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Chapter Text

Maxi finished another calculation and leaned back in her chair tiredly. The lady of Calypse castle rubbed her eyelids and, after a few seconds, looked at the parchment in front of her again. 

The yellowish piece of paper was scribbled with numerous formulas, intricately intertwined with each other. Round spheres turned into squares and triangles, and those turned into even more intricate shapes. There were various inscriptions around the spheres, from explanatory notations to notes in Elvish. 

Max frowned. She had been studying magic for several years now, and before that she had once helped Ruth make a magical artifact. She had even created goblins! But every time she sat down to calculate, the day began to drag unbearably slow. Even though Max was a graduate of the World Tower, she still couldn't believe that powerful magic didn't come from the grandiose sweep of her arms; it came from math and geometry. 

Max took another look at the parchment, but the headache left no choice – she put aside whatever she was doing and slowly got up from her seat. 

It was Ruth, not her, who should be in the library right now, because Riftan had instructed him to update the magical defense artifacts on the walls of the fortress. But the mage, as usual, dumped the most painful part of his duties on her, claiming that it was Maxi's duty as Anatol’s lady to protect her home. Ever since Maxi had officially finished her training at the Tower, Serbel seemed determined to dump all his responsibilities on her shoulders. 

Maxi sighed, folded her sheets in a secluded place and turned to leave the library. She hadn't been able to finish the formula as she'd planned, but now she was plagued by horrible fatigue in addition to her headache. Walking through the cozily decorated corridors of the castle Max couldn't even remember the last time she had felt so tired. Since they had finally returned home, every day was like heaven on earth to her. After many months of battles, monster wars, physical and mental exhaustion, she was finally sleeping on a soft bed, able to eat as much as she wanted, and resting with the servants scurrying about. She was back to her duties as the lady of the castle, with regular visits to the infirmary, but it was nothing compared to what she had endured during the war. Still, for the past week Maxi had felt like her energy was running out the moment she got out of bed. 

Max opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. By her calculations, Riftan should be back in a couple hours. She would have time to lie down and rest and then have dinner with her husband. 

“My lady, are you not feeling well?”

Rudis, noticing her lady’s slightly pale face, put the basket of dirty laundry on the floor and ran up to her. Max forced a smile to reassure her maid. Sometimes she thought Rudis had the same incredible instincts that Riftan had. She always noticed even the slightest change in her mistress's behavior. 

“N-no, it's fine! I just thought I'd take a little nap before dinner.” 

Max tried to speak as vigorously as she could so that Rudis wouldn't worry for nothing. But the maid only gave her a suspicious look. 

“You can go now, I-I won't need anything.”

Rudis finally nodded and picked up the basket.

“Very well, as you say, ma'am. Try to get a good rest.”

With those words, she left the room. 

Left alone, Max sighed heavily. She rubbed her head, which was now starting to feel a little dizzy, and slowly walked over to the window. The season of the rest was nearing its end, but the entire castle still seemed to be in hibernation. Even the ever-noisy knights had been quiet. Max hoped they were finally enjoying their well-deserved rest. For the first time in years, there was a period of peace and quiet in the kingdom, and the knights, as strong as they were, deserved a rest as much as anyone. Of course they would have laughed at her if they knew her thoughts, but Max truly worried for those who had become almost like family to her. 

Speaking of family, how soon will Riftan be back? For the past few days he had had to travel to the harbor to see to the preparations for the upcoming water season. Every time her husband rose from their warm bed in the early morning and prepared to go out into the icy wind and snow, her heart clenched. He continued to work hard to make life in Anatole even more comfortable. She wanted to help him too, doing what she could, but lately it was getting almost impossible. 

Dropping her shoes, Max climbed into bed. Perhaps she really was just tired and a short nap would restore her quickly. She wanted to meet her husband in good spirits. Soon Max fell into a dream. 

***

Maxi woke up to a light touch. She wrinkled her nose and tried to open her eyes. The figure of her husband loomed over her in the semi-darkness of the room, lit by the fireplace. Riftan sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair gently. 

Max tried to sit up, but her body felt like lead. She could only roll over onto her back and rest her face in her husband's warm hand. 

“I'm sorry, I woke you up", a low voice reached her.

Max shook her head.

“I wanted to take a little nap before you got here…”

Her own hoarse voice seemed foreign to her, how long had she slept?

Riftan looked at her with a concerned look.

“Are you all right? Rudis said you looked tired.”

Max smiled weakly. Her husband's care always warmed her heart. 

“I-I'm fine, I just wanted to get some sleep.”

Propping herself up on an elbow, Maxie assumed a half-sitting position and looked around glumly. It was already night outside the window, and the table that was usually set for dinner was cleared. 

“Did I sleep long? I'm sorry, I wanted to have dinner together…”

“Don't be ridiculous, you needed to rest.”

Riftan leaned closer and kissed his wife gently on the forehead. 

“I didn't want to wake you, but you haven't eaten since dinner. I'll get the servants.”

Riftan was already getting out of bed, but Maxi pulled him by the arm:

“N-no, I'm not hungry.”

Truth be told she really hadn't eaten since lunch, but the mere thought of eating right now made her slightly nauseous. Max had obviously slept for hours, but even now she couldn't find the energy to get out of bed. She just wanted to go back to sleep. 

Riftan frowned.

“Are you sure about this?”

Max nodded as vigorously as she could. 

“Y-yeah, I think I'm gonna go back to bed.”

Riftan obviously didn't like the fact that his wife was going to go to bed hungry, but in the end he sighed heavily and nodded. 

“I have to take off your dress, come here.”

Max obediently moved closer and rested her head exhaustedly on her husband's shoulder. Rifthan, meanwhile, began to untie the lacing of her dress. She was grateful that she didn't have to do it herself; she wouldn't have been able to lift a finger now.

Finished with the lacing, Riftan carefully pulled the dress over her head. When she was left in her underwear, Max collapsed back onto the soft bed and buried her face in the pillow. After a while she heard a rustle and soon the mattress sagged under her husband's weight. 

Riftan moved closer and soon Maxie was lying in a ring of strong arms. She breathed in the familiar scent coming from her husband and burrowed into his shoulder. The warmth of his body warmed her bones pleasantly and soon Maxi fell back into a deep sleep, hoping she would feel better in the morning. 

