"Only Eric, the page boy, knew what was wrong. Night after night, he tossed in his bed, thinking of the stilts lying deep underground. "
The deceit that Eric has committed against his king is keeping him up at night and taking over his life. The fact that he is at a fight within himself puts him at a contrasting image to Lord Droon, who probably would not lose sleep over his actions. This suggests that inherently, Eric is not a malicious person and when he defies Lord Droon and returns the stilts, this only confirms his good nature.
"Up onto the stilts sprang Birtram, the King. He drew a great Kingly breath – the first one in weeks. His head shot up high; his chest broadened wide. Birtram of Binn was sturdy, straight and strong again, and every inch a King."
This image of the King portrays a highly impressive individual. It is not surprise that the people of the kingdom look up to him as much as they do. The use of the stilts only make the King more impressive to both Eric and the reader. The fact that he was not able to draw breath "for weeks" without his stilts stresses the importance of them in his life.
