“I would have liked you anyway. Servant or not.” Sure, the fact he was a Prince was nice, staying in such an incredible home was phenomenal and again something she couldn’t deny she had enjoyed but it was nice to have someone that felt invested in her. “Who knows… I could be a servant, but I’d like to think that you’d still like me. Although I don’t know how your father would react if I was to tell him I was servant.” It was playing on her mind, the fact that she could be lower class or even worse this Scourge that they kept mentioning. Would he think of her any less if she wasn’t high standing? His father certainly would. It did concern her but again she though it best not to air those thoughts to him, she didn’t want to bring them down.

“That’s a good point, I don’t know how old I am.” Iris laughed to herself when he teased if she was of age. When is my birthday? Frowning slightly as she tried to remember a key piece of information about herself, but it only frustrated her more. Things like this she should know, and she was frustrated to no end over it. “You could be right, perhaps I preferred red wine.” Shrugging she didn’t know but again there was a lot she was finding out about herself; she was just waiting for the big thing that would unlock it all.

Smiling as she looked over at the bartender greeting the Prince she listened to his order, it sounded strong, but she couldn’t blame him. After that dinner it was no surprise, even she wanted something stronger and she didn’t think she was quite the drinker. However, she would make an exception this evening, it would be rude not too.

“Oh!...” Glancing around slightly when she realised, he was addressing her she flustered a little at being called Madam, she hadn’t really expected it but she guessed it was polite and she was being silly. “Ah… well em… you see.”

Looking over at Cas she felt relieved when he had given her some options to choose from, well an idea on at least of trying some out to see what she liked. “I’d like that. If that’s okay with you Martin?” Smiling up at the bartender she didn’t want to cause him too much trouble but having a few small samplers would probably be best. “Maybe I’ll find what I like with the samples! It could bring something back for me to remember?” She sounded hopeful but it was all she had, to be hopeful and not let herself get upset over this.

“This is pretty awesome; I take it you don’t get many visitors.” She had seen the way the bartender had looked curiously over their entrance, she could only assume no one really came here anymore. It was amazing and she couldn’t believe she was getting to experience it, “So… tomorrow is going to be great!” She was very excited to go exploring the city with him and then meet his friends, she was certainly in high spirits over it but that was because she hoped it would help regain her memories.

Although Cas was sure Iris hadn’t meant to compliment him, he found her insistence that she would have still liked him as a servant flattering. Coming from a high born woman, it was high praise. Servants were almost always members of the middle class and were seen by the citizens in the capital as lesser than themselves. As empathetic as he was, even the prince found himself slipping into the hierarchical mindset more often than he’d like to admit. If the scenario had been real and he really had been a houseboy, he doubted she would have graced him with even a passing glance, but it was still kind of her to say she would. He was just glad they had met on the paths they were on now.

“I’d still like you too,” he returned honestly. If she had been a maid working in his home, he was certain he would have found her pleasant company. They wouldn’t have spent as much time together though. She was beautiful and funny and generally lovely to be around, but it was already scandalous enough for the heir of Aspiria to spend so much time with a normal high born girl. He couldn’t even imagine wasting the days away with a maid. “I’m sure you’re not,” he asserted when she said she could be a servant. “That’s not something you’ll have to worry about. My dad will realize that soon enough.” She had mentioned a few memories that made him feel confident in her status. That and the fact that he’d never seen any middle class woman who was as attractive as she was made him certain she was from the capital, but he kept that detail to himself.

Still, despite his convictions, she had a few quirks that he thought were unique for a high born. Her surprise at Martin’s address was a perfect example. Cas propped his elbow on the table and rested his cheek in the palm of his hand, watching her with an amused smile as she fumbled to decide what she wanted to drink. Even though her out-of-place dither was strange, he found it kind of cute that she would be so flustered by the bartender’s respect. It was almost as if she didn’t expect any special treatment at all, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she used to speak to the servants in her own household as if they were her equals.

“It’s no trouble at all, madam,” Martin nodded to her with the same respect he had shown the prince. He didn’t know who she was or what she ranked, so it was safer for him to err on the side of formality.

“Great,” Cas grinned at her eagerly and then turned to the servant. “Bring her a few classics to start. How about…” He studied her in a scrutinizing manner as he tried to decide what kind of drinks she might like. “Three M’s: martini, mimosa, and margarita. Just a little of each though. We wouldn’t want her to get sick.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Martin bowed at the waist and turned around to prepare their drinks at the bar.

As Iris observed that he didn’t have many visitors over, Cas shrugged, “Yeah, it’s a bit of a waste, but it wouldn’t be much better if it was filled with people. Most of the ones who try to cozy up to me and my dad just want something from us.” He leaned on the table again and let his gaze wander over the room. The TVs played soundless reruns of various games like football, basketball, and even tennis to an invisible audience. Thinking about it, it was pretty lonely and he was even more appreciative that she was sitting here with him now.

“It definitely will be,” he agreed with a smile, finding Iris’s enthusiasm infectious as she brought up their plans for tomorrow. “If you want, we could go back to the mall. There’s a lot more inside besides just shops.”

Iris smiled at the fact it was no problem, she didn’t want to cause any issues, but he seemed happy enough to help over what she would drink. She was curious as to what she might like, and it was exciting to try them out. It did make her wonder on if there was something, she remembered but she was sure she would find out when she tried the drinks. “Ohhh, the classics!” Grinning at him as he spoke about the three M’s, they sounded quite interesting, Martini rung a bell so maybe she had one of those before? At the same time, she was still unsure but at least she got to try them.

“I was going to say samples would be best, I’d be a right mess if I had to try every drink. I don’t know how well I even take to alcohol. Everything is like a new experience” Shaking her head at the idea, she was sure she’d been drunk before but of course she had no memories of it. Not yet anyway. Maybe drinking with him would help unlock something new and a part of her was excited. “Martini sounds familiar.” Pondering the thought as she sat back in the booth making herself comfortable, the seats were comfortable, and she could only imagine the cost that went behind them.

