Chapter 503: THE PURPOSE OF RIVER'S VISIT
18 FEBRUARY, THURSDAY, CONTINUED
"We are unclear of the exact purpose of Prince River's visit." Harvey informed me, "Given the timing of his visit, we can only assume it is a state visit, to introduce the young prince and build friendly relations with the other colored packlands in our continent. Although... We are not entirely sure why they specifically requested an audience with the Alpha Princess and do not seem to be visiting the other notable packs in the area. The elders see this as an opportunity to establish good relations and perhaps even future trading partnerships. Although the White Packlands is the geographically furthest from us, it's economy has been growing - particularly in the Snow Moon territory."
"He's just here to see Sabre." I decided to say it before Harvey got his hopes up. Or worse, submit another report to my Kindle. It sounded like they thought this was going to blow up into some kind of bilateral trade deal, which might I point out, should be Delta Felicity's job, not mine.
"I beg your pardon, alpha?" Harvey said, completely nonplussed.
"I mean, he's bringing Wilhelm to see Sabre." I tried again, but from Harvey's expression, I was obviously not explaining it right, "I mean, he's bringing his friend, Wilhelm to come visit Sabre. But Wilhelm is nervous about seeing his little sister again, so River was asking me about it, and I told him to just come over."
"Ah." Harvey said. He still had a slight frown as he drove. I think he was struggling to get to the point where he could answer "I see, alpha" or "Understood, alpha."
"So it's not like a political or trade meeting or anything, okay?" At least I hoped not, and then I had a bright idea, "I'll go look for him at school later and ask him more about his visit, just to make sure."
"At school?" For some reason, this made Harvey even more confused.
And then I realized why, "We're talking about the same River right?"
I mean, how many Rivers were there in this continent? Okay, more than one, but you know what I meant!
"Cos I'm talking about First Year student, River Gunter, Alpha Gunter's adopted human son, who is my school mate and archery class friend, who's friend is Wilhelm, also a human, and Sabre's biological brother who had been searching for her and even trespassed into our packlands once just to see if she was okay, and I caught him and then I let him go and told him to visit properly the next time, but he never came back, and River said its because he didn't want to upset Sabre, but I told River they should just come over and visit - that River, right?"
Harvey paused, "Very possibly so. Apologies, I was unaware Prince River is attending Winderhill...or any of the other details, alpha."
"Yeah. He accidentally applied to the wrong school. He's quite clumsy sometimes, so these things just happen to him a lot." I told Harvey. And then I remembered, "I think you have met, he was the human who came to Grandpa Alpha's funeral and knocked over his photo, remember?"
"Oh." Harvey remembered. But at the moment, I also remembered Harvey wasn't there when Alpha Gunter had come to Grandpa Alpha's wake... So he was remembering what someone told him?
I guess people would talk. Things like a human coming into an Alpha's wake and then knocking over his photograph wasn't something that would go unnoticed. But maybe introducing River as the klutz who knocked over the my Grandpa Alpha's memorial photo was not the best way to do it.
"He's a really nice guy and good friend. He's also pretty powerful, he can make spring happen, and he's super lucky, maybe even as lucky as me. But his luck is the kind that likes to play pranks." I tried to share a bit more about River, so that my good beta could see him in a better light, but Harvey only looked at me like I was sprouting gibberish, "Apologies, Alpha, but I cannot follow everything you are saying."
"Maybe its better for you to meet him and see for yourself. He's really nice. A little weird, but really nice." I assured Harvey.
"I see, Alpha." Harvey said, but he looked like something was still bothering him. The crease on his forehead hadn't smoothed out, he hadn't quite relaxed, and he seemed to be thinking... beta gears turning...
"What are you thinking, Harvey?" I asked.
"Ah, no, it's nothing." Harvey managed a wry smile, "Prince River's visit would be the last event on your weekend schedule. I should probably highlight the coming week would be your end of term examinations, as well as the formal visit to Night Forest in the weekend to meet your uncle, Alpha Louis regarding the Night Forest economic situation. Lola's mum has given consent for her to accompany you, should you wish it. The elders would like us to submit the names and paperwork for the two wolves who would be accompanying you on the trip."
"Okay, but I wasn't asking about that. Something about River is bothering you, isn't it?" With Harvey and Ki, it was always like that. I had to just press them if I wanted them to speak honestly, "If you tell me what's really on your mind, I'd tell you who's coming on the trip."
Harvey pressed his lips together, "Apologies, Alpha. I did not mean to be holding back on you. It is only a hunch and I meant to have it investigated before broaching it, but... does it seems a tad too convenient to you that the young Prince of Snow Moon Kingdom just happens to attend the same school and same club activity as you."
Harvey smirked and added, "Just a tad."
"Yeah, but we're both lucky like that." I told Harvey, "River and I..."
Hmmm... Yeah, but luck aside, Harvey had a point there. There was something about River... I've always known he was different from the other humans.
I nodded, "Yeah, check him out and see what you can find. But remember, he's a friend."
Because that much I knew for sure.
"Understood, Alpha." Harvey nodded, and I guess that was that.
Our car had turned up Winderhill, the barriers were set up and the paparazzi were in position. I suddenly flashbacked to the screeching sound when EJ's bike got pulled under by the MPV.
I snuck a peek at Harvey. It's okay. I was with my calm and good beta. I mean, better him than Ben. Hahaha... Who knew what Ben would have done it provoked behind the wheel?
Anyway, for some reason, nothing happened. Harvey drove a steady pace up the road and into the school. The barricade was moved and the school gate opened for us. We drove in, everything was shut again, and my heart stopped slamming against my rib cage.
I stole another peek at Harvey. If he had noticed, he didn't let on. I carefully released the breath I hadn't realised I was holding.
