[IC] The Betrothed

[Hashih]

Although the tour highlighted sights in the kingdom which the camera often neglected, it was a well-curated, well-thought of, scenery that the queen was willing to showcase. The provinces they had been to were deliberately not as rich as the capital, but then again, every society that had been formed since the beginning of time had a gap between the peasant and the nobles. And because of such knowledge, even Queen Camilla approved of the couple’s itinerary. Visiting this school, however, was not originally part of the itinerary. Luke asked if it was the sole academy in the village, because the state of the building was so unbelievably neglected. It wouldn’t surprise him if it was cut from the coverage, because even he would be embarrassed to show this side of the kingdom.

“Vitacco,” Luke called the lady’s name as a lord would call on his subordinate. “How long have you been the principal of the school?”

The lady straightened, aware of the cameras pointed at their faces. It was clear from the tone of the crown prince that there was something that displeased him, and she was quite sure what it was. But could she tell him the truth about the lack of funding? About the baron who never once set foot on the village, more so listen to their plea? She cleared her throat then and answered with a small smile that it had been about a couple of decades since she was appointed the principal of the school. “Rhiane was one of my students,” she added. She had to teach as well as manage the school, because they lacked manpower to do so.

A cool brow was raised. It was not his intention to look into the impoverished school’s case, but he had knowledge of the amount of money that was allocated to the region as much as he had knowledge how much it contributed to the entirety of the kingdom. The improvement of the quality of education for the youth was among the projects he spearheaded when he was younger. Therefore, this case about the status of the school just became personal. He walked side by side the principal, quietly questioning her about the school’s future outlook, its finances, its population, even as Rhiane led them around the campus.

Pio noticed Luke’s indifference, of course. He was given a once in a lifetime chance to walk with, and speak casually with the future crown princess, and he had not planned on squandering it. There were rumors that the relationship between the two was not as it seemed, that the couple were mere actors in front of the camera, that Luke treated Rhiane as if she was his princess only when the cameras were watching. Well, it did seem like the rumors were not entirely baseless. The prince just made Pio’s job a lot easier.

He smiled knowingly at Rhiane. “Princess, huh? Who would have known?” They were walking across a narrow corridor on the inside of the building. It was constructed such that a courtyard was enclosed by the classrooms forming a rectangle. The trees, those which were lucky to still have leaves attached to its stems, were fiery in the morning light. During spring, flowers bloomed in the courtyard. The students tended to the blooms among other plants that the soil permitted to grow. Pio spared a sideways glance at the prince who was still conversing with the principal. He dared to step up closer to Rhiane to whisper, “How was it being engaged to that man?” It was not a secret that most of the town did not believe in the ruling house and the government that it created. As students, they used to voice out their frustrations through criticisms sharply aimed at the lavish lifestyle of the Queen, her daughter, and her heir. Especially the heir, who at the time of his youth, was painted by the media as a player who lived for parties, booze, and women. He was even rumored to have been involved in illegal substances. Of course, the latter was not substantiated.

“Anyway, I have something for you.” He pulled a velvet box from his pocket then handed it to Rhiane. His back was on the cameras that focused on Luke and the principal at the moment. One index finger touched his grinning lips. “Remember when we saw each other after graduation and you told me that you think you’d look pretty in pearls, but we were both too poor to buy a pair? Well, it’s not as expensive as the jewelries he can give you, but I--” Pio scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I thought this might be the last time we’d spend some time together, so think of it as something to remember an ‘old friend’ by.”

[Syrenrei]

Rhiane should have known and anticipated that as soon as they were inside the school that she would be disregarded; she just had not expected that the principal would be the exclusive focus of Luke's attention, that he would be drawn into discussions about educational funds or lack thereof, or that he would be completely invested in the finances of anything so far from the reaches of the capital. He showed such thinly-veiled contempt for commoners in private it was baffling that he would be concerned about these strangers whom he had little to no obligation towards and whose very presence irked him. Pleased as she was in his interest, she hated that he did not even so much as glance in her direction to remind himself she existed. Nolan, Tobias, and the rest of their security detail were trustworthy enough to make sure she didn't need him babysit her, but being ignored stung, especially when she was so conscious of him. The former farmer was beginning to understand why some preferred to be actively hated than disregarded.

