To not know what was going to happen was so unnerving, Iris found herself at a loss and even though she accepted this was probably the end of the road for her she didn’t know what he was going to do now. It threw her back when he told her to sit but she found herself complying because there was no other option. Iris could peg it from the room and try to escape, but he would catch her and then there would be a commotion and it just wouldn’t end well for anyone involved. Taking a seat, she found herself fiddling with her hands not knowing what to do with them as she avoided making eye contact with him because it felt awkward. 

Even as he sat and started to speak, she knew he was telling the truth, but the difference with hearing it from him was that she knew it was not just because he cared about the monarchy but because he actually cared for Cas. Hearing the words from him hit differently. [color=f49ac2]“Don’t apologise.”[/color] There was no need for him to say sorry to her when she knew he was right with everything he said. [color=f49ac2]“You think I don’t know that?”[/color] Sighing heavily as she placed her head in her hands knowing that their relationship wouldn’t last, and it was silly to even think it would have. It was a stupid dream and even as Jacob spoke about it, she found herself saddened by the fact he was just confirming what she already knew to be true. 

[color=f49ac2]“I know I’ll never be good enough for him, that he would lose the trust and faith of so many people if they knew about me. Some non highborn girl from the districts, part of the rebellion. Daughter to the leader of Hope… I couldn’t do that to him, not when he made the decision to go back and take responsibility.”[/color] Iris could feel the tears in her eyes, but she didn’t want to cry in front of him, so she blinked them back before looking up to meet his gaze again. 

[color=f49ac2]“Truth is..."[/color] Hesitating for a moment before she continued on. [color=f49ac2]"I had planned to disappear tonight before all this.”[/color] Hinting towards the fact he had visited as well as Cas as it had been completely unexpected for her else, she would have made an effort to clean it. [color=f49ac2]“I was going to try and make an attempt at returning to the districts.”[/color] Whether or not it would be successful was a different matter, but Iris already knew she had to leave Cas. Between the threat to his life with Ethan with the threats that she believed he would act on and knowing just how the country would react to her being with him was enough to know in her heart it was the right decision. 

[color=f49ac2]“I’m not about to bring him down, not when I firmly believe he will make changes for the good of all the people and I know he will be better off without me.”[/color] Reaching to her pocket she pulled out the note she had addressed to Cas, looking at it in her hands. [color=f49ac2][i]Everyone would be better off without me here.[/i][/color]