"All I believe and all I've known,
Are being taken from me. Can't get home.
Yeah, do your worst, when worlds collide,
Let their fear collapse, bring no surprise
Take me out of here."
Watercolor - Pendulum
Day Court, Prythian
It took Sam a lot longer to leave the luxurious comfort of the bed than she was willing to admit. It took far more effort than she had been willing to give but she managed it, nonetheless.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, throw blankets wrapped around her waist and legs, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She wasn't sure how she made it into the bed last night, distinctly remembering passing out on the lush carpet below her feet, but she was grateful for it. The firmness of the mattress and the soft blankets aided her body in relaxing enough to get decent rest for the first time in days. While the deep dreamless sleep had managed to leave her feeling immensely rejuvenated, the inner turmoil of her mind continued immediately as soon as she was aware enough.
Still in a different world. Still surrounded by magical, mystical figures. Still lost.
Rubbing her face and pushing her wine-red hair behind her ears, untangling stray locks from her silver studded earrings, she left the warmth of the blankets to pad into the bathroom to begin the day. She pulled off the dress she had fallen asleep in, removed her holster, and made a beeline toward the enormous bathtub that brought her so much tranquility yesterday. Her stiff body felt like it was recovering from a wrestling match that had been beyond her weight class, and one that she had lost. Her jade green eyes were still red-rimmed and her eyelids puffed from her breakdown the night before; the least she could do was give herself a few minutes to soak in the hot water. She might look presentable and not a total train wreck as it has become customary of her since she was in this world.
Her original clothes were left washed and folded on the dresser; her boots, brushed free of the dried mud of the forest rested on the floor beside the door. Without a second thought, she pulled on the clothes from her world once her skin was dry, needing some familiarity to calm the relentless anxiety coursing through her. It felt like safety; feeling the thick material of her black denim jeans gently scraping against her skin, the firm support of her own bra holding her in place, the tightness of her black shirt stretching across her chest; hell, the warm cotton of her own socks felt good. She could almost trick herself into thinking she was getting ready for another day at the restaurant as she tied her boots up.
Wrapping her hair in a messy ponytail, securing her holster, and sliding her phone into her back pocket; she made her way towards the door, snatching her leather jacket off the chair as she passed. She decided she would try to be more herself today, sick of being a scared human they had seen over the past two days, even though that was exactly what she was. She was still scared and likely would be for the foreseeable future as she did her best to adjust to the new trajectory of her life. Sam glanced in the mirror as she passed it, deeming herself presentable. Stressed, but surviving.
She opened the bedroom door to find Feyre waiting patiently on the other side and Sam jumped back in surprise, her hand twitching towards her thigh out of reaction. If she accidentally pulled a gun on a High Lady, the equivalent of a Queen in her world, Sam would be dead before she could even remove it from its holster. Despite her late-night intrusive thoughts, Sam did not plan on dying any time soon.
Feyre smiled sheepishly at her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Sorry, good morning, Sam. I heard you getting ready inside and figured I would wait. I didn't want you to feel like you were being rushed." Feyre's voice was a soothing balm on Sam's nerves and she felt herself relax at the tone of it. If she could stop being so 'jumpy', that would be great.
Sam shook her head while she pulled on her jacket, giving Feyre a small smile in return. "No, you're good, good morning, Feyre."
The High Lady smiled, her blue-gray eyes lighting up. "You seem much better today; I'm glad." Feyre stepped aside and motioned with her hand for Sam to join her in the hallway. Sam felt Feyre's eyes travel the length of her body, taking in her clothes. "We were worried about you last night. We...well...we heard you and I wanted to check on you, but Azriel and Rhys suggested that we allow you to work through it yourself."
Sam released a heavy sigh as they walked together leisurely down the hall, the sunlight streaming through the open windows to welcome in the new day. Sam wasn't sure exactly where they were heading but assumed it was wherever breakfast would be served to them in private. "I'm sorr-"
"Oh! No! Don't feel the need to apologize, please! I understand! I didn't adjust well either when I came to this side of Prythian; it may be a bit forward of me to say this, but I can relate a little to what you are going through."
Sam looked at her with a raised eyebrow, taking in Feyre with curious, if not disbelieving, eyes. "You've fallen through time and space?"
