AN: After this chapter I am off the leash, meaning that I am no longer following the original story-line. Book 5 was not released yet when I wrote this - in fact I did write this because I was getting a little impatient ;-)
Hope you enjoy and just as a reminder: Any kind of review will be highly appreciated!
Melissa watched him walk away and disappear into his private chamber. As soon as he was out of sight, she took out the last light bomb and her dagger from beneath the furs. When she had also tied the rope to the bars as she had done the previous day, she crossed her legs and waited and wondered about the past night. It had been so weird and yet... the more she got to know this Nightmare King, the more she understood her dear friend Katherine.
She was the only one who had seemed to believe that there was more to their fearsome enemy than just plain evil. He had been a great man, a hero and a father once. There was still a spark of humanity left in him, he had admitted so himself in Punjam Hy Loo, where he had tried and failed to get rid of it. Melissa would do whatever it took to protect it.
And how am I supposed to do that? I am only a child...
She sighed but then a determent smile found its way onto her face.
It's true, I am only a child. But one that is armed and ready!
She patted her dagger gently and felt for the light-bomb inside her pocket for reassurance. At the same moment she heard a hiss from behind her. She knew instantly what it was and even though she could feel shivers running up and down her spine, she merely looked around over her shoulder. She would not show the creature how scared she was.
But then she was a bit surprised when she saw only one single fearling hovering outside her cage and it was barely bigger than her fist. She looked at it sharply as it kept hissing at her.
"You know" she whispered with a smirk. "If I didn't know what a horrible pest you are, I'd say you are almost adorable."
The creature let out an angry shriek at this impudence and kept bouncing against her cage as if it really thought it had enough power to simply break through the bars.
The girl laughed silently at the tiny fearlings stupidity, enraging it even more. But then she simply turned her back on the creature and ignored it as she heard, or rather sensed more movement below.
The angry hissing and scratching behind her stopped and she saw the tiny thing fly away to join with his comrades. Melissa tensed. They were back and there were more than she could count.
She got to her feet to get a better look. The horde of malevolent shadows swarmed around the cavern as if searching but they ignored the young prisoner. And then they suddenly turned at once, like a flock of birds and rushed for the door that would lead them right to their master. A moment later, she could hear Pitch shout out in surprise and then in terror. He had also not been asleep yet.
Instantly the girl turned around and picked up the rope and then ran for the door. She pulled out her skeleton key and unlocked it.
She hesitated for a moment when she noticed some late arrivals down below but those fearlings also quickly disappeared from sight. From the other room, she could hear the Nightmare King's muffled screams - a horrible sound that gave her goosebumps.
Once the coast was clear Melissa kicked the door of her cage open and threw the rope down. She gave it a few tugs, just to be sure it was safe to climb down but then she wrapped her fingers and legs around it and slid swiftly down to the ground. This time, she didn't hesitate but started running as soon as her feet touched solid rock.
She reached that door within seconds and slowed down. She tiptoed closer with her back pressed against the wall next to it. She could still hear sounds of struggling and distress. Her captor was still conscious but that also meant that she would have to wait a little longer. Melissa hated it, but she could not risk getting caught outside of the cage.
But only moments later it grew silent. So she took a steadying breath and dared to peek around the corner and into the room.
Pitch had entered his private chamber mere minutes ago, trying to master his own fears of going to sleep. Now that the girl was locked away, there was nothing to distract him from his anxiety. But perhaps a bit of reading would take his mind off this awful nightmare. He had salvaged a few of those fake spellbooks the old wizard had brought to him as ransom for the lives of those children.
He knew that none of the spells worked, but the books contents gave him at least a good idea, what kinds of magic the old man had at his disposal. And since he actually did have some basic knowledge of the art, he had already managed to find the errors in four or five of the simpler incantations.
For more than eight months he had hidden himself from the world, but this didn't mean that he had been idle. In fact he had been very busy after he had overcome the shock that had come with that lovely portrait inside a silver locket.
Ombric was for sure the most powerful wizard in the world, but he was not the only one. Pitch had searched and found several others. He had visited them during the night and had nicked a few of their books. They were simple by comparison, but they taught him the basics and now he was ready for more complex spells.
He had learned how to put up protective wards and spells of concealment, like the one he had erected around his observatory. Or in fact the one, he had set up around that Katherine girl.
Reading those dysfunctional spells, looking for the errors was a welcome pastime now, kind of like doing a crossword puzzle or solving a riddle. It kept his mind busy and that was just what he needed now.
