“You gave me a love letter already, so, what is the harm, Kyla?” Of all the people Constantine could end up with, bar Livia, he knew that he would be miserable. But not if he ended up with Kyla. He could promise him forever and mean it. They could be allies and lovers all wrapped up in one and then only death would do them part. He told all that to Kyla who frowned.

“I am not your only option, boy. If you want an ally, then I’d suggest some of my cousins. They are even women and can give you sons,” perhaps Constantine had worded his case wrongly, for Kyla to disagree.

“I ask you again, Kyla, what do you see when you look at me?” Constantine pressed their bodies together gently so that there was no place for Kyla to run off too.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Tine. You are handsome,” Constantine smirked at that. “But you are an infant compared to my age.”

“And so is Beshter, but you were his anyway,” snapped Constantine, distancing himself from Kyla.

“Beshter is angelic,” said Kyla wistfully.

“I think I know now why your wife left you,” said Constantine snidely and immediately regretted it. “I am sorry, Kyla.”

“No, it is ok. You are right. And one should never apologize for speaking the truth. Tell me, Tine, why are you really here? What is so important that you think you should ruin our friendship with games?” Constantine hadn’t considered that it could be possible to do so.

“Kyla, I…” Constantine didn’t want to lose his friend, his mentor. He looked down in the water and backed away.

“Do you want to see my children’s portraits? They are almost entirely their mother, but they have my cheekbones and my mother told me they behave the same way I behaved when I was their age,” grateful for the change of the subject, Constantine nodded and swam to where Kyla had his bag. The dark-haired man rummaged within, after drying his hands on a cloth that was next to the pool, and got out three tablets.

“This is my eldest, Ukraine. I will leave her my territory as it is custom,” said Kyla and he showed a one-year-old girl to Constantine. She was smiling shyly, and her eyes were sparkling.

“Cute kid,” replied Constantine truthfully.

“She is. And this is Russia. My son,” Kyla had sounded proud when he told Constantine of his daughter, but now he was positively preening.

“Congratulations, what will you give him?” Asked Constantine silently as he saw the strange lilac eyes of the toddler. He pointed at them and Kyla nodded.

“Those are my mother’s eyes,” the child was blonde too and had a certain resemblance to Kyla. But, while Kyla was all high cheekbones, the child had slightly rounder cheeks. The noses were the same, though. “And I will give him Siberia. I already spoke with my father, and he agreed that, as his first grandson, Ivan is entitled to a big track of land.”

“You didn’t tell me Ukraine’s human name,” said Constantine and Kyla was quick to fix that.

“Katyusha, and this is Natalia. Her nation’s name is Belarus,” Constantine guessed that Bulgaria had left his ex-wife do the naming because the kids didn’t have any Bulgarian sounding names.

“Lovely family you have there,” said Constantine as Kyla looked on proudly at the three portraits. He got them back in the bag and relaxed in the pool. “But, can you perhaps think about what I wanted of you?”

Constantine didn’t want to be married to some fifty-year-old senator. Kyla looked at him earnestly.

“If I take you for a spouse, I’ll separate you from Beshter and that leech, Antonius,” Constantine shrugged. He really didn’t mind. They send him at war when he was but a child. Back then, it had looked like an adventure, but now, he realized it was a test.

If he died, then, he wasn’t good enough for Beshter’s dream. If he survived, then, he was. A win-win for the vampires with him being presented with the one in a lifetime opportunity to lose everything.

He felt a hand under his chin and his eyes found Kyla’s. Ivan’s eyes had the same shape as his father’s. Now that Constantine looked closer.

“If I take you for a spouse, you will have to love my children,” Bulgaria was attempting to discourage him again, Constantine knew. But he wasn’t giving up.

“And if I take you for a spouse, you will have to love me and not mention Beshter to me,” said Constantine, presenting his only demand. He felt lips on his and allowed for the deep, sensual kiss that followed.

“I’ll think about it, Tine,” promised him Bulgaria. From years of trading letters with the man Constantine knew that him thinking about something meant he would agree. “Care for a game?”

And he presented Constantine with a die and a cup. Constantine grinned. He had gotten better at this.

“I get a kiss for every win,” said Constantine, brazen as can be. Kyla chuckled.

“Fine, but I get a favor for every win,” Constantine nodded, knowing full well that Kyla wasn’t going to demand anything outlandish of him.

“So be it, you go first. Get a low number, if you can,” Kyla grinned and moments later they were staring at a two.

“What is the favor you want of me?” Asked Constantine with a huff.

“You watch over my children tomorrow as I speak with Julius Caesar. They liked honey in their milk and for it to be slightly cold. If you attempt to give them something lukewarm or warm, they won’t drink,” Constantine nodded at that.

“I’ll be a nanny for a day. They are cute kids. Do you mind if I look after them together with my brother, Francis? He is slightly younger looking than them,” Kyla’s eyes twinkled at that.

“They adore playmates. Bring your brother and just watch him. Katyusha and Natalia like to play at dolls with the new children,” Constantine grinned. Well, Francis would just have to remain bundled up and be babbled at and have dolls waved at him. He may even stop whimpering. Who knew?