Water Babies.

[Eitan Angevin]

White Knight Hall, West End, Zaichaer
25th of Glade, Year 125 of Steel

The Wives had declared this would be a day without toil.

This was, of course, a lie. They were parents of infants and none of them were willing to completely abscond while the young were being watched by nannies. But they were home and were not taking callers. The Dienerins were with their family or friends or wherever, but not at work even if they protested that their work was their life. This was possible for Eitan's Dienerin, who remained a bachelor yet. Stefan's Dienerin did have a wife and daughters, and was happy to have the holiday as well.

As the remains of breakfast were taken away, Lucrece finally relented and said it was probably warm enough to try out the pool. As the grounds were no longer required for agriculture, the exterior of the place was changing. The herb garden remained extensive, and a sizeable liberty garden remained as well. Delia had a whole campaign to ensure that the Zaichaeri diet was healthful and nutritious. Fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables were important.

'The pool' was a gift from the Kindred who had lived upon the grounds during some of the worst of the Rift Times and the Year of the Eclipse, making the flying island bloom under the aegis of his wards. It wasn't as large as the natatorium at their old gymnasium, but Eitan still managed to swim some laps before the red-skinned Lysanrin youth danced excitedly from the flagstone 'shore.'

"Master! Master! Teach me, Master! Teach me!" And so he did.

Later, Delia looked out a window from her sitting room to ensure nobody was drowning. The pool itself looked as though Nature had somehow made a pool perfect for human enjoyment, and was quite private. She could see Lucrece's skirts peeking out from under a wide parasol. In fact, Eitan's wife was napping on her chaise longue, young Hänschen napping upon her breast.

"Goodness," she murmured, when little Devil streaked like red lightning toward where his clothes had been cast aside, pulling them on and then traipsing off to his chores. But her bemused smile truly cracked and she laughed quietly when she saw Eitan's bare arse fly through the air and into the water, splashing Lucrece.

She could imagine her sister-in-law cursing him out like a sailor's wife, and that made her laugh even harder. It wasn't enough to disturb Stefan, though, who was reading for pleasure—at least she hoped it was for pleasure, though what constituted pleasurable reading for him was often quite different from what tickled her fancy; so long as he was enjoying the quiet time, however, she wouldn't have to spank him for disobeying.

A wife's work was never done.

She checked on the twins, currently napping together. Her smile grew more quiet, more introspective. She thanked Progress for the one, and a Kalzasern demigoddess for the other. The sister of the High Sentinel did not worship her, but it would be rude not to give thanks for a miracle that saved the life of her newborn son.

Delia pulled the cord that would ring in the nursery so someone could bring Amalia to her, and then sit with the boys as they slept. In the meantime, she prowled around behind her husband, put her hand upon his shoulder and followed along with where his eyes were rambling until he came to natural stopping place. Only then did her fingers squeeze his shoulder, her lips caress his cheek.

"Stefan, husband. Eitan is in the pool. I'm going to take Amie down and see if she won't jump in and let him teach her to swim while I sit with Luca. Would you like to join me? I thought they might enjoy a snack. They have been down there a few hours now."

Before he had time to answer, trouble came to their door. She stood, hand still on his shoulder, smiling. Amalia barreled in and, seeing that her father's eyes were not at that particular moment glued to words, knew she had carte blanche to climb upon him. But she just grabbed him by the leg and squeezed, though rather hard for her age. She was a strong one.

"Hi, Daddy."

Brenner, taking his cues from her as he often did, claimed Stefan's other leg.

"Hi, Daddy."

Amalia, at least, was beginning to understand the nuances, that Stefan was 'Daddy' and Eitan was 'Daddy' but also that Stefan was the one who made her and Eitan was her mother's brother in much the same that the twins were her brothers, and she could say 'Uncle Eitan,' but normally chose not to. Brenner still called both men 'Daddy' with innocent earnestness, and Delia was also 'Mamma' even though Lucrece was the 'Mamma' he would run to first if he were hurt or scared or hungry or otherwise couldn't cope with all the new things to see and new feelings to process if both ladies were in the same room.

It was, perhaps, strange, but it was how their family worked. From what Delia said, more and more Zaichaeri families were eschewing the purely nuclear format, banding together, cobbling found families out of biological family and non-biological family as seemed appropriate.

It was a new era.

"All right, my darlings. Who wants to go swimming?"

A chorus of "Me! Me! Me!" was thankfully not enough to rouse the twins, who were currently under the nanny's eye. This one was one of the Lysanrin Eitan had rescued when he incarcerated the former owner of this town house. That too was strange, but they were loyal to her brother in a way she could appreciate, especially given how motivated they were to care for her and her family as extensions of Eitan himself.

