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

one myself. But people like Lena and Joseph existed

had little reason to believe that even with my slight advantage, I would make

didn’t mean

split the design for my dress into three separate parts that we had

combine the three elements

finished Elva’s matching

quiet maid insisted on doing the final work, as she had the most experience with

for the dresses photo shoot. Elva’s dress was not to be included in the shot,

at something outside the window, likely the horses again, with

I

wasn’t sure why, I kept thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but it shouldn’t be

I were over long

the room, nervousness and

to

distraction, I joined her at the

toward the

stood near the entrance of the stables

hands.

was a regal black stallion that greedily accepted a sugar cube from

for Lilliana was a brown and white mare that seemed nervous around

to sidestep whenever Lilliana

horse to approach Lilliana. He

Lilliana shook her head, refusing to offer

hear the exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held up her pure white gloves, I

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

how she would hold the

I

cube to the horse himself. In his presence, the mare seemed

Nicholas’s help, lifted

her waist,

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

same way.

still feel the phantom touch of his strong hands on my

let you fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me when you are okay, and

playful smile. “What if I want to stay

I

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

properly

he was saying much the same thing to Lilliana, But,

Nicholas moved his hands away from her waist quickly and without

from a distance, these two did not seem to like each other

chosen her, out of all the candidates, for his first

her then and mounted his stallion. He waited for Lilliana to bring her mare alongside his horse, and then together they started to ride forwards at a slow pace – which brought them closer

at the window.

she realized,

going to do, she shouted from the

She waved both arms.

looked up. Lilliana glowered, but

hand and