"He was the highest ranked and also a friend of her father," Roman said, with a nod. He was also a lot more reliable looking than Romani, so it was no-brainer the girl would take him seriously when he constantly 'softened the mood' as she complained about so often.

Romani could look at that, the change, the insecurity eating him, that expectation. He leans over and reaches out to squeeze his hand, just briefly, it was an awkward parental show of support. Because while he is no longer that ancient king, sometimes he can't forget the magi are in a sense his children. Solomon's. "If he doesn't, you'll try again until he does," he tells him.

No false promises of reassurance, because he knows how easy those expectations could be disappointed by a reason or another. Instead, he offers the encouragement of endurance.