At Your Service- A Royalty Solangelo AU

Chapter 32

Aruma was always prettier at night, that was something Nico always knew. The way the stars reflected off of the tall buildings, glimmering on the reflection of obsidian stone, the soft murmur of crowds below. On a night like that one, however, the crowds were much louder, all celebrating the coronation of their new king. Celebrating him. 

He sighed quietly, leaning against the balcony as he stared out across the city. Years ago, he had done the same with his mother after her crowning, and a week ago he had done the same with Hazel the night before she had taken the crown. Despite being physically alone, he could still feel their presence. 

If he closed his eyes, he could imagine the faces of his family looking at him, eyes sparkling with pride at the son who now bore the family crown. If they were here, what would they have said? 

Would his father have told him that he had shaped up to be a fine young man? Would his mother put her arm around his shoulder and croon about how old he had become? And would his sisters look at him with tears in their eyes, smiling with pride at their not-so-little brother anymore? 

It was strange to look out at the sprawling country in front of him and know that his family was not among it. That his father was far away, and the others now looked down from the stars. He was alone, but in many ways he was still right with them. 

"Your majesty?" A familiar voice spoke softly, accompanied by the quiet click of a door. Nico turned around to watch Will slip out onto the balcony. His cheeks were tinted pink from the alcohol, and his hair was more unruly than usual. "What are you doing out here?" 

"Thinking," he responded as the man came to rest close to him on the balcony. Unlike Nico, Will hopped up onto the ledge, letting his legs dangle in front of him, his back to the city.

"About anything in particular?"

Nico was silent for a moment before he responded, turning his gaze back out to the city. "I'm thinking about what my family would do if they were still here. I should not be, but here I am."

"And why would that be a bad thing?" Will asked, looking out at the city as well. 

"I know I'm not supposed to have them as my top priority anymore, that my duty is first to the people in the streets below, but I cannot do that when my family is everywhere. My father is in the war room, my mother is in the halls, Bianca is in the garden, and Hazel is in each person I pass. No matter where I go, I am faced with the constant reminder that they never really left me. And on a night like tonight, I want to share the news with someone I hold dear. But then I have to go back to reality, knowing there is not a soul in the palace who cares about me past the crown on my head." 

"That's not true," Will's words were so quiet that he almost missed them. 

"What?" 

"You said that no one in the palace cared about you. That's not true." 

Nico turned to him only to find that Will was already looking at him. In the light of the moon, his eyes glimmered an ethereal light blue, dotted with specks of deep ocean, and they were fixed on him. In fact, they were so trained on him that it made his stomach turn softly, a strange feeling tugging at his gut once more. 

"You just say that because that is your duty. You are quite literally employed to care for me." 

Will laughed softly, slipping down from the edge of the balcony to stand in front of him. "No. I'm employed to take care of  you, but not care for  you. I choose to do the second because it is actually something that I enjoy doing." 

He had to tear his gaze away from the man because looking at him made him want to believe every single word he was being told. "You're lying."

A warm hand met his, linking in between his fingers and sending shivers down his spine. He reluctantly looked up at Will, meeting a look of sadness across the blonde's face.