They had released Stefan's knees, at least, and were capering around her. She took each one by a hand, then cast an amused, curious glance back at Stefan to see if he was coming.

"All right, but first we will stop by the kitchen and get a picnic basket so we have treats for after swimming."

[Stefan Dornkirk]

Stefan had been reading for pleasure, though his pleasures often translated into the good of the nation these days. It was a book on theoretical dragon shard networks, ones that had either not been tried or had failed to function as intended without any good explanation as to why. To the First Minister, it was like a combination mystery novel and an instruction manual for experimentation.

He was not entirely oblivious to the world around him, being aware enough to choose his seat close to a window where he could glance, occasionally, down at the goings-on a story below. The need to wear clothing while swimming at their private family home was nonexistent, and that was nice. Stefan might still blush if he happened to see Luca in just her skin, it had become too normal for everyone to be comfortable. He had been present while his sister-in-law gave birth, there was really no reason for him to still react as he did, but one could not change everything about themselves.

He hummed in appreciation at his wife's touch, then grunted in mock shock when he was assaulted by the two eldest of their growing brood. Setting his book aside, he stood, making exaggerated groans as he moved carefully with one child on each leg. Giggling preceded him out the door and down the hall before Delia, having stayed to speak with the nanny about the twins, caught up and led them all down the stairs.

When they arrived, the mothers helped little Brenner and Amie to undress while Stefan took care of himself. Stripping all the way down was also vaguely uncomfortable, but swimming in his white underdrawers wouldn't hide his anatomy anymore than not. When he was done neatly folding his attire, the little boy and girl were being coaxed into the water by their father/uncle.

Sitting on the edge and then slipping into the water made him remember that it was still only mid-Glade and not as warm as the bright afternoon sun had fooled him into believing. Dunking fully under and coming back up, he shivered, but then smiled at Eitan and swam over to help with the coaxing.

Seeing her father unafraid, Amie scrunched up her face and made a great leap into the water. She came up with a splutter but, finding strong arms supporting her, pretended she could swim and promptly told Brenner that it was easy. Stefan laughed, holding his daughter and letting her kick and swing her arms wildly. When both of the younger generation were in the water, Stefan let Eitan take the lead in showing them how to float and then attempt to move around, serving as a savior only when they expressed distress.

After about an hour of this, a nanny came to take the children inside for their naps while a servant brought out refreshments for the adults. Not hungry yet, Stefan began to swim laps, letting the water flow around him and his mind drift. It had been a very long time since he'd indulged in the luxury of a pool. Like running, swimming allowed him to let go of whatever thoughts were racing around in his head and concentrate on just his body.

When he sensed another body keeping pace with his own, he opened his eyes. Eitan would always be more graceful, easier, than Stefan was, why should that be any different in the water. He did not envy his brother, only admire him as he watched the strong form pulling itself along in graceful strokes.

When he'd done ten laps, he surfaced at the far end from the house, running a hand over his face to remove his wet hair from his eyes so he could look up at the mansion. It wasn't as large as the one he'd grown up it, but it felt more like home now than Dornkirk Manor ever had. There was talk, off and on, of rebuilding the First Minister's Palace, but Stefan always waved such suggestions away as frivolous, considering how many other projects were more pressing for the wellbeing of Zaichaer and her citizens. His rejection of all similar accommodations to his office beyond what he already used were seen by high and low alike as self-sacrificing. The truth was, he would hate to leave White Knight Hall and the family unit they had built there. From disaster had grown beauty, connection, community. Not just for him, but he liked to think that the Angevin-Dornkirks embodied it.

The cabinet of Ministers were all stretching out, discovering where their boundaries in power lay and reaching across them to form connections with each other. The Ministry of Welfare was intertwined with the Ministry of Agriculture to put together nutrition plans, ensuring every citizen had enough, and enough of the right things, to eat. Delia was also interconnecting her office with the Ministry of Education in a big way, to ensure that everyone who wanted it had access to both basic, and occupational education. The rate at which people were learning new trade skills was astonishing.

