Regan let the chubby woman manhandle her. Dark eye, dark lip. Whatever the woman wanted, Regan didn’t care. Like a raven with a shiny bauble, she was satisfied with her find. The dress was what she cared about; not so much how it looked but how it made her feel.

Regan’s eyes followed that of Lady La’May. Once again, she looked to Cassian with held breath and a bid for approval. Regan’s brow furrowed for a moment after Cassian spoke. When she put two and two together, her eyes lit up like stars. The bristly little witch who had walked into the room had softened into something almost comedically pliable.

Regan’s lips parted as if to say something before she closed them again. After a moment, she dragged her eyes back to the seamstress and nodded.

This exchange was coming to a close. La’May would need to make quick work of the dress, and then give her hair and make up plans to whoever would be executing them. Cassian had a feeling Regan had developed a sort of comfort in the situation, and saw an opening.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” He said rather summarily, quietly spoken words of departure, his eye still on Regan as he hesitated in case she protested.

“Your majesty—”

The words blurted out in a rushed, needy panic. It was fortunate for everyone present that Lady La’May stood between her and Cassian. Otherwise, Regan’s twitching hands might have reached to keep him from leaving. It was an urge as powerful as it was irrational.

Regan, surprised and embarrassed by the outburst, took a deep deep breath. As much as she wanted to find a reason for Cassian to stay, she couldn’t manufacture a reason that he should. The king had other matters to attend to. She stared at him for a moment, before dipping her head.

“Thank you, sire.” Regan said quietly, though the words seemed insufficient.

Regan’s sudden outburst stilled Cassian and had La’May’s head whipping. Her eyes bounced eagerly between them, keen on witnessing…whatever might ensue. Regan calmed the room with her quiet words. La’May returned to her work.

In the privacy of only Regan’s eyes, Cassian smiled. He might have summoned words to reply with, but he chose not to. Perhaps she would hear all he had to say in the expression. Probably not. Definitely not. There was too much unsaid to be said with just his lips.

Without further ado, the king would make an exit that was not so easily stopped.