An: Happy Valentines Day lovelies!


Chapter 29

Sunday, November Seventeenth

It's Anna who seeks Louis out first.

It's been a week since anyone has seen Louis outside of his room. He's locked himself in, only letting the occasional maid up there. He's no doubt running through various packs of cigarettes, his go to when he's emotional. Louis hasn't seen his selected in over a week; he's asked not to see them.

Anna decides not to listen to his instruction. There is only so much you can do between five girls who aren't all friends with each other. She couldn't stand being the outside girl in the pair of friends (Briar and Mare get along intellectually while Madi and Marie have been friends since the day they walked into the palace).

She places a knock on the door then finds that it opened on it's own. The room doesn't immediately smell like cigarette smoke, which is a good sign.

"Is it lunch already?" Louis doesn't look up.

Anna closes the door behind herself and messes with a silver bracelet she's wearing today, "Not yet. I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh一Anna." Louis turns, he doesn't look the greatest, but Anna can't see a single cigarette in the room, so at least he's doing better than she thought he'd be. Louis comments, "I thought I'd sent a notice to leave me unbothered."

"It's been a week."

"Yes," Louis replies, "I've been busy planning."

"Can you tell me about it?" Anna steps into the room, sitting on a chair in front of a desk. Louis has stationed himself atop his bed. He's wearing a tee shirt and shorts. Even though Anna's only in jeans and a pink blouse, she feels overdressed for the environment.

"I'm trying to plan the selection's traditional Family Day. You all deserve to see your families." There's a long pause before Louis continues, "Even一even if I can't see mine."

Anna doesn't want to comment on Charlie. The selected all heard about the ambush, hearing it from the Report days earlier. They claim it was successful; they claimed that there were no survivors. That means Princess Charlene一Charlie, died in there.

"Need any help?" Anna asks.

Louis shakes his head, "No. It's getting Mare's family here that's the main difficulty, but I don't want to bore you with international politics just yet."

"Just yet, huh?"

"Yeah, just yet."

There's a small laugh between the pair. Then, Anna comments, "You need a break."

"Don't we all?" Louis doesn't look back up from the papers.

Anna replies, "Then let's take one一together."

This causes Louis to look up from his papers. He asks, "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes, I am." Anna answers.

Louis stares back at her. He wasn't expecting one of the girls to seek him out, but it shouldn't have surprised him. Anna is strong-willed.

"Do you have any plans?"

"Well," she smooths out her shirt and crosses her legs, "What do you want to do?"

"Anything away from the palace." Louis answers.

"How about to Zuni?" Anna asks, standing now, "Spend a night there and you can do it with all of the girls. It would count as the family meetings that are bothering you and get you away from the palace."

"Then would it be a date?"

Anna laughs, "Oh I'll definitely be taking you on a date. I won't take back my word."

"I'll request the plane."

"Good," Anna replies, "And don't pack too many fancy clothes, the farm isn't too kind to the designer clothes you wear."


Anna changed sometime between earlier in his room and now. She's wearing the same jeans, light wash and with purposeful rips. However, her shirt has been changed, it's now a white tank-top with a orange, grey, and brown striped shawl. They're sitting in a limo, the palace's go to transportation method. Louis is in a black, tie dye hoodie and grey sweatpants.

"Are you nervous?" Anna asks.

Louis laughs, "I mean, I'm meeting your family Anna. I'm dating you and I'm going to meet them."

"You'll have to do this four more times," Anna replies, "with your other selected."

"Right," Louis pauses, "What is your family like?"

"Well, I'm the middle child. I have an older brother named Samuel and a younger sister named Tabitha, but doesn't go by Tibby. Sam's expecting twins and my parents are happily together." Anna replies, "Most of us live on the family farm. Sam lives with his wife Heidi, but they're usually at the house. Family is big for us."

"Did they know you were joining the selection?"

"They encouraged it." Anna answers, "I wouldn't be here without them."

"I'll have to thank your family then." Louis laughs as they get onto the plane. Being royal means Louis bypasses security. As his escort, she gets to too.

They sit inside the plane, buckled up as the plane goes off. It's not a long flight, being just over three hours. Louis leads her to the eating area, a room lit with candles and with soft music playing in the background.

"I feel underdressed for the occasion." Anna comments.

Louis replies, taking her hand, "Don't be."

They sit at the table, a waiter brings out food for the pair, already made and kept piping hot in anticipation for the couple. As the waiter pours their drinks, the two start another conversation.

"Where do you plan on taking me in Zuni?" Louis asks.

Anna replies, "Some of my favorite spots. I can't top a glamorous ball and a dinner at 30,000 feet in the air, but I can at least show you places you've never seen."

"I haven't been anywhere in Zuni," Louis comments, "Except the capital city."

"I live in the capital city," Anna remarks, "but I'll take you to places besides the government buildings and fancy ballrooms."

"Please do." Louis laughs and Anna joins in with him.

The plane flies, steadily transporting them to Zuni as the two of them talk about their childhoods, Anna's more than Louis. She drops hints of the day to come, but won't tell him exact locations. She wants tomorrow to be a surprise for the stressed out Louis.