[IC] Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

[sukikyoufu]

Ethan had sat on the sofa watching as Iris slept, a part of him wondered if she really was resting or if she was thinking on what had happened. It was hard not to be jealous of her, frowning as he looked down at his clenched fist. Could she have had a fresh start? A better chance in life? No… she would have regained her memories, that King would have no trust in her she’d be a prisoner. I did the right thing by telling her, assisting her true memories back. However, a part of his brain nagged at him, gnawed at the possibility she had been happy without him. No, I’m not jealous of that pompous prince. All he has is money, she would only be with him for money.

Thoughts turned into spiteful ones as he tried to convince himself that his girlfriend, well debatable at the moment would have only liked the Prince for his money. Sadly, Ethan knew it was not true, deep down he knew that she did not like people for wealth, but for who they were. I wonder why she was with me then, probably to appease her father. I was always his favourite. Shaking his head as he unclenched his fist, he dragged his fingers through his hair sighing heavily, he knew he needed to rest but he was in danger. They were in danger.

I hope he was worth it.

Settling back into the sofa as he closed his own eyes, thoughts swirling on how he would never be good enough. Not compared to the Prince she was clearly entranced by. It was an uneasy sleep, but enough for him not to stir when Iris finally woke from her little slumber.

--

It had been a few hours and Iris was quite happy with the fact she had rested, even if it had been a little it was better than nothing and already, she felt more human. Sighing to herself as she saw Ethans slumped form on the couch she could hear the light snores coming from him signalling that he was asleep, now is probably a good time to feel a bit more human, I guess. If anyone had come in and seen him, I’m sure I’d be in a cell right now, so I hope we are safe even if it’s just for now.

Rubbing her tired blue eyes, she caught sight of her pale hands, colour had not yet returned to her skin which worried her a little. Another of her memories that had returned was around her mother and how her skin would pale before she fell ill for a few days, whether it meant the same for her she did not know but falling ill on top of everything that was happening would not be good. I can’t fall ill, not whilst in danger. I can’t afford the healthcare either… Biting her lip as she moved from the bed hobbling to the bathroom, she had decided that taking a shower would surely help uplift her spirits.

It hadn’t taken long, and Iris emerged from the bathroom dressed in fresh clothes, scents of fresh florals surrounded her as she felt more herself. Limping ever so slightly as she came into the room using the towel to dry her hair, she felt herself wince when she heard a knock at the door. Thankfully that had seemingly woken up Ethan who was already rushing to hide once more in the wardrobe to avoid getting caught. He was so alert even though he had been resting that she could only assume that was down to the fact he could still sense the danger.

Moving forward when Ethan was safely hidden away, she opened the door to her room and couldn’t help but beam when she saw Cas standing there. Iris was in a nice pair of jeans and a soft white fluffy jumper that looked soft and warm, she looked cosy as well as comfortable more dressed down that was the prince was currently wearing. Standing at the doorway Iris was still drying her hair with the towel which emitted a soft lavender scent between them. Oh wow… look at him. Professional… handsome. No wonder he has all the girls swooning over him… I’m swooning right now.

“Ahh… C-Cas!” Stuttering slightly as her cheeks flushed deep crimson as she realised, she had just been staring at him. I probably looked like an idiot… a stupid girl ogling him. Idiot! Berating herself as she moved to the side to allow him entrance to her room, she could feel her heart racing slightly at the fact she had felt the attraction towards him as well as feeling embarrassed he would have seen her staring at him. "How are you... eh feeling now?" Chuckling nervously as she tried to calm down the crimson blush on her cheeks.

[Rogue Sloth]

If not for the sound of shuffling on the other side of the door, Cas would have thought that Iris wasn’t in her room. He stood in the corridor for just under a minute, guessing that she had either just crawled out of bed or had been in the adjoining bathroom when he’d arrived. He hoped it was the former. When he and his father had stopped by earlier in the morning, she had looked thoroughly exhausted, so it would be relieving to know that she had gotten some sleep during the day. If he’d had the time, he would have done the same thing, but unfortunately, the socialites of the capital couldn’t seem to function without reassurance from the royal family that the terrorist attack wouldn’t affect their assets. He rolled his eyes. The three hours he had spent taking their phone calls would have been better spent napping.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door finally swung open, and he was greeted by the sight of Iris, long blonde hair still damp from the shower she had taken. Even in her casual clothes, she looked good. His dark brown eyes swept down and up her frame in a quick once-over, just as entranced as he always was. She seemed to have managed to rest at least a little too. The dark circles under her eyes had faded, and the color had returned to her cheeks—quite a bit, he noticed. His gaze lingered on her face as he took in the attractive detail, until he realized she was blushing. She was staring back at him, and she was blushing. He bit the inside of his lip to stifle a smile, happy with her reaction.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been ogled by a woman. He usually caught a few glancing in his direction when he went out in public—and sometimes men as well—and the media often made a show of broadcasting the fact that he was still single. Popular gossip articles liked to pose guesses about his “ideal” partner and circulate rumors about why he had never had a long-term girlfriend. One of his favorites was a particularly saucy story about a secret lover from a neighboring country who had moved to Aspiria and now worked at a strip club in the heart of the capital. Supposedly the woman had won him over with her exotic dancing and sultry body, and he had a forbidden relationship with her in the privacy of the back rooms.

Of course, the rumor was completely untrue—he’d only been to one strip club in his life when Jay had insisted it was necessary for his twenty-first birthday—but the wild tales the writers came up with were entertaining nonetheless, and they fueled the public’s interest in his dating life. Seemingly every woman in the capital under thirty wanted to be the first to “steal his heart” and become the princess who would one day reign at his side as queen. Money and power were enticing commodities, after all. If only they knew that Atlas was determined to arrange a political marriage for him though, they might realize that his love life wasn’t as thrilling as they believed it to be.

Unlike the wandering eyes of the other high borns in the capital, Iris’s stare wasn’t unwanted. Caspian’s heart somersaulted in his chest as she stuttered and flushed a deeper shade of red, further confirming the effect he had on her. He was just as smitten, and the grin he’d tried to suppress broke free to take over his mouth. “I’m surviving,” he shrugged, stepping past her into the bedroom to stand by the edge of her unmade bed. “Did you manage to sleep?” He turned around and leaned his hip against the mattress, slipping his hands languidly into his trouser pockets. Although he was so tired that he could have swayed on his feet, he tried not to let it show. There was nothing that could be done, since he had to give a public address in an hour, and he didn’t want her to worry or chide him for pushing his own needs aside.

“I’m leaving soon, but I wanted to come by first and ask if you’ve had dinner,” his eyes dropped fleetingly to his watch once more as he compulsively monitored the time. “If you haven’t, we can eat together. I feel a little bad for leaving you here by yourself all day.” His smile turned sheepish. “I promise I’ll be around more often after this mess is sorted out, but for now, do you want to have dinner with me?”

[sukikyoufu]

Oh no, I can’t keep getting entranced by him. I can’t… I shouldn’t, but… I like him. I really like him. He makes my heart flutter, the thought of seeing him and spending time with him. I can’t. It’s not like Ethan though, this is different. Getting caught up in her thoughts she knew deep down that her feelings for Ethan weren’t like what she was experiencing now, and she didn’t need her memories to remember that. Whether or not she had been with Ethan because she feared for being alone, or to please her father she didn’t know. Iris could not quite work that part out yet, but she knew she did care for Ethan. I do still care for Ethan, but it seems different to this.

I wonder if I ever had girl talks, did I have friends back home? Surely, I did… I could use a female to lend an ear too. Shaking her head slightly from her thoughts as she watched Caspain move inside and lean against the bed, she felt the concern as she watched him as she could only imagine he was tired. Under all the charm and flair of his suit she was certain he was exhausted, but she didn’t comment. She knew that Cas would not want her to worry about him, but as much as she told herself that it was hard not to be concerned.

“I did, I take it you were not able too.” Speaking softly as she moved to his side as she placed her warm hand against his arm as a form of comfort, to let him know that she knew he was tired, but she wouldn’t bring it up anymore.

Feeling her heart sink at the idea of him leaving she brushed it off before smiling, “I haven’t eaten. I would be happy to accompany you.” Glancing at the crutches she picked them up knowing it would be best to use them for the walk to the kitchen, “Come on slow poke. I’ll race you there~” Teasing with a laugh as she started to move from the room, more because it meant Ethan would no longer be in earshot of her words to him. I feel guilty about it though, enjoying my time with Cas when I should be enjoying my time with him. Is that wrong?

