Erica

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"Where will you go?" King Aleric held onto her tighter as if he was almost afraid of her answer.

Erica gave him a sad smile, "I do not know yet."

"Then stay."

"I cannot." She lent her head against his chest not able to meet his eyes, "Thanks to you, I am finally free... Let me hold onto this feeling a little longer."

King Aleric lifted her chin and lent his forehead against her own closing his eyes as he fell deep into thought, "If I let you go now, when will I see you again?"

His eyes opened meeting Erica's own. His gaze was so intense, so powerful and overwhelming. She felt like she was drowning in all the colours that danced around his irises.

"I don't know."

His eyes suddenly narrowed not pleased with her answer, "I will not allow it."

"Please Aleric."

When she said his name, it stirred something deep inside of him. He loved how enticing it sounded on her soft lips.

"One month." His tone left no room for argument.

"Aleric," Erica desperately began, "Let be free from all the restrictions that keep me at bay."

"I will not lose you again." King Aleric was determined and unwavering.

"You will not." Erica tried to reason.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because" She looked away shyly, the tips of her ears turning pink, "You are special to me."

King Aleric almost let out a groan at the sight of her embarrassed state. She really knew how to sway his heart.

She had no idea of the power she held over him. He would burn down the entire kingdom if she asked.

"Just special?" He could not help but tease wanting to see more of her adorable reactions.

"Yes." She could not meet his eyes as her cheeks reddened more.

"Surely I am more than that." He made her look back up at him.

She gasped at how close his lips where now to her own. He was planning to kiss her again.

No.

She would not let him distract her like this. They were in the middle of an important discussion.

"Aleric, if I promise to return will you let me go?" She asked him hoping for a positive response.

"It depends on how long you wish to leave for?" He mumbled still caught in the intensity of the moment.

"It will definitely be for more than a month." She could not help but give an amused smile.

King Aleric frowned not happy for with that answer, "Then for how long?"

"However long I may need."

"Two months?"

"No. It does not work like that." Erica could not help but let out a soft giggle at Aleric's response. The sound was enchanting and once again King Aleric found himself falling for the girl.

"I need at least a year if not longer." Erica lifted her hand up and placed it against his cheek.

King Aleric found himself leaning into her touch. He closed his eyes savouring the moment.

"One year..." He whispered, "Not a day longer."

Erica smiled as he gave in, she actually thought she needed more time than that, but she would take what she could get.

"Thank you."

"I am not finished," His eyes opened, "You have to take Walter with you."

"But-"

"That is my only condition." He interrupted.

Erica just sighed but her lips twitched into a small smile that never fell, "Okay."

"Ha..." An uncomfortable voice interrupted their moment, "I do not think that I will ever get used to this."

Walter folded his arms and shot an unimpressed glance towards the two of them.

"Walter." King Aleric acknowledged, a sly smile twitching at his lips.

Walter knew exactly the reasoning behind that and scrunched up his nose in distaste, "Aleric, you know I have a lot of respect for you but no matter how much I see you and my sister together, I just cannot get used to it nor do I like it."

"Good thing you cannot do anything about it." King Aleric gave a victorious smile as he purposefully pulled Erica closer to him.

Erica would have rolled her eyes at the brazen King, but her focus was on Walter. There was something off about him.

"Walter," She called successfully pulling away from a reluctant Aleric and walking up to her brother, "Are you okay?"

Her words were so gentle laced with clear concerned that it took Walter off guard. He could not believe that she had seen right through him.

"I am fine," He tried to give her a reassuring smile and brush off her question.

Before he could even react, he felt her delicate arms gently wrap around him. "I am so glad that you are alive."

Her words almost broke him in that moment. After all those years that he had forgotten her and left her to suffer, she cared for him.

He really did not deserve this.

"But I can tell something is wrong..." She let him go.

"It's nothing to worry about." Walter gave her a sad smile.

"Walter," King Aleric walked up to his friend and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "This pain you are feeling shows just how strong of a person you are."

"I do not deserve comfort but rather to be punished for what I did, and you are well aware of that Aleric."

"You ended her suffering. That is the mightiest and most powerful thing that I have ever seen anyone ever do so why does it need to be punished?"

Walter looked down, "Why can I never win with you?"

"Because you know I am right." Aleric had a gentle smile, "But, in all seriousness Walter, what you did has already started to take its toll on your mental health."

"I will be okay." He looked back at Aleric.

"I do not know what happened, but I have a feeling it had something to do with your mother." Erica's eyes were filled with a knowing concern, "Please do not hate her for what she did to me, she was still your mother and loved you dearly. So dearly that it made me so envious."

"Please do not say that." Walter frowned.

"It is the truth. I saw it with my own eyes." Erica paused for a moment before continuing, "I do not know what her final moments were, but I know she loved you until her last breath."

Walter gave a sad smile. It was so heart wrenching and filled with pain as he finally stopped suppressing his emotions.

He finally allowed himself to feel all the agonising pain and overwhelming sadness at the loss of his mom and the final mercy he had given her.

Walter finally began the first steps on his path to healing a wound that he had tried to lie to himself about never being there.

It was the hardest thing that he had ever done in his entire life however he knew that he was not alone. He had people who stood beside him forgiving him for all his flaws and accepting him no matter what.

Walter believed that he did not deserve such kindness from them, but he silently vowed that he would devote the rest of his life to protecting those that he held most dear to him no matter the cost.

He lifted his head meeting the warm eyes of his understanding friend and his caring little sister. He could help but smile in that moment.