Hashih

The Betrothed

He was bleeding? Luke felt himself frown at her statement and was inclined to question why the farmer was looking at him the way she did if she only stopped a while to listen. Instead, she had tried to crawl into the space between their seats to fetch an emergency kit and returned with a white box from which she picked a white cylindrical bottle. He let her do as she please although he wanted her to know that he was fine. She might not be, though, because Rhiane looked sick and confused. Her right hand trembled while her left arm was a deadweight hanging from her shoulder. If there was anybody who needed patching up, it was his fiancee and not himself. Then again, the woman did not have any regard for her physical well-being, always putting him and other people’s interest before herself. He wondered if she even noticed that her arm was not working properly. Some days ago, he watched her on the brink of death because of poison then eat a mountain of desserts after just a few hours. Perhaps she would just laugh at him if he pointed out that she was the one who needed medical attention, it was just a broken arm and some bruises after all.

But then, the prince followed her gaze only to discover that she was correct. He was indeed bleeding. A wicked looking shard of glass impaled itself into the flesh of his thigh. For the first time, the warm and wet feeling dribbling down his leg made sense. “It’s fine.” He touched the torn fabric of his pants and his finger came back damp with his blood.

The heir’s lifestyle, his restrictions, and his strict security detail had something to do with several attempted assassinations. Although none had succeeded so far, there were a few that almost did. To say that he was used to it was a lie. He would never get used to the pain, to the sight of torn flesh and muscle, and to the experience of being mortally wounded. But it was not something he boasted about, nor did he feel the need for it to be known by the general public, because every time an attempt was done to take his life, a portion of his freedom was taken away by the queen.

The sound of her broken apology that pulled the crown prince away from his thoughts. Instinctively, or maybe because of curiosity, he sought her face. Luke could have thought of a hundred different ways to tell Rhiane off for her lack of regard for her own safety and how it affected the people around her if it was not for the look on her face. Besides, where was the fun in arguing with a person who had already yielded that it was her fault? “It’s fine,” he repeated. “It looks bad, but really it doesn’t hurt.” For all his honesty and bluntness, he would not admit that it was as bad as it looked, that his chest hurt every time he tried to take in deep breaths, and that his head felt like hell. Maybe he did not want to upset her more, or maybe he did not want to deal with an upset woman. Besides, they were equally at fault.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and twisted his body slightly so he was facing her. The small movement brought a sharp pain on his left side that he unconsciously brought his right hand to his midsection as if the touch could support what he suspected were cracked ribs. His shoulder leaned heavily against the backrest as he pulled himself on the seat. The free hand reached for her soft cheek, gently wiping the tears that had traced a line from her eyes to her chin. “And I never wanted to hurt an innocent animal,” he smiled at her, but the sobbing didn’t falter.

The box was left open at her lap and the antiseptic spray remained grasped by her hand. Luke picked a familiar box out of the first aid kit. “This one will work better than the sutures. It will glue the tissue together and it hurts less. Then you will have to allow me to check what might be wrong with your arm,” he told her in an attempt to take her mind off the guilt that was apparently bothering her. Knowing how headstrong Rhiane was, he thought that if he introduced a task for her to perform then she might forget what she was crying about in the first place. But the tears did not stop. She continued to avoid his eyes and was content to watch the tears fall.

Luke wanted to believe that he held no room for softness in his heart, but watching how his proud and ever so stubborn Rhiane yield to fear pulled something in his heart. The prince sighed, but not without wincing. “This is as much as my fault as it is yours. Come here.” Biting back the pain on his chest and the protest from his thigh, he leaned forward to pull the farmer closer to him. The hand that had wiped the tears from her face went around her, stroking her back as she sobbed on his shoulder. He understood trauma. He understood how fear could break a soul. Above all, he understood that he was partially responsible for what happened, and that his action had yet again placed her in as much danger as he placed himself. Luke remained still as long as she needed him to be. His hand continued to stroke her back to console her, whispering to her over and over that it was not her fault entirely. That they were both going to be alright and she need not be afraid.

But then, the SUV should have had deployed one or more of its safety features. The minimum safety requirements of any vehicle were that it should have an airbag, collision detection, and emergency break system which should have prevented the incident altogether. To think that a vehicle that passed none of the mandated features was assigned to the future king was suspicious in itself. He was reminded of the plot that he and his team discovered before they left the capital – one that involved making Rhiane into a martyr for the rebellion. “The break,” he said softly. “Why did you not step on the break?”

The Betrothed

“It should feel the same.” Luke shrugged as he checked out the other SUVs from the rearview mirror. A farm truck and a four-wheel drive SUV should run on the same principles – there was a steering wheel, a manual stick shift, the break, clutch, accelerator pedals, and four wheels. How different could it be?

The SUV was not as luxurious as the cars or hovercrafts that he used to drive in the capital. It was built for utility more than style. Even the interior was basic, containing only a three-inch monitor with a pre-loaded map to their destination, buttons that controlled the temperature inside the vehicle, the gauges, and vents for the air conditioning. The dashboard looked like it was made of cheap but durable black plastic, while the seats were covered in leather of the same color. Luke left his window open, inviting the chilling but fresh scent of the country air.

