[color=#b97703]“I don’t care about that,”[/color] Caspian shook his head as he ushered Iris insistently with him to the back of the safe house. Being king over Aspiria was complicated enough by itself. At least with Iris, he was happy. He’d been slaving and sacrificing ever since he’d been crowned after his father, so even though he knew there were going to be repercussions if word got out that he was in love with a rebel from the Scourge, he was willing to put himself through the challenges if it meant he could have her back in his life.

Leading her back to the room that had become his most recent home, he closed the door behind them for privacy and let go of her hand. The space itself was small, like the rest of the bunker, with only a bed and an armchair by way of furniture. It was good enough for a conversation spot though, so he planted himself on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress in gesture for her to join him, raising his brow when she told him she was going to need him to make her a promise.

[color=#b97703]“Anything,”[/color] he said on reflex, still too caught up in the emotions of their reunion to consider what she might be asking of him. As far as he was concerned, Iris could ask him to make her queen tomorrow, and he would do it without a second thought. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best headspace to be in when committing to anything, but he couldn’t help it. He’d spent the last month convinced she was dead. Seeing her in front of him now, alive and well enough to hunt him down all on her own in the capital, all he cared about was making sure he didn’t lose her again.

[color=#b97703]“I just want to know what happened,”[/color] he insisted. [color=#b97703]“I saw Ethan… in the attic…”[/color] He swallowed hard. Even though a month had passed, and Iris clearly wasn’t dead, his throat still got tight when he thought about that live feed, so he shook his head again and breathed: [color=#b97703]“How are you still here?”[/color]