Castin's expression shifts, his eyes going wide with disbelief and then narrowing with suspicion. "What did you just say?" he growls out between clenched teeth. His hand drops to his side, knuckles white from the force of his grip. "You think this is funny?" He takes another step closer, towering over her now. "Is that why you've been acting so strange? Trying to keep something from me?"

"Well," Castin continues in a more measured tone, trying to calm himself down.

Castin pauses, his expression still dark but less furious than before. "You know what?" he says eventually, finally taking a step back away from her. "If it's true... if this is my baby..." He trails off, looking at Ben with an unreadable expression. "...then I guess I owe you one," he murmurs, his voice almost too low to hear.

Without another word, Castin turns and leads the way back towards their quarters once more.

Castin's dreams are filled with images of their perfect future together; traveling the world, experiencing all its wonders side by side, protected by an unbreakable bond that transcends time itself. He pictures them building a life together, surrounded by love and happiness, their children running through the halls of their grand estate. As he dreams, he feels her body pressed against his, warm despite the chill in the air, and vows to never let anything come between them again.

Castin's eyes flutter open as the sound of her soft moan fills his ears. He blinks in the dim light cast by the dying fire, taking in the sight of her beautiful face relaxed in sleep beside him. Her hair is sprawled across the pillow like a halo, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest tells him that she's still asleep.