They would be driving up the mountain ranges with just the pre-loaded map as their guide. The land was damp, some parts even muddy, because of the downpour overnight. Even the air smelled of rain. Most of the trees had shed their leaves to the ground, its branches lifted to the heavens as if asking the sun and the clouds to hasten each day until the leaves bud and bloomed and covered the mountains with its lovely color. It would be a scenic drive around the slopes of the mountain ranges, where one would expect to be greeted with the unique flora and fauna as well as the view of the mountains from a few miles above sea level.

Luke grabbed on the overhead handrail, bracing himself from the bumpy ride. He had never been to that part of the kingdom because of safety and logistical issues on top of the queen’s apprehension in allowing her heir to venture into the land of the peasants. Even though he was outwardly frowning at the idea of visiting the parts of the kingdom that was seldom noticed by either the press or the nobility, Luke could not deny that a part of him was excited to see something other than the capital’s towering architecture. The SUVs were parked at the base of the mountain, a short distance from the seldom-used runway, but Rhiane wasted no time. Apparently, testing the feel of the foreign vehicle was not her style. The princess elect stepped on it, and she did so with passion that Luke tightened his grip on the handrail as the cold autumn breeze zipped past his cheeks and blew through his hair. “Slow down,” he warned, wondering why she gave her such power.

It was not that he was feeling lazy to drive, but Luke suspected that his fiancee might be an adrenaline junkie. She leapt with him off a cliff even though she admitted that she could not swim. But as if it was not enough, she asked him to promise that he would take her to other more thrilling adventures during or after the tour. Driving a 4x4 SUV, he thought, was one such thrilling adventure. It was especially true because of the steep and winding slopes of the mountain ranges. He thought that she might enjoy it and that he might get some rest. But the way her fiancee was hitting every bump, every fissure, and every cavity on the road made his mind race as quickly as his heart. She didn’t care that there was somebody else in the car with her who had bumped his head and other parts of his body more than once on more than one part of the vehicle. It was not the worst she did, though. Luke thought that what made the ride more traumatizing than his days as a boy in the military training camp was that Rhiane didn’t know that it was necessary to slow down when executing tight turns, especially when the road was narrow, and one side of it was a cliff.

He could not help himself from yelling at the driver, who on the contrary, was enjoying the speed. The words “break” and “slow down” seemed to spit out from his mouth every ten seconds. If she was getting back at him for teasing her in the airplane, then it was working out fine. Luke was helpless. Other than grab the handrail or anything solid he could get his hands on, there was nothing that he could do. He would not grab the wheel, because it might cause the SUV to swerve and fall into the ravine. Although so far, other than the possibility of a heart attack, everything was fine. He could not bring himself to decide if it was that she was a really good driver or that she was crazy to think that her style was safe.

Then Rhiane tackled another difficult curve, but that time the farmer was not as lucky. A large animal, which Luke thought was a big hairy cow, greeted them. Rhiane seemed to freeze in her surprise or perhaps it was an overload of possible actions to take. If he didn’t make a move the animal and themselves might get injured, or worse. The prince did what he thought was the best course of action. Despite his previous resolve to leave his life into her capable hands, he grabbed the wheel and veered the vehicle to the left attempting to safely go around the beast. However, because of the speed, the vehicle's tires skidded and the vehicle swerved. Luke both saw and felt the front wheels bump the road railing, he witnessed how it yielded under the force from the SUV. The car was airborne for a split second, then they were falling.

The initial impact tipped the balance of the vehicle, flipping it in mid-air before it crashed on its passenger side and continued to tumble down the slope. If not for a fallen trunk of an old tree the car would have continued tumbling down the slope until just the skeleton remained. Fortunately for the couple, although positively wrecked, the SUV landed on its wheels.

Luke was barely conscious. He was confused and his brain signaled pain all over his body. His head was throbbing, his body felt sore and it was painful even to breathe. Blood trickled from a cut on his forehead, right at the hairline. “Rhiane,” he forced his eyes to focus and his body to move, but a sharp pain on his mid-section forced the prince to fall back against the backrest. Could be that he broke a couple of ribs too. And on top of it all, there was a particular sharp edge from the shattered windshield protruding from his right thigh, right above the knee.

One hand reached for her. “Talk to me. Are you hurt?”

The Betrothed

He might have already known that she would go against his wishes, but it still surprised Luke that she told him no twice. As if once was not enough. It puzzled him why the woman kept on rejecting his advances, kept on taking two steps back every time he would take one step towards her. No human being in New Rome or anywhere in the world had ever treated him the way she treated him, because he was a person who held authority and power. While most people he encountered all his life were eager to be associated with him in any way, Rhiane Black kept him at arm’s length as if he had contracted a contagious disease.

When she avoided his gaze, he allowed her to find solace in the plain wall and the shuttered window. If despite her comments regarding his physical appearance, she found that the wall had more interesting features than his face, then he allowed her to amuse herself. Because hearing the subdued tone of her voice told him that somewhere along the sentences that his mouth carelessly spewed, he said something that had offended the farmer. The subtle change in the energy she exuded spoke more firmly than the two “No” that he had received so far.

“I have nothing to gain from this exercise,” he declared in a matter-of-fact tone. “Therefore, I have no reason to raise the requirements and have you follow my every whim. It’s not as if I enjoy faking intimacy with somebody I barely know.” But he did enjoy making her uncomfortable with his advances. Without him acknowledging it to himself, he seemed to enjoy the color that would light up her cheeks whenever he teased her, the expression of shyness in her otherwise confident face, and the way she stammered as if her eloquence had eluded her. “I asked you to try and kiss me to help you get used to such gestures. You said it yourself that you like to keep things professional. Preparing before the battle is what I believe a professional would do in order to seal his victory.”

