Eric was soon to turn five years old, and his parents Lady Ellara and Lord Alaric decided it was time to start properly educating their only son. They wanted to equip him with knowledge vital for his future role, while his young mind was still eager and receptive.
Lady Ellara focused on scholastic lessons to build Eric's academic foundation. She cultivated his mastery of languages, reading, writing, and basic arithmetic skills.
Eric learned to recite the Emberhart family tree from memory, going back many generations. Lady Ellara wove colorful tales of famous ancestors and heroes of the realm to bring history lessons alive for the restless boy. Eric sat enraptured by accounts of Sir Balorian the Brave standing alone against an army of griffons, or Sorceress Isyllt defending the kingdom from fiendish magical attacks. He absorbed the stories like a sponge, imagination soaring.
When it came time to practice his letters, Eric diligently copied his own name in increasingly neat and elegant script on parchment with ink and quill. His brows would furrow in concentration, tongue poking from the corner of his mouth as he focused on proper strokes and spacing.
For arithmetic lessons, Lady Ellara started with simple, tangible concepts like counting acorns or chestnuts gathered from around the estate, adding and subtracting them in different combinations. Eric preferred this over paperwork, happily counting out small piles of nuts on the nursery room floor while Shadow pounced and nibbled at them playfully.
Lord Alaric believed lessons should extend beyond the nursery walls. He focused more on imparting real-world skills by bringing Eric along on outdoor excursions. As they rode on horseback through forests and farmlands, he taught his son how to spot trail markers, identify animal tracks, and determine the time by reading the sun's position in the sky.
He showed Eric which wild roots and berries were safe to eat, how to find fresh water, and how to construct simple shelters from the land. "One day all this will be your responsibility to watch over and protect," Alaric would remind his son. "You must know it as well as your own name." Eric listened closely and mimicked his father's demonstrations, feeling very mature and responsible.
During their outings, Shadow was never far behind, trotting after Eric or riding happily perched in front of him on the pony's back. The loyal hound served as both playmate and protector. When Eric grew bored or restless with his lessons, Shadow tempted him into a spirited stick-throwing game or slyly distracted the adults with his silly antics until the boy collapsed into giggles. But he also kept watch for any dangers that strayed too near.
At night, Lady Ellara had Eric recite important information to commit to memory, like all family members' names and birthdays, dates of historical events, the castle's floorplan. "You must hold certain things here," she said, touching his temple, "so you will always remember who you are and where you come from." Eric took his nightly recitations very seriously, sharing what he learned that day with his attentive canine audience.
Though still a child who loved games, exploration and playtime with his puppy, Eric appreciated the significance of his early lessons. With focus and diligence, he applied himself to learn all he could from his parents. Their wisdom would light the path ahead.
One day all of this knowledge would help Eric take his place as a strong, brave and compassionate leader deserving of the Emberhart name. But for now, he remained an innocent boy, nurtured in a home filled with devoted guidance, warmth and unconditional love.