Richard said aloud a long list of swearwords when he realized that Fredrika had escaped again.
Didn't that silly girl understood that her time was running out if she still wanted to see another dawn? He had all the eternity but she didn't.
Luckily she had not bothered to cover her track so it would be easy to follow her.
There was a huge hole in the mattress so it was obvious where she had gone.
Without of further thinking Richard climbed in to the bed and dived through the hole.
Tunnel of pillows continued on and on and Richard had to proceed on all fours since the tunnel was narrow like wolf's nest.
The tunnel went deeply inside of the earth but he felt no lack of air or damp. Then he saw a dim light at the end of the tunnel. Richard sped on his movement and hurried towards of that light.
At the end of the tunnel was bigger chamber which was covered with pillows and blankets. Soft music echoed somewhere from above and a globe of shining glass twirled slowly around at the ceiling. Then Richard saw Fredrika who was sitting at the far end of the chamber.
She tried to hide herself under covers and pillows but Richard saw strait through of her hide.
-You thought that you had won me but I am a man of patience.
-Go away!
-I will not before I have returned you to your parents.
-Are you joking my dad hates me, Fredrika shouted and tears started to run down on her face.
-But your mama loves you and I don't know what to say if you don't make through of this.
Fredrika covered her face with her hands and cried even louder.
Richard sat next to her offering his comfort to her.
She crawled into his protective arms and buried her face into his soft linen shirt.
-Richard I'm scared.
-I know lassie but I'm with you.
-I wish you could make all those bad things and people to vanish.
-Why you don't give those bad things names so they are not so scary anymore after you had named them.
Fredrika stopped crying and thought for Richard's suggestion.
-At first I would like to name my bullies as "Gurus" since they are the very best at everything.
This made Richard to laugh.
-What are you laughing at?
-Nobody is best at everything and if a person thinks that he is then he is just fooling himself.
-But you have seen those girls they are the Queens at sport, beauty and at all the rest of school subjects.
-They may be good and popular at school but what will happen when they leave from there?
-I don't know.
-Exactly who knows what will happen. Lady Fortune will decide the fate of each one of us and she cannot be bribed. Believe me I know.
This made Fredrika to smile a little.
They sat in silence and Fredrika wiped her tears on Richard's shirt.
-Oh, I'm sorry I messed your shirt!
-No matter I have plenty of these it would be quite awkward if the King would have only one shirt.
He always managed to make Fredrika laugh and this time was no exception.
-What would I do without of you?
-Continue your life like the rest of the living I guess.
Then Richard got onto his feet.
-What say you are you now willing to go back to your dear mama?
-Yes.
-Good.
The chamber of pillows vanished and darkness surrounded them.
Fredrika stepped closer to Richard since this darkness was not her creation.
Richard had again his armor on and he also seemed to be on his guard.
-Where we are now?
-It seems that the Hatmen are close.
-What are those?
-They are extremely vicious shadow folk who are trying to capture every lost soul they can have their hands on.
Fredrika took a firm grip on Richard's arm and pressed herself hard against him.
-Don't worry lassie I will not let them to take you.
Then they started to walk.
All around her Fredrika saw countless pairs of red eyes watching her. She turned her head away and tried to ignore all those hideous demons.
-Don't look or listen to them they are trying to get you away from me, Richard warned her.
Fredrika closed her eyes tightly shut and held Richard's arm in her hands like her life would have depended on it.
She sensed that those creatures were approaching and she almost was able to feel their stinking breaths on her neck.
She wanted them to go away but they didn't leave her alone.
Suddenly she felt they touching her.
Sharp claws slashed her skin and made her to scream.
Quicker than a lightning Richard pulled out of his sword and told it to go back.
Inhumane cry of pain pierced the air and the white blade of Richard's sword was covered with steaming black goo.
-Come on they are about to attack, he warned and started to run.
Fredrika ran after him as fast as she could.
She heard fast movement from the darkness and it seemed that a whole army of Hatmen were running after them.
Luckily they were not too far away from the gateway to the reality.
-Look run through that gateway and don't look behind of you, Richard advised her and made Fredrika to let go of himself.
-ARE YOU NOT COMING?!
-Go you before and I'll follow you as soon as I can.
-RICHARD DON'T LEAVE ME!
-GO NOW, he shouted and pushed Fredrika away from himself.
New tears were about to come when she left her dear friend behind to secure her escape.
Shouting with rage Richard attacked to the mids of the demons hurting as many of them as he could.
Fredrika ran through the gateway and then she felt something to grasp on her arm.
Had a demon caught her?
She opened her eyes and saw the worried faces of her mum's and a young doctor.
-Thank goodness you are awake, her mum rejoiced.
Fredrika looked around of her and she was still lying on the hospital bed and it was late night.
Then she searched for Richard but he was nowhere to be seen.
Where the hell was he?!