Act I
Scene III

Tino was a skilled valet, and not only that – he could serve, chaperone, clean, and even cook almost as well as any specialised servant. Soon he was in high demand in Berwald's household, but our Swedish hero didn't relinquish him; he was besotted, and like a child with a shiny new toy, didn't want to let his valet do anything else except be by his side.

It was an autumn morning crisp and fresh, the fire in Berwald's bedchamber stoked by Tino himself. Berwald stood in front of his dressing screen, as always, as Tino did his buttons up and smoothed the wrinkles from the shoulders of his shirt.

"Simply a lunch party?" he was asking, to which Berwald nodded.

"Mathias usually has them often."

"Usually?" Tino had become quite skilled at unpicking Berwald's language and understanding the real meaning behind it. "Why has he not held any recently?"

"His wife's going into confinement soon."

"She's having a baby? Oh, how wonderful!" Tino gushed, beaming. "I did think that the Lady Belle was looking radiant at the last dinner! How amazing for the both of them! Lord Mathias must be thrilled!"

"He is." Berwald was torn between chuckling at the Finn's enthusiasm, and stopping short at the observation that the lady had looked 'radiant' (so Tino had been looking at her, admiring her...). "They have a son already. Mathias adores him."

The Dane had always been a family man, full of love and affection for family, friends, and lovers alike. His heart was that of gold and nothing less pure. In fact, one could even say he had too much love in his heart to give to only one.

"Children are the best things life can offer," Tino sighed happily. "I only wish one day I could be fortunate to have my own."

Berwald's heart sank further.

Berwald sat beside Lukas, as he always did at events. Being at Mathias' house meant that Tino wasn't one of the familiar footmen circling the room with trays of food, and his absence was clearer than any presence in the room at that moment.

"Berwald!" Lukas snapped his fingers harshly in his closest friend's line of vision. "Honestly. What are you thinking about?"

"Nobody," Berwald replied, a little too quickly.

"A sweetheart," was Lukas' easy guess. The Swede had those signs of first falling: a glazed look, bright spots on his high cheekbones, the faintest of smiles as he masqueraded with the man in his mind. (For Lukas knew it had to be a man.) "Tell me everything."

"Nothing to tell." Berwald's voice turned soft and melancholy. "There's no way at all."

"Married?"

A shake of the head.

"A ladies' man?"

Another shake.

"Berwald, you have the capability of seducing anyone, and you mustn't pretend you don't know it," Lukas told him, tone dismissive. "Hint at it. He'll fall into your arms."

"He's my valet," Berwald whispered, his head down so that the conversation was purely between him and Lukas. "Tino."

There was a pregnant pause as Lukas turned that over in his mind. Then – "It makes no difference if you take him as a lover."

"What – ?"

At that moment, Mathias called along the table to them, waving with that huge, warm beam on his face. Beside him, his wife Belle, her belly swollen with their unborn child, smiled as well, inclining her head.

"It makes no difference," the Norwegian murmured, "who you take as a lover. As long as he loves you, it matters not." He was talking to Berwald, but his dark blue gaze was fixed solely on Mathias, before he raised his hand in a nonchalant wave back.

Berwald understood, at that point. And he decided that Lukas' words applied to him perfectly.

A/N: I know it's short, but I'm trying to keep each scene to the direct event and feelings without too much extra waffling. It makes them easier to publish on a regular basis, too!

Aside, I hope the DenNor fans are happy. Drop a review if you liked it!