So he took one of the books from the trunk he kept in his bedroom and then sat down in his comfortable armchair. He had not even read through half of the spell he had last looked at when he could feel the gathering darkness out in the main cavern and his Workshop. They were back but that was alright as long as they left his prisoner alone. The girl was probably asleep by now and would not even notice their presence.
A moment later he looked up in surprise as the darkness started to crowd into his private space.
"Hey!" he shouted angrily. "What do you think you are doing? You have no permission to enter..."
But they were all over him before he could even finish scolding them. They fell on him like a pack of ravenous wolves and he yelled at them in surprise and sudden terror. What was going on? Why wouldn't they obey? Why where they attacking him?
"Stay away! Get out of here! Curse you! Aaaahh..."
He had jumped from his chair, the book fell to the ground as he tried to defend himself but he realized instantly that he had not even the slightest chance. His own fearlings were turning on him, and they were powerful. Pitch could feel how they sucked away his strength, and he was on his knees before he even realized it.
They pressed down on him, keeping him low. Their hissing and whispering was deafening but he tried to get back to his feet even as waves of weakness rushed over him. He tried to push himself up, not willing to give up. He was their master... how did they dare?
But when his arms finally gave in and he was flat on the ground with those monsters swarming around him, feeding on him he had one last moment of clarity.
Melissa was right... she didn't lie... and I laughed at her...
And then he passed out and found himself in a familiar place. That Nightmare...
That was the moment Melissa chose to look into the room. She caught only one glimpse of Pitch. He was still struggling slightly but within moments he stopped moving.
Perfect timing.
She knew that the Nightmare King was out cold and would never know that she had left her cage. Now it was time to slay some fearlings. She knew she could trust her light-bombs now and took it from her pocket. This time, she was not afraid, only determined. She took the time to pull her sleeve over her hand to prevent getting burnt again and then felt for the tiny button on the small orb carefully.
Then she entered the room. Not slowly and stealthily but at a run and if she could have, she would have roared a battle cry.
"Stay away from him!" she hissed angrily and pressed down on the button as soon as she was within range.
The fearlings never knew what hit them. The bright, garish light made them shriek and squeal like banshees and a second later they were no more.
"In your faces!" the girl snarled silently and then took a deep breath.
When she looked down upon her captor, she sighed desperately.
Looks like he is having nightmares again... oh dear Man in the Moon, what am I supposed to do? Does he really deserve this?
She looked up at the black rock that made the ceiling of the small cavern and then shook her head. This wonderful, kind man could not help her here, no one could. She was alone.
Then she looked down at Pitch, who had somehow managed to curl up into a rather small, trembling mass of black robes, but she could see the anguish on his face.
Melissa still had no idea what his worst nightmare was about, but it had to be bad. Even though she had taken out the fearlings at the earliest moment possible, he was having it again. She tiptoed up to his side and knelt down. For perhaps a minute she only watched him, hoping he would calm down on his own but then she could not take it any longer.
The girl reached out to him and grasped his shoulder gently. He tensed even more under her touch and Melissa could hear him whimper quietly. But she didn't let go. She bent down to him and did pretty much exactly what she had done the last time. It had worked well enough. But she really hoped it would work faster now. She didn't have time for this. She had just used up her last stardust-bomb and she needed to get to the workshop and make more.
"Please" she whispered. "Calm down. It's over... They are gone... you're safe now. Please calm down!"
She was stroking his shoulder again, as gently as she could and to Melissa's astonishment and relief, he actually did calm down much faster this time. Within minutes he was sleeping quietly with a rather peaceful expression on his face.
Melissa got up with a sigh of heartfelt relief. She felt a bit bad about leaving him there on the floor, but there was no helping it. She could not possibly lift him onto his bed, and if she would place as much as a blanket over him, he would notice it when he woke up. She simply could not take that risk.
"Sorry Pitch" she muttered as she sneaked out of the room and then ran out into the workshop again.
When she climbed up the rope, which came much easier to her now, she had three brand new light-bombs inside her pocket and she had even replaced the nets she had used up with new ones. All this had been done in less than an hour and there was not a single fearling in sight. The rope and her weapons were quickly hidden and Melissa felt quite proud of herself as she finally lay down on her furs and wrapped the blanket around her. For a a few minutes she kept listening to the perfect silence of the caverns before she fell asleep.
When the Nightmare King awoke just before dusk, he felt refreshed and almost bursting with energy and anticipation. He thought that he had never once slept so soundly, so peacefully in his entire existence but then he noticed...
