They rode in silence until they arrived to the great beautiful castle. Elissa had never been this close to it. It was surrounded by guards who respectfully opened the gates letting them in. She couldn't help but marvel at the palace's beauty, at all the different sorts of flowers and greens. Long tall bushes cut into shapes. A sparkling water fountain made for making wishes. Elissa tried to absorb all this beauty in awe of the royal life. The inside was even more beautiful. The floor and walls just sparkled. Grand open areas. Colourful curtains draped all around. Maids, guards and servants respectfully bowing to them. They were lucky to be traveling with the little prince.

"Wow," she gasped.

Ethan lifted his chest in a proud way. He lead her to a room with two big doors.

"Hurry, go into the library. If anyone goes in, hide and if they see you act as if you belong there. Tell them that prince Erik let you in. I'll talk to the prince for you... Since he is such an amazing man he'll let this slide," he nodded in a way to assure himself.

"Okay, thanks a lot ... I'll just say it... You're not all that bad. I was being oblivious and naive. My dad says I have my moms temper... I just get ahead of myself," she frowned.

He smile a cocky smile. "I know, I've noticed."

Elissa scowled at him getting a laugh out of Ethan.

"Well, I'll come check on you later," he said closing the door behind her.

Ethan made his way to Prince John who was smiling at him mischievously.

"She shouldn't call you Ethan, but Liar liar pants on fire," teased the prince.

Ethan frowned.

"Don't tell her or anyone anything. I don't want her to know that I'm the prince. I want to see how someone will treat me, the real me and not my title," said Ethan.

"Fine Erik, but you owe me a favor," John said.

Erik eyed his brother keenly. "Name it."

"You have to play with me once a week," he said innocently. A simple favor but a time consuming one.

"No," Erik injected.

John smiled wickedly. "Fine, then I'll just go and tell-"

"Fine stop! I'll do it just don't tell a soul!" He promised, his arms outstretched as if to stop his brother.

"Okay, we have a deal! She's pretty... Are you going to marry her?" John asked innocently.

Erik couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "No, don't take your mind places. Think of it as a game."

"Okay good, because I'm going to marry her," John said confidently. This made Erik's brow raise.

"No, if she's going to marry anybody it's going to be me. I always get the girl," assured Erik.

"Ha ha, she doesn't even like you and she even beat you up!" John snickered.

Erik clamped his hands around his brother's lips to keep him silent. "Shhh... You can't tell anyone about that either!"

John nodded and pulled his brother's hand off his mouth. He had a devious gleam in his eye that Erik did not trust.  "Okay fine I want you to give me fencing lessons from now on."

"Deal."

"Yay!"

Someone cleared their throat from behind them.

"Hello Erik," said their eldest brother, Phillip. "Did you just come in with Jonathan?"

"Yes, where are you heading?" asked Erik.

"To the library, I want to catch up on some reading," he answered.

Erik nodded then his eyes widened in remembrance. "No wait! You can't go there!"

Phillip paused and frowned. "Why not?"

"Because... Ummm... there's mice!" Erik responded.

Phillip furrowed his brows, "That's not good, they'll eat the pages. Have someone fix that."

He nodded and continued on his way.

"Wait!" Erik ran in front of him, trying to block his way.

"What's it now I don't have time for your games?" scowled Phillip getting a little tired of this.

"I want to read too," he replied abruptly.

Phillip gave a confused look. Erik never read in the library. "Okay, we'll go in together."

"No, you can't!" shouted Erik.

"Oh stop being a child and grow up Erik!" Phillip said pushing past his brother.

"Aaaah," yelled Erik as he ran after him.

Phillip opened the doors of the library with Erik at his heels.

"OH WHAT A BIG LIBRARY THIS IS GREAT FOR HIDING!" yelled Erik.

"Why are you yelling?" whispered Phillip.

"Just expressing myself..." Erik bit his lip nervously.

Phillip shook his head and walked away. Erik jumped into action and started looking for Elissa whispering her name. Then he saw a shadow nearby. He peeked past the bookshelf and saw Elissa holding a pile of books. Erik smiled to himself as she struggled to hold them all. Then she dropped one making a loud thud. Erik snapped back into focus and ran up to her taking the books from her and putting them down.

"You sure are making a lot of noise for someone who's suppose to stay hidden. My- I mean Prince Phillip is here, we must hide," he ordered. Elissa nodded her head looking a little nervous.

Erik grabbed Elissa by the arm and dragged her to a tightly hidden corner between two bookshelves. Before he could leave, Phillip walked by. Erik instinctively put his hand on top of Elissa's mouth and pulled her closer making her gasp. She ignored the blush on her cheeks, or how close she was to him. How she could feel his heart racing against her own.

"Erik? Where'd this guy go... Can't even read a page!" Phillip mumbled to himself and went to find a seat and read.

Erik whispered in Elissa's ear. "Stay here, I'm going to go get your pile of books then I'll come back here and find another place for you to read them. When Phillips is gone you can come back here."

