"It sounds nice, but most of us don't end up very happy for it. Not the spouses. Not ourselves. Not the children."

"Why not?"

"Because we make mistakes."

Munching. Waiting for an elaboration?

"Most of us that screw up. Do it so because we can't stand having just a one partner to be with. And while we love that partner, they doesn't let us have what we want, even if they are not being pushy to us about it."

"Well, I won't screw up."

"Oh, good."

There is something about his posture that shifts and... is his shadow looking at Sevet?

"Communicate."

Sevet can't take a step back on account of not having feet, but he can put some distance between himself and whatever that shadow is. "What?"

"Communicate. Express your feelings. Tell the people you want to have children with about what you want and what you need. Don't underestimate your need for what you want, either."

"Okay."

"It's harder than it sounds."

"Why?"

"Varies, at least between each one of us. But there is always a theme of us having or finding a reason to do so. Whatever it is, it always makes it important for us to produce progeny. Or, enables us to produce progeny. It is not like we don't want to."

"I don't have anything like that."

"You don't actually need to. Sometimes it can just happen to us. Grayscale over there," he indicates with his head, "didn't, instead fate just conspired for him to forget his first wife and have kids with his new husband."

Uncomfortable shifting. "Why that happened to him?"

"The wars in his world are fought with weirder magic."

"But why that happens to us?"

"That much I don't know kiddo. Fate? I don't think it's impossible to bit, but I am the lucky one. In my world I am openly encouraged to seek out extra-marital pursuits and have tons of kids."

"That's unfair. I want that."

"Aw, I wish it was that easy for every one of us. And even I have caused some family-related disappointments. Though, they are harder to explain."

Sevet harumphs loudly and bitterly.

Lord Stephen snorts. "Oh, and it's not just us that get alted. We always have children with the same three people, the same six children even."

"What are they like?"

"Our wives, well, not always wives, but our spouses? Or our kids? Are you sure you want to know and not be surprised?" He doesn't wait for the young one to show annoyance. "Like us, they have a color in their last name. We always are gray-something. Theirs are Black, White and Green."