[color=#b97703]“I definitely haven’t forgotten about that,”[/color] Cas promised when Iris reminded him of their plans to go to the pizza parlor he had told her about. [color=#b97703]“But you said [i]next time[/i] we go for dinner, and I’m not going to dress up when we eat there. Luigi’s is more of a casual restaurant.”[/color] That, and the food was a little messier. Since Iris seemed more put off by his family’s wealth than entranced by it, he kept it to himself, but most of the formal clothes in his closet were worth an obscene amount of money. If he wore a five thousand credit cashmere suit to a pizza parlor and stained it with marinara, his father would have an aneurism. He might have been taking over more kingly responsibilities than usual lately, but he wasn’t ready to be the monarch full time just yet. Not killing the king with questionable life choices seemed to be the smarter move.

When she poked fun at him again about being a ‘stuffy old prince,’ he tossed his head back in exaggerated exasperation. [color=#b97703]“Oh my [i]god[/i],”[/color] he chuckled, leaning over to playfully push her shoulder with his. [color=#b97703]“By the time you stop calling me that, I’ll already have gray hairs.”[/color] Privately, he appreciated her concern for his well-being though. It was true that whenever he got bogged down with responsibilities he had to put his own needs on hold. Having someone around who supported him while he was stressed was a nice change. Atlas never bothered to check up on how he was doing, and none of the servants in the mansion were fearless enough to tell him what to do—not because of him, of course, but because of what his father might do to them if he found out the help had given his protégé an order.

[color=#b97703]“Thanks,”[/color] Cas smiled at Iris when she said she would watch the broadcast. Jacob had already told him that his speech was compelling, but it was difficult for him not to doubt himself after years of listening to Atlas deliver some of the most powerful speeches he had ever heard. He was nervous about falling short of the public’s expectations for their soon-to-be leader, so knowing that at least one person who would be listening thought he was going to do well was bolstering to him. He just hoped the rest of the capital wouldn’t be too harsh with their comparisons if he couldn’t fill his father’s enormous shoes.

At her comment about the food, he nodded in wholehearted agreement. There were plenty of other talented cooks in the high-end restaurants around the city, but those who worked as private chefs for the royal family were the best of the best. They had to be. Every dish they served was prepared with the utmost care, because Atlas was known for replacing his staff if he believed there was someone better suited for the job. The positions in the Maydestones’ kitchen were especially competitive, as they were compensated handsomely for their work. Tonight, the chefs hadn’t failed to deliver. [color=#b97703]“If you really want to learn how, I bet I could get someone to teach you,”[/color] he offered, remembering her odd affinity for household chores. [color=#b97703]“The chefs all live here but only have to prepare three meals a day, so I’m sure any one of them be more than happy to be your trainer during their off hours in exchange for a pay raise.”[/color] They would just have to be careful not to let the king find out. Atlas wouldn’t be nearly as supportive of a high born woman learning the trade of a commoner.

In the next moment, Caspian noticed that Iris had fallen quiet again. He watched her concernedly as he took another sip of his wine, wondering what she was thinking about that would cause her to look so sad. As if she could read his mind, she answered the unspoken question, and he frowned. [color=#b97703]“Hey,”[/color] he reached for her hand and held onto it reassuringly. [color=#b97703]“You don’t have anything to worry about, okay? My dad is just on edge because of the attack. He isn’t actually going to do anything to you. Besides, you won’t be here forever. We’ll get you back to your family as soon as we can, and then you won’t have to listen to his baseless accusations anymore.”[/color]

It was a promise he felt certain he could deliver on, so there was no hesitation in his voice as he made the vow. Wanting to comfort her further, his eyes flicked toward the kitchen to make sure the cooks weren’t looking and then leaned over to press a swift kiss to her cheek. [color=#b97703]“Just trust me,”[/color] he smiled at her warmly as he pulled back. [color=#b97703]“This’ll all be over before you know it.”[/color]