Dias shrugged; Valyn's (why was River calling him lord? Although Dias supposed he had that coiffed, pampered look royalty and noblemen tended to possess, although a lot of good a title would do him here) being incredulous was hardly surprising. "Like I said, you don't have to take my word for it. You'll get proof enough when night falls."

He couldn't help glancing down at River with the faintest flicker of a smile as she made the first coherent joke he could remember hearing out of her. It was hardly the first time someone had marveled, or made comments about, his eating habits, but to hear River relaxed enough to be amused and enough in her own head to make jokes after her outburst at the head doctor was reassuring.

Ashton's referring to River as his little sister, though - without Dias even introducing her as such - caught his attention, however, and he gave the other man a long, steady look. Ashton had certainly never had the chance to become acquainted with Dias' tendency to adopt children while they'd known each other in Dias' time, and to have such compelling evidence that Ashton knew things about him Dias didn't even know he knew - particularly something as personal as that - was disconcerting. Aloud, all he said was, "I suppose I will."

How could he not remember Ashton after this? Ashton was the only person from his own world in Landel's, unless some of the other new arrivals were also familiar.