Why am I on the floor?
He sat up with a start and looked around and then down on himself.
And why the hell am I fully dressed? What on earth happened to me?
He pushed himself up, using the nearby armchair for support. He remembered clearly that he had sat down there for some reading. The book was actually right there on the floor too.
He reached down and picked it up. Why had he started reading anyway? Right! He had tried to make himself forget about that nightmare...
The Nightmare! Did I have it again? Yes, I did... I distinctly remember feeling it … but …
Pitch concentrated hard trying to remember. He knew he had had some of it, but just like the night before, it had not come to the worst. This time it had actually stopped before it had even really started.
It was as if someone had come in and switched on the lights and chased all the Terrors away. He had finally been able to sleep and rest. But who could have done this? He was alone down here after all, except for his fearlings and now that girl. But she was locked up securely and high above the ground too. She could not be the one, and beside why would she? She was a prisoner here after all. The mere idea was ridiculous. While he was shaking his head at his own silly thoughts he had a sudden epiphany.
Perhaps I did it myself. Perhaps simply remembering it gave me the power to fight it off?
That had to be it. It seemed logical enough.
He shook off those thoughts and the memory of the nightmare he had not even really had and nodded to himself. He could not distract himself with that negligibility now. This was an important night, he knew it, he could feel it in his very bones. This was the night that would enable him to put his wonderful, awful plan into action.
But it was still early, the sun was only just setting and there were still a few preparations to be made.
It was just at that moment, that he heard the noises and he knew what they were before he even made his way out of the room. He growled deeply in his throat and picked up a pace as he marched angrily past the benches of his workshop to the place where the girl's cage hung. And as he had suspected, it was surrounded by fearlings.
He could feel his fists clench at his sides as he looked up. They were hissing and scratching at the bars, they could not get in of course, he had made sure of that, but he could feel the girl's fear.
To his complete surprise however, he could see her, standing right behind the bars with an expression of fury on her small face. He could barely hear, let alone understand her, but she was hissing and spitting back at his disobedient minions like a cornered cat.
"Have I not made myself clear?" Pitch yelled up at them. "She is not for you! Get away from her this instant!"
And instantly the shadowy creatures moved away from the cage and looked down on him.
Pitch suddenly felt a strange unease crawling up his spine like goosebumps. He actually took a step back and then he remembered...
They attacked me! They really did attack me last night, didn't they? Or was it just a part of that dream? I don't know… they should not be able to, but...
For a moment, he was almost sure, that they would swoop down on him any second, but then they just scattered and disappeared into the shadows.
He heaved a deep sigh of relief and then hurried over to the controls and let the girl's cage descend.
Once he had brought her to eye level, he stepped close to the bars and studied her. She was breathing hard but seemed unharmed and in fact more angry than scared.
"You alright?" he asked simply and saw her nod.
"For how long have they..?" he started but she interrupted him.
"Just a few minutes" she admitted and scowled at him. "I'd really prefer a less scary way to wake up!"
"I bet you would" he snickered and Melissa's frown deepened but she decided to say nothing more about it. Instead she pouted and sat down, cross-legged on her furs.
"Well" the Nightmare King said and graced her with a rare smile. "Stay awake. I'll just have to run a quick errand or two and we will go back to the observatory. I am sure, tonight is the night of destiny!"
"Sure" she whispered, still pouting, but the thought of the many wonderful telescopes up there lifted her spirits. And it seemed that she didn't even have to beg this time. He wanted her along! She took that as a good sign.
Melissa watched him walk away and disappear into the shadows, only to emerge from nearly the same spot minutes later with a steaming bowl in one hand and a basket in the other.
He came up to her cage, which he had left on the ground and unlocked the door. Then he stepped in and placed another bowl of porridge in front of her.
"Looks like tonight you get to enjoy it while it's still hot" he teased.
The girl looked at it and couldn't hide a smile. This time the porridge did not only have a sugary coating but also stewed cherries on top. Cherries!
"Wow, thank you!" she gasped and picked up the spoon that came with it. "I told you it's my favorite!"
"Yes, I remember that" he admitted and then placed the basket on the floor beside the bars. Melissa looked at it curiously and realized it held a variety of food. There was some cheese, dried meat, fruit like apples and pears and half a loaf of bread, enough to keep her fed for a week.
"What's all of this for?" she wondered.
"If that golden boy shows up tonight to rescue your friend, you'll have to stay alone for a while" he explained.
