"Woah, just look at this thing," Michael gestured to the amulet centerpiece.
The central stone of marble and turquoise, shaped like a shield and marked with heraldry of a bird holding a ring in its beak, rested on a wooden pedestal. Hanging off the back, a frame and necklace chain of silver caught a phantom light of the dim shop.
"The Hapsburg Amulet," a third voice added from behind as the two teens' hearts jumped in their chest.
"Man, you're something else! You trying to be creepy?"
"Michael, come on," Freddie cooed as he patted Michael's tensed arm. "Sorry, we were just startled. You were saying?"
"The Hapsburg Amulet." the shop owner resumed. "A gift of the Hunyadi noble family of Hungary, or more specifically, the Corvinus branch. The Corvinus were supreme diplomats and spies, especially against the rising Ottoman threat in the region. According to legend, they could escape, eavesdrop, or infiltrate the most secure areas with a luck attributed to divine providence."
"Hang on," Michael interjected, "why is it called the Hapsburg Amulet then? Why not name it after those nobles?"
The bushy mustache of the shop own ruffled in the force of a harsh sigh.
"Interrupting; not a good quality. But yes, a fine question. You see, the Hungarian nobles and their houses were eventually overcome by the Ottomans in those years following the Corvinus branch's extinction. With a century of suzerainty, the Ottomans, in turn, were driven out by the Hapsburgs, the royal family of Austria as well as a number of other excessively lengthy titles. In doing so, they came to possess the titles of monarchs of Hungary as well as this necklace up until their fall in the aftermath of World War I."
The two boys glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes, weighing the story's merit against their own incredulity. Freddie spoke first.
"So...how did you get it?"
"The amulet flew into my arms, so to speak. As I'm sure it will into yours."
Michael followed suit: "So this was stolen from a museum."
The old man simply snorted to express his disapproval.
"Sorry, sorry; just seems awfully valuable to-"
"To just not have sold by now!" Freddie butted into Michael, squeezing his bicep. "Michael. Mikey. Mikey-Mike. I kind of want it, so don't go blowing up its value," he whispered.
Freddie eyed the necklace with a keen avarice, balancing the story of royalty and its somehow captivating aura with the otherwise mundane appearance of this legendary jewelry. Returning to the old man, he spoke.
"It looks just like one of those necklace rocks you'd find a thrift store or at a wacky road-side attraction save for the silver chain."
"I mean, if you mined up stones for a necklace, it can't look too terribly different if it were for royalty or a rock exhibit, right?"
"Hm, I guess you're right, Michael."
The old man pressed past both, reaching a wrinkled hand inside the case to grab the amulet. As he presented it in his hand, he ran a thumb over its smooth stone facing.
"Wear it, and know the legacy of its history. Simply be frightened or channel the nerve of daring, and you shall be given the gift therein. The more powerful the emotion, the more immediate the reaction. To satiate such a legacy, all you need to do is find a bit of wealth: money, valuable secrets, something that can be taken by you."
As he spoke, the store owner wrested Freddie's hand open, plopping the amulet into the teen's palm. The boyfriends' confusion piqued to new heights while Freddie offered weak protestations.
"Oh, uh, I- I can't just take this."
"You can, and you will. I see the look in your eye; you are destined for it."
Thankfulness mingled with outright disbelief as he looked to Michael. The stronger boy tugged on his jacket, rolling his eyes to point at the door.
"Uh, thank you sir! Thank you!" Freddie called as the two stumbled to the outside world once again.
The same ting of a bell rang out as they pushed their onto the street. Sneaker hitting concrete, Michael and Freddie marched at a hard pace back toward home, putting as much distance as they could before stopping and eyeing the amulet.
"Hoooly shiiit, he just gave it to you! You think he was senile or something?"
"I don't know," Freddie muttered, "he didn't seem like it. Maybe...I don't know."
"Well it's yours now, Mr. Man," Michael winked. "Put it on; let's see some royalty."