It was colder in Aresso than it was in the capital understandably because of the high altitude. There was also something in the air in that place that was distinctly different from the cities. It was crisp and fresh and felt a lot more laid back. If she would be given some days off her hectic schedule, maybe Luce Viscomi would choose to spend a few days in that same town to shake off all her stressors and get in touch with her inner self.

That day was not her day, though. Following through with the crown prince’s decision to meet with his hosts, because she too did not want to face disappointed the lords and ladies who had already spent a full day in town, Luce did not protest, nor did she try to convince Ms. Black to reconsider her choices. She thought it would be disastrous to do so. The prince would not back Luce up and the princess elect would not be inclined to apologize to her fiance. There was no win-win situation and maybe the best option was to keep them from each other’s sight as to not further the damage in the pair’s fragile relationship. However, what the woman had failed to anticipate was that the queen would not be happy to hear from the news about the separate engagements that the couple attended to. The call she got was not at all friendly.

Therefore, Ms. Viscomi came rushing to the venue. Her heels formed a rhythmic clicking as it hit the wood panels of the second-floor balcony that it drew the attention of the tall gentleman standing by a post, watching the diminishing silhouette of the mountain ranges from afar.  With not as much as surprise in his features, Tobias regarded Luce’s advancing form rather lazily though it was only to check if the clicking noise was a threat. 

“Where is she?” The image manager demanded, almost out of breath.

Tobias kept his silence. The entrance to the hall was a few paces from where he stood. On each side of the double doors was a uniformed guard – not a member of the royal guards, but he was informed that these men were the baron’s men. An armed Nolan was standing a few paces to the other side of the door, with Luke’s other guards nearby. Lia and Octavia had just rejoined Tobias after finishing the errand that Rhiane had asked of them. 

Frustrated, but still trying to keep her composure, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath then asked again, “Mr. Lavancy, may I know where she is right now? Is she inside?”

It was difficult to tell what was going on in his mind. Tobias Lavanchy was aloof. She heard rumors in the palace that the royal guard was not always that way, that he was a cheerful boy who used to play with Luke when they were kids. Looking at him now, it would be difficult to reconcile the cheerful kid with the stiff man with a frozen heart. No wonder his perceived warmth around the princess elect had elicited several versions of the same rumor inside the palace. “Who do you mean by she?” Tobias finally asked. 

As if on cue, the double doors opened to welcome the princess elect into the cold autumn afternoon. It did not escape her how the prince’s cousin’s attention immediately gravitated towards the dark-haired beauty. He took a tentative step forward, but then the prince stepped out after Rhiane. Whether consciously or not, Luke had his hand at the small of her back as he leaned close and whispered to her ear. 

[hr]

“Aren’t you cold?” Luke whispered. It was a stupid question, and he knew that. He wasn’t really sure why he had to ask. Perhaps it was to test if she was still mad at him. Or it could be that he asked because it was the most sensible question that came to the forefront of his brain given that he had been distracted by how low the neckline of her dress was and how much skin it showed. He did not miss the moment when she had to bend her body a little, how the lords' eyes could have fallen off it sockets. His question subconsciously had a hidden message that, if she could read between the lines, would tell her how much he hated her dress. But even he knew that it was not entirely her fault. 

Behind the couple was the baron and his wife. The younger Ferullo had chosen to stay behind to entertain the guests. Actually, the older couple would have chosen to do the same except that Luke insinuated how it would be impolite to leave him to mingle with the commoners when the caretaker of the territories would not. The statement had left them with no choice but lead the tour.