Usually, Sariel’s infant was calm and relaxed, so far in her few months of life she’s been easy to handle, which had been helpful considering how much work he’d been completing lately. But now, at three months old, she’s going through her early teething stage and has been reduced to tears almost every hour.

You and Sariel are both exhausted from trying to soothe her crying and maintaining your workload all at the same time. You lay on the sofa in your husband's office, not sure what more you could do to comfort her. The usually clean court ministers’ office is covered with teething toys, she didn’t want, empty baby medication bottles and blankets that need to be cleaned soon.

Sariel sighs, letting the baby chew on his gloved finger while she simultaneously lets out a cry of discomfort. He looks at you, his face worn with the same uncertainty about what to do. “I’m out of ideas here.”