"Eric, darling, it's time to wake up now" cooed Carlotta, perching on the edge on the young Prince's bed and brushing his dark hair back from his face. Eric's eye's flickered open and he stared sleepily up at the maid.

"But it's still dark" said Eric, yawning and rubbing his eye's.

"I know, but your daddy's taking you into town today" said Carlotta. As if a switch had been flicked, Eric sat up and threw back the blue covers of his bed. He hopped down and stumbled on wobbly legs before dashing to his wardrobe and straining to open the heavy wooden doors.

Carlotta couldn't help but smile at his excitement. It was rare for David to take Eric anywhere, despite Eric's pleas. But David knew his job. He was a King, at not even his son came before that. From birth Eric had been confined to the palace and only been allowed outside if it was on a trip with his father. Although these trips were nothing more than a viewing of the kingdom's shipping method and banking system, Eric was still overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of going outside.

Eric's mother, Eileen, shared her husband's will to be a good ruler, and seldom spoke to Eric or even acknowledged his existence. The Queen spent most of her time being pampered, or buying new dresses to wear to the many balls that she and David attended. In truth, neither parent had been particularly keen on having a child; the only reason for having Eric was to give David an heir. In fact, Carlotta seemed more of a mother to Eric than Eileen. She would get him ready in the morning, bath him, read to him, keep him entertained and tuck him in at night; all the things that Eric's mother should be doing. In fact, it remained a mystery to Carlotta as to why Eric seemed so happy all the time. He wasn't allowed outside, he didn't have any friends his own age to play with and David had instructed that he attend eight hours of tutoring six days a week. These lessons were given by David's advisor Grimsby, who taught Eric basic skills such as reading and writing, as well as ensuring he was well informed on the neighbouring kingdoms and how to conduct himself around the nobles and dukes that often came to dinner. Despite all of this, Eric loved his parents more than anything, and often said he wanted to be exactly like David. Carlotta sighed. Eric was only three years old, and a lot was being crammed into his head already, forcing him to grow up much more quickly than most children. She wanted him to have the chance to be a child; all this talk of shipping and banking could surly wait… couldn't it?

The maid sighed again, and stripped Eric's bed of the blue sheets. As she folded them and put them in the wash basket she noticed a damp circle about a foot beneath the pillows. She turned to face the Eric, who was struggling to reach the shirts and pants that hung above him.

"Eric, do you need a bath before you get dressed" asked Carlotta. Eric turned around slowly and looked sheepishly at the maid with large blue eyes.

"I didn't mean to" he said quietly, hanging his head in shame. Carlotta smiled sweetly and knelt down in front of Eric.

"I know you didn't darling," she said, kissing his forehead, "it's not your fault, everybody your age has little accidents every now and again."

"Please don't tell daddy" whispered Eric.

"I promise I won't," said Carlotta, holding out her baby-finger and wrapping it gently around Eric's as she had done many times before. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Eric took the maids hand as she led him to the small bathroom at the end of the corridor. But she couldn't help feeling sorry for the young Prince. David had him out of nappies as soon as he could walk, way before he was ready; and David expected Eric to learn how to control his bladder much earlier than was expected for a child, scolding him every time he failed to do so.

After Eric was bathed and dressed, he ran downstairs into the dining room where his father and Grimsby were sat eating breakfast and discussing something that made no sense to Eric whatsoever. Upon seeing his son, David quietened and pierced Eric with cold black eyes. Eric smiled brightly, but it soon vanished when he saw the disapproving look on his father's face.

"You're late" he said, his voice plain and emotionless.

"Sorry father" said Eric, his voice barely even audible it was so quiet. The King merely huffed, and stood up. Grimsby stood up with him and bowed respectfully as David left the table.

"Are you ready to go" he asked, in the same monotonous voice, looking down on his son. Eric's had to look up such a long way to meet his father's gaze that it made his neck hurt, but he responded none-the-less.

"I haven't had breakfast" he said.

"You should have been here on time" said David stepping back and casting a shadow over Eric's small frame. The Prince looked down at his feet to avoid making eye contact.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you" yelled David, letting his temper get the better of him again! Eric looked up quickly, tears clouding his vision, his bottom lip trembling slightly with the effort not to cry. A much as he loved his father, it scared him the way his temper could change so quickly. But he knew the way his father reacted to him crying, so he blinked hard and swallowed his tears. The right move, David strode past Eric and walked up to the guard who would be escorting the two of them into town. When Eric didn't follow straight away, he shot his son a look that could have scared off any animal. But instead of running away, Eric rushed to his father's side and the doors to the palace swung open. Every bit of fear and sadness that Eric had felt a few moments ago vanished as he saw the hustle and bustle of the kingdom before him, the shopkeepers just beginning to set up for the day ahead. The waves crashed against the cliffs and rolled onto the sand of the beach where the fishermen were preparing to dock with the morning's catch. The sun was just beginning to rise, covering the sky in an orange blanket and causing shadows to stretch out across the ground. Nothing, Eric decided, not even his father's temper, was going to ruin today.