The Lost Prince

Chapter 2: The Escape

     Eric sat on the floor of his tiny, dark cell. It was musty, and about as big as a king sized bed. On one wall, was a door with no inside handle. On the opposite wall was a tiny, barred window barely big enough to let enough light through to illuminate his room. On the ground was a thin blanket covering a completely cement floor.
     Eric leaned against one of the walls, the soft light from the sun outside casting an eerie shadow over his face as he stares at the wall in front of him. With armor on, he looked impressive. Without it, one couldn't help but to notice how frail he looked. He was thin, and slightly underfed. They only fed him when the fight that day was impressive, and when they do, it's small portions that can barely satisfy his hunger. His sunken eyes during battle showed an fiery intensity, but alone in his cell, they were able to show the true Eric.
     Eric's blue eyes looked like broken glass. Underneath all the rage and the heat of battle, Eric was a broken man. He was thoroughly sad. He had been a slave his entire life. Tortured, beaten, and used, he knew his place in the world. He was a nobody. He had nobody. Nobody knew he existed, therefore nobody would save him.
     As Eric leaned against the wall staring at his bare feet thinking about his life, a commotion was stirred up outside his room. Quietly, he stood up and pressed his ear to the door. All he could hear were yelling, and footsteps running down the hall.
     All the sudden, his door started to open. Eric jumped back to the opposite side of the wall, trying to make it seem like he wasn't at the door.
     A figure stood in the doorway. As Eric's eyes adjusted to the light that had flooded his room, he could see that it was a girl. She was dressed in a teal shirt, looking him over with her light hazel eyes and playing with her brown hair. She stared Eric over for a minute, before calling out "I found him!"
     In a much softer tone, she says gently, "it's okay. My name is Ashley.  We're here to free you"
      Eric's heart leapt to his throat. Freedom? He couldn't imagine it. He takes a tentative step forward, before stopping and letting out a soft growl. "Why should I believe you?"
     Ashley frowned slightly, but her reaction also showed that she had been expecting this question. "Do you know about the Roman gods and goddesses?"
     "Of course I do. I also know that I am apparently decended from one." Eric retorts.
     The girl holds out her arm and shows a strange marking tattooed on her forearm. Underneath it, the letters SPQR sat, along with 2 lines. "I am the daughter of one such god. I'm here with two of my friends. We're going to take you to a safe place for the children of the gods."
     Eric ponders this for a moment. He wasn't too thrilled about going to another 'safe place.' He had been tricked before, being told he was going to a safe place, but was actually taken to another slave owner. But this girl, Ashley, seemed sincere about wanting to help him. Eric wanted to trust her so badly. He wanted to actually be leaving.
      You never know.  He thought to himself. Perhaps, this time will be different.
      Eric pursed his lips slightly. "I'll go, only if you bring me a sword and some armor."
      She smirked slightly in triumph. "How about you lead the way until we get you your weapons, then I'll lead the way?"
      Eric steps out in the hall to find his guards missing. Instead stood Ashley, another girl with brunette hair and brown eyes, and a brown haired, hazel eyed boy. Both were fully armed but seemed to pose no threat to him. Eric turns left and heads down the hallway, straight to the armory.