Not like he would enjoy the endeavor, Luke thought but dared not voice out loud. They have had enough arguments in the last couple of days to last for the year. Besides, irritating her again just for the sake of winning the argument was not worth it. Instead, the prince decided not to comment to the thing she said about the difficulty in mimicking love when it was an emotion that she had not yet genuinely felt then he pushed past her to bid the sliding door to allow him to pass.

Pairs of eyes were trained on him as long strides crossed the distance between the private suite and the cockpit. None of them dared to utter or whisper a word, especially not Tobias.

Luke proceeded to fulfill his duty as the captain of the flight. He spoke to the passengers, as was customary and reminded them to take their seats as they approached their destination. The landing sequence itself was uneventful. The private jet landed on a short airstrip some kilometers away from the mountain ranges whose tips were perpetually covered by ice. After the prince and his co-pilot had ensured that they had parked the aircraft beautifully, the cabin doors were opened. He left with every intention to pick his fiancee up from the private room and then escort her down the plane. It if was not for Tobias, Luke might have succeeded.

The crown prince was among the last people who disembarked from the aircraft. What awaited them were heavy duty vehicles that were used as a main means of transportation in that area. It was a short drive up the mountain along the cliffs and dips of the path. By the time he had successfully and safely stepped down the ladder, Tobias had already escorted the princess elect into one of the vehicles. Seeing that Tobias might stay in the vehicle with the two of them. Luke jogged to the vehicle with body number 014.

“Rhiane and I must continue our discussion from this afternoon. It can be confidential, therefore I need you to ride with the boys instead.”

The guard frowned at his cousin, but no comment left his lips. “It is a rough and dangerous road, Prince Luke. It makes me feel at ease if I will be driving for the two of you rather than watch from a distance.”

“Appreciate your concern, but Rhiane and I are capable of handling this ourselves. We will meet you at the village.” Tobias was not convinced and it showed on his face, but what could he do if it was at the prince’s request that he should relax and take a seat elsewhere.

After the guard had left, Luke pronounced Rhiane’s name to catch her attention. When she did, he tossed the car keys to her and asked, “Can you drive?”

The Betrothed

As much as he found her squirming amusing, Luke had to let Rhiane go as he retreated to the pilot’s seat if only to press a soft key right at the middle console that partially separated the pilot and his co-pilot. It flashed red indicating that the cockpit door had been sealed shut. The button was designed to protect the pilot in case of any forceful seizing of the aircraft. Carter, being the co-pilot could override the command through iris and face recognition, but Luke doubted that other man would.

Five minutes was what was left of the time he had left alone with Rhiane. Tobias had a point. The farmer had neither clearance nor license to be occupying the seat next to Luke. It would risk not only her safety, but the safety of everyone on board if Carter would not resume his place because the prince had been amusing himself with the way his fiancee was reacting to his torturous teasing. But then, he still had five more minutes, thus he ignored Tobias.

“So do I, Ms. Black.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I intend to keep things professional. It’s just a kiss. It doesn’t need to have any feelings attached, just the biological function of the muscles on your face and mine. I’m sure that you’ve done it before. Who said anything about dating and love? And liking you.” He smirked. She may be beautiful, smart, and on occasions seemed to care about his well-being more than his mother did, but there were layers of prejudice that existed between them. Luke was a highborn royal while she was a farmer. A field mouse would not understand what an eagle could see. “You believed in my mother’s silly propaganda and agreed to play the pawn, did you not? I believe that my proposal is a fair and mutually beneficial trade. Do what I ask of you and I shall do what you are asking of me.” What he did not understand was why she was finding it so difficult to display fake affection for him when it was her who had been pushing him to make the charade as believable as they could make it since the first day they met.

The assertive rap turned rude. “Your highness, the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations clearly prohibits any non-licensed individual from assuming control of an aircraft. Please allow me to escort Ms. Black back to her seat.”

His eyes briefly flickered to the direction of the door before returning to stare at her face. “I had no idea who Lia and Octavia were talking about until now. It makes sense, though.” Luke just didn’t care to analyze some things that he had witnessed, but he did notice how his cousin seemed to be more than just protective of Rhiane. The guard had faithfully accompanied her when Luke was outside the palace performing his duties as the crown prince, even stayed by her side when she was in a critical condition and would have stayed all night had Luke not dismissed him. When she fell asleep anywhere from the couch to the dining room, Tobias carried her to the bed without Luke even asking. All those deeds were not due to his cousin’s loyalty to him.

He pushed the button to unlock the door. It automatically slid open in time for Luke to swivel the chair so he was facing his cousin. Gone was the playfulness in his eyes or the easy way that he smiled. The prince was more known for his icy glare than his warm smile. However, the same look was reflected on his cousin’s face as he stood at the other side of the door like Cerberus daring the soul of the dead to escape. Neither spoke a word for a few agonizing moments as if each was sizing up the other man.

It was Luke who first broke the silence. His voice rose above the quiet whirring of the engines. “We are in the middle of a negotiation, Tobias. Allow me to assure you that neither you nor Rhiane is in any real danger right now or in the next hour.” The prince tilted his head slightly toward his betrothed without breaking the eye contact with Tobias.