Elissa nodded her head. Erik returned a few moments later and guided her outside to a cherry tree. Erik placed the books on the grass and glanced at Elissa. The way the sun and the flowers danced around her took his breath away.

"Oh wow it's beautiful," she gasped, looking around at the scenery.

It was hard for him to appreciate the beauty around him when he was so captivated by hers.

Erik sat with his back to the tree and took out his sketch pad and pencil and began to draw.

"What are you doing?" She raised a curious brow trying to peep at his sketch pad.

"I'll tell you in a bit, just keep reading," he shrugged her away.

After a few hours passed Elissa settled down her book to stretch. She noticed Erik had lay down with one arm behind is head and one arm over his eyes. His sketchbook lay on top his chest. He had stopped sketching a while ago. Curiosity burned inside Elissa. She got up to grab the sketchbook. Before she reached it, Erik grabbed her wrist getting a surprised shriek from her.

"It's rude to touch other people's things without their permission," he said, his arm moving away from his face exposing his amused eyes.

"Good Lord, you scared me!" She gasped. "I was just curious I thought you were asleep, you surprised me."

"Well I am a man of many surprises," he yawned.

"Well now that your awake may I see your drawings?" she asked.

"No ones has ever seen my drawings. What makes you so special?" he teased.

"Fine, don't show me. I was just asking," she pouted.

Erik laughed. "You're so easily angered. It amuses me."

Elissa frowned and went back to where she was sitting. Erik jumped up and went to sit beside her.

"Fine, I'll show you what I drew right now," he said flipping through his book. "There."

He handed Elissa the book. She gasped. "Is that me?"

Erik nodded.

"You made me look beautiful," she whispered in awe.

"I didn't do anything, you are beautiful," he smiled honestly.

Elissa blushed. "I never knew you could draw so magically."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he winked.

"Like what?" she asked, wide eyes curious.

Erik raised his chin. "Well, umm... for starters I'm a good guy. I'm very nice and I'm a good fighter. I lead the army in the battle of the Shatlerings."

"Oh, I thought prince Erik did?" frowned Elissa.

"Oh yeah, I fought by his side the whole time!" he corrected himself, stopping himself from smacking his forehead.

"What a jerk, he took all the credit himself!" yelled Elissa.

Now Erik really wanted to smack his forehead.

"No, he's a great guy! He's also brave and good looking and a great son and-- "

"I'm sorry to ask but do you perhaps like him?" she raised a brow.

Erik's jaw dropped, "NO! I'm not gay! I like women!"

"Mmm I see, then why are you obsessed with him?" asked Elissa with a teasing smile.

"I'm not, I'm just clearing his name! Lets change matters. Tell me about yourself? What do you do besides reading?" he asked desperately trying to change subjects.

"I work," she sighed.

"Work?"

"Well yes, life isn't as luxurious as here in the castle. People actually need to work in order to live," she frowned.

"Interesting... What do you work," he asked keenly.

"Multiple jobs," she said.

"Like?" he asked impatiently. "You're the first to look at my drawings tell me."

"Fine... Um well I work as a pauper two times a week, a cook three times a week, I clean houses once a week and I volunteer at the orphanage on my day off. And with my extra time I take care of my dad and help him at work," she mumbled embarrassed.

"Wow... That's amazing! That's more then I've done in my lifetime! You do all that? Why? Can't your mother take care of him?"

"I have no choice. My mum passed away when I was young. I need to work hard so that my father and I can live. With taxes so high, it's hard to get by," she admitted.

"Oh. I'm sorry for asking. I didn't know about your mother," he frowned.

"Well you don't know me so I don't expect you to know anything about me," she shrugged.

"Well, I know you're a genuine heroine. You put on a strong face even though you're sometimes shy. And you really like to close off the world," he said.

"That's not true!" she argued.

"Really? Then why do you keep closing me off?" he said leaning his face close to hers.

Elissa blushed and leaned back. "You think you're so irresistible don't you?"

"Well I am, aren't I?" he smiled leaning closer to Elissa again.

This got an eye roll from her. She got up and hurriedly picked up the books. "Well thank you for everything, I have to set off before it gets dark. I'll return these to the castle as soon as I'm done."

"No wait, where are you going? You won't make it back before nightfall there are a lot of dangerous people at night," he warned.

"What's it to you? You don't even know me," she said.

"I'm not heartless! Stay the night and you can head back home in the morning," he offered.

"Thanks for the offer, but my father will start to worry. I have to get back to him," she explained.

"Well I will worry if I let you leave alone. I can't leave tonight because I'm behind on my duties! I'll personally take you tomorrow," he said.

Elissa bit her lip taking in the offer. Erik looked at her with pleading eyes.

"You're really not going to let me be, are you? Fine, I'll stay the night but that's all," she nodded.

Erik smiled foolishly. "Great! Let me take you to your chambers."

He might have liked her presence more than he liked to admit. At least now, he got to keep her around for a little bit longer.

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