As she walked into the hall, she slowed her pace a little, happy that Ethan would not be able to hear them. Not without risking both their lives and she could count on the fact he would not do that. “It’s okay you know, you had important stuff to do. Plus, I wasn’t feeling my best so I wouldn’t have been much company to you anyway.” Glancing over at Cas with a reassuring smile so he would not feel bad for leaving her. It’s me who should feel bad.

“Although I have to comment, you are far better dressed than I for dinner.” Smirking as she looked him up and down clearly enjoying the fact he was dressed so smartly, a part of her wondered on what it would be like to go on a date with him. Out to dinner somewhere nice with the both of them dressed to the nines, she felt a little under dressed compared to him and a part of her wanted to look nice. To be dressed nice for him, which again was becoming quite the slippery slope as she could not stay here. They could never work.

“At least we can have dinner together this evening. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for you, I wish I could help more.” I know how to help you, if I disappear with Ethan. Her thoughts darkened slightly, the nagging part of her that was bringing her back to the reality of the situation.

[Rogue Sloth]

Caspian tensed slightly when Iris insinuated that she knew he hadn’t had a chance to sleep yet. She didn’t seem to be pitying him though, so his stiffness didn’t last long. “I’ve been busy,” he sighed, giving up a portion of his act now that he knew she’d already caught on to him. His shoulders sagged a bit as he leaned into the edge of the mattress, betraying how tired he really was. There was no point in pretending if she wasn’t going to fall for the lies. “My dad still isn’t feeling the best, so I’ve had to take over everything. The prisoners, the council, the public…” He trailed off with a shake of his head. A mere list didn’t capture the full weight of all the responsibilities he’d had to take care of that afternoon. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to lay down and have a drink or two to take the edge off the stress he’d been under since the day before.

When Iris approached him, his smile returned. He appreciated her unspoken gesture. Her touch was calming, and her hand was pleasantly soft and warm through the sleeve of his jacket. Although they still hadn’t had a chance to talk through the feelings they had admitted to each other yesterday, he found himself hoping that she would want to be with him longer than just a couple dates. He enjoyed having her around and even though his father wanted him to think about marriage as a political tool, he couldn’t help but desire a relationship with someone with whom he genuinely connected. Call it romanticism, but I’d prefer to like the person I end up with someday, he thought to himself. Of course, it was still far too early to tell where a relationship between them would go if she was interested, but she definitely fit in the category of the type of women with whom he’d like to test the waters for something long-term.

As she playfully called him a ‘slow poke,’ Cas laughed and took a step away from the bed to follow her out of the room. “You really want to go there, cyborg?” he teased, gesturing to the metal crutches she was using as support when he caught up with her. Even if he was wearing dress shoes, he was sure he could outpace her when she couldn’t even walk short distances without something to lean on.

“You would have made better company than the people I actually spent my time talking to,” he pulled a face at the mention of the soldiers and the high borns who had wasted his afternoon with their unnecessary fretting. Whether they could have spent time together or Iris had just slept for the last few hours, he would have preferred a day with her over the others. Maybe then he could have even napped for a while, himself. Her following comment lifted his spirits though. He didn’t find suits as comfortable as sweat clothes or even regular button-down shirts without the thick jacket, but at least she seemed to enjoy the ensemble. “I’d like to say this was for you, but unfortunately, I didn’t dress up for dinner,” he admitted, glancing at her sideways. “Since my dad is still in bed, I have to take his place and give the public address that he was going to give this evening. I’m sure you know already, but citizens of the capital wouldn’t take me seriously if I didn’t look like I’m about to attend a red carpet premier.”

As they approached the entrance to the kitchen, Cas trotted a couple steps ahead to open the door for her. “I hope so too,” he agreed, waiting for her to walk into the other room before he followed along behind her. “If everything goes well at the center square tonight, it should be the last major thing I need to deal with. Fingers crossed the soldiers catch those two missing terrorists quickly, because then we can put this all behind us and keep working on getting you home.”

Stepping over to the dining bar beside the kitchen, he could smell the dinner that the staff had already prepared for the evening. “Ooh, I think the chefs made salmon,” he grinned at Iris eagerly. It was a great choice for him. The fish was always expertly seasoned by the professionals that worked for the royal family, so it would taste delicious, but it was also light enough that he wouldn’t stuff himself before he had to give his speech.

[sukikyoufu]

“Cyborg?” Iris scoffed at his words as he teased back happy to keep things light, thankful that it eased her concerns and meant she could push everything to the back of her mind. A part of her would be delighted to discuss their feelings and what could happen, the idea they could go on more dates potentially form a relationship. Call him her boyfriend. No… stop. Ethan is meant to be my boyfriend; I am the daughter of the rebels. My father started this all. I have to leave, for his sake and for mine. Anyway, his father would never allow it, I need to stop thinking on it. That was the other side, the side of her that dreaded at the idea of discussing what had happened between them.

He will hate me.

Finding herself smile at the compliment of her making better company than what he had suffered through today. Glancing towards the pulling of his face on what she could imagine was him remembering the people he had dealt with throughout the day. Though the change in his mood was apparent when he replied to her earlier comment on how well dressed, he was. “Well this just means next time we go for dinner you will have to dress up for me.” As soon as she said it, she felt her cheeks heat up at how forward the comment had been. Idiot. There won’t be a next time…

Coughing slightly as she hesitated at the kitchen door, she calmed herself after her bold comment, feeling completely embarrassed over it because she knew she was just making it worse for the both of them. “You did good, I’m sure you did.” Speaking softly changing the subject as she looked up at Caspain, she couldn’t see a bad bone in his body which only confused her. He was not like his father, had not had to deal with betrayal, war or even the knowledge on just how bad it was behind the palace doors where the poor lived. Rubbing her arms, she felt a chill run up her spine, she felt her body turn cold as she stood in the kitchen doorway leaning on her crutches for support.

Terrorists… he keeps calling them terrorists but they’re not. I wish I could talk to him freely about it, about what the true meaning of the rebel cause is.

Feeling a bit distant all of a sudden, she looked down at the floor, confusion in her eyes as she thoughts heavily on his words. Getting me home. If only I was some normal Aspirian girl, but I’m not. You won’t be able to get me home. If you find out my new home would be behind bars. All colour had washed from her face before she finally moved inside the kitchen and took to one of the seats at the dining bar. “O-Oh…” Stuttering slightly as she seemed to come out of her daze, she weakly smiled at Caspian in hopes he wouldn’t suspect anything and assume she was just tired still. “Salmon, that sounds amazing. I’m sure it’s wonderful.”

I’ve never had salmon before, but I’m not really hungry anymore. All excitement of seeing him had started to diminish because the reality was catching up to her. With each minute she spent with him, every time she felt something, she had to remind herself this isn’t real. This will just be a memory that I can enjoy in the coming years, he will forget about me.

“Make sure you eat up; it will help for the speech you have to give to the public.” Pushing back the thoughts once more as she leant against the counter, “If you like you can practice on me before you go? I can pretend to be a citizen listening. Maybe even a fangirl if you’re lucky.” Chuckling as she made a gentle joke just to ensure that he didn’t think anything was off between them, she couldn’t just give him the cold shoulder after everything as that would only cause suspicion.

[Rogue Sloth]

As soon as Iris hinted at the prospect of what sounded like a date, Cas faltered in his step. The comment made him feel certain that she was at least interested in acting on the feelings they had confessed to each other the night before. It didn’t look like an ‘I like you, but…’ situation after all. His heartbeat quickened with excitement. If he didn’t have to leave for the address so soon, he would have liked to sit down with her and express that he wanted to explore the spark between them too. However, he couldn’t let himself get too distracted right before he stood in front of the public. It would have been humiliating for him to fumble through such an important speech because he couldn’t stop thinking about a girl. Still, he couldn’t get past the moment without letting her know that he also liked the idea of a real date.

“Maybe I will,” he grinned at her. “But if I dress up, you’d better do it too so I’m not the only one.” As much as he liked his comfortable clothes, he would put on a suit to impress her without a second thought. Plus, he couldn’t deny that a part of him wanted to see what she looked like in a classy dress. “We can go to l’Ivore for dinner once the lockdown is lifted,” he suggested, eagerness slipping into his voice when the idea came to him. The upscale restaurant was one of the most expensive and exclusive venues in the capital with a waiting list that could extend as far out as six months during peak seasons. He doubted she had been there before since it was so difficult to make a reservation, but he could get them in at any time because he was the crown prince. The owner always made an exception for him when he wanted to dine there, and it was the perfect spot to eat if they were going to dress up.