“Ms. Black, allow me to escort you back to your seat.” Tobias’ face softened ever so slightly. He took a tentative step forward thinking that his cousin would not dare lash out on him and simply turn away to focus on the job at hand, but was surprised when the crown prince rose from his seat and stood before the woman. He took her hand in his then urged her to be on her feet as well.

“I’ll take care of it,” he countered hastily, leading her by the hand as they passed Carter, who Luke instructed to prepare for landing, then Rhiane’s security team, then Ms. Viscomi until finally they reached the private suite. As soon as the sliding door locked them out of the spying eyes and ears of the passengers, he turned his attention back to her. The look in his eyes would tell her that he was not going to let go until he got what he came for.

With her back on the door and him blocking her means of escape he dared her, “Kiss me.” Because practice makes perfect. Because he wanted to know why her boldness, her confidence, her fiery resolve, was lost whenever he made a move to be physically intimate with her.

The Betrothed

It amused Luke how the emotions played on her face plainly – from dismay to apathy to shock then confusion until finally it seemed that his gaze was too much for her and she had to look away blushing. The prince leaned back against the backrest with a smug smile, taking off his sunglasses as if to enjoy the color that crept up her cheeks. Was he enjoying her apparent discomfort? Of course, he was. He thought it was mean that he teased her to a position where she was blushing like a middle school girl. Rhiane could not even look him in the eye. But what else did she expect after she boldly walked up to him to ask him to do something he plainly refused to do?

As if it was not enough, he declared the obvious. “You are blushing.” Luke turned his seat so that his body was facing hers. He fought against the urge to touch her cheek and gently guide her face towards his so he could see how the entirety of her face looked like. Instead, he leaned his weight forward on his elbows resting on the armrest so that his face was as close as it could get to hers. “How easily your principles sway, Ms. Black.” He teased hearing that she was grasping for reasons, even using his own words, in order for him to take back the challenge. As if she was willing to forego the cause she had so boldly and almost passionately argued for.

“Let me remind you as well that Ms. Viscomi will report whatever we do - or not do.” Her words were chosen to emphasize his point, much like she did to counter his. “She pointed out your shortcomings like she did mine. Therefore, it is only fair that it is not just I who will be forced into doing something that I believe is both counterproductive and unnecessary. If I need to improve my image with the masses by listening to peasants speak about --” He cut himself before he said something that would irritate her more than he already did. “If I need to talk to them to prove that the crown cares, then you must show affection towards your fiance and prove to the world that this is more than just an arranged marriage.”

He reached for the armrest of the co-pilot seat, then gently nudged it until she was facing him. Luke, unsatisfied with the closeness, crouched over her and tilted her chin up slightly so she would be forced to look up at him. A few strands of dark locks strayed from the perfectly brushed side part. “And have I ever pushed you away?” It was the other way around, actually. On one occasion, he did flirt with her just to tease her, but she practically ran away from him. She never consented to touch him which he thought was good at first, but then it got him thinking what it was she saw in him that made him so repulsive.

When they first met, he was intent on doing everything in his power to stay away from her. Thus, during their first dance he proposed how they would live the rest of their lives separately without the other meddling in the other person’s affairs. However, as days went by, perhaps because of the punishment that earned him no more than ten meters from Rhiane (except when he has a scheduled conference call), the curiosity grew. He could have any woman in the kingdom, yet there was this one woman, who was virtually nobody, who did not care that she was going to marry the crown prince.

“So what do you say about practicing?” Luke teased. “Just close your eyes and move your face closer. I’m sure you’ve done this before.”

“Almost time to --” Carter paused in mid-step right at the threshold. A mixture of surprise and contempt was on the co-pilot’s face. It was difficult to mask an emotion when it was induced so suddenly. Luke saw it, but he neither moved nor explained himself. “My apologies.” The young noble took a step back allowing the door to slide close.

The Betrothed

Thank the technology because he could hold a conversation alone with a non-licensed pilot inside the cockpit and not worry about the thing crashing into the sea. Despite the long night and a rather unpleasant news, the view of the sky and the peace that only an altitude of 35,000 feet could bring made the day feel a little less cruel. It was proof that flying had such a positive effect on him even though he would rather be flying a fighter jet than a private aircraft.

“Not quite,” the prince mused. His head turned away from the blanket of white clouds and lingered on the princess elect’s profile. The sun had made it out of the sea of clouds, effectively chasing away the shadows of the night. It bathed the two occupants of the cockpit with a gentle light, illuminating every beautiful feature on the princess’ face. Luke refrained from answering right away. Had they met under different circumstances, one where she was not a farmer’s daughter, he wondered if he would have made a move to get to know her the way he knew Sophia. Would they get along better if they had shared a common experience? If she was adequately schooled in whatever field she chose, would her ideas earn more merit? Because more than the pleasant appearance, Rhiane was charismatic, insightful, smart, and apparently good at flattery – characteristics of a woman that would have caught his attention.