Feyre let out a small laugh that sounded like tinkering bells but shook her head. A fleeting feeling of what felt like disappointment settled into Sam caused her to frown. "No, no, what I meant was...I've been a stranger in a strange land as well, my sisters have been too. We were all human not too long ago, living on the other side of the wall. We did not choose to become High Fae, we didn't choose to come into this world. Circumstances chose for us."
"Clearly, there is more to this story," Sam mumbled, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket, her shoulders pulling upwards. Sam forced her shoulders back down, her spine straight, and her head high. She would constantly correct herself from falling into a weaker version of herself in front of these faes if she had to. She had to try; she had to. She had nothing left.
"Oh, indeed." Feyre smiled at her, touching her shoulder and Sam felt a small comfort in it; that she noticed what she was doing and understood her actions. "I will explain it when we get to the Night Court."
"I'm leaving here?" Sam stopped walking in the middle of the hallway immediately as her chest began to constrict. She was already leaving the Day Court?
Feyre nodded, reaching out to touch her arm to ground her again. "I assure you that you are safe and will be safest in the Night Court. We would not move you unless we knew, without a doubt, it would be in your best interest."
Sam tried to shove down the feeling of inadequacy as far as it could go. Her first gut reaction was that she was 30 fucking years old and could make her own decisions. However, she was out of her league and she knew it, they knew it. She didn't have a dog in the fight and was constantly reminded of it in numerous ways. They knew a lot better than she did; that was a fact. She swallowed down that flicker of inferiority from her ego with tremendous effort.
"...Do I have to apparate again? 'Cause that wasn't fun, that sucked, and if I have to, can we wait until breakfast has been digested? I don't know how ya'll do that."
"Apparate?" Feyre asked confused, her head tilting to the side as they began to walk down the hallway again. More and more fae started appearing in the corridor the closer they got to their destination, some stopping to smile or greet Feyre with a small bow or nod.
"Yeah...ya know, I was in one spot and then I was somewhere else...apparating?" Sam's brow furrowed, stepping closer to Feyre as a female fae shuffled past her, carrying what looked like fresh sheets.
"Oh! You mean winnow!" Feyre laughed, coming to a halt in front of a rich honey-brown door, intricately carved with golden accents. "We call it winnowing." Feyre held open the door to the dining room for Sam, motioning for her to step inside before her.
"Winnowing?" Sam stepped inside the room, instantly feeling the warmth of the sunlight pooling through the open curtains lining the walls, the soft breeze carrying the scent of eggs, meats, and fruits. The door closed behind them with a gentle thud sealing them from the eyes of the undoubtedly curious palace workers crisscrossing the hall.
"It's a form of travel for us, winnowing. You were in Autumn and then in Day; Lucien must have winnowed you. Once you get used to it, it's not so bad. However, I do prefer to not have a full stomach before doing it." Feyre had a beautiful smile on her face, the small bit of laughter did wonders for her, lifting the corners of her lips, her eyes shining bright with amusement, and a glow shimmering across her skin. She was otherworldly, indeed.
"At least Harry Potter got one thing right so far, it does feel like you're being squeezed into a tube."
"What's Harry Potter?"
"….It's a book series; it's a long explanation…" Sam made a mental note to write down the entire plot for each book to share with Feyre. She had no doubt there would be more mentions of Harry Potter as that was the closest thing to relate magic to, even if it would require multiple explanations on her part.
"Good morning, Sam." Rhysand greeted as he stood, his arms opening for Feyre who glided gracefully into his side.
Sam politely replied with a nod, "Good morning, Rhysand."
"Please, it's Rhys."
"Full name him when he makes you mad, though." Feyre winked at Sam before leaning up to press a kiss to her mate's lips. Sam looked away at the sheer love that the two radiated; a love that would span lifetimes and Sam pushed down her envy at the sight of it.
She let a small smile pass her lips when she turned to face the table where Cassian, Azriel, Lucien, and Helion were waiting for them. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
"Trust us, it will happen one day," Cassian spoke up from his seat, the third chair on Helion's left, the middle spot left empty for her. "Come here! Sit next to me, I have questions about your weap-"
"Don't bombard her within the first 30 seconds of her being in the room, Cass." Feyre admonished, leading her husband to the empty chairs.
Sam took a deep breath as she looked at the table, needing a moment to take it all in. Helion sat at the head as it was his Court they were in, Rhysand to his right and Feyre sat between him and Azriel. On the left of the long wooden table, Lucien sat beside his father and what would be her chair, Cassian claiming the third seat, low-backed to support the considerable size of his leathery wings.