***

Unfortunately, neither the next day nor three days later did her condition improve. There were moments when Maxi was able to recover and do her chores as before, but now, in addition to the fatigue, she was often nauseous. She had even had to give up breakfast a few times because she could only swallow food during lunchtime. 

Riftan began to grow increasingly restless. For the past few days he had been leaving for the harbor early in the morning and returning late at night, but even so he noticed that something was wrong with his wife. Even though Maxi had assured him it was just fatigue, he was ready to turn his affairs over to Hebaron and not leave her side. In the end Maxi agreed to a compromise: she would ask the healer to examine her while Riftan finished his business at the harbor. It was the only way she could convince him not to bother and practically push him out of the bedroom. 

In truth, Maxi had wanted to visit the infirmary for a long time. She was the official healer of the castle, but she had been neglecting her duties for some time now. Though at this time of year no one usually had serious injuries.

As expected, there were only a few patients in the infirmary. Most were servants with burns or cuts. All of them bowed their heads and greeted her cheerfully at the sight of Lady Calypse. 

Maxi smiled softly and walked over to the healer. He had just finished bandaging the young man's arm, who had turned red at the sight of her. To avoid embarrassing him, Maxi went straight to the healer: 

“Good afternoon, Medrick. Do you need any help?”

Medrick finished with the bandage and smiled warmly at her.

“Today, as you can see, there aren't many patients. As I have said many times before, it is better for the body to heal minor injuries on its own."

The elderly man threw a glance somewhere in the corner and scratched his beard.

“Except for that young man over there. I was only able to provide first aid, but he has quite a few deep scratches. It would be better to heal him with magic right away.”

Max nodded and quickly went to the opposite corner. The knight apprentice was half-sitting and half-lying on the bed, and as soon as he saw who was approaching him, he tried to jump up. 

“Mrs. Calypse!” 

Max quickly stopped the young man and made him lie down again. 

“Don't get up, p-please! I need to cast a healing spell.”

The young knight obediently lay back down and froze like a statue. Max swallowed a smile: these boys were always nervous around their mistress and trying to show off themselves somehow. Riftan had once mentioned that every time Max walked past the training ground, he had to keep calming their agitated state for a few minutes. Maxi, in turn, couldn't resist watching her husband train those kids. He would never admit it, but Riftan was actually gentle with them and never raised his voice, ever so patient.

Banishing thoughts of her husband's skills, Maxi took off the bandages and gasped. 

“H-how did you manage to get these wounds?”

The skin on the young knight's arms and body parts was torn in places, as if the young man had been dragged across the stones. 

The knight apprentice was embarrassed and lowered his eyes. 

“It's just training time, it happens a lot…”

Max realized she had embarrassed him and decided to just focus on healing. She concentrated and directed her mana at the young man's wounds. Gradually, one by one, they began to fade away, leaving behind pristine pale skin. 

Just when Maxi tightened the last wound, a familiar voice came from behind her.

“So, did you get the treatment?”

She turned around and saw Gabel standing with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Sir Gabel!”

Maxi was glad to see some of the knights who had seemed to have disappeared for the past few weeks. Or perhaps she was the one who'd been lounging in the library and bedroom, suffering from weakness. 

The knight smiled softly and nodded to her.

“It's good to see you, Lady Calypse. Thank you for taking care of this troublemaker.”

Maxe turned around in surprise and looked at the apprentice, who was already firmly on his feet after the treatment, but with his head down. 

Gabel continued his reprimand.

“He decided to ride a horse at full speed, but couldn't hold on to the saddle and almost broke his neck.” 

The apprentice was still standing with his head down. Maxi saw the young man's ears turn completely red. Gabel sighed, stepped closer and patted him on the shoulder. 

“You're lucky it’s only scratches. Thank your Lady for healing you so quickly.”

The young man raised his head, turned to Maxie, and bowed sharply. 

“Thank you so much!”

Maxi smiled, seeing that he was really quite ashamed of his careless behavior. 

“Happy to n-help. Promise me you'll be more careful from now on.”

The apprentice looked at her with sparkling eyes and nodded. 

“You can go back to the training ground, I'll follow you shortly," Gabel waved to the exit of the infirmary and the young man quickly left.

Max smiled again at her thoughts. She liked the special way her husband's knights treated their apprentices. They always accompanied them to the infirmary if they were injured during training. 

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Gabel's voice.

“Every time you tell them the same thing and it's just goes over their heads.”

The knight sighed and turned to her. 

“By the way, it's been a while since you've been to the training grounds to watch, milady. Are you feeling well?”

Max almost rolled her eyes, feeling his intense gaze. Did she really look that bad? 

“It's all right!” She answered automatically. “It's just that I had a lot to do... And the weather wasn't very pleasant.”

Gabel nodded in agreement. The end of the rest season usually brought chilly winds, rain, and snow. 

“I see.” 

After standing for another second, Gabel sighed and nodded to her:

“Then let me take my leave. I have to make sure those youngsters don't do anything stupid.”

With a slight bow, Gabel walked out of the infirmary. Maxi turned around and spotted a couple more patients whose wounds were slightly more serious than the cuts and set about treating them. 

All of the patients had small wounds that didn't require much mana. Nevertheless, after a couple of minutes Maxi felt herself starting to feel dizzy. Quickly dealing with the last one, she took a seat on the bed herself and lay down on the cushions. 

Medrick, who had also finished treating the remaining patients and escorted the last of them out of the infirmary, immediately approached her worriedly.

“My lady, are you unwell?”

Maxi wanted to reply that she was fine, but that would have been a lie. The dizziness wasn't severe, but she wouldn't be able to stand flat on the floor now. 

Instead, she said:

“It's nothing serious, but I've been feeling a little sick lately. I'll feel better in a couple of minutes.” 

Medrick placed his hand on her forehead and scrutinized her face. Judging by the expression in his eyes, Maxi wasn't dead pale. On the contrary, she could feel her cheeks burning. 

“A-actually, I've been meaning to ask you if there's any herb that would make me feel better. Sometimes I feel so weak that I can't perform my daily duties.”

Medrick looked at her carefully once more, then asked: 

“You feel dizzy?”

“S-sometimes, but more often I just feel weak. And at t-times I feel nauseous...”

As Maxi tried to remember what other symptoms she'd noticed in herself, Medrick's face took on a strange expression. 

He walked over to his many jars and vials of herbs and began to look for something, asking questions along the way.

