Well here is a new chapter for you to read, I hope it pleases you.
Sorry for lack of images.

And here is music to listening; Arwen's Song

****

Erik was the days of high fever, and did not know what happened around him. He did not know how well they taken care of him. Only much later he became aware of his surroundings and realized dimly that he was safe. He remembered the situation that had led to this, though they was flimsy, vague images, and he could hardly believe that he was saved. Nevertheless, he silently thanked God that he had given his mercy, yet another possibility, although all had seemed to be at the end.

Still, he doubted that even this wouldn't last long, for so many times he had been disappointed, so many times his life had collapsed and hope had been taken, as he had thought that all would be well. It was because of that cursed mark.
He still doesn't know how to blame Julian for this, even tough he knew, that Julian had been behind it all. He still had a lot of questions, and so many holes in the fabric of his life, which in some places was so miserable that he did not want to remember it.

So he was just stayed in place and waited for what was to come. He was afraid that this dream would be end and that he would wake up again a prisoner booth, or perhaps out of the gutter, where he had spent most of his life. He had learned to fear and learned to know disappointment, and therefore could not enjoy this level, without fear of a new disappointment.

Erik hardly dared to speak maidens and healers, which held a steady pace to see and to take care of him. The hardest thing was talking to Maria. He didn't know what to say and thought how easy it had been to talk to her other side of bars. But not now, when she was very close and he was able to touch her. Many times he just looked when she did her chores, and doesn't dared to interfere her.

Maria talked to lot to Erik and improved the time of held pillows or blanket position or check if bandages needed exchange and Erik let it to happen. He dared not prevent any of Maria
Although the quality of life now seemed considerably improved, Erik could not enjoy it, especially when the nightmares plagued him constantly, and one of them was one that he had seen a young age.

***

The room was softly lit and he hear soft humming borne near. Erik knew that voice, but didn't know who it belonged to. He tried to see the source of the sound, but didn't succeed, and almost in the same atmosphere and the light changed. It got dark and heavy-handed hands grabbed hold of him.
He tried to wriggle free, but could not, the other one was much stronger than him.

Erik knew that he was taken to somewhere in and around the he heard steps, and the promptings of the metallic clang when the heavy iron door was opened and closed. He didn't understand where he was taken to and why, until I heard a buzzing sound and crackling, and the sound from the bars, which fell at regular intervals. He turned his head and saw a glowing hearth and flames leimahtelua between red-hot firebrand. Someone rolled in something, which soon raised up.

That someone was approaching a long metal object in his hand, one end of which glowed redder than the firebrand of the crucible. Erik could feel the heat that it glows on it and cried out in fear. He could not move, and someone was holding tightly onto his left hand in place. Then, quite suddenly, he felt a pain that has not yet been remembered ever experienced. It burned and sting, and he could smell of his own burning flesh.

Scream of horror erupted from his lips and he woke up. Sweat droplets roll down his face, mixed with tears that rolled down his cheeks. Chest heave his passionate breath and he found himself holding onto his left hand, as the fire was still burning it, as that bad luck mark would have been still fresh.

The new cry erupted between his lips and he threw the blanket aside. In panic, he rose from the bed and collapsed on the floor, as the broken leg has not yet been holding his weight. Another subdued cry erupted from his lips and soon faded into long sobs when he realized that he was safe. There he squat on the floor and wept violently, as the dream had been so real and horror it had brought didn't seemed to go away as usual.

From across the room he heard steps that approached, and as soon as the door was opened. Erik was preparing to escape, as he had been used to do all his life. He tried to move, but the splinted leg was not working and he looked terrified of what would happen to him. Although the voice of reason was trying to say that there was nothing to be afraid, that he no longer evicted out, yet the fear and horror blurred completely rational thinking. He wanted to run, wanted to get somewhere in a corner, which he would be safe. He was like a wild animal locked in a cage, who wanted to break free, but the bars weren't around him, but inside him.

Erik looked up at last saw Maria, who looked back with sadness. Behind her stood a beautiful woman with a golden crown on her locks and sad expression to her beautiful face. Inadvertent desperate squeak escaped out a from Erik's lips, and he instinctively pulled away, like he was fearing to beat up again, although part of man's rational mind still tried to say that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Oh, Erik." Maria said sadly, and ran to help the man back to bed. "You should not even get up from the bed." He added gently to push the blanket on top of Erik's, when it was received this back on the bed.
Erik breathed still violently, but gradually began to settle down, Maria hustle and near the to put the bedclothes back to where they had almost fallen down when Erik was juped of bed.
"I saw ... saw... "Erik started intermittently, but received sentence the end, but weighed his head sobbing, in his hands.
"It was just a dream." Maria tried to appease and sipaisi ringlet down Erik's face.
"No." Erik sighed and looked somewhere over Maria. "I saw when I got this." He added, raising his hand to the left upper arm, where that shameful mark still were. With tears flowing down his cheeks, he pressed his face in his hands.
Maria would have liked to do more of Erik's good, but not dared because the presence of the Queen.

