As the boat lined up with the dock, Richard didn't wait for it to stop as he leapt off onto the pier. Head spinning he held onto a post keeled over burping a couple times.

"Do you even have anything left inside draggy?" Chuckled the captain as he secured the boat. Richard gave him a finger in response. "Now no need to be rude. I am paying you after all and considering you spent the entire trip with your head over the side rather than fishing you should be thanking me."

Richard turned to face the captain as his balance slowly came back to him. "Sorry I'm just… I'm not used to water. Is the ground moving still?"

The captain laughed again. "Seems like the ocean really has taken you down. Come on lad let's get you sorted". The captain wrapped one of Richard's arms around their shoulders and helped him down the pier. There was a small Inn at the docks that had a number of tables outside that the captain took him too.

"You give yourself a moment to recover" the captain said as he lowered Richard into a chair and gave him a bag of coins. "I would suggest you find yourself another job. You're no use to me being sick constantly."

"Sorry" mumbled Richard, "and err… Thanks"

The captain patted his shoulder, "Don't mention it lad". The captain then strolled off to his ship leaving Richard alone.

Richard opened the bag of coins and counted up what he had. It wasn't much. Enough to pay the innkeeper for another two nights if that. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. He had hoped for more but he didn't exactly do much work so it's to be expected really.

"So how was the boat?" Through his fingers he saw Harold. "Or was that a silly question?"

Richard sighed, "Things didn't go to plan. I'm gonna have to find something else. Where's Jessica?" Harold pointed to the bar as she sat down.

"She's getting us some food and after that day on the boat I think you need it". Richard just grunted which ended with a hiccup. "Richard, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Richard replied confused.

"Working. You know if you just said you were a knight then…"

"Don't say that so loud"

"Why not? You wouldn't need to do this. You could get a free room, food and some new armour." Richard didn't say anything because Harold had a point and the temptation was there. He wouldn't have gone on that bloody boat if he had just said he was a knight earlier and would've gotten a decent meal to boot but he couldn't bring himself too for a number of reasons.

"I don't like throwing my title around. These people around us, they don't get the privilege like we do."

"I know that"

"No you don't", Richard said sternly "If you did you wouldn't have said that"

Harold's eyes went wide. "Do you know who you are talking to?"

"I'm talking to a child that doesn't understand how the world works"

Harold banged his first on the table. "You are talking to an heir of the gallant Kingdom."

"Last I checked that Kingdom doesn't exist leaving you an heir to nothing so throwing your title around is going to get you nowhere". Instantly Richard regretted saying that. He went too far. "I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

"Shut up", Harold cried "At least you still have a title". He placed his head in his hands and started sobbing. Richard went over and knelt beside him, placing an arm over his shoulders.

"I know you're hurting and I can't imagine what it's like to lose your kingdom but I do know what it's like to lose a parent". Harold turned to Richard, his eyes wet. "My mother. She was ill. Very ill. With every passing day I saw her get weaker as the life in her was taken away. She wasn't the same mother I knew at the end. Her beautiful blonde hair withered away and she couldn't sing or hike anymore. In the end she didn't even have the energy to leave her bed and one day I came in to find her… well I think you can guess".

Richard said nothing for a moment as the memories flooded back. Him screaming for her to wake up. The doctors and nurses swarming her bed pushing him away. The curtains closing in around her as he saw her for the last time.

"I never knew my mum," Harold said, snapping Richard back to reality. "She died not long after I was born. Dad never liked talking about her. Too painful I think. All I know about her is from what Jessica told me but she can't remember much. At least I have her still"

Richard patted Harold on the shoulder, "And that's the most important thing. You can't bring your father back but you will have your sister and eventually you'll be with your brother too. You can then build from that."

"But how? My dad was part of my life and now he's gone. It's like there's a great big hole in me now." Harold took a few deep breaths. "How do I fill it?"

Richard was silent for a long time trying to find an answer. In the end he told Harold the truth. "You can't. You just get better at learning to live with it."

Harold said nothing and for a few moments did nothing. Eventually he wrapped his arms around Richard's neck and cried softly into his shoulder. Richard held him there and remained quiet allowing Harold to cry it out.

After several minutes Harold let go, wiping his eyes. "You ok?" Richard asked.

"Yes" Harold responded, which was a lie and Richard knew that but he didn't push it because he remembered when he was like this talking about it more just hurt more and there's only so much pain a heart can take in a day. He went back to his chair and placed the money back in a bag as Jessica arrived with some cooked vegetables.

"It's not much but it's better than nothing. Did you get paid much?" Jessica said as she sat down.

"I'll have to find something else. The sea doesn't like me" Richard replied as they tucked into their food as the sun began to set over the ocean.

"That's such a beautiful view. Way better than what we had at home." Jessica said.

"I don't know Jess," Harold responded, "I think the snow in the fields was more magical."

"Yeah but that was only once a year but everyday"

"I still think it was better"

The two kids continued talking as Richard quietly watched the sun set. Hearing them talk about their home made him think about his. Lady Chiron would expect his return soon. He should really make his way back to her but not for now. He had a much more important task to complete first.

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No commission this time as real life finances take priority.

You can thank  enigma530 for checking for spelling, grammar and providing the title as my mind was a complete blank.