It was when he was taking his seat at the counter that Cas noticed the shift in Iris’s mood. He studied her confusedly, unsure why she had suddenly become so melancholic and hoping it wasn’t because of something he’d said. Her forced smile only reinforced his suspicion that she was upset. He parted his lips to ask her what was wrong, but she spoke before he could vocalize the first word. “Yes, mom,” he rolled his eyes, teasing her in the hopes that he could pull her back out of whatever had caused her face to fall.

Turning toward the kitchen, he expressed a quick ‘thank you’ to the staff as two servants set down their dishes on the countertop. The food smelled even more delicious up close. The salmon was cooked to perfection and seasoned with a variety of spices to enhance the flavor. It was coated with a melted caper butter and accompanied with a side of wild rice, and the entire meal was paired with a glass of Louis Jadot le Montrachet. Despite the fact that his frayed nerves had left him without an appetite earlier, the prince’s mouth watered at the aroma. “I’m definitely going to eat every bite of this,” he assured Iris with newfound confidence, licking his lips as he picked up his silverware.

At her offer to listen to his speech, Cas shook his head. “I appreciate that, but I know I’ll just second guess myself if I read it now,” he admitted, glancing up at her with a lopsided smile. “I’ve decided I’m not going to look at it again until the flight to the square, where I won’t have access to a pen.” As he spoke, he patted his breast pocket, where he’d stowed the paper that contained the speech he’d written. “If you want to hear it, you can watch from the TV in your bedroom later. I’m sure it’s going to be broadcasted on every channel,” he added with a sigh, reminded of just how many eyes were going to be on him when he gave his speech. Trying not to think about it, he cut a piece of salmon with his fork and lifted it to his lips in an attempt to distract himself with the gourmet food.

[sukikyoufu]

The idea of dressing up did catch her attention, who didn’t want to dress up like a princess and feel beautiful? The night she had come here she remembered that she had worn nice black dress, uncomfortable but it looked the part and had complimented her figure. It was nothing super fancy and the way he spoke about going to the I’lvore she could only imagine it was probably the most expensive restaurant in Aspiria so even that black dress would not do. I doubt anything I owned would do it justice. “That honestly sounds amazing, I’d love to go there with you. Just don’t forget we still have to go to Luigis. That pizza has not left my mind since the hospital.” Smiling slightly as she pushed back the gloomier feelings from before.

I just have to act normal; it would be suspicious if I suddenly recoiled right? This is the right thing to do. I don’t even know anymore. It’s all so confusing.

Catching the way, he rolled her eyes at her comment of eating up she couldn’t help but smile, nudging him gently with her elbow as if to say quit it. “I’m only looking out for you. Someone has to whilst you have all this weight on your shoulders.” Speaking softly as she placed her hand on his shoulder looking over at him, “Can’t have you becoming a stuffy old prince now.” Winking playfully as she let her hand drop hoping the humour would keep his spirits uplifted. Especially as he did not want to focus on the speech, and she couldn’t blame him. Public speaking sounded hard and he had the whole of the country to address, she could not imagine how he felt over it.

“I’ll be watching, so you know that you have at least one viewer who values your words.” Glancing down at her food she began to tuck into the salmon, the smell and appearance of it excited her. Although she had not had salmon before she was certain it would be amazing. Iris believed that the chefs here could turn any of the food into something exquisite and she was not wrong. Taking the first bite of the salmon her tastes buds were in heaven, it smelled just as good as it tasted, and Iris sighed happily as she ate. For a moment she had forgotten her stress, forgotten how confused she was and how her feelings were all over the place because of how wonderful the salmon was.

“The chefs are so talented.” Cutting into another piece as she took another bite, the warmth of the food warming her up from how cold she felt moments ago. “I wish I could cook like this! Honestly amazing.” Grinning to herself as she stopped for a moment making sure she slowed herself down, she didn’t want to be shovelling the food down her throat uncivilised. It surely beats anything I could make. I could only imagine his reaction if he ever tasted my food compared to the stuff he has had here. Trying not to grimace at the thought, but it seemed to spark a memory. This time a pleasant one.

Laughter filled the kitchen as she heard her own giggles, she sounded young and when she saw the figure next to her smiling down, she knew it was her mother. They were cooking together, making some sort of pasta as her mother had saved to get the ingredients so they could have fresh food for once this week. They were both laughing as they had clearly spilled flour over the counter and themselves but before she could hear her mother speak in the memory it had vanished. Gone just as quickly as it came.

Sighing as she looked back at her plate, she shook her head slightly, “Sorry.” Turning her gaze over to Caspain with an apologetic smile. “I know my mood has been all over the place today. It’s not you, I promise.” Using the fork to push around a piece of the salmon on her plate as she began to play with it, she faltered, trying to find the right words. “I’m just… you don’t need to hear this now, but I’m just worried. I’m stressed over the fact I can’t prove who I am, and it keeps playing on my mind today. Especially after…” Biting her lip as she felt the chill run up her spine from the memory of his father earlier that day, her hand trembled slightly with the fork, but she shook her head once more smiling again. “Sorry… I just.” I wish I could be truly honest with you.

[Rogue Sloth]

“I definitely haven’t forgotten about that,” Cas promised when Iris reminded him of their plans to go to the pizza parlor he had told her about. “But you said next time we go for dinner, and I’m not going to dress up when we eat there. Luigi’s is more of a casual restaurant.” That, and the food was a little messier. Since Iris seemed more put off by his family’s wealth than entranced by it, he kept it to himself, but most of the formal clothes in his closet were worth an obscene amount of money. If he wore a five thousand credit cashmere suit to a pizza parlor and stained it with marinara, his father would have an aneurism. He might have been taking over more kingly responsibilities than usual lately, but he wasn’t ready to be the monarch full time just yet. Not killing the king with questionable life choices seemed to be the smarter move.

When she poked fun at him again about being a ‘stuffy old prince,’ he tossed his head back in exaggerated exasperation. “Oh my god,” he chuckled, leaning over to playfully push her shoulder with his. “By the time you stop calling me that, I’ll already have gray hairs.” Privately, he appreciated her concern for his well-being though. It was true that whenever he got bogged down with responsibilities he had to put his own needs on hold. Having someone around who supported him while he was stressed was a nice change. Atlas never bothered to check up on how he was doing, and none of the servants in the mansion were fearless enough to tell him what to do—not because of him, of course, but because of what his father might do to them if he found out the help had given his protégé an order.

“Thanks,” Cas smiled at Iris when she said she would watch the broadcast. Jacob had already told him that his speech was compelling, but it was difficult for him not to doubt himself after years of listening to Atlas deliver some of the most powerful speeches he had ever heard. He was nervous about falling short of the public’s expectations for their soon-to-be leader, so knowing that at least one person who would be listening thought he was going to do well was bolstering to him. He just hoped the rest of the capital wouldn’t be too harsh with their comparisons if he couldn’t fill his father’s enormous shoes.

At her comment about the food, he nodded in wholehearted agreement. There were plenty of other talented cooks in the high-end restaurants around the city, but those who worked as private chefs for the royal family were the best of the best. They had to be. Every dish they served was prepared with the utmost care, because Atlas was known for replacing his staff if he believed there was someone better suited for the job. The positions in the Maydestones’ kitchen were especially competitive, as they were compensated handsomely for their work. Tonight, the chefs hadn’t failed to deliver. “If you really want to learn how, I bet I could get someone to teach you,” he offered, remembering her odd affinity for household chores. “The chefs all live here but only have to prepare three meals a day, so I’m sure any one of them be more than happy to be your trainer during their off hours in exchange for a pay raise.” They would just have to be careful not to let the king find out. Atlas wouldn’t be nearly as supportive of a high born woman learning the trade of a commoner.

In the next moment, Caspian noticed that Iris had fallen quiet again. He watched her concernedly as he took another sip of his wine, wondering what she was thinking about that would cause her to look so sad. As if she could read his mind, she answered the unspoken question, and he frowned. “Hey,” he reached for her hand and held onto it reassuringly. “You don’t have anything to worry about, okay? My dad is just on edge because of the attack. He isn’t actually going to do anything to you. Besides, you won’t be here forever. We’ll get you back to your family as soon as we can, and then you won’t have to listen to his baseless accusations anymore.”

It was a promise he felt certain he could deliver on, so there was no hesitation in his voice as he made the vow. Wanting to comfort her further, his eyes flicked toward the kitchen to make sure the cooks weren’t looking and then leaned over to press a swift kiss to her cheek. “Just trust me,” he smiled at her warmly as he pulled back. “This’ll all be over before you know it.”

