I blinked slowly as my eyes adjusted to the new shimmering light around me. I struggled to sit up, feeling soft velvet under my fingers.

This...this isn't right, I thought, glancing around. I wasn't in my room. I was, however, in a room, but it was unlike any room I've ever seen. The walls seemed almost translucent. I could tell that there were walls, but the walls seemed hazy, and I could tell that I was no longer in Hope Springs. I looked around. The room was very large and very empty. There was what appeared to be a large white armoire in a corner of the room and a door in the other corner, but that was about it. Oddly enough, the first thing that crossed my mind wasn't how did I get here or why is no one else here with me, but instead it was, I don't feel sick anymore! And it was true! My head wasn't pounding, my throat wasn't dry, my lips weren't cracked, and my skin wasn't flushed. I felt...I felt damn good.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and jumped off, falling to an ungraceful heap at the bottom of the bed. Apparently, this bed was a lot larger than I had anticipated. I stood up, and sure enough, the bed came up to my hips. I brushed off the dirt that had probably settled on my sides from the fall when I noticed that yet another thing was different. Instead of my warm flannel pajamas, I was wearing a silk nightdress.

"Okay, now I am officially freaked out," I said.

"There is no need to be frightened," came a voice.

Shrieking, I whipped around and saw a stranger in the doorway.

"What-who-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The person came further into the room. It was a girl about my age. She was very slight, with a slim build and long flowing violet hair. She had a pleasant face and looked all in all very unthreatening. However, one could not take chances.

"Where am I, and who-no, WHAT are you?" I gasped.

The girl smiled at me, a look of concern in her deep green eyes.

"You're in one of the guest bedrooms in the castle of Miarren. I am Mariella, and I'm a servant here."

"Oh, okay...wait, where's Clu? Where's my home? Why am I here? What's going on?"

"Please, Miss..."

"Annie."

"Miss Annie, if you will just come with me to get washed up, all will be explained in time."

So, feeling like a fool, but also feeling as if I had no other alternative, I followed Mariella through the door down a long hallway, which seemed to be composed entirely of crystal. She led me past several doors, each of which was encrusted with a different precious gemstone. Eventually we stopped in front of a door embedded with pearls. Mariella pushed open the door and I was in awe. In front of me was the most luxurious bathroom I had ever seen. The walls were swirled with opal, couches lined the walls, there was a gigantic bathtub carved out of ivory, the mirrors were gilded with gold, the floor was all marble with thick crimson carpets leading to everywhere a person might need to go. Even the toilet was carved out of jade. A jade toilet. How many people can say they've seen that? I turned to Mariella, my eyes wide.

"It is nice, isn't it?" she said, smiling, "I'll be back soon with a change of clothes for you."

And with that, she left.

I sat there on the jade toilet for the next few minutes just staring at the bathroom. Man, if only Jack was here with his camera. Sighing, I decided to get ready.

By the time Mariella had come back to the bathroom, I had finished, and was lounging on a white leather couch wrapped in an outrageously fluffy blue bathrobe. I couldn't get over this. It made no sense, and I was in a completely different world, but if this was how things were going to be, I was all right with it. I turned to Mariella, who was holding what seemed to be yards and yards of liquid silk. She placed the silk in a corner and walked over to me.

"Now, Miss Annie, if you will please allow me to fix your hair and makeup..."

"Sure, go ahead!" I said enthusiastically.
*
*
*
An hour later I was finished and dressed in an insanely elaborate silk gown with precious gems dripping from my ears, wrists, and neck. I then followed Mariella through the elaborate hallways again until we passed through a set of double doors encrusted with rubies. Then we were in a grand round room with a dome ceiling. The entire room was drenched in gold, and roses of every size, shape, color, and variety were placed around. All of this ornamentation seemed to be pointing towards a door that was carved out of gold with a large sapphire doorknob. Mariella made her way up to the door and motioned me to follow her, which I did.

As Mariella creaked the door opened, she said in a loud voice, "Miss Annie is here to see you now, Princess."

Mariella turned to me and nodded, and I stepped into the room. Yet again, I was in another spectacular room, but my eyes were drawn to the front of the room. A large throne sat there, and I could faintly make out the shape of a person between the gauzy covering. With a slight push from Mariella, I made my way up to the front of the room until I was right in front of the throne. Then I saw Mariella pull a thick gold rope and the gauze fell away, revealing Princess Andromeda.

She was tall, with silvery-blonde hair that fell in luxurious waves past her shoulders. Her eyes were large and pale blue. Her nose was small and perfectly shaped. She sat regally, in a gown made of ice blue satin, silk, and velvet. Her earrings sparkled. Her nails were long and perfectly manicured. On her hands were sparkling rings of every kind. Perched on her silken hair was a shimmering golden crown. She was every inch a princess.

"What the fuck? This little slip of a girl is Annie? How the hell am I supposed to learn anything from her?"

Okay, perhaps I spoke too soon. Princess Andromeda looked at me, a sneer marring her otherwise perfect features. Her pale eyes flashed with cold fury as she stared at me.

"I fucking thought you were going to bring someone that was going to fucking help me. How the fuck can this little girl do anything?"

Mariella appeared by my side, trembling slightly.

"I am sorry, your highness, but you did cast the spell, and it did bring the most qualified person."

Now I really think I had been a good sport, but this was ridiculous.

"What spell? What's going on?" I demanded.

Mariella looked faint, and quickly disappeared from my side. Princess Andromeda turned towards me, her eyes narrowed into pale slits, a scowl on her face.

"Well," she began, "I cast a spell. My parents, Queen Malinda and King Reginald, said that I was an unfit princess, unworthy of the name Miarren. They said no suitor would ever want to marry me, due to my coarse language and boorish manner. Well, I simply asked them, 'what the fuck should I do instead?' and they suggested to consult my spellbooks. Which I did. I found a perfect spell. It scans the minds of people who have been put in a coma and sends the most worthy candidate to me."

"Wait," I cut in, "Candidate for what?"

Princess Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"If you'll fucking let me finish, I'll tell you. This person who was brought to me would be beloved by all that knew her. She would be pure of heart and mind. She would be someone who would be able to teach me to act princessly so that I might be able to snag the suitor of my dreams. And the person I was sent just happened to be a mousy little annoying ditz who asks too many fucking questions!" she snarled.

Now throughout her rant one thing had stuck in my mind.

"Coma? I'm in a coma?" I asked.

Princess Andromeda sighed.

"Oh, you're real fucking brilliant, aren't you? Yes, you're in a coma. Your little friend gave you some non-FDA approved aspirin that had been authorized to go to a nuclear power plant. The local hospital pumped your stomach, but it was too late. Now you're in a coma. Back to me."

I froze. A coma?

"Am I going to die?" I asked, "Is that why I was sent here?"

"No, you dumbass," snarled Princess Andromeda, "Look, my hottie of a suitor is coming on Thursday. Today's Monday. That gives us four days to prepare. If you can fluff me up all nice by then, you can go back to your family and friends. But if you can't, you're staying here with me. Forever. Got it?"

Oh shit, I hope I can do this.