“How odd is it that to me, it sounded like you did come to persuade me?” He leaned away from her with an elbow resting at the captain seat’s armrest. It had been decided that he did not want to sit in a room full of farmers only to waste his time listening to each person lament over his unfortunate situation. That conversation was over. She should take the spotlight and address the less fortunate citizens, because they relate to her so easily. It was her job. It was why she was chosen in the first place. While the masses adored the freshness of an unknown woman rising to one day become a queen, he would just be the same old intimidating crown prince no matter how he presented himself. Although actually, he knew no other way how to present himself. “If your argument is founded on the assumption that I too desires to share to the whole kingdom the burdens that I carry and how I work day and night – in sickness and in health – to give my people a chance to live a happy life, then it is a weak argument. Unlike you, I enjoy suffering in silence.” But he was not annoyed at her for being correct in her observations. In fact, he was smiling as he watched her watch the day unfold one second at a time.

Eighteen more minutes, the timer on the dashboard said. He followed her gaze into the sky. “Besides, if I do hold a discussion with these farmers, then it will be just as you say – hearing without listening. A false hope that the queen’s own son will represent them when they demand to limit the importation of some crops or transfer the ownership of the land into their names. I will not. At least not because I was swayed by the condition of the people who are feeding the kingdom, I will not because I cannot put an order without exhaustive study about its implication to the economy and to the noble houses.” His brows furrowed into a frown. “Therefore, it is better for you to address the peasants. My mother will not be made happier by the uncharismatic way I speak to people.”

When he heard her think aloud about the possibility of being allowed time for sightseeing, it got her fiance’s attention more than her perceived repercussions for not adhering to the plans of Ms. Viscomi. “She might not allow it. I need to attend a summit in the far east at the end of the month, which I think is why she is cramming as much activities in a day as she could. Still, we don’t need her permission.” As the crown prince, he rarely asked for anybody’s permission. It would be nice to take a break after three very tiring days on the road.

Luke cocked his head to one side, regarding her with an unreadable expression. “What about I consider talking to the farmers if you come with me somewhere relaxing and peaceful? I heard that there are hot springs and my family relatives own a couple. Or even better.” His eyes widened in amusement behind the dark shade of his glasses. A sly smile was playing on his lips. “Hold my hand and kiss me on the lips in public. I mean in front of the camera during a random shoot. Both you and Luce believes that I should improve the perceived relationship I have with the grassroot workers. However, it is not fair that only I would improve my image. You have to do something about the ‘lacking in romance’ comments from the internet community as well. If you did, then I will speak to the farmers myself and then bring you with me somewhere relaxing and safe.”

The Betrothed

It was difficult not to overhear conversation in someplace as compact as a moving aircraft. Even with thoughts of the absurdity of the whole fiasco plaguing his mind, he could not help but hear the hushed words being spoken between the two female bodyguards. At first, he thought it nothing more than gossip between women about another woman who they were both acquainted to but was absent that moment. He really shouldn’t mind it. Gossip was common in the royal court. Half of it was rooted on something that might be true, but the other half was fabricated lies and half-truths. Then again, Luke thought he heard his name whispered by one of the ladies who still didn’t notice him walk past them. He paused then took one step back. “Ladies, please. Gossip doesn’t work that way,” he chided softly. Both women were taken by surprise. One nearly jumped off her seat if not for the seatbelt she forgot to unbuckle. “The subject has to be out of earshot when you talk dirt to his sorry self.”

“Your hi--” The seatbelt pulled Octavia back to her seat. Lia was already on her feet, bowing from the waist down as if it was necessary, while her friend fumbled with the latch in an attempt to free herself. “Forgive me, your highness. There was no ill intent in mentioning your name in our conversation.” But his back was already on them, making his way back to the cockpit.

He did not hear the whole conversation, but there were snippets he could piece together. Like a certain “he” was looking at a certain “her” differently, which could mean that the former was being suspected of feeling something he supposed was romantic towards the latter, who was unfortunately taken. And then his name came up. The fact that his name was dragged into the conversation made him suspect that the “her” was his fiancee and the “he” was definitely not him. Who could it be then?

The musings about who were the characters in the latest court gossip was cut short when the door slid open and the playful colors of the coming morning greeted him. “Back so soon, my lord?” The co-pilot craned his neck from were he sat. “We still have about thirty minutes before preparing for descent. You may take a nap for the time being.”

Luke frowned. “Do I really look tired, Carter?” He wore his sunglasses and took his place at the pilot’s seat. Ahead was a seemingly endless fluffy sea of clouds inviting any observer to step out of the plane and bounce with the colors of dawn. The sun had poked half of its face above the clouds. Rhiane missed the few minutes when dawn was most beautiful.

“Not particularly, sir. Just -” Carter gestured with his finger under the eyes. “Nothing that the public will notice, I’m sure. Although it will be healthy for you to allow yourself some hours of sleep.”

The circumstances saved Luke from answering after the door slid open again and they both turned to see that it was the princess elect. Carter cleared his throat then got up form his seat. “Miss Black, please have a seat.” He stepped to the side then gestured for her to take the seat that he just vacated. A sheepish smile curved his lips. He was precisely the type of nobleman who Luke fought to be like – cunning, pretentions, and above all he knows how to play the game of politics. “I just remembered that I need to speak to Ms. Viscomi about the schedule.” With that, the co-pilot hastily left.

As soon as they were granted a semblance of privacy, Luke invited her to make herself comfortable in his co-pilot’s seat. “It is such a beautiful day to debate on trivial matters, princess.” He sighed and it looked like he was going to lift his shoes up the control panel, but the prince contented himself in just leaning against the backrest while he watched her from behind the darkened lens. “How is your stomach feeling today? I have not yet received notification from your doctor that clears you from the dietary restrictions.” She was forced into the exhausting field work as soon as she could get up from the hospital bed. Both Luke and Tobias was on edge that day as they watched after the princess elect, tried to anticipate any weakness in her speech, her posture, or her gestures. But there she was, carrying herself gracefully, articulately, without a hint that she almost did not make it.