It was all so new and a part of Sam, while still riddled with nerves, felt a kind of welcoming air surround them as quiet chatter began among the room's occupants. She felt her heart lurch at the sight of Feyre and Rhysand, having a silent conversation between them with their eyes, missing when Melissa and Josh would do the same thing. Did they know she was missing yet? Had Josh already filed a 'Missing Persons' for her? Was she important enough to them to even look for?
The one thing it would take her a while to get used to were the wings Cassian and Azriel had. On Earth, the only time humans had wings was during Halloween, cosplay events, or if they were actors filming a movie; it wasn't part of the normal day-to-day, nor did they rise and fall with every breath, twitching and rustling on their own. As she walked by Cassian to get to her chair, his hulking frame casting a reaching shadow along the floor, Sam could see the veins and blood vessels traveling from the main joints in his back, up and out along the wings as the sunlight filtered through them. It was incredible to see if not completely terrifying, Sam could appreciate both.
She slid into her spot next to Cassian, giving him a small smile in greeting and turning to Lucien to do the same. Lucien smiled back at her, motioning to the orange juice and then to her glass in an unspoken question, still using their silent language to communicate. Sam held back a small chuckle and nodded to him, watching as he poured her drink.
"It pleases me to see that you are doing better today, Sam; have your rooms been sufficient?" Helion asked as he passed Lucien the plate of scrambled eggs to give to her.
Taking the plate with a quiet 'thank you', she nodded and scooped a small portion onto her plate, "More than sufficient, bordering on too much."
"What do you mean?" Helion's head cocked to the side as he surveyed her, assessed her.
Sam passed the plate to Cassian, who took it with a 'thanks'. "The room itself is bigger than my entire apartment back home, and definitely better decorated. Don't even get me started on the size of ya'lls bathtub...felt like I was an Olympic swimmer or sumthin'."
"You think Day Court's bathtubs are big, wait until you see the Night Courts." Cassian said while twitching his wings and Sam's eyes snapped to them, a look of hesitant wonder and trepidation.
Feyre let out a small laugh, catching Sam's attention who blushed at being caught staring. "You get used to them, you know, I promise. They won't always be so imposing."
"I would beg to differ," Cassian said with a huff, taking a bite out of his bacon. "I can be very imposing when I need to be."
"Yes, we are aware, Lord of Bloodshed." Rhys rolled his eyes, stabbing at his sausage link. "I believe Nesta would have other opinions on the matter."
Cassian took a sip from his orange juice, "She's not here to say otherwise."
"Ah, but we do know what she would say, don't we?"
Sam tilted her head down to hide a smile at the casual banter between them, "It's not that they are imposing...well, they are, it's mostly that they're...I don't know, I don't think amazing covers what I'm trying to say."
"Stunning? Beautiful? Magnificent?" Cassian supplied with a wink, nudging her arm with his elbow. "Just trying to help you out, here."
A laugh broke free from her at his childlike personality and in that moment she could see herself becoming friends with him if she stayed here for a longer period of time than intended. It was a shock to her system to think that, given she had only spoken a handful of words with him, but he gave off an open and playful air that Sam appreciated amid her troubled spirit.
"'preciate the assist," Sam responded to him, turning her head to Feyre again. "They are not what I'm used to and I have a healthy dose of curiosity and fear about them."
"A wise stance on the matter." Rhys quipped with a grin, sending another plate of fresh fruit into rotation around the table. "We have a busy morning ahead of us."
"Can we not discuss business until I've finished my bacon?" Cassian complained pointing down to his large helping of bacon. He took a long sip from his glass before diving back into his mountain of food. "Besides, enough time has passed that I can ask questions about Sam's weapon that it wouldn't be considered 'bombarding' her."
"Well, I don't think the breakfast table is the appropriate place for a firearm demonstration." Sam said to Cassian. "But I am more than happy to teach you how to use it when we can; however, I only have twelve bullets and have no way of getting more, so I would like to keep as many as possible."
"I'm sure we could send one off to the Dawn Court for them to recreate. Hey, Lucien, think your alchemist could make more?" Cassian leaned back in his seat to look at Lucien behind Sam.
