Well, that did not work out the way he imagined it would. His optimism wavered as did the smile on his face when silence followed his half-hearted suggestion of punishment. Of course, he did not believe that the unfortunate incident was her fault. It was the product of malicious minds, who hoped to unsettle the political balance of the kingdom for their own gain. But Luke’s concession that his fiancee was responsible for the eventful morning was only to oblige her to submit to the medical authorities. It was for her own sake anyway.

Then again, judging from the dullness in her eyes and the set of her lips, it perhaps upset her that another person accepted the validity of her confession that she was to blame. Luke believed the contrary. It was not her fault that the resistance had conspired to assassinate her. The vehicle she drove that morning was unfit for use and the rebels would come after them whether or not the couple survived the accident. The intention was to eliminate her, Luke was just a bonus. He could tell her that hoping to ease the anxiety his words brought to Rhiane, but doing so was like giving her a chance to retract her consent. 

“Him?” They continued to discuss the terms of the princess elect though Luke’s grin was exchanged for a frown. “I asked him to come with us only because it is dangerous to be in that clinic if the rebels returned. Truth is, I don’t trust that man.”

He stretched his legs before him. The pain from the gash on his thigh had subsided as did the pain on his side. What remained though was how painfully unpleasant his pants looked like. Good thing the media was not able to snap a photo of him wearing such, else it might be interpreted that the crown prince was starting a revolution in fashion. Nothing was far from the truth than that conclusion. 

“Don’t worry about the doctors from the palace, they are professionals who do not look into the status of a person before treating them.” But again, these were noble born professionals. Everybody was aware that there was no single noble who did not look down on the low-born peasants. Even the doctors who supervised her treatment from poison were sons and daughters of lords. “But if that is what will make you comfortable, then I can ask the doctor to stay a little longer.” It meant he was depriving the neighboring towns of the only medical professional in the area. Rhiane did not have to know about that. 

Luke shifted his arm a bit and tried to find a more comfortable position. “I’d also stick around if you had asked me to, but…” He shrugged. “The medical team will take about three to four hours to get here. What do you want to do until then? We can order lunch if you’re feeling hungry.” She said she did not want to fall asleep, but it was inevitable if he left her alone to contemplate on the past events. He may not be experienced in trauma patients, but he had an understanding how the brain processes negative thoughts and emotions. It was always at the forefront of her mind, like a guard that would not let her pass. The worst part was when she was alone in her thoughts, because then she would have the chance to explore the what if’s and what could have been, which was the source of her guilt.