The rest of the preparation passed all too quickly. Rhiane was ushered into the shower, absent attendants despite Ms. Viscomi's protests that they would expedite the process, then was dried, dressed, and primped. Although the servants were visibly apprehensive about having the crown prince witness his fiancee dressed in little or nothing, they dared not voice their concerns or delay the beauticians out of a sense of modesty not shared by their superiors. That the queen had been notified of the daring sleeping arrangement and had not quashed the couple's wishes was evidence enough of her endorsement. Interference with a royal was risky at best, but today, bizarre as the circumstances were, it would be the end of their illustrious career in the palace should they interject. When they thought no one was looking many of the ladies exchanged glances. Being appointed to the princess elect had been exciting for most. The queen and princess were well-known to the highborn, having spent their entire lives in the limelight, but the former farmer was something new and rare. Little did they know exactly how much she would challenge the status quo- and with Luke an apparently willing accomplice if not an enabler.

Predictably they did not object when Rhiane insisted on eating her pannacotta. Tongues were bitten before the word 'diet' dripped off any lips though they all knew of its existence. Physical beauty among models and the elite typically meant women were expected to be underweight. By no means was Rhiane overweight, but she was more muscular than her socialite peers, and her curves were much more pronounced than all but a few blessed aristocrats. These traits had propelled her to the top of the candidates- uglier females were denied entry altogether- but created conflict now that she had ascended. The public itself was divided if she ought to become slender and fragile like a runway model or retain her current physique, one that was strong and sultry, with most leaning towards the latter. If it had not been for polls suggesting her image was best as it was, the knowledge fertility issues plagued the underfed, and Luke himself ordering a meal that included the dessert, Rhiane might had a fight on her hands. Maids politely ignored her licking of every drop of chocolate from her spoon as they styled her thick hair.

Time constraints meant that the princess elect was presentable but not as polished as with the engagement ball. The interview was meant to be casual, but the queen demanded perfection, and there was a small argument over how much allotment should be given to make-up in particular. Ms. Viscomi ultimately decided to keep make-up light, encouraging the masses to see Rhiane as their 'every woman' representative visually, and there was a wardrobe change to accommodate this adjustment. Tired as she was there was no complaints from the bronze-skinned beauty. She flashed smiles, nodded her consent, and followed directions with the single exception of medication. Rhiane had tried to refuse the nurses, albeit with impeccable manners, and it was only Luke's stubborn insistence that made her yield- partially because he had unintentionally bribed her and flattered her sufficiently to heed him for at least a few hours.

Only Luke had full disclosure of Rhiane's strategic approach before the interview commenced. She was seated beside the host, the broadcast live, when color drained from Ms. Viscomi's face as the charismatic princess elect tactfully abandoned the script scrolling past on the teleprompters. Her media counterpart was equal amounts surprised, horrified, enchanted, and thrilled, and had he not been a seasoned veteran conversing with someone so deftly skilled at manipulation it might have ended prematurely ten minutes after introductions were made.

But even by the most conservative estimates Rhiane was a resounding success. Rather than pay mindless lip service to the crown, which would have ruined her credibility with commoners and created rumors she was a puppet, she carefully danced around without passing judgment on any certain topic. The shrewd woman excused herself as not educated on certain matters, or uncertain exactly where she stood, or understanding both sides when appropriate, so as not to alienate herself unnecessarily one side or another when possible. Rhiane had been self-depreciating with Luke but here she painted herself more humble, pensive, and cautious. By admitting minor shortcomings (such as a lack of knowledge) she won over the hearts of viewers, making them look cruel if they were to attack her when she confessed fault, creating a sense of empathy that made one quicker to jump to her defense. She did not pretend to know everything after a single day with the privileged. No one was more aware than she was that she was straddling both worlds but this was her greatest boon; she had to remind everyone that was what she was doing, both with actions and words, to capitalize on the fact she could be a bridge to join two worlds.

As promised, she was purposefully vague about the 'impromptu date' with Luke. Watching Rhiane discuss this outing, with first-hand experience to separate fact from fiction, made it clear that she was nothing if not masterful with word choice to insinuate a fantasy without being completely deceptive. She stated they, "went somewhere where they could be alone," that "they had very emotionally-charged discussions," that "they were spending a lot of time together," and that they were "exploring their feelings." None of these allegations were untrue but they conjured a notion that there was an intimacy that did not exist. Rhiane very pointedly did not even look towards her fiance when she spoke about their relationship; to someone watching at home this was not strange, for she was very focused on the host, but to Luke it was telling that perhaps she was not quite the stoic bastion of apathy that she made herself out to be. She had forewarned him not to engage in any public displays of affection as it would be distracting. That she feigned ignorance of his presence could lead him to conclude that his compliment had made his existence itself 'distracting.'

The interview was coming to a close when she was asked about her immediate aspirations. It was here she made a departure from what anyone could have possibly anticipated. Ms. Viscomi had been lulled into reassurance and relief as she watched social media wash by with praise for the spokeswoman people found in Rhiane.

"My plans? Oh, I understand I'll be going on a tour of the country with Prince Luke in the next couple days, but I hope to do some charitable work either abroad or when I return," she announced with a dazzling smile. Ms. Viscomi nearly dropped her tablet before clutching it tightly. This was the first anyone had heard of such virtuous pursuits. Because it had not been reviewed in advance, the queen had not approved it, and this made the image manager's heart leap into her throat. "Personally I'd like to find a way to help facilitate vaccinations in the outer reaches of the kingdom, where it is harder to coordinate such outreach endeavors, because it's an issue close to my heart."