The dreams of the rulers that night were not serene.

There was something damned wrong with all that. Catherine took a closer look at her living room, which now had a table set in the center with every good thing. A man sat at the other end of the table, his face bowed.

- Welcome back, dear - he greeted her. It was Henry. The queen took a step back.

- Don't worry, Catherine- her husband said- have a seat. The woman sat down suspiciously.

- Explain to me what this is all about- she said, motioning to the spread his hands and smiled.

- We are celebrating, aren't we?- he answered sadly.

- What? - Catherine asked.

- Our pact- answered the king, bringing to his lips a transparent goblet full of wine. Something evil glittered in his eyes./

As if blown by the wind a door opened to their left, revealing in an adjoining room a man tied to a chair. Richard. He was struggling, as if shaken by tremendous shivers./

- Henry, what are you doing?! - exclaimed the queen, jumping to her feet.

- I respect the agreement- replied her husband laughing. Catherine tried to reach the room where her lover was being tortured with who knows what devilry, but it was as if the space between her and Richard grew longer with every step she took. /

- Help me! - the man begged - Please!-

- Richard! Richard! - Catherine screamed. And then it was as if she sank into the ground, between her husband's crazy laughter and her lover's pleas.

Catherine opened her eyes wide. She felt something strangely warm next to her, and then remembered her husband's presence. She retreated further into her corner, disgusted and frightened.

Henry wanted to stop running, but really, he couldn't. He felt like something terrible was happening but he didn't understand what, the hallways all looked the same. Suddenly he saw a light, out in the courtyard. In an instant he found himself in the cold night air, in front of a carriage, not far from him. Two cloaked figures were getting into it. A hand popped out from under one of the cloaks as one of the figures hurried up. A ring with a crimson stone glittered under the moonlight.

- Catherine!- shouted the king, taking several steps forward. The queen turned around. She seemed indifferent.

- What is it Henry? - she asked annoyed.

- Where are you going? - asked the man between fear and resentment.

- Away, finally - Catherine answered - Away from you and your childish anguish. She touched the shoulder of her companion who raised his head revealing an evil grin.- Let's go Richard- said the woman two climbed into the carriage. Henry started running, shouting first his wife's name, then his ex-friend's, then the guards', but no one seemed to want to help him. In the meantime, the carriage was moving away...

The king woke up and sat up. Looking around he saw his wife sitting by the window looking at him skeptically. The light coming in through the window indicated the early hours of the morning.

- Now get out - ordered his wife - and let's finish this story-