At first Rhiane was confused by Luke's slip and insistence they leave. Though she had done nothing wrong, and every metric she had at her disposal indicated she was exceedingly successful in fostering a positive image, she was apprehensive he had become irate over a transgression and reached the end of his patience. Once he made his more formal announcement to the crowd that they were departing there was little to do but follow. With slight hesitation she rose from her seat as he touched her shoulder. Inwardly she was bracing herself for an emotional blow that did not come. Rather than clasp her hand, or walk ahead, he put an arm around her waist in what could be construed as a considerate gesture. Some of her paranoia began to wane and she suspected he had taken notice her her struggles. She had admittedly being taxed beyond limits she should have imposed on herself. Their argument had made her determined to prove herself, if not to earn his praise then at least so that he might not hate her tactics, and thus she had pushed herself to be so attentive and engaged it had drained her completely.

They looked more intimate walking out of the hall and to their vehicle than they had when they arrived earlier that afternoon. The princess elect openly leaned into her betrothed as she matched his pace. Her stride was sightly slower than his on account of his height and natural pace but she could quicken her steps for the short distance. To the onlookers, even the critical baron and shrewd baroness, they were a couple with a comfortable familiarity. Expertly applied cosmetics and a persistent smile concealed any indications the former farmer was using her fiance's support for any reason than clingy affection. The truth, which the heir to the throne could feel, was that she was finding the simple task of strolling to their SUV a challenge. Muscles that had been tensed throughout their meal were quivering as the stress was released with their exit.

No sooner than she had been helped into the car, the door was closed, and she let out a sigh of relief, than she was fast asleep. Tobias was forced to double back and discreetly help buckle her in since she had failed to do so. She was impossible to rouse- not that anyone tried out of respect. Her head dipped towards the window before, after taking a curve, it fell towards Luke's shoulder. He could maneuver her with no risk of being discovered; she was in such a deep slumber that the bumps of the road did not elicit any response whatsoever. The cousin to the crown glanced frequently into his rear view mirror to make certain nothing was amiss. Truthfully he did not know if he was pleased that the woman had found some opportunity to rest or if he was frustrated that she was resigned to falling unconscious on a backseat that was not conducive to sleep in the least and was occupied by his unofficial rival.

When they arrived Tobias parked and got out of the car with the expectation he would need to carry Rhiane inside. Luke did not seem willing, nor was he able, to bear the weight of the princess elect given his healing rib fracture. As the bodyguard unbuckled her and started to slide an arm under her legs she woke with a start. For that brief moment in time she was trapped in the wreckage of the sabotaged vehicle she had been driving. She jerked away as the nightmare seized hold, obscuring her senses with relived trauma, before she recognized where they were- or rather where they weren't. Her racing heart struggled to return to a more reasonable pace as she flashed Tobias an apologetic smile.

"I can walk," she reassured though her security detail was almost certainly as skeptical as the crown prince. "Where is the plane?" she asked as she gathered her strength. Rhiane grabbed the car's frame for support as she somewhat shakily moved out of her seat and stood. Because she had missed the discussion about their change in plans she was perplexed by the sight of the building before her. As far as she was aware their itinerary had them flying out immediately after the obligation with the farmers had been fulfilled. "Did something go wrong? Did Ms. Viscomi add another event in our schedule?" she asked with a palpable worry that she had failed with the tour of the fields in some capacity. She had willingly shouldered all the responsibility for their encounter the peasants, therefore she felt strongly any punishment ought to be visited upon her alone.

"Prince Luke requested a chance be made to the arrangements," Tobias replied stoically. "You will be spending the night at this resort, Miss Black."

"He did?" Rhiane asked as she was escorted- without contact as she stubbornly refused any physical assistance- to the entrance. She was perplexed by this revelation. Luke had teased her with a visit to a hot spring if she kissed him in the cockpit of their jet. Flustered by the offer she had rejected it outright, and though they had consummated their unusual relationship, they had fought not once but twice thereafter. It felt like a reward yet she couldn't imagine why he would be feeling a gracious. Perhaps he simply wanted to indulge in the warm waters himself after a particularly aggravating day.

"The bed has already been prepared if you are ready to retire," Tobias stated, refusing to acknowledge the implied kindness of Luke. Rhiane might hypothesize that his cousin had done this to pamper himself, but he was quite certain this splurge was for her benefit. He didn't want her to be so grateful she was ensnared farther in this doomed romance.

"Don't be silly," Rhiane laughed lightly, "I ought to soak while I have the chance!"