Okay, it was going to be okay. I was the alpha. I could take this. It wasn't even anything really there to take. I mean, come on, it's just a bunch of people with big cameras, right? Right.
Harvey pulled up to the student foyer, "One last thing, Alpha. Have you decided on the two wolves to take with you to Night Forest?"
Oh right. "Lola and Ben." I said.
Harvey nodded grimly, "Understood, Alpha."
He stopped the car at the usual place, Fluffy came to get my door. EJ close behind him. I suddenly remembered that we were not out of the woods yet - there were still the small horde of student-paparazzi waiting in the student foyer.
There were a few warriors and barricades put up. Some kids were calling my name, I turned by instinct the first time, and immediately lots of phones went of and the students surged forward. The warriors were saying stuff like "Please stand clear of the barriers."
Fluffy put his arm around me and pulled me away, "Don't look or stop till we get to class."
EJ hopped over to walk between me and the cameras. He was full over energy, he even posed and strutted for the camera.
"Move out of the way, dog!" One of the guys yelled.
EJ stuck his tongue out, "Make me!"
And then he slapped his own butt. There was a lot of laughter, but Fluffy sighed, "He's going to get in trouble for that."
Eh? I looked at Fluffy, "What?"
Fluffy smiled his usual beautiful mask on, "Did I say that aloud? Please pretend you didn't hear that, Alpha."
I was quite sure Fluffy had spoke aloud on purpose! So he wanted me to hear it, and... and what? I wished Fluffy would tell me more directly. But we were currently being filmed as we crossed the hallway. I pulled away from Fluffy and walked ahead, if I were going to be filmed, might as well look the part of the alpha than the damsel in distress.
It's all because there were reporters offering to buy my "good" footages and pictures for $500. Maybe I should take some myself and make some money out of it. Hahaha.
Just as I reached our classroom, I remembered I was supposed to look for River. So instead of stepping into the safe sanctuary of my class, I went on ahead to his classroom. I remembered it was somewhere here...
No, it didn't occur to me that it was super early and River might not have been in class, but as luck would have it, he was. As I neared his classroom, I heard two guys yawning loudly. These humans were always noisy. It's like they were oblivious that they could be heard an entire classroom away. But it was useful because it made them easy to track.
"Man, River! That's the last time I'm ever going to believe you when you say it's time to wake up." Keanu was complaining.
"Sorry, sorry... I really thought it was already past 6!" River apologized immediately.
"Its past 6 now!" Keanu huffed, "How did you misread the time?"
"I accidentally dropped my alarm clock and the glass broke. Maybe the hands were moved too... so I thought it we overslept." River confessed.
"Geesh, you broke another clock? Did you hurt your hand or anything this time?" Keanu asked.
"No, this time I was more careful not to touch the broken glass." River said.
Keanu yawned again. And then River yawned. I yawned - and I was still outside the classroom! Yawns were contagious like that.
I knocked on the classroom door and stepped in without waiting for their reply, "Hi, good - you guys are here."
Fluffy and EJ had followed me down the hallway, but they stopped outside the classroom. I noticed Fluffy indicated for EJ to guard at the other classroom door. EJ scooted over. Right, they were still on guard duty. Fluffy turned out to not only be a serious student, but also a serious guard. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover, no matter how pretty it was.
"Eh, Sam? Why are you so early?" River asked.
"I'm always so early." I told him."I heard you were coming over to my place on Sunday."
"Oh, yes! Has it been approved?" River looked at Keanu.
Keanu smiled but shrugged, "I have no idea. We were supposed to check with our Beta after school today."
I narrowed my eyes at the two guys, "So are you coming or not?"
"Probably." Keanu said, "Why do you ask?"
"Cos my betas think "Prince River" is coming on a state visit to talk about stuff like bilateral trade agreements - but you're not, right? This is just to bring Wilhelm to play with Sabre, right?" I asked.
"Well, about that..." River rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Heh, heh, heh, we needed a really good excuse for River to be allowed to travel all the way over to Night Leaf." Keanu said, "So we told Alpha Gunter that River wanted to meet you to discuss more about the Princess Town. Ah, a bilateral trade agreement would be good too! I wish I had thought of that!"
I face palmed, "Wilhelm doesn't know he's coming to see Sabre, does he?"
"Urm... Not exactly." River admitted.
"He would be assigned to accompany us since he is River's personal guard." Keanu explained.
"Why didn't you just tell him?" I asked.
River looked at Keanu. Keanu pushed up his glasses. It gleamed under the florescent lights of the classroom, "We had no choice. Wilhelm can be very stubborn about some things."
Oh boy.
"Oh, yeah, by the way Sam, is there anything Sabre likes? I was thinking it would be nice if Wilhelm brought a present for her." River said.
I raised a brow at them, "And how are you going to get him to buy her a gift without telling him?"
"Ah..." River shifted his feet guiltily, "I just thought..."
He was going to buy it and say it was from Wilhelm. I sighed. Humans were complicated like that.
"She likes ponies. You know, the ones they are selling at the Pony Castle shop." I suggested.
"Okay! I'll get her that then!" River agreed immediately.
"Her favourite colour is purple but she already has the lavender one. So buy one with some purple on it, but not the lavender one, okay?" I decided I should elaborate a little. Boys could be really clueless about ponies.
River and Keanu confirmed my suspicion with matching blank stares.
"Just go to the pony shop and tell the saleslady you need a pony that has purple, but isn't lavender." I told them. If my dad could to do it, I was sure two teenage boys could deal with it too.
I was out of patience, "I'm going back to class. Text me if you guys need anything else."
And then I left. Of course I was expecting one of my betas to deal with "anything else" should River or Keanu texted. It was far more efficient that way.
Weekly Power Status
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