The Royal Family stood together with the pond, trees and setting sun as their backdrop. August was at the opposite end from Wilhelm this time, possibly because Jan Olof realised it was a volatile combination to have them too near each other.
Wilhelm stood between his parents and once they'd posed for photos, the head photographer told them they should just act naturally and chat with each other so he could get some candid photos of the Royal Family too.
Wilhelm turned to his mother and wondered if he should try to speak to her again. He contemplated it for a moment then decided against it.
Wilhelm wondered for a moment what his classmates and their parents must be thinking as he and August stood and posed for pictures together. His classmates knew what August had done at least and Wilhelm thought he must look miserable.
He scanned around the crowd and caught Simon's gaze for a moment. It seemed Simon was keeping an eye on him. Wilhelm smiled at Simon then he turned to his father.
"Hej, pappa. How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are things going now?"
Wilhelm wished he could tell his father that Simon was living at Hillerska now, which had significantly improved his mood, although he was still anxious, but his mother was within earshot so all he could do was reply, "I'm good." Then he grinned from ear to ear.
"Hmm, I wonder what that means." Ludvig said jokingly, referring to Wilhelm's smile, then looking over at Simon who was with Linda and Sara chatting with the other parents and Felice. "Ah...I think I have an idea."
Wilhelm looked away shyly then back at his father, serious again, and leaned in to whisper. "I think you were right. It looks like it doesn't exist anymore, at least not here."
Suddenly Jan Olof signaled to the photographers that the Queen and Duke needed to leave. Kristina immediately turned to Wilhelm and said goodbye. He leaned in to hug her without smiling and as soon as they stepped apart she followed Jan Olof and made her way to the car. She waved and said goodbye to the headmistress and staff as she went.
"We'll see you soon." Ludvig leaned in to hug his son. "It'll be ok." He spoke secretively next to Wilhelm's ear. They pulled apart from their hug and Ludvig fixed Wilhelm's gaze for a moment as if he wanted to say something else but he didn't. Then Ludvig smiled briefly, reached out to pat Wilhelm's arm and hurried after his wife.
Wilhelm felt confused as he watched his father move away. Then the bodyguards, the photographers and Jan Olof followed his parents in a swarm. He turned and noticed August schmoozing with the headmistress and staff. Wilhelm frowned then turned and walked away to join Simon. Linda and Simon greeted him happily.
Soon after the Royal Family had left, the other parents gradually began moving toward their cars and leaving too.
Wilhelm and Simon went to accompany Linda to her car while the girls went up to the Manor House to get ready.
Other workers began setting up tents down below the school in the space the students would use as a campsite that night. Stella and Fredrika watched them head down carrying supplies and Fredrika turned to Stella sneering. "I don't like camping. Do we have to?"
Stella laughed at her. "Everyone's going to be down there, and we get to be away from school." Fredrika shrugged, unenthusiastic, but didn't argue.
They said goodbye to Linda and it was already beginning to get dark. She got in the car and made her way down the road behind the other vehicles.
Wilhelm glanced around to make sure they were alone then asked Simon, "Have you heard anything about Micke?"
They walked side by side and Simon stopped and hesitated suddenly. Then he turned to look Wilhelm in the eye. "Um, I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier but the legal team messaged us and...they've given him two years."
Wilhelm's jaw dropped as he stood there in disbelief for a moment before finally reacting. "Simon...I'm so sorry..." He reached out to touch Simon's shoulder and Simon just shrugged.
"It's ok...I mean, it's not, but, we sort of expected it." Simon looked at the ground as Wilhelm held his shoulder. Wilhelm could see that Simon was miserable and pulled him in to a tight hug then. The few parents and other students who remained watched them momentarily then continued about their business.
They released their hug and began walking shoulder to shoulder, Wilhelm nudging into Simon playfully, managing to make him smirk and even laugh a bit as they climbed back up to Forest Ridge.
Wilhelm glanced back down the hill and noticed that August was still lingering. He glanced up and saw Wilhelm looking at him for a moment, then turned away quickly.
Wilhelm looked back up the hill then at Simon and linked elbows with him as they walked. He casually stuck his other hand in his uniform jacket pocket.
He furrowed his brow in confusion, then pulled his hand out. He was suddenly surprised and stopped to look at the object.
"What...?"
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Minutes earlier...
August was doing his best to smile sincerely as they posed for photos with the beautiful school grounds as a backdrop. He was a member of the Royal Family and therefore was considered as important to their continued existence as the current Crown Prince who may or may not fulfill his duties when the time came.
August had done his best to convince Wilhelm of what he knew was true of the Royal Court. They would never just let Wilhelm be with Simon and not have a natural heir. They were paying lip service to the idea for the benefit of the public, but when it came down to it, they never would have saved August if they didn't really need him.
The head photographer asked them to act natural and just chat amongst themselves. He made conversation with the Queen first about what had changed since her time at Hillerska. The answer was not much of anything really. That sounded likely to August. Hillerska never really changed, just like the Royal Family.
Finally the photo session was finished and the Queen headed away first. August gave her a big grin as she went and wished her well more than once.
He stood back slightly and moved over to speak to the headmistress as Ludvig and Wilhelm were saying goodbye. He chatted for a moment, complimenting the headmistress on how well the day had gone, and insisting on how the Queen had been truly impressed with the welcome.
He turned from her a moment and realised that his mother and Rickard were getting impatient to leave. He let them wait and turned back to see Wilhelm and the Duke who were hugging now. It was so quick he almost thought he'd imagined it...
Then the Duke left to follow the Queen. Wilhelm went to join Simon and Simon's mother.
August stayed where he was for the time being, chatting to staff and some parents but he was distracted and hardly paid attention to the answers.
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Wilhelm held it in his open palm for a moment, then clasped his hand around it again. He turned back to look down the hill at where his father and mother had just departed from. He scanned around wondering if it could have been put there by someone else.
Simon watched him, curious. Wilhelm shoved his fist back in his pocket, still clenching his fingers around the tiny piece of plastic and metal. "Let's find Felice and Sara." He suggested then immediately began heading up the hill again. "C'mon." He motioned to Simon who followed quickly.
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Sara was in the middle of packing a bag to carry her things down to the campsite but paused and sat down next to the bag as the boys came in in a rush. Felice was also at an in-between packing stage but she moved and sat in the chair next to her desk and offered them to sit on her bed.
"So what's going on?" Felice asked, glancing from the boys to Sara.
Wilhelm immediately pulled the pen drive out of his pocket and held it up to her. "This is from my dad."
She looked at him, confused. "Ok...let's see what's on it."