Solangelo One Shots (fluff)

Royal AU/Story XLIII

Alrighty tighty lefty loosey, this is a Royal Au where Nico is the prince and Will is the palace gardener. 

Nico gazed out the large windows of the Great Hall. He was lounging in his throne, seated to the left of him sat his father, his large obsidian throne towering above the rest. To the right of his father was an ornate dark wooden throne with carved vines and plants running up and down the legs and arms. That was the Queen's seat, Persephone. At the end, next to his own chair was one about the same size, but with gold and gem accents. That was Hazel's—his half-sister—seat.

His father's advisors were droning on about some new diplomatic thing that needed to happen, frankly he wasn't listening. He was too blinded by the beautiful view of the courtyard. Trees old and creaky climbed up high in the sky, framing an archway with two stairs leading down. There was a large fountain that rained down in different places, sprinkling into the pool at the bottom. There were paths leading around and lining each pathway were flowers of all sorts. There were beds of roses, lavender, and marigolds sparkling the ground.

But he wasn't looking at the flowers, no, he was looking at the boy tending to them. Tall and broad shouldered with glowing golden hair and freckles that shone in the sun. He was no older than the prince himself and was the son of the castle musician. He was to work in the gardens alongside the Queen. He always seemed so blissful, walking around in the flowers and plants in his worn cuffed overalls, slick brown leather boots, boxy working gloves, a white undershirt—that showed off his strong arms almost too well, Nico tended to get distracted by them— and a floral bandanna he wore around his neck to blot the sweat from his head as he worked.

As Nico admired him from afar, the boy—Will he thought was his name— stood up from his crouch in the flowers, a hand on his hip as raised his other arm and he wiped the back of his wrist against his forehead. A smudge of dirt left in its wake. He turned in the direction of the windows.

Nico was too awestruck by his beauty to notice him gazing back at him.

"My prince?" a voice called. Nico was too distracted to hear it. "Excuse me, my prince—"

"Nico!" his father boomed. Nico jumped and whipped his head around to face his father and his advisors. His eyes widened with panic, before he took a breath to calm down.

He grit his teeth. "Yes?" he tried for his least annoyed tone, but his face portrayed a different story.

His father sighed deeply. "Honestly, Nico, you must pay more attention. When you become king you will not have a choice but to listen,"

Nico huffed, planting his chin in his hands.

One of the advisors continued on. "As I was saying, Lord Hades, I believe it is time for your son to find a partner. He must have one if he is to take over the throne,"

Anxiety flashed through Nico as he looked at his father. "Father, I really don't feel—"

But he was cut off as his father raised a hand for his silence. "That is a good point, Thanatos. He should start finding someone who can rule along with him when it is time,"

Nico gawked. "Father, I just turned eighteen! I am nowhere near ready for marriage. I barely have friends, let alone a potential husband,"

"It is about time you find one then," his father stated. "There is a long list of princes from surrounding kingdoms more than willing to court you,"

Nico gripped the armrests of his throne, digging his nails in the hardened wood. He knew there was no getting out of it, no negotiation he could partake in. When his father made a decision, it was nearly impossible to sway him on it.