“People do that?” Looking over at him she grimaced, of course people would. “Sorry of course people would, it just took me by surprise.” Shaking her head slightly she couldn’t believe it, but then people would try to cosy up to them to get in a better stead. It was common sense, but she had never thought of it. “That must be hard, especially when it comes to trusting people.” Tilting her head as she thought on it, it had to be hard to deal with that day in and out not even knowing if people truly wanted to be your friend. “It’s just horrid to think people would do that, like there is a person inside who has feelings at the end of it all. People should be humble.”

Shrugging slightly as they turned the conversation to tomorrow and the visit to the mall, she couldn’t help but be excited, the mall looked amazing on their brief visit and she was sure going through the whole building she would get something back. She had to have been there before surely. Things would come back to her, they had too. She couldn’t live her life not knowing surely? “Tomorrow will be wonderful, if we do have some spare time maybe going back to the mall will help! I’m sure exploring more will help with my memories. Hopefully I won’t tire out easily.” Glancing at her leg she hoped it would be alright tomorrow, she didn’t feel too much pain with it anymore, but it was still healing. Slowly, but it was getting there.

“I’ll get used to walking on it again I’m sure, it’s certainly healing! Hopefully I won’t need the crutches too much longer. They are a massive pain.”

The way Iris got excited over every little thing they did brought a smile to Cas’s lips. Even trying a few run of the mill drinks sounded like an exciting adventure when she spoke about it. Her endless zeal for everything life had to offer might have been a side effect of the fact that it was all new to her amnesiac brain, but he still thought it was fun to watch her light up any time he suggested something she couldn’t remember doing before. He was eager to see what she would do if she liked any of the beverages she tried that evening.

“I figured,” he grinned when she said she’d be a mess if she tried every drink. “But if you find out you’ve got a favorite, just let Martin know, and he’ll bring you a full glass of it.” Though he had no intention of getting her drunk, he was curious to find out what she was like after a couple shots. It was always entertaining to see what aspects of someone’s personality were brought out by alcohol. For the Aspirian prince, a few strong drinks made him loose lipped and competitive. It was why he knew it would have been a bad idea to have too many around Iris. The scandalous thoughts in his head wouldn’t stay there for long if he pushed his limits, and he wouldn’t care about getting between her and her boyfriend—if she had one—because he would only be focused on winning the prize right in front of him. It definitely wasn’t the best frame of mind to be in when he was sitting with a woman he was attracted to.

As she commented on the way other people tried to use the royal family, Cas nodded. Surprisingly, she hit the nail on the head. He wasn’t sure if she truly understood the weight of living in a world where everyone seemed to have ulterior motives, but the sympathy in her voice was evident. “I know,” he exhaled, his smile fading slightly. “But it’s not going to change. Everyone has their own agenda, and my family is the fastest way to make their dreams happen. Technically, my dad and I aren’t supposed to endorse any pet projects people come to us with, so the crown doesn’t show favoritism, but that’s never stopped them from trying to get a royal stamp of approval anyway.”

When Iris brightened again, he mirrored her expression. They weren’t making any spectacular plans for tomorrow, since they were just going to be exploring the capital, but her enthusiasm never failed to infect him. “Just don’t stop using them too quickly,” he advised when she complained about the crutches. “It would be even more of a pain if you landed yourself back in the hospital because you pushed yourself too hard.” He didn’t know much about puncture wounds like the ones she had, but he’d heard about other people busting open their stitches before they had fully healed. Just thinking about something like that happening to her made him shudder. He’d already seen more than enough blood for a lifetime the night he’d found her.

“Scotch sour, Your Highness.” Martin’s voice drew his thoughts from the morbid memory. The bartender had returned with a tray full of drinks and was now setting them down on their table. “And three samples for the lady.”

“Thanks, Martin,” Cas offered the servant a polite smile as he picked up his glass. The gold-colored drink had been garnished with a ribbon of orange peel, which he plucked out to more easily sip from the rim of the cup. Turning back to Iris, he raised his beverage in a toast, a playful smile curving his lip. “To new friendships and surviving dinner with my dad.”

“I hope I do find a favourite!” Iris smiled to herself, she couldn’t help but look around the bar. It was stunning and it was strange to think this was in his house, much like the home theatre. This home seemed to have everything and was fully kitted out with the latest gear as Cas had mentioned before but it was still exciting to see it all and experience some of it. It would be nice to see the place filled with people, laughing and chatting much like she was doing with Cas but she could understand the reasons why they couldn’t, but it felt strange being in such a life like bar with no one in it.

“I feel like I’m a VIP.” Chuckling as she looked back at Cas placing her hands on the table, “A whole bar just for us for the evening.” Of course, it was just in his home but at the same time it did make her feel a little bit special and there was nothing wrong with that.

“People suck but I suppose it means the friends you do find are the type that will stick by your side through anything which can be hard to come by. I’d like to think I’ve made friends like that, although at the same time I’m not sure if I have as I’d like to think they’d have noticed my disappearance but… well. If I focus on the negatives, I’ll never enjoy things and I got to meet you which is pretty neat. I mean who can say they were rescued by Prince charming?” She couldn’t help the giggles that left her mouth as she said the last words, it was harmless teasing and she loved to wind him up over the fact he was the Prince. She hoped he didn’t mind; she was sure he would say something if he did.

But…

“Hey, just let me know if I ever cross the line, I’m only messing around, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable in any way. So just let me know.” It was silly but she wanted to make sure he was alright with her teasing and messing, she knew some people properly didn’t enjoy it but so far everything seemed to go okay with him.

“Alright, chill! I won’t stop using them straight away, I’m just excited at the possibility of being able to walk without them! It can be quite uncomfortable.” Smiling as she saw Martin approach with the drinks for them both, “Thank you Martin!” Looking over the samples she wondered what to try first, the excitement was clear.

Picking up the small glass that had a clearer colour looking to it, there was a lime on the edge of her glass and some sort of powder. Salt maybe? “To new friendships!” Picking up the sample glass she clinked it against his before having a taste, immediately her face turned sour and she placed the glass down rather quickly looking as if she had eaten something sour. “Yikes, definitely not a favourite.” Commenting to herself as she tried to get rid of the bad taste it had left in her mouth, that was something she never wanted to drink again.

