Author's Note: Ah, thought I had forgotten about this little story, didn't you? I was having a bit of writer's block and it was beginning to drive me insane. Luckily, I work where I am surrounded by Disney things and at some pointhad an idea and I managed to finish the chapter. Thank you all for the reviews. I'm still not used to writing Disney, but it's fun. Chapter two will be on it's way, and I believe a familiar canine figure will make his appearance. Anyway, enjoy and please, read and review.

Chapter One: Escape to Freedom

One Year Later

Grimsby's voice droned on and on, wasting the day away. He paced in circles as he read from a geography book, speaking of how the world looked in distant places, explaining what the equator was and so on and so forth. Of course, Grimsby wasn't reading the book for pleasure and every once in a while, he would have to stop and look over at a small table to make sure his pupil was paying attention.

He wasn't.

Young Prince Eric was either lying on the floor playing with his toys or staring out the large windows at the wondrous view of the ocean. He was doing anything but listening and this irritated Grimsby. But, the man couldn't blame the child. It wasn't Eric's fault his mother hardly let him have any fun. She was overprotective and stubborn about her orders and wanted her son to do nothing but sit in a room all day doing his studies.

This didn't sit well with Eric at all, who wanted nothing more than to be able to act like a child his age. His eighth birthday passing weeks before, the prince could only remember what fun was like, rather than being able to go out and experience it himself. For the past year it had been nothing but studying indoors, dining indoors, playing with what toys he had indoors…Everything was indoors and it was not enough to say the Eric was suffering from a slight case of cabin fever.

Peering over the top of the pages he read, Grimsby found Eric sitting by the window, more entertained by the rolling waves then by his monotone voice. Unintentionally slamming the book shut, the man scared the boy, causing him to jump from his seat and be too confused to wonder if there was enough time to get back to his table and act as he were listening the entire time. Instead, the young boy watched as his older friend walked to an oversized chair and slumped into it, his head falling into his hands shaking. Feeling bad, Eric went to Grimsby's side and patted his arm.

"I'm sorry, Grim," he said. "I tried to pay attention…but once you got to the part about the desert I kind of dosed off a bit."

Grimsby looked up. "I know you try. If you weren't cooped up in here then there wouldn't be a problem, but regardless, you need to study your lessons. You are young now, but the more you learn the more prepared you shall be when you are older and king."

Eric turned away. "I don't want to be king. What good will knowing everything be if I can't go outside and see it?"

What he said was true and Grimsby knew it. Even for a child, the man knew that the boy was not stupid. The death of his father had forced Eric to grow up a little more than he should have, but he was still a child in many ways. As a prince, Eric had certain duties to his kingdom to know the land, how things worked, who people were and so on. How was he supposed to learn the important things from behind closed doors and locked windows?

"I miss it," Eric said.

"What?"

"Everything," the prince whispered. He faced Grimsby. "I just want to be a little kid. I know one day I'll be king, but just for now couldn't I go out and play? I'd give anything to go swimming or sailing again. I know mama wants to keep me safe, but…"

Grimsby stood from his seat. "You don't need to say a word, young man. I know what troubles you and your mother. Only, it seems that you have realized things that she has not yet. She needs time."

Eric left his place by Grimsby's side and returned to the window. He could picture his father's ship out as sea, the sail rippling in the wind as the sun painted the sky red as it set. Perhaps it was the fact that he had been kept from the sea for a year that his heart longed for it so much. Or maybe it was the memories of his time spent with his father there. No matter the reason, if Eric could have only one thing back it would be the ocean.

The prince was a sailor. He had salt water in his veins and being on land for so long was as if keeping a fish out of water. Land was suffocating him and Grimsby had seen this before when he had first come to work at the palace. Being a young man at the time, Grimsby had served Eric's grandfather and had watched over Eric's father when he himself was a child. Much like his young son, the former king was a sailor at heart and if he spent more than a few days away from the sea he began to take ill.

"You are your father's son," Grimsby whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Grimsby stood and watched Eric at the window. Not one who normally went against orders, Grimsby knew that the Queen had simply gone too far. A bit angry, the man opened the door to the room and motioned the prince to his side. "You must promise me that you will have finished your studies by the time I return."

Eric made a face. "But-"

Grimsby waved a finger at the prince. "You must promise me."

Feeling defeated, Eric nodded. "All right."

With a slight smile, Grimsby left the room and walked the long corridors of the palace. As he left what he affectionately called "The Prince's Wing", he noticed how the windows facing the ocean had their curtains drawn and that the hallways were dark. Any feeling of happiness was replaced with sorrow as Grimsby neared his destination, but he knew that he could not falter. Reaching a large door, he knocked and waited.

