Crow relaxed when Penelope said that she didn’t think her father hated him. As far as he could tell, John was the only person who still had the power to stand in the way of their courtship now that he’d taken the title of a nobleman. If the older knight didn’t want them to be together, it was going to be difficult to get around him. Still, even if she doubted that her father hated him outright, he planned to tread carefully around the man if or when they ever crossed paths again. After all, he didn’t want to risk doing something to upset him anymore than he already had the last time.

As Penelope went on to say that he should get going, Crow nodded solemnly. He wished they had more time to be together, but there were still just enough other people in the Great Hall that they might risk drawing attention to themselves if they lingered for much longer. Knowing that short meetings like this were probably the most they were going to get away with for a while, he grew even more eager for the day when he would be able to court her openly. It was going to be a nice change compared to all the sneaking around they had been doing for the entirety of their relationship. They hadn’t been so free since they had been traveling alone in Younis two years ago.

“Alright,” he sighed, rising to his feet. “I should get some sleep anyway. From the sound of it, I’m going to have another long day of being told what a ‘savage’ I am.” He rolled his eyes and then casted her a smile. “I’ll see you around, love. Good luck with that guard shift.” 

Having said his goodbyes, Crow headed for the entrance of the Great Hall with a tired yawn. As always, Preston fell in step beside him, and the two walked through the long hallways that led to his bed chamber. It didn’t take long before he got back. As soon as the door was closed, he slipped out of his boots and clothes and put on a set of plain linens that the attendant brought to him—it was getting cold enough at night that he preferred to be dressed—before settling down to sleep for the night.