[sukikyoufu]

It wasn’t good for her but when he mentioned that by the time she stopped calling him that he’ll already have grey hairs made her heart flutter, the idea that she would know him for that long but it was a fleeting moment. One that passed quickly as she forced that concept aside, she could not be with him. Their not even official relationship was doomed from the start and there was no way that they would know each other at an old age, they would not grow old together. Why would you even think that idiot. Berating herself as she turned back to Cas smiling at the idea she could learn how to cook whilst here. “You would do that? For me? Thank you.”

It was such a nice gesture and one she knew she would never experience because tomorrow she would have to make an escape somehow, whether she could convince Caspain to take her to the woods or if she just had to sneak out with Ethan as he seemingly knew a way. The lockdown would not be lifted, not whilst those two were at large which were Ethan and his friend. And me, if we are counting.

Sighing to herself she felt him take her hand, holding onto it reassuringly as he tried to comfort her. Biting her lip as she looked over at him trying to keep her emotions in check, to not cry in front of him like she had earlier when she broke down after his father had questioned her. She blinked back the tears willing them not to fall and listened to his words of comfort, words that she knew would all be taken back in an instant when her real identity is revealed. We won’t get me back to my family, you won’t be a part of it.

Although he sounded so certain with his words, no hesitation in his voice as he vowed to her that he would get her home. Blue eyes were downcast looking towards her food that had only been half touched and when she had thought she had managed to stop any tears he placed a swift kiss to her cheek. The comfort of that kiss, the warmth she felt her lower lip trembled as she could no longer keep blinking the tears away. A few of them fell sliding down her cheek but she quickly rubbed them away taking a deep breath to control herself.

“I… I hope so.” Whispering out as she raised her head trying to smile once more at Cas, “Because I really don’t think it will. I honestly think that something dreadful is going to happen and I can’t help but always go back to that. I will try however, to think positive. I think everything will be better as soon as I find my ID card in that forest, or as soon as someone comes for me.” It will never happen but it’s all I can really say.

“Thank you, Cas, for everything.” Smiling as she pushed her plate aside, she didn’t feel all that hungry anymore even though it was delicious. “Do you need to go yet? I know you was on a time crunch and this is something you can’t be late for.” Running her fingers through her hair she placed a bright smile on her face not wanting to dwell on the matter anymore. “If I’m still awake when you return, I’d love to hang out some more, if you’re not exhausted of course. I bet you can’t wait just to have a good rest.”

Looking back at the plate of food she smiled, “I think I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, so I won’t force myself to eat the rest, it was absolutely delicious though. I wish I could have stomached it all. I’m sure I’ll be as right as rain tomorrow, I’m just a little shaken.” I guess I should watch his speech though, as much as we should rest Ethan will want to know about the prisoners and I need to know what he decided. I'm sure he will announce that to the public.

[Rogue Sloth]

Cas wished he knew what was on Iris’s mind that made her so unhappy that evening. To his best guess, it was probably something to do with her still-missing memories or the fact that no one had yet come to claim her from the mansion. Though he wouldn’t say it to her face, he was starting to find it strange just how little progress they had made in almost a week. He had toured her around the capital to bring her to places that most high borns visited at least once in their youths, but nothing had sparked any recollection in her fuzzy brain. Similarly, someone had to have noticed her disappearance by now, but there were no calls on the line asking if she was still there, and no missing person reports had come through with her photo attached. He didn’t know what was preventing her from getting home, but even he was beginning to feel the frustration that was probably bringing tears to her eyes now.

As she whispered something ominous, the prince frowned concernedly. She really was losing hope if she thought something even worse was still yet to come. “That’s just the fear talking,” he shook his head adamantly in denial of her prediction. “There’s no reason for something dreadful to happen. The attack was nothing to do with you. It was just an unfortunate coincidence, and now that it’s been taken care of and security had been boosted, you’re completely safe here. My dad isn’t going to kick you out because he’ll realize he overreacted, and you can stay as long as you need to in order to make sure you’ve got a roof over your head until you’re able to go home.” He squeezed her hand as he spoke, trying to comfort her. Despite the strangeness of her blocked up memories and the mystery of why no one had come out looking for her, he chose to remain optimistic.

“You’re welcome,” he returned her smile when she thanked him, though he noticed that she wasn’t finishing her food. At the follow-up question, he glanced down at his watch again. “Soon, but Jacob will come fetch me when the car is ready. He said he was going to meet me in the kitchen, since I hadn’t eaten yet.” Reminded of his own dinner, he lifted another forkful of salmon and rice to his lips. He’d already finished more than half of the plate, but he didn’t want to waste what was left by running out of time before he could eat the rest.

“Well, I was planning to swing by the bar for a whiskey after I get back,” he admitted with a smirk. “I’ll come to your room first to check if you’re awake before I go there. How does that sound?” Truthfully, he was exhausted, and he was mostly planning to have the drink to help him sleep more soundly, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend more time with Iris. He’d barely seen her all day. It was terrible timing since they had just professed to like each other the night before.

When she said that she couldn’t stomach the rest of her food, Cas just nodded. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that she was tossing a dish that would be worth easily sixty credits at a gourmet restaurant and a glass of white wine from a five hundred credit bottle. At least the kitchen staff would probably finish off the latter once they were gone, since she hadn’t touched it at all. “Try to get what rest you can,” he advised, returning the favor for the mothering she had done to him earlier. “At least there’s one benefit to being stuck in this place: You can sleep all day if you’d like.”

“Your Highness.”

At the sound of Jacob’s familiar voice, the prince slipped his hand out of Iris’s and peered over his shoulder. The security guard was standing by the door with his head inclined as his future king’s eyes fell on him. “Are you ready to leave?” he inquired.

“Give me two minutes,” Cas replied, turning back to his dinner to shovel down the rest of the food quickly. As soon as the last grain of rice had disappeared, he swallowed the rest of his wine and stood up from his seat. “I’ll see you later, Iris,” he offered her a smile. “Wish me luck.” With the address fast approaching, he turned and followed Jacob out the door that led to the landing pad for the hover car.

[sukikyoufu]

It was hard hearing Cas being so positive at her belonging here, that she would be picked up and return to her family as normal and that this was all just some blip. Feeling the squeeze of his hand as he tried to comfort her it only made the guilt rise and a part of her wondered on how he would react when he knew the truth. The idea however, that after all of this he was going to get hurt just as much as she was and she hated the idea of that, causing him pain because she had lied this whole time whilst being here. Have I led him on?

However, at the offer of visiting her when he returned did return the smile to her face, ah but… Ethan. Pushing it aside she nodded at the prospect, “If I’m awake I’d love that. Although we’d have to be careful as remember my curfew.” Playfully teasing him as she folded her hands neatly in her lap watching him as he finished off his own food. “Thinking on it, I’d love to be a cat if I could. Sleep all day without a care in the world much like I am now~” Pondering the thought at how the household pet would just sleep most of the day and eat when hungry, it sounded like a nice life.

Glancing over at Jacob as she heard his voice, she felt the warmth of Caspains hand leave hers and it was hard not to feel disheartened at the comfort leaving. Keeping her face void of emotions as she knew whatever was happening between them had to stay between them, she was certain his father had to suspect something because why else would his son fight so hard for her. Even so she’d rather not have it so open it would be shoved in his face.

“Good luck, you’ll do fine. I’m certain.” Iris smiled as she looked between Jacob and Cas knowing it was about time for him to leave now. Watching him leave towards the car she was left alone in the kitchen and she let the smile drop from her face, looking back to the food she hadn’t finished and wine she hadn’t touched she shook her head. I should probably have eaten more, but… I don’t know. Everything is going to go wrong I can feel it. I know it.

Pushing herself from the dinning table she sought the crutches once more and leaned on them for support before making her way back to her room. With each step she took she felt the dread rise, the speech worried her, and she knew that both her and Ethan would be watching. As much as wishing him luck had been genuine, she feared for her own safety, did they talk in the end? If they did what did they say, what did they spill?

Heading back into the room she glanced around looking for Ethan wondering if he had even left the wardrobe when she left. Shutting the door with a soft click behind her she bit her lip before calling out, “Hey…” She hadn’t been too loud just in case passers by overheard her.

“I’m here.” Ethan sighed as he emerged from behind the bathroom door, sitting himself down on the sofa he didn’t look at her as he was still hurt from earlier.

“The Prince… he will be doing a speech. We should watch it. It may give us information on what has happened.” Speaking out tentatively as she approached the sofa sitting down herself.