“Are you here to argue on behalf of the peasants about the benefits of having a dialogue with them?” Luke asked out of curiosity.

The Betrothed

Was it that obvious? Luke was not getting enough sleep since they left the capital. Between the carefully orchestrated publicity stunts, which unfortunately was supposedly meant for rest, was the only time that the prince had to deal with the problems he left at home. He may have people doing the legwork for him, but it was in his nature to want to personally see to it that everything was running smoothly. The reason he was tired that day had nothing to do with work, though. On the contrary, he let it sit alone on the desk while he faced a problem of a different nature. As far as he was concerned, Rhiane was too deep into her nightly beauty rest to know what he was up to the night before.

Luke was blocking the doorway to the suite that the princess occupied inside the private jet. It was a compact, yet luxurious space equipped with entertainment options installed across a white leather-covered sofa. It had its own bed and bath, suitable for long flights. Luke was surprised to find his fiancee awake and not spending her spare time napping.

“That is true.” Luke nodded thoughtfully, thinking back to the last three days that they spent sharing the same space. How easily she fell asleep as soon as she found a surface to lean her head on, and how he or Tobias carried her to bed. “And I can probably get more sleep if a certain princess does not snore like a congested rhino.” It was obvious with the way the corner of his lips twitched to a sly smile that he was exaggerating. Rhiane was not a bad roommate. She seemed uninterested in his attention, she was not trying to seduce him into sleeping with her, and most of all, he could pretend that she was not around because she could fall asleep relatively early and not stir until dawn. He pushed himself from the frame and walked to where she was lounging rather comfortably. But before he could repeat his proposal to watch the sunrise with him on the cockpit, a knock sounded from behind.

“Excuse me, your highness and Ms. Black,” the voice started. Luke could pretend not to hear, but he knew better. The cheerful voice of the tour’s perpetrator was not prepared to be shut-off by the moody royal. Besides, it was a rare opportunity those days to be able to speak to the couple without any camera pointed at their direction.

He motioned for her to enter before crossing his arms over his chest. Beyond the pocket door, he briefly had eye contact with his cousin, Tobias, before the latter looked out into the clouds outside the window. The door slid close behind Ms. Viscomi. “This will be quick,” the woman announced, all smiles.

“Make sure that it is. Nobody is flying this thing.”

Ms. Viscomi was the least concerned at the prince’s declaration. She had accompanied the royal family in several of its private jets to know that at some point, it could fly on its own. Nevertheless, she reaffirmed that the meeting would not take much time. “Our next destination is a town called Arossa. It is a remote town which grows and trades fruits and vegetables that thrive in cold climate. This leg of the tour aims to strengthen the public image of Ms. Black by showing off her knowledge in the industry.” She turned her attention to Luke. “We have arranged a dialogue with the local farmers, your highness, and they would appreciate it if you would address them directly.”

“I do not see the benefits in having a dialogue with the farmers.” It was with clinical aloofness that he answered the appointed image manager. “What would they talk to me about? Ask to subsidize the cost of fertilizers and high-grade seeds, or inhibit the entry of imported crops or perhaps ask for the land to be awarded under their name?” He could not, and he would not be placed in a tight spot by volunteering to hear the grievances of the poor. There were reasons for allowing foreign crops to enter the market, reasons why the land still belonged to the lords. Perhaps he could do something about the fertilizers and the seeds, if they asked for it, but he knew from experience that they would not be satisfied with what he was willing to offer them. “I would rather speak to Baron Ferullo. Arossa is his territory, is it not?”

“It is.” Luce Viscomi’s eyes flickered to Rhiane briefly, as if silently asking for her help to intervene. “My lord, we are working on your public image as well. If we’re going to sell the fairytale love story between --” The manager cut her sentence off. Her eyes widened momentarily, remembering something else. She took a deep breath before continuing, “Although the public has had an overwhelming response to the personality of Ms. Black, I remember reading about a weakness being pointed out by some people. It’s that you two lack the intimacy of a new couple.”

Luke glanced sideways at Rhiane. She did not like being intimate with anybody, more so with him. She made that clear the night he tried flirting with her and failed miserably. “I’m not cut out for theatrics.” He walked purposefully out of the room without waiting for anybody to say another word.

The Betrothed

The night was long and restless for Luke. Every time the glass door slid open, he would lift his head from whichever furniture he last leaned his head on to ask how Rhiane was doing. Every time he did, the nurses reassured him that the princess elect was responding well to the medications. The earphones and the movie did little to help him get better rest that at one point he just turned it off and forced his mind to shut down. But dawn came too soon, the prince was roused gently by a shy nurse and then a call from the queen.

The call was about a brief meeting over breakfast that the prince eagerly attended not because he wanted to be rid of his sick fiancee, but because in a few hours he would be leaving the capital without resolving the breach of security in their home. It meant leaving his sister as vulnerable as Rhiane was the day before. The thought didn’t sit well with him much more their overprotective mother. The queen wanted to double the bodyguards of her children, but Luke argued that it also doubled the chance that a rebellion sympathizer had access to one of her children. One thing Luke agreed, though, was to increase the bodyguards of Rhiane from just Tobias to something at par in number with his escorts.

