The Prince & the Pauper

Chapter Thirteen

"Everything seems to be in order," the Queen said back at the palace. "Thank you, Ambassador. The kingdoms will be officially joined after the wedding tomorrow. Are you ready, love?"

Harry was practically shitting his pants! How long was he supposed to pretend to be Niall? And where in the hell was Zayn?!

"Ready," Harry faked a smile.

Louis walked over and put a small little white box in Harry's hands. He leaned in close to Harry's ear and whispered, "For my husband-to-be."

Harry got tingles all down his spine. He loved being that close to Louis; he never wanted to be apart from him. Harry looked down at the box and slowly opened it; revealing a gold ring.

"Woah. . ."

Harry looked up and noticed Louis was slowly leaning in for a kiss. He couldn't stop himself; he wanted to kiss Louis so bad. He knew it was wrong and this was Niall's future husband, but at that moment, he didn't care. All he wanted was to feel his lips against Louis's. Harry slowly started leaning in as well and shut his eyes. Their lips were only an inch apart when-

"GRAB HIM! HE'S AN IMPOSTER!"

Fitzgerald came marching in and pointed at Harry.

"Fitzgerald," the Queen frowned, alarmed. "What are you doing?"

The guards walked in and grabbed Harry's arms. He tried to yank out of their grip; but he couldn't. "Get your hands off me!"

"Release the prince," King Louis commanded.

"He's a fake," Fitzgerald called out. "A common pauper!"

The Queen put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Are you telling me that I don't know my own son? Of course that's him!"

"It's not," he replied softly, slowly approaching her. He was putting on a fake act to be nice around her to get what he wanted. "I only just discovered the truth myself, Your Majesty. Have you not wondered why we haven't seen Zayn lately? He's conspiring with this- this imposter! Together, they took the prince and hid her in the Royal Mine so. . . so he could take his place, marry King Louis and take over the kingdom."

Louis rolled his eyes. This was the most ridiculous story he had ever heard in his entire life. He was known to be dramatic, but this just blew it out the park. He cleared his throat and stepped up. "And what proof do you have of this foolish story?"

Fitzgerald though for a moment before starting to walk around the ballroom, telling his sob story. "Once I discovered this treachery, I tried to rescue the prince but it was too late. They sabotaged the mine, collapsing it. I'm afraid this is all my workers found in the rubble."

He held out Niall's signature ring that he had been wearing since he was fifteen. The Queen saw this and felt like she was going to faint.

"No! It cannot be," she exclaimed.

"Check his shoulder," Fitzgerald ordered, pointing at Harry. "There's no royal birthmark; that I can assure you!"

The guards brought her to the Queen. She bit down on her bottom lip and slowly raised a shaky hand up to Harry's sleeve. Tears were in her eyes; if she pulled down his sleeve and didn't see a birthmark. . . that meant Fitzgerald was telling the truth. That meant her only son was dead.

She pulled down his sleeve and saw no birthmark. She couldn't believe this. She looked at Niall, or, whoever this imposter was, and shielded her eyes. She stepped backwards and turned away; not able to watch anymore.

Bob jumped up from the chair and pulled off the wig; revealing Harry's luscious brown curls. Harry looked down at the ground. He couldn't believe this was happening. He knew he was in big trouble.

"I don't believe it," Louis mumbled softly.

He was so confused. He had spent time with whoever was pretending to be Niall, and he didn't think this person was evil at all. He couldn't see it. Maybe it was the fact that he started developing feelings for him. But deep in his heart, he knew there was no way this man could be bad.

"I-I can explain," Harry stammered.

"Throw her in the dungeon!"

Why the guards were taking orders from Fitzgerald, no one knew. Nonetheless, they grabbed Harry by his arms and started dragging him out of the ballroom. Harry used all of his strength to break free from their grip.

He ran up to Louis and looked deep into his eyes. He couldn't believe he had to say goodbye. He wasn't ready; he didn't want to go. He had to explain himself.

"I'm not the prince," Harry said sadly, not daring to take his eyes away from Louis. "But I never hurt him, or anybody else!"

The guards grabbed Harry again and pulled him out of the ballroom. The Ambassador was red in the face at this point. "Unbelievable! This is an outrage!"

"I just wanted to save the prince," Harry argued. He looked at Fitzgerald and pointed to him. "From him."

"The dungeon!"

Fitzgerald pointed and started yelling at the guards to move faster. Louis just watched helplessly as not-Niall was being pulled away. Louis wanted to hear his side of the story; he was sure this man was innocent. He could feel it. . .

"My son," the Queen sobbed, practically having a mental breakdown. She plopped down on a chair; her legs not able to support her any longer. "My poor son!"

The Ambassador and Louis walked out of the castle, back to their carriage out front. Louis didn't want to leave. . . but what else could he do? Could he stay? Break out whoever that person was?

More importantly, why did he feel the need to do this?

"What do they try to take us for? Fools?" the Ambassador exclaimed. "Trying to marry you off to a mere pauper! The audacity."

"It doesn't make any sense," Louis mumbled. "I don't understand."

"I should say not," he huffed, yanking on the King's sleeve. "Come on, the sooner we leave, the happier I'll be."