Eric tried to make his breathing as shallow as possible, praying to whatever deity was up there that he hadn't yet been seen.
"Who's there" called the voice again? In the knowing mind that it was too late to just leave, Eric gathered all the courage he could, let out a shaky breath and replied, remembering everything that Grimsby had taught him about talking to strangers.
"I-I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't... know anyone lived here."
"Nobody does." Whoever was in the corner, seemed to adjust themselves before rising to their feet, their face still but a shadow.
"What brought you back here then?" Eric was startled by the question, but soon realised that there wasn't a person in the Kingdom who didn't know his story. Whoever this man was, was probably around when Eric was younger and lived under his parent's reign. Although, even with that in mind, Eric didn't feel comfortable opening up to someone he'd never met.
"Who are you" he asked? Although scared, Eric had always been curious, which is perhaps the only reason why he hadn't yet left the cottage. The man chuckled lightly and stepped out of the shadows.
"My name's Stephan" he said, an easy smile on his ageing face. Eric took a moment to take in the man's appearance. The first thing that struck him was the fact that Stephan obviously wasn't a wealthy man. He wore gloves that had worn away at the fingers and a murky green coat that hung off his thin frame. His brown trousers were damp at the bottom and covered in mud; it was clearly the same outfit he'd been wearing for months, maybe even years. His face was beginning to wrinkle and his flaxen hair and beard stuck out at all angles around his pale face.
"I know I look a state," continued Stephan, smirking slightly. Eric was suddenly brought back to his senses and looked quickly up at the man.
"No," he said hastily, "I didn't mean… I… you don't…" he trailed off as he was interrupted by Stephan's sudden outburst of laughter.
"Don't look so afraid lad, I won't bite" he said. The friendly smile on Stephan's face caused Eric to relax considerably and he looked around the draughty room.
"Do you live here now" he asked, realising for the first time that this cottage was in no fit state to accommodate anyone? Stephan took a few steps forward, and picked brown sac off the table.
"I wouldn't say I lived here," he answered. "In fact, I don't live anywhere, just stay in the places I can until I can find somewhere new, don't like to stay in the same place for too long."
"Why not" asked Eric? Stephan flicked his gaze back to the young Prince, amazed at how a boy who'd been through so much could be so full of life and curiosity. He shrugged.
"Not sure," he replied, "just gets boring I guess. Why stay in one place when you can go anywhere you want?" Eric thought about that for a moment, about moving around constantly, exploring new places whenever you felt like it. Could he do that? Was he free to go anywhere he wanted?
"Anyway, you never answered my question," said Stephan, lowering his head and peering down at Eric. "Why did you come back?" There was something about Stephan; something about the way he looked upon Eric that made the young Prince feel as though he could tell him anything, and he did.
"I don't know," he replied truthfully. "I was just running and not really thinking about it." Stephan nodded, as though he understood completely.
"Why were you running?"
Eric hung his head and shuffled his feet nervously. "I was scared" he admitted, refusing to look up and meet the steady gaze of the man in front of him. As soon as he's said it, Eric regretted opening his mouth at all. His fear of failure was something that not even Grimsby or Carlotta knew about, so why he was now sharing his innermost emotions with a complete stranger was beyond him. To his surprise, Stephan stepped forward and placed a hand on Eric's shoulder. Although Eric knew him to be nice enough, the contact still made his heart beat faster and his eyes grow wider.
"There's nothing wrong with that lad" he said. Eric looked up, noting for the first time the scars that covered his face and the slow movements, suggesting that he was in pain. Stephan moved his hand away from Eric's shoulder and hobbled back to the corner of the room, where he knelt down. Eric craned his neck to see what he was doing, and moments later, Stephan rose to his feet again, holding what looked to be nothing more than a piece of old rope. At first Eric was confused, but then he saw what was on the end of it, and gasped quietly. A slim dog walked beside its owner, its paws upon the wooden floor not making a sound.
"This is Bella" said Stephan, stopping just in front of Eric. The bitch nuzzled Eric's hand, causing the Prince to jump slightly.
"It's alright," reassured Stephan, "she won't hurt you, couldn't if she tried." Felling a little more relaxed, Eric reached down and ran his fingers through the mass of greying white hair that covered the animal from head to toe. He soon found himself smiling, as Bella began to lightly lick his hands and wrists.
"She's likes you," observed Stephan, as Eric stood up to full height, smile still in place. "She usually hides away from strangers." Just then, Bella began tugging on the rope, pulling Stephan towards the open door. He chuckled lightly.
"Better go I suppose," he said, "she'll be getting hungry."
"Don't you have any food for her" asked Eric, following Stephan out of the cottage?
"I don't even have any food for myself lad," he replied. "We go into town every day and pick up what we can, spare change, leftovers, it's not the best way of life but we get by." Eric seemed shocked by his answer, and suddenly felt guilty about his status. He knew that their kingdom wasn't the wealthiest in Denmark, but he'd never been told that there were people who had no money at all! He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins that Carlotta had given him as spending money for today.
As he, Stephan and Bella walked towards the town, he held out the coins to his new friend; motioning without words for him to take it. Stephan smiled, but made no attempt to take what was being offered to him.
"Has anyone ever told you how kind you are," he asked? "Thank you for the thought, but I can't take it."
"Why not," asked Eric, "you could get something to eat."
"It's yours, replied Stephan, "and I won't take money off a child, you keep it." Eric frowned, wanting to help but not knowing how. Suddenly Stephan stopped, and sat himself down on a bench. Only just noticing that they were now in the middle of town, an idea sprung to Eric's mind.
"Wait here" he said, before rushing off through the crowds. Stephan chuckled and shook his head fondly; he really was beginning to like this boy.
He sat motionlessly in the middle of town, an empty can on the bench beside him and Bella laying on the cobbles at his feet. He'd been homeless for almost ten years now, and each day seemed harder than the last. At fifty five he knew he didn't have long left, the constant complaints from his ageing body told him that. He would end the day with aching limbs, weak with hunger. Some days he would be beaten by the guards, reminding him that he wasn't wanted here. Today had been nothing short of a miracle, the arrival of Eric and the way he'd spoken had reminded Stephan that there was good in the world and that, despite what he thought, there were people who cared about him.