“Alright.” Ethan shrugged as he folded his arms eyes looking towards the TV that was in the room, even though it wasn’t on he focused his gaze on the black screen not making any effort to converse with Iris.

[Rogue Sloth]

No one spoke as Jacob led Caspian to the small hanger where the royal family housed its private planes and hover cars. The guard was listening to his team coordinate security measures at the center square while the prince silently reviewed his speech in his head. He had the paper copy in his pocket, but it was bad form to read off a sheet in front of a live audience, so he wanted to memorize as much as he could in the short time he had left before he stood behind the podium. Plus, if he knew the majority of the address by heart, he would be less likely to botch it in front of the entire city… he hoped.

For the duration of the ten-minute flight, he alternated between skimming over the speech and watching the tall, city skyscrapers drift by beneath the vehicle. The sight reminded him of the importance of the address he was going to be making in his father’s place. It was his duty as the next king of Aspiria to ease the people’s fears about the Scourge and assure them that the monarchy was just as strong as it had been before the attack. Focusing on that, he took a steeling breath and climbed out of the car behind Jacob and another guard when they reached their destination.

Just walking up to the stage felt like a show in and of itself to Cas. Cameras flashed around the perimeter that the soldiers had set up, and he was surrounded by beefy bodyguards on all sides the instant his shoes touched the ground. The team of men kept the paparazzi at bay with the sternness of their faces and the holstered guns that were visible at their waists, wordlessly warning everyone to keep their distance or suffer the consequences. The display felt over-the-top to the prince, who didn’t believe he was in any danger among the capital citizens, but he couldn’t tell them not to do their jobs. The royal family was the glue that held Aspiria together. If anything happened to him or his father the kingdom would unravel, so they always had protection when they stood before large groups of people.

He kept his head up and eyes straight forward as the procession made its way toward the podium, knowing from past experience that if he didn’t ignore the reporters, they would swarm him like bees. There were still fifteen minutes left before he was scheduled to speak, but he couldn’t leak any part of his speech to the press before he formally revealed it to the citizens, so it was smarter not to say anything to them at all. Rather, he stepped up to the stand and pulled the folded paper from his breast pocket to set up without talking to anyone while Jacob and the other guard took up watchful posts on either side of him.

Without looking up, Cas could feel thousands of eyes burning into his skin. He’d stood next to Atlas when the king had delivered speeches before, but it was the first time he had been the center of everyone’s attention in a situation like this. His heart pounded so hard that he could hear the roar of blood in his ears, and his mouth suddenly felt dry. It didn’t matter how confident a person was; there was something about oratory that could make even the bravest man weak in the knees, especially if he had never done it before. As one who had never considered himself above average in courage, it took all his focus not to tremble and to remember not to lock his knees so he wouldn’t pass out.

“One minute until broadcast,” Jacob alerted him with a sideways glance. The guard studied him for a moment before he reached into his jacket and pulled out a steel flask. “Here,” he said, holding it out. “Have as much as you want.”

“I didn’t know you drink on the job,” Cas stared at the metal container in surprise.

Jacob smiled, “It’s water.”

“Oh. Well, in that case…” Cas mirrored the expression and took the flask from Jacob’s hand to down the contents. The water was still cool and felt soothing as it traveled down his throat. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have finished off someone else’s drink, but he swallowed every last drop to cure the dryness that threatened to make him stumble over his own tongue. “Thanks, Jacob,” he dragged the back of his hand across his mouth as he passed the empty flask back to its owner.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” the guard bowed politely. “Are you ready to begin?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Cas sighed. “You can tell the soldiers to quiet the crowd.”

Jacob nodded and lifted a hand to the side of his face, cupping it between his mouth and ear as he gave the order. Within the next thirty seconds, the audience hushed as signals were passed back and forth for everyone to pay attention, and Cas took a slow breath. He just had to get the next part over with, and then he could go back to the sanctuary of his home. He could do that. Trying not to lock eyes with any of the council members sitting in the front row, he started as strongly as he could:

“Thank you all for your patience. I know everyone both here and watching at home has been affected one way or another by the ongoing war against the Scourge, and that learning of an attempt on your king’s life may have shaken your faith that our city is still safe. I want to acknowledge your fears and tell you that I understand. The king is my father, so I, more than anyone else, have every reason to ensure that he’s shielded from the rebels who want to see him dead. That’s why I’ve been working closely with the military for the last twenty-four hours to see to it that he—and all of you—will never have to worry about these terrorists again.

“Our security team has apprehended two of the culprits and interrogated them thoroughly. We’ve since learned some vital information that will help us take down the man behind the rebellion and bring peace back to this nation. With this new intel, I can tell you with certainty that we’re leaps and bounds closer to winning this war. It won’t be much longer until it fades behind us as a minor setback in Aspiria’s steadily strengthening history.”

He paused as the crowd applauded their approval of the bold statement. The sound was bolstering, and a half-smile appeared on his lip as he continued with renewed fervor: “The Scourge tried to weaken us with this attack, but in doing so, they may have just given our military the key to our victory. My father’s heart is still beating, the terrorists are in secure holding, and plans are already underway to make our enemies regret ever lifting their hands against us. The first of which is the decision of what to do with the two men in custody.” He paused briefly to collect his breath before he declared clearly: “For the safety of everyone in this city and to make the rebels understand that we will not allow them to walk away without consequences if they ever try to attack us again, the prisoners are to be executed by firing squad tomorrow morning.”

Again, the crowd roared their approval, and Cas stood up slightly straighter. They seemed to be just as pleased with his speech as they had been with Atlas’s in the past. His initial anxiety had been replaced with a newfound confidence and even a bit of powerfulness as he concluded the message: “There are still two other terrorists who’ve been evading the military.” Two headshots of the missing rebels appeared on the massive screen behind him. “Thomas Howard and Ethan Williams are both still at large. The soldiers are working tirelessly to bring them in, but if any of you spot them first, there is a sizeable cash reward available for real leads.

“In the meantime, I encourage you all to have peace in knowing that we’re putting your well-being first and taking every precaution to prevent something like this from happening ever again. The Scourge will never get the best of our military or your king, and soon, we’ll all be celebrating our triumph over the enemies who thought they could tear this country apart. Aspiria will never fall to them or to anyone else—not as long as I have something to say about it. That’s my vow to you.”

The crowd applauded one more time, and Caspian grinned happily. The address had gone far better than he’d expected, and now he could rest easy knowing that he’d won the worried high borns back over to his side. Following his guards back down the steps to the landing pad, he wondered if his father had been watching back at the mansion. Would the king be proud of the speech he’d given? Either way, he knew for sure that Iris had been supporting him from her bedroom. He couldn’t wait to see her again and find out what she thought.

[sukikyoufu]

“Are you upset with me?” Iris sighed softly as she looked over at Ethan, although the TV was on and she could hear the muffled sounds of whomever was talking about the current state of Aspiria. “I am sorry… I don’t want to hurt anyone, but…”

“Save it. I don’t want to hear it. I shouldn’t be mad at you, but I am. I know deep down it’s not your fault… I guess.” Ethan sighed heavily cutting her off, hands running through his dark blonde locks as his tired eyes looked over at Iris. Deep down he knew it wasn’t her fault, he knew that she had lost her memories and he shouldn’t hold that against her. “It’s bad of me to keep holding it against you, but I get so mad when I see you flirting with him. The way you should have been with me, but I feel like that’s lost now.”

Feeling a pang of guilt Iris couldn’t help but wince at his honest words feeling as if they cut her like a blade would. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, that was never her intention but again that was never her attention with Cas either and he was another one that she was about to hurt. “I’m sorry.” Her blue eyes were downcast as she looked at her hands as if they would give her the answers she needed or the rights words to say to him, but they didn’t. All she could do was say sorry and to her it only made things worse. “I never expected all this to happen, but honestly Cas saved my life. The Prince could have left me in that forest or called the guards to see to it I was dealt with. Hand that have happened I would have had no one to vouch for me. I don’t know what would have happened.”

“I understand, I get it. He saved your life but look at all the other lives he isn’t saving. He isn’t actively helping them, and they are just as much as his people as the royals and high borns here.” Ethan spat his words out, he knew the Prince had saved her life and yes, he was thankful, but it didn’t excuse all the others lives they had lost. “He thinks of us as a disease, we are called the scourge. Terrorists. Do you think he will still like you if he knew the truth? You are the daughter of a powerful movement in our district. The minute he finds out who you are he will through you to the dungeon.” Looking away as he looked up at the TV to see the Prince on screen, the very person he had come to hate. “Look at him, standing there all important, about to announce how he has kept the city safe. Can’t even catch the last two.” Scoffing his words as he folded his arms but continued to watch the screen for the speech.