The head of Technology and Forensic IT came in when the prince was half done with his meal. The gentleman was not privy of the complete story behind the incident, but he might have had a clue. It was the prince consort who broke the details down to his cousin. They continued discussing about the options they had to be able to flush out the rebels among them. Most of which included an increased interaction between the suspects and their external contacts.

Then again, Luke had to leave if he didn’t want to become the cause of delay of their itinerary. His mother insisted that he go and assured that he would be updated with every development of the investigation. On its initial phase, a special taskforce will be formed from the Tech & IT. Every member will be handpicked for their family background, competency, and the Houses they belonged in. The assumption was that the closer the tie that the queen had to the House, the more loyal its members were. Meanwhile, he was to personally look after the farmer without her knowing it – from her diet restrictions to preventing any sharp object from ever touching her skin.

The following days were filled with activities involving a lot of fake smiles and the media. Ms. Viscomi and her team were geniuses in planning PR activities for the crown. They orchestrated subtle, but meaningful nods to the efforts that the reigning monarch was doing for the betterment of the lives of the citizens. It aligned itself with the apparent acceptance of a low-born farmer into the royal line. As if her presence gave hope to the marginalized population that finally their voice would be heard.

But if they knew what was going on behind his royal highness’ polite smile, they would think otherwise. If he could, the brown-haired gentleman would turn on his heels and fly back to the capital. He could be more useful elsewhere. Meeting with the head of the palace security was more important than holding his betrothed’s hand in front of the cameras. It was not to say that he did failed to fulfill his duties while they were hopping from city to city day in and day out. Luke was following a strict schedule, and none of his meetings was cancelled, except on instances like when he was asked to address the artisans or the young professionals. If the princess elect had more airtime than the prince, it was because the latter would sometimes excuse himself to attend a conference call. The queen permitted the arrangement only because it was a necessary evil. The only good thing it caused the couple was an improved allowable radius of up to 200 meters.

Luke juggled his duties between staying pleasant in front of the camera and being stern when it came to his subjects. On the third day of their tour, after he had finished talking to the queen’s economic advisors, two of his bodyguards escorted him to a classroom teeming with cameras. The sea that was called media parted for the future king. And as he stood at the doorway, he was surprised to find the farmer sitting in the midst of curious stares of children absorbed in the way she brought the story to life. He could only imagine how the young creative minds were picturing the world that she painted with her words. Instead of walking up to her per the polite suggestion of one of the organizers, he leaned against the doorframe and watched her animated face in action. She did it on her own. Luke was the freeloader in that PR stunt. She achieved the public image that his mother so desired on her own, without taking notes from him. It was the better course of action, he thought, because none of the members of his family would admit to be an expert in blending in with the society that was not in the same class as they were.

The day ended with the two of them retiring to a penthouse in the city’s most luxurious hotel. It was nothing like Luke’s private residence, but it was comfortable enough. They had dinner, and just like the nights before that one, Rhiane fell asleep on the couch while watching the news. Luke was on his computer, as always, talking to her about the local currency, when he looked up and noticed the person he was talking to had fallen asleep in the middle of the discussion. By that time, he was used to her odd sleeping behavior. Given that he was a light sleeper, he envied how the farmer could doze off seemingly anywhere she laid her back on. Smiling to himself, the prince left the charts on his screen and picked her up carefully. He did tell her that she should stop making him carry her to bed.

“Good night, princess.” Luke carefully deposited the woman to the bed. On their first night, it was Tobias who found the woman sitting on a dining chair with her head resting on the pillow of her arms on the table. It was this occurrence that helped the prince to negotiate with the queen to increase the radius of the leash to a hundred meters after the daily itinerary. He was still bound to the princess elect, but he could do work and attend conference calls without disturbing her.

Suddenly there was a knock at the suite’s door. After a pause, Nolan popped his head in, searching the living area. “Your highness?” Luke had just closed the bedroom door by then. “You have a visitor,” the older man declared.

The door swung wider as Nolan stepped aside to let the visitor enter. “Don’t ask how I know your room number,” Sophia’s smile was knowing. “Well, it is kind of obvious, to be honest. Hello Luke.”

He was expecting her, but not in the room he shared with his fiancee. They agreed to meet somewhere else, agreed that Luke would give the go signal after he made excuses believable enough for the queen to release him from his prison long enough to meet with her. Of course, she had no idea about the predicament that was inhibiting the prince to freely see her. He looked over his shoulder at the door he just shut, then back at the face he had longed to see those past days. “Have you had anything for dinner?” he asked.

And just like that, the report he was reviewing on his computer was forgotten. The night became his and hers, a stolen moment under the bloodshot moon, perhaps something that he would later regret. They made up for the time that they were apart, not fearing that the morning might bring consequences that was out of their hands. But the morning did not find the woman in the prince’s suite. She left hours before dawn, just as the credits on the movie they watched rolled up the screen.

“Luke, I’m flying for the United States with Alec,” she confessed before leaving. When he asked when, she just smiled and kissed him. A tear rolled down her cheek. Then another. Luke was speechless. There was nothing that he could promise to the actress that could reassure her enough to stay. He could not promise that he would be with her, because it was physically impossible. In the end, he had to let her go holding on to her word that she would return in a few months – maybe.