“If you like it so much, I’m sure I could arrange something tomorrow,” Cas offered with a wink. All it would take was a couple well-placed phone calls, and he could have an entire restaurant cleared out in less than an hour. No company manager would ever turn down the crown prince if he wanted to rent out their building for an evening, especially since he always paid them compensation for the lost revenue. It wasn’t a privilege he took advantage of very often—there wasn’t much of a point when he already had the same services in his family’s mansion—but he liked giving Iris the royal treatment. It was all new to her, so she seemed to appreciate it much more than he did.

As she went on to talk about friendships, he nodded halfheartedly. To some degree, she was right, but there were few people in his life that he could count as the type of friends she was describing. Even Jay and Miles could have had ulterior motives. It was why the royal family often kept to themselves. When he was younger, he used to play with his cousins, but since the rebellion started, even they had been deemed untrustworthy. The isolation was part of the reason why he wished he wasn’t going to be the next king. As soon as his father passed, he wouldn’t even be able to attend social events without a security detail.

“Careful,” Cas teased when Iris called him Prince Charming again. “Use that one too much, and you’ll wear it out.” Despite his warning, there was a hint of warmth that turned his face pink when she made the jest. He was starting to hope she didn’t have a boyfriend for her sake. If she did, they might owe him an apology for all the flattering and flirting—whether intentional or not—she was doing with him over the past couple days.

As she told him to let her know if she crossed any lines, he waved his hand dismissively. “Please,” he said with a smirk. “Compared to my other friends, you’re harmless.” Jay and Miles egged him on far more than she did. In fact, it was thanks to their incessant pestering that he’d even found her in the first place. The two enjoyed causing trouble, and they often found ways to drag him down with them whenever they all hung out together.

At her following words, he raised his brows in unbridled surprise. No one had ever been gutsy enough to tell him to “chill” before. At least, not to his face. Hearing the word come out of her mouth made him laugh, and he hoped she wouldn’t stop being so bold once her memories came back. It was refreshing to share drinks with someone who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it meant telling the crown prince of Aspiria what to do.

He brought his glass to his lips and drank a portion of the beverage inside. The liquor went down smoothly, and he let out a satisfied exhale. Iris didn’t seem to have as much luck. “It’s a good thing we got you samples then,” he remarked, watching her disgusted face as she pushed away the margarita glass. Deciding not to let the rejected drink go to waste, he picked it up to down the rest. Generally, he preferred scotches and bourbons over tequila, but there was no sense in pouring out a perfectly good glass.

“You can try mine too if you don’t like any of those,” he offered, sliding the empty cup to the edge of the table for Martin to collect and shooting Iris a playful smile. “Who knows? Maybe you’re a whiskey gal.”

“Oh gosh no! No!” Iris couldn’t imagine him going to the effort to have anywhere cleared out just for her, it was nice to feel important like that but at the same time she didn’t expect it to happen. “As much as it’s nice to feel important I wouldn’t want that, the more people around the merrier. Who knows if anyone might recognise me?” Although it might be nice, to experience some royal treatment. That’s what she would call it and as nice as it sounded she was certain word would spread about the Prince hiring out a restaurant for them and she knew that his father didn’t like her, she didn’t want any reason for him to dislike her further and she was certain a rumour like that would cause more disrupt than good. “Thank you though.”

Giggling as he spoke about her wearing his name out, she couldn’t help but find it amusing, she knew he took it in jest and that was great. Having these jokes with him, having their friendship seem so light and easy was something she needed. Amongst everything going wrong she could rely on this being nice and it was good to have something she could cling too that was great.

“I’m not sure I want to meet them anymore if I’m harmless compared to them.” Smiling at the mention of his friends not being so harmless, she didn’t mean it of course but she just couldn’t help but tease him on the odd occasion. Well more than usual. Nodding to his statement of them getting samples she was glad too although she couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows when she watching him finish her drink, “Careful there, I’m sure you don’t want to be hungover for that session you have tomorrow.” Smiling softly as she reached out grabbing another one of the samples to try, his comment about being a whiskey gal didn’t go unnoticed and she contemplated the idea of liking the stronger sounding drink.

Maybe I do prefer a whiskey?

Shaking her head amused she tried the martini this time and smiled nodding, this was a much better taste than the last drink she tried. Thankfully. It didn’t bring back any sort of memories so maybe it wasn’t her favourite? It was however a nicer taste. “This isn’t too bad! I don’t think it’s my favourite though.” Sighing slightly as she thought about just how much she didn’t know about herself; it was only something simple, but it was still something that upset her. “But I’ll have to take you up on that offer! I’ll have to try a whiskey someday.” Without even thinking her hand moved up to her face rubbing her eyes, she was starting to feel a little tired, but it had been quite the day. Who knew how dinner with his father would take it out of her? Although it was hard to deny the idea of bed, she was staying in look incredibly comfortable and she was very excited to sleep in it even if it was for one night.

“So, what do you usually do after your sessions? I’m assuming you don’t go rescuing girls in forests as a hobby.” Looking up at him she wanted to know more, get to know him a little better. It gave her an odd sense of comfort hearing a little bit about him, at least he knew who he was.

“If you say so,” Cas lifted his shoulders in a shrug, though there was an amused smile on his face when Iris got flustered over his offer to reserve a restaurant for them. He knew the attention a stunt like that would draw to them. Every tabloid in Aspiria would eat it up if word got out that the crown prince had bought out an entire building to take a girl on a dinner date. But that was the intent. “If you change your mind, just let me know,” he said in a luring tone, idly swirling the liquid in his glass as he casted her a sly smile. “Maybe it’ll give your family a wake-up call if they see a news article with a candid shot of you walking out of a restaurant with me above the headline.”

Of course, a photo like that would also start up the gossip train that circulated throughout the capital, but he didn’t mind. If anyone asked that knew her, it would be easy to explain that they had been trying to get the media’s attention in order to send her home. Plus, if it turned out she didn’t have a boyfriend, he was interested in asking her out on a real date later on. Hopefully by then, the intrusive photographers wouldn’t be quite as interested in capturing every public second of his dating life.

