Kalistan

[Doc]

Alice Bjorksdattir makes appearance at Kaliburg Summer Society Gala
Celebration of Empress' Birthday is Social event of the Summer
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 27, 5696


Her Imperial Majesty often is accompanied by Bjorksdattir at formal Society Events

The talk of the Social scene in the Capitol is the very public friendship between Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto and Kalistani supermodel Alice Bjorksdattir. The Dynamic Duo were spotted again hanging out together at the Kaliburg Summer Society Gala, which was the most prestigious Society event of the summer. The Gala also happened to coincide with Her Imperial Majesty's 23rd Birthday on July 23, making the event far more important for mavens to try to get a very exclusive ticket.

"Alice Bjorksdattir and the Empress appear to be having a lot of fun together in social settings," said society columnist François L'Étoile, who writes about society gossip and fashion in Kaliburg. "One of the best things about being in the press is you occasionally get to be a fly on the wall at events like this, and so often you don't know where to look. Here's a Duke here, here's a Dame there, oh look, here's the worlds most famous supermodel. Oh look there's the Empress... You know... sometimes you don't even know where to focus, it's all about who is talking to who, who is avoiding who, and most importantly, why?"

The birthday celebration, which featured singing, a cutting of a Birthday cake and a champagne toast to Her Imperial Majesty's Health, was attended by many prestigious members of the Kalistani peerage, as well as social scene movers and shakers. "Oddly enough, we did not see any musicians at this Gala, which is different from most years," said L'Étoile. "But I really don't know if you'd notice them anyway. Not with those two ladies just megawatting the entire room..." Also absent was Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Collins who was in Luxon this summer surfing.

His Majesty, the Minor King William XVII of Hutori did make an appearance, because Her Imperial Majesty wanted to introduce the 16 year-old Hutorian Monarch to Kaliburg Society. "That was a treat, to see the Hutorian King come to the Gala," said L'Étoile. "He takes to it naturally, and stayed for cake and champagne, and after chatting with a few of Kaliburg's Society women, who thought he was just adorable, and some of the young nobles from Kalistan who were just a few years older than him, he made his exit and returned back to Cliff House."

L'Étoile noted that the two young women were inseparable the entire evening, getting drinks for one another, dancing together, and meeting Kaliburg's glitterati together. "Wouldn't it be fun if they were like secretly in love?" said L'Étoile with a giggle. "But no, that's all fan fiction stuff meant for the weirdest corners of the internet. Luckily for Kalistan's men, these two ladies are both very single and very straight. No, this is just a wonderful friendship that these two beautiful people have built. The Empress is kind of a very conservative and quiet book worm and Bjorksdattir brings out the social side of her, while Bjorksdattir is this bubbly extroverted fun girl and no doubt the Empress encourages moderation in her behavior, at least when they are out together. They're kind of opposites in a lot of ways, and I think this is what they find so interesting in one another." Bjorksdattir has been linked to several actors and musicians over the last couple years, but none of her relationships lasted more than a few months. Her Imperial Majesty's dating life is more or less non-existent.

It would not have been a proper event without some entertainment. This year, part of the travelling company of the National Theater came to the Gala and performed a collection of comedic and pastoral sonnets by the Kalistani Brethrenist poet and playwright Alexander Bufford. "It was a very wonderful performance," said L'Étoile. "The Narrator read the sonnet as two, three or four of the actors of the company performed them in silence. The funny ones often involved light physical humor, but the pastoral ones focused on themes of family, and romantic love, as well as the Brethrenist virtues of simplicity, equality, peace, honesty, and stewardship. It was truly very special and delighted the Empress very much." The performance was organized by Dame Natalie Ryan-Kirk, who was also the Gala's host, and herself a major patron of the National Theater.

Events like the Summer Society Gala reinforce the social hierarchy in Kalistan. For the upper crust, they are the opportunity to reconnect with others of their class and be seen, by each other, for sure, but also by the lower classes. Being disinvited to social events like this is not the same as declining an invitation. If a person were ever disinvited, they have committed some sort of serious faux pas and violated the social order somehow. Most people will never attend one of these events, and yet many follow them like they watch soap operas and scripted nightly dramas.

"Let me tell you, if you are here, its because you belong here. If you aren't here you dream of being here" said L'Étoile. "Some people will always be invited--The Royal Family making an appearance always boosts the prestige of any social event. They can't go to every one every time, so when they do show up it is always something for the fashion and gossip papers. There is a very rigid hierarchy within this high society, very rigid. And the Empress is always on top of it. And being seen with the Empress moves you up the ladder."

@LaModa