Melissa stared up at him in horror. "I am not staying alone with those monsters!" she breathed fearfully.
"It won't be long" the Nightmare King sighed. "And you know they can't harm you as long as you are in here. There's no need to freak out, right?"
She didn't fully agree with him, but she had ways to drive them away, to kill them even. She would survive this. But she started wondering about his plan. Pitch took her silence as an agreement and left her cage again.
"Where are you going?" she asked before he could get out of hearing range.
He looked back over his shoulder. "To check on your friend and serve her breakfast too" he said with a wink and then hurried off.
Melissa smiled and picked up her bowl of porridge. It smelled wonderful and tasted even better.
He's going to see Katherine, that means she is alive and well... hopefully. He wouldn't really harm her, would he? Gosh, this is delicious... Pitch really isn't that bad...
She finished off the bowl in a matter of minutes and wondered what to do. She scratched her head. Her scalp was itching as were many parts of her body. He hair was a mess and she opened her thick braid. It felt heavy with grease and grime. And she knew that she probably reekedlike an old sock.
When Pitch returned a short time later and opened her cage again, she stepped out of it and looked up at him with a pleading expression.
"Pitch, I know this is an important night, but … can I ask you a favor?"
"What would that be?" he asked partly surprised and partly nervous.
"I am filthy" she stated with a telling gesture. "I can't stand my own stench anymore. I feel like a dump! But I noticed there is a lake with a waterfall out there. Would you allow me to wash up? Besides, I really need to take a leak. I'm sorry. But I promise, I'll make it quick."
The Nightmare King sighed and ran his long fingers through his wild hair. This would take up valuable time, but the girl had a point. She did not only feel like a dump, she looked and smelled like one too. And if he was going to leave her alone for a few days...
"Alright. Let's go. But do make it quick!"
Once again Melissa could barely believe it had been so easy. She had been sure he would object, but he hadn't. He had not even tried to argue.
Wow... I really must stink...
He hurried on ahead of her and Melissa jogged along after him until they entered the tunnel that would lead them outside. She could feel him reach out for her collar but she dodged and held out her hand instead.
Pitch seemed surprised for a moment but then he just hurried on. It didn't really matter which part he had of her, as long as she would come along quietly and quickly.
Melissa ran along beside him, her fingers firmly around his left hand. She grinned smugly at her success but the fact that he didn't make a fuss about it baffled her to no ends.
It was not long until she could smell the fresh, cool air of a young night. She recognized the scents of the place. The grass, the damp earth, the trees.
The trees!
This time, Pitch didn't wait at the maw of the cave but dragged her out into the open.
"The lake is over there. Now hurry up and do your stuff!" He sounded impatient but not unfriendly.
"Right away" she said and let go of his hand. Then she dashed off to the right, where the great trees stood.
"Hey!" Pitch yelled. "Where do you think you are going?" He was about to pursue her when he heard her whisper.
"Gotta pee first!"
He rolled his eyes and sighed. Right, she was only human after all. He kept a sharp eye on the bushes she had disappeared behind.
Melissa relieved herself quickly and then strolled a bit deeper into the copse with her eyes trained at the treetops. She found quickly what she had been looking for. It was right there. A huge dark shape stuck into one of the ancient oaks. And it really looked like a ship, a small one though. A longboat perhaps.
How curious, she thought. How did a boat end up here in a tree amongst these mountains? Maybe it was not a boat at all, she thought suddenly. She remembered the stories she had heard about the Golden Age. Pitch had sailed some sort of galleon back then. And then, during that last great battle, he had crashed here and Nightlight had defeated him.
Perhaps this strange boat up there...
"Melissa? What is taking you so long?" Pitch's voice rang through the copse and the girl whirled around.
He said my name again!
The fact startled her but then she simply smiled and ran back to the clearing, she had promised to make this quick after all. When she caught sight of him, she was once again surprised at the look of worry on his face.
"So sorry" she apologized. "I got so mesmerized by the size of those trees... and then I lost sense of direction somehow. Thanks for calling!"
The Nightmare King stared down at this strange little creature and then shook his head in slight disbelief. She had not tried to run away... she had come straight back to him and she seemed almost happy to see him. What was this all about? What was she trying to do?
"Go on and clean up. And do it quickly" he said flatly.
"Yes Sir" she breathed with a smile and saluted to him again. The gesture made him feel uneasy but it was still kind of cute. He watched her run off towards the lake. She didn't seem to mind much as he watched her undress.