“I warned you,” he reminded her nonchalantly when she teased about not wanting to meet his friends anymore. Really, he had a feeling that Jay and Miles’s playfulness was the one trait about the pair that she would enjoy. It was their rampant flirting that he was concerned about, but with any luck, that wouldn’t be a problem once he sent the message that he was interested in pursuing her. The thought of admitting he had a crush on an amnesiac girl still made him cringe, but it was better than the alternative. As long as they didn’t scare her off, that was all he cared about.

At her comment about his drinking, Cas smirked amusedly. “There wasn’t even a full shot in that drink,” he said dismissively. “If I got hungover off a mini margarita, that would be pretty pathetic.” Chuckling, he lifted his glass to his lips to take another sip, cleansing his palate of the less preferred beverage. The scotch had a much more pleasant taste that lingered on his tongue even after he swallowed.

“Martini, huh?” he mused when she said she liked the second drink better. “I’ve always thought those tasted like soap. I’m glad you like it though.” Sipping his own drink once more, he could feel a hint of something in the back of his head, and he relaxed into the cushioned booth. After a tense evening with his father, the alcohol was a much needed stress-reliever. He just had to remember to pace himself, so he wouldn’t sink too deeply into the clutches of intoxication around Iris.

“You don’t have to wait for someday,” the prince laughed. “Here.” He slid his half-full glass to her across the tabletop. “I’m having a scotch whiskey with a little lemon in it. If you want to have a taste, I don’t mind sharing; but if you like it, you have to order your own.”

When she asked him what he liked to do after his lessons, he drummed his fingers on the table in thought. “A lot of different things. I go out with friends to parties, of course, but I also like to watch sports.” He gestured idly at the flat screens on the walls around them, all of which were playing different games. “I don’t have as much time for hobbies as I used to though,” he added with a thoughtful frown. “This past week has been pretty laidback, but I usually have to help my dad with his work more often. It’s just a lot of meetings with dignitaries and reading scripts for talk shows, since those are the jobs he can’t do very easily while he’s ill.”

Shrugging again, he met Iris’s gaze with another smile as he brushed past the serious topic, “Maybe we’ll figure out what your hobbies are tomorrow.”

The sly smile didn’t go unnoticed and whether she was imaging it or not the tone of his voice sounded quite inviting. A part of her wanted to play back but rather than be reckless she decided against it, she didn’t want to do anything stupid around him. Although there was this nagging feeling in the back of her head, like she was forgetting someone important in her life, but it was easy to ignore as she had forgotten most of her life, but it was still there. The possibility that she had a boyfriend and a part of her was saddened by that fact.

Tapping her fingers against the sample martini she kept her eyes on him just listening to his words, enjoying his company and relaxing after the tense dinner. She couldn’t help but smile when he had taken the playful bait about drinking, it was hard not to be amused or have fun around him especially with all the teasing. “Well I don’t know how the Prince takes his liquor. I barely know how I even take it.” Chuckling to herself as she finished off the martini enjoying the taste better than the previous. She knew she had to be careful, she had no clue how many drinks it would take to put her over the edge. Sure, they were samples for now but still she didn’t want to risk it. Alcohol could be quite the trouble.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.” Grinning as she took the glass from him giving it a sip, oddly the taste was alright. At first, she had expected to completely hate it, but it wasn’t bad at all, she didn’t hate it. Nodding at the drink she passed it back with a smile, “Not bad, I expected to hate it, but it was oddly nice. Hopefully I’ll find a favourite soon. I can’t imagine going through all the samples”

Shaking her head in amusement she sat back listening to him talk about what he did after his lessons, glancing round to the flat screens with all the various sports on she nodded. She wasn’t a fan of them sure, but others enjoyed watching sports, it could be quite the big thing. “You sound like quite the wild child, parties and friends.” Her eyes softened when he spoke on about not having much time for hobbies as he used too, she could understand especially with his heritage she highly doubted he could just laze around or be off doing his own thing. Not when his father was ill.

“Well least this week has been a bit laid back, it must be hard but I guess it’s important at the same time so it must be conflicting.” Watching as he smiled once more hinting that she’d find out her hobbies she hoped so, perhaps tomorrow would be a good day for her memories and a part of her was excited to find out more about herself. “I hope so! Although with how it’s going so far, I can only assume I have some weird obscure hobbies that normal high borns wouldn’t have.” Looking down at the last sample she picked it up in her hands swirling the bright orange liquid first before bringing it to her lips and trying the last one, a mimosa. “Oh!! I like this one! This is great.”

It was clear to see how her eyes lit up at the idea she had found a drink she quite liked the taste of. Grinning like a child who had just been given candy she finished the sample placing the smaller glass back down. “I think more of these will do~”

“Hopefully you won’t have to,” Cas laughed when Iris said she couldn’t imagine going through all the sample drinks. “The goal here was just to have a good time, not make anyone sick.” When he finished speaking, he finished off the rest of his glass and slid it to the edge of the table with the empty margarita cup. Almost as soon as he did, Martin was on his feet to make him a second cocktail at the bar. The servant knew the prince almost always had more than one when he visited, so he didn’t want to keep him waiting longer than he had to. It was bad form to delay any member of the royal family their gratification.

Used to the treatment, Cas paid him no mind while he hurried to fill up the next round. “I may have been called that once or twice,” he held up his hands in a guilty gesture. “But I prefer to think I know how to have a good time.” He was well aware that the media ate up his party going habits. Most princes and princess who came before him were far more concerned about their public images, so they had kept away from anything that could sully their reputations. Many of them had kept away from the public altogether as well. His father would have liked to see him do the same, but he didn’t consider himself above the other high borns in the capital. He hadn’t even chosen to be the next king. If he could have picked his own fate, he would have wanted to be part of a family with less power and responsibility.

When Iris commented on the duties he had to take up on his father’s behalf, the prince just shrugged. He didn’t enjoy most of it, but like she said, it was all important. Someone had to keep up relations with the other influential families in Aspiria, negotiate with foreign ambassadors, and humor the newscasters who were critical in presenting the crown in a positive light to the rest of the country. The latter was especially pressing with the rise of the rebellion. If their enemies found out just how steeply their monarch’s health had deteriorated, he was certain they would take advantage of it. That was why he had started giving statements for his father. It was better for a young and healthy face to appear on the people’s screens instead of a decaying figurehead.

