Giving in to the request of the princess elect to pan away from the presents she intended to purchase for her soon-to-be sister-in-law, the camera crew kept some distance from the couple, relying on the equipment’s capability to zoom in. There was no lapel microphone attached to either of the couple as was what the protocol dictated. No royal was allowed to wear a technology which could record their private conversations or acts. Thus, the audio recording was done through a remote microphone. Admittedly, it had limitations. The crowd, the landscape, the weather were factors affecting the signal. Yet although some of the exchanges between the princess elect and her fiance were thankfully kept from the public, the prince’s actions alerted Anelle. 

“Director!” The urgency was not something she even tried to mask. “Switch the feed.” But it was too late. The camera zoomed in the supposedly tender moment between the newly engaged couple. It caught Luke inspecting the ring, then lifting his eyes to hers before saying something inaudible. Just like that, speculations and theories about the real relationship between the two, and the involvement of the actress, Sophia Keller, were the most talked about topic in the kingdom.

[hr]

“Don’t worry about it,” was what he told Rhiane after he examined the fit of the ring. Callista was thinner than Rhiane. He thanked his fiancee before turning back to the store owner to ask for a size smaller than the one he had in his hand. Unfortunately, there was none, but it did not stop the prince from purchasing the unique jewelry.

Neither the shop owner nor any person in the crowd who watched them said anything about the missing engagement ring, but the question lingered in the air as if the collective consciousness was a loud enough voice asking Luke about the story behind his fiancee’s bare finger. He glanced over his shoulder at Rhiane. Was she silently asking the same question? She didn’t seem upset, but she didn’t really show her true feelings when they were on a shoot. Especially not on a live coverage. 

“We’re done here,” Luke told nobody in particular. A very royal-like manner of dismissing his subjects without actually addressing anybody. He expected the crew to take it as cue that they were moving forward. To Rhiane, he offered his arm. There was no way to gauge what was on her mind other than dipping his foot into the water and waiting for the sharp teeth of piranha to nibble at his toes. “Anelle showed me the photos of the rings that were purchased. You may pick one yourself and unlike this store, we can have it resized.” They still spoke in hushed tone, aware that their whispered conversations would easily turn into a disastrous scandal should any of the microphones pick it up. “I’m letting you choose. Your engagement ring will be however you imagine it to be. I want you to want to wear it every day.” And because he had no time to pick one for her that the purchase of the official ring that supposedly symbolizes his noble intent to wed her was left into the hands of his ex-lover. 

The couple stepped out of the store and was ushered back to their vehicles. The next destination listed on the itinerary was the school Rhiane attended when she was younger. It was the only school in the village, the very institution that molded the young minds including Rhiane’s. One of her teachers was going to tour them around the school, Anelle had informed him that morning. Rhiane was expected to tell the viewers anecdotes of her childhood as part of building a very relatable image. Luke, on the other hand, was expected to be diplomatic, to smile, to listen, and to keep his mouth shut if he had nothing useful to say.

Nolan shut the passenger door after Luke, and the prince sighed. The privacy granted by the vehicle was precious.