The queen walked over to bed and sat down on the edge of it, gently stroking Erik's hair and began to hum a song which Erik remembered from his dream. He knew that voice, and lifted his face up to his hands and looked at the Queen, whose beautiful face were serene, gentle expression and sad look in her eyes. Confused, he noticed that the Queen's eyes were the exactly same shape the same color as his own eyes.

"You..." Erik started Erik started but words stifled to nothing and doubt tried again to lift it's head, but he silenced it, because he wanted to believe that perhaps he would have a family here, perhaps even these noble, proud people.
"Yes, my dear son." The Queen said with a gentle voice and a bright tear roll on her cheek. Gently she stroked Erik's right front elbow where that royal birthmark were.
"Mother." Erik said quietly, looking dazed woman.

He didn't remember her much, and had not seen her since early childhood, which he had little memories, just a flimsy dream-like snippets here and there.
"Mother." He repeated again and embraced that woman, who had for so long been away from his life and whom life he had been away.

"My son." Queen gasped and replied Erik's embrace. In it, they both embraced each other and cried.

Erik felt good light floral bouquet to his nose which he remembered, too, but it was so very distant memory of a time when he had been a happy normal baby. A time when his life hadn't yet been taken from him. All the feelings that he had kept inside him whole his life, seek out now, and he realized how much he had been missed. Although he would have been entitled had he not still been able to hate Julian, to that power hungry counselor.

"You've grown a fine man. Yes I've heard of Brother Ignatius." The queen said softly, looking with a smile Erikiä.

"I do not know." Erik said, modestly and nervously fingered the edge of the blanket and felt his cheeks flushed.

He wanted to ask about many things, wanted to talk, but didn't know anything to say, now, when he saw his mother. With his father, he had not yet talked to, he had mostly been a dream, or a high fever when he went to see him.

"I wish that you rest now. We have time to talk to many more times." The Queen said, as would have read Erik's thoughts.
"All right.. .mother", Erik said, it would take a long time, that he get used to that word, and learn to know his real parents.

The tears rolled on Maria's cheeks, for that emotional storm also affected her, too. She was standing a little further away, smiled and cried at the same time. She was happy to Erik's behalf, but she knew that this was the son of the king, and the king's sons don't married maids.

Maria was going to leave the room, when she heard her name to be called.

"Maria, do not go away", Erik asked and looked at the maiden, so that her cheeks began to glow red, "you were my light and my hope, when I was trapped in that dark hellhole", Erik went and got the blush deepen to Maria's cheeks.
"How about that one." Maria said shyly and nervously fingered the apron hem.
"Mother, I know that one day I should take spouse royal maiden worthy of me, but I don't think I could find anyone else like Maria", Erik said, looking at first Maria, and then the Queen.
"What ever you want, my dear son", Queen said with a smile and kissed Erik's forehead.
"Thank you", Erik sighed and looked happy .at Maria.
"Erik I just want you to be happy, because you're already suffered so much, it is about time, that the sun is shining on the path of your life", Queen said, and smiled warmly, "maybe I'll leave you two alone now", she went knowing smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

After the Queen had left the room, Maria ran to Erik cheeks still glowing red.
"Oh, do you really want to marry me?" Maria asked, because she couldn't believe her ears.
"Yes, I do", Erik said, and watched happily Maria's beautiful face.
He really meant what He said, because he had never felt anything like this to against any others.
"Oh, Erik", Maria sighed happily and almost accidentally their lips met. Erik felt how soft Maria's lips were and how they tasted strawberries and summer.

He just be stunned that feeling, but common sense still acted and he knew not to go further, because it would not have been appropriate. He would have to wait that their union would be official.
From that day on Maria was much more often with Erik. She nursed him and soothed when he woke up screaming to his nightmares. The Queen and Brother Ignatius also visited often and Erik discussed many things with them.

The only one who had not yet gone to visit Erik, was King. However, he had responsibilities as King, but he still doesn't know how to deal with the matter, although already knew how things really were, the main reason would be the fact that he didn't know what to say to his son, which he wasn't seen since when he was a small baby.