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 like Lena and Joseph existed in

that even with my slight advantage, I would make it far in

mean I wouldn’t

my dress into

were ready to combine the

Elva’s matching dress

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

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

herself was looking at something outside the window, likely the horses

I

thinking about Nicholas’s solo date, but it shouldn’t be enough to bother me like

were over long

nervousness and trepidation waging

called to me. “Mommy, come

distraction, I joined her at the

Elva pointed down toward the stables. “It’s

entrance of the stables as horses

hands.

horse was a regal black stallion that greedily accepted a sugar

brown and white mare that seemed nervous around

whenever

own horse to approach Lilliana. He offered her a sugar

her head, refusing

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

ing dirty.

getting dirty.

wondered how she would hold

I

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

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

her waist, keeping her

gone horseback riding

same way.

myself remember, I could still feel the phantom touch of

he’d said then. “Tell

given him a playful smile. “What if I want

I

sun. “Then we should give up on horseback riding for today and return to one of our rooms instead. If you want me

properly

I wondered if he was saying much the same thing to Lilliana, But, no. They

Nicholas moved his hands away from her waist quickly and without

did not seem to

her, out of all the candidates,

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

at the window.

she realized, “He’s coming over

I could figure out what she was going to do, she shouted from the window, “Hi,

She waved both arms.

both immediately looked up. Lilliana glowered, but Nicholas’s stern expression seemed

hand and waved