He kept to the shadows of the trees and looked on as she gingerly stepped into the icy water.
"Whooaaah... it's freezing!" she gasped and shivered. But she had promised to get this over with quickly and she wanted to get back to the observatory and gaze through those binoculars again. She knew they were not the most awesome item up there, but the sky was perfectly clear tonight and she might actually get to see some stars and planets. Perhaps, if she behaved and didn't anger him, Pitch might actually allow her to look through one of the big ones.
It was probably just wishful thinking, but she didn't mind. It was a beautiful dream and it distracted her from the cold water as she splashed it into her face and over her back and finally dipped her head and her hair into it, rubbing and scratching at her scalp.
The lake was deep and she had to swim, which wasn't really a problem. She had learned that ages ago. There was a small waterfall at the far end of it and she headed there and placed herself underneath. The water fell down on her heavily and washed all the grease and filth from her body. Melissa gritted her teeth and endured the pain of the force of the rushing waters and the cold until her skin was pink and clean and she could hear Pitch call her name again.
She had to admit that she really liked hearing it from him, and she quickly swam back to the shore where she shook the ice water off like a wet dog and put on her clothes again. Now she truly wished she had that rucksack with spare ones that North had given her but it wasn't here and she had to get into the blue dress again.
A minute later she was ready and hurried back to her captor -well, perhaps he was more than that now. Melissa was not sure but somehow she was beginning to actually like this Nightmare King.
While Pitch had been waiting for her to get cleaned up he had the most curious thoughts himself. Thoughts that he didn't really understand. Most of, he was feeling so different, he had so much energy, as if he had just been born and tonight was at the beginning of a new life! His strange and now less fearsome nightmare was still occupying his mind and then there was this girl.
She was different too somehow. She was more confident, same as him. She didn't seem to mind his company in the least. Of course, he was taking care of her because he had plans for her. The more he learned about her the more he came to the conclusion that she would be the perfect darkling daughter, she was the company he had craved for so long. But he still did not know what she was to the Guardians.
This night, however would show. Would they go searching for her too, or would they simply snatch Katherine and fly off? They would not find Melissa of course, he would make sure of that.
He looked up at the darkening sky above him and felt a strange peace within him. The night would be perfect. He needed to get to his observatory.
"Melissa!" he shouted "Get a move on it, will you?"
And within less than three minutes she was back beside him, smiling and beaming with anticipation. It was incredible. She was as eager to get back up there as he was.
"Very well" he said. "Let's go."
He noticed that her dress still smelled of sweat and dirt and somehow he wished he could provide her with something new but there was no time. When all of this was over and he would turn her, he would provide her with appropriate garments. He pictured a robe like his own with a tall collar. It would suit her well. But then, as they walked down the dark tunnel, hand in hand, he reconsidered. A sleek dress of dark blue, like her eyes would be much better. She would love it too, he was sure of it.
But would she be able to appreciate it once he turned her darkling?
She followed him back into the dark cave quite willingly. Now, after her short bath, she felt a lot more like a human being again. Her dress however was still quite messy, but there was no helping it. What bothered her far more was her dripping wet hair that was soaking her shoulders and back. It was awfully cold in the tunnels and now Melissa really wished she had kept this horrid fur cloak.
They had not yet reached the main cavern, when Pitch became aware of her shivering.
Wonderful. The last thing I need is a sick child...
Melissa was gritting her teeth to stop them from clattering and tried to walk as quickly as possible to get warm.
Then she stumbled and almost fell when she was suddenly yanked to the right.
She gasped, wondering what she could have possibly done wrong. But Pitch merely moved her to his right side as he stepped around her.
The startled girl grew as stiff as a poker, when she felt his warm right hand on her shoulder and was pulled surprisingly close to him. So close that he could easily wrap a part of his billowing cloak around her. So close that her shoulder brushed against his side.
Melissa felt terribly uncomfortable, thoroughly confused and a little frightened, she could barely think.
What... is... he ... doing?...
It was quite obvious though and by the time they reached the wide cavern she felt a little better and a lot warmer. She understood what he was doing now, but not why. Not really. He probably tried to avoid her catching cold, but why would he even care? She had crossed her arms tightly over her chest, to avoid her left shoulder from bumping into him again. She was still shivering, but it had nothing to do with the temperature now.
Pitch noticed this with a smirk. Her fear always amused him but this time, he could actually understand it. He knew she felt uncomfortable with this, but she wasn't the only one. This was really awkward and in conflict with everything he believed he stood for, but what was he supposed to do?
