Malia POV
In the evening, King Monet hosted a lavish party in the upper courtyard to welcome the first foreign dignitaries in modern memory. Malia stood by Charles's side, helping him with the fine points of translation and adding context to culturally specific expressions. But she quickly learned to recede on his flank and serve as his attendant in the background, not his equal as she had so briefly been before.
Todd noticed the change in Malia's role and often smirked after she spoke to Charles and then resumed her place beside him. Todd's look seemed to say, Welcome to my level, but she avoided his gaze. Grace was nearby, too, watching with a placid, business-like focus.
The courtiers came and went in a constant flow of introductions. It would be impossible to remember them all, so
