Kat07 - Second Nature

The maitre d' is flustered by Kat's answer, or his face is turning red from the intense heat of the day.

"Madam, I assure you that the title of Queen is legitimate for this day only, so you need not concern yourself with further obligations after the night is through. To refuse the carriage ride is just not done; the Queen of the Sun is, by tradition, carried to the cotillion in this conveyance. As a representative of Amber, you would not wish to disgrace our fine traditions, would you?"

The man tugs at his too tight collar uncomfortably while the guards - busboys and maintenance workers forced into uncomfortable outfits and made to carry supposed halberds - shuffle their feet.

"Now, miss, it is a ways to the ball and uncomfortable to walk in this heat. Think of how your hair will respond to the heat and humidity. And, if I may be permitted to speak of such an indelicate subject - your sweat after such an exertion (excuse the insinuation but I speak only to protect your appearance and reputation, madam.)" he says in a last effort to dissuade her.

"Of course, the Prince would not do so when travelling in the great forest wilderness, but this is civilization, and we comport ourselves in a more civilized manner," the man huffs and Kat suspects that even with the generous tips he earns in his job he is reaching his wit's end having to deal with the spoiled brats of the aristocracy.

They walk and walk and come to an open plaza on the shore of the island. Many dozens of guests have already arrived, and waitstaff glide among them carrying silver trays containing drinks and canapes. A band plays dance tunes on one stage, and a second stage is set for the crowning of the new queen. Kat sees Katie and Chad among the guests, each with a flute of champaign in their hands and laughing at some joke being told by a third member of their group.

A waiter rushes towards Kat, carrying a silver tray bearing a single flute of champagne. Hearing her request for ale, he quickly turns on his heel and goes back to the bar, then returns with a flagon of ale.

Upon seeing her members of the crowd bow, whether due to her being royalty from Amber or Queen of this place, she can not tell. Katie sees her and begins to make a series of surreptitious gestures that are supposed to indicate that she is on the case.

The maitre d' leads her to the stage and she comes to realize the shabbiness of the place - the throne built for her is plywood sloppily painted, the man and guards dress in ill-tailored clothes, the lights are dim from lousy bulbs, all seems to be a desperate attempt by those who run this place to cater to the idle rich and the rich in turn use this place in a desperate attempt for publicity or to pawn their children off on other families. Even the ale is less than adequate.

The man makes a speech about tradition and the beauty of Eivor and the assembled crowd claps, the parents hovering on the edge of the throng more than the youths and the tiara is placed on Kat's head. The band starts up their music again, this time a more formal dancing song and the young men get in line to take their turns dancing with Kat.

Kat learns that the men at this party come in four types: the romantics, whose minds are full of thoughts of marriage to the Lady Eivor; the greedy, who think to impress her with talk of their family estates and riches but whose minds are filled with thoughts of the income a royal Amberite could bring; the despotic, who view Eivor as a means to gain great power; and the confidence-men, a few guests who have no riches or family connections but have tricked their way into Golden Sands. From those minds, she learns the value of all the jewelry being worn at the party and all the best ways to remove it surreptitiously.

Talking of Coy brings thoughts of jealousy in all the men except the connivers, who are relieved not to have to talk their way out of a marriage proposal from her. Thoughts are mostly of how Coy was always stuck to Simone, which leads to another fit of jealousy. From their minds and discussions, she learns that Coy did alter the minds of some to make them find excuses not to pursue Simone, that he was an excellent actor and a master of disguise, he tried to get them involved in some business deals that never were completed, and that he had connections in the entertainment industry and could, for a price, introduce the men to Hollywood producers and directors.

Interrogating the women is a more difficult job. Unlike the men who lined up to dance with Kat, the women are in smaller groups and she senses the jealousy and spite directed at her from them. Even Katie hides a deep well of animosity and Kat can tell she was to be the Sun Queen until Eivor barged into the resort at the last minute.

In time she does pass through the groups and finds certain thoughts dominating their minds: some only contain the jealousy and spite, others are more calculating and evaluate all Kat has done and who she will probably pick and how that changes the delicate network of friendships and expected betrothals and how they will fit in and can take advantage of the new status quo, every glace by Kat towards anyone is more information for their scheming. The third type are also confidence tricksters, some in league with the men, others solo and looking to score off a rich young lord.

Of Coy there isn't too much that's new. He doted on Simone with occasional attempts to coerce the girls into paying him for a chance to become famous. There are a few memories of Simone rejecting Coy in public and small spats between them.

The longer she takes working through the women, the more she can't help overhearing grumbles from the parents in attendance of how she is not following protocol and wasting everyone's time talking to the girls instead of finding a mate. This supposed social blundering by Eivor does give Katie a glow of satisfaction and vindication.