- I confess that I have sinned much in my life but I have never dipped my hands to the blood of children. I never harmed women or children in my life, I was on war only against the men and my war didn't reach at their families, Richard confessed with hollow voice.

- Then why did you do it? Why you took the throne, Fredrika asked.

Richard made a deep sigh and closed his eyes, it had been a hard decision to him to make.

- Try to imagine yourself into my boots if you can. I was grief stricken when I heard that Ned my brother had died. It was like the solid earth would have vanished under my feet. I was so sad that at first I didn't realize what was happening but when I think of it now I wonder if Ned's death was natural at all.

- What do you mean by that?

- That Woodville bitch, she was much more than she let the people around her to understand.

- Who?

- Ned's wife.

Sudden darkness appeared into Richard's eyes when he remembered her.

- She was a woman whom Ned never should have married. She was most unsuitable wife and queen for the King of England and besides Ned was already married to another woman.

- Really?

- Aye, there was a precontract which was as much binding as actual marriage and Elizabeth Woodville was not the woman Ned to be married with.

Ned's marriage with her would not have been so bad if he wouldn't have married her entire family.

They were all just rabble from the lower class and as soon as they found out that they were related to the King they attacked like scavengers to the royal treasury taking all possible riches to themselves. If not the war made us poor then they did.

- I'm very sorry to hear that.

Richard kept a short pause before he continued:

- Ned's son was as much Woodville as his mother and she didn't like about me one bit. She knew that I would cause trouble on her since Ned made me to be his son's protector. I knew what she aimed at the one who controlled the prince had the power and her family was also eager to have my northern estates which Ned had given to me.

- So you had to secure yourself by taking the ultimate step.

- I had no desire to walk to the execution block for committing a crime which I hadn't done. So now you know.

Fredrika now understood the reason to Richard's actions and she was about to ask what he had done with the boys after they had gone to the Tower. The noise from the front door told her that mum was coming and Richard left from the house.

The fate of those two little boys bothered her greatly but the solving of the mystery had to wait since she remembered that her homework were still undone. Mum would be very angry about that if she wouldn't finish them at once so she hurried back to her room to finish her homework.

Evening passed peacefully and on the next day Fredrika had to face the private talk with her teacher. A nasty lump of ice floated in her stomach when she was left alone with her teacher. He was a tall man with some silver lining in his dark hair and he always wore a white t-shirt.

He sat on the front of Fredrika and looked very serious.

- I have read your essay and I must ask what are you doing?

- Sir, I don't understand.

- You have summoned a ghost.

- Yes?

- Don't you understand how serious that is?! Have you mixed yourself into black magic or devil worship?

His speech got Fredrika off guard completely. What was he saying?!

She didn't know what to say so she just stared at him in full amazement.

- Is that filthy spirit seducing you to do evil deeds?

- What?!

- You heard me.

- Of course not. He is not like that.

Fredrika gave a quick look at Richard who seemed to be as much amazed as she was.

Soon he however got over it and commented bluntly:

- Why I am not surprised?

- I suggest that you'll get rid of it whatever it is and be like the other children of your age.

- But sir.

- No buts you are supposed to make friends with the living people which is normal.

Fredrika wanted to point out that how she could ever make friends with her classmates who treated her like an out casted? Richard was the only one who had shown her some mercy and now he told her to get rid of him. Was he blind? Didn't he saw how they treated her?

Awful silence fell into the empty class and Fredrika wanted to get out. It was like she had been nailed down to her chair and she wasn't able to run away from her teacher's burning gaze.

Finally after long silence he gave her permission to leave.

Fredrika took her backpack and hurried out from the class, she didn't want him to see her coming tears.

As soon as she got out from the building she let her tears to flow freely.

Richard was right behind of her and he tried to offer his comfort to her but Fredrika turned her head away.

- I am just a freak of nature, she whispered when they got home.

- No you are not.

- Why I can't be like the rest of them?

- Fredrika please look at me, Richard demanded and took her face into his hands.

Richard's eyes were full of worry. One idiotic man had hurt his little girl and he also felt the pain in her soul.

- This is what God created you. He created you to be a special kind of lassie and you should be proud of it. What are all those rest? They are all the same from every boring point of view, your thoughts and feelings reach far deeper than theirs and it's not your fault if they don't understand you. I understand you since I know that life is not a bed of roses, I know how it feels like to be hurt in away which is not visible.

Every time when he said the word "lassie" made Fredrika to smile.

- What are you smiling at?

- You, when you call me as a lassie its just sounds so funny.

- Do you want me to put an end to it?

- No! Never, please don't end it.

Smile appeared also on to Richard's face.

- Thank you so much, Fredrika thanked him and embraced him deeply.

Richard wrapped his arms around of her and rocked her gently in his arms.

- You are the best friend I have ever had, she murmured quietly.

She didn't saw his face but she knew that he was smiling.