Crime was almost non-existent and the studies Stefan had commissioned on the subjected showed that, on the whole, people with all the opportunities they wanted, had no incentive to break the law. There were, of course, still people breaking the law to use or obtain magic outside the bounds of the law. 'Aethertic Crimes' they were being called now, those who committed them 'Aetheric Criminals'. This allowed the law to cover a vast array of situations that weren't simply possessing or using Runes. Creation and ownership of unlicenced aetheric items was being heavily regulated. It wasn't against the law to use such things, so long as they were properly catalogued and licensed. In fact, with much clearer laws on the subject, more people were engaging with aetheric inventions. A recent invention, licensed only a few months before, was a simple shard network that pulled heat from the inside of a container and deposited it outside. This allowed citizens to keep food fresh, and thus safe to eat longer. There was talk of installing larger versions on train cars so food could be moved further for distribution. The train tracks from before the disaster had been completely destroyed, either by said disaster, the war preceding it, or the issues caused by the Eclipse. This was another problem turned boon, as it allowed the government to re-draw the rail maps in a way that ensured highest efficiency. They were already open between the Riverland Forts, proving the concept. They would be connected to the capitol next, while lines were being built between the Northern Forts simultaneously.

So much was always going on, always moving forward, but Stefan's mind didn't chew at every problem as it once had. He was not alone, either personally or in the Ministry.

Closing his eyes, arms propped on the edge of the pool, he tilted his head back and let the sunshine pour down over him.

[Eitan Angevin]

Delia sat beside Lucrece while the elder children learned to swim with Eitan. Between the women, they soothed young Hänschen when he awoke, and the chatted with each other. Of course, they kept turning their gazes toward the pool. The elder children needed maternal validation for the little accomplishments that felt so monumental to them. And, of course, their wet husbands were a sight to be seen.

After the nannies took the children, and refreshments were laid out, the servants were made to understand that the adults wouldn't need anything until they returned to the house, and so they had their privacy.

With his eyes closed, Stefan could still here the women talking and the minimal splashing of Eitan's exercises. Eventually, there was a deep breath and an end to the repetitions. Stefan might have anticipating hands pulling him under. Instead, he felt hands under the water as Eitan used his body to steady his own rise from the depths and up to the surface after his dive. The surface broke right before him and Eitan enjoyed the beatific look on Stefan's face.

They were all of them constantly stressed, but Stefan was the one they collectively worried about. And, of course, they couldn't let on how much or how steadily they worried about him lest that add to his stress.

Instead of shenanigans, however, Eitan sidled up to Stefan, and draped his arms along the flagstone edge of the pool. He had given lessons to three children of different ages and done a fair amount of swimming of his own. A little rest wouldn't hurt.

Settled, he glanced across the pool. Delia had covered the food with a mesh topper to keep insects out and was helping Lucrece out of her clothes. Her own dress was unbraced, as well, but he only had eyes for his wife.

"Stef," he murmured. "Don't nap through the show."

He whistled at Lucrece, who only smirked at him. The ladies, once unclad, did not join them in the refreshing pool, but stepped carefully into a separate, smaller one, kept heated. To each their own.

[Stefan Dornkirk]

To the surprise of likely everyone, including himself, and despite the small spots of dark color that came to his face, Stefan did not look away from the 'show'. His eyes did not linger specifically on Eitan's wife, but they did linger on his own, and Eitan as well. As much of him as could be seen through the water. Scooting closer, he tangled one leg around the Admiral's, a comfortable warmth in the cool water.

It was quiet, just the wind and water sounds, birds singing, the rise and fall of their wives voices. Upstairs their five children slept, it still astonished him to think that they had so many, even between them. Delia did not intend to get pregnant again, at least, not any time in the foreseeable future. Her work took her from their sons and daughter more than she liked as it was, but she did love the work.

"Is Lucrece going to attend the Academy this year?" He asked, realizing they hadn't talked about it since it was decided that school could wait until she gave birth. "I was thinking, now, that a lot of the day-to-day work has been taken off my shoulders," There was still a lot but it felt manageable, like he could actually get to all of it, "I might do a few lectures."

The broad man turned his head away from the beauty of the bathing women to explore the reaction his brother would have to this. They indulged him in his experimentation, partly because his work aided Zaichaer, and partly, he suspected, to help keep him sane. His intention was to spread the new knowledge he and his aids were discovering to the broader audience of the nation. The more minds that had access to information, the more ways it could be used. The loyalty of the citizens was high, as high as Stefan had ever seen it, and with good reason. Even if the concepts were, eventually, smuggled out, Zaichaer would be years ahead in terms of practical use.

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan laughed at a look his wife shot him before ignoring him, then turned to appreciate Stefan's flush even in the chill waters.

"Aye, at least on a part-time basis for the first term," he said. "While she continues to help with governmental matters. And I am fairly certain Delia already has lectures in your calendar so you might want to check so you have something prepared. She might also have Luca as your teaching assistant."

