Caspian lifted his shoulders noncommittally. [color=#b97703]“If it’s a problem, I’ll deal with it,”[/color] he assured her quietly. There was a  high chance it would be. Plenty of people in the capital had seen Iris’s face on wanted ads when his father had listed her among the bountied rebels in Aspiria, so it wouldn’t be surprising if anyone recognized her when he took her with him to live in the palace. When word got around that the nation’s king was in a relationship with a former member of the scourge, it would be nothing short of a scandal.

But it didn’t change the fact that he wanted to be with her, and that he was [i]done[/i] letting the woman he loved slip through his fingers.

So, when she said she still wanted to share a room with him, he brightened. After everything they’d been through, it was a relief to know that she wanted to pick things up where they’d left off. However, the expression didn’t last long as their conversation circled to Raine. It was a lot more complicated now, he knew. Even though he and the Suphate princess hadn’t signed any documents, he had technically already talked to her father about courting her, so if he backed out now, there was a chance there would be hard feelings between their families. He still had no intention of following through now that Iris was back, but he was going to have to tread carefully when he eventually left the safe house.

[color=#b97703]“I’m just happy you’re back,”[/color] he shook his head with a sigh. [color=#b97703]“Besides, even if there’s drama, it’ll blow over. It always does.”[/color] The upper echelon of Aspiria were a fickle people. That was something he could count on, at least. Whether his relationship with Iris caused quiet whispers or an all-out uproar in the capital, he was sure it would die down whenever the other high borns found something else to gawk at. The only lasting impact, perhaps, would be the fact that he wasn’t a bachelor anymore. Marriage was off the table as a negotiation tool with the kingdom’s sister nations.

And right now, it was way too soon to be worrying about anything like that. Instead, he shifted his weight when Iris brought up a more immediate problem, glancing uncomfortably at the bedroom door. She had a point. [color=#b97703]“Well… I’m sure she’ll understand,”[/color] he justified with a tentative frown. [color=#b97703]“We’ve been friends for a long time. That hasn’t changed just because we started thinking about courtship.”[/color] At least, he hoped not. Technically, he knew he couldn’t speak for Raine, but just because he wasn’t going to marry her didn’t mean he wanted to completely sever ties.

[color=#b97703]“Either until those rebels are caught or the military decides the palace is secure enough for me to go back,”[/color] he replied, turning to Iris again. For a moment, he studied her thoughtfully, then offered her a hand. [color=#b97703]“Have you had anything to eat? There’s more than enough food to go around in the kitchen if you want some.”[/color]