The Luna Choosing Game

Nicholas

I stood before the King in his chambers. He was angrily pacing the length of the room. Back and forth,

back and forth. Occasionally he would stop to shout at me, but he’d always break himself off, unfinished,

and continue pacing.

“How could you think –?”

“You deliberately disobeyed –!”

“What do I even –?”

A few minutes in, his face was turning red, and my mother, the Luna was forced to intervene. She stood

in his path to keep him from pacing, then whispered into his ear.

I never totally understood their relationship. My mother was a private person. And though the two of

them often gave compliments to each other, any meaningful conversations only went on behind closed

doors.

my entire life, I had no idea

show

nodded at my mother, and

after I specifically told you not to,” he said. Rage

his voice, occasionally leading to a twitch in his eyebrow or a downward curl of his

belong

we are helping to take care

inside of me. “She deserves to be as much – if not more than anyone

–

—

threw his hands up.

Luna stepped forward. “She can be a fine

event

I wanted to help them see without directly calling

could never be wrong.

huffed in the Queen’s direction. “He’s your

him. “You know, Nicholas, what the weight of the crown can do to good people. It’s not just for the sake of the kingdom that I caution you, but for her sake, too. She cannot

my heart, I knew

a cruel world would press down on her. It would wear at her soul, and I alone would

to protect

Elva’s illness. She didn’t need the added weight of a near war and

do,” I said, burying the ache in my