Sorry for any grammar mistakes.
Hope you enjoy it.
(Song recommendation for this chapter)
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"Mother?" Niall asked confused.
The man faced Niall with a smirk on his face.
"Oh she didn't tell you?"
Maura was frozen.
"I told her to tell you"
"Tell me what? Who are you?" Niall asked.
"I am the one who attacked the castle"
"You attacked my castle?" Niall said madly standing up.
"You mean my castle?"
"Excuse me?"
"My castle Niall. This is my castle. This is my kingdom. This is my life."
Niall gave him a mad glare.
"Do you even know who you are? Who your parents are?"
"I am King Niall James Horan. Son of Bobby and Maura Horan"
Maura looked at Niall in guilt.
"That is where you're wrong Niall. You've been lied to. Your whole life has been a big lie."
"Listen" Niall walked toward him.
"I don't know how you got in here and I have no idea who you are, but I hope you are well aware who you're talking to" Niall spat at him.
"I am aware who I am talking to." He leaned forward.
"Cousin" he whispered.
Niall's face fell.
"What?" he asked confusingly.
"Have a seat Niall. There's something you need to know"
"no" Maura whispered.
Both men looked at her.
"don't" she whisper-begged.
"Don't what?" Niall asked.
"I told you. I warned you that if you don't tell him, I will"
"Tell me what?"
"Niall sit down. We need to talk" he said.
Niall sat down.
Hannah gave Maura a sad look.
"Years ago there was a young girl named Maura" he started.
Maura closed her eyes and swallowed down the lump in her throat.
"She was in love with a boy. But the boy's mother was not fond of their relationship. So she forced Maura to marry her other son. Who also happened to be the king of Ireland"
Niall looked at Maura.
"She married the king. Though there were no feelings."
"You said you loved dad" Niall whispered to Maura in sadness.
"We'll get there" The man continued.
"After a month, the king's brother was still in love with Maura. So he suggested something to her in which she agreed. They agreed to have a secret affair"
Niall closed hie eyes taking a sharp breath.
"Though there was one problem. She was pregnant with the king's child"
"She faked a sickness telling that she needs to be isolated. She said it's a rare disease. And everyone believed since the king's brother paid the doctors for fake prescriptions and tests."
A tear dropped from Maura's eyes while her eyes were still closed.
"Nine months later, when the boy was born, the king's brother took him to the orphanage"
He took one step closer to Niall.
"And that boy is me"
"Why did you call me your cousin?" Niall asked with his eyes closed. As if he already knows the answer but he hopes the man denies it.
"The last part of the story belongs to you Niall. After Maura and the king's brother started having their secret affair, the king himself and Maura's mother-in-law, kept pressuring her to bring an heir. How come she hasn't gotten pregnant yet. Maura kept rambling and complaining to her lover. One night her lover got mad and lost control. And she got pregnant again"
"no" Niall said feeling betrayed as his tear dropped.
"And Niall"
"Don't" Niall said with a shaky voice.
"James"
"Stop"
"Horan"
"Stop"
"was"
"Don't say it"
"Born" he finished the sentence.
"No" Niall said standing up. He faced Maura.
"Say it ma. Say it. Say he's lying. Say that I am Bobby's son. Say it." He said through gritted teeth.
Maura looked at him with guilt and sadness.
"ma" he whispered in betrayal.
She once again closed her eyes.
"I would like you all to leave my castle and give part of my life back" he said.
"Just like that? You want to take my crown just like that?" Niall asked.
"I've waited 33 years for this Niall. I will take my crown back"
"You can't rule the country. You know nothing about this country."
"I know more than enough"
"You're filled with anger and revenge. These people don't need that. They need a ruler who can give them a better future. Not a person who gives them darkness"
"Aren't you filled with anger and revenge Niall? You've been lied to"
"I won't take my personal issues on my people like you"
"Niall, I have every right to have that crown and be in this castle. Everyone is under my command. So as your king, I command you to leave my castle. Oh and take your stupid guard with you. What was his name? Oh yeah Payne"
Niall gave him a deadly glare.
"Out please." He said.
Niall took his crown out and placed it on the table. He looked at it with sadness.
"Come on Hannah let's go. And don't take a single thing. Because it no longer belongs to us" he said.
Hannah picked Brian up and walked toward Niall.
"This crown and these people need light. Hope. Good and peaceful life. Don't forget that" Niall told his cousin (stepbrother)and walked out holding Hannah's hand.
Maura stood up.
