"It's okay, you don't have to apologize. I mean the war changed everything around here. I-I can't even remember what the kingdom was like beforehand." She sighed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore." She sped up her pace to the dining room, grabbing only a few things to eat.

Erik quickly ate his breakfast and had a conversation with a few of the other gaurds before going back to the princesses side, his armor clanking quietly as he walks. "where shall we go today?" Erik says "we have most of the day ahead".

She ate a few pieces of fruit before she finally turned her attention back to him."Well I was gonna head out into the woods. Normally I always tried to get out and explore the place by myself. It actually reminds me of the time I escaped from the watch of my old guards."

"seems fun to get out of the castle for a bit you lead the way, you should tell me more of this story of yours. Did your father get the old grumpy gaurds Helio and Ralt to watch over you?" he asked with a little laugh.

"Ralt was one of them!" She laughed with a snort. "I will say, hiding amongst the trees and hearing those two voices swear and scream at each other, I thought I would fall off my branch from laughter." She smiled happily and said, "It's bound to be fun, I promise I won't run away from you this time! Just keep up!" She smirked. "Let me know whenever you're ready to go."

"im ready to go and im not going to be as strict as the other gaurds you should have the need to be free. Don't tell your dad i said that he might have me executed" Erik says with a laugh and he smiles back at her "Oh ill keep up atleast ill try with this armor on." Erik says with a grin, as he follows her out of the dining hall past the other servants, gaurds, and maids in the dining hall. when they get out of ear shot of the rest Erik says" have you ever thought what id be like to not be royal and have the chance to always be free?".

"My lips are sealed, don't you worry.* She giggled. She kept walking, looking over her shoulder to make sure they were far from the castle. She took a deep breath and sighed, "I've always wondered what it would be like. Free from the castle, free to breathe and dress how I desire. Not this perfect version of myself. The window offers a view to the town and I always try to sit at the window and daydream of it. Of freedom."

"if i may ask what is your name or would you rather be called princess?, and I think alot of the lowers wish they had your place or your fathers place... some people would even kill for those spots, I am not one of those people though im happy where I stand, I got my own problems to deal with being king seems like alot to deal with. and being locked in the palace why must it feel like a prison so much." Erik said with a sigh"sorry for killing the happy mood if I did I didnt mean to". He sets his spear against a tree and takes off his armor and helmet, he kept his hair at a long-ish length and his blue eyes scanned the tree branches to find the easiest way up, he starts to climb but holds out his hand to the princess "ill help you up if you want." he says with a smile.

"I just realized you didn't know my name." She smiled. "Please, being called Sofia would be amazing instead of just being seen as a princess." She gazed up at him and called. "I sadly know about our politics. Hearing my father shout and argue with opponents is...a lot." She gazed up at the branch before she carefully untied her knife from her leg, setting it down on the grass before she pulled herself onto the first branch. Her dark black curls fell out of her braid, ultimately making her choose to abandon her hair tie.

"My name is Erik which you probably know since your father assigned me to gaurd you, but I dont think you need to be gaurded your strong and skilled yourself Sofia" Eriks says with a smile, Eriks climbs up the tree and looks around taking in the beauty of the woods, a butterfly catches his attention and it heads towards Sofia."it seems it likes you" he says as it lands on the back of her hand.