“How long have you had this condition?”

Maxie hesitated for a moment. 

“I think it's been two weeks.”

She looked worriedly at the healer. Was she really sick? Could it be something serious? But otherwise she felt fine. How could she get sick in the warmth of the castle?

Medric stopped abruptly. He rubbed his hands together nervously, turned slowly to Maxie, and asked the question she least expected to hear. 

“I'm sorry milady, but I have to ask you... When was the last time you bled?”

Maxie blinked dumbly. Bled? What was he talking about? She hadn't scratched herself once, what did blood have to do with anything? 

However, just a second later, something clicked in her head. Maxi's face instantly turned crimson. In a matter of moments, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. At first Maxi felt embarrassed that a man was asking her that. Then she started counting the months to answer his question. But it wasn't until she thought about why he was asking it that she almost stopped breathing. 

"No, this can't be. This is impossible" she thought to herself.

Maxi raised her head and looked at Medrick with dazed eyes, then sat up abruptly. 

“I-I don't remember. I think it was three months ago, but… You don't think I...?”

Medrick scratched his beard and started rummaging through his jars again. Maxie, meanwhile, was frantically going over the last few months in her head. Yes, the bleeding had been a long time ago, but it had never been regular before. 

She was about to say that to Medrick when another thought came to mind. In fact, Maxi had noticed as early as a year ago that the bleeding had been coming more frequently. After years of living in Anatole and in the World Tower, her body had grown stronger, and the care of her husband and everyone around her had seemingly soothed her body. Could it be, then...?

Her heart began to pound frantically in her chest. Maxi tried with all her might to calm down, she couldn't allow herself false hope. What if Medrick was wrong?

Meanwhile, the wizard pulled out a stone of some kind. Maxie realized that it was a mana stone. 

“You're a wizard, after all, so we have a way to check it.”

He twirled a crystal-like stone in his hand, then held it out to her. 

“Pour some of your mana in here.”

Maxi didn't quite understand how a mana stone could help them, but she obediently reached out and injected her mana nonetheless. The stone glowed slightly. Maxi looked at Medrick to see what it meant, but he only ordered her to lie back down on the bed. Maxie obeyed again. 

As soon as she assumed a horizontal position Medrick suddenly began to move the stone over her body, from head to toe. Maxi watched his movements mesmerized and soon began to feel the stone gradually enveloping her in threads of mana. The threads stretched, grew thicker and thicker and began to twist. Max felt a strange tugging sensation in her lower abdomen and looked down. It was only for a second, but she saw the barely perceptible threads of mana swirling over her belly like a ball of yarn. 

Maxi's heart skipped a beat. 

Medrick finished his ritual and slowly put the stone back. Max stared at him, hesitant to hear the answer. She tried so hard not to let a gleam of hope sprout in her chest, not to let it hurt. But it was all in vain, a strange feeling was already growing inside, and before the healer could answer, she realized she was praying desperately without knowing what for. 

Medrick turned to her agonizingly slowly. For a whole second he was silent, and that second seemed longer than eternity to Maxi. Finally a slight smile lit up the old healer's face and he said: 

“Don't worry, it's only natural for you to feel this way, because... You're with a child.” 

Maxi forgot she had to breathe. Medrick spoke in a quiet, soft voice, but to her it sounded louder than any clap of thunder. Her mind, which until a moment ago had been full of various thoughts and worries, emptied in an instant. Probably if someone had asked her to tell her name, she would not have been able to do so. Maximilian Calypse had forgotten absolutely everything in the world. 

Medrick smiled a little wider, realizing that his lady was in deep shock at the moment. He took the mana stone in his hand again and began to explain.

“As you know, a wizard's mana is inextricably linked to his life force. Mana flows in us as a continuous stream, becoming stronger when we are full of strength, or weaker when we are exhausted. But there are times when the usual flow of mana is disturbed due to...some changes.”

Maxi began to slowly come to her senses. 

“Since mana is equated with life force, it is easy to notice if a female wizard's mana flows differently from now on. Because now she has to support not one life, but two.” 

Maxi slowly averted her gaze and looked at her stomach. 

It just can't be. 

Everything went blurry and she realized she was crying. Gradually the realization began to engulf her like sea waves gaining strength. 

She's pregnant. 

She's having a child. 

She and Riftan are having a child. 

Maxi raised her wet eyes to the healer and whispered quietly. 

“Th-thank you.”

Medrick bowed his head.

“Congratulations, ma'am.”

***

Maxi paced nervously back and forth across the room. With each step she felt like flying. Her stomach was cramping from the bubbling feeling inside, and her heart had been pounding like a drum for an hour. Maxi felt like she was going to scream at the top of her voice. 

God only knows how hard it was for her to get ahold of herself after the visit to the infirmary and stay calm for the rest of the day. She wanted to share her happiness with everyone she knew as soon as possible, but Riftan had to be the first to know the news. Just thinking about his reaction made Maxi feel cold and hot at the same time. She still remembered the pain with which he had looked at Rosetta and her son during his baptism. He had been more worried about her that day, but there was no escaping the look of longing in his eyes. 

Riftan had always wanted to have a child. Even when he, in fear for her life, had restrained himself and kept his distance, to keep her from getting pregnant during the war. He had always wanted a family. Maxi saw that and was ready to jump in joy, for his dream would soon come true. 

Time dragged agonizingly slowly. Maxie had to lock herself in her bedroom because she couldn't be sure she wouldn't tell the happy news to the first person she met in the castle. She paced the room, tried to read a book, scrutinized her flat stomach in the mirror trying to see a hint of rounding and thought endlessly about how she would tell her husband everything. 

At first she wanted to think of something creative. However, Maxi overestimated the power of her imagination, because even after hours of thinking, nothing came to her mind. Then she thought about going and asking Ruth to check everything again just in case Medric was wrong. It wasn't that Maxi didn't trust the healer, but she couldn't give Riftan false hope and then upset him. That would be unbearable. 

With a tremendous effort of will, she managed to calm her anxiety, convincing herself that Medric was an experienced wizard who had taught her a lot, and that there was no reason to go to Ruth. Besides, only pregnancy could explain Maxi's state in recent weeks.

She finally calmed herself down, repeating a hundred times that only Riftan should be the first to know, and continued to wait for him. 

As the setting sun illuminated the room with its red rays, Max heard a noise. With a racing heart, she ran to the window. 

