Yeah, I'm thinking that this will cause him to wonder if there's even a reason for him to try to go home, since he thinks no one cares that he's gone. That could in turn change his perspective on being with Iris, giving him a "what the hell?" kind of attitude, so he stops keeping his distance. Then later on, when they come across the soldier who doesn't recognize him, that could be when he hears that his father thinks he's dead, and he'll realize he had it all wrong and have a renewed desire to get back to the capital :)