After a lifetime of waking at dawn to tend to the needs of the farm, when Rhiane finally opened her eyes that morning she was almost ashamed of the hours that exhaustion had claimed, as it felt sinful to have 'overslept.' Fortunately, she had nothing on the schedule until closer to the afternoon. The princess elect dressed herself in a cozy knit sweater, a pair of slacks, and thick wool sockets as she curled up on the chair and poured over all the press coverage of their preceding day. She had become an overnight media sensation. Glowing reviews praised her humility, her robust knowledge about the day-to-day struggles of commoners, her wit when discussing complex matters of agriculture, the warmth with which she received everyone, the manner in which she had an endless stream of compliments regardless of the social stature of her audience.

There was no doubt as to her value to the crown. She might have gloated had she not known that Luke would be disapproving of her making a larger target of herself for the resistance. His apprehensions aside, she had elevated the entire royal family by the display of her charisma and charm, and while the nobility might turn their noses up at her choice of work clothes when designer fashion was at her disposal, there was no denying she had endeared herself to a broad international audience that vastly outnumbered the pretentious aristocracy. An anonymous foreign diplomat was quoted as saying that, "Miss Black showcases all the best that New Rome has to offer and sets a precedent for what other country leaders must aim for if they wish to stand on center stage." Rhiane smiled to herself at the implication she was someone that other kingdoms would envy. There was a heavy responsibility in becoming a role model, but it was nice to have the admiration, to be looked up to rather than down upon.

The medical staff had insisted upon a physical exam once she had been roused from slumber. They first inspected her throat, which they concluded was healed sufficiently that her dietary restrictions were lifted, removed the brace from her arm but cautioned her to not do anything too stressful or taxing, and did an overall wellness check. What no one said aloud was that they knew the betrothed couple were having relations. This put everyone on high alert, especially the royal physicians, that the health of their princess elect was even more important. It was unlikely a single day would result in conception, but they couldn't discount the possibility of a pregnancy in the near future, and their record had to reflect every measure was taken to safeguard the mother and future heir.

All Rhiane cared about was that this meant she could eat her sweet breakfast pastries in peace. It would have been peaceful, that was, had it not been for the intrusion of an unfamiliar female voice. She lifted her gaze from the article she was reading when Luce was mentioned. To hear that she was 'relieved,' a more kind way of saying she was fired, was not the sort of news she had hoped for. The queen must have taken issue with the beginning leg of their tour to have taken such drastic action. The princess elect did not know what specifically had galvanized the decision, but she already disliked the smooth-talking replacement.

In the span of a mere few seconds the good mood brewing in the cabin had been dispelled as Rhiane's disposition soured considerably. Not only was she a reminder that Luke was a playboy that had bedded half of the eligible bachelorettes he crossed paths with, she brought news that would have enraged the former peasant in any situation. "Visiting my home town was not on the itinerary for today," she stated with a cold edge that made her feelings known.

"Please, do not let me interrupt your discussion," she continued, "since it seems it was Luke that you came to see." Rhiane had been quite clear about her genuine affection for the crown prince. While he had reciprocated her attraction, he had not made any grand confessions of actual infatuation, and the appearance of Anelle made her assume the worst. Instead of thinking that he might be coming to care for her as a person, now she doubted all his intentions and motivations, as she was admittedly the only woman available to him with which he could indulge certain urges. Luke knew her better than anyone else on the plane save Tobias, so it was within his capabilities to surmise what internal dialogue might be fueling her cool reception.

If Anelle thought that she might be able to make Rhiane more compliant than Luce, she had quite the uphill battle ahead of her.