''Why exactly did you invite that commoner?''
Luke's eyes fled to the rearview mirror quickly, his fleeting glance meeting the dark one of Prince Keith's. The green eyes locked the brown ones for a mere second, but it was enough for Luke to remind himself to stay calm. His eyes moved back to the road.
The rain was still heavy.
''Because, your highness, I thought it would be a good way to make up for her ruined clothes.''
Keith watched his personal butler turn somewhat red while his voice shook slightly.
''I don't care about her clothes… and I'm certainly not going to entertain some teenager.'' He huffed and adverted his eyes, now glancing out the dark window despite not being able to see anything other than his own reflection.
''Actually, she's the same age as you.'' Luke mumbled from the driver's seat.
''Oh?'' Keith hummed, his interest peeked in the darkness of the backseat. ''Really? And how come you know that?'' He asked while his eyes used the rearview mirror to study his butler.
''Well, I, um, I spoke with her, that's all.'' Luke spoke, flustered and with obviously reddened cheeks.
He had always been so easy to fluster.
Keith studied him silently. Luke usually never went out his way to do something like this, especially not this quick. When the pieces started to fit together, it prompted a small but almost cruel smile on Keith's lips.
''You like her.''
''I'm sorry, what?'' Luke swallowed almost audibly while struggling to keep his eyes on the road.
Keith leaned forwards and folded his hands, the leather seats creaking beneath his weight. ''I said, you like her.''
''What?! N-no, I-''
''Luke, you seem to forget that you're speaking to your future king.'' Keith hummed, annoyed with the informal tone Luke had just used. He didn't care about the slight panic he could so easily spot in the brown eyes, he wouldn't tolerate anything but a respectful demeanor, especially when it came to his butler, apprentice or not.
''I'm sorry, your highness. It won't happen again.'' Luke straightened his shoulders and regained his usual composure, but his face was still amusingly red.
''It better not.'' Keith hummed and leaned back in his seat, retaking his earlier position and let his glance stare out the window again.
Luke wasn't hard to fluster and he was surely still flawed as a butler, but Keith knew he was good enough to take over and be his full time butler. There was some sort of trust between them. He would definitively not call them friends or anything of that sort, but Luke was mostly respectful and came running like a dog whenever his master called. Even so, this could turn out to be pretty amusing.
''Fine.''
''Sir?''
''Let the commoner visit. But you'll be the one to take care of her while she's there.''
Luke glanced at him, slightly nervous but also surprised. It was unlike Keith to make decisions like this but nonetheless, it made him kind of happy.
''Are you sure, your highness? I wouldn't want to-''
''Luke.'' Keith cut him off with an exaggerated sigh. ''You invited her so you take responsibility for it. I don't care if you want to or not, it's an order.''
There fell a short silence between the two men in the car and they both listened to the heavy rain. After a short while, the butler finally answered his prince.
''Yes, your highness.''