Riftan is back. 

She watched as her husband deftly jumped off the Talon despite the slippery ground and handed the reins to a servant. Maxi had seen him repeat those motions hundreds of times, but it still took her breath away. How could her husband look so elegant and menacing at the same time in any weather? 

For a second, she even forgot that she would have to share some important news with him very soon. It wasn't until he started up the stairs that the unpleasant feeling settled in her stomach again. Maxi bit her lip and tried to calm herself. She should present the news to him as dignified and calmly as possible, but she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to get the words out and would start sobbing uncontrollably. 

Maxi sat back in her chair and crumpled her dress in her hands. For a few minutes the only sound she heard was the beating of her own heart. But then footsteps sounded outside the door and someone gently turned the knob. 

For the umpteenth time that day, Maxi thought she was about to faint. 

Riftan stepped inside and closed the door behind him. His eyes immediately found her sitting in a chair by the fireplace. Maxi tried to smile as calmly as possible. 

“W-well, you're back already?”

Riftan raised one eyebrow and was about to say something, but he realized that water was dripping off of him and began to remove his wet cloak and boots so as not to stain the floor. 

“I think we can leave things as they are until the middle of the water season. I didn't realize negotiating with Balbon would be so difficult. They kept saying that-”

His words were cut short when Maxie suddenly snapped out of her seat, running up to him in a flash and wrapping her arms around his neck. Riftan froze for a second, then hugged her back. 

Maxi had planned to stay calm and break the news in a dignified manner, but before she knew it, her feet were carrying her to her husband. She hugged his neck tightly and inhaled his scent, unable to tear herself away. She felt like she was going to start crying in his arms. 

Riftan, still holding her tightly, kissed her temple and asked:

“How are you feeling? Have you been to Medric's?”

Maxi felt her eyes begin to burn, quickly pulled away from her husband and walked to the middle of the room, not daring to turn around. 

“Y-yes, I stopped by as I promised.” 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Riftan's face gradually take on the worried expression he was trying to hide behind the cold mask. He quickly removed his cloak and boots, his movements abrupt and nervous.

“And what did he say?”

Maxi waited for him to put the wet stuff aside.

“I'm actually fine. B-but I'm probably not going to feel my best for a while…”

Hearing those words, Riftan frowned and quickly walked over to her.

“What do you mean, "for a while"? For how long? Are you sick?”

Maxie hurried to reassure him.

“N-no, I'm totally fine!”

Riftan began to slowly lose patience.

“Then why would you feel bad? That old man should be retired by now, we should call Ruth…”

Maxi waved her hands, realizing that if she didn't tell her husband the truth right away, he'd soon be panicking.

“N-no, everything’s good! Too good actually...”

She felt her ears begin to burn. Riftan stared at her, waiting for clarification.

“Maxi, what's going on?”

Maxie couldn't understand why it was so hard for her to open her mouth and say a few words. Never in her life had it been so hard for her to reveal the truth. Her heart was pounding harder by the second, and it was getting harder to breathe.

Max frantically circled the room with her eyes. Their bedroom was a true trait of tranquility for both of them. Whatever their day held, both Riftan and Maxi could come here and relax in complete silence. It suddenly occurred to her that this tranquility would soon be broken.

“ It’s j-just…”

Maxie blushed and began to rub the hem of her dress.

“It'll be a little less quiet in the castle.” 

She timidly raised her eyes to her husband, foolishly expecting him to immediately realize what she meant. But Riftan continued to stand there with a puzzled expression on his face. 

“What? What's the castle got to do with it? I was asking about your health.”  

Max was ready to flop under the ground while simultaneously berating herself for her cowardice.

“I-I mean, soon there's gonna be someone who's going to disturb our peace.”

Now Riftan was completely confused. His onyx eyes continued to glare at the top of her head.

“Who's that? Is someone coming? Maxi, for God's sake, what's going on?”

Maxie squeezed her eyes shut. She knew she was making him worry, but the right words just wouldn’t come to her mind.

“I-I really was at Medrick's today... And he explained w-why I have been feeling like this.”

Max could feel Riftan barely holding back to let her tell her everything herself, whatever it was.

“It's not a disease, or something bad…”

She looked around the room again.

“And it'll make a real difference in our lives at the castle.”

She pulled herself together and looked up. Riftan was looking at her, and she could see in his gaze that his mind was racing with thoughts, probably one worse than the other. Max smiled weakly: her husband was always used to calculating the worst possible options. She allowed herself to admire his face for a second. The way his dark hair, slightly wet from the rain and snow, fell over his eyes. The way his fathomless gaze enveloped her like the darkness of the night; his masculine features, honed by years of hard and dangerous life as an orphan, mercenary and knight. Maxi wanted to memorize his face before she told him something that would change their lives forever. 

She felt a sob come to her throat.

“This "someone" will be very small and loud. Th-they will be crying and sleeping all the time, b-but they will love us very much…”

With trembling hands, Maxi took his palm in hers and slowly brought it to her stomach.

 “And w-we'll love them too.”

Riftan seemed to have turned into a statue. He just stood there, staring at her belly and touching it where Maxi had placed his hand. 

She looked at her frozen husband and thought he still didn't understand her words, but suddenly his face changed. She saw his eyes widen, his eyebrows lift slightly, and a wrinkle crease his forehead. His breathing quickened, and the hand still resting on her stomach trembled.

He slowly raised his completely disbelieving and slightly mad eyes to her. His face reflected a bizarre mixture of surprise, disbelief and fear, but above all, happiness. Maxi thought that she would remember this look on his face for the rest of her life.

His eyes began to alternately run from her face to her stomach and back again.

“Is this…" he said with a hoarse voice. “Is this true?”

The hope and fear in his voice broke whatever had left in Maxi of her self-restraint. She nodded, feeling tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I am with a child.”

Riftan's body twitched, as if it was struck by lightning. He stared at her without breaking away, even though the rays of the setting sun were blinding his eyes. The amount of pure love, adoration, and admiration in his gaze made Maxi's heart ache, and tears sprang to her eyes. 

“I-I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but they’ve probably been with us for two months already, and-”

Maxi was unable to speak, for she was immediately caught in a ring of strong arms. Riftan squeezed her in his embrace so tightly that it was hard for her to breathe. But Maxi didn't dare to complain. She hugged him back as hard as she could and felt her husband trembling. Her fearless and invincible husband trembled in her arms like a small child and the thought made her feel both warm and sad. 