Lucien, who had been silently listening to the conversations around him, replied with a shrug, "I'm sure Nuan would be able to but I have not been to Dawn in quite some time."
"If we require any of these bullets to be made, we can inquire then." Rhys spoke up and effectively ended that conversation. Sam felt like she was gently scolded by a father figure and one glance at Cassian told her that he did to. He caught her eye and gave her a small smirk before going back to his food.
A shadow skirted across the table to swipe a piece of bacon off Cassian's plate and Sam let out a shocked laugh at the sight of it, following the shadow back to its master. Azriel gave her a small smirk as the bacon landed on his plate and Cassian voiced his complaints at the theft.
"Now, now, kids, we are in front of guests." Feyre chided halfheartedly, biting into a slice of toast.
Lucien nudged her shoulder and leaned in close to whisper to her, not that he needed to. "Yes, they are like this all the time."
Sam finished her eggs and sat back in her chair, watching everyone fall into conversations around her. Three days she had been here, give or take a few hours, and already these people, these faes, felt comfortable opening up around her, deeming her not much of a threat, at least. She looked down at her hands in her lap, her thumb rubbing along her palm gently as she fell into her thoughts. If they were putting forth the effort to be so open around her, to welcome her into this world, this family; then she would try to be open with them too. She knew they weren't completely trusting of her, which was understandable, but they were involving her and the thought alone made her heart clench.
As the sound of silverware clanging on plates filled the spots between conversations, Sam noticed a small shadow sneaking towards her. Her eyes followed its swirling movements, the edges of the dark shape fading in and out as it avoided the sunbeams on the table in its journey to her. She pulled back her lips, a small smile threatening to appear, as the shadow deposited the stolen piece of bacon onto her plate.
She glanced up at Azriel, her eyes shining with concealed amusement as he kept his expression carefully blank. She took a bite of her stolen prize, the small olive branch, and remained quiet, content to listen to the voices around her.
They were in a similar room to the one she had been in the night before when she was being questioned but this was more of an office space than a sitting room. A large marble and golden desk sat at the far end of the room in front of twin towering sandstone bookcases filled to the brim with texts. Two low-backed winged chairs sat in front of the desk, a decorative circular rug laying underneath the furniture. A sunburst chandelier hovered in the middle of the room, above a small seating area and a large coffee table. Sam found herself admiring the décor on the shelves, content to sit there and look at the elegant office of the Day Court's High Lord.
Azriel strode forward, pulling out a thick wad of paperwork and handing it to Rhys who nodded to his Spymaster in gratitude. Azriel stepped to the side, beside Cassian, as Feyre came forward to stand next to Rhysand. Rhys, for his part, stood tall and regal, clearly comfortable in the position of power that he was in and Sam couldn't help but marvel at the ease with which he worked. Sam and Helion were seated across the coffee table from each other, Rhysand taking up the space at the end as he preceded over the meeting.
"Welcome to an impromptu court session, thank you for coming." Rhys grinned at his own joke, flicking through the papers to get them in order. Leave it to him to give them the illusion that they had a choice in this meeting. "We are here today to review and assess some legalities concerning Samantha Damato and her presence in Prythian. Let the record show that representing parties of the Night Court and the Day Court are present for possible negotiations and contract signings, as is the human woman in question."
Sam's leg started to bounce under the table as her anxiety started to spike, the authority in Rhysand's voice kick-starting her nerves into gear. She wasn't prepared to have to sign legal documents but then again, she wasn't prepared for much. At this point, she was rolling with the punches. She was a stranger in a strange land as Feyre had said and they, hopefully, weren't trying to screw her over or have an alternative motive.
Rhys continued speaking more towards Sam than to everyone in the room. "We have to create a paper trail for you, to ensure that you are safe in Prythian against any seen or unforeseen dangers that may present themselves during your stay."
That was easy enough to understand and she said as much to Rhys in response. She knew that he was covering his tracks but also taking assurances that if something did happen to her while she was here, he would not be a liability with the legally binding contract and neither would Helion. They were taking a risk, housing her and supporting her without the contract. While she wasn't normally clumsy, this new world had shown her already that there were things far more dangerous to her than waking up in a forest. Josh's statement about trouble following her continued to ring true every day and she shook away the memories of the smokehounds.
