≫ eadrik oneshots

"So. Why are you here?"

Erik's POV
I was surprised as Eadlyn and I made our way to the ball. She was acting so strange, like she'd never seen a boy before. Not that I had much experience in the field of women. I'd never courted before, so I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act, either. Still, you'd think a pretty maiden such as herself would've had a never ending line of men trying to win her over.

"So," I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Why are you here?"

"Excuse me?" She looked up at me, her eyes suddenly fierce. I internally panicked, not sure what I'd done to upset her.

"Uh, what I meant to say was," I paused, trying hard to turn this situation around. "Are you here with anyone?"

Her face relaxed a bit, but I noticed a flash of panic flicker in her eyes. "I'm, um, no. I didn't come with anyone." She looked up at me cautiously, and when our eyes met she immediately turned away.

Strange.

"And you?" She surprised me by actually smiling.

"I came with my friend Henri," I said, letting out a small chuckle. "He had to practically drag me here."

"What, don't know how to dance?" She scrunched up her nose and poked my arm teasingly.

"I'm a wonderful dancer!" I exclaimed, an appalled look plastered onto my face. Eadlyn giggled, which made me smile like an idiot.

"Oh really?" She asked, unconvinced. "Then why oh why, dear Erik the magnificent dancer, didn't you want to come?"

I thought for a moment before making up my mind. I'd just tell her and hope she didn't get offended or tell anyone. "Well," I began. "It's kind of a long story."

Eadlyn leaned her head on my shoulder and grinned at me. "Don't worry, we've got all night."

I gulped. This girl was so beautiful, and her lovely grey eyes weren't helping anything. "Okay, I might as well tell you," I said. "It all started when I was still a child. My father owned a small shop on the outskirts of town, where he sold wood and farming supplies. One day he came home and told me and my mother that his shop was closed. He didn't have a job. We tried to pay our taxes, but every year it got harder. Father asked so many people for work, but no one was willing to pay him. Finally, he decided to go to the King and beg for mercy. We'd been told countless times that if we didn't pay our dues, father would be thrown in jail. Mother was sure that the Royal Family would help us, but she was wrong. They were too busy to talk to my father, let alone help him. He was sent to prison the next month, and my mother died not long after," I paused to wipe at a tear that had rolled down my cheek. I couldn't cry, not in front of Eadlyn. "I was thirteen years old when she died.

"It was...it was difficult. I had to learn to fend for myself, and when I was fourteen I was able to reopen my father's business. I don't know if he's still alive or not. All I know is that the Royal Family is corrupt and selfish. They only care about themselves." I could feel the anger from years of hardship rising up in the pit of my stomach. It felt like a flame, eating away at my insides and forcing it's way up.

For the first time in a long while, I remembered that I wasn't alone. I looked over at Eadlyn, hoping I hadn't scared her too much. My history wasn't very impressive, and her views on the Monarchy might've been different than mine. As I examined her reaction, I noticed how repulsed she looked. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she hated the Royal Family, too.

"Eadlyn?" I asked. "Are you alright?"

"What?" Her head snapped in my direction and I gave her a curious look.

"What's wrong, my lady?" I moved my arm around her and placed it on her waist as we walked slowly.

"Oh," she sighed. "It's just... I didn't think the Royal Family was capable of being that cruel. It's extremely unfair, what happened to you." She hung her head and sniffed. "I'm so sorry."