Maxi was inhaling the familiar scent and lightly stroking his broad back when she felt something wet fall on her neck. Her husband was crying against her shoulder. Before she could properly consider the thought, Riftan pulled away abruptly, took her face in his palms, and nestled his lips against hers. Max felt the salty taste and clutched at his shirt, feeling his rapid heartbeat. 

Riftan kissed her like a drowning man clutching at a straw, fiercely and gently at the same time. At one point, when Maxi couldn’t hold her breath anymore, he pulled away from her lips and began showering quick kisses on her cheeks, eyelids, nose, and forehead. Maxi giggled.

Riftan raised his head again and looked at her intently with glowing eyes. The anxiety disappeared from his gaze, gradually giving way to a frenzy of joy. He kept staring at her and couldn't look away. Maxi blushed and lowered her gaze, stroking her belly lightly.

“That's w-why I was so tired. You shouldn't have worried.”

Riftan let out a chuckle.

“I haven’t even begun worrying yet.” 

Maxi wanted to raise her head and look at him, but Riftan suddenly knelt down in front of her. With a reverent expression on his face, he ran his hand over her belly and nestled his lips against it. Maxi's face flushed, but she felt incredibly warm. She stood, not daring to move away and stroked his soft hair with her hands. His warm breath penetrated beneath her dress and sent shivers down her spine. Riftan had never been a religious man, but right now he looked like a devout believer prostrating before a holy icon. 

Max thought that whoever their future child was, he or she was already loved dearly by two people with all their hearts.

They stood like that for a long time, until the last rays of the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon.

Chapter Text

Riftan didn't understand why he was here. He didn't understand why he'd been sitting in a meeting room for an hour instead of spending every minute with his wife. His pregnant wife. 

In the last ten minutes, Riftan had remembered that his wife was actually pregnant ten times. And each time he wanted to drop the paperwork, jump up and run to her. But Riftan didn't, because, paradoxically, he was sitting in the meeting for the very reason that his wife was carrying his child. 

It had been three days since he'd heard the news. All these days he hadn't been able to let Maxi out of his arms. They hadn't left the bedroom, even during lunch and dinner. However, if Riftan had told anyone that most of the time he and his wife just talked, no one would have believed him. But that's exactly what happened. Maxi and Riftan spent hours talking about everything and nothing at the same time. They wondered if it would be a boy or a girl, and wondered what the baby would look like. They planned where they would put the crib in the bedroom and remembered names they liked. Riftan could have spent his whole life in their bedroom, cuddling his wife and daydreaming as he waited for his child to be born, but one thought superseded all others – the safety of their home was now the top priority. 

As a result, Riftan called a meeting of the knights. Such meetings were held regularly, so no one was surprised. The knights also were not surprised by Riftan's eagerness to check every corner of the castle for weaknesses and to reinforce the magic artifacts around the fortress. Despite the fact that the number of monsters had decreased considerably, one should never relax; this was the essence of a knight's life. In addition, with the beginning of the water season, more and more guests and merchants would be coming to Anatole, which meant that many strangers would be hanging around the castle one way or another. 

No one present here had any idea that the main reason for increased security in the castle was now the size of a walnut in their lady’s belly.

Riftan took the next sheet of parchment and ran his eyes over it. He was grateful for his years of strengthening and protecting Anatol. Even now, the Calypse castle could be considered the safest place in all of Wedon. Riftan tried to convince himself of that, but the growing anxiety inside was not going anywhere. On the contrary, he realized that it would only get worse with time. 

Riftan handed the parchment to Gable and nodded. The plan to check and strengthen the castle's security was approved. 

“We'll start with the plan tomorrow. Right after I find that bloody wizard, damn him”.

A chuckle came from the right. Hebaron leaned lazily back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

“Serbel's really getting cocky. He's kept his head down all season. I wouldn't be surprised if our lady ends up making artifacts for him”.

Riftan shuddered slightly. No, he would definitely find Ruth after the meeting and chase him off to fulfill his duties. 

Pulling himself together, Riftan picked up the last sheet on the table. Something he'd been running from for too long, but he couldn't continue doing that anymore. 

“Make sure we're ready to receive a royal envoy soon”.

The meeting room fell into silence. Ursulin  was the first to speak.

“Royal envoy? Are we expecting visitors from the capital?”

Riftan nodded.

“I have sent a letter to the king that I will soon officially accept the title of a duke”.

After a short silence, Hebaron whistled.

“Well, well, well, commander. It took you long enough”.

Riftan gave him an unkind look, but he knew he was right. The king had been ready to present him with the title for a long time, but Riftan had delayed the official part. He understood as well as anyone that despite the honor, the title of duke would bring a lot of problems and new obligations. After the war, he had no desire to think about it and waste precious quiet time with his wife. That was why, for many months now, he had been finding new reasons to postpone the official signing of the documents. He probably would have continued to run around if it hadn't been for the unexpected surprise. 

Riftan stared at the remaining parchment.

“I have to, for I have to sign the damn papers to amend the heir document”.

Silence hung in the room again. 

“An heir?” Elliot asked, as all the knights looked at his commander with a perplexed look.

Riftan froze. He hadn't intended to reveal the truth to them like this, hadn't even planned to do it anytime soon. Damn him and his choice of words. 

Without raising his head he replied in as even a voice as possible.

“With becoming a duke, there will be some new points that need to be put into the document”. 

He had hoped the knights would be content with just that explanation. But of course he had underestimated their curiosity. 

“That's true, but do we have to rush into this?” Hebaron was genuinely perplexed, "We have enough to do without these royal errand boys. Why don't we leave it for next season?”

Riftan set aside the parchment, which was already a little crumpled, and folded his hands in front of him. There was a strange sense of unease growing inside that irritated him. Damn it, he had led his knights into some of the worst battles, so why now couldn't he calmly share the pleasant news with the men he trusted the most?

Realizing that his silence had gone on too long, Riftan inhaled and, without taking his gaze from his palms, said: 

“I'm afraid I have no more time. As of late the question of an heir is... the top priority”.

If the silence in the room had been merely noticeable before, now it had become literally suffocating. Riftan could have sworn he could hear the cook talking in the kitchen all the way from his seat, it was that quiet. 

