Francis' grin spread across his face. He grabbed the unused handkerchief and wrapped it around his hand to grab the other man's and shake. "A deals a deal! You won't regret it!"

He was sure the other man would. But Francis was about to have quite a fun time!

Roderick straightened his posture, wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve. He sniffed, then looked plaintively to the window.

He had the distinct impression he had just made a terrible mistake. Too many drinks at the academy-great, and he had the tattoos for life from that night.

How did he get rid of this man? Maybe if he stayed very still and didn’t look him in the eye, he’d … jump back on out, or something.

Francis was perplexed that he just looked away unmoving. No wonder he wasn't liked. Why was Francis meeting weird people lately? Maybe it was something in the water.

He reached forward and took his hand. The handkerchief the only barrier from his dirty skin as he shook it. "There, a deal. Now.." he moved to sit beside him though not touching. "Where are we going, new friend?"

Roderick full-body cringed when the fake prince reached for his hand. Fake Prince was faster than Roderick could stuff both hands under his ass, but he certainly tried. Stared when he shook limp, flaccid fingers.

“How should I know?” he said, defensively, shook hand withdrawing and slipping under his ass like a hermit crab whisking back into its shell.

Francis frowned at the hand shake. "You need to work on that. People can't respect a hand that's like a piece of wet paper."

He watched him hide his hands and rose a brow. "You don't know where you're going? Ohhh, or is this like a joy ride!" He smiled and since the man had no hands free to stop him. He patted him cheerfully on the shoulder. "Where I come from, you don't hide your hands like that. You're hands too busy to stop me if I wanted to do something."

Roderick frowned. He didn’t want to shake hands with a dirty fake prince, but it was also not the first time he’d heard that one.

“Oh,” he semi-agreed, then frowned even deeper at the validity that granted this interloper.

When Fake Prince slapped him on the shoulder, his face cringed so hard his cheeks practically rode into his eyes.

“What on Earth would you want to do?” he wondered aloud with a suspicious look, hands still hidden under his ass.

Francis offered the spoiled Carrington a reassuring smile. "It's alright, that's one reason you have me around. To help you!"

He smirked at that and leaned in closer , but careful not to get too close. "Of course, I don't want to. IF I wanted to though.. Hm.." He pretended to think it over. This guy was too annoying to be his type, and would be quick to toss him to the constables if he even flirted to mess with him. He reached out and wiggled his fingers. "Maybe.. I will.. mess up your hair.."

This was worse than being stuck at an inn with his least favorite class mate. At least the class mate had more than mortal peril going for him.

Fake Prince leaned closer, and Roderick, wide-eyed, pressed as far back as his physical confines would allow.

His hair was already a bit messy, but what he ultimately heard was ‘I will touch it’.

“A prince wouldn’t do that!” he said, suddenly,with a weird sort of absolution in it.

Francis couldn't help himself. This guy left him open to it and the mischievous side of him was too strong to resist.

He leaned in more, staring as his smile grew so wide and unsettling his cheeks started to hurt. He leaned to the man's ear and said in a low voice. "Against just a commoner? Even a rich one? A prince could do anything they want. "

He sat back and laughed a little. "I did say I didn't want to though...." he really hoped he wasn't about to ruin his fun and get punched in the face.

This man was a crazed fellow who burst into his carriage, spouting nonsense about a supposed territory he couldn’t even remember the name of. He’d menaced him. He’d touched him. He’d made strange, wild promises. And yet nothing was quite so strange as the fear he felt at the way he claimed ‘they’ could do anything ‘they’ wanted.

Too close. Sounded weird. Kind of made his heart palpitate. That was the kind of nonsense his fraternity brothers joked about women. The cart continued to bounce along the road. What would Darius’ creepy friend have done if someone even creepier whispered in his ear?

Hm. Probably say something even creepier back.

“My brother looks beautiful dead,” Roderick blurted out with a gritted, feral look.

Okay. Maybe not like that. But what … what if he acted like the crazier one?