Miroslav was staring at the collected maps by the time Quinn went to get food.

Apparently, according to Nol, they had both taken a very stern speech from Maude before she would let them have any bacon.

Quinn slid up next to Miro.

"Hey, Buhari is the Middle Kingdom? That's a pretty cool name." Quinn commented.

Miro narrowed his eyes at the large map of Buhari that was front and center.

"The Sorgina has mapped something out, but I can't actually tell what it is. The marks are all in the vast seas that the Middle Kingdoms center island is surrounded by. But, as far as I can tell, there isn't anything tying them together. Nothing that would give their importance." He confided, frustrated.

"We can figure this out. It's probably in there-"

"The boys will be figuring this out. You, lovely girl, have been invited to a musical tea party by a certain lady you made contact with at the ball." Maude announced, handing her a biscuit. "And because the Solstice Ball is in a couple of weeks, you need to make some higher up contacts for information, or you'll never reach the Sorgina."

Quinn groaned.

"Does this mean gown?" She asked.

Maude gave her a dry look.

"Yay. And will that arrogant a-hole from the Ball be there?" She questioned.

Miroslav turned his narrowed eyes to Quinn.

"Who?" He asked.

Neither one of them responded to that. Quinn simply didn't answer out of a slight trickling embarrassment at her girly display.

"It is a private party, so no. He won't be attending. You set up some pretty scandalous attachments to his name at the Ball." Maude informed her.

Quinn hmphed.

"He had it coming. Like I would ever drop my standards low enough to play toy for him." Quinn muttered angrily.

"He did WHAT?" Miroslav growled.

Maude flashed him a smile.

"Nothing at all, dear. Quinn, go put on something pretty. I would suggest green." Maude suggested, efficiently switching topic.

Quinn put on a sage dress and put in the blue contacts.

Party time.

*****

"Can you believe that?" Quinn blurted. "That nasty heifer had the nerve to ask me about my taste in men!"

Nol was staring at her, eyes round.

She'd only gotten back 20 minutes ago, but Frizza DeLawr's "elegant little tea party" had actually been a four hour long classical music competition that she'd had to sit through.

"And Thesavia! Oooo. TheSAVIA." She growled that last part. "She tried to make me look stupid by asking me to play on the pianoforte. Why the frik do I need to know how to play the pianoforte? I mean, who has time for that? So of course I mentioned to that dummy that perhaps she should not make such inconsiderate invitations, and then she was passive aggressively rude to me for the next hour and a half!"

Quinn stopped ranting for a moment.

"At least none of those idiots know how to properly pass rumors. The one tried to tell everyone that I'm a toad. And I'm obviously not a frog." Quinn finished smugly.

Nol choked on his tea and Miroslav hacked violently from where he was by the map table.

"Dont tell me you guys believe crap like that?" Quinn babbled.

"The term "toad" is actually not what you are imagining dear." Maude's lips twitched. "That is a derogatory reference to a girl who is quite...loose. Or gets paid money to indulge in such behaviors."

Quinn gasped.

"She was calling me a whore!"

Nol now actually began to choke.

Miroslav couldn't seem to get any air.

Then he burst up laughing.

His laugh was rich and deep, a full-belly laugh.

Quinn stared at him as he cackled.

"I'm sorry. Is my harlot status amusing?" She snarked.

He continued to laugh, his lips pulled back in an honest-to-God smile.

Well, if she'd know all it took was being classified as a trashy ho, she might've dropped her morals for a glimpse at that smile.

Nol was now breathing again, but he was tomato red.

He excused himself, blushing, muttering about interrupting gel talk.

Now it was Maude who laughed.

So Maude and Miro both finally died out to quiet snickering before Quinn asked, "Does that mean I can make people pay to dance with me, now?"

Maude chuckled.

"Of course not. We can easily dispel the rumors at Solstice by putting you on the arm of Miro."

"Wait, Miro can come? But won't someone see him?" Quinn pointed, confused. "Look at him. He isn't exactly subtle."

His tall frame stood up straighter, further proving her point.

Maude nodded.

"Most of the kingdom prepares all year for this, and it's a masquerade. A very....overdone masquerade. No one will notice a thing with all the extravagant costuming going around." Maude explained. "And the bonus is that most come escorted, or in a set pair. It's a very big thing, so you won't have to dance with any irritating presences."

Quinn eyed Miroslav. "Well, only one."

He had the good sense to look mildly offended.

She sighed dramatically, "But. At least I know from our practices that he can dance well, but it's a shame that I couldn't land a higher up aristocrat who can serenade me with the pianoforte."

She mimicked an annoying lady.

Maude snickered.

"You've forgotten that Miroslav was brought up in the Royal family. He is an expert at the pianoforte, along with several other instruments, and his voice is that of an Angel's. Don't worry," she winked. "I've set you up with a lovely match."

Quinn's jaw dropped open.

Then she closed it and pursed her lips, thinking for a moment.

"Does this mean I can get you to sing something for me?" Quinn asked, slyly.

Miroslav didn't move.

Then he shook his head.

"You hesitated! Yes! There is hope yet!"

He rolled his eyes.

Then he turned back to the maps that he had been studying all day.

"Whatcha looking at?" Quinn asked.

"Its almost like she has these locations for a purpose. But I cannot begin to guess what it would be. There's nothing there. Except water. The maps leading to the desert are more obvious. It's clear that she has become a problem in all the kingdoms, including some sort of weird smuggling up North in the deserts."

Quinn traced the map with her hand.

"Well, if I were me, as a criminal, there is no way that I would hide with my business dealings. I would set up some sort of vacation home for me to chillax at, far away from being found, where no one would look for me." Quinn finished.

Miroslav went pale.

Then he turned to look at her.

"She's in the Castle."