He raised his gaze to the knights. Perhaps only now, when they saw their captain's eyes slightly shining with happiness, did the knights begin to understand the meaning of his words. Riftan could see how their expressions changed, from surprise to genuine joy. 

“Commander!” It was Elliot “Is that what we think it is?”

Riftan suddenly felt awkward and only nodded weakly, trying to hide the smile that was breaking through. 

At the same moment, the meeting room shook with a roar of joy. Some of the knights jumped up from their seats and looked alternately at Riftan and at each other. 

“Ha, I knew something was up after I saw that stupid look on your face this morning!”

Hebaron laughed heartily and went over to pat his commander on the shoulder and added a little more quietly:

“Congratulations. To you both”. 

Riftan only nodded. Seeing the reaction of his subordinates he suddenly realized two things. 

One – he's really going to be a father soon. 

Two – the knights already loved the future heir more than they did their own commander. 

And for some reason, the second thought calmed his anxiety slightly. He was not alone. He had people willing to risk their lives for lady Calypse and her child. He could trust them.

Riftan declared the meeting over and slowly made his way out of the office. On his way out, he was clapped on the shoulder and congratulated from all sides. He had never seen his knights so excited. Even when they had finally defeated Secto, their reactions had been more subdued. Both times. But now, even the perpetually cold Ursulin was smiling. 

Riftan grinned and left the study. He was sure that by the end of the day the whole castle would know about Maxi's pregnancy, and that he would be bombarded with questions from the knights who had not attended the meeting today. Normally, Riftan hated it when anyone pried into his life. It was still the same, but for some reason now he felt the urge to tell everyone that he was the happiest man in the world.

***

The winter berry pie had been created by divine forces. Maxi was convinced of that. 

After a few days in the chambers with her husband, she finally forced herself to go out and eat in the dining room. The first euphoria of the happy news was beginning to dissipate, giving way to nausea. Max was grateful that her condition usually improved by lunchtime, but she still couldn't bring herself to swallow some of the food. 

Today the castle cook had prepared a rich soup that smelled incredible, but Maxi realized that if she tried to swallow even half of it, she would vomit. She then wanted to go for the second course, but the sight of meat on her plate made her feel even worse. And potatoes with greasy gravy were not even worth thinking about.

Rudis noticed that her mistress was hesitant and hadn't started eating yet. 

“You don't like it, my lady? Shall I bring something else?”

Maxi was about to apologize and guiltily ask Rudis to bring her only hot bread and butter when her nose smelled something new. She turned around and saw that a piece of fresh pie with sour berries had been placed in front of her. Surprisingly, her stomach rumbled at the sight of the dish. And not from nausea at all.

Maxi decided to try her luck, carefully slid the plate over and sent a small piece into her mouth. Realizing that the pie did not cause any unpleasant urges, she, almost with tears in her eyes, began to eat it quickly. Rudis, seeing her mistress devouring the pie, ran to get more. 

That was how Maxi had come to the conclusion that this pie had been sent down by a higher power. The soft dough filled her stomach pleasantly, and the acidity of the berries lessened the nausea. In addition to the pie, Rudis brought her some herbal tea. Maxi drank the hot liquid in small sips and felt like the happiest person in the world. Suddenly she had all her strength back. 

Finished with lunch, Max decided to take a walk and go around the main outbuildings of the castle. She had asked Rudis to bring her warm cloak and quill with parchment, as she clenched her hands together impatiently. Her brain was still in an agitated state, and her body wanted to throw itself back into her husband's arms, so Maxi needed a distraction. She really needed to see how the preparations for the aquarias were going. It would probably get harder for her to walk around after a while, so it would be wise to continue with her duties while she had time.

Max imagined what it would be like for her to strut around with a big belly and felt herself getting warm. 

In the very next second, however, the warm feeling was replaced by sharp anxiety. 

How hard will it be for her? Will she be able to handle it?  

What if she has the same problems as her mother? 

Maxi shook her head, trying to chase away the fearful thoughts. All these past days, the presence of her husband, who was literally glowing with happiness, had served as a shield from her hidden fears. But now the realization was finally coming to her: she had no idea what she was about to face. Max's knowledge of pregnancy and childbearing was not much different from Riftan's. She knew it was hard, that it hurt. And that you could die from it. Just like her mother. 

Before Maxi could further scare herself, Rudis returned with a warm cloak. Max quickly pulled the cloth over herself, picked up the parchment and went outside. 

Anatol was gradually coming out of hibernation, though there still was a chilly wind. The sun came out for the first time in days, illuminating the small amount of snow that still lay on the frozen ground. Soon it would melt and puddles would appear everywhere, and birds would sing in the air to signal the end of the cold. 

Maxi breathed in a full chest of cool air and calmed her nerves. Yes, a walk outside would certainly help her. She would just tackle one problem after another. Just like she always did. 

Fearing that her anxious thoughts would rise to the surface again, lady Calypse zealously began her work. She went from one building to another, starting with the stables. The head stable keeper was quick to assure her that they needed nothing and were gradually preparing for the warm season. Maxi was glad to hear that, though some part of her sometimes regretted that the castle had gotten along so nicely without a mistress. After all, she enjoyed helping Anatol's people. 

Before leaving, Maxi said hello to Rem and apologized that she hadn't stopped by in a while. Suddenly she realized that she wouldn't be able to ride her horse for a long time, and got warm all over again. 

Max stroked Rem's mane one last time and walked out of the stables. She was beginning to realize that she would soon have to change almost all of her usual routine. The thought was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. 

Maxi paid a quick visit to the smithy. She enjoyed visiting the Godric brothers, but they were always so busy that she would often get kicked out. As usual, the smithy was bustling with work. Since the discovery of the orichalcum deposits, the brothers had worked tirelessly to learn how to use the stone's properties as effectively as possible. 

Maxi was happy to see that her friends were settling in perfectly in Anatole. Gradually, they even began to voluntarily socialize with the castle's inhabitants. 

“Mudlady! Long time no see!”

Maxi only smiled when she heard the nickname. She loved how the servants in the castle would almost faint every time when they heard someone call their mistress a “mudlady”. It was pretty amusing.

“It's good to see you t-too. I was just wondering if everything's ready for the season. Is th-there something you need?. 

Her question was barely audible over the clatter of the hammer on the anvil in the corner, but the Umli understood and shook their heads. 

“We can't think of anything," one replied. 

