The King took one look at the baby's green eyes before turning and giving the bundle to a dark-haired teenage boy.

"I have business to attend to," the King's voice intoned. "You and Reuven," his steely eyes shot to a relaxed auburn-haired boy briefly, "are responsible for this child." He glanced back at a bedridden woman, "Alert me when she awakes."

The two bowed and they chorused "Yes, my King," the door slamming mere moments after the words left their mouth. They stayed in a perfect bow for a three count.

"So we-"

"Have a new brother?"

Anyone else would've started at the sudden appearance of two young boys, considering they weren't supposed to be in the room and no one saw where they came from. As is, no one, including the few adults who remained to finish cleaning, showed any sign of surprise. The boys calmly straightened out of their bow in response. Hakon, the eldest, curiously peered down at the baby in his arms while Reuven squatted down to scoop up the troublesome twins. Their near identical brown eyes met Reuven's soft blue as he walked behind Hakon, exiting the room.

"Eilert, Einar," he addressed the two. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his calm voice almost as soothing as his eyes.

The four-year olds pouted. "We just wanted-"

"To see the baby."

Reuven narrowed his blue eyes slightly. "Does Harold and Rikard kno-" Two teenagers rounded the corner, nearly skidding to a halt in their haste.

The ebony brown-haired boy spoke first between pants of breath, "Reuven, we lost-" The older chestnut-haired boy groaned, much less winded due to his athletic physique.

"Heavens, those two are impossible," he said gruffly, seeing the two boys Rikard and himself had spent a while scouring the castle for. Once Rikard recovered, the twins clung closer to Reuven at the glower his brown eyes pinned the two with.

"Blasted devils," Rikard muttered sourly.

Reuven rolled his eyes, knowing the insult was for Rikard's ego which had taken a blow from being outmaneuvered by two four-year olds. "So they're clever and crafty, Rik." He handed one to Harold who ruffled the boy's red hair. "Doesn't mean you have to be so mean to your brothers," he passed the other twin to Rikard, who huffed at Reuven's truthful words.

Harold's blue-grey eyes alighted on the bundle in Hakon's arms. "So, it's only one this time," he remarked, a corner of his lips quirking up. Harold walked closer to his dark mahogany-haired brother, bending slightly for a better look, "I don't think we could handle another pair."

Hakon's green eyes locked on his immediate younger as he and the twin he carried looked at their newest brother. "Speaking of, I hope you left the younger twins with Matthias and Marten when you two went to search for Eilert and Einar."

Harold straightened up, both ignoring the pout from the red-haired boy as he did so. "Yeah, yeah," Harold waved away the concern, "Ingo and Ingram are with Matt and Mart." He paused, "I don't think they really need it though," he said, thinking of the two black-haired twins. "They're really behaved for two-year olds."

"Harold, a prince does not say 'yeah'," Hakon droned, rolling his green eyes.

"And a prince should not roll his eyes," Harold rebutted, smirking. Hakon's eye twitched.

"Hakon," Reuven interjected. "You know Harold isn't very good with acting like a prince."

"Good thing Hakon's the heir," Rikard added, before proclaiming dramatically "Harold, the best fighter in the land will protect you." He laughed as Reuven swatted his shoulder, "If only so he doesn't have to take the throne himself."

The two eldest both rolled their eyes at that while Eilert and Einar merely snuggled deeper, bored and wanting to get comfy. The four, six if you count the red-headed twins, headed down the corridor.

The group turned, going through the castle before stopping before two tall doors. Reuven, being the only one whose hands were free, opened the doors. "Let's go introduce you to everyone," he said cheerfully, smiling at their newest brother.

The room was cozy and large and warm and filled with the sounds of bickering.

Ingo and Ingram were content to play with their toys rather quietly near the window. The same could not be said for the russet-haired boy and the reddish dark-blonde boy.

"Come at me, pretty boy," Mart challenged, amber eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists.

Matthias scowled, an eyebrow arching above sky blue eyes, "Like I would stoop to fisticuffs with you."

"You," Marten said, unable to vocalise much else past his anger. He glared at his immediate older brother, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

"Marten, don't be a sore loser," drawled a orangeish brown-haired boy. Marten's anger fizzing out at the intervention from his younger-by-four-years brother. "And Matthias, you should know better than to provoke Marten." Matt's face blanked carefully, blue locking on amber.

"I'm sorry," the two chorused. They blinked when someone started clapping.

Rikard smirked, standing with the rest who entered while Reuven went to go check on Ingo and Ingram.

"What the heck, Rik?" Mart barked.

Harold went and placed the twin he was holding down near Reuven. "Well, you did just get talked down from a fight by a seven-year old."

Hakon's green eyes narrowed slightly in disapproval, "If you're going to vent your anger physically, do so where you practice swords and not in front of your younger brothers." The two dipped their heads in shame and acknowledgement of the fifteen-year old's words.

Rikard had placed the twin he was carrying with the others, straightening up and saying carelessly, "Oh by the way, we have a new brother."

Harold smiled slightly, catching on to Rikard's ploy, "He has green eyes like Hakon."

Reuven sighed, a smile playing at his lips, "Auburn hair like me."

Marten flushed and Matthias smiled pleasantly, a suspicious pink tint to his cheeks as they both went over to look at their brother.

"What's his name?" Everyone but Hakon blinked.

"Twelve older brothers and the seven-year old is the one to ask what his name is," Hakon chuckled.

"Well, duh-" The two redheaded twins popped up from behind Hakon.

"Frederick is smart." They said. No one batted an eye that the two four-year olds had just appeared on the other side of the room from where they had been placed near Ingo and Ingram. Frederick looked down at the baby as his older brothers stood aside awkwardly.

Reuven smiled, soft blue eyes dancing with mirth.

"His name is Hans."


1/25/14 A/N: So. Many. Characters. T_T
I tried to give you an idea of all their personalities and appearances, but Ingo and Ingram are two years old and I don't really know if I could've done something more with them.

Odd coincidence that I just realised: Frederick is seven years old here and is the seventh oldest.