“You’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, huh?” Cas teased when Iris announced that she liked the last sample. Turning away from her, he raised a hand to get Martin’s attention. “One more mimosa for Iris, a full one this time.”

“Of course, your highness,” the bartender bowed.

“Thanks, Martin,” he flashed the servant an appreciative smile and turned back to the girl sitting across from him.

Cas enjoyed the rest of the time he spent with Iris, talking and drinking until he cut himself off for the sake of keeping at least some of his wits about him. By the time he was done, he could feel his exhaustion from the long day finally catch up with him. Too tired to think of an excuse to stick around her any longer—although he wished he could have, because she was great company—he walked her back part of the way to her room. Luckily, they managed to send her to her quarters before his father’s assigned curfew, so the guards didn’t hassle them, and he parted ways with her on peaceful terms to return to his own bed for the night.

The next morning, Cas found it harder than usual to get up. Though he wasn’t hungover, the alcohol left him feeling drowsy, and he dreaded sitting through another boring economics lesson without getting a few more hours of sleep first. Unfortunately, the only one who could change the time his tutor arrived was his father, so he slapped his alarm clock and forced himself to crawl out of bed. He threw on a pair of joggers and an old, dark green t-shirt and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Between the loose-fitting clothes and his uncombed hair, he looked more disheveled than usual, but he was too groggy to care. If his father complained, he would just tidy up his appearance between his meal and when the teacher showed up later.

“Sweet tooth huh…” Pondering the thought to herself as he mentioned her taste in drinks, sweet things did seem appealing to her so perhaps hat was a key to unlocking more memories. Sticking to sweet types of food and drinks. It was worth a shot plus the idea of eating sweet things didn’t sound horrible at all. Smiling her thanks to Martin as a full mimosa was brought over to her, picking up the drink in her hands she began to sip at it whilst enjoying Caspians company.

The night itself seemed to go by fairly quickly but she put it down to the fact she had enjoyed the company and it sadden her when the night had to end. She had to abide by her rules that was set in place and thankfully she had made curfew, she didn’t want to risk breaking the rules and a part of her was scared of his father. There was no way she wanted to give him any reason to kick her out. Not when she had nowhere else to go. The evening had been lovely and regardless of the intense dinner the day itself had been great, the movie earlier and enjoying some drinks the only thing that could have made it better was if she managed to regain more memories. She didn’t want to overstay her welcome here.

Bidding goodnight to Caspian, thanking him for ensuring curfew was not broken she retired to the bedroom excited to sleep in the comfortable looking bed. It was definitely better than the hospital bed she had been using for the past couple of nights. It has not hard to fall asleep in the comfortable bedding, but it did become difficult for her to wake the next day, she was by no means hung over but for once she felt like she had rested properly. There was no worry about being stuck in a hospital and because some of her worries had been eased, she had slept throughout the whole night.

Waking up to the sunshine seeping through the window she smiled as she stretched her limbs glancing around the room, it wasn’t too early in the morning, but she glanced at the clock seeing it was past breakfast. Grimacing she couldn’t believe she had allowed herself to sleep in like that, but the comfort had been amazing. Sighing happily to herself as her fingers caressed the silk sheets, she knew this was a luxury, she couldn’t let herself feel content here because she couldn’t stay here forever. This was not her home. I wonder if Caspian has gone for his lesson… Thinking to herself as she pushed herself out of bed, she could wait until lunch for something to eat but for now she’d go freshen herself up and get ready for the day.

I hope I gain more memories with our plans for today. Hopefully some sort of clue to anything. Something feels wrong… I don’t know why but I just have this feeling. Shaking her head form her thoughts she hobbled into the bathroom, the leg pain had improved vastly from when she first had the injury but that didn’t bother her. What bothered her was the fact she didn’t know who she was. Cleaning herself up she couldn’t help but dwell on the matter that she didn’t know who she was, it was hard trying to stay positive but it came easy when around Caspian, hopefully his lesson wouldn’t take all day and they could be off having a wander around the shops hopefully bringing back some of her memories.

The majority of breakfast passed in a bleary haze to Caspian. He had never been a morning person, but with both his father and Iris sleeping in, he was even less motivated than usual to rouse himself enough to follow a conversation. The kitchen staff didn’t try to ask him how he’d slept or how he was feeling that morning either. They had worked for the royal family long enough to know that when the prince was this tired, the safest play was to keep refilling his coffee until he was coherent for his lesson. That was what they did today. By the end of his meal, he was still a bit physically tired, but he was alert mentally, stimulated by the three cups of espresso they had given him to wake up.

It was just the pick-me-up he needed to endure the three-hour lecture with his tutor. Since his father hadn’t been up to reprimand him about his unkempt appearance, he showed up to the study exactly as he’d rolled out of bed earlier. He could tell his instructor was displeased, although the older man restricted his irritation to lingering stares and pursed lips. Like the rest of Cas’s teachers, he was a high-ranking member of his father’s court. Also like the rest, he believed the royal family ought to look their best any time they stood before the eyes of their citizens. It was a matter of public appearance, the court claimed, since God forbid any royal be seen in the clothes of a mortal.

The prince preferred to be comfortable within the walls of his own home, even if it meant sacrificing slacks for sweatpants.

When the lesson was finally over, he parted ways with his disgruntled tutor and went back to his bedroom to get ready for the day. He hadn’t been enthusiastic about his mandatory class, but he was excited to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening with Iris. Seeing her again was enough to warrant a shower, at the very least. As he washed and fixed up his appearance, he noticed idly that he was putting in the same amount of effort as he normally would have for a date. The thought brought a hint of color to his cheeks, and he tried to will it away while he studied his freshly shaved face in the mirror.

It’s not a date, he reminded himself silently, turning away from his reflection and ambling over to his closet to choose his clothes. She might have a boyfriend. But wouldn’t a boyfriend have noticed her absence by now? The thought gave him pause. It had been four days since he’d found her in the woods. If he had a girlfriend, he was sure he would have realized something was wrong by now. After a day or two of not receiving any texts or calls back, his first impulse would have been to visit her in person to make sure she was all right. That no one seemed to have done so for her was suspicious.