It opened a moment later, a short, plump woman with dark hair behind it. She was dressed in simple clothing and seeing who it was exited the room, closing the door behind her. Lowering her head, she looked as if she too longed for the chance to do anything other than sulk around the palace.

"If you want to see the Queen," the woman began, "I suggest that you return later. She's fallen into one of her fits and I can't console her."

"Carlotta, I hate to say this, but it is becoming ridiculous," Grimsby said, trying to keep his voice down. "I would like to think that I am not the only one in this palace who feels this way. Now, I'm not one for breaking rules of any sort, especially royal ones, but if something doesn't happen soon I am afraid that servants are going to leave and the more loyal of us are going to go mad."

Carlotta took a step back, aghast. Never had she heard Grimsby speak in such a way and it frightened her, though she knew he was right. Too long had the Queen's sorrow plagued the palace and those who lived in it and it was time that someone took a stand.

"What do you suppose we do?" she asked.

"I wish to speak to her."

"She'll have your head."

"She needs to see happiness and I believe she can find that in her son, if only she left him have some first."

Carlotta nodded. "That boy needs to be a child. No need in making him grow up too soon. Poor thing, I haven't seen him smile in weeks, unless when he's sneaking a look outside."

Grimsby snapped his fingers. "That is my point precisely. And that being said, I am going to go in and have a word with her majesty."

Before Carlotta could object, Grimsby disappeared and she hoped that everything would be all right and that her friend would still be employed at the palace when he returned. Grimsby found himself in the Queen's sitting room, surrounded by silence. The room was similar to the hallways leading to it: dark and dismal. In the distance, Grimsby could hear the soft sound of crying and turned his head to the corner of the room where he saw the Queen collapsed on one of the couches in the room, her face hidden as to not let anyone see her tears.

"Majesty," he said, making himself known.

"I told Carlotta I wanted to be left alone," the Queen answered. "Leave me be."

Grimsby stood his ground. He was not leaving until he had a word with the Queen and that is just what he intended on doing. His hands behind his back, the man walked forward. Angered that her wish to be lone was not honored, the Queen turned toward Grimsby and stood.

"I told you, I wish to be alone and I expect my wish to be obeyed," she said, her voice rising.

"I am afraid that until I can have a word with your Majesty that I cannot leave," Grimsby stated.

"Then you shall deal with consequences, if you cannot follow simple orders."

Without looking at the Queen, Grimsby made his way to the window and drew back the curtains. It overlooked the beach and one could spend hours sitting and watching the waves roll by. A sense of calm washed over him and Grimsby knew that this is what Eric must feel when he sat by his window in his room or in the study. Letting out a little laugh, Grimsby thought of how every window had almost a perfect view of the ocean. How the Queen got away with not looking out and seeing the sea was beyond him, but it was the reason she kept the curtains drawn.

"I remember when his Majesty used to stand here," Grimsby said. "He said the sight of the sea brought him peace."

"Don't you dare speak of my husband!"

"Majesty, you were not the only one who loved him and certainly not the only one who lost him." Turning away from the window, Grimsby gave a weak smile. "I don't mean to sound rude or blunt, but I fear that is the only way to get across to you anymore. This life you have chosen to live has done nothing but taken you into a deeper sorrow. You need to let light back into the darkness."

"There is no light, Grim, only darkness. I shall never have light again."

Carlotta stood outside the Queen's chamber, her ear on the door as she tried to listen in on the conversation. She was always the one for gossip, but what Grimsby spoke of concerned the palace staff and that included herself and she felt she had a right no know what was going on. The voices were muffled, but she could hear Grimsby's kind yet firm tone and the Queen's angered sobs.

What was going on in there, she thought.

Eric wondered the same thing. He had tried to be patient and wait for Grimsby's return, but as he stared at the sea he had begun to call him. After making sure that no one was in sight, Eric left his room and made his way through the palace. The grand staircase was just past his mother's wing of the house and he stopped when he saw Carlotta at her door. Throughout the last year, Eric has sat on the first step of the staircase and watched his mother's door, wishing she would come out to see him. Seeing Carlotta made him curious as to what was going on behind the door and if that was where Grimsby had gone, but with no one around to pay him any attention, Eric planned to escape.

Silently making his way down the stairs, Eric passed the servants with ease. If anyone asked what he was doing or where he was going, he simply replied that he was just walking about the palace since he had finished with his studies. Of course, the servants would never question the young prince, so the boy had no trouble walking to his destination.

In the palace kitchen, there was a small set of stairs that led to a vegetable garden outside. Entering the room, Eric looked around for the chef, but found him nowhere. Nearing the door, Eric reaching for the handle, but was stopped when he felt a shadow loom over him. Turning, he faced the chef and cowered, thinking he had been caught.

