Lucian was too busy to drop everything and follow a woman who wanted to kiss another man around. There was still some business he needed to take care of, and he couldn't leave his people hanging.
Maybe this was a sign from the universe telling him to get his shit together and do something productive for once. Maybe if she cheated on him during his absence, he would finally be able to move on. It would help him wake up from this delusion he was stuck in.
Maybe he would be able to find someone new to fill his head with. Someone sweet, and kind, and caring. Someone who would never hurt a fly.
He lay down on the comfortable seat of his carriage, covering his eyes with his arm. The carriage wasn't wide enough to accommodate his height, so he had to make do, resting his boots on the wall of the carriage. After they cleaned it up, no trace of blood could be detected.
The Crown Prince coughed to get Lucian's attention, explaining his plan, "Lady Bianca was last spotted inside the inn tavern near here; according to my source..."
"Actually, I just remembered something," Lucian interrupted the Crown Prince, "Considering you saved my life, I should do something to repay your kindness, Your Highness," he said, "Lady Bianca is safe and sound in the hands of my people."
He let the silence stretch just long enough to let the guy's imagination run wild. Good. He hoped the Prince choked on it.
"What?!"
"It's not what you think," Lucian assured the other man, "She asked me for help, so I did."
Lucian wasn't about to let those two play house while he was away. Both should feel the panic of losing their playthings to someone else. See how they liked it.
"Bring me to her, NOW."
"I can't," Lucian refused, lifting his arm to glance at the Crown Prince, "I made a promise to her, and a man is only as good as his word. I wonder what your Highness did to her that she would rather run away and seek refuge with me instead, though?"
The Crown Prince's glare was sharp enough to cut, "For how long did you plan to keep her hidden from me?"
"Until you solve your problem with your ex-fiancé, I'm afraid," Lucian said, touching his stomach with his free hand, "That woman has a nasty habit of hurting people's guts, if you know what I mean, Your Highness. I don't wish that fate on Lady Bianca. It hurts. Really bad."
The Crown Prince sighed with frustration, but there was also a hint of relief in his voice, "If she's safe, then that's all that matters. However, I must ask you to keep your hands to yourself. She is not yours to touch."
'Says the one who touched first.' Lucian smiled wryly, covering his eyes with his arm again, "What would you do if I touched her? What if I did more than just touch? What would you do to stop me, Your Highness?"
"Are you trying to test my patience?" The Crown Prince was not amused, but Lucian was.
"What a shame that there are no more ladies like Bianca here... we wouldn't have to argue over her in the first place," Lucian sighed. "If there was just one more to go around, I would have been satisfied."
"So you admit that you're interested in her?"
"Honestly? Which man wouldn't? Even a blind priest would go astray if Lady Bianca were to ever cross his path," Lucian reasoned. "So yes, I'm just like any other man, I'm tempted. But unlike any other man, I have the means, so what's stopping me from taking her and running away?"
The Crown Prince cracked his knuckles, so close to snapping, yet so far from kicking him out. Nobody ever dared to talk to him like this, and nobody ever thought they could get away with it.
Lucian realized that the Prince liked to be treated like a normal person, even though he hated it at the same time.
It would be strange if Celine didn't notice that about him as well. She probably knew him better than he knew himself at this point and was probably dragging the Crown Prince by the nose for whatever reason.