This could so ruin my whole reputation...
He walked her back to his workshop and towards the weapon racks in the very back. He had to do something about this and he had already come up with an idea that would not take up too much of his precious time.
Pitch looked around for a suitable blade and frowned.
I could swear there used to be another dagger... ah well...
He picked up the first short blade he found and could feel the girl tense beside him. The cloud of fear that wafted around her made him look down at her in surprise. She started to struggle to get away from him.
Does she really think I would...?
The Nightmare King shook his head in disbelief but then just grabbed her collar again and pulled her along towards his private chamber.
Melissa realized where they were heading and instantly started to panic. But all the struggling in the world could not have freed her from his grip.
"Will you stop that?" he asked finally in annoyance. "What are you afraid of anyway?"
She didn't answer but stopped fighting and just stared at the dagger in his hand.
He rolled his eyes at her and then looked away. "That's ridiculous!" he said flatly.
What is wrong with that child? Less than twelve hours ago she trusted me with a hammer and now she thinks I would actually hurt her? Ouch...
He didn't understand why, but it really stung him.
"Now sit!" he ordered sternly and pointed at his armchair.
Finally released from his grip, Melissa moved a few steps away but did not sit down. She simply stared at him, as he began to peel off a layer of fabric from his strange bed.
He noticed and gave her a dead-pan but she had seen enough and was suddenly terribly ashamed of herself.
But she had been afraid. For one moment, she had been so sure that he had noticed the missing dagger and had reasoned correctly that she must have taken it. Of course she had expected punishment, but now it seemed she had been wrong.
I'm such an idiot! He's never done a thing to me! And tonight he's being downright… kind. How could I?
"I'm sorry" she whispered through clattering teeth. She had started to freeze again and her bad conscience didn't help her feel any better.
"What for?" he asked and looked up from what he was doing.
"For... misbehaving like that... I was being stupid."
"You really thought I'd cut you, didn't you?" he asked without even looking at her.
"Yes... No... I don't know. I just panicked... I don't know why" she tried to explain and then finally slumped down into the armchair and stared at the dark floor. "I'm such a moron..."
Pitch looked up at her and actually smiled at her remorseful expression. He couldn't blame her for being scared of him. He was the Nightmare King after all. It was only natural.
He said nothing but dug his dagger into the thin fabric and started cutting. Melissa looked up at the noise with a start.
"What are you doing?" she whispered with a frown.
"What does it look like?"
"You are... destroying your... er... bed?" she stammered and pulled a grimace. "But why?"
A dry laugh escaped him and he shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I have tons of that stuff. Literally!"
She watched him for another minute as he kept cutting away at the strange black canvas. The sound of the blade cutting through it gave her goosebumps but the moment of fear was over.
The thought of the missing dagger still made her a bit nervous but Pitch obviously didn't suspect her. Then he suddenly looked up at her with a grin and held up whatever he had cut out.
"Here catch!"
He threw it but Melissa was not quite fast enough. She slid off the chair and stumbled forward but it landed at her feet anyway.
"Sorry" she whispered again and picked it up. "What is it?"
She could have sworn that the Nightmare King rolled his eyes at her again but then he simply came over to her and took the piece of cloth out of her hands.
He unfolded it and she could see that it was simply a square, no rather a diamond-shaped piece of cloth with a hole in the middle. She looked up at him blankly and shrugged.
"Come here" he said, shaking his head, trying hard not to laugh.
And here I thought she was a smart one...
A moment later he threw the thing over the startled girl , forced the hole over her head and pulled her wet hair out from underneath.
"There, better?" he asked with a smirk, enjoying her expression of total confusion. "You might want to brush your hair though. If it dries like that, it will be impossible to untangle."
He stepped around her and started rummaging through a casket while Melissa stared down on herself.
It was a … she didn't know the word, but it was supposed to keep her warm. And it did too. The material was soft as silk but at the same time heavy like a coat. And even though he had simply cut it out, it didn't even fray at the edges. Melissa was getting very interested in this cloth.
"What … is this?" she breathed and ran her hand over the smooth material. It seemed to reflect her body-heat and was really comfortable. Her captor - no, she didn't like to think about him as this anymore - Pitch had managed to cut it to a size that fell down her chest and back almost to her knees but the sides were shorter and her hands were free.
"It's called a poncho" he said matter-of-factually and forced a crude hairbrush into her hand.
