While Ingrid knew exactly how to act around royalty - prim and proper - she had very little idea of how to feel when another woman made her feel so very welcome and showed her such kindness. Her own mother had died giving birth to her younger brother, the Crown Prince of Sweden. She had been raised by nannies and governesses who, while kindly, had not exactly bonded with the solemn little princess.<br/><br/>"It's a scary thing to be so far away from home and handed off to complete strangers isn't it?" Elizabeth said, sympathy evident in her shining eyes.  "Pavel and I's marriage was arranged also."<br/><br/>While Ingrid had known the French princess had been brought to Russia in the same way she had, it was yet again comforting to know that someone knew what it<em>felt</em>like to be so alone from everything she had ever known. Instinctively, without realizing it, she drew just a little closer to the Czarina, as if the graceful woman's mere presence was a comfort to her.<br/><br/>Her right side, from her jaw to her waist, was starting to become very stiff and continued to throb. Her head was starting to ache as well. Elizabeth's words to the maid about a bath and a doctor for her were welcome.<br/><br/>"Thank you, Elizabeth," she said softly, shy about using the woman's name instead of her title. "I do think that will help. Hopefully, it is nothing serious and will pass by the morning."<br/><br/>She glanced over at Nikolai, holding the unconscious figure of the cabin...girl. Poor Eric. Eric? Erica? What was her real name? Seeing that the shredded blouse of the girl was about to fall open again and reveal her bosom, Ingrid reached up to her neck to unclasp her blue velvet cloak. The movement made her inadvertently wince with pain, but she quickly schooled her features back into a cool neutrality. The only sign of pain that was visible was the clench of her jaw as she removed the cloak and draped it over the girl in Nikolai's arms.<br/><br/>"Return it to me when she has been given proper clothing," she ordered Nikolai, not sure exactly who he was, but knowing from the interactions she had witnessed between him and the others it was her place to give orders to him.<br/><br/>She returned to the Czarina's side, somehow feeling that the beautiful queen was her one refuge in this strange new country.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>Nikolai carried the velvet-draped girl with him to the servants' quarters. The under-housekeeper directed him to an empty room where he could take the girl. The room was small and spare, but clean and filled with cheery sunlight from a small window.<br/><br/>He laid the girl down on the narrow bed, pulling off her boots and removing the princess' cloak and replacing it with a warm blanket. He caught a maid scurrying past in the corridor.<br/><br/>"Fetch Dr. Yelkin," he ordered. "And then find a girl to come and bring wash cloths and hot water. Also, tell the girl you send to have a keen eye for sizing. The lass in this room will need some proper clothing."<br/><br/>The maid scurried off, and Nikolai returned to sitting next to the unconscious girl. He looked at her with pity and curiosity, and settled down to wait until she awakened.