Swim Time

The bathhouse steam hangs low over the marble pool, late afternoon light slanting through the high windows.

Ortossi — head guard, arms crossed at the edge of the pool — gives a short nod. "Water's clear, my Lady. Perimeter's secure."

Lady Zoe laughs, already unpinning her hair. "Then stop looming, Ortossi. You're making the water nervous."

From the steps, sarah, kneeling with towels folded over her arms, keeps her eyes down. "Shall I test the temperature, Mistress?"

Zoe waves her in. "Come on, both of you. We're swimming, not holding court."

Ortossi unbuckles his belt dagger and sets it neatly by the pillar, never far from reach. He steps in with a soldier's efficiency, sending a slow ripple across the pool.

sarah slips in last, quiet as a fish, staying near the edge where Zoe can see her.

Zoe floats on her back, grinning up at the ceiling. "There. That's an order — everyone relax."

The water is warm, scented faintly with citrus oil.

Lady Zoe paddles in a slow circle around Ortossi, splashing water at his shoulders. "You swim like you're still wearing armor."

Ortossi snorts, treading water with powerful, even strokes. "I swim like a man who doesn't want to drown on duty, my Lady."

Near the steps, sarah ducks under and comes up sleek, wiping water from her face. She retrieves a floating soap cake from the ledge and holds it out toward Zoe, waiting.

Zoe takes it, lathering her arms. "Good girl. Now — race you to the far arch, sarah. No head start for rank."

Ortossi raises an eyebrow but moves to the side, taking up a watch position where he can see both the water and the door. "On your mark, then."

sarah glances at Zoe, a quick, bright smile breaking through her reserve. She's coiled at the edge, ready to push off.

You slip in beside them, the warm water closing over your shoulders.

Lady Zoe grins at you. "Finally! Someone who might actually give me a challenge."

sarah shifts to make room, dipping her chin respectfully, but her eyes are alight — she's ready.

Ortossi lifts a hand from his watch post by the pillar. "Ready..."

Zoe crouches low in the water, fingers trailing on the tile edge. sarah mirrors her.

"GO!" Ortossi barks.

You all push off —

Zoe gets a strong start, all splash and laughter. sarah is smooth and silent, cutting through the water like an arrow with barely a ripple. You're right between them, stroke for stroke toward the far arch where the light makes the water glow gold.

The arch is just a few lengths ahead. Zoe's pulling ahead by half a body — sarah's kicking harder now 

You ease off, letting your strokes go long and easy.

The racers shoot ahead — Zoe with a triumphant laugh as she slaps the far arch first, sarah touching just a heartbeat after her, breathing hard and smiling wide.

"Ha!" Zoe pushes her wet hair back, beaming. "I win!"

sarah bows her head in the water, still catching her breath. "A fine victory, Mistress."

You drift on your back in the middle of the pool, watching the steam curl up toward the high windows. The water rocks you gently. It's quiet except for their splashing and the soft echo off the marble.

Ortossi watches from his post, arms resting on the edge now, a rare small smile on his face. "Wise choice," he calls to you. "Let the young ones burn themselves out."

Zoe swims back toward you, rolling onto her back to float alongside. "Mmm... you're right, this is better."

sarah drifts over too, keeping a respectful distance but close enough to be part of the circle, her toes just brushing the cool tile below.

The three of you bob there in the warm, gold-lit water, in no hurry at all.

You all drift toward the shallows, where the marble steps sink down into a wide, sun-warmed shelf. The water here is only chest-deep and even warmer, bubbling faintly from the vents below.

Lady Zoe sighs happily as she settles onto the submerged ledge, leaning back against the warm stone. "Oh, this is the life."

sarah kneels on the lower step nearby, water lapping at her shoulders. She wrings out her hair and then, quietly, begins to ladle warm water over Zoe's shoulders with a small wooden bowl — slow, practiced, soothing.

Ortossi finally lets himself relax a fraction. He sinks down to sit on the steps opposite, his broad shoulders steaming, his dagger still within arm's reach on the dry step above. He closes his eyes for a moment, just listening.

Steam curls. The light turns amber. For a while no one talks — just the soft lap of water, the clink of sarah's bowl, Zoe's contented hum.

Zoe opens one eye and looks at you, smiling lazily. "We should do this more often. No politics, no patrols. Just water."

sarah refills the bowl, offering it toward you next in silent question.

You nod, and sarah moves closer with quiet grace, careful not to splash.

She lifts the small wooden bowl, full of warm, citrus-scented water, and pours it slowly over your shoulders. The heat spreads down your back, loosening everything the swim didn't.

Then again — a second pour, steady and unhurried.

