BEST REGARDS (a Niall Horan Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

Nicky was with Niall that day at her apartment. They were watching a korean drama called Crash Landing on You.

When the two main characters, Ri Jeong Hyeok and Yoon Se-ri said their goodbyes because they can't be together, Niall were themselves crying their eyes out.

The episode ended and Niall shut the TV down. Nicky admitted that he looked so cute and fragile when he cried. As Niall washed his face, he said, "as much as I'm curious to what happens next, I think we should stop. We watched 7 episodes non stop already."

Despite already being rinsed a few times, Niall's eyes were red as ever. Then Nicky said, "I told you it's good. I'm glad we watched it together."

"How are you not crying?" Niall asked.

"I watched this drama before when I was a freshman, I know what's happening so I didn't cry like I did back then. Do you want spoilers?" she teased.

"No," Niall exclaimed, "absolutely not!."

Nicky laid on her bed, looking at her phone. As she's coming back to Catalana, specifically, the palace in a few months, she took the responsibility and made the effort to read Catalanan news.

She opened Catalana Daily, which is the leading and trusted Catalanan news site. The headline 'FCO are protesting Duke Pierre's creative industry budget' caught her eye. A picture of Duke Pierre making a speech in front of the palace was attached to the news. She could see how tired Pierre looked from the picture.

Niall saw how serious Nicky was looking at her phone, then he said, "what are you looking at?" Nicky was too focused on the news to hear him. "Nicky?" Niall called again.

"Oh yes," Nicky snapped out, "sorry, I was reading Catalana news."

"What about it?" Niall asked and sat on her bed.

"Remember how Pierre's funding the art and creative industry in Catalana? You know, music, film and everything?"

"Yeah what about it?"

"Well, there are protestors, Free Catalana Organisation, also known as FCO. They protest each and every regulation the palace makes. Rumors says that the man behind all this is Rupert. And well, funding the creative industry is just something for them to protest about."

Niall took a peek at the news Nicky was reading. "Poor guy," he said, referring to the picture of Pierre, "there must be a huge weight on his shoulders."

"I know," Nicky said, "and it's all my fault. I got furious with him and kind of forced him to fund the creative industry. I'm glad he fulfilled my wishes but I didn't expect this to happen. There's nothing I can do about it. I feel horrible."

Niall smiled. "You're smart," he got up and poked her nose, "you'll figure something out. I believe you will." He took his jacket and was about to leave. "I promised to babysit Bear for Liam while he takes his girlfriend out on a date for their anniversary. He's gonna drop him by my place at around three. So I'm sorry, I must leave now." He slipped his foot in his shoes.

"Alright Niall, bye," Nicky said. "Have fun with Bear."

Niall left her alone in her apartment. Her head was full of the news she just read. She was thinking to herself, how can she help.

Suddenly, she sat on her desk and logged into her official Princess Nicolette of Catalana verified Instagram account. She made her phone lean on a pile of books and went live.

When she was live, the views went sky high in seconds. Finally she started, "hello everyone, the people of Catalana I love. I know I'm not dressed well enough and everything about this live stream is just informal. But there is an urgent issue I have to address. A lot of you have been questioning Duke Pierre Winthrop's creative budget, you are asking, 'why is he wasting the limited budget we have on something not urgent. The budget should be allocated to more important issues, right? Military, education, health etc.' I'm sure a lot of you are questioning that. Alright, let me explain this to you as clearly as possible. Over the last few years in America, I've met so many Catalanan here, studying and working in the creative industry. Music, film, arts. Why are they here? It's because our beloved country, Catalana doesn't have a single record company or film company. These talented potentials are forced to go abroad. Then another question arises, are we wasting our budget? The answer is no. Picture this, if we are able to produce our own movies and music, that'll be a source of revenue. That revenue will be ours, to further fund other other aspects like health and education. So I beg you, the palace will never in a million years waste the people's money. I need you to trust the palace and stop putting hate and protesting towards Duke Pierre. Have faith. God bless us. Thank you."

It's scary to make a huge speech like that, especially without the palace's notice. Seconds after she made her speech, there was a knock on the door. It was Micheal, as she guessed, with the encrypted tablet.

"Your Majesty, Duke Pierre requested a conference," Micheal said.

When Pierre saw Nicky's face, he immediately exclaimed, "what did you do?"

"They are attacking you for something I did. They don't understand the matter, Pierre, I'm simply explaining."

For a moment, Pierre was talking to somebody else who didn't appear on the frame. Nicky assumed that the person he was talking to is an official. He sighed then said to Nicky, "thank you very much. Your speech was positively accepted."

"You are very much welcome," Nicky said. With that she ended the call. She was glad that the previously broken bond between her and Pierre is getting better. But Niall was always in and have never left her heart.

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