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

"So.. Do you know who it is?!" She asked and walked closer to Jim, but stood a bit away so that she wouldn't be in the way when they worked.
"If you think I know the person, you have to tell me.."

He looked at her over his shoulder while cleaning, the grin still in place like everyhting was wonderful in the world.
"There's a big chance you do, but I'll let you know when I know for sure it is."
He went back to cleaning. "So Eric, what next?"

Eric took some other stuff, paying close attention to their conversation... If Jim said or suggested anything that could compromise this friendship with Odette, the boy was dead... Eric didn't care of what the boy was capable of... He looked up to the boy and then around, ''clean the stall by the left, and then come to me that I'll teach you some of the tools you'll use on the horses''

Cinderella frowned sadly and crossed her arms over her chest gently. She stood next to Eric and glanced at him carefully
"How aweful, don't you think?!" She asked
"Maybe we should keep out from the forest.. It doesn't seem safe.."

(should I be scared that my friendship with Eric is that important? o-o)

"Oh you shouldn't worry Cindy. Eric here knows how to handle those kind of people, don't ya buddy?" Jim said brightly and patted Eric on the shoulder. "Like that night you and I met," he smirked, hs eyes darkening for a quick second before moving out of the stall when he finished cleaning. "Alright, on to the next~"

Eric didn't like the way Jim talked or moved around Cinderella, but he let it go and jeot his calm expression,''Yes, Cinderella... You'd be safe with me, don't worry'', he said with a reassuring smile.

''Come here, boy... I'll show you some of the tolls you'll use, and then you can go for today.'', he called Jim.

"What-- what happened the night you two met?!" Cinderella asked carefully and followed them both.
"Eric, did you get into a fight?" She asked worried and with a little gasp. Even though Cindy knew that Eric could fight, she never thought he would actually do it.

"Yeah, tell her how strong and crazy you can get!" Jim nudged Eric while he showed him what tools to use. He smiled happily at Cindy when she walked up to them and then went back to whislting.

Eric sighed deeply, ''I was drunk, and I made something stupid that night... That didn't happen again since then'', he said softly to her and showed Jim the tools he would use to shear, brush and the ones to put horseshoes.

''Come back today, and i'll show you how to put one of these'', he patted Jim's shoulder and dropped one of the horseshoe on his hands, though he was tempted on hitting his head instead.

Cinderella flackered her gaze between them worried when they spoke and frowned sadly towards Eric. But she just nodded and tried to smile a little. She hoped it was the truth and that he wasn't in any more fights after that..
"Why can't you show him now?!" She asked with a shrugg and was now calm again.
"I was thinking about going anyways since you two are duing such a good job together.."

"Yeah, I don't mind starting now either," Jim agreed. "Thank you again for giving me the job Cindy, I really appreciate it," he thanked the princess again while wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "And let em know next time you need a guide."

Eric laughed softly, ''I can't you him today because there's no need to make it at the moment'', he shook his head, ''But if you want to work some more, just hang those saddles over there'', he gestured towards a wall and gathered the tools he brought.

"It's no problem at all, I'm just glad I can help" Cindy smiled widely and tilted her head a little to the side.
"And I will, it's still a lot I haven't seen yet" She giggled before she started to move towards the exit.
"Have a great day, Jim.. And Good bye Eric.." She said with a soft smile and waved at them before she left

"See ya!" Jim waved after the princess and waited until she was out of sight before turning back around. "Alright! I'll just hang those saddles oright?" he asked and walked past Eric to do just that. "I really like her, for being a princess and all," he commented casually.

''Bye, Cinderella'', he waved softly at her, and once she was out of sight he leaned into the way and stared at Jim, ''What's your plan, cousin?'', he asked coldly, with a hint of sarcasm at his voice.

"My plan? To earn money, obviously," he said blankly while hanging up the saddles back at their place. "Why else would I be working?"
He looked over his shoulder back at the other, a michevious smirk spreading across his face. "Something worrying you cousin?"

Eric narrowed his eyes at Jim's smile, ''Why are you working here?? There are so many places into the kingdom, and I don't understand why you accepted working with me...'', he said bluntly, folding his arm on the chest.

"Cindy offerd, I accepted. And no noe inside the castle knows who I am, besides you then. And hey, maybe I just wnated to egt to know you better" he shrugged and put his hands inside his pockets. "They don't know who any of the bad guys are," he smirked. "Wonder how long it'll take for them to figure out~"

''ha, you want to know me better, I see...'', Eric mocked as he rolled his eyes. He knew the boy must be pissed for what he did with Ariel and Odette, he just didn't know why he was still breathing.

''If you don't keep this mouth shut, it won't take long enough... I believe you don't want people to know you had the pleasure to end the engagment ball'', he said calmly.

Jim just kept on grinning back as if eveyrhing was sunshine and rainbows in the world.
"Engagment ball? Can't recall being there," he said calmly, faking innocense. "If you feel like telling them I won't stop you though," he smiled and turned his abck on Eric, picking up the last saddle. "Of course, if you did that it'd mean your little secrets would come out as well. Wonder what Cindy would think?~"

Eric let a dry laugh out, ''We hold on each other on this play, I won't say a word about your little secrets and you won't say about mine, deal?'', he proposed, it wasthe only way he could find to make things work between them on this.

"Deal? There will be no deal between us," he said birghtly. "Let's just hope the other is smart enough to keep his mouth shut," he said smugly. "I'm not really that worried. If they do figure me out and arrest me, they won't have time to execute me, with the two freaks watching over everything. Can't say the same for you though."

''Whatever...'', Eric said with a small shrug, ''Let's hope you can be this smart as you said''

"I won't need too, so it all depends on you really," he grinned. "But enough of that. There, I finsihed this, guess I'll just clean the other stalls right?" he asked casually, acting as if their other conversation never took place.