Melissa was even more astonished at this.
The Nightmare King owns a hairbrush? What the heck? But okay, why wouldn't he?
"A poncho" she repeated quietly and then looked up at him. He seemed in a hurry and she knew why.
"Thank you" she whispered. "Thank you so much... for everything!" she looked down at the brush and shrugged. "I can do this later. I have taken up far too much of your time already. This golden man and Nightlight might show up any minute!"
Pitch stared at her for a moment in complete astonishment but then nodded. "Bring it along" he suggested and then nodded at the door.
Seconds later they rushed through the cavern and once they reached the dark tunnel, Pitch took her hand – not her collar, not her wrist but her hand - and pulled her along though the darkness without a word.
Melissa knew where they were going but Pitch's silence somehow disturbed her. She wanted to know what he was thinking, but did not dare to ask. But as she suddenly felt his grasp around her hand tighten she couldn't hold it back anymore.
"Pitch? I something wrong?"
He looked down at her, knowing she could not see him in the darkness. She was trusting him to lead her. He sighed.
"It's nothing. Come on, we are almost there."
And he was right too. Merely a minute later Melissa could feel that they were in a larger chamber after walking around a left bend.
"Wait here, I'll turn on the lights" Pitch ordered and this time, Melissa waited without fear. A few moments later the braziers lit up and she could see him again, standing amongst his toys, smiling at her.
"Same procedure as last night?" she asked a bit nervously and the Nightmare King nodded.
"You know the drill. But tonight, let's make it a competition!"
"A competition?" Melissa asked and looked up at him with a completely bewildered expression.
"Sure! It will be fun!" he actually laughed. "If I see them coming first, you will have to do something for me. If you see them first, I will do something for you! Deal?"
Melissa grinned and held out her hand not even thinking twice about what she might be getting herself into. "Deal!"
They shook hands on it and then they both rushed to their telescopes. Pitch climbed up onto that giant one and Melissa pulled up her seat to the strange binoculars and started looking.
Minutes passed in silence and Melissa found herself getting distracted by the beauty of the night sky. There was not a single cloud tonight and the stars seemed so much closer through the device. She wished she could use one of the other telescopes to get a better look.
She called herself to order and kept scanning the skies for the glimmer of that golden cloud she had seen the night before.
The moon was only a thin crescent but Melissa wondered if the Man in the Moon could see her. She wondered what he would think of her now. He had said that she had a role to play in what was to come, this new Golden Age. A grand role and all she had to do was to follow her heart. She remembered his words distinctly.
Somehow she wasn't sure if what she had decided to do was what the Man in the Moon was expecting of her. But as far as she knew, he also considered Pitch as a monster, an evil that had to be vanquished. But he wasn't!
"So Melissa" Pitch interrupted her thoughts and she smiled at the sound of her name. "What will your deal be in case you win?"
"Oh..." she breathed and smiled. "If I see them first, you'll have to introduce me to the rest of your telescopes and look at the stars with me. I want to know all about the constellations too."
"That's all?" Pitch wondered and actually took his eyes off the sky and turned around.
I wanted to do that anyway... I thought she'd ask for something grander... like letting her return to her friends...
"What did you think" Melissa whispered without neglecting her task for a second. "What will your deal be?"
Pitch had been expecting the question and knew the answer, but he hesitated for a few moments.
"Well?" Melissa prompted him. "What is it?"
"If I win" he started and looked over to her, not wanting to miss her reaction. "You will have to tell me every detail about your conversation with Mother Nature."
The girl's back straightened and for a moment she sat stock-still. Pitch could tell that she was quite shocked. Only now did she realize that she had probably been duped. But she still had a fifty percent chance of getting out of this. She turned around and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Fair enough" she whipered but then practically glued her eyes back to the device before her.
I have to win this! I'll win this for sure!
As the hours dragged on, a few clouds moved in, but not enough to darken the sky. Melissa could see a cluster coming closer but it was just a small one and with the speed it was moving it would pass by quickly.
The thought made her look down at the trees below in the copse. The leaves were not moving at all. There was no wind.
She looked up again. The clouds were moving quickly as if a storm was coming. And yet, the leaves down there were not even disturbed.
How odd... well... the weather is unpredictable... even Bunnymund says so.
The thought of the Pooka reminded her of the possibility that the Guardians might not come from the air after all. They could also pop up from underground. And she gave all the ground her binoculars could cover a good scan. There was another valley, far deeper below and to the left, the north.