"In the Night Court, when a bargain is struck, much like these contracts, the agreement is sealed onto the skin in ink, a tattoo. Do not fret, Helion, yours will be glamoured from being seen, however, you will feel it." Rhys advised as Helion bristled a little to argue. "Every person who signs these contracts will have a tattoo that matches the others. It is how it is done in the Night Court, and given that this meeting is designated by said Court, it is a given."
Rhys set the first small stack of paperwork between Helion and Sam on the coffee table. "This is a Memorandum of Understanding, not legally binding but it outlines what we know of your situation and what we plan to do about such; read over it, edit it if you wish, and sign it. Everything will be notarized before Sam leaves this palace today."
Sam took an extremely deep breath, settling in for the long haul to go over everything concerning herself. She popped her neck and sat up straighter in the chair, grabbed a pen that was set to her right, and started to read over the memorandum. It was simple enough to understand and broken down to the near basics of her situation, leaving out the rift that landed her in the Autumn Court. She was a human woman who found herself in Prythian and needed assistance to make it back to her home. After reading it, she signed her name down at the bottom, her signature a combination of elegant script and loops.
"This is a Consulting Agreement between the Night Court and the Day Court, outlining terms for research purposes and explaining that the Night Court requests that librarians and researchers be available should and when the need arrives to find solutions and information concerning Sam's situation."
Rhys handed that one directly to Helion, who glossed over it before signing his own name at the bottom. It seemed Rhysand was very direct in his wording of contracts and Helion had no doubts or cause for concerns when signing it, the action bringing reassurance to Sam that she was making a good choice in trusting him and his court.
"This next contract is a Partnership Agreement between the members of the Inner Circle of the Night Court, the Day Court, and Samantha Damato, stating that all parties involved will work together and share information in the pursuit of finding a solution to Sam's situation."
Sam took note of the multiple signatures already on the paperwork, some of them she didn't recognize and she assumed it was the remaining members of the Inner Circle that she had yet to meet. Either way, she would meet them eventually, noting that they too would have matching tattoos on their skin once the contracts were signed.
"To go with the Consulting and Partnership Agreements, this is a Non-Disclosure Agreement. I understand we will have to bend or stretch the truth when it comes to certain situations, Eris being one of them and the researchers employed by the Day Court, where we have no choice but to give them some extra information regarding Sam; however, this stays between those in this room and the rest of my Court members as much as possible. Everyone in this room will sign this contract as the members of my Court who are not here have already done so."
Feyre signed it first, followed by Cassian, Lucien going after him, and Azriel finishing up last. As the contract made its rounds, she looked at each of them and said a quiet 'thank you' to herself, the reality that they were willing to mark their skin for her and her situation with hardly any questions asked touched her deeper than she believed possible. They were risking their lives for her, possibly risking far more than she realized. Their loyalty to their Court, their High Lord and Lady, and their homeland did not go unnoticed by her.
"This next con-"
"Cauldron, boil me, Rhys, did you bring the entire dictionary with you as well?" Helion exclaimed, easing back into his chair, a look of exasperation on his face. "How many more contracts does there need to be?"
Rhys picked a fleck of invisible lint off his pristine suit, completely unbothered by Helion's outburst. "I like to be thorough."
Sam snorted a laugh and pressed her lips together to hide a smile, relishing in the brief moment of normalcy between friends...between fae males who have known each other for years, possibly decades, or longer.
"As I was saying, this next one is a General Release of Liability Agreement releasing the Day Court from responsibility regarding Samantha Damato, and stating that the Day Court can not take financial or legal action against the Night Court for any known or unknown claims regarding her."
"That's not suspicious," Helion grumbled as he shook his head, his eyes flickering across the paper. As Helion read this contract more carefully, Sam knew that he was looking for any kind of loophole Rhys may or may not have slipped into it. Rhys came across as an extremely clever male and Sam would be disappointed if there wasn't some kind of loophole that benefited the Night Court in at least one of these contracts.
"This is just a Notary Acknowledgment, testifying that all of us here have signed these contracts willingly and not under duress. Simple." Rhys flashed a grin that Sam knew was meant to tease Helion into being uncomfortable but Helion didn't take the bait, rolling his eyes and signed at the bottom.
"These final two contracts act as one but I need both of them filled out by you." Rhys set the first contract in front of her. The room went so silent that her heartbeat seemed loud in comparison when she looked down at it.
Certificate of Citizenship.
