The Destitute Queen || h.s. au

55. Niall

Each day without Lena hurts more and more. It's been three weeks without her, but it feels like three lifetimes. I never thought that being away from her would hurt this much.

Alec misses Lena as much as I do, if not more. We try to stay positive for Ben, but it's not easy. Poor Ben is still hopeful that he's going to see Lena again.

Ben's condition has only gotten worse. I was so relieved when I earned enough money to buy the elixir. Alec and I went to the apothecary, only to find out that he didn't have it anymore. He wouldn't tell us what happened to it, but he did say that the ingredients are rare and it would take another month for him to obtain them all.

"Niall?" Alec pulls me out of my thoughts. "Are you hungry?"

He stares at me from the other side of the counter, kneading dough. I closed the shop today because I just couldn't focus on my work, so I'm spending some time in the bakery with Alec.

I shake my head, sinking down into my seat and resting my chin between my thumb and index finger. "No."

"Are you sure?" He asks. "You haven't eaten all day."

"It's only noon," I point out. "I'm just not hungry yet."

Alec shrugs, wipes his hands on a cloth, and checks on the loaves that are in the brick oven. Not many people buy bread these days, so Alec bakes mostly for us.

"How's your mother?" He speaks up after some time.

I shrug. "She's alright. She tells me at least once a day how much she misses Lena."

"Really?" He furrows his brows. "She wasn't that close to Milena, though."

I sigh, resting my elbows on my knees. "I think she just really wants more grandchildren. She was so excited about our wedding, probably more than I was."

We haven't really discussed the wedding since Lena disappeared, just thinking about it would hurt my head. I was the one who had to tell the priest in the town church that we weren't getting married anymore, and I could barely handle that. I haven't stepped foot in that church since then. I used to go every Sunday, but I just don't have it in me anymore.

"Um, Niall," Alec says. "I found Mila's wedding dress in her closet yesterday. Do you maybe want to see it?"

I shake my head. "I don't want to see it unless it's on her."

"You know, she spent a month making that dress," he informs me.

"And your point is...?" I respond. I don't mean to be rude to him, but sometimes words just slip out.

"Well, she made the dress the way she thought you'd like it," Alec says. "You have no idea how many times she asked me if you'd like the dress, Niall. Don't you at least want to see it, after all the hard work she put into it?"

"This is news to me," I say, standing up. "So, the only reason she made it herself was because she wanted me to like it?"

Alec nods. "Yup. She wanted it to be perfect for you. I think it would be a shame if you never saw it."

I clear my throat, leaning on the countertop. "I guess I could look at it. I'm going over to your house to check on Ben, I'll see it then."

"When are you heading out?" Alec asks.

"I should probably get going now, actually," I tell him. "I know you still have work, so you can't check up on him. I'll go keep him company."