The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 43

At first glance, she appeared friendly enough, smiling peacefully. She curtsied to me and introduced herself.

Tm looking forward to serving you,” she said.

But I found it strange. Surely she had passed my other maid being taken away down the hall. What kind of person would be smiling so calmly after having witnessed such a thing?

icholas.

I

I

Today was the day for Nicholas’s solo date, and I was trying my very best not to think about it.

Ever since receiving Joseph’s threatening letter, I’d been hiding out in my room as much as I could to

avoid him and the mean–looking guards.

With the First Ball fast approaching, I used the extra time in my room to help my maids work on me and

Elva’s gowns.

The dress had to be perfect. The order of introductions for the girls at the ball was to be determined by

the princes‘ preferences of the dresses.

Once the gowns were finished, pictures were to be taken of them and given to the princes, who would

then select their favorites. Those favorites would be the first ones introduced at the ball, and therefore

given the most time with the princes.

And with the cameras.

A major component of the Luna Choosing Game, was earning the public’s favor. I had a small advantage

people, being one myself. But people like Lena and Joseph existed

my

didn’t mean I

maids and I had split the design for my

combine

Elva’s

final work, as she

dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot, since that would ruin the anonymity of

herself was looking at something outside the window, likely the

I

kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but

and I were over long

the length of the room, nervousness and trepidation waging war within my chest. My

Elva called to me. “Mommy, come

the distraction, I joined her

pointed down toward

stood near the entrance of the stables as horses were brought to

hands.

that greedily accepted a

horse chosen for Lilliana was a brown and white mare that seemed nervous around her. The

trying to sidestep whenever Lilliana came

his own horse to approach Lilliana. He offered

her horse. Lilliana shook her

exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held up her pure white gloves, I assumed she refused to treat

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

how she would hold the

I

to the horse himself.

then, and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself

hands lingered near her waist, keeping

the times we had gone horseback riding together. He had helped me then,

same way.

let myself remember, I could still feel the phantom

then. “Tell me when you

“What

I

green sparkling brightly under the sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to

properly

wondered if he was saying much the same thing to Lilliana, But, no. They didn’t

hands away from her waist

two did not seem to like each other

I couldn’t imagine why Nicholas had chosen her, out of

her then and mounted his stallion. He waited for Lilliana to bring her mare alongside his horse, and then together they

at the window.

when she realized, “He’s

could figure out what she was going to do, she shouted from the

She waved both arms.

up. Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression seemed to

lifted a hand and