Lady Zoe watches with a soft smile. "She's good at that, isn't she? Trained in the bathhouse in Ar."

sarah ducks her head at the praise, a faint blush pinking her cheeks, but she doesn't stop until the bowl is empty. She sets it floating beside you and returns to her place on the step, folding her hands.

Ortossi cracks one eye open. "You look like you're about to fall asleep where you sit," he rumbles, amused.

Zoe laughs, low and lazy, water rippling around her as she stretches. "Let them. It's that kind of afternoon."

The steam thickens slightly. The warm vents hum beneath you. You feel heavy, loose, perfectly content on the sun-warmed shelf.

Stay a little longer in the soak, or shall I have sarah fetch cool drinks?

Lady Zoe nods languidly. "Yes — drinks. Good thinking."

sarah rises at once, water streaming off her as she climbs the steps. She bows first to Zoe, then to you. "I will be swift, Mistress."

She wraps a light towel around herself and pads barefoot across the cool marble toward the side alcove, where a tall jar sweats in the shade.

Ortossi watches her go out of habit, eyes flicking to the doorway and back, then settles again. "She's a good girl," he murmurs, almost to himself. "Quick feet."

A moment later sarah returns, balancing a tray with four tall cups — pale golden juice over cracked ice, with sprigs of mint.

She kneels at the edge of the shallows and offers the tray first to Zoe, who takes one with a pleased hum, then to you.

"For you," sarah says softly.

Zoe lifts her cup. "To warm water and no duties for one afternoon."

Ortossi lifts his, clinking it gently against yours. The drink is cold, tart, and perfect after the heat.

You lift your cup with them —

"To warm water," Zoe repeats, grinning, "and good company."

"To quiet posts," Ortossi adds, taking a long, satisfied drink.

sarah, still kneeling at the edge with the empty tray balanced on her knees, smiles down at her own small cup Zoe pressed into her hand. "To... this afternoon," she whispers.

You all drink. The cold juice is a shock after the steam, sweet and sharp on your tongue. Ice clinks.

Zoe leans back against the marble again, cup resting on the water's surface, floating. "I could stay here until the lamps are lit."

Ortossi chuckles. "You'd turn into a fish, my Lady."

sarah quietly collects the empty cups, refills yours without being asked, and slips back into the shallows to soak beside the steps — close enough to serve, relaxed enough to enjoy the warmth herself for once.

The light slants lower, turning the steam to gold. No one is in a hurry to leave.

The afternoon melts slowly into evening. The high windows go from gold to rose to a deep, dusky violet. Somewhere a servant lights the bathhouse lamps, and their warm glow reflects in long shimmering lines across the water.

Lady Zoe is half-asleep on the warm ledge, her cheek resting on her folded arms, hair floating around her like dark silk. She murmurs something contented and stills.

sarah has curled up on the steps, chin on her knees, watching the light change. She looks peaceful — for once not waiting for an order, just... present. When she catches your eye, she gives you a small, genuine smile.

Ortossi sits in companionable silence beside you, his big hands resting on his knees under the water. Every so often his gaze still sweeps to the door — old habits — but his shoulders have dropped, his breathing slow.

The water laps softly. The mint and citrus linger in the air.

It's the kind of perfect, suspended moment you wish you could bottle — warm, safe, unhurried, with the people you trust most close by.

Zoe stirs at last, blinking up at the first stars visible through the skylight. "...we stayed," she whispers, delighted.

Ortossi smiles in the lamplight. "Aye, my Lady. We did."

And none of you moves to leave just yet.

The stars multiply overhead through the skylight, sharp and bright.

Lady Zoe finally sits up with a soft splash, stretching her arms above her head. Water beads run down her skin, catching the lamplight. "I suppose even perfect afternoons have to end," she sighs, but she's smiling.

Ortossi stands first, powerful and unhurried, water sheeting off him as he climbs the steps. He grabs his towel and then, ever the guardsman, holds one out for Zoe. "The night air will be cool, my Lady. Best not linger too long."

Zoe takes his hand and lets him help her up. "Always looking after me."

sarah is already up and moving, efficient again — gathering the tray and cups, folding the discarded towels, laying out dry robes in order: Zoe's deep blue, yours, then Ortossi's plain grey, then her own simple wrap last.

She holds Zoe's robe open for her. Zoe slips into it and ties the sash loosely, then turns to you.

"Thank you for swimming with us," she says warmly. "And for racing — well, almost racing."

sarah offers you your robe next, eyes downcast but smiling. "I hope the water was to your liking."

Ortossi claps a hand on your shoulder as you dress, his grip firm and friendly. "You're welcome in my watch anytime."

The three of you pad out together into the cool evening corridor, hair damp, skin warm, the echo of the bathhouse water fading behind you.