The Destitute Queen || h.s. au

65. Niall

*three weeks ago*

"Have a nice day," I say, handing my customer a tiny, wooden box that contains the ring he purchased.

"You too, mate," he nods, taking the box and leaving my shop. I grab the three gold coins he left on the table and sigh. Money seems so pointless nowadays.

I turn around and drop the coins into a cloth sack, taking a seat by my desk. Looking around, something small in the corner of my desk catches my eye. The small ring shielded by a glass case mocks me nearly every day, but I just can't seem to let it go.

The ring's counterpart is with my sweet Lena. At least, it should be. I remember how proud of myself I was when I finished the rings. It was incredibly difficult to engrave words into the inside of the ring, but I managed to do it.

     I'll love you until the day I die.

Those words only speak the truth, I will love Lena until the day I die. She's all that I need in life, but she was taken away from me. I don't even know if she's alive or not.

She's my best friend, my first and only love. I haven't seen her in nearly a month, and every day hurts more than the last.

I hear the door open and I look up from the ring, only to be greeted by two guards who obviously don't belong to the Watchers. These guards are dressed royally.

"May I help you?" I ask, standing up.

"Please bow in the presence of His Highness, Prince Louis IV," one of the guards announces rather loudly, and my eyes widen. What did he just say?

"P- Prince?" I repeat. The guards step to the side and in walks a man with light brown hair and icy blue eyes. He's dressed in an elegant, deep blue ensemble.

"You must be Niall," the Prince says, and I slowly nod. I must be dreaming, there's no way this can be real. Prince Louis is standing right in front of me, but I just can't believe it.

"H-How may I help y-you, Your Highness?" I stutter, suddenly overwhelmed in the presence of royalty.

He gives me a cold smile and puts his hands behind his back, looking around the shop. "I'm here to recruit you. You're to be the new palace jeweler."

My mind freezes, and I take a step back as I try to process what he just said. I can feel my heartbeat in my throat, realizing what he just said.

"W...What?" My voice is small.

Prince Louis lets out a dry laugh. "You heard me. It's your lucky day today, the old jeweler we had just dropped dead, so we've chosen you to replace him."

My eyes widen in excitement, not paying attention to that last part. "Really?!"

The Prince is actually here in my shop, offering me a job at the palace! I've wanted to make jewelry for the Royals ever since I was a young boy, and now I finally can!

"Yes, really," he replies without a hint of humor in his tone. "We must get going as soon as possible, so..."

My smile suddenly disappears as a thought pops into my head. What about Alec and Ben? I can't just leave them here, they need me. Ever since Lena...disappeared, it's been tough on Alec to run the bakery and take care of Ben at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," I painfully say. "As much as I'd love to take this job, I can't. There are people here that I care about, I just can't leave them."

"I don't think you understand what I'm saying," Prince Louis steps closer to me, his tone turning cold. "This isn't an offer, it's an order."

A chill runs down my spine. "A...an order?"