As she looked through her binoculars, she noticed bats flying around between the trees and she smiled. She swung her device around to follow them. They were big, she realized. Bigger than any she had seen before and then she noticed the cave. The bats were flying in and out. This must be their resting place!
How cool! I'd really love to go down there and see them close up... wait... what is that?
Her vision got blurry all of a sudden as if she was looking though some dense fog or … - she readjusted her binoculars - … "Cloulds?"
Her hands were on the controls, working feverishly to get a clear picture. But it didn't help much. There was a thick gray cloud hovering just outside of that cave. It was dense and dark, but a tint of gold was shining thought it.
"Holy cow!" Melissa hissed and jumped to her feet when it hit her. She whirled around taking her eyes off the sight.
"Pitch!" she gasped "We have company!"
The Nightmare King turned away from his telescope and gave her a look of pure incredulity.
"What?"
"Come and look at this!" Melissa gesticulated wildly and he was beside her in an instant, looking through her binoculars at the place she was showing him.
And what he saw made his very heart and soul freeze. The short golden guy emerged from that mysterious cloud and made his way into the cave, knocking out every bat in his path with something that looked like golden sand.
The cloud however flew off and vanished in the distance.
"Her" Pitch gasped. "She shrouded him! She promised not to interfere..." it hurt him more than all the words of woe she had thrown into his face, but he had no time to grieve now.
The Nightmare King was on his feet within a second and grabbed the girls wrist.
"He's here! No time to loose!" he yelped and dragged her to the control desk. Within an instant the place was pitch black and Melissa almost yelped herself when she suddenly found herself closer to Pitch than she had ever imagined. He actually pressed her to his chest but only for an instant and then she found herself back inside the workshop, right in front of her cage.
"What..." she gasped "... was that? How did you..."
"I'll explain when I get back" Pitch said and tried to push her into the cage but Melissa wanted answers.
"Where will you go? What are you going to do? You said you'd go to that new city..."
"And I will!" he answered with a wide grin. "And then I will travel to the moon with them."
"To the moon?" Melissa was shocked. "How?"
"Oh... they have a way and I know they will go there as soon as they have their precious Katherine back. I will simply hitch a ride."
"To the moon? But Pitch... " she froze on the spot and her eyes grew wide with terror. "You are going after the Man in the Moon himself?"
Pitch laughed at her. "Are you nuts? I know my limitations! All I want is to steal their vessel and leave them stranded there. This will give me plenty of time to bring about a new dark age here without them interfering."
Melissa stared at him and refused to step back into the cage. "That's madness!" she hissed. "Pitch, don't do this! Please!"
"I understand that you are afraid for your friends" he said almost gently and put a hand on her shoulder. "But don't worry. There won't even be a fight!"
"It's still a suicide mission!" the girl insisted, holding up both hands and placed them on his chest, trying to push him back. "They will know you are there the moment you set foot into that vessel!"
The Nightmare King was genuinely surprised at her sudden fervor and fear... he could sense it again and it was sweeter than anything he had ever tasted.
"But I will not set foot in the vessel" he told the upset child with a most gleeful smile. "They will take me aboard without even knowing. My plan is fool-proof and now... get in there. I have to hurry!"
He shoved her, causing Melissa to stumble and she landed hard on her buttocks inside the cage. But she was back on her feet instantly.
"You are going to get yourself killed!" she whispered, grabbing onto the bars of her prison as Pitch locked it.
"You are underestimating me, child."
"No! You are underestimating them!"
But Pitch turned his back on her and walked away.
"I'll be back with a victory before you know it" he promised as he disappeared into the shadows.
"You won't come back" the girl sobbed and slid down onto her knees.
She cried for a few minutes, forcing all of her despair and fears out of herself along with her tears. Then she gritted her teeth, sat up straight and started to think. She had to do something. Pitch would loose, he always did! And if he really made it all the way to the moon... even he knew that he was no match for the Man in the Moon. He would never make it out of this alive.
She even liked his plan. It didn't include any violence at all. It was a good plan, but it would not work. She knew it... in her heart... he was going to get himself killed.
Follow your heart!
She forced herself up onto her feet and clenched her fists.
Think Melissa, think!
And then she had an idea. A divine, insane and most likely suicidal idea. But it was the only one she had. And so she let herself out of her cage with her skeleton key. Pitch had not even taken the time to raise it and she could simply step out of it.
But before she left, she picked up her light-bombs and the stardust-infused dagger and then she ran.