“Anything you say about her reflects back to me,” Luke added, turning away. “No, Tobias. We are done talking.” 

If his expression softened when he found Rhiane standing by the door, it swiftly reverted back to slight irritation when he discovered who escorted her there and whose coat was draped over her shoulder. At that point, it was difficult to tell which annoyed him more – the insulting comments of his peers or that while he was enduring the company of these people, she was having a date with his cousin. He almost regretted stopping Luce from doing whatever was necessary to stop Rhiane’s plan that morning. Of course, she would turn to Tobias. Had Luke been a little less mad at her, he could have decided using his brain and not his heart, and reasoned with Rhiane why it was not a good idea to visit the town without him. While he was a little grateful that the royal guard had the gall to speak up against ladies and gentlemen who outranked him, it did not change the fact that he was who Rhiane would default to, not Luke. 

The room had fallen silent. Nobody had anticipated that the prince would come to her defense, more so that the princess elect herself would appear while they were carelessly tossing insults to the air. The sound of Luke’s chair scraping against the flooring as he pushed himself to his feet was the only sound in the room. The unexpected guests seemed to have paused, ashamed to make the cutlery clink against the porcelain plates. But the baron cleared his throat as if unable to contain his thoughts.

“Your highness, with all due respect,” he started. “It is not appropriate for a lowly guard to address the lords and ladies the way he did. If maligning your betrothed is synonymous to treason, then insulting a baron can be construed as insubordination. Or is my understanding flawed?”

Luke went around the table and was almost at the door when the baron made the analogy. It was tempting to give in, take the baron up on his word, and subject Tobias to disciplinary action, except that if he did that, then there would be no one else he trusted who could look after Rhiane. “Tobias Lavanchy is my cousin, my lord,” the prince admitted casually. He might have not said it, but his words implied that the man the baron was targeting was closer to the crown that the baron would ever be. 

Not a single thank you was uttered for Tobias. Luke just nodded to the guard in acknowledgment and maybe a little silent complement, before dismissing him. To Rhiane, however, he offered his arm. There was a vacant chair across him where the plate and utensils were untouched. It would be awkward to ask anybody to move, so if she would calmly come with him, then he would put up an act that there was nothing wrong between them and civilly deposit her to the seat. 

Though before doing so, there was one thing that he needed to settle. “Lords and Ladies, your attention please.” One arm snaked around her waist, pulling her so that the distance between the two of them was eliminated. He guided her such that the two of them were facing the table and the curious stares of its occupants. “Most of you did not make it to our engagement ball, but allow me to introduce my fiancee, Ms. Rhiane Black. I am expecting that everybody will extend to her the same respect and loyalty that you have all pledged to my mother and myself.”

Luke was not expecting a response, and the audience had none. After a short pause, he guided her to the empty chair then signaled for a waiter to bring her food. Hopefully there was something left.