Chapter Thirty-Two

Wednesday, November Twentieth

Louis smoothed out his clothes and ran his fingers through his hair. Madison opens the door, a small bag in her arms. Louis is wearing a tee shirt, hoodie, and a blazer with a pair of jeans. Madi is wearing a long sleeved shirt and leggings.

"Don't you want to bring a coat or a jacket?" Louis asks, "Isn't it cold in Lakedon?"

"I don't own a coat," Madison smiles, "To be honest, I'm just glad to see my family again. I've missed them for a while now."

"Oh." Louis replies, "Well, if you get cold, tell me. I'll get you a jacket."

"I haven't owned a coat most of my life Louis. I think I'll be fine," Madison interlocks their arms together, "But thanks for thinking of me."

"No problem," Louis replies, "It's the least I can do."

They head towards a car in the palace's car lot. A fleet of cars reside in front of them. The keys all hang on a corkboard with a tiny model car to represent which one it indicates.

"Pick one."

Madi covers her eyes while reaching out, "Let's leave it to chance."

She grabs the keys to the Rolls-Royce and tosses them to Louis. Louis opens the doors. First Madi's, then one to the backseat, and finally his own. While Madi slips in the passenger's seat, Louis puts the bags in the backseat. Soon after, he steps in.

"When did you learn how to drive?" Madi asks.

"A couple of years back," Louis replies, starting the car, "I was bored."

"Boredom, huh?" Madi asks, "One of the best reasons to do something."

He takes the car out of the garage. Guards in a separate car follow him to the airport.

"You can put on music," Louis tells her, "It won't be distracting."

"What do you like?"

"I want you to pick." Louis merges onto the interstate, "I'm curious what kind of music you're interested in."

"I doubt you're interested in pop music." Madi messes with the radio.

Pop Sensation SGrace comes on, halfway through the chorus of her newest song. Both Madi and Louis sing along, neither of them being the best of singers, but know the entire song.

Madi asks, "You know all the words to SGrace?"

"Every song." Louis confirms, "I started listening to bother Charlie, but—but I actually enjoyed her music. It was something normal, something everyone listened to."

"How are you handling with—" Madi starts to ask about Charlie, but Louis interrupts her, "Don't talk about her, please."

"I'll listen if you want me to, but" Madi trails off then continues her thought, "I understand."

"What's your family like?" Louis deflects.

"Hard working people, Christian but non-practicing." Madison answers, "We all work for the same circus and have been since I could remember."

"Do you like working in the circus?"

"It's fun, sure, but I don't think I could handle the constant travel." Madison admits, "I want a home with a foundation and an actual roof; not a place where you have to live in the circus trailers, driving from province to province, city to city all of my life."

"Is that why you joined the selection?"

"Yeah," Madi admits, "it is."

She turns up the music and sings along, ending the conversation.


Madison and Louis exit the plane around 11am. Thirty minutes later, they're heading towards the circus Madison grew up in all of her life. This time, they're being driven.

"So," Louis asks, "who will I be meeting?"

"Hopefully," Madi admits, "Just my parents and my siblings. Though, there will probably be people in the community trying to speak to me. I've worked with these people all of my life."

"You do acrobatics, right?"

"And contortion." Madi corrects.

"Wow." Louis replies, "How did you get started in acrobatics and contortion?"

"My sister does acrobatics like me and I started getting good at it like she did." Madi answers, "and then I was always flexible, so becoming a contortionist wasn't too hard. So, when I was ten they had me start working and by the age of twelve I was performing."

"You've really done this all of your life." Louis comments.

"Yeah," Madi tells him, "It was fun when I was young, but it's not what I want to do all of my life."

"What do you want to do?"

"Help people." Madison answers, "I want to help raise different communities so that everyone gets opportunities like this to help themselves."

The car stops, ending their conversation. Louis opens the door then shivers. He controls it by the time he gets to Madi's door and opens it. She steps outside, and they begin walking towards the big top.

It isn't snowing like Louis predicted, but it is still too cold to be walking around without a jacket on. Louis takes off his and puts it around Madi's shoulders. "Here, take it."

