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

with my slight advantage, I would make it far

didn’t mean I wouldn’t

two maids and I had split the design for my dress into

Now, we were ready to combine the three elements into a

Elva’s

insisted on doing the final work, as

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

outside the window, likely the horses again, with the stables so

I

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

I were over

nervousness and trepidation

to me.

the distraction, I joined

down toward the

and Lilliana stood near the entrance of the

hands.

stallion that greedily accepted a

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

trying to sidestep whenever Lilliana came

left his own horse to approach Lilliana. He offered her a

her horse. Lilliana shook her

couldn’t hear the exact words spoken beyond some mumbled voices, but with the way Lilliana held up her pure white gloves, I assumed

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

how she would hold the

I

sugar cube to the horse himself. In his

with Nicholas’s help, lifted herself up into the

hands lingered near her waist,

riding together.

same way.

I could still feel the

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

given him a playful smile. “What if I want to

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 to

properly

was saying much the same thing

his hands away from her waist quickly and without

these two did

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 started to ride forwards at a slow pace – which

at the window.

gasped when she realized, “He’s coming

she was going to do, she shouted from the window, “Hi,

She waved both arms.

Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression seemed to

a hand and waved