"Oh mother. You don't have to leave. You can stay with your son" he said with a smirk.
***
It's been one week since then and people are already hating the new king. The story has been told to the country and everyone was shocked and surprised. Though the new king is nothing but darkness. Nothing but corruption. Nothing but cruelty. People are leaving the country because of him. Even after hearing the truth, they still want Niall to be their king.
"We can't live in a hotel forever" Niall sighed resting his head to the headboard.
Since that night, they've been staying in the hotel since they had no place to go.
"We always have my parents' house to go" Hannah suggested for the tenth time.
"No. Not there" Niall rejected the idea for the tenth time.
"Why not? She asked for the tenth time.
"Two reasons. I can't face them now. And the last piece of my ego won't let me" he explained for the tenth time.
And the conversation ended for the tenth time.
"I'm sorry for this" He apologized.
"Why are you sorry?"
"We're in a crisis. We're living in a hotel. And well we're no longer the king and the queen apparently"
"Niall. First, crisis happens for everyone. We will get through this. Two, I didn't fall in love with you because you were the king. I fell in love with you because you were you Niall" she said.
He smiled sadly looking at her.
"I love you" he said.
"I love you too" she said.
And they kissed.
"I can't believe she lied to me for 31 years" he sighed.
Since finding out the truth, Niall became distant to his mother. He no longer referred her as his mom, and he hasn't been in contact with her.
"Niall ... I ... I need to confess something" Hannah said.
"What is it?" he furrowed his eyebrows.
"I ... I knew" she said quietly.
"About me not being Bobby's" he trailed off and she nodded looking down.
"I overheard your mother and unc- well father. And I thought, it's not my place to say anything so I didn't."
"It's okay" he said.
"Niall"
"No really. I mean I wasn't expecting to hear it from you. I was expecting to hear it from her. Or him."
"He wanted to tell you. But she disagreed to protect your feelings"
"Protect my feelings" Niall scoffed.
"Niall"
"Hannah please. I don't want to talk about it" he said.
She nodded at him.
"And I don't want to live in the hotel" he said.
She smiled at him. She suddenly came up with an idea.
"There's one place we can go"
"We are not going to your parent's house Hannah"
"Not there"
"Then where?"
"Don't get mad, okay?"
"okay?"
"We can go to Louis' house. He lives alone and he has guest rooms. We can go there until we find our own place"
He remained silent for a second.
"I can't believe you" he said.
"Niall, I told you not to get ma-"
"You suggested to go to your parents for ten times but you didn't mention this idea once?"
"oh"
"Pack we're going to Louis' house"
"Okay"
"Wait" Niall said.
"What?"
"Does he have an extra room? You know for Liam?"
"He does" she smiled.
"You heard her Payne pack" he banged on the wall.
"Yes sir" he shouted through the thin wall.
"I told you not to call me sir" Niall said for the eleventh time.
"My bad" Liam said for the eleventh time.
Hannah laughed and shook her head for the eleventh time.
***
"The core four ha?" Josephine said.
It was nighttime that Niall, Hannah, and Liam arrived at Louis' house. He happily welcomed them all and now they were having dinner together.
"Plus one" Liam said.
"And half" Hannah lifted Brian up a little.
"You get the point" Josephine said causing everyone to laugh.
After dinner everyone crashed into the living room having different conversations.
"So how have you been?" Louis asked Niall who was the only person who was not present in the living room. Louis handed him a beer. Niall took it and lifted it up as a thank you.
"Been better" Niall said.
Louis nodded.
"It's just ... I feel like I've let my people down. I've let her down" Niall looked at Hannah.
"What are you talking about? The people you think you've let down are leaving the country because they hate the new king. Because they still prefer you to be their king. And her." Louis moved his gaze toward Hannah.
"You know by the look in her eyes that she still loves you. That you did not let her down. Not even a bit" he said.
Niall let out a sigh and took a gulp of his drink.
"I wish he was alive. Calum, I mean. I just ... I wanted to talk to him and ask him everything. I wanted to know him as my father. Not my uncle. God. This explains everything. This explains why Calum was always there for me. Even at those moments when my da- when Bobby wasn't. What would I do to go back in time just so I could talk to Calum" Niall said.
Liam overheard them.
"Si- Niall. There's something you should know"
"What?"
"Calum ... he's alive"
*******
A/N
Man how am I going to say goodbye to Niall and Hannah?😭 And this is the reason that I'm updating slowly so the story doesn't finish fast🥲💔