Sebastian was visibly hesitant to put such a large amount of trust into the crown prince. Luke had done nothing to indicate he had bad intentions, or was unworthy of such faith, but it was difficult for the commoner to take such a monumental risk on someone who had ultimately done nothing to earn the trust. They were veritable strangers to one another. Their common link, Rhiane, was what bound him to consider the proposal. He wanted to keep her safe, both from the violent element of the rebellion and from herself, but he was not yet convinced it was in her best interests to remain in the castle by the side of the heir to the throne. If he did not intervene or help to prevent an abduction, perhaps Rhiane would be happier and not doomed to a life of tragedy. Then again, he had to concede he believed that there was sincere affection between the poorly matched pair and, more than any incentive from the country's revolutionary forces, that could save her from counting down the days until she could remove herself from existence.

"I'll see if I can have some of the more recent messages forward to me," he decided aloud. "If I can have them sent to me, I will pass them along to you." It was the biggest commitment that Sebastian was willing to make at that precise moment. That Luke would not even sit beside him did not escape his attention; he was understandably skeptical of the aristocrat. On broadcast the reporters frequently emphasized the traits that the crown prince shared with the queen. No one in their town was a supporter of the monarchy. If Luke could prove he was different, that he could understand and sympathize, that he was not apathetic to the plight of those outside of his social class, and that they were all more than pawns in a game he was playing, then Sebastian would try harder to obtain confidential correspondence.

At the very least he hoped that seeing the missives from the last day might alleviate concerns about Rhiane being in imminent danger. He was not naive enough to think that the possibility of a pregnancy would make everyone lay down their arms, but it was clear Luke would only accept concrete evidence as proof his intimate encounters had changed the opinions of many rebellion members. Sebastian was of the opinion that if they were more focused on preparing for a kidnapping, which the movement was actively plotting, it would be more effective than if the security detail was solely concentrated on the shrinking martyr zealots.

Just as he was about to inquire about what [i]exactly[/i] happened to them- he knew it involved an accident with a car and the village they visited prior- Luke received a second ping on the device on his wrist. Abruptly he announced to someone they didn't need permission before turning on his heel and leaving the garden at a hurried pace. Sebastian watched in confusion. It was only after Nolan did a visual sweep and also left that he rose to his feet and followed after. Whatever was the cause of the interruption was apparently in the direction of their driveway.

"Who will be posted in Miss Black's room, your highness, to ensure she can rest?" Tobias asked Luke evenly. He might be cousin to the royalty, but he was still a bodyguard, and wasn't able to directly point out his objection to the plan. His pragmatic question was, however, a jab meant to point out that while Rhiane was comfortable on the stoic man's shoulder, she couldn't be deposited on a bed and be reliably expected to sleep undisturbed. Lia or Octavia could be posted with her, but the princess elect was not was fond of them as she was the soothing presences of her only friend in the palace and her betrothed. There was the added issue that anyone who entered the house would likely overhear any arguments that erupted between the family members.

As Tobias complied with Luke's request, and began to slide out of the rear seat of the SUV, Rhiane's head shifted off his shoulder and started to gently fall. This movement was sufficient to make her start to wake. She exhaled softly and righted herself before taking a deep breath that turned into a yawn. The vibrations of the moving vehicle had been what initially lulled her to sleep. Now that it had been parked and there was no one providing soothing physical contact she was not as easily coaxed into the land of slumber. She was still tired, but not as exhausted as she had been the night they had spent in the spa.