What Carlotta had said was true; but it took a lot longer than expected for Eric to fully recover. For the first week he hardly ate anything, and anything he did eat, was soon bought back up. In fact he spent the majority of the first week hovering over a bucket, and when he wasn't being sick he was sleeping. Carlotta spent every second of her time with Eric, making sure he wasn't too hot or too cold, feeding him, bathing him, reading to him; whereas David and Eileen hadn't come to see their son once.
The second week was the most worrying for Carlotta, for Eric had simply refused to eat anything. He knew what would happen if he did, and had decided that not eating was a better alternative. It wasn't. Carlotta had watched Eric become weaker by the day, until he could barely lift a half glass of water.
The third week was much the same, although Eric did gain a little of his appetite back, and was able to eat small amounts of food without throwing up. His fever had begun to break, and he was slowly returning to his normal self. The rash on the inside of his thighs had healed up nicely and he didn't get headaches as often as he had been. Carlotta had been sure that by the end of the fourth week Eric would be almost completely better, and by his birthday it would seem as if he'd never been ill. However, it was not to be. Half way through the fourth week Eric came down with flu, harsh coughs racked from his chest constantly and his fever started up again, if possible, even worse than before. The colour that had gradually come back to his cheeks vanished, leaving him looking just a pale as he had been. The young Prince spent his fourth birthday in hospital, after his coughing had led to him becoming very breathless. A couple of balloons were tied to his hospital bed and any cards he received were lined up on the table at the foot of the bed. Neither of Eric's parents had gotten him anything for his birthday.
"He's done nothing to deserve a gift" said Eileen, when Carlotta had asked her about it.
"He's too ill to appreciate it anyway" spat David, when Grimsby posed the same question.
Despite receiving nothing from his parents, Eric still ended up with around twenty cards in front of him, as well as a few presents picked out by Grimsby and Carlotta.
"You don't have to open them now darling" said Carlotta, understanding that opening presents might be the last thing Eric felt like doing at the moment. But Eric just shook his head and shifted slightly as he tried to find the strength to sit up. Seeing his struggle, Carlotta helped Eric into a sitting position, before kissing his head lightly and sitting back in the chair next to the bed. The cards from the people of the kingdom had been opened and read to him by Carlotta, so there were only a few presents left for Eric to open. Despite his illness, Eric's eyes lit up when he saw that he had presents. He was, of course, still a child in many ways; although David's strictness had forced Eric to grow up a lot more quickly than other children. Carlotta handed one of the presents to Eric just as Grimsby came through the door.
"Happy Birthday Eric" he said, bending over to give Eric a quick hug. Eric smiled wearily. Over the last couple of weeks he and Grimsby had become a lot closer. Whereas before he had been only a tutor, Eric now saw Grimsby as a sort of father figure. He sat the opposite side of the bed to Carlotta, both watching as Eric carefully peeled back the wrapping paper of his first present. There were four presents in total, two from Carlotta, one from Grimsby, and another from one of the townspeople. Tearing back the last of the paper, Eric gazed upon a small blue teddy bear. He looked up at Carlotta and held out his arms. The maid gladly complied with his request and gathered the four year old into her arms.
"Thank you" whispered Eric, his voice hoarse after weeks of coughing.
"Oh, it's no problem darling" said Carlotta pulling back and watching as Eric tucked the teddy under the duvet next to him. She chuckled slightly and looked across at Grimsby. The expression on his face was hard to read. He was staring across at her with a look of bewilderment and sorrow sketched into his ageing features. Carlotta knew immediately what he was thinking. David didn't believe in children having stuffed animals, he said they were a waste of time and money, and that Eric should spend any spare time he had studying. But the last month and a half had put Eric through a lot, and Carlotta felt as though he deserved as much comfort as he could get. The next present from Carlotta was a scarf, followed by a book from Grimsby. But not the sort of book he often received from David; no, this was a reading book, and story that Carlotta could read to him before bed.
The last present had both Carlotta and Grimsby perplexed, there was nobody in the village who knew Eric well enough to want to send him a present. As Eric picked up the present he noticed a small label attached to the bottom of the wrapping paper. 'I think this is yours, Mary.' Eric looked up at Carlotta, as if asking permission to open it. She nodded slowly, craning her neck to see what Eric had been sent.
If he weren't so ill, Eric would have squealed in delight. Beneath the wrapping paper was the wooden boat he'd left in the café! It was exactly how he remembered it, not a scratch on it.
"Eric darling who's that from" asked Carlotta?
"Mary" rasped Eric. As soon as the word left his mouth, Eric began to cough. His small frame doubled over as he coughed, gasping in short breaths of air whenever he could. Carlotta rubbed his back, with the other hand resting on his shoulder for support. When Eric was finally able to catch his breath, he fell back, sobbing as Carlotta stroked from his forehead to the pillows.
"Sshhh," she whispered, "you're okay."
"I want… to go… home" sobbed Eric, his breath hitching with each couple of words.
"Well, you need to get better first Eric" said Grimsby, taking Eric's hand and holding it between his own two. Both adults watched as Eric sank beneath the duvet, holding the teddy close to his chest as he sobbed.
"Not long now darling" said Carlotta softly, placing the wooden boat on the table next to Eric's bed. It was true that Eric was starting to get better, be he still had a long way to go, and both Carlotta and Grimsby knew that the longer Eric stayed here, the shorter the King's temper got.