“Yeah, everything's under control for now. Though, you could ask to hire a couple of assistants," the other one added. 

Maxi nodded, made a quick note on the parchment, and hurried away from the stuffy room. 

After walking a few steps it occurred to her that she hadn't even thought to tell them her big news. They're her friends, after all. They should know. Max thought about turning back, but stopped. 

No, she would only distract them from their business. There were a lot of people in the smithy, and it wasn't exactly perfect to have a private conversation.

Eventually, Maxi continued walking. Suddenly the thought crossed her mind of how Annette and Sidina would react when she told them she was pregnant. Sidina would certainly express her reaction very energetically, while Annette would only limit herself to a few phrases. At least that's what Max thought. She realized that she missed them very much. She hoped her friends would be able to come this year during the fire season. At least Sidina had promised to try to get officially stationed in Anatole. 

Maybe she'll even make it before the baby is born. 

Maxi's thoughts returned to the fact that right now there was a tiny human growing inside of her, and she faintly stroked her belly under the warm cloak. It was strange how absolutely everything in Maxi's life had changed in just a few days, and yet nothing at the same time. Perhaps she just hadn't fully realized it all yet. 

A noise brought her out of her musings. Nearby, the rhythmic sounds of steel hitting steel and orders being given could be heard. Maxi looked up and realized in surprise that her feet had led her to the knights' training field. 

Right now, there were about two dozen knight apprentices practicing on the field. They were in pairs practicing sword strokes. A familiar figure stood in front of them with his arms crossed over his chest. 

Maxi smiled. It was Ursulin. 

Max turned her head slightly and found no sign of her husband. Perhaps he had already gone somewhere else. Though, to be honest, she had no idea where he might be. 

Max moved carefully towards the castle, trying not to distract the knights. She was almost past the barracks when suddenly she heard a boisterous voice. 

“My lady!”

She turned around, already knowing who it was. Hebaron was running at full speed toward her. 

The red-haired knight was at her side in no time, smiling full-mouth. Maxi couldn't help but smile back. 

“Good afternoon, sir Nirtha. How are you? Is there's something that-”

Before she could finish her sentence, Hebaron turned his head and gave a ringing shout. 

“Hey, what are you all doing in there? Everybody get over here, out lady's here!”

Max looked out from behind the knight's back and saw familiar faces gradually coming out of the barracks. 

Elliot, Gable, Yurixion, and Garrow all brightened as one when they saw her. 

Yurixion was the first to run up to her. 

“Madam! How nice to see you! How are you feeling? Aren't you cold? What are you doing outside in this weather? Are you allowed to go out, you're-”

Before Yurixion could finish speaking, a hand came down on his shoulder and Garrow deftly shoved his partner as far back as possible. 

“I'm sorry, milady, he's just too excited. As usual”. 

Max chuckled softly when she saw the hurt look on Yurixion's face. He hadn't changed a bit. 

“I-it's all right! It's really good to see everyone, too. I hope you're doing well. I was just checking to make sure e-everything is ready for the upcoming season”.

“Your care is always very gratifying," Gable said softly, "But, please, tell us about yourself. How are you doing? I hope you're not overworked, it's cold and you'd better rest”.

Max thought the knight remembered their recent meeting in the infirmary. Perhaps, seeing her condition then, he thought she was overworked.

“Don't worry, I'm f-fine! Compared to you, all I do is rest..”.

Gable smiled again. He had always been the most courteous and gentle among the knights, but this time Maxi sensed that he was acting particularly cautious. 

“So you're really feeling well, then?” Elliot asked. 

Max didn't have time to answer before another familiar voice sounded.

“Our lady has a lot to do, why are you all crowding in here and bothering her?”

It was Ursulin, who also walked over to them and stood in the semicircle the knights had formed. Max caught a glimpse of the apprentices scattering behind them, staring at her in surprise. 

“Hello to you too, sir Ricardo”.

Ursulin nodded quickly, greeting her and lingering his eyes on her for a moment. It seemed to Maxi that despite his usual stern expression, he was actually having a bit of fun. 

In fact, all the knights were looking at her strangely. 

Max suspected something was wrong. 

“Uh, yeah, like I said, I'm fine. I-I just wanted to see if you needed any help. I hope you had a good rest during the cold weather”. 

Hebaron scratched the back of his head.

“We indeed had a good rest, although apparently we're all going to be restless very soon”.

Max noticed the other knights giving him a quick glance, and Elliot nudged Nirtha lightly with his elbow. The second one only snorted.

Max only stared at them incomprehensibly. 

“Sir Nirtha means that there will be many guests coming to Anatole soon," Elliot began to explain. “So, as the commander has instructed, we'll be monitoring safety”. 

The answer seemed convincing to Max, but she had a feeling that the knights were not telling her something. And in her years of knowing them, Maxi had learned that she should always trust her gut. 

“I see... So is that why Riftan called you to the meeting today?”

The knights froze as if they were splashed with ice water, but in the next second it seemed to Max that she was facing a pack of misbehaving boys. These tall, muscular men who could wring the neck of a monster with their bare hands had suddenly turned into children and didn't know what to do with themselves. 

It was definitely suspicious now. 

“Right..." Elliot finally answered, looking away. “That was the reason. It was just another boring meeting…”

“Boring as it can be" Hebaron said.

"Yes! Nothing new!” Yuri agreed, stepping forward again.

“Absolutely nothing," Gable added.

“Totally absolutely nothing," Garrow finished.

Ursulin covered his face with his hand and let out a groan.

Max stared at Hebaron, who had suddenly discovered an unprecedented interest in the stone pavement of the castle courtyard. He refused to lift his head and meet her gaze. 

“Did something happen?” She finally asked. 

Hebaron, who continued to drill the ground with his eyes, shrugged. 

Max was so surprised by the behavior of the knights that she couldn't even worry. She knew their reaction to disturbing news too well. This time, whatever it was, absolutely certainly wasn't a threat.

“Does this have something to do with Riftan?” 

She shifted her gaze to Ursulin, who seemed the most collected of them all. 

In response to her questioning look, the man tensed up, but quickly answered. 

“No, it's not like that, my lady, nothing bad has happened, it's just…”

He looked away and scratched the back of his head. 

“Just please don't worry yourself. It may not be good for your health right now…”

First Max noticed a slight blush on the faces of almost all the knights. Then she felt her own cheeks begin to burn.