"Wat iz zhis?"

"Chef Louie," Eric managed to say. "I was just going out for a moment. I wanted to…to pick a flower for my mother. I thought it might cheer her up a bit."

Louie smiled. "Zhen you are going in zeh wrong direction, little prince. Zeh garden iz out zhat door."

Eric looked to where Louie had pointed and tried not to laugh at the chef's accent. He left out a sigh of relief when he realized that he was still good to go outside. Nodding, Eric backed away from the stairs and door and moved toward the other. Louie raised an eyebrow as he watched the prince leave. Though he wasn't supposed to, Louie knew why the boy was leaving and knew that he wasn't going out to get a flower. But, he hadn't the heart to keep Eric indoors and left him go.

Upstairs, Grimsby and the Queen were oblivious to what Eric was up to as they argued. Grimsby told the Queen his feelings about being kept inside and how it wasn't good for anyone, especially Eric. The Queen grew defensive on how to raise her child, but Grimsby went on to say that if anyone were raising the boy it was himself.

"You dare talk to me that way!" the Queen shouted. "He is my son and I shall have him do as I please. If I want him indoors then he will stay indoors. You do not understand, Grimsby, you are not a parent."

"But I was a young boy," he replied. "And I knew the King when he was a child and Eric is just like his father. You can't keep him locked indoors forever. The call of the sea is tempting and he will answer it like any sailor would."

Fuming, the Queen turned away from Grimsby and went to her couch. It sat before the window and she was almost blinded by the sunlight. Shielding her eyes, the Queen had forgotten what light was, her life having been lived in darkness. Gathering her courage, the Queen looked out the window. She saw the beach not to far off and when the sun danced on the waves she thought it beautiful. The little garden below her window was full of blooming flowers and the grass was an emerald shade of green.

Her mind filled with memories of walking along the shore with her husband and watching him play with their son in the sand. Seeing her little garden, the Queen remembered when Eric was younger how he used to play among the flowers and pick the prettiest ones for her. She could almost see him in the garden now, thought he did not look as young as she remembered. Blinking, her vision of him did not leave and she realized that he really was outside in the garden.

"Majesty?" Grimsby called. The Queen had been silent for some time and the man was beginning to worry if he had gone too far. "I am sorry about what I have said. I am very sure that the servants will not leave, and there is nothing wrong with you wanting your son safe. Only, I hope you do heed what I have said…Majesty?"

The Queen was lost in thought as she watched her son. He had left the garden and was walking toward the beach. There, she could see a few sailors from her husband's crew and they greeted the child warmly, having not seen him in so long. They picked him up, ruffled his hair and teased him. Watching, the Queen's heart skipped a beat as she saw something she hadn't see: a smile.

Eric was smiling.

Not only was he smiling, he was laughing. Those were two things the Queen had almost forgotten how to do. It was then that she realized that Grimsby was right. She had been so consumed with her own grief, that she had forgotten about everyone else, including her son. By her orders, he son was to remain indoors and to stay as far away from the ocean as possible. But there he was, on the beach. Though the Queen might have been scared, she knew her son was with the sailors and that they would never let any harm befall her son. And that was all Eric wanted: to go outside.

And if Eric could be happy again, then perhaps maybe the Queen could be happy again too. Turning to Grimsby, the Queen let a few tears fall. "I am the one who should be apologizing."

Grimsby stared at the Queen. Perhaps he had gotten through to her? "Pardon?"

"You were right in saying that Eric is like his father. Cunning little fellow, he managed to escape while you and I spoke."

His eyes grew wide. "You mean he's gone out…Majesty, I had no intention of letting him-"

The Queen held up her hand to silence him. "But you were also right in telling me that I cannot keep him inside forever and that I need to let the light back in. I will tell you, it will not be easy for me, but I shall try."

Grimsby smiled. "Of course, Majesty."

Turning back to the window, the Queen eye's searched for Eric, yet she could not find him. At first, she grew afraid and she opened her mouth to tell Grimsby, but there was a knock at her door.

"Mother?"

Eric slowly entered the room and went to his mother's side. She sighed, knowing that he was all right and knelt before him. "What is it sweetheart?"

Holding out his hand, Eric handed his mother a small bouquet of flowers from the garden. Tears forming in her eyes, the Queen smiled for the first time since the death of her husband. Trying her best not to harm the flowers, the Queen drew Eric into a hug and held him tight.

Grimsby turned and walked to the door and held it open as he stepped outside. There Carlotta stood with her apron at her eyes as she dried her tears. With a smile, Grimsby patted her arm and closed the door.

"Perhaps now, they are finally free of their sorrow."