"It's not that cold outside, you know?"

"Please wear it, for me." Louis tells her, "I don't want you getting sick."

"Alright," Madi smiles wider, "Thank you."

"No problem."

Madi grabs his hand, even though the sleeves of Louis' jacket engulfs her arm. Their fingers interlock while the jacket covers both of their hands.

The guards are a couple of meters behind them, but stop once they reach the big top. Madi pulls aside the tent's flaps, showing Louis the chaos going on. There are people shouting, training, setting up for tonight's performance. Conversations are happening all around them, but Madi leads him through it all, to the tent's back entrance.

"Now this," Madi lifts her arms and twirls, "this is home!"

It's not empty, but it's less chaotic. Trailers hooked onto one another with either surnames or groups named on them. A ways back is the Cooper trailer. Madison places a knock on the door.

A shorter, blond man opens the door. He locks eyes with Louis, then with Madi. He opens the door, then shouts, "Madi's back!"

Madison leads him inside the living room. She hugs the older man, then the blond woman who walks in.

Madison turns to Louis, a blond person on either side of her. She speaks as she points, "Louis, this is my brother Caleb and my sister Megan. Caleb, Megan, this is His Royal Highness, Louis Schreave."

Louis shakes both of their hands, telling them, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Caleb's handshake is tight, while Megan's is lighter.

"Mom?" Madi calls out, "Dad?"

"We'll be there in a minute sweetie." Her mother calls out.

Moments later, an older, greying man walks in. He hugs his daughter, lifting her in the process. He says, "Madi darling, I'm glad you're back!"

"I'm glad to be with you all." Louis notices that she isn't glad to be back, just be with her family. He recalls their conversation earlier, about how she doesn't like working in the circus.

A shorter, blond woman walks in. She heads past her daughter, who is still attached to her dad. She extends her hand, "Your Highness, I'm Linda Cooper and that is my husband Andrew."

"Are you all ready?" Andrew Cooper asks.

Murmurs of agreement are spoken. Louis then takes command of the room, "I've arranged two different cars. We can split up how you like."

"Madi should ride with Louis." Megan replies, "The rest of us can fit in the other car."

"Alright then," Madi clasps her hands together, "Let's head to lunch!"


After Madi and Louis' lunch with the Cooper family, they headed towards their hotel suite. Louis has the bags in his hands while Madi has their key.

"So, Louis," Madi asks as she opens the door, "Where is the illusive place I packed the fancy dress for?"

"C'est une surprise, Madison. Tu vas devoir attendre et observer." Louis winks, heading towards her room.

Madi follows him, "So it's something in French, huh."

"Oui." Louis replies.

"I know what that is." Madi responds, "Not the sentectence before, but I know you're saying yes."

"Parfait. Le but est que tu ne saches pas." Louis puts her bag on the bed and then heads for his room, the one across the hall.

"Can I know what time we will be leaving?"

"Five thirty." Louis answers.

Madi laughs, "In English now, huh?"

"Yeah," Louis responds, "The french was so you didn't know it."

Madi and Louis both laugh. She says, "I guess I'll get ready now and maybe watch some t.v. afterwards."

"We don't leave for a few hours though?"

"Well I'll be watching a ton of television then." Madison shuts the door and Louis heads to his.

Two hours later, Madison sits in front of the television when Louis walks in, also ready. Madi stands in front of him, but Louis stops in his tracks. Madison looks ethereal. She's got wide chocolate eyes, seated on a face full of makeup that only enhances them. Her blonde hair is curled, not quite reaching her shoulders, but slightly further down than her chin. Her strapless dress is navy blue with a band of silver and a skirt that has silver glitter dispersed around it. She looks like the night sky.

"You look一fantastic, Madi." Louis tells her, after recollecting his train of thoughts.

"Thank you," Madi smiles, "You look good too."

"Are you ready to go?"

"I thought we were leaving at five thirty," she checks her phone, "It isn't even five yet."

"We can be early." He offers his arm.