He smiled and rubbed his mouth and chin against his shoulder, a trickle of water tickling his skin.

"But you should. We are both in more than one position of leadership; but when we have our machines working like proper clockwork, they don't need our constant attention to every detail. Now that the government is better designed and new things are becoming standard, it's a testament to your design that you have the time to step back." His smile was suddenly quite proud.

"You are the man Zaichaer needed in its darkest hour. Now you might still be busy, but you can divvy up your time between those high-level leadership decisions, the Windworks, the Institute, and your family. So make the high-level leadership decisions, and with the help of the people you have installed to support and advise you. Let someone else manage the business affairs of the Windworks given you have integrated much of it into the political economy of the new State, so you can design airships as is your genius. Teach the odd class to inspire the minds of Zaichaer's youth.

"And take days like today, which are just for family..."

He smiled again, and tucked a bit of wet hair away from Stefan's face.

"I am proud of you, my brother."

[Stefan Dornkirk]

Stefan was surprised to learn that his wife was one step ahead of him. Not because she wasn't almost all the time, but he hadn't discussed his desire with her yet. That his expertise would be useful to the population that she now saw herself as sort of a surrogate mother of, might be her motivation, but she might also just know him well enough. He had expressed significant interest of late in the classes being offered for the advanced education of their people. She had always read him well, long before he'd started to be able to read her expressions and moods. That intelligent empathy was what made her such a good Minister of Welfare, and such a good partner.

When Eitan leaned over to return his casual touch, Stefan's eyes caught on the skin visible above the water, and then traveled down to that which was obscured below it. Clearing his throat quietly, he tried to return his thoughts to the conversation but his eyes lingered.

Designing the government to work like a machine, like a set of gears all supporting each other, had seemed the only sensible option. A government where losing any one of a handful of people could topple the whole would not serve Zaichaer as it reshaped itself. If Stefan fell, Zaichaer must not. This was true of the other adults in his family, but he did not think about harm befalling any of them. He had been forced to consider their loss for too long to reach towards such ideas now that he didn't have to.

Finding himself nodding, watching the pink, wet mouth that spoke as much as he listened to what was being said, maybe more, it became harder to remain present for politics. What he had with his brother, the extent of their relationship was private, so personal he dreaded anyone having knowledge of it. Except, their wives did know, and the most intimate of their servants. Sometimes he caught looks from even less intimate members of the staff of White Knight Hall that made him wonder how many suspected what the two men allowed themselves behind closed doors.

It wouldn't be any sort of disaster, even if it became common knowledge. Both men had proven their commitment to their duty in every form too many times for it to be questioned. Yet, there was still a part of Stefan that curled up in discomfort at the idea. Eitan was brave, unafraid of seemingly everything, so, maybe in that private garden, Stefan could try to be brave too.

Pushing away the creeping feeling of exposure that came over him as he leaned forward while he could hear the soft, comfortable conversation Delia and Luca were sharing, he wrapped an arm around Eitan's waist and pulled him closer. It was slow enough that Eitan could object, and Stefan would stop immediately, but, if he was allowed, he would kiss the mouth he knew better than any and wait to see if disaster followed.

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan was always quick to notice when Stefan's mind changed gears like one of his internal combustion engines, nodding and possibly even listening while the better part of his mind was elsewhere. Often, Stefan surprised him with his recall even when he was clearly distracted. That Eitan was distracting him, dividing his mind, made him smile. Stefan would be so easy to conquer. He had been conquered, by Delia and by Eitan both.

If the Minister of Welfare, High Admiral, and High Sentinel had undue influence upon the First Minister, well, it was understandable. They had fought the same battles together, and now lived under the same roof. What had been elected as a short-term thing had become a home now inseparable. They were lucky that they had grounds; if they did end up having more children, they would soon need more room. But they were taking a break—Stefan and Delia so she could focus on the three children she had and her work, Eitan and Lucrece so she could continue her education and work her way into the leadership of the Institute and education in general.

Of course, private trauma surrounding the birth of her twins also made Delia leery of more, at least so soon. But that wasn't spoken of outside of heavily warded rooms.

Amused, he let Stefan pull him from his perch along the edge of the pool.

Trusting, he released his hold, letting Stefan hold him up.

And as bravery was rewarded in Zaichaer, he opened his mouth to receive a kiss. If the ladies' voices grew hushed, he wouldn't know it for the sudden pounding in his ears.

"Thank you for making my house a home," he murmured against Stefan's mouth.

Then there came applause from the hot pool.