Rhiane had been nodding along as Luke ate his soup and consented to her belongings being sent to his room. Logistically it was necessary, and she knew they were both too exhausted to do anything but sleep, but she would be lying if she claimed she had anything but mixed feelings. The former farmer had [i]never[/i] shared a bed with someone overnight. Because these were uncharted waters for her she was slightly apprehensive about any habits she might have and be ignorant of- snoring, grinding teeth, tossing and turning, hogging the covers, muttering in her dreams. That Luke hadn't criticized her when she fell asleep in his hovercraft or when she napped in his quarters earlier suggested that there was no abhorrent behavior. While he might not have the luxury of ridding himself of her, she had a hard time believing he'd be able to stop himself from mocking anything she did besides quietly laying still.

Presumably the queen would remove the implant before the wedding. This binding of the couple together physically by nanotechnology would not last; however, they would be expected to share a bed in the future. Rhiane had not forgotten that their relationship would need to be consummated no matter what objections the heir to the throne might have. Tonight she doubted he'd muster the fortitude to even touch her more than was necessary, much less stay awake after his head hit a pillow, but it was the beginning of a journey that neither of them could deviate from. The princess elect could not deny that the man sitting opposite her was handsome. Though she had kept her specific preferences hidden from both him and the contest staff, she was attracted to someone of his stature, and even of his gruff assertiveness. Had he not edged into condescending arrogance or been a royal they might have had an alliance borne of a political need. Luke had joked about saving the seduction for later earlier and she had interpreted this as ruthless ridicule but now she wondered idly if, while they were conjoined by the injected devices, he actually anticipated her doing just that.

All of her thoughts were interrupted when Luke feigned as gasp. At first she had thought he had latched onto something new to critique but as she lifted her gaze she saw his mischievous grin. Rhiane kept chewing as he compared her to a Godzilla (some large lizard she'd need to investigate if she found the time) and remarked he should have ordered more food. Not only did she think he was perhaps overestimating her appetite, ravenous as it was, she was of the belief the kitchen might balk at cooking a feast that could feed a small family when there were only two of them to partake. Then again, if anyone could get away with abusing the chef's resources it was probably the man who would one day become king.

"Are you sure?" she asked as the fork with lobster and linguine was offered. The way her eyes opened wide, and her cheeks flushed faint pink in colour, showcased her excitement and appreciation. Children being given their first bar of chocolate had less enthusiasm than the princess elect for a single bite from his plate. Rhiane remained oblivious to Luce Viscomi's photography as she leaned forward and closed her lips over the pasta.

"Mmmm!" she exclaimed as she pulled back, her mouth still full. What few attendants had not been watching the spectacle certainly were now. The former farmer had forgotten there was an audience and any pretense of formal dining manners had been chucked out the window as she embraced a more casual, friendly, and honest demeanor. Her town was not coastal and so any and all seafood had to be frozen and imported to stay fresh, which increased its price and had made it less than affordable for most of the poverty-stricken residents on the edges of its city limits. This was Rhiane's very first taste of shellfish. To have something so spectacularly prepared, so expertly sauteed, and so decadent was almost overwhelming. The princess elect savored it for as long as she could before swallowing with a look of intense satisfaction.

Leaning forward with bright eyes she spoke with ecstatic praise. "That was delicious! Do you eat things like this all the time? At home I had to do all the cooking," she admitted, prattling on with a radiant smile plastered on her face as if Luke had flown her to the moon instead of giving her a small portion of his meal. "Well after I got older, anyway. Growing up with two brothers, when Mom was still alive, if I didn't eat everything as fast I could they would take things right off my plate! Wah, if Godzilla can eat like this every day I'll gladly accept the nickname. Maybe I'll claim it for myself right now," she grinned impishly. Needless to say she was also looking forward to the dessert that, as her words might insinuate, was also a delicacy she had not the opportunity to sample before.