Rhiane struggled to keep control of her facial features internally, though none of her inner conflict reflected on her visage, which still had a smile plastered on it as she glanced towards the crowds that were lingering behind the perimeter created by the bodyguards and press escort. The very suggestion was absolutely preposterous. Not only was it wretchedly insulting, she could only imagine what his reaction might be if she very casually offered to have one of [i]her[/i] flings provide him with a list of possible wedding rings for him to chose from. Of course Luke did not put himself in her shoes. Decades of life within the palace as the pampered crown prince meant that he never had to empathize with anyone else and could instead focus solely on the pressures of his role in the monarchy. She did not assume that it was an upbringing without extreme stress, she was just certain that he had been allowed to become selfish, to enjoy an existence where his thoughts and emotions were valued much more highly than the vast majority of his usual interactions. In a way she almost pitied Anette for not knowing how inconsequential she was to him.

"Humans are very fallible creatures," she murmured in response after a prolonged silence. It was only as they were getting into the SUV that she decided she would respond to him in any meaningful way. "I'm sure I'll be asked about my ring in the future, and I might accidentally let it slip that not only did I pick it out myself, it was from a list prepared for my by your ex. A story like that wouldn't be an issue for you, would it?" she asked innocently in that sweetly furious voice she used when she was incensed to a cold rage. 

The former farmer knew exactly would happen if she 'mistakenly' divulged the ring process to the media. Just like any others article of news surrounding the crown it would be dissected and sensationalized to the extreme. There would be a rush to discover the identity of the ex and, if no one immediately made the deduction, there would be a veritable parade of his past dalliances broadcasted every night to estimate the probability they were the one referenced. Any credence they had lent to their charade would crumble under the weight of her tale and the illusion of a enviable romance would shatter. Admittedly it would not necessarily be a death blow, it would just be a crisis they could not afford, even if much of the blame could be shifted onto the princess elect for divulging what she knew she ought not to. With so many eyes on them it would be a challenge to punish her effectively without tarnishing their image further.

Realizing she was stomping on what may have been a horribly ill-conceived olive branch she sat down in her seat, strapped on her seat belt, and pulled out a borrowed device that Tobias had lent to her. Because Luke had failed to go to bed with her last night, and had spent so long with his mother and the red-headed demon, he had yet to meet the conditions under which she'd accept the phone model he had tried to gift her previously. "For the record, I believe Callie and I would have the same opinion on jewelry. When someone picks out something for you, even if it's not precisely what you might have selected yourself, the sentiment makes it more beautiful than it would be otherwise. I'm sure she'll be pleased with her present," she explained as if they were debating nothing more than his purchase. Nolan and Tobias wouldn't expose their private conversations, but it still wasn't an argument she wanted to have in front of them all the same.

For the entire ride to the school she was suspiciously silent, reading articles from her hometown's various publications and blogs. Many candidates for the contests to win Luke's hand in marriage had worn jewelry; she was the exception, not the norm, and none of the final contestants except Rhiane were so devoid of accessories. When she formally moved into the palace she had no necklaces, bracelets, watches, and only very simple hoop and stud earrings with no decorative extras for a change in attire. Any time she had made an appearance with any such trinket it had been selected for her by a stylist, though she had been somewhat consistent that, the few times her opinion was requested, she elected for something less ostentatious. Similarly her dresses had been like her paintings, focused on vivid color, decorative artistic embroidery, and traditionally appealing artistry than it was about being fashion forward, expensive, or the most eye-catching. She had always been someone who valued skill over glamour, which was why the luxury of the wealthy elite did not impress her as much as the elaborate pottery in one of their first tour stops.

The caravan of expensive vehicles came to a stop in front of an old school weathered with age. It was not derelict, having been cleaned the last couple days with intense fervor, but no amount of washing could hide it was far from the new architectural wonders where the highest pedigree of teachers assembled to greet the children of the country's leaders. Large trees with leaves the color of a blazing sunset flocked the entry to the school and were interspersed throughout the front and sight yards. Cars, the sort driven by the lower and middle class, filled the parking lot, with not a soul in sight. The moment the engines idled an older gentleman, two older ladies, and a man approximately the age of the couple sprang out from the front doors- their greeting party. One of the older ladies was the principal, the older gentleman a member of the local school board that oversaw the educational system in the town, and the other older lady was a counselor stationed at the school. Oddly enough the somewhat handsome man in his late twenties or early thirties was not on their itinerary, clearly a late addition.

"Ah, it's an old friend," Rhiane smiled, sounding not at all surprised. Tobias lifted his eyes to glance at her in the rear-view window. Something about the way she had grinned, and the choice of the word 'friend,' told him that this was her doing, and was part of a plot that would shake up what had been original envisioned.