Sam looked up at Rhysand and then Feyre, furrowing her brow. Was this what she thought it was?
Feyre smiled at her with another one of her beautiful smiles and began to explain, "This will grant you citizenship of the Night Court, which is the first step of three. We need this paperwork filled out so that we can go ahead and automatically grant you naturalization in the Night Court as quickly as possible."
"We now know for certain that we were not the only ones, the only Court, who felt the wards tremble when you came into our world. This will not only grant you rights as a citizen, but by being naturalized into the Night Court, no one can touch you or take you from the Court without the High Lord or High Lady's express permission." Rhysand laid down the final piece of paper and stepped back, giving her the illusion of space to allow the reality to sink in.
Application of Naturalization.
"Once the paperwork is filled out, you must swear yourself to the Night Court, to us." Rhysand motioned to his mate, his wife. "We will become your High Lord and High Lady...or King and Queen? Is that what will be the equivalent?"
"You just wanted to hear yourself be called King." Helion snorted, sitting back to watch Sam as she carefully controlled her facial expressions.
"I had a President in my country but I get what you're sayin'." Sam replied, still looking at the paperwork trying to find the will to start filling it out.
"Huh, a President? Interesting." Rhysand commented, looking at the books around the room, no doubt filing that away in his mind to gather more information later.
Feyre's voice was unwavering but it was soft as she spoke to Sam, "In swearing yourself to us, you must renounce your homeland."
Sam looked up at them, her eyes widening a little. The reality of the situation slammed into her with such force, that her lungs squeezed as the breath was knocked out of her "I...I love my country...I love my world…why..."
Rhysand nodded in understanding but he stood tall, back straight as he said, "We understand, truly we do, but we have to have you read the oath and mean it."
Sam held the pen in her hand, the one that would fill in the information and effectively sign away her loyalty to the United States and swear it to the Night Court of Prythian in exchange. She tried not to take it hard, understanding that they were covering all bases, but Sam truly loved living in America.
She loved the world she came from and signing this contract, this application, she felt like she was giving a big 'fuck you!' to her homeland. While there were many occasions she had wanted to do so out of anger for the actions of her government, it was the people she loved. America was truly a beautiful place when it was rendered down to the everyday populace; the majority of its citizens just trying to find a way to make it. The men and women fighting for it, the ones who died defending it. Swearing an oath to another country, another world felt wrong as if she was betraying all of it.
Sam thought about Savannah in general, the mixing pot that it was. How the community would come together in the aftermath of a hurricane, sharing food, gasoline, and their time to help move debris off of houses and roadways. The aftermath of Hurricane Matthew flashed through her mind; of how she had a gas stove and was able to heat a bottle of formula for a neighbor who had an electric stove and a newborn baby, both of them refusing to evacuate. It was in those moments that she fell in love with America. There was beauty in devastation if you knew where to look.
"In order to protect you while you are here in this world, we must grant you citizenship of the continent and/or court to dissuade any...less than ideal situations from evolving." Sam got the uncomfortable feeling that there was more to that statement than she knew. "We will do this the correct way," Rhys put a single piece of paper in front of her with one paragraph written on it. "You must repeat this to Feyre and I."
Sam read the paragraph and within the first sentence, her heart broke. With that single line, she felt like she was saying goodbye to her home, saying goodbye to Melissa and Josh, saying goodbye to everyone she had a connection with. It felt permanent. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as the heaviness settled on her shoulders; even if she made it back to her world, there would be no way anyone else would know what she had done, but she would know. It would be marked on her skin and she would know. Gathering up every ounce of inner strength she had, clearing her throat, and blinking away the tears, she filled out the paperwork, signing it with her elegant signature at the bottom.
She stood up, grasping the piece of paper in her left hand, and stepped the short distance to stand in front of Rhysand and Feyre. Out of the corner of her eye, Azriel and Cassian shifted closer, their wings rustling softly when she came to a stop in front of the two, undoubtedly, most powerful fae beings in the land. She wasn't sure what to do with her right hand, but it seemed fitting to place it over her beating heart, much like the Pledge of Allegiance in America. The irony is what prompted her to do it.
"I, Samantha Grace Damato, do solemnly declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely ren…" Sam paused to fight back against the inner turmoil of saying the words out loud, the lump in her throat making her voice crack.