---

Two hours was all he had left before the retinue would arrive and force the couple to be presentable for the day. It was for a long-distance travel or about an hour flight to the kick-off point where they would be traveling on wheels up the mountain ranges to a much colder reaches of the kingdom. Luke had never been there, because it was a logistics nightmare to bring a royal to such a place.

When it was time to leave, the prince demanded to pilot the aircraft. He loved flying and claimed that it calmed him whenever he was coasting above the clouds. The night of his engagement, he flew an unmanned drone around the castle through a remote virtual cockpit to take his mind off the unavoidable event in his life. Once they reached the prescribed altitude and was stable above the clouds, Luke hit the auto-pilot button and excused himself from the co-pilot.

“Rhiane.” He was wearing aviator sunglasses, which he took off as he approached her. She was not allowed to sit beside him and play the co-pilot during the take-off for safety purposes. But once they were at the mercy of the flying machine, he asked her, “Would you like to see the view?” He had to take his mind off Sophia. In the past, someone else worthy of his attention would cure his pathetic lovesick heart. Maybe it would work again for him only until the charade was over. Besides, she was performing well when she was happy.

The sun was just rising above the clouds, not too harsh for the eyes, but still bright enough to hurt. It cast a golden orange glow just that stretched over the horizon, over the fluffy bed of pristine clouds. The color blended with the blue that stretched overhead.

The Betrothed

Sophia was different from Rhiane in such a way that the latter was much too quiet when watching movies that if not for the occasional beeping sound that the various apparatus made and the diligent intrusion of the medical staff, he could have forgotten that he was not alone in the room. Luke politely asked the last nurse to take away his dinner. Unlike the princess elect, he did not find the appetite to finish his meal.

His phone rang a few times, but if it was not from the security team, the prince dismissed it. He was anxious to hear from anybody who could brief him about the latest findings. When finally the screen showed the encrypted code he identified as from the group he was aching to hear from, Luke hurriedly got to his feet and excused himself, unknown to him that Rhiane had fallen asleep. “Speak.” The single word was full of urgency.

“I understand.” Luke nodded at the nurse whose turn it was to conduct a routine check on the patient. His home was compromised. It would be difficult to assume that every single staff working inside the castle was clean, but hearing that his team found a compelling evidence that solidified the hunch was not at all reassuring. Sooner or later these people would make a move against his mother, his stepfather, his brothers, or worse his beloved little sister. “Multiple layers of encryption much like our own? Be very discrete about this matter now that we know that there are spies among us.” The head of Technology and Forensic IT was a lord that was a relative of Luke’s stepfather. He would need to talk about this to the prince consort and the queen at the soonest possible time. “We will handpick a team to handle this sensitive issue. Send me the correspondence, but you should stop digging for now.”

“Your highness?” The officer sounded confused. Didn’t the prince say that it was top priority to trace the trail that instructed the assassin to try poison the princess elect?

But the crown prince found it unnecessary to explain his actions. He would order the investigation to stop and he expected the palace security team to comply. As he told the officer, it was a sensitive matter. Should the spies find out that there was an on-going investigation, there was the possibility that they would implement a desperate course of action. He was firm in his instructions to stop. “Wait for further instructions, officer.”

Luke immediately made a call to his mother as soon as the communication was cut. “Mother,” he said as soon as he heard her voice.

“Lucius, it is past midnight.” The queen yawned. “You should be having a beauty rest, because the media will be all over you and your lovely betrothed tomorrow morning.”

“I don’t – Listen mum,” Luke sighed. There was a looming PR nightmare add to the threat the security team just discovered, and yet his mother sounded like she was more concerned about appearances. “There is a disturbing development concerning the incident this afternoon. I will send you the report and the evidences as soon as I receive it, but-- ”

The queen cut him off with her sweet words, “Listen, darling. Whatever it is, it will be tomorrow’s problem. Or perhaps later. There is nothing you can do about it now so just turn off your comms device and your tablet and go to sleep.”
“Fine, but read the report as soon as you can.” He was more than a hundred percent sure that the queen would call him as soon as she did. She was a woman who was fiercely protective of her family.

“Yes, I will. The situation is under control. Nobody is asking questions anymore.” She sounded pleased with what Ms. Viscomi and her staff could do. “So, go to sleep.”

He didn’t. Luke couldn’t even if he tried to. Especially after he read the full correspondence and concluded that the resistance had more than one plan for the princess elect – either she became their pawn or she died. Her death would definitely hit a blow to the reigning monarch as surely as if she sided with the rebellion.

A beep from the apparatus stole his attention. The monitor had long been turned off, forcing silence to accompany him that night. His eyes turned to Rhiane, who was sleeping peacefully in her bed. He hoped the nurses would consent giving him the same drug they had injected in the IV so that he could sleep like her, as if there was nothing wrong with the world. His mother was correct. There was nothing that he could do about the situation that night. Without the queen and the prince consort’s help he could not order to pursue the investigation without risk of intelligence leaking out to unauthorized recipients. And even if he mobilized the Tech and Forensics IT, what was the odds that they would unearth anything of significance that night.

Finally taking his mother’s advice, he leaned his head against the soft mattress of her bed, popped a pair of wireless earpiece on and played something comforting on the monitor. She asked him why he loved watching film, the truth was that for a few hours, he thought he could live another person’s life. Slowly, carefully, he let go of all controls and finally surrendered to sleep.