"Insert a superduper awesome titel here" [Tag Eric- and Jim later]

Cindy walked towards the stalls with her back straight and her hands clasped together, but as soon she was out of sight from the guards and other workers, she took a deep breath and relaxed. She knew that she wouldn't had to act like a princess around Eric- which she really enjoyed. It was soon noon, and she waited for Jim to arrive, but she wanted to talk to Eric first. She haven't seen him since they arrived here..
"Eric..!" She called out when she couldn't see him, and walked over to her horse and patted him on the neck gently

Eric was taking care of Spirit, the horse whinnied softly as he saw Eric walking into the stalls, ''Sorry, buddy. I know I've been abandoning you these days'', he said to the animal and patted his neck softly.
He was checking his water when he heard her voice. His eyes widened and he froze a bit. She was here, and he didn't know how to act around her, not after all happened. He took a deep breath and walked towards her.

''Hey, princess... How are you?'', he asked softly.

"Hey, Stableboy.." She said teasingly with a little laugh before she patted her horse a last time and walked towards him as well.
"I'm fine.. You? I haven't seen you for a while.. What have you been up to?"

Eric chuckled softly and smiled shyly towards her, ''Glad to hear that'', he said as he folded his arms on his chest.

''Well, I've found my father... And what have you done so far?'', he asked with a grin.

"You-- You found your father?" Cinderella asked suprised before she started to smile widely.
"Aw, Eric.. I'm so happy for you" She said and gave him a quick hug.
"How was he? When will I meet him? I really want to meet him"

Eric smiled shyly when she hugged him. ''Yes, I've found him'', he said quietly and rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't sure he should tell her the truth, he was worried that it could make her in danger somehow, or that she wouldn't like him anymore when she heard the truth, ''Well, he's nice, very sternly... Hmmm, I let you know when you can meet him, he travels a lot'', he chuckled.

"Oh.. Well, invite him for lunch next time you sees him.." She said, still with a wide smile. She was so happy that Eric had finally found him, it must feel amazing.
"And I-- haven't done so much actually. Yesterday was the first time I was outside the castle.. I met a young man, and he will start working here today" Cindy said proudly, but remembered that she wasn't allowed to say Jim's name.
"I thought that maybe you could teach him what to do? He'll be working with you.."

''Yes... I'll invite him'', he said with a weak smile, he couldn't imagine Joseph having a lunch with him.
''You went out? Without me?? I'm sad that I've missed this little excursion'', he said with a small pout, but then he got serious as she said about hiring somebody to work with him, ''Well, this young man will be the first I would teach'', he said with a soft smile. Perhaps if he teaches this boy well he could have more free time from the stalls, ''I would be honored to teach him the art of being a stableboy''

"I hope you two will like each other.. I think he said something about that he had met you, but I don't know really" She shrugged with a little smile.
"And then maybe you and me can take the horses out for a ride some day? I haven't seen the forest yet.. what do you say? I can be fun"

''He have met me?'', Eric frowned slightly and recalled all the young men he had seen so far. A couple of faces came in his mind, but he took it off as soon Cinderella talked about horse ridings, ''Of course, Cinderella...'', he smiled brightly, ''I've walked around and there are some nice places at the woods, like the river''

"Great, then you can show me around" Cinderella said with a wide smile before she looked around a little in the stalls. It was the first time she had been in here too.
"So do you like it here in Nirethia?.. Will you stay even after the-- wedding?!" She asked and sighed a little when she started to think about the wedding again. But she had to ask- because she already knew a few that would go back home later. But she hoped that Eric would still be here..

When Jim thoguht about it, worling at the stalls wouldn't be that boring either. Not that he was that into horuses or any animals for that matter, but it'd be a ncie change. For not to talk about exciting, and very risky. But then he could still work and earn moeny, without getting Ariel or Sarah into trouble.
He really wasn't used to the guard just letting him wlak past them without trying to arrest him, even when he knew that they had no idea who he was.
Hands in his pockets, and a contet smile on his lips, he amde hisw ay over to the stalls, seeing the two people he had been dying to meet again.
"I'm not late am I?" he asked in a cheerful tone as he appeard right beside Cindy.

''I'm staying...'', he said softly, ''I have nothing back there, and you'll need a fun friend in case your prince isn't fun enough to you'', he said with a small laughed and shoved her gently on her shoulder, ''I mean, unless you want me to go back''

His smile faded for a second when he heard his voice, but he didn't show his displeasure, ''So, you're the young man Cinderella hired yesterday?'', Eric asked with a small smirk, acting like he had never met Jim.

"of course I don't want you to go back" She giggled slightly, but smiled sadly for a moment when he said that he had nothing back there. She wanted to remind him about his mother-- but she didn't.

"Jim!" Cindy said happily when she saw her friend.
"No no, you're just in time.. Jim, this is Eric- Eric, this is Jim." She smiled and introduced them, even though Jim had said that they had met before.

"Eric, how nice to see you again," Jim said a little too happily. "Looks like I'll be in your care for a while now, good luck."
And turned back to Cindy and hugged her as a gretting. "So, when will we start? And oh, I'm still getting my reward right?" he winked at the princess. "For my services yesterday."

Eric only smiled softly at Jim, he was sure the boy was planning something, and he was surprised that he didn't kill him already.

''We could start now...'', and he frowned after, ''What happened yesterday??, he asked Cinderella.

"I agree with Eric, you can start right now" Cinderella said and smiled widely by the hug Jim gave her.
"And yes, I would never forget about that.. I hope this is enough" She laughed slightly and gave him a small pouch with money inside.
"Yesterday I sneaked out and I bumped into Jim. He showed me around in town- and I had a really great time" She shrugged and looked back at Eric.

"Thank you~" eh sang and looked inside the pouch, looking happy with the amount of money. It was more from what he expected. "Just tell me when you feel like exploring the twon more, i'm always up from some excitment," he winked.
He put away hsi reward and smiled up at Eric. "Alright then, what will you teach me first?"

Eric arched an brow, he wasn't liking this story of Jim walking with Cinderella, and he was sure the boy was planning something.
''Well, you could start cleaning Cinderella's horse stall'', he said softly and handed a shovel to the boy.

"I would like that very much.." Cinderella smiled at Jim. She had only seen the town from above, so she still had to see it from the ground too.
"And then Eric will show me the forest.. Soon I will feel like home ." She said happily and watched them two. It seemed like them got along pretty good.

"Yes sir," Jim said brightly and took the shovel Eric handed to him. "Better be careful with the woods though, alot of young girls have been raped there, someone really close to me was just recently," he warnend, glancing between the two. "So, which one is Cindy's?"

''The white one at yout left'', Eric said blankly, studying him closely. The boy was hiding something, it's the only explanation for his behave. ''Don't worry about it, Cinderella. I'll protect you from any danger'', Eric said softly as he gaze towards her. He was the one who raped those girls at the woods, and he would never do such thing with Cinderella.

"Raped?.. How horrible" Cindy gasped and looked sadly at Jim.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that.. I can't believe how anyone could do such a thing" She sighed and glanced at Eric with a little smile.
"Thank you, Eric.. It seems like you will always be there for me" Cinderella said softly.

"It's always the ones who you least except from," he said calmly, looking Cindy in the eyes before merely walking inside the stall, whislting to himself a happy melody.

Eric sighed, ''Yes, Cinderella. Jim had a point... But you know I've always protect you, always'', he said softly and walked to get some tools to teach Jim how to manage after he's done cleaning.