Erica

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Erica's fragile heart dropped when her teary eyes came into contact with her brother's broad form. 

Her brief moment of forgetting all her pain and heartache while she sang was immediately lost as she was brought back to her harsh reality. 

Seeing her brother while she sat behind bars surprisingly was less frightening to her than when she had last encountered the man. Perhaps her doomed fated dimmed her fear. 

"Erica..." The young commander called out again as he stepped closer to her cell.

"Walter." She acknowledged him, her voice soft and almost faint. 

Walters's eyes were wide as he took in the scene before him. Erica could tell that he had a million questions but was failing to find a way to ask them.

She warily eyed the man slightly suspicious of his intentions. 

"I - You - ..." Walter took a deep breath, " I have been looking for you. I can't believe that you are here right in front of me and your voice... You aren't mute." His eyes were gentle and relieved.

Erica just stared at him. 

She did not trust this man one bit who stood before her. 

"I... I am so sorry for..." He looked down ashamed, " For forgetting you." 

His apology surprised her. She had not expected it. She had almost wanted to cry.

"Then why..."She tried to make her words come out strong but choked back a sob, "why did you do it...?" 

She wanted answers, she at least deserved that much. 

Walter watched her carefully as if she were to disappear if he blinked too hard. There was something unspoken under her words. 

He had hurt her some other way than just forgetting her. This pained him as he did not know what he had done.

"What did I do?" He was almost afraid to ask, fearing her answer.

"You... Don't know?" Erica tilted her head slightly in disbelief.

"Whatever it was, I am so sorry. It has never been my intention to ever hurt you." He desperately apologised almost panicked. 

Erica looked away letting a sad smile form on her lips, "It does not matter anymore. It was a long time ago..."

Walter did not like her answer. Her smile upset him or rather the way she was acting upset him. He wanted her to scream at him, to lash out and tell him that she had never wanted to see him again.

"Erica, please... Tell me." His voice was strained.

She looked back at him, the sad smile still donning her lips, "What does it matter? I am to be executed any moment now. The family will finally be free of me..." 

Walter had been too consumed in seeing her again that he had almost completely forgotten about the whole reason why his little sister was locked up - why he was able to see her again. 

"Why did you do it?" His eyes were widened in disbelief. 

He could not believe that this gentle girl before him would try to assassinate the King - one of his dearest friends. 

"Would you believe me if I told you that I was only trying to save Ric- the King's life?" Erica pulled her knees to her chest and looked out the small, barred window.

"What do you mean?" 

"I did not do it." She buried her head resting her forehead on her knees, "It was an allergic reaction..."