“I know, you’re right.” Iris sighed heavily, Caspain would never like her not after all of this. It had been nice at least, to hang around with him, enjoy her time without a care in the world and she knew she would treasure those memories. Although I probably shouldn’t. I need to just forget about him. Turning her gaze to the TV she saw Cas standing in front of the mass crowd, on a podium ready to address the public. All dressed up in his no doubt expensive suit and he looked so important, he is very important. Biting her lip as she saw people desperately wanting a comment from him before the speech, something they could turn into some sort of gossip she was certain of it.

Then he spoke, she heard his voice through the speakers of the TV in the room and she tried not to smile out how confident he sounded. Before he had left, she knew he was nervous about it and it was just nice to see him do well. Listening intently, she watched the TV catching site of Ethan lean forward on his hands focusing on the words he spoke too as if looking for some sort of hidden message beneath them. Shaking her head slightly she listened at the way he called them the Scourge, the war between them and how there had been an attempt on the Kings life.

“What does he mean by that, never have to worry about these terrorists again?” Ethan narrowed his eyes speaking to himself as he analysed the words. Not moments later his face turned into a frown at how the other two had been apprehended and interrogated thoroughly. “What information did he gain? Names… I bet there was names.” Muttering to himself as he watched the Prince pause from his speech.

“Names? Surely If my name had been let slip, I’d be in a cell right now and you with me.” Iris exclaimed looking over at Ethan as she listened to his commentary on the speech. “He must be just saying that to ease their concerns, they probably didn’t learn anything.”

“Shh” Ethan whispered as he held his hand up to stop Iris from talking as they both looked back at the screen.

“N-No!... he wouldn’t! He couldn’t… he…” Iris felt her heart stop and her eyes widened in shock at the TV when Caspain had spoken about the fate of the other two in custody. The two that had risked their lives to find her with Ethan and Tom. “I… no.” Looking distraught at the screen she felt her stomach churn from the food she had earlier, the feeling of nausea returning as she tried to comprehend his words.

“I knew it.” Ethan spoke slowly his voice cold as he stared at the screen, all emotion drained from his face as he watched the crowd roar at approval. The others agreeing with his decision to have two innocent people killed, they had not tried to kill the King. They had only one mission and that was to find Iris. “I told you, he is not like us. This is all just a charm of his. To lure you in.”

“I…” Her voice wavered as she looked from Ethan to the TV but she let out a little sob when she saw two headshots appear on a massive screen behind him, pointing towards it as she saw a picture of Ethan and Thomas. “That’s you… they have your picture… we… we a-are not safe.” She felt her body began to tremble as everything swirled around in her head trying to comprehend what was happening.

Ethan felt the guilt as he watched her go into overdrive, usually she would be calm, but he could only imagine that this was a part of her not knowing her full memories. Everything had to be different, but he shook his head before moving next to her on the sofa and wrapped his arms around her, fingers moved to play with her hair soothing it as he tried to calm her. “Shh.. it’s okay. We will get out of here. Together. You see now don’t you. The importance of that mission you were sent here on.” Whispering his words into her ear knowing that this would be exactly what he needed to have her on his side. To get her to his side of the plan and kill the Prince. “He needs to be stopped. We have to stop him. You have to stop him.” Feeling her nod her head whilst in his arms only made him beam with pride, he felt like he had restored everything as if it would not go back to normal.

[Rogue Sloth]

The flight back to the mansion was just as uneventful as it had been on the way to the square. After dodging the swarm of paparazzi for a second time that evening, Caspian and his guards all squeezed into the hover car and took off into the twilight sky. The prince sank into his plush, luxury leather seat and turned his head toward the window to watch the city roll by beneath the vehicle. Since the sun was finally setting, twinkling lights had started to flicker on all across the capital, creating a beautiful, manmade glow that stood out against the dark. He’d always liked the way the kingdom looked at night, so he kept his gaze fixed on the enchanting view as they flew smoothly back to his home—to Atlas and Iris. He was still eagerly anticipating speaking with both of them to find out what they’d thought of his speech.

“Tonight went well,” Jacob seemed to read his mind from the front seat. The security guard had his arm up lazily on the rest beneath his window and was peering back at his prince over his shoulder. “From what I could see, everyone seemed pleased with your address.”

“Yeah… must have been that magic water you gave me,” Cas glanced at him with a joking smile.

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I think you underestimate your own abilities,” Jacob shook his head, turning around to look forward again. He carried on a conversation easily enough, but the prince could tell by the subtle tilts of his head that the guard was simultaneously listening to other people speak through his earpiece. His multitasking talent had always astounded Cas.

“I’m nowhere near as impressive as my dad,” he rolled his eyes in disbelief, propping his elbow against the side of the car and pressing his cheek into the palm of his hand.

“His Majesty has decades of experience under his belt,” Jacob pointed out. “It may not feel this way, but he was just like you once, learning how to be king. Every leader has to start somewhere.”

“I guess so,” Cas sighed. He turned the other man’s words over in his head for a minute before a half smile crossed his lips. It was difficult for him not to compare himself to Atlas, but hearing Jacob remind him that he still had time left to get there helped ease his feelings of inferiority. He was still learning, but today, the high borns of the country had thought he’d done a good job. Maybe he really could handle the responsibilities of being king one day. “Thanks, Jacob,” he murmured, his chocolate brown eyes drifting back to the cityscape below. “I just hope my dad feels the same way.”

--

When they got back to the mansion, Caspian climbed out of the car and stretched his legs with a weary groan. It was starting to hit him that all the chaos was over at last, and he could finally rest. There were still two terrorists on the loose, but the soldiers already had their orders about what to do with them, so there was no more need for him to get involved. He could go back to his usual routine—although he was seriously considering taking a day off from his studies to unwind. After everything he’d done in the past thirty-six hours, he felt like he deserved a break.

His guards accompanied him to the building before they parted ways, and the prince headed up to his father’s quarters to find out what his thoughts were on the speech. His heart raced with a mixture of nervousness and excitement that seemed to increase with each tread. Atlas had always been miserly with his compliments, but surely he had at least one good thing to say about the address. After all, the entire audience had responded exactly how the monarch had wanted them to. That had to mean it had been a success, right?

Trying to be hopeful, he walked up to Atlas’s bedroom door and raised his fist to knock. However, before his knuckles made contact with the wood, the panel eased open, and a familiar face stepped out.

“Dr. Emett,” Cas blinked, backing away from the door to let the physician into the hallway. “What are you doing here?”

“Prince Caspian,” the doctor bowed his head politely. “I just came by to run a few tests on His Majesty.”

“Oh,” Cas nodded. “Good news, I hope?”

“We’ll find out tomorrow,” Emett indicated his supply bag. “I need to give these samples to the lab for analysis.”

“I hope they come back normal—or at least, not worse than they have been so far…” he trailed off with a troubled look. “Anyway, it was good to see you again, doctor. If you’ll excuse me…” He took a step to walk around the other man but didn’t get any further before he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

“If I may, Your Highness,” Dr. Emett smiled at him sympathetically. “It would be best if you wait to see your father tomorrow morning. He’s asleep right now, and he needs all the rest he can get.”

Cas frowned, “Didn’t you just take samples from him though?”

“Given his condition, it’s more comfortable for His Majesty to be asleep for the procedure. I gave him a sedative so he wouldn’t be in any pain.”

The prince felt a trickle of distress creep up his spine, “How long has he been out?”

Dr. Emett checked his watch, “About half an hour, I’d say.”

“Oh,” Caspian’s voice broke slightly as the wave of disappointment crashed over him. If Atlas had been unconscious for that long, it meant he’d missed the entire public address. He cleared his throat, going on in a more subdued tone, “Well… thanks for making such a late house call. Call me as soon as you’ve got the results.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned around to go back down the stairs. He knew it wasn’t fair to blame his ailing father for missing his first major speech, but he couldn’t help feeling slighted by the fact that Atlas had slept through the whole thing. It was hard not to think that his father hadn’t cared about him enough to wait thirty minutes before he’d taken his sedative.

Don’t go there, he chided himself silently, clenching his jaw. It was a rabbit hole that would bring nothing but hurt and distrust, and he couldn’t let himself fall into it. The king’s health was more important than one short address. Atlas had only missed it because he’d had more pressing things to take care of, and it wasn’t his fault that Dr. Emett’s visit had overlapped with his trip to the center square. He just had to keep reminding himself of that whenever these situations occurred. He couldn’t believe that the only family he had left didn’t seem to want anything to do with him, because then he would have no one.

