January in Vienna drowned in biting winds, snow flitting gracefully from the heavens, descending like threads of rain. A gust of wind, as if casting fine salt into the sky, danced chaotically, adorning the whole Vienna Palace into a fairy-tale world of ice and snow.
Franz had already given up his habit of winter swimming, for in this frozen world, he couldn't take to the water without fearing for his well-being, distrusting the medical care of his era should he fall ill.
The artificial lake was capped with thick layers of ice where several of his younger brothers still frolicked.
Fallen into the water? No matter, they'd treat it as an icy bath, rise, change clothes, and carry on.
Coddled living was out of the question, for the brothers had undergone military training from a young age. Their skills in theory were certainly not lacking, or else Franz wouldn't be so confidently taking charge of armies in history.
