Chapter 5:

Seeds of Hate

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I meant to post this yesterday, but I forgot all about it. Hope you enjoy!

As Eric went to join his family on the blanket near the garden, he felt a wave of apprehension overwhelm him. Was Isabelle really telling the truth? Were those burn marks he saw on his mother's back? No. There had to be some logical explanation. He took a seat beside Thomas, and began to eat his sandwich. His father, mother, and brother were talking about what Thomas was learning in school recently, but Eric kept quiet; his mind preoccupied with Isabelle, who he guessed was still hiding in the bushes. His silence didn't go unnoticed for long. Elsa looked at her oldest child, and gently ran a hand through his hair.

"Is something wrong, sweetie?" You're awful quiet," she said.

"It's nothing," Eric answered. "I just have got a lot on my mind."

"Well do you want to talk about it?" Paul asked.

"Not really."

"Well, Ok then. Just remember that your mother and I are always here to talk too. You can tell us anything."

"Yeah, but can you say the same about you," Eric muttered under his breath.

"What was that, Eric?" Elsa asked.

"I said did we bring any stew?" he asked, coming up with a quick lie.

After lunch, Thomas wanted to play ball with his brother, but Eric wasn't in the mood. He was hoping to take this opportunity to go speak to Isabelle.

"Come on, Eric! We haven't played ball in forever!" Thomas complained.

"I don't want to play right now, Thomas. We'll play later."

"You always say that, but you never keep your promise."

Mom!" Thomas turned his attention to his mother.

"Eric, sweetie, I think it's a good idea to play with your brother. It's such a lovely day out," Elsa said.

Eric sighed. "Fine."

He went over to join his brother on the lawn. Thomas threw him the ball, and he caught it. Just as he did so, he got an idea. "Are you ready, Thomas? Here it comes." With all the strength he could muter, Eric threw the ball way over Thomas's head, sending it out of sight, and out of bounds.

"Whoops! Sorry about that," Eric said, innocently.

"It's fine. I'll go get it. Just don't throw it so hard next time," Thomas suggested.

"Will do, little bro."

As soon as his back was turned, and his paretns weren't focued on him, Eric ran over to the bushes to speak to Isabelle. "Psst, Isabelle are you in here?" he asked peering into each individual bush. Suddenly the young woman emerged from behind a shrub, ushering the young prince closer.

"I take it you saw the scars?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did. They defintley look like burn marks alright."

"Exactly. Aaron gave them to your mother the day they fought each other. A sign that he was not willing to go down without a fight."

"Still, maybe there is a logical explanation," Eric said.

"Logical explanation? I'm telling you the truth, Eric. You're mother and father murdered Aaron because he was trying to stop them from dominating the two kingdoms."

"Look, you were right about the burn marks, but I'm still not buying this crazy story. I'd suggest you go now, before the guards catch you."

"Please, Eric, listen to me! I have a plan! A plan that will bring your mother and father to justice, and avenge Aaron!"

"Keep it to yourself," Eric spat. "I'm leaving."

"Eric, don't give into them. They're the real villians. For the sake of the kingdom, you must stop them!" Isabelle called out.

Eric ignored her, and kept walking away.

Eric left the garden, heading the palace door. He had almost made it when he heard Thomas calling from behind him. "Hey Eric, I got the ball, let's go!" he said.

"I don't want to play anymore, Thomas," Eric said, irraitably.

"What? But we just started," Thomas cried.

"I said I don't want to play anymore, and that's final!" Eric yelled back. His brother however, wasn't quick to give up. He grabbed Eric by the arm, and started to pull on him.

"Come on," he pleaded.

"I said NO!" Eric cried, sending a blast of snow from his hand, causing Thomas to fly backwards. Thomas hit the ground with a loud thud, gainging the attention of both Paul and Elsa. The parents ran over to their sons, looking very worried.

"What happened?" Paul asked.

"Thomas blasted me with snow," Thoams said, wiping the snow off his chest.

"You did what?" Paul and Elsa both cried in unison.

"He wouldn't leave me alone," Eric said, nonshalently.

"Eric, you could have killed your brother!" Elsa cried.

"He looks fine to me."

"That's not the point. Haven't I told you what happened with Anna and I when we were little?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you use your powers on your brother?"

"How did you get those scars on your back?" Eric rebuffed.

Elsa's expression changed from one of anger to fear. She bit down on her tonque, not knowing how to respond to her son's question.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

"You know, the burn marks on your back? The ones that you got from Uncle Aaron."

"That's enough, Eric!" Paul said. "Go to your room right this minute. No supper this evening."

He turned to Elsa, who by now looked absoutley petrified. "I'll take Thomas to Grand Pabbie. I'm sure he's allright, but I just want to make sure."

Elsa nodded.

Paul picked up Thomas in his arms, and summoned a guard to bring out a horse for him.

"When I get back we'll talk about this some more," he said to Eric, before departing.

Elsa escorted Eric to his room. She didn't lock the door, however. She had long vowed that she would never make her children endure the same thing she and Anna did as children. Nevertheless, she still remained fearful of what Eric had asked her. How did he know about the scars? Or Aaron being the one who gave them to her? The thought terrified her, and she found herself creating frost up and down the hallway.

"Get a hold of yourself," she said. "You're done living in fear. You have family now." Elsa sighed, and went off to her study, trying to conceal the fear slowly growing within her.

Meanwhile, Eric said in his room looking out his window, thinking about what had just occurred. He'd seen the look on his mother's face, and the way she reacted. That told him all he needed to know. Looking out the window, he gazed around the backyard. "Alright, Isabelle. What do you have planned?"

A/N: Things are heating up now. Please Review!