Trying not to drown in his internal turmoil, he made his way down to Iris’s bedroom and knocked on the door. He hoped that at least one person had stayed awake long enough to wait for him to come back. Right now, he could use some warm company, so he wouldn’t have to find solace at the bottom of a glass of whiskey.

[sukikyoufu]

“W-We need to make a plan… I.” Iris bit her lip as she looked up at Ethan worry in her blue eyes as she tried to comprehend everything going on. Caspain had sentenced two innocent men to their death and she couldn’t quite understand why, they had not attacked the King they had just taken their break in as if it was going to be an attempt on his life. That was not the case. “I… he, we can’t save them, can we?” She felt her lower lip tremble as she spoke out the words, confirming that they could not save the two that were in a cell.

Ethan shook his head sighing heavily as he twirled a lock of her blonde hair between his fingers, “We can’t save them, no. Unless you want the death toll to be five and not two.”

Closing her eyes as she looked down, head bowed as she thought on how the five of them would be killed if they tried to save them. Caspain would send her to her own death if he knew the truth and that was hard to swallow. A person whom she had thought sweet mannered, kind and compassionate was not what she thought. But… maybe he. He had to do it right? He is a monarch… he has to make these decisions? Grimacing as she tried to stick up for him in her own thoughts it only made it worse. No… I can’t think like that. “I just… this is all my fault.”

“Don’t say that, sure they came here to find you with me but ultimately they knew the risks. It is not your fault.” Ethan spoke with confidence in hopes that she would not blame herself for this. Regardless on the fact she had gotten tangled up with the Prince they would have still looked for her if she did not return. “They will die with honour. They will be martyrs and our people will no stand for this. This will only fuel the rebellion.”

Iris felt herself nod as she listened to him sighing as she felt like everything had just come crashing down. “I will convince him to find my ID tomorrow… you know the forest, right? The weak point of entry… I’ll take him there.”

“You don’t have the heart to kill him though. I can see it in your eyes.” Ethan spoke softly as he caressed her cheek smiling slightly, “You are too kind for something like that. I did tell your father. How about though we kidnap him. You only have to knock him out in the forest. I can do the rest.”

Hesitating at the idea of kidnapping him she nodded in agreement, perhaps kidnapping him would scare the King to listen to the people. To see that it is not a war, but people who just need help. “O-Okay… We will go there tomorrow. Can you get there safely?”

“Tom knows the streets really well, he is usually one of our runners for stealing food here I still have contact with him, he is waiting for us before leaving. He will get me there safely. Will you be alright with him? He can’t know our plan; you can’t give anything away.” Ethan looked at Iris, inside he was delighted to finally have her onboard and that she could finally see why they were fighting for this again.

Nodding Iris wiped her face taking a deep breath, “No… I can do this. We have to do this. He said he would come back for a drink this evening. I’ll use that time to convince him. You should probably go; I can only imagine it will take a while to get out safely with all the security.”

Ethan let go of his hold on Iris before standing up nodding, leaning down he placed a kiss against her forehead before looking towards the window. “Be safe, I will see you tomorrow and this will all be over.” His own heart was hammering as he moved to the window ensuring that there were no eyes on them. Pulling out a black cap he covered his blonde hair and pulled up the hood on his black jumper before moving out of the window and into the night.

Watching him leave Iris felt the dread, there was now so much at stake and she was unsure on how she would handle it. With only part of her memories she had to be careful still and even though she was going to kidnap the Prince she couldn’t quite believe that she would be able to pull it off. A part of her was already imagining the worst-case scenario, that he already knew her identity and that he was going to have her killed along with the two men that had been caught.

I’m so sorry Cas.

Thinking to herself as she hobbled to the sink to freshen herself up, the sinking feeling in her stomach at how she was going to betray Caspain. Someone she knew she still liked deep down. Letting out a shaky breath she turned to look at her door when she heard the knock, she knew it had to be him. Unless they really did know who, she was and that was his father ready to kill her on the spot.

Mustering up the courage she moved to the door with a smile on her face opening it up to see Caspain standing there, looking him up and down she couldn’t help but look to see if he was tired. She knew he hadn’t really slept, and it was hard not to worry about him, she still had feelings for him, and she doubted they would go away. “Hey, you did well! Number one supporter here.” Although the words felt sickening as they left her mouth, she did not support his decision to have them killed but she had to act normal. They shouldn’t affect her.

“Shall we get you that drink?”

[Rogue Sloth]

As soon as he heard the rattle of the doorknob from inside the bedroom, Cas let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He was glad that at least one of the people he’d stopped by to visit was still awake, and the smile on Iris’s face that he could see when she opened the door made his heart swell with joy. “Thanks,” he grinned back at her when she commented on his speech. After learning that his father hadn’t even stayed awake to watch one minute of it, knowing that she had kept her word made him feel warm inside. He also thought it was cute that she referred to herself as his ‘number one supporter.’ It was nice to have someone around who would act like his cheerleader when even his own family was too busy to pay any attention to him. He hadn’t had anyone like that in his life since his mother had passed away.

Without thinking, he took a step toward Iris and leaned down to press his lips to hers in a deep kiss. His hands found their way to the small of her back, and he pulled her to his torso, closing the distance between them completely. Her touch was still new and exciting, but she also had a way of comforting him that no one else could match. Savoring the feeling of the tension ebbing from his body and the heat of her slender frame pressed up against his, he lingered for a moment—or maybe it was longer; it was hard to tell when time seemed to stop—before he finally pulled away to catch his breath.

“Sorry,” he smiled at her sheepishly, although he didn’t let his arms drop from around her waist right away. “I just needed that.” Clearing his throat awkwardly, he stepped back again and dropped his hands into his trouser pockets in a wordless declaration that he would keep them to himself now that he’d gotten the first move out of his system. Since everything was still so new, he hoped he hadn’t overstepped any boundaries by kissing her without any warning. He didn’t know if she was the type to appreciate spontaneity or if she had been taken aback by the gesture and would have preferred him to give her some kind of sign before his lips had crashed into hers.

“I would like that drink now,” Cas confirmed, turning to lead the way down the corridor. He could feel a hint of a blush that had developed in his cheeks, so he opened his mouth again to distract himself from his own chagrin with a conversation. “So, you really thought the address went well?” he asked, glancing down at her as they walked. “To be honest, I don’t remember all of it. I was such a wreck right before I started that the beginning went by in a blur. I think I spoke coherently though, because the audience clapped a few times.”

[sukikyoufu]

Watching his grin, she couldn’t help but beam herself, his smile was infectious and a part of her forgot for a moment on what she needed to do. Gasping as she felt his lips against hers in a deep kiss, the warmth of his hand on the small of her back pulling her close to him and closing the distance between them. The warmth of him against her made her heart race, the excitement as he kissed her and she couldn't help but press up against him wrapping her arms around him as she enjoyed the moment forgetting about Ethan and the whole drama of everything.

Feeling him pull away she was almost in a daze, cheeks tinted red as she felt herself smile looking at his now sheepish grin apologising for what he had done. Though she could still feel his hands on her waist as he commented how he needed it. The speech had to have been tough and thinking on it she was sure he would have gone to see his father about it, but he had made it to her room pretty quick after the speech had ended. Don’t think too much into it. “Don’t apologise, let’s get that drink. Hang out and forget about everything.”

Glancing at his hands as he placed them in his pockets, she nodded to his notion of getting that drink and began to follow him down the corridor. Hesitating as he mentioned the speech she nodded smiling slightly, “Yeah, it was… I guess it kind of shocked me the sentencing, but it was good. You sounded confident. The people loved you.” Walking along she moved to the bar smiling as she had been here once before, it was still as lavish as ever and she remembered their first drinks here and how she was trying different beverages.

“I doubt I could ever speak in public like that, it takes a lot of confidence. No wonder you were a wreck.” Nudging him gently as she sat herself on the booth they had sat at before she looked over at Caspain smiling. “I wish we could do something tomorrow, something fun together. Sneak out, maybe even look for my ID.” Chuckling to herself as she relaxed in the booth changing the subject from his speech, she didn’t really want to discuss it as it would only upset her and she had to ensure that she didn’t act any differently.

