Soon after Hatmen's attack Richard started to grow weaker, at first he ignored it but eventually his servants and Fredrika noticed that he wasn't well. His hands were constantly shaking and he was sweating, dark rings appeared around his eyes and at some points he lost his balance.

- It's just the lack of good night's sleep, he distained but Fredrika wasn't easy to be tricked.

She knew that something was wrong with her friend and she felt offended that he didn't want to tell the truth to her.

Doctor Smithson, the royal physician mixed curative potions to him and they did ease up Richard's symptoms but they always came back.

Richard lessened his visits to Fredrika, he always accused the matters of the kingdom they needed his attention now more intensively. Until on one fateful winter's morning he wasn't waiting for her in his regular spot. This was now serious, she thought. The entire day at school was like living Hell to her since she had no idea what had happened to Richard.

Finally when she was being set free from the class she biked strait to the empty house and when she was sure that no one saw her she entered. The house was silent and it smelled about mildew. All the windows were broken and winds had made small piles of snow onto the floor. She heard no reply when she called out of Richard name. She climbed to the second floor where Richard usually spent his nights but he wasn't there either.

She entered to his small bedchamber which was as empty as the rest of the house's chambers.

Wooden floor creaked threateningly under her feet when she walked on it. The mildew had eaten away most of the wood's strength and it would only be a matter of time when the floor would collapse.

Then she saw that same little golden key on the floor.

She took it up and concealed it inside of her fist, this was her guide to Richard.

Fredrika biked back to home with lightning speed, there was no time to waste.

As soon as she entered to her room she closed the door and took the key from her pocket.

She looked at it and said aloud:

- Please my dear key show me the way to my beloved king.

Suddenly the key started to glow and the familiar room around Fredrika disappeared.

Moment later she found herself from Richard's castle which was now full of life. Servants were running back and forth through the castle's corridors with such of hurry that they hardly even noticed Fredrika.

- What is this fuzz about, she asked but no one had time to answer.

She fought her way through the running masses to the king's chamber which was crowded with people.

Some of them were servants but quite many of them were doctors.

They seemed to be debating about something when Fredrika entered to the chamber.

- Hey! What is going on, she cried over the noise.

All the men turned their faces at her and suddenly one of them told to a servant to take her away from bothering the king.

- I'm sorry my lady but the king doesn't want to see you, the servant said tonelessly and tried to escort Fredrika out from the chamber.

- What is this madness, Fredrika shouted and avoided the servant's reaching hands.

She pushed herself through the thick wall of black robed doctors to the royal bed and then she saw Richard.

His pale skin was now gray and sweaty and the rings around his eyes had grown darker, almost black.

His eyes looked feverish and when he saw Fredrika he lifted up his shaking hand and tried to hide his face.

- Come with me missy, can't you see that the King doesn't want to see you, the servant continued and started to drag Fredrika away.

- RICHARD! RICHARD PLEASE LOOK AT ME, she cried when she was being taken away.

The servant pushed Fredrika back to the corridor and shut the door.

Fredrika didn't want to believe what she had just witnessed. Richard was now very sick and he didn't wish her to see himself. Situation was now extremely serious and Fredrika banged the door with her fists.

- RICHARD! RICHARD! PLEASE LET ME IN!

No one opened the door and eventually she had to give up, they wouldn't let her to see him.

Her best friend was fading away and there was nothing which she could do to help him.

Fredrika slumped to the floor and let her tears run freely.

Suddenly she felt a light touch on her side and she looked to see what had touched her.

- I know how you feel, they won't let me in either, said a tiny hairy troll.

This troll was called Cyf, he was one of Richard's several protégés whom were living in his castle.

Cyf had been an orphan and when he had seen the kindness in King Richard's heart he had decided to follow him until he was being taken to the court as a king's protégé.

Fredrika saw from Cyf's big brown eyes that also he had been crying.

It felt wrong that a man of so many good causes was suffering like this, he didn't deserve this.

The entire palace seemed to be in chaos when Richard was so seriously sick, he was the power behind the peace of the kingdom. And now when he was struggling for his life all his subjects felt that even the firm ground under their feet was trembling. Without of the King there was nothing.

Fredrika took Cyf into her lap and they comforted each other.

- I wish we could do something, she muttered with broken voice.

Then suddenly Cyf lifted up his gaze.

- There might be away!

- Yes?!

- Perhaps we could summon Peran.

- Who is Peran?

- She is an ancient goddess of healers and life. Perhaps if we would give her an offering she would appear and listen to our request, Cyf told with enthusiastically.

Fredrika wasn't quite sure about Cyf's suggestion.

- Are you sure that's a good idea, I must confess that I'm little bit unsecure concerning about the fairy realm.

- I belong to the fairy realm, trust in me nothing bad will happen when we'll show our respect and humility to the high spirits of nature.

Fredrika thought for while for Cyf's words but since no one else seemed to have a better idea she agreed.

Then the doors of the King's chamber opened and the doctors walked out.

They were still arguing since Richard's sickness was totally stranger to them.

Last one who walked out from the chamber was Doctor Smithson, he seemed to be tired and bare hopelessness was showing in his eyes.

He was an old man with white hair and beard but he was greatly respected and Richard trusted on him. He had helped all the royal children into the world and his medicines had always managed to cure any kind of illness until now.

He looked at Fredrika and Cyf and shook his head.

- My good Doctor what is wrong with our dear King, although I'm not in that kind of station that I could order you to tell but please tell us poor souls, Fredrika asked.

Doctor Smithson made a long sigh and asked them to walk with him.

- I have never seen such of sickness before but I remember that have read from old chronicles about this sickness. It hasn't bothered anyone for centuries but now for some strange reason it had possessed our King.

Fredrika swallowed, she felt a sharp sting of guiltiness in her heart when she remembered the attack of the Hatmen. It had been her fault that Richard had exposed to their black spells of evil and now he was slowly fading away.

- Does this sickness have a name, asked Cyf.

- Doctors before me called this kind of illness as "poisonous blood" I suppose that term comes from the unhealthy color of the patient's blood. I made a bleeding to the King and when his blood flowed to the silvery cup I saw that it was unnaturally dark almost black, Doctor Smithson replied with heavy heart.

Then he stopped and opened his laboratory's door.

- Now if you excuse me I'll retire to my chamber to solve this problem, I'll later on consult with my colleagues so let not your minds be troubled, the King is in good hands, he said perhaps to convince more himself that Fredrika and Cyf.

- Richard doesn't have much of time left, I know it what matter the Doctors might say, Cyf tonelessly.

- Perhaps you are right, they seem to fight as blind.

- We must help him.

- Yes, do you know how to summon this goddess Peran?

- Yes I do.

- What we are waiting for then?!