His answer was plain and simple, “Politics,” as if that single word was  enough to explain his actions. Placating Anelle was an unnecessary evil he had to pick if only because he did not want to deal with the logistics of the tour himself. No matter how infuriating the silhouette of the Count’s daughter was to Rhianne, they needed her to finish the campaign, but more importantly they needed her because the queen said so. Other than the publicity stunts, scripts, and media screening, Anelle’s team looked after their transport, accommodations, food, and other personal needs. She practically monopolized the couple’s living standards while they were away from the capital so that the couple could focus on improving their popularity.

Luke retreated to the empty seat by his desk instead of following her to the couch. He glanced at the display on the screen, flicked few notifications out of the way until he found something that interested him. The budget for the reparations and Barron Ferullo’s remittance to the national government compared to his territory’s budget allocation, including other financial data about the territory. Could they really not afford a decent hospital and more than one doctor? He scanned the summary sheet, mentally noting glaring inconsistencies between the  data and the Barron’s last audited report. “Not too long ago, I hated the idea of you. Can’t a prince change his mind?” Luke responded absently. The numbers demanded his attention yet again. Maybe the Barron still has enough in his treasury to build a second healthcare center, fill it with necessary medicine and employ decent professionals to man the building somebody just had to pressure the right people. But finding gaps in the reports demanded time and concentration. He left the data alone for now, it could be a useful distraction after he faced the farmers.

 “Demanding a promise is not necessary.” He looked her in the eye and if she’ll study his face, she’ll find anxiety hiding behind those bright blue eyes. “Not a single cell in my body wishes to marry Anelle Tuscano. Not now, not after you’re gone.” The last sentence was said with a straight face, no pretense, nothing soft and fluffy to soften the blow. Luke wasn’t sure what she expected him to tell her -- did she want him to lie and make her believe that she was different from the others that came before her, that he would protect her and not murder her like the queen did Luke’s father. He paused, searching her face for any sign of fear or weakness. Keeping her safe from the resistance was one thing, keeping her from the ruthless House was near impossible. If he would not do the job of eliminating her, somebody else will. “She’s not the kind of person I can trust to properly raise our children,” he added.

“I was not informed about what happened to Luce, but you disliked her too, didn’t you? Why don’t you give Anelle and yourself some time, maybe you’ll find that she’s not that much of a witch.” An impossible task, he thought. Anelle was not exactly friendly, she just knew when to be charming and when to bite – a skill Rhiane ought to learn if she was going to survive the court long enough to produce an heir.

If he told her the real reason why he wanted to visit her hometown, maybe she would be less critical about the idea. Luke opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. He leaned against the soft seat and reached for his not-so-warm coffee. Confessing his plans might instead increase her disapproval. Besides, he was going to push through with the plan with or without her consent. But the chance that she might be a little less hostile was tempting. 

“I need to arrange a meeting with your brother’s partner, Sebastian.” That was what all the fuss was about. “When you were sick, I had a short conversation with him. He knows more than he told me that night, Rhianne, but he is not willing to talk. The resistance has spies in the palace. It makes their attacks much more precise and effective. Our spies are unable to penetrate deep enough to root out the ones in the palace. My sister’s, my family’s, yourself, all of your safety can no longer be guaranteed. Look at what happened to the SUV and the clinic. I could have lost you.” He could have lost a battle against the resistance. “I need to persuade Sebastian to help me and I thought visiting him is easier than ordering his arrest.”