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

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

even with my slight advantage,

didn’t mean I wouldn’t

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

were ready to combine the

finished Elva’s

on doing the final work, as she had the most

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

something outside the window, likely

I

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

I were

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

to me. “Mommy, come

the distraction, I joined her

pointed down toward the stables. “It’s

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

hands.

regal black stallion that greedily accepted a sugar cube

brown and

whenever Lilliana came too

left his own horse to approach Lilliana.

her horse. Lilliana shook her head, refusing to offer the

some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held up her pure white gloves, I assumed she refused

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she

I

cube to the horse himself. In

then, and with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself up

her

riding together. He

same way.

remember, I could still feel

you fall,” he’d said then. “Tell me when you

given him a playful smile. “What if

I

brightly under the sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of our rooms instead. If you want me to hold you, I’d like

properly

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

hands away from her waist quickly and

two did not seem to like

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

He waited for Lilliana to bring her mare alongside his horse, and

at the window.

realized, “He’s coming over

what she was going to do, she shouted from the window,

She waved both arms.

glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression

hand