"You'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forever more" - Tarzan


"Well done child, when faced with wealth, a life filled with luxury, when faced with the chance to rule over the world you said no, choosing instead to stand by the jester who was nothing more than a funny pauper, you chose love over a pampered lifestyle and for that you won the first trial," the voice spoke, omnipresent and emitting from the air, Fred was nowhere to be seen as Hermione found herself back inside the amphitheatre of crows.

"I did it," Hermione smiled, even without her own memories, she'd recognised Fred's eyes as he portrayed the jester, she'd been willing to risk everything to take a chance on him because deep down below the spell that had masked her memories, she'd known she loved him.

"Yes, well done, the next trial however is for Fred, what sacrifices is he willing to make for you," the voice echoed around her.

"He'd do anything," she breathed.

"We'll see, the voice replied as everything went blank once more.


The small hut, his home was sorrowful; his two younger sisters clinging to one another as they cried in the corner of the dingy room. His father was stood by the door, talking to the doctor who shook his head.

"There's nothing I can do, she's too far gone," the older man spoke. Eric watched as his dad shook the doctors' hand, closing the door, his body trembling before he turned and approached the bed where his wife lay. His mum was pale, her lips blue.

"Don't be sad, we had a good life," she wheezed, her frail hand reaching for that of his father, who shook, bringing it to his mouth to kiss.

"That we did my dove," his father whispered, trembling as his wife's eyes closed.

"We have to do something," Eric spoke, glancing desperately between his parents and younger siblings.

"You heard the doctor Eric, nothing can be done," his father spoke tiredly.

"What about the Immortal Goblet, it's powers can heal all ailments," he said pleadingly.

"The enchantress won't part ways with it and has killed all those who tried," his sister Violet whispered.

"I have to try," he told them.

"We can't lose both you and mother," Sapphire spoke worriedly, her brown eyes wide. Eric knelt on the ground before her and Violet, wrapping his arms around each of them.

"You won't lose me, I'm going to return, and I'll save mum," he told them firmly, kissing their foreheads before approaching the bed where his mother lay. He lent down and kissed her cheek, "keep fighting mum," he begged. With a final look at his family Eric left their home, heading in the direction of the Enchanted Forest.


The forest was moist, the smell of damp decaying leaves ripe in the air as he made his way carefully through the dense trees, each step cautious, his eyes wide and alert.

"Bit thin to be a knight aren't you," a sweet voice called from above as a spell shot at him, freezing him in place. All he was able to move were his eyes which he directed upwards, glaring into the canopy where a girl sat atop of a thick branch, dressed in dark leathers, her hair coiled into a long braid over her shoulder.

The girl leapt, cat like from the tree using her wand to control her descent, allowing her to land in front of him carefully. Eric tried to reply, but his lips wouldn't move and all that came out of him were a hushed gargle like sound.

"Oh right, sorry about that," the girl laughed, waving her wand so that his face unfroze.

"I'm not a knight," he said.

"What are you then," she asked quietly, her eyes assessing him seriously.

"I'm a farmhand, searching for a cure for his dying mother," he confessed, the girl frowned sadly.

"You won't find a cure in here, the further you travel the darker it gets, the forest is cursed an eventually all who enter perish," she said.

"Why are you here then," he asked curiously.

"I want revenge, my entire family were murdered by the evil hag, and I want to be the one who kills her," the dark-haired woman spoke, her cheeks flushed.

"We could work together, two against the enchantress is better than one," he said quietly.

"I suppose we could, what is your name," she asked, using her wand to free him completely from her spell.

"I'm Eric," he introduced himself, holding his hand out towards her.

"Hello Eric, I'm Meredith," she greeted placing her hand in his to shake.

"It's nice to meet you," he replied smiling at the pretty woman kindly.


"Eric, behind you," Meredith called, the pair had been traveling together for days, facing the magics and beasts of the Enchanted Forest together, each protecting the other on multiple occasions as they battled enchanted vines, Demogorgon's, and rabid wolves. They'd finally made it through the dense trees to the base of the mountain. The enchantresses castle perched high above, hidden among the clouds. The mountain was guarded by many beasts the first of which was a Sphinx.