Madi grabs her silver clutch and then locks arms with him, heading where he's taking her. They walk down the hallway, to the elevator, and then to the lobby. It's easily the fanciest place in Lakedon she's been.

Louis directs her to a car that pulls up. The guard turned driver asks where to take them. Louis tells him, "The 133rd."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"The 133rd?" Madi asks, "That's fancy."

"I want to take you to fancy places tonight." Louis replies.

"Places, huh?"

"Oui." Louis replies.

Madi rolls her eyes and smiles, "So I'm right."

"Oui."

"So you're taking me out to eat in one of Lakedon's most expensive restaurants and one other unknown place." Madi comments, "I wonder how this'll hold up tomorrow. I have some events planned too."

"Really?" Louis asks, "Like what?"

"Like I'm going to tell you, darling." Madison answers, "I have surprises of my own."

"Well I'll be patient and wait." Louis responds, "I can't be ruining promises now can I?"

"Nope."


"So," Madi drawls, "You've taken me for fancy french food at the 133rd, where is this final place you're taking me?"

"Keep your patience, Madi." Louis replies, "It's only a short walk there."

As they exit the building, there is a guard a couple of feet in front of them and one a couple of feet behind them. It's nighttime and they've taken precautions for Louis' sudden romantic whims.

The stars are out, and Louis tells Madi, "You look like the night sky."

"The entire sky?" Madi asks.

"Yes," Louis raises his hand towards the sky, "Yes, your dress is the sky and the star. Rich and glittering, full of wonder. However, you yourself are the moon. The true focal point of the night sky."

Madi jokes, "Do you talk to all of your selected that way?"

Louis interlaces their hands again, "If I did, I wouldn't be in the elite."

"Well," Madi replies, "I'll consider myself lucky."

Louis and Madi turn a corner, their focus not on the stars anymore, but at the lights outside of the Grand Théâtre de Québec.

"It's one of Illéa's oldest theatres." Louis tells her, "It is showing the adaptations of one of my favorite French novels."

"You read french novels?"

"My mother used to read them to me as a child." Louis admits, "My favorite being Gaston Leroux's Le Fantôme de l'Opéra. Otherwise known as the Phantom of the Opera."

"I've never heard of it." Madison tells him.

Louis replies, "It's a classic. You'll enjoy it."

"I'd enjoy any time spent with you." Madi admits.

They step inside the plaza and are treated to the sight of luxury. Madi may have thought that the hotel and restaurant were fancy, but this place outshines this and every star in the sky.

"Your Highness." A lady in all black approaches the pair. She says, "I've been expecting you two. Shall I grab you a bottle of wine to go with the production of the Phantom?"

"No, ma'am." Louis answers, wrapping his arm into the elbow of Madi's, "Thanks for the offer."

"Anything at all I can get you two to drink?"

"No thank you."

She turns her back to them and says, "I'll be escoring you to box number six, then." She starts to walk, then Louis and Madi walk behind her.

"This place is the nicest place I've ever seen." Madi notes. Pictures and posters of productions are framed alongside the walls. The walls are black with golden chandeliers lining the roof. She continues, "Beside the palace."

"You're more beautiful than all of it." Louis lets the comment slip. A light blush encases his cheeks as Madi replies, "Thank you."

They're led up a set of stairs onto a curtained balcony. Four, red and gold, cushioned chairs, are stationed inside. Louis and Madi walk in. Madi sits by the seat closets to the stage and Louis sits to her left.

"I shall take the extra chairs. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask." She says, before honoring her word.

Twenty minutes later, the lights start to go down, and the director stands on the stage, introducing the production. Then, the show starts.

Madi rests her head against Louis' shoulder, and watches the production.


AN: Let's thank both Sylea and Abi for the translations. I cannot speak french, but luckily, they can.

"C'est une surprise, Madison. Tu vas devoir attendre et observer." = "It's a surprise, Madison. You will have to wait and see."

Oui = Yes

"Parfait. Le but est que tu ne saches pas." = "Good. The point is for you not to know."