“I guess everything has just been a bit much today.” Running fingers through her hair she was glad her blush had calmed down and the urge to kiss him once more had subsided. I can’t let myself get caught up with him, not again. Stick to the plan, get back to the forest. Knock him out, kidnap him from the public eye. Can I really do all of this? She felt conflicted, but he had sent two innocent men to their deaths she to remember that. I’m doing it for them, for my people. “So, what will be your poison today? I do hope you’re not planning on getting drunk. I do have a curfew.” Smirking as she looked over at Cas pushing back any doubts she had on her plan.

[Rogue Sloth]

To Caspian’s relief, Iris didn’t seem upset with him for kissing her without warning. He supposed she was the type to like spontaneity after all. Good news for him. As she told him not to apologize and suggested that they hang out and “forget about everything,” he nodded in agreement. “That sounds amazing right now,” he sighed. Getting his mind off the stress of all the running around he’d been doing, his speech, and the fact that he had, once again, gotten his hopes too high about his father’s reaction to his hard work was all he wanted to do for the rest of the night. A drink at the bar would certainly help him achieve that goal alongside her friendly company.

“Really?” he mused when she went on to say that the sentence for the two terrorists had been shocking to her. It was common knowledge that treason against the crown was punishable by death. Then again, she’d had weird gaps like that in her knowledge since the day he’d picked her up in the woods. He supposed she must have forgotten about some of the laws in the capital alongside her memories of who she was. “I don’t like it either, but it’s what we have to do to make the Scourge think twice about threatening us again,” he shrugged, bringing a hand to his mouth as a weary yawn escaped his lips. “If we give them any leeway, they’ll just take advantage of it.” It was a cold fact that his father had drilled into him since the civil war had escalated. Since he had an empathetic streak, Atlas had been worried that he wouldn’t be hard enough on their enemies if he took over as king before the feud was settled. The monarch had explained the importance of bringing any offenders to justice extensively to make sure he understood.

When they reached the bar, Cas sat down at the booth across from Iris and met her gaze with a fond smile. Her praise was definitely welcome after the neglect from his father that evening. “Yeah, it takes a lot out of you,” he confirmed sagely. “There are a lot of little nuances to pay attention to, and knowing that everyone in the city would know if I made a mistake didn’t help at all.” As he spoke, he saw the bartender quickly organize his station and begin walking over to take their orders from the corner of his eye.

“That would be nice, but unfortunately, this whole place is still on lockdown until those missing rebels are captured,” he exhaled, unbuttoning his suit jacket and shrugging the heavy fabric off his shoulders. Once the jacket had been set down somewhat haphazardly on the seat beside him, he slipped his tie off and added it to the pile so that he was left in only his maroon shirt.

More comfortable than before, he settled down on his side of the booth and laced his fingers together, pushing his arms over his head in a long stretch. “Scotch sours are my weakness,” he replied with a smirk when she asked what he would be drinking, letting his arms fall back down to his sides. “And no. I’m just going to have one glass tonight. Something to celebrate the fact that all this madness is finally over and done with.” Earlier, he’d been tempted to drown his feelings in alcohol, but he tried not to ever become dependent on substances to cope with tough days. It was a bad habit to get into, so instead, he usually compromised by having one or two drinks and catching up on seasons of the various sports he liked to watch or going to bed early.

“Good evening,” Martin bowed politely when he reached their table. “What would you like me to make, Your Highness?”

“The usual for me, and whatever she’s having,” Cas replied, turning from the bartender to his company with a smile. He figured that she’d tried enough cocktails last time they were here to have a better idea of her own palette, so he didn’t make any suggestions.

[sukikyoufu]

That’s something, you didn’t like it either… but still. Surely, he has the power to not do that. I don’t know. I’m overthinking as per usual. Stop it. “I guess.” Smiling slightly as she watched him sit down across from her. Thankfully her praise had hopefully cheered him up so it would only help her try to twist his arm in letting them leave together tomorrow. “Oh really? Well it’s important addressing the people. The idea of making a mistake probably didn’t help your nerves.” Reaching out she gently touched his hand hoping it would reassure him, “It was good though, you should be proud of yourself. I couldn’t tell if you were nervous at all. You appeared confident. Well spoken. As I said before the people adored you, did you hear them cheer for you? You did that.” Well they cheered about killing two innocent people. She thought bitterly to herself.

“I hope so, no more crazy. I don’t think I could quite handle it.” Iris laughed to herself as she got herself comfortable in the booth. “Very nice, scotch sours. I think I have found a good enough cocktail for me. Mimosa will do quite nicely. For that sweet tooth of mine.” Grinning to herself as Martin walked over wishing them a well evening, glancing at Cas as he ordered she turned and smiled at Martin saying how she would like a mimosa. At least she had found a drink she liked after all the samples from last time, hopefully she would regain her full memories soon meaning she would have a bigger idea on her own taste buds. We shall see, I won’t be here long though. Tomorrow and I have to go.

Sighing softly as she looked down at her hands on the table, she felt herself frown, “Do you think you will catch them? The two terror…” Flinching as she couldn’t even finish the words, she shook her head slightly. “Do you think you will catch them?” Meeting his gaze as she repeated her sentence, she knew there was worry in her own eyes, but he could read that as worry for their safety and wellbeing. Not the actual truth of her being worried for the two men who had come to rescue her.

“Sorry… I don’t mean to dampen the conversation. It’s just with everything going on, being on lockdown but still feeling like some sort of prisoner in here. Especially as your father hates me. I’m sure he does… ahh..” Pausing as she realised what she had just said before she hurriedly tried to make it sound better “I shouldn’t have really said that. Ignore me. I’m just rambling…” Stumbling over her words slightly as she began to fiddle with her fingers clearly nervous, a part of her wanted to return to how happy go lucky they had been. The whole not a care in the world and just two people enjoying each other’s company.

“I’m so sorry. You don’t need to listen about my meaningless problems. Not with what you are currently dealing with right now.” Smiling once more as she tried to change the subject to something lighter, “I still have yet to meet those lively friends of yours I've heard so much about.” That probably won’t happen now.

[Rogue Sloth]

Iris’s flattery made Caspian sit up straighter on his side of the booth. It was relieving to hear that she thought he had looked confident, since he had been worried that he hadn’t hidden his nervousness very well at the time. The reminder that the people of the capital had cheered for him throughout the speech was bolstering as well. He didn’t know if he would go so far as to say they adored him, but at the very least, they had approved. That was all he could have asked for, especially when the other high borns were used to his father’s impressive addresses. He had just wanted to show everyone he was competent under pressure.

“Me either,” he shook his head when she said she couldn’t handle any more craziness. It had been a wild week. First he’d found her passed out and bloodied in the woods, then he’d made visits to the hospital every day to check on her, then she had moved in with him and they’d continued their efforts to recover her memories in the city, and then terrorists had almost killed his father and the rest of the madness had ensued. It was enough craziness to last a lifetime, and he was sure it was even more stressful for her.

At her question, Cas nodded. “The military is taking every measure to bring them in,” he assured her. “They’ve got every exit heavily guarded, the streets are being patrolled almost constantly, and no one can get in or out of any public building without a valid capital ID. It won’t take long to smoke them out, and then we can keep working on getting your memories back.” There was no uncertainty in his voice as he spoke. He still wasn’t sure how the rebels had gotten inside the mansion in the first place when the building was already closely monitored, but he trusted the soldiers to eliminate the threats before they could put anyone else’s lives at risk. They just had to sit back and wait for the announcement that the city was safe again.

Iris’s rambling drew a frown to the prince’s face, but she changed the subject before he had a chance to respond to her. “Yeah,” he shrugged when she spoke of his friends. “They won’t be able to visit until the lockdown is lifted though. But it might be for the best.” An amused smile briefly replaced his somber expression. “I don’t think you’ve been taking my warnings about them seriously enough.”

In the next moment, his smile disappeared again, and he sighed. “And… I know my dad can be a lot to handle, but he doesn’t hate you. He just hates the villain he’s made you out to be in his head. I promise he won’t hold it against you forever. He just needs to see proof that you’re not lying, and then you’ll see that he can be… well, he can at least be tolerable when he doesn’t think you’re out to get him or me.” He reached across the table to give her hand a comforting squeeze. He may not have had the best relationship with Atlas, but he knew the monarch well enough to feel certain that he’d ease up on the amnesiac once he saw her for who she really was.

“Here are your drinks, Your Highness,” Martin’s voice caught his attention as the bartender returned to their table with a glass and a champagne flute.

“Thanks, Martin,” Cas retracted his hand from Iris’s and picked up the drink that the other man had just set down on the table. He lifted it to his lips and took a sip, then sighed again with satisfaction. “I swear alcohol tastes better when you’ve earned it.”