When Pio addressed her she smiled. The heir to the throne could squander this rare opportunity in front of cameras and absorb himself in the details of monetary allocation; she would not, nor would she outwardly betray the illusion of a fantasy romance. "It's like being part of a new world," she replied honestly. Commenting on their relationship would be too tricky to tackle without outright lying. Unable to claim they were madly in love, that he was the prince on a white horse, or that he was better than his scandals made him out to be, she hoped there wouldn't be further prodding on intimate details. Fortunately, it would be improper enough for him to pry that even a school teacher would be reluctant to force a confession.

"Something for me?" she queried and turned to look. Rhiane was genuinely shocked by the small velvet box and his explanation of the pearls. Instantly she knew how jealous Luke would be if she accepted a trinket of affection from a friend that was a man and, though she hadn't made him aware, a past fling. Refusing was just as challenging. The press could turn towards them at any minute and broadcast what was transpiring. More importantly, she wanted to have a present, a bauble that represented that anyone outside of her familial ties thought of her fondly. "I don't know if I can, Pio," she whispered in a pained tone.

While the entourage was distracted, fixated on the principal that was walking slowly and gesturing to some hallway display cases that proved prestige in decades past, Pio gently took the princess elect's elbow and guided her to take a sharp turn down a deserted hallway before ducking into a similarly empty classroom. Rhiane could have pulled away with little effort if she wanted to- but she trusted him and welcomed the opportunity to get away from what had clearly become the royal hour with the eldest child of the queen. She was done fighting for the spotlight. If he wanted it so badly he could have it- and without the false pretense of this being a stop on their journey meant to highlight the woman from which the cameras had panned away.

"If I remember right, you love art, don't you?" Pio smiled broadly at her with unrestrained enthusiasm for being with her. It was such a foreign expression lately. The castle was filled with those that simmered and brooded over having a peasant in their midst, with the sole exception of Callie, who would be her sister-in-law if she went through with the engagement. All around her were paintings on the wall, cheap prints of classical and modern artists for inspiration, local award-winning pieces by alumni, bits and pieces from the teacher that had held a position at the school for over twenty years, but was hardly ever at her desk, preferring the adjacent courtyard for relaxation and inspiration. It smelled of paint, plaster, glue, and clay, a unique and marvelous aroma that instantly made the brunette feel at home. She wandered around the edges, admiring the professional and novice landscapes alight, her eyes drifting over every careful splatter or stroke with joyful wonder.

"We all miss you," Pio told her as he watched her, estimating how many minutes it would take Luke to notice she had gone missing. The art room was an excellent excuse to have 'accidentally' taken her alone elsewhere. Everyone who gave a damn knew she loved it, as it was no secret, and it would make it much less suspicious once they were found in this corner of the building. His highness might be angry that his 'pet' was stolen away temporarily but that was not Pio's problem. "You can always come back, you know. There's always more to paint here and we'd support you. Hell, you'd get a free beer every night for years." He was charming, friendly, considerate, and thoughtful, a gentleman when needed and devious when wanted.

"That's kind of you to say, but I'll be married soon, and will have a lot of responsibilities," Rhiane murmured off-handedly, stopping in front of a large abstract portrait of what just might have been herself. Bold lines and geometric shapes made the subject a mystery. Fascinated, she studied the flow of colors, trying to gleam the meaning behind the creator, and what they were trying to convey.

"Do you have time in your schedule to show us your painting skills at least?" Pio asked sweetly, as if he didn't have an angle he was working, and was merely excited to see her work.

"I haven't painted since the contest," she replied somberly, no longer trying to hide happiness when they were alone.

"He doesn't call you Rhi. We've all noticed," Pio said, meandering closer to her. "That's why we know that you aren't happy. If you were happy, and he loved you as much as he should, he'd call you Rhi. If you were happy, you'd be able paint. Tell me what to do to make you happy, Rhi, and I'll do my best to make it happen. You'll still be in town tonight, won't you? We can sneak out of our houses like when we were teenagers and talk about anything and everything, maybe have some fun like we used to," he added with a sparkle in his eye as he planted the box firmly into her hand. If Luke could have his not-so-clandestine affairs with beautiful starlets and noblewomen, there was no reason he couldn't be a respite for her, a little dalliance to help her remember who she was and what it could be like to lay with someone that would give her the adoration that she deserved.