Eric spent the rest of the day with Carlotta and Catherine, baking cakes for everyone. This wasn't something he ever got to do at home, so yet again he was overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of doing something new. Tony, Edward and Grimsby spent the majority of the day playing chess and draughts, with Eric joining sides with Grimsby while he and Carlotta weren't busy in the kitchen. Lady Victoria remained distant, much like Eric's mother had been. She seldom emerged from her room, and the only times Eric saw her were at lunch and dinner, and occasionally in the evenings. But even then Eric didn't speak to her, for she had cold black eyes which reminded Eric so much of his father's. He would often catch her glaring at him; not taking her eyes away from him until several minutes has passed. Catherine was the only one who seemed to notice, and made it her job to give Eric a reassuring smile or wink every so often.
Apart from Lady Victoria, the atmosphere in this house was so much warmer, so much more inviting that it had been in the palace. Eric, Carlotta and Grimsby had been welcomed as if they were members of the family, and given access to every facility that they had to offer. In the back of his mind Eric wished that he could stay here forever, but he knew that it wasn't possible, that sooner or later things would go back to the way they were. His father would yell at him for not getting out quicker when the fire started, and his tediously long lessons with Grimsby would begin again. But having seen the way other families worked, Eric was beginning to regret being born of royal blood. He wanted to be normal… he didn't want to be King. What if he didn't get it right? What if nobody liked him? How would he know what do? What if he started acting like his father?!
"Eric, are you alright darling" asked Carlotta, having noticed that Eric had been silently staring at the same spot on the floor for a while now? Eric looked up to see that all six adults were looking worriedly at him.
"I don't want to be King" he cried, throwing his arms around Carlotta who was sat on the sofa next to him! Carlotta put her arms around the young Prince and lifted him onto her lap.
"I think it's time I took Eric up to bed" she announced, standing up with Eric still in her arms. Tony, Edward, Grimsby and Catherine all uttered a short 'good night' to the four year old before he was carried from the room. But before Carlotta had even reached the stairs, she set Eric down and knelt in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.
"What's wrong darling" she asked?
"I don't w-want to be King" he said tearfully. Carlotta merely stared at the young Prince in front of her. She had heard him perfectly well earlier, but thought of it as perhaps an effect of him being overtired. But now he was saying exactly the same thing, with a look of nothing but pure meaning in his eyes.
"Eric darling, you're not going to be King for a long, long time," she said. "You don't need to worry about it now."
"But I will one day" replied Eric. He looked desperately at Carlotta, as if she had the power to reverse what was to become, but deep inside, he knew that changing his fate was impossible, so he opted for pleading with the woman before him.
"I really, really don't want to" he said, his blue eyes shining with fresh tears. Carlotta hated seeing Eric upset, but after recent events she completely understood why he might be saying such things.
"Darling let's not think about that now. You're daddy's King at the moment, not you, so you don't need to worry about anything," she said in reassurance. "Okay?" Eric thought for a moment and then nodded, putting his arms around Carlotta's neck and hugging her. She had always been there for him, and never failed to cheer him up whenever he needed it.
Unbeknownst to him, Carlotta was thinking exactly the same thing. Eric had been a significant part of her life for over four years now, and in many ways she saw him as her own son. She loved him the way any mother would her child, and took pride in being able to offer him comfort. Today had been absolutely magical, for she had been able to share it with Eric in a way she never had before. The two of them were living in happiness, not having to worry about David's anger, and what he believed was right and wrong. As Eric had pointed out earlier, he wasn't here; and Carlotta knew that it was better that way.
At first she had been ever so slightly jealous that Eric was forming a close relationship with Catherine; but now she didn't mind in the slightest. In fact she was glad that Eric was able to open up to people other than just her and Grimsby, in was of course a crucial part of his development that he met new people and share in their experiences.
"Come on darling," she said, pulling away from the embrace and offering Eric her hand. "Let's get you up to bed." Eric willingly took the maids hand, and allowed her to lead him to his room and get him ready for bed.
On the way past Carlotta's room, the two of them stopped and Eric was able to count the doors between this room and his own. It was four. Whereas on his first arrival it had seemed miles away, now he realised just how close it was. Maybe it just seemed that way because he wasn't as scared anymore, because everything was working out better than he originally thought it would.
And, for the first time in months, Eric was able to sleep all through the night, in the knowing mind that he was safe, and above all, happy.