[color=#b97703]“I knew the answer to that when I started, but now I can’t tell anymore,”[/color] Caspian admitted with a soft laugh, picking up the flask on his nightstand and swirling the little that remained at the bottom. Between his nap and the effects of the liquor over the hours he’d been sipping at it, he couldn’t remember what quality of bourbon Jacob had given him. Although, it didn’t really matter. Cheap whiskey could get him drunk just as easily as an expensive brand. He might just have a slightly worse hangover in the morning if he had too much of the former.

When she commented that he would make a great ruler, he reddened slightly, both pleased and chagrined by the compliment. [color=#b97703]“Thanks. That means a lot,”[/color] he told her sincerely. In spite of his own self-doubts, he was glad to have Iris and even Jacob in his corner as he made the transition from prince to king. Their faith in him made him feel a little better about taking on a job that he was obligated by heritage to fill. Had it been up to him, he would have pawned his inheritance off to someone else a long time ago, but Atlas had made sure that it wasn’t possible for anyone but him to succeed the throne after his passing. Now that the time had come, he needed all the support he could get to take over the most demanding role in Aspiria.

He was also glad that Iris didn’t sound upset with him for ditching her at the Sunset Veil. [color=#b97703]“I miss you too,”[/color] he sighed into the receiver, setting the flask back down on his nightstand and rolling from his back to his side on his bed. It was especially difficult to be apart when he didn’t know when they would be able to be together again. there were so many things happening now that his father was gone that he didn’t have the faintest idea when he would be able to sneak away to see her at the resort. He also didn’t know what things were going to look like between them now that he was about to be king. He wondered if he could just get rid of the warrant for her arrest and come forward to say that they were dating, but there were always ripple effects when a member of royalty did anything. He’d have to talk to someone else about it before he made any final decisions about how to proceed.

The way Iris answered him made Cas roll his eyes. It was obvious that she was dodging the question because she hadn’t been taking care of herself since he’d left. He wished she would just be straightforward with him, so he wouldn’t have to worry about her hiding things on top of that. [color=#b97703]“Mhm,”[/color] he grunted when she told him about the TV shows she’d been watching. [color=#b97703]“You didn’t actually answer my question, Iris. I asked if you’d eaten today, not if you were fine. I know you skipped dinner, so I’m going to call an order up to your room, and you’d better finish the whole damn thing.”[/color]

Even as he spoke, he pulled the phone away from his ear to submit an online food request from the restaurant in the Sunset Veil’s lobby while the call continued on. He knew he couldn’t actually force her to eat, but he hoped that she would at least try to get something into her stomach if he sent it to her door. He didn’t want her to completely neglect her own needs while she was alone in the suite.

At her following inquiry though, his thumb hovered over the order screen. [color=#b97703]“I… don’t know,”[/color] he replied slowly, biting the tip of his tongue. [color=#b97703]“I want to see you again, babe. I really do. I just… have so much going on here that I can’t tell you when I’ll be able to come back.”[/color] With a heavy exhale, he ran a hand over his face. [color=#b97703]“I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can get away. I just need a little more time to let the dust settle here.”[/color]