so simple and then…
"Dismissed. Before we leave there is a matter that has come to my attention." Octavian began, "It happened while I was looking into the possibility of another election."
Reyna had decided to listen up. She was still in the Senate as a courtesy but she wasn't a senator nor was she a praetor or a Lares.
"Reyna does not have very much formal education." Octavian continued.
"What!" almost everyone said.
"How is that relevant?" asked Frank getting to his feet.
Octavian turned to face him and explained, "We aren't calling another election and it wouldn't matter if we did because Reyna couldn't run as she does not have the required education which is at least one year of high school or a grade one to nine education."
"Since when has education mattered?" asked Frank annoyed.
"Yesterday. I passed a new law which contains the rules for running for praetor. That was in there. You agreed so I assumed you read it." Octavian said with a smirk.
"Must have missed that part." Frank muttered ashamed.
"The point is that Reyna can't run for praetor until she completes one year of high school." Octavian reiterated.
"What about Jason?" Larry shouted.
"Jason can run next year when he is present and able to coherently answer questions." Octavian answered.
"But Jason doesn't have more education than Reyna." Frank protested, "It isn't fair that he can run and she can't."
Octavian couldn't risk saying Jason couldn't run. That would lead to a major loss in his supporters.
"That is different. Jason was educated in the school in New Rome during his free time. Therefore he does have more of an education than Reyna." Octavian continued smoothly.
"So all I have to do is take a year of courses at the school in New Rome and then I can run again?" Reyna asked standing up to speak.
"Nothing is that simple." Octavian said motioning for everyone who was standing to sit.
Reyna, Frank, and ten senators sat down leaving Octavian standing.
"You were a former praetor. The school here might be run by those who are sympathetic to your cause and want you back in a leadership position. This could lead to them altering you attendance or grades to let you reach that goal." Octavian stated.
"So where am I supposed to go to school?" Reyna said narrowing her eyes.
"It's a good school. My friend has said so and the Senate will be covering all costs." Octavian said.
"Where?" Reyna practically growled.
"New York. It's a private school." Octavian replied calmly.
"In the mortal world?" Reyna asked her voice almost squeaking.
"Yes. From what I understand." Octavian answered in the same calm tone.
The whole Senate burst into chatter and Octavian's demands for quiet went unheard. It probably also didn't help that Frank had stood up and was yelling something at Octavian. Everyone seemed to accept that Reyna had to go back to school but none of them were willing to accept the fact that she was to be sent into the human's world.
"SILENCE!" Octavian screamed managing to shut everyone up.
He was standing on a chair and his face was red with rage. Frank was sitting down next to him looking annoyed.
"I propose a vote." Octavian declared, "It will be a blind vote and the choices shall be Reyna stays in New Rome for schooling or Reyna heads to New York for schooling. Reyna as the subject you don't get a vote. Close your eyes. All of you!"
Reyna did as she was told. She was mad, more than mad she was pissed. Why shouldn't she get a vote? Reyna was the subject of the vote.
"Not you Zhang." Octavian snapped quietly when Frank closed his eyes, "All in favour of New York. Raise your hands. Hands down. All those for she stays. Raise your hands. Hands down. Eyes open!"
From the look on Franks face Reyna knew what it was going to be.
"That was a tie so we will have to ask the missing member of the Senate to vote." Octavian declared.
"Are you talking about Reyna?" asked Frank.
"I meant Nico." Octavian clarified.
"But he's not here right now." Frank said.
"Which is why I called him the missing member. It's also the reason why we'll be Iris messaging him." Octavian said.
Three failed attempts to contact Nico latter…
"We will just vote for him." Octavian decided.
"Me or you?" asked Frank.
"It does not matter because we will both vote the way that he would." Octavian reminded Frank.
"Which way is that?"
"Obviously to send Reyna off to New York." Octavian announced.
"What?!" Frank said gaping like a fish.
"When she passes then there will be no doubt that she did so on her own with no help. That will be his reasoning." Octavian explained, "Unless you think he would vote the other way because she needs to attend school here for some reason."
Frank was still looking for words when Reyna spoke up. Octavian had implied that she needed to cheat. She wouldn't let that blow to her honour go.
"I will go to New York if that is what you have decided and I will not fail." Reyna announced.
Then she had stood up and left the Senate. The meeting had been over before this discussion had begun. It was official Senate business conducted off the records.
That was the conversation that had put her on this bus which was taking her to a school somewhere in New York with Juno knows how many students that would all look at her like a stranger because they had been going to school together for at least a year. According to Octavian's sources the school was 'good' but that didn't mean anything. Reyna hated school with a passion. She hadn't attended it since she arrived on Circe's Island. The laws that Octavian had passed were designed to keep her out of a position. Reyna knew that. They didn't exclude Jason or Frank though which was a benefit to her. Reyna's biggest problem was the way that Octavian was manipulating the Senate and the way he had managed to stack it in his favour.
As the bus rumbled down the highway Reyna looked out her window and sighed. Being a demigod was hard enough but being a demigod, who had to pretend they were normal, while at the same time still dealing with demigod and normal problems, with no protection from monsters, and the added burden of no formal education was going to be a disaster. Reyna wasn't one for admitting defeat before the battle got started but this was one fight that she was absolutely sure she wouldn't win.