Free Web NovelChapter 128: Chapter 128
Henri was up the next morning before his mother could show up to throw open his bedroom curtains and hurry him out of bed.
His uniform now consisted of a dark blue silk dress shirt and matching cravat, an apparent change from his dark red of the previous year.
The blue of his dress shirt made his smoky grey eyes pop and made his black hair stand out even more prominently, at least that was what his mother said to him.
She still fussed over him although this was the second time that they would be doing this. Photographers were at the ready to take pictures of him and this time Eli got roped into it as well.
Marina enthusiastically hurried her husband and son into the carriages prepared for the journey. She was dressed elaborately today, wearing a midnight blue dress that complimented Henri’s uniform, her crown on her head.
Henri was relieved that he had gotten his own carriage again, his parents would both be sharing a single carriage. His mother had also made him wear a crown, it made him wonder if they couldn’t just sneak into the academy grounds quietly just as they had done when the past year came to an end.
He had seen Audie and the others merely a couple of weeks ago but he hadn’t been able to see Louis and Dio, he did exchange letters with Louis though and that was enough, he would get to see them at the academy in a few hours.
Henri leaned back in his carriage and watched the scenery as the carriage smoothly ran over the dirt-packed ground. Returning for the second year was nothing like the first time he had ridden down to the academy, he was less tense now, already knowing what to expect.
Pleasantly, his father’s presence took the spotlight off Henri. After flurried pictures were taken of all three of them, Henri easily left, the throng focusing on his parents instead.
He bumped into Louis at the gates, they were also about to board a carriage to take their things inside the college grounds.
"Henri!" Louis called to get his attention, a bright smile on his face.
Dio stood beside him, tall and menacing as usual with his hair left down but then he lifted his head and smiled as well.
It was such a shocking expression that Henri nearly stumbled, he didn’t think he had ever seen Dio smile before, his eyes seemed to hold all of his emotions instead.
Louis had told him in a letter about what had happened and how so much had changed. Well, Henri could clearly see it, it was also the reason why Louis and Dio couldn’t pay a visit to him at the castle.
Apparently running an entire manor was more harrowing than either of them expected, and it took the both of them working full time to understand and handle Dio’s vast estate.
Henri didn’t mind, he would have paid them a visit instead seeing as they were too busy to visit him but braving the outside world was something that he wasn’t entirely ready to do.
They would be given new rooms as they were being moved to a new dormitory building. Henri had gotten his wish to have his dorm room on the ground floor, a room also had to be modified for his sake as he couldn’t have a roommate.
Louis and Dio had also gotten to share a room as usual but their room was on the second floor this time, which meant that they were no longer hallway neighbors.
So they had to part ways in the foyer as they would both be going up the stairs while Henri just had to find his room. His room was fairly easy to find and while he was walking down the hallway that his room was on, he saw a handful of familiar faces.
Most of them said ’hi’ or waved to him and he returned the favor, thanking the assistant who had helped him with his luggage.
The new room was no different from his last dorm room, the facilities were similar and so was the decor, it was like nothing had changed at all.
He didn’t bother settling in, knowing that there would be enough time for that during the free weekend they had before schoolwork began. What was most important then was getting to meet his friends again.
Henri wondered vaguely as he waited for Louis and Dio to come down to his dorm room as they promised if Audie and the others had already resumed.
-*-
"You had better not have forgotten anything," Lady Johann said tartly to Audie, her blonde hair cut short. "If you did, be rest assured that you will be spending the rest of the year without underwear."
"Mom..." Audie groaned, trying to get his mother to stop speaking.
Lady Johann was the one on duty today because Lili, Errol and Valentin’s mother, was busy. She had taken Celine to get enrolled in preparatory school so she couldn’t be the one to bring them to college.
Dodie had also come with them because Lady Johann would be taking her to her college after dropping off the boys but she was stuck in the carriage because her mother wouldn’t let her out.
"Do you need help with your carriage, Errol?" She turned to the older Alpha with a sweet smile.
"Thank you for the offer, Lady Johann." Errol smiled nervously, "I can handle it myself. Why don’t you take Dodie to her college? We can take care of ourselves from here, I’ll look after the others."
Lady Johann beamed, she was dressed in a glittering silver dress shirt and high-waisted pants. "You’re so helpful, Errol." She said in a sweet voice to him and then turned on the remaining four. "You all had better not give Errol any headache, or I’ll hear of it and I’ll make you chop logs till dusk, understood?" freewēbnoveℓ.com
There were four because the fourth member of the trio had come back. He had been sent out of the country for a military education but had managed to convince his parents to let him attend Alpha Academy.
This was easy to do because the heir to the throne of Reinhold had been enrolled at the academy.
All four of them saluted Lady Johann, clearly used to this routine. She stomped off after this, pleased at their cooperation.
"Alright, you heard Lady Johann, let’s get our luggage inside," Errol spoke up, taking the lead.
While the others wore dark blue, he was the only one in dark green. He looked very different from how he did when he resumed his second year; now, his smile lit up his eyes and he no longer looked sickly and fragile.
Nael was quick to obey, already dragging his luggage closer to Errol so he could stand beside the other Alpha.
Audie, however, had no plans of doing that, he wanted to wander off some and as usual, he went for his partner in crime. Valentin was already picking up the handle of his suitcase so that he could join his brother when Audie caught his wrist.
"My Mom wouldn’t find out if we wandered a bit," He said connivingly, "You wouldn’t tattle on us, would you?" He winked at Errol, earning himself a look of disdain from Nael.
Errol expected this and just sighed, "Honestly, I don’t care what happens to you but let go of Vale, I’m responsible for him." freёweɓnovel.com
The fourth Alpha stepped forward and took Valentin’s other wrist, "Valentin already promised to show me around the academy."
Audie clicked his tongue at him, "Get in line, Jac, Vale and I already have plans."
The one referred to as Jac didn’t back off, hazel green eyes twinkling with amusement. "You clearly weren’t listening to me..."
Errol immediately stepped forward before the matter escalated, rescuing his younger brother from the middle of the two Alphas. "Shut up and let’s get inside first." He said stiffly, no longer interested in humoring them.
They both knew when to act right so they obediently picked up their luggage and waited for Errol to take the lead.
They had been at the spot beside their carriage ever since Lady Johann left so they headed in the direction of the academy gates.
"Is that Henri’s father?" Audie suddenly perked up when they got to the point where news reporters had detained the King and Queen with their endless questions.
Errol sighed, a habit he had unwittingly learned after having to deal with Audie for the entirety of the holiday. "Don’t call him that Audie."
"That means Henri is already here!" Valentin cheered up, trying to pick out their short friend in the midst of the crowd. "I don’t think he’s with them though."
"Knowing Henri, he’s most likely already inside... like we should have been." Errol couldn’t help scolding them, he was already exhausted and he just wanted to get out of the crowd gathered around the college gates.
