It took Sam a moment to remember where she was and what had happened when she woke the next morning lying in a bed in a tiny room surrounded by books. She remembered practically fainting and asking August Derrick to carry her, and it made her flush from embarrassment. The rest of the night's details came back to her memory swiftly and she pushed herself up into a sitting position. August had betrayed the queen. And undoubtedly there was a lot to explain and a lot to be done, and she had to find everyone. Then she saw some folded clothes, a pair of shoes, and a towel on the foot of her bed. 

After. She'd find everyone after she bathed and changed.

She took the bundle of clothing and towel and found the washroom across the hall, with a steaming bath ready for her. Sam caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and winced. She looked like a nightmare, and she supposed she smelled just as bad. So she peeled off her sweater and jeans and gratefully lowered herself into the tub. She felt like it had been one hundred years since she'd bathed, and it felt so good that Sam felt like crying. In fact there might have been a few tears as she scrubbed ever inch of her skin clean with the soap beside the tub, then started lathering her hair. She made the bath last as long as she possibly could, enjoying every millisecond of it before she forced herself to climb out and dry herself with the towel.

She cast a reluctant glance at the medieval garb she'd been given before looking sadly over at her all but ruined green sweater and jeans. The last remnants she had of her world. They were just clothes, but she felt like she was leaving a part of herself behind as she dressed herself in her new duds. It took her a stupidly long time to figure everything out, from the new under garments to the white chemise with long sleeves, and then there was the pale blue corset dress she wore over everything. Sam laced up the front of her dress while making an annoyed expression, though the clothes weren't as bad as they could have been. They were simple and sturdy, probably made for peasant type women. They would probably endure horse back riding and the woods well enough. Nothing like the extravagant gown Raquelle had been wearing.

Sam still felt like she was dressing up to go to a renaissance fair, though, and she fidgeted in embarrassment when she saw her reflection. She barely recognized herself, and it was a bit unsettling. She towel dried her hair before combing the tangles out of the long red strands and pulling it all back into a ponytail. Then she slipped on the boot type shoes she had been given and gave the stranger in the mirror one more look before leaving the room. She rubbed her hands nervously together as she stepped out into the main room of the house, her gray eyes glancing about looking for familiar faces.

~~~~~

Narissa returned to the hollow, pristine as ever, to find her daughter, looking like a wreck, slumped in a chair, and her familiar perched over her. Darius immediately soared through the air to his mistress's shoulder, and she gave the intelligent bird a smile before clearing her throat. "Raquelle," she said in a firm, though patient, tone until her daughter said up and gave her her full attention. "We have company." 

The queen was smiling, clearly overjoyed as she stepped aside and Prince Orin of the Unseelie Court of Fairies strode into the hollow. His lope was graceful, almost uncaring, and his pale lilacs eyes were as bright as Narissa's green. He was wearing his simple clothing, along with a silver talisman on a longer chain around his neck. He smiled at Raquelle, though his eyes were not warm, and nodded to her. "Princess Raquelle, I presume. You look like you had quite the adventure."