Rhysand and Feyre stood in front of her, to be her High Lord and Lady, patiently allowing Sam her moment of reluctance. Cassian and Azriel stood as a unit to her left, Lucien and Helion on her right, all four acting as witnesses to the granting of citizenship...to the abandonment of her home.
Sam would beg forgiveness from whoever she needed to when she returned to her world, but for now, she would go through with renouncing her country to ensure her safety in this new world. Sam decided, if she was going to do this, she would do it right. She would go into this new role, this new life, with her head held high. The other choice being less than desirable. She straightened her spine, cleared her throat, and spoke with a determined voice, her confidence in her words unyielding, shocking even herself when her voice rang out loud.
"I, Samantha Grace Damato, do solemnly declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign nation or sovereign which I have before been a subject or citizen; that I will support and uphold the laws and regulations stated by the corpus juris of the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will defend and protect Prythian and the Night Court when required by the law against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I hereby swear my loyalty and allegiance to High Lord Rhysand and High Lady Feyre of the Night Court of Prythian. I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so may the Mother Goddess help me."
It was instant, the sharp burning sensation ran down her spine, circling her right hip and flowing down her thigh, stopping above her knee. A startled gasp ripped from her as her back arched and the muscles tensed at the sensation cascading across her skin, the tingling and burning created goosebumps along her flesh. Her ears started to ring as if her eardrum had popped and she faked a yawn to attempt to stop it. A soft rumble, nearly undetectable, rippled the glasses of water on the table beside them, catching Rhys' and Azriel's attention first.
Rhys' violet eyes slowly made their way back to Sam's whose expression was wild at the emotions and feelings flowing throughout her body. "That's interesting, indeed."
Sam resisted the urge to cower, to back down, from what – she didn't know. What she did know was that she had caused that rumble and knew it would be exploited somehow. Did she just sign her entire life over to be a guinea pig in an experiment? Was she the experiment? Was it already too late?
Rhys stepped forward, taking her hands which had started to tremble, "Your thoughts are being broadcast loudly, and I can assure you that you are still safe. We will find answers, as we have promised to do."
She didn't know what to say, her once confident voice had failed her. Feyre was the one to break the silence, greeting her as her High Lady, "Samantha Damato, you are now a citizen of Prythian and a subject of the Night Court in the eyes of all who witnessed the proceedings. We are now to bring you home, to Velaris."
Sam dropped her hands from Rhys, scanning her eyes over everyone in the room with a confused expression, "What is Velaris?"
Cassian and Azriel could only grin.
They stood just outside the palace wards, the gardens acting as a boundary of where the protections ended and allowed for winnowing. Sam shuffled uncomfortably with her hands in her pockets, the feeling of being shoved through a straw was not on her list of priorities but it seemed fate had other plans for her. They would winnow out of the Day Court and into the heart of the city called Velaris in the Night Court, to what Rhys had said was a townhouse. It would be the first stop for her before going to another place called the House of Wind.
Rhys had told her that the City of Velaris would welcome her with open arms and it would allow her to get adjusted to it before they whisked her off to the House of Wind to begin researching. The townhouse was more of a formal residence, he said, but would be better than the Moonstone Palace above whatever the Court of Nightmares was. Sam was starting to feel overwhelmed with all the information, realizing that she did not get as much sleep as she thought she did.
Cassian stood next to her, looking down at her fidgeting form as Helion and Rhys held conversation a few steps away. Lucien had wondered back into the palace with Feyre, leaving Azriel, Cassian, and Sam waiting outside by the lush blue hydrangea bushes near the garden gate. Butterflies fluttered about leisurely from flower to flower as the two winged males in black stuck out like a sore thumb among the colorful gardens. Sam breathed in the rich smell of the flowers and the scent of baked goods from the town a short distance away; she would miss this court.
"You're shorter than I thought," Cassian said out of the blue to her and Sam blinked at his assessment.
She craned her neck to look up at him, stating in matter-of-fact tone, "I'll have you know that I am considered tall for a female on Earth. I'm 5'10."
Cassian looked over her head, waving his hand in the empty space above her, and then back down to her, "You're missing a few inches somewhere, did you leave that back on Earth?"
"Don't get me started on whose missing inches somewhere." Sam grumbled on instinct and then slapped a hand over her mouth. A blush stained her cheeks at her impulsive response, afraid that she had already offended her new companions. Her mouth was going to get her in trouble before she even set foot in the court she was now claiming to be apart of.