"You children seek entrance to where you shouldn't go, I advise you to turn away," the head of the Sphinx spoke, her voice a beautiful soothing lit to match the godlike beauty of her human face as she stood, her lion's body large and prominent blocking access to the path which they sought.

"Move please, we have to pass," Meredith spoke her voice harsh.

"I am bound to protect this path and shall slay any who dare try and pass," the Sphinx replied, extending her sharp claws as a sign of threat.

"Then we have a problem don't we," Eric spoke quietly, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the sentient creature.

"It seems we do child," she responded, a growl reverberating through her as she swiped her claws at them, Eric dived to the side, pushing his comrade away to safety.

"Eric behind you," Meredith called. He flinched as he felt the claws slice through his back, acting like a hot knife through butter as it tore through his flesh.

"Fuck me," he grunted, the pain blinding him as he twisted to face the beast, his body stood protectively between him and the young woman he'd grown close too during his trip through the forest.

"Eric," Meredith gasped, her hands reaching to cover the wound.

"Meredith run," he gasped, his eyes fixed on another creature, a giant scorpion that scurried down the path behind the sphinx, the creature was easily twice as tall as he and he couldn't see how the young girl could face both it and the Sphinx.

"Listen to the boy child, go save yourself," the Sphinx spoke her voice kind and soothing, urging the woman to flee.

"No, I can't, I won't lose you again," the woman behind him cried, her magic seeping into the wound across his back, heeling him from the giant claw marks.

"What do you mean again, we don't know each other," he said, twisting to see her face, she had tears seeping from her dark eyes.

"No we don't," she agreed sadly, reaching up to press her lips to his. Eric groaned into the kiss, quite forgetting the danger behind them as he pulled the leather clad girl towards him.

"Foolish children," the Sphinx spoke, as the scorpion impaled its stinger into Meredith shoulder, causing the girl to let out a wail of agony.

"I've got you," he breathed quietly, wrapping one arm tightly around her as he cast a shield between them and the two beasts.

"Close your eyes," he told her quietly, dropping a bean that had been passed down through his family for generations to the ground. As soon as the small bean touched the ground it began to grow, the ground trembling as a magical beanstalk grew, Eric grabbed hold of it, allowing it to carry both himself and Meredith high into the sky. The girl in his arms screamed in terror as they ascended, her face buried in the crook of his neck, but Eric whooped in joy, never before had he been this high. He could see the entire world, it was beautiful.


"Where here, Meredith, we've made it," he said as he stepped off of the beanstalk pulling the girl towards the front door of the dark castle at the top of the mountain.

"You made it," she smiled, her head lolling to one side as poisoned veins spread across her body.

"You're okay, I've got you," he told her, lifting her into his arms and carrying her into the castle. There were no wards blocking his access, no creatures, nothing inside. The castle was bare, the entrance hall covered in dust. It was clear to Eric that nobody had lived here for many years, where the enchantress was, he had no idea, but what he did know was that the woman in his arms was dying.

"Hold still," he whispered laying her down on a chaise lounge, before hurrying to search for the famed goblet. It didn't take Eric long to find the goblet, it stood on prized display in a cabinet on the far side of the room, its silver shining in the darkness. He hurried to it, grabbing it carefully before rushing back to the dark-haired beauty he had come here with.

He held the Immortal Goblet out to her, urging her to drink.

"Eric there isn't enough to save both myself and your mother," she whispered, looking sorrowfully down at the mouthful of liquid within the sacred vessel.

"I know," he whispered, tears escaping his eyes as he raised the chalice to her lips, ensuring Meredith got every last drop.

"She'll understand, I've fallen in love with you," he breathed, kissing her crown of curls as the magic waters healed her from the scorpion's sting.

"I love you too," she smiled, resting her head against his shoulder, her eyes drifting closed. Eric smiled sadly, wrapping his arms protectively around her, sleep soon claiming him as well.