It still hasn’t been that long though, he argued with himself. Don’t jump to any conclusions. Tossing his damp towel aside, he replaced it with khaki trousers and a black button-down shirt, which he left untucked so he wouldn’t look too dressed up. After checking himself once more in the mirror and combing his fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to straighten it a little more, he headed back down to the kitchen, where he assumed Iris would be waiting to eat lunch.

Iris had spent the morning getting herself ready feeling excited at how the day would end with spending it with Caspian. She knew she shouldn’t get herself so excited over this especially as she still didn’t have her memories or if she had a boyfriend for that matter, but it was hard to ignore the fact especially as she enjoyed spending her time with him. He was easy to talk too, easy to be around and he seemed quite the genuine person, something she very much enjoyed. It was hard to be sad or upset when he was always so positive around her, it was a breath of fresh air.

After getting herself ready she had spent the time reading some book about the history of Aspiria, it wasn’t her first choice of something to read but she had found it in the room she was staying in and she didn’t want to venture too far out as she was conserving her strength for later on. Sadly, the book was no help to her memories as she thought it might be, nothing within the book stuck out to her or even hinted towards any memories which was upsetting but she knew there was nothing she could do to push it. They had to come back naturally, and she was doing all she could to help it but she couldn’t force it.

Looking at the time she could see it was approaching lunchtime, perking up at the idea of getting something to eat and hopefully seeing Caspian she placed the book on the table as she reached for her crutches. Grabbing them she made her way towards the kitchen feeling more confident with her movements than when she was first injured. Her leg was much better now making it easier when it came to walking around and she was thankful for that.

Making her way to the kitchen she smiled when she was greeted by the wonderous smells of the foods that were being cooked and her stomach rumbled. Moving inside she glanced around to see if she could see Caspian but there was no sign, not yet anyway. Settling herself one of the seats she decided to wait until Caspian would arrive before eating, it was only polite seeing as she was a guest too. She didn’t want to overstep her bounds whilst staying here. Settling in the chair she glanced around looking at staff going about their jobs with a smile on their face, she was curious about them especially as high borns didn’t generally cook but yet she liked too? It didn’t make sense.

A lot of things don’t make sense and I’m starting to feel out of place here. Maybe I’m not a high born, nothing of this seems familiar.

Sighing to herself at her thoughts she glanced up when she heard the kitchen door, she couldn’t help but smile brightly at Caspian seeing him in the doorway and previous sad thoughts washed away for now. “Hey! How did your lesson go?” She was thankful he had interrupted her thoughts as she didn’t want to dwell on the unknown or possibilities. “I thought we could eat lunch together, so I waited. What are you in the mood for?”

On his way to the kitchen, Cas checked his phone to find that he’d received another barrage of texts from Jay and Miles who both wanted to know if Iris was still staying with him and if she had gotten her memory back yet. He sent back a quick ‘yes’ and ‘no’ respectively and then paused as he remembered that he still needed to stop them from getting their hopes up about the mysterious stranger who had entered their lives vicariously through him. Chewing on the inside of his lip, he added:


Just as he sent the message, he heard Iris greet him from the kitchen. Quickly, he shoved his phone into his pocket, irrationally worried that she would know what he’d just said to his friends even though she was too far away to read the text. He had only been trying to get Jay and Miles to keep their paws to themselves when they eventually met her, but the detail that he liked her was a little too close to home. The last thing he wanted to do was freak her out by admitting he had a crush on her when neither of them even knew who she really was. It was too weird. And there was still the lingering detail that there was a possibility she was taken.

Composing himself, the prince cleared his throat. “Well, I survived, so I can’t complain too much,” he answered her question with a shrug as he stepped over to join her at the table. “There’s not much else to say about economics. It’s just numbers, the history of numbers, and the projection of numbers. Nothing you’d be interested in, I’m sure.” Sliding in next to her, he took in the smells of cooked food that the staff had been preparing for lunch. His stomach growled in anticipation. It hadn’t been very long since breakfast, but there was nothing that could rouse a person’s appetite like the aroma of fresh, gourmet dishes.

“Whatever they give me,” he said with a smile in response to her second question. “My dad always orders specific entrees, but I’ve never had a meal I didn’t like from the royal chefs, so I usually let them surprise me. It’s more fun that way.” It was a habit he’d picked up from his mother after watching her ask every server to surprise her when they ate out as a family. Before the rebellion grew and before her passing, he and his parents had spent far more time outside of the mansion. They had everything they could want at home, but the late queen had insisted on supporting the local businesses and thought it was a waste to stay cooped up indoors all the time, especially when the weather was nice. Cas had taken after her adventurous spirit, which was why he knew a few spots around the capital that were known to attract foodies like his mother.

“Was there something you wanted to eat?” he asked, propping his elbow on the stone tabletop and resting his chin in his hand. “You must be hungry, right? I didn’t see you at breakfast this morning. If you’ve got a taste for something specific, I’m sure they can make it for you.” He tipped his head toward the working chefs, who were currently putting the finishing touches on a stew for his father. Stews, soups, and breads were what they usually fed the ailing monarch, since his stomach couldn’t handle heavier entrees anymore. However, the youthful prince was always spoiled with rich spices and flavorful ingredients. Already, the workers who weren’t assisting with their king’s lunch had begun gathering everything they would need to make his afternoon meal.

“Well least you can relax a little now, enjoy some lunch. I’m sure it’s tiring and… boring.” Chuckling as she teased him about his lesson being boring, well he did say it’s just numbers and how it was something she wouldn’t be interested in which usually meant it was boring. Plus, she could only imagine how boring it had to be to learn all of this information for when he was king, it had to be a lot. “History of numbers though… I don’t envy you at all.” Shaking her head at the idea of how boring it had to be.

Grinning to herself when she heard his stomach growl, she knew she was just as hungry, but it was nice to know she wasn’t the only one. “I had quite the relaxing morning, sorry for sleeping in.” Her cheeks flushed at the embarrassment as she hadn’t meant too but it was the first night, she had a decent night’s rest. “I did some reading in hopes I would remember something… sadly I did not but the idea of this afternoon kept me going, I’m sure something will come back to me whilst we are out. It has too. Plus my leg is feeling loads better now.”