Cassian's booming laugh rang through the otherwise quiet garden, effectively breaking the tension. "A joke! I like this one, Rhys! You'll fit in just fine, Sammi." His strong hand clapped her on the shoulder and the force of it made her stumble forward.
Azriel was there to stop her from her continuous stumble, shooting an arm out in front of her, a shadow following along. "Careful, Cass, she's not used to our strength yet."
"Apologies Sam, we'll get you trained up to par in no time." Cassian winked at her before striding off towards Rhys and Feyre who were saying farewell to Helion, leaving Azriel and Sam behind.
"Thank you," Sam said to Azriel who had lowered his arm and stuffed his hands back into the pockets of his leathers.
"You're welcome." He replied quietly, his eyes on his High Lord and Lady but his attention was on her.
They stood in an awkward silence for a moment, not sure what to say to each other. Sam took the opportunity to watch the mist come and go from around his body, the shadows curling around his ears as the sun ducked behind clouds, "So...do they...do they speak?"
Azriel turned his hazel eyes to her and Sam felt like she was an open book under his gaze. She wasn't sure if she liked the feeling or not, never having met someone quite like him, unable to get a decent read to see if he found her as a hindrance. "I can understand them, yes, in a way they do speak but it is not something I can accurately explain."
The corner of her lips lifted as she watched a shadow run down his arm and then disappear into his leathers, "And you can control them?"
"Most of the time. They do tend to have a mind of their own." Azriel said and a wisp of black slid along the leather of her jacket in response. She stood as still as she could as the shadow twirled around her wrist and brushed the skin of the top of her hand.
"That's impressive...can many people do that here?"
Azriel's wings shifted a little behind him, "No, shadowsingers are rare, I believe I am the only one known."
Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow, so you're one in a million, huh?"
Azriel shrugged, turning his eyes back to the rest of the group that had turned to walk towards them. "More rare than that."
Sam smiled, turning her gaze to the approaching group as well. He had shared some information about himself to her, so she decided she would do the same. "I'm 'one in a million' too, I suppose," She told him quietly, watching a butterfly land on the armrest of a bench. "I have a blood disorder, its called Factor Twelve, which is just a fancy way of saying I'm missing the twelfth clotting factor in my blood. I don't clot as fast as normal humans."
Azriel glanced down at her, "So you're a bleed out risk?"
"Eh, kinda-sorta. A paper-cut won't do much but if I get a gnarly gash or somethin' like that, then I would be putting pressure on it for a while to get it to stop."
Azriel nodded as he turned his head a few seconds before Feyre and Lucien appeared, walking out of the palace. "That would be something to tell Rhys and Feyre."
"I will." She told him as the group came to a stop in front of them.
"It was lovely to host you and your Court, Lady Feyre." Helion kissed the back of her hand in farewell. "Do not be a stranger."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Helion. The Night Court will always welcome you as well." Feyre responded to him.
"It was an honor meeting you, Sam, I'm sure I will see you back in the Day Court soon." Helion kissed the back of her hand and Sam couldn't help but blush. Chivalry was near dead on Earth.
"Thank you...for everything, Helion." Sam couldn't express what it meant to her, the words hardly covering the depths of her feelings for what he had done. With a simple act of welcoming her into his palace, he held a place in her heart. She was honored to have ever met him and experience his court and kindness.
"You are more than welcome," Helion held her hand a little bit longer, deciding on saying anything else to her. He leaned in close to her, dropping his voice a great deal to tell her, "You are destined for great things, I believe."
Sam stared at him as he let go of her hands, wondering what he knew that she didn't. He turned back to Rhysand and Feyre wishing them well before stepping back to give them their space. Rhys broke the silence, "We are to go to the townhouse, Mor and Amren will meet us there."
Feyre took Cassian's arm and Lucien took Sam's, who looked a little worse for wear at the impending feeling of winnowing. Azriel disappeared first in a blanket of black shadows, Cassian and Feyre next.
"Prepare yourself, Sam." Lucien warned as Rhys disappeared in front of them.
Sam looked at Helion one last time, glancing around to commit the Day Court to memory. "I do love this place. Thank you."
Helion nodded his head to her, his hand on his heart and that was the last thing Sam saw before the Day Court disappeared in front of her eyes.