They knew.

“Oh..." was all she could manage to utter. 

Maxi stood there, not knowing what to say in response. She hadn't expected them to find out the news so quickly. They had definitely gotten it from Riftan.

She blushed even more. He couldn't have called the meeting just for that, could he? 

Yurixion could not hold it anymore and exclaimed. 

“Forgive us, but we know everything, my lady!”

“The captain didn't want to tell us, really!” Elliot added. “It turned out to be an accident…”

Everyone else nodded in support.

Suddenly she felt very happy. Her lips began to spread into a smile. 

Now she understood their behavior. They knew that their milady was pregnant and wanted to find out how she was feeling, trying not to be intrusive. Their attempts to be tactful now seemed charming to Maxi. 

Elliot, seeing that their lady was not at all annoyed, asked timidly.

“So it's really true, then?”

Max, unable to stop smiling, nodded. 

“Y-yes, it’s true”. 

The knights, as one, smiled widely and began to congratulate her. They looked genuinely happy. 

Except Yurixion, who looked like he was about to cry, because he was that moved. Garrow slapped him on the back saying that he needs to pull himself together.  

Maxi giggled and smiled brightly at them. 

“So how are you feeling?” Elliot asked, trying to keep everyone quiet. 

“I-It's all good now. You don't have to worry”. 

Hebaron chuckled.

“Oh, believe me, no one on this earth can worry about you more than the commander does”. 

Hebaron paused and then added with a soft smile. 

“But we're really happy for you. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask”. 

Maxi suddenly felt tears about to come to her eyes. She couldn't understand why the knight's words had moved her so much. Maybe it was because she knew it was the truth. Or maybe it was because her emotions hadn't seemed to obey her will lately. 

Thank goodness she was able to restrain herself and only nodded slightly in acknowledgement. 

“I can't imagine how pleased the commander was," Garrow said suddenly.

Maxi remembered her husband's reaction and felt a warmth spill inside. She felt a sudden urge to hug him. 

“That's right," Gable said. “It was the first time I'd ever seen him so happy. It was kind of strange”.

Maxie giggled, but stopped when a voice suddenly came from behind her. 

“What was strange?”

She turned around and saw Riftan approaching them. He really did have a gift for showing up at just the right moment. 

Riftan stood beside her and looked at the gathered crowd with interest. 

“What are you talking to my wife about while your apprentices are out there doing nothing?”

Hebaron smiled slyly.

“Oh, come on, practice is over, so we can have a chat with our favorite lady. We haven't seen each other in a long time, so we wanted to catch up on all the news”.

Riftan squinted, but then just sighed. Of course after the news his knights had run to his wife first. These fools adored her. 

“If you're done, do something useful”. 

“Whatever you say, commander," Hebaron said in a cheerful tone, "See you soon, my lady”.

All the knights took turns saying goodbye to her and scattered. Then Riftan, with one arm around her, led her into the castle. Maxi unconsciously clung to him. No fur cloak warmed her better than the warmth of her husband. 

“Are you cold? Why did you go outside in this weather?”

Riftan threw the edge of his cloak over her and pulled her close. 

“I went out to make sure everything was ready for the new s-season. I didn't get a cold at all”.

He seemed unconvinced. Max, to distract him from worrying about her, asked:

“Where have you been? I wanted to find you afterward, b-but I got held up with the knights…”

She remembered the knights' sweet demeanor again and smiled. 

“Going around the perimeter of the castle," Riftan answered simply. 

Then he was silent for a moment and added, a little irritated. 

“Actually, those lazy bastards should have been doing the same thing, instead of bothering you in that cold”. 

Maxi hastened to assure him. 

“They weren't bothering me at all! They were just... very excited and wanted to know how I was feeling”. 

Riftan's face softened slightly, and he looked at her carefully. 

“And how are you feeling?”

Maxi smiled again.

“I’m well! That's why I went outside, I wanted to do something useful while I could”. 

Riftan's eyebrows shifted slightly and suddenly his face took on a strange expression. 

They had just reached the entrance to the castle and soon Max was breathing in the warm air. Riftan led her up the stairs without stopping. 

He was silent for a long time until they were in the hallway that led to their bedroom. When Max was about to ask him what was wrong, he said suddenly:

“Would it displease you much if I asked you to leave your duties for good and just rest?”

Maxi slowed down and soon stopped altogether. Riftan was staring at the floor. 

He was silent for a few seconds before continuing. 

“Can I... Can I ask you not to do anything?”

Maxi didn't know what to say. The first impulse was to remind him that she was the lady of the castle, and that even her new position did not give her the right to shirk her duties. 

However, Maxi was glad she hadn't said that. She looked at her husband's face. He kept standing there, avoiding her gaze, with a tense expression and poorly concealed worry in his eyes. 

Max slowly reached out her hand and stroked his slightly rough cheek. 

“You already know my answer to that question”.

He closed his eyes for a second, letting himself dissolve into her gentle touch. But the next second he regained his composure and spoke in a cold voice.

“Yeah, I was stupid to ask that. Come on, you need to warm up”.

He started to stride down the hallway, but Maxi deftly grabbed him by his cloak. Riftan turned around in surprise. 

“I really can't promise you what you're asking for, but, uh…”

Maxi lifted her head. She couldn't let him hide his real feelings and emotions deep inside again. 

“But I can p-promise that I will be very careful. I will never risk my health or our b-baby's health. Never again”.

The last two words hung in the air like thick molasses. Maxi didn't want to mention the incident because she knew it would remind her husband of the pain and fear he'd experienced then. But she also knew it was the only way she could convince him. 

They stood silently in the hallway as the sun slowly began nearing the horizon outside. Maxi hadn't realized she'd spent so much time outside. 

Before she could say anything, there was a slight rustle of clothing. Riftan stepped closer and with a sigh, rested his forehead against hers. Maxi closed her eyes. 

“Okay. I trust you”. 

That was all he said, but more wasn't needed. Maxi realized that she had only been able to calm a small part of his anxiety. She realized that if it were up to him, Riftan wouldn't let her out of his sight at all. And she realized that he was trying hard not to annoy her with his fears. 

She couldn't make him pour out his soul completely, couldn't erase his anxiety at the snap of her fingers. All she could do now was snuggle closer, feeling his warm palms on her shoulders and gently stroking his back, enjoying the peace and quiet of their castle.