Keeping positive she couldn’t help but be excited for lunch, the food here was amazing and she knew whatever was served she’d enjoy. “Surprising you sounds fun, I’m sure it means you’ve managed to try quite the few dishes that way.” Watching him as he rested his chin in his hand, “Oh! No, I don’t have any specific. I’m happy with anything. You’ve done enough already.” Looking towards the chefs who were working away, she’d feel bad for making them do anything in particular on her behalf but then it was another trait of hers that didn’t quite fit within the high-born world. Yet another thing that nagged her in the back of her mind telling her this wasn’t right.

“I’ll just be glad to eat and then go explore! Was it today you were inviting your friends over?” She was sure they had spoken about it, but she couldn’t quite remember, for certain she knew about their plans to go explore outside in hopes to bring some memories back to her. “I must admit though, I’m quite concerned. No one has called for me and I would have assumed that someone would by now. I know it’s a bit more of a saddening topic but it’s becoming harder to ignore as each day goes by. I either have no family or I’m not meant to be here.” Sighing to herself as she looked at her hands that she had placed on the countertop, her mind thinking on who she really was.

“Sorry, I don’t want to put a damper on things, I enjoy spending time with you. I’m probably being silly and overthinking it all and someone is probably looking for me. I’m sure there is a valid reason.” Trying to shake off her concerns as she didn’t want to bring the mood down she smiled once more as if it didn’t bother her.

“Don’t be,” Cas shook his head when Iris apologized. “I’m sure you needed it. You’ve still got a lot of recovering to do, after all.” He tapped his own temple to signify her amnesia. Her condition was still a mystery to him, but he had to think that getting good sleep would help her heal from the memory loss. Resting seemed to help the body in every other way, so why not the mind? As enjoyable as she was to be around, she couldn’t stay at his family’s mansion forever. She wasn’t a wounded stray puppy he could just adopt. She was a grown woman with a life of her own and people who probably missed her. The sooner she could return to her home, the better.

When she mentioned that she had been reading, he frowned, equally disappointed that the book hadn’t been of any help to her. It was strange to him how some things triggered her memories instantly while others didn’t spark her recollection at all. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. The only way to get her through the fog was to just keep talking and showing her around in the hopes that they would accidentally stumble upon something that worked for her.

“That’s good to hear,” he commented in regard to her leg feeling better. “If you get sore while we’re out, please tell me though. I don’t want to make you feel worse.” He would have to make a mental note to pay attention to her condition while they wandered the capital. Being in good shape, he could stay on his feet for hours without wearing down, but he didn’t want to push her too hard while she was on crutches. He would have felt awful if she ended up back in the hospital with broken stitches at the end of the day.

“If you say so,” Cas shrugged when she declined his offer to tell the chefs to make her something specific. Feeling spontaneous, himself, he didn’t think much of the refusal. Instead, his attention was occupied by watching the cooks prepare his food: an arugula salad with prosciutto-wrapped figs and blue cheese. It was a dish he’d tried before but hadn’t eaten in a long time, so he looked forward to having it again. Since Iris hadn’t specified what she wanted to eat, it looked like the kitchen staff was gathering enough ingredients to make two servings.

When she spoke again, he turned back to her with a nod. “Yeah. If you still feel up to meeting them by the time we’re done in the city, I’ll invite them over to visit in the evening.” At her next words, he casted her a sympathetic look. He couldn’t know what she was going through, since he’d never had amnesia before, but he could tell that she was starting to feel weighed down by the lack of correspondence from her family. He couldn’t blame her for that. It had to be difficult to get through every day, wondering if anyone even cared she was gone.

“Don’t say that,” he reached out to rest a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. “You do belong here. I know it’s hard, but I’m sure we’ll hear from your family soon. It hasn’t even been a week yet. Just give them time.” He offered her a friendly smile. “And you don’t have to keep apologizing to me. I want to help you however I can. If that means listening when you need to vent, then that’s what I’ll do.”

“I wish I would recover faster.” Sighing to herself at the thought, she knew it would take time and perhaps if it was just her leg it wouldn’t be too bad but waiting for her memories was becoming increasingly frustrating as each day passed. It’s not like she was even in a familiar setting or surrounding, no bedroom or home to familiarize herself with once more. No family telling her past memories trying to assist with regaining what she lost. Caspian had tried to help but sadly he knew nothing about her, and it was like the blind leading the blind in this case. As much as he could take her to places, explain things it wasn’t like having a family member that knew her.
It was hard not to be disappointed with how things were going but none the less she would try to keep positive.

“Of course! Hopefully I’ll be alright whilst we explore a little. Plus, I’m sure we can sit down and rest for a little if I need it. I think I’ll feel worse not going out. Hopefully it helps even if I remember something it’s better than nothing I suppose.” Smiling slightly as she shifted in her chair, although she knew deep down, she would push herself through any sort of pain in hopes to regain any sort of memory back.

When she felt his hand rest on her shoulder, she couldn’t help but smile, it was such a nice gesture. Sweet and genuine and it was so nice to have this support. “I hope so, it just get’s disheartening as it’s been a while already. I hate imposing on you here too.” Pausing before she placed her hand over his that was on her shoulder, “Thank you, for trying to help and being there if I need to vent. It’s nice to feel like I have someone.” His hand felt warm on her shoulder and it was soothing in a way, even though she herself felt lost and upset he had been there even from the moment in hospital.

“So! Let’s eat and then head out. Then I can meet these friends of yours later. I’m sure it will be an evening full of laughs.” Smiling as she looked up seeing the food being brought over to them to enjoy, it looked amazing and she was sure she hadn’t tried this before. Removing her hand from on top of his she tucked her hair behind her ears looking at the plate of delicious food, she could feel her stomach rumble as if to say she was hungry, and she couldn’t wait to try it.

“Drinks your highness. Madam?” The waiting staff who had brought over the food asked with a polite bow.

“Oh, just a water please. If that’s okay. Thank you.” Iris smiled up at the staff member glancing away from her food as she picked up the cutlery waiting for Caspian before she started to eat. It was only polite after all.

Cas was glad to see the smile return to Iris’s face. As difficult as her situation was, there wasn’t anything either of them could do to force her memories to come back faster. At least, not that he knew of. Instead, he just wanted to lift her spirits in his own way, so she wouldn’t be completely discouraged by the fact that no one had come for her yet. Privately, he thought it was strange that they hadn’t heard from her family too. It hadn’t been a week, but four days wasn’t an insignificant amount of time for a person to go missing. He didn’t want to distress her more than she already was though, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he joked when she said she didn’t want to impose. “You’re doing that empty bedroom a service by giving it a purpose.” In the next moment, he tensed reflexively as she placed her hand on top of his. The gesture was more familiar than he had expected, coming from her. It was the type of response he might have expected from a girlfriend, not a woman he’d only known for a few days. Either she was subtly flirting with him, or she was more comfortable than he was with small touches that would have otherwise been seen as romantic.

“S-Sure,” he stammered and then cleared his throat, embarrassed by the slip. Retracting his hand from her shoulder, he dropped it into his lap. His skin still tingled with warmth where her fingers had rested over his. He wasn’t usually flustered by things like that, but the unexpectedness of it had caught him off guard. Iris was naturally friendly, and that made it difficult to tell if she was making passes at him or innocently treating him the same way she would have treated anyone else. Maybe it would be a good thing for her to meet his friends. That way, he would have a larger sample size to compare how she acted around other people besides just him.

Cas was drawn from his thoughts when the wait staff asked what he wanted to drink. “Irish coffee,” he answered without hesitation. He didn’t usually drink during the middle of the day, but the recurring tension he felt around Iris called for something stronger than plain water. If it was all in his head, at least he could relax enough to forget about it. That was the hope, anyway. “And a water,” he added as an afterthought. If they were going to be out all day, he needed something that would actually hydrate him before they left.

The servant bowed and walked off to fulfill their requests just before two other cooks stepped up to the counter with their lunches. They presented two bowls of hearty fig salad and an assortment of dressings for the prince and his company to choose from. Cas picked a balsamic vinaigrette for his portion. “Maybe we could get dinner at the pizza place I told you about,” he mused as he tossed everything together. “Salads never fill me up for very long, so I’m sure I’ll want a big meal later.”

Regardless on the fact Caspian had told her it was fine, that she was doing the room a service by staying it was still hard to completely rid the guilt or the feeling like she was imposing. Another part of her wondered if perhaps it was because he was the Prince and that his father had been quite intimidating upon meeting him, would it have been different had he been a regular person? It was hard to predict because she simply did not know. It was still strange that no one had contacted her yet, it only furthered her feelings on the fact she didn’t belong here.

Hearing him stammer she couldn’t help but blush slightly realising that the touch of her hand although completely innocent could be taken in another light. She knew she was being quite friendly with him and often scolded herself over it but she felt comfortable around him, it was strange as he was still a stranger to her but then she put it down to the fact he had saved her life. He had been there consistently whilst she was struggling with her memories and she could only assume that was why she had latched onto him.

Coughing slightly as she looked back at the food, she shook her head from her thoughts, the variation of dressings for their salads had caught her eye. They all looked rather appetising and it was a mystery to her one what she would like, and it made it all the more exciting as she reached from a dressing. She had chosen a caesar dressing to accompany her salad and started to tuck into the food. She was not disappointed, even with just a salad she enjoyed the taste and it was clear that it was of high class. She would note get bored of the food here that was certain.

Looking up as he mentioned the pizza place, she grinned at the idea, nodding in agreement she swallowed her food before talking. “That was the one you mentioned back in the hospital, right? It sounded amazing and pizza is always great food for the soul.” Taking a few more bites of the salad she agreed with how they weren’t always too filling so a big meal would be great. Plus, she was quite excited about this pizza place that they had spoken about a few times, maybe it would even spark a memory going to this place. She could hope.

“So, where were you thinking of taking me first? I’m sure you’ve got some ideas on places to visit that might help my memories.” Tucking back into the salad she looked down at the plate as she finished her food, she had been hungry after skipping breakfast this morning. Placing the cutlery down she grabbed the glass of water washing down lunch that she had enjoyed before placing that back on the table. “It will be a fun day even if I don’t remember anything but I’m positive that something will come back. Maybe even a friend ill recognise me!”

“Second only to ice cream,” Cas agreed with a sage nod, chasing his food with a swig of coffee. Offhandedly, he found it interesting how easily he could talk to Iris after spending less than a week in her company. Even amnesiac, she had a way about her that made him feel compelled to relax. That was a priceless quality in the fast paced world of high borns, where everyone seemed to be fretting about something or another at every hour of the day. He had been told by others that he had a similar idiosyncrasy, but he knew his laidback attitude was just a side effect of running from his responsibilities. He was carefree because the cares were too much to handle. It was more pleasant to pretend like the country didn’t need him to lead it one day than it was to accept his role as the heir to the crown. Unfortunately, with the rapid decline of his father’s health, he was afraid he couldn’t keep running for much longer.

When Iris spoke up again, the prince was relieved to have a distraction. “Well,” he started slowly. “I was thinking we could go to the historical district. There are a few interesting museums, and sometimes you can see performers in the streets. If that doesn’t spark anything, we can go back to the mall.” He lifted his fork to his mouth with another bite of greens. Showing her around that much of the city had to bring back something for her. The historical district wasn’t as popular as the mall, but there were often events going on at night to attract a crowd. He would have been surprised if she hadn’t visited it even once.

Turning back to her, he parted his lips to add more and then faltered when he saw that she was already done eating. “Wow,” he whistled. “You really were hungry, weren’t you?” Determined to catch up, he shoveled down the last few forkfuls of his salad and guzzled his water. With a satisfied exhale, he stood up from the table and took a step back. As soon as his seat was empty, the kitchen staff hurried forward to clear away his empty dishes, and he thanked them habitually.

“Ready to go?” he grinned at Iris eagerly. Since she had been regaining bits and pieces of her memory, he was optimistic that spending an afternoon touring the capital would help her recover more of the rest. Even if it didn’t, he was excited to spend time with her outside of the hospital and his own home. The last time they’d visited the city, she had been too tired to stay on her feet for very long. He hoped that this time, they could have at least a few hours before they had to come back to the manor.

“We can take my car again,” he offered. “I know my way around, so we don’t need a chauffeur.”