“Daddy! Daddy!” cried the little girl with utter delight, almost tackling her father, who dropped down to his knees and held out his arms.

“Ah!” Adam called out, embracing all of his children, his entire body rushing with joy as his children charged him.

“Daddy!” Jirot cried with delight again. “You are back, daddy! You are back!”

Adam allowed his five children to almost swallow him whole. He hugged his little Jarot first, holding him close, feeling the boy’s warmth, smelling the oils of the Iyr. He peppered his son’s green cheek with light kisses, swaying from side to side as his entire body filled with a father’s joy.

Jane blinked, shaking her head, unsure of what she was looking at.

“Jarot! Jarot, my boy! Did you miss daddy?”

“I missed you, daddy,” the boy replied shyly, clutching his father’s shirt, smelling his gentle scent.

“Jirot!” Adam nuzzled into the girl’s neck, kissing her cheek too, before pulling her close, feeling her warmth against his cheek.

“Daddy!” Jirot’s breath tickled against his neck, her tiny hands clutching at his collar and shoulder to hug her father back.

“You!” Adam wanted to tease her, but he had missed her too much, so he held his twins closer, almost bursting with love. He peppered their green faces and their leaf shaped ears all over. Their amber eyes sparkled with the joy only children understood. “What a silly daddy I am! Leaving such adorable children home! Why did I even leave?”

“To fight!” Jirot said, raising her fist in the air, though her free hand clutched at his collar, refusing to let him go.

“Ah, right, well first, I need to say…” Adam glanced down at his triplets. “Hmm?”

The trio stood expectantly, each ready to embrace their father. Their silver eyes remained focused on their father, their silver tails swaying shyly behind them. Just like their father, and their siblings, they also had leaf shaped ears, though they also had tiny nubs which formed horns at the corners of their foreheads.

“…”

“…”

Konarot, his eldest daughter, was still small, not quite as small as Jirot or Jarot, but she stood taller upon realising what her father was doing. She held up an accusatory finger, wielding it like a blade. “No. Not allowed.”

“This firm voice…” Adam began, doing his best not to give in to his daughter just yet. However, the guilt ate away at him, and after taking in the sight of the scar near her eye, he pulled his his triplets in close. He embraced them tight, peppering each of them with kisses all over their faces. “Didn’t I tell you not to grow up? Who gave you permission to turn four years old?” Adam swayed from side to side, holding each of his children close, nuzzling against his triplets’ horns.

“Are those…” Jane asked, turning to ask Jaygak.

“They’re his children,” Jaygak replied, smiling ever so slightly. “They’re my nieces and nephews too.”

‘What?’ Jane’s eyes held more questions within them, but she dared not to ask, not when the woman glared at her so threateningly.

“Daddy is sorry for missing your birthdays.” Adam planted firm kisses on his triplets’ foreheads. “I brought so many gift, but they’re at the Guild.”

“Daddy.” Konarot’s tail swayed from side to side, while Kirot nuzzled against her father’s neck, and Karot buried his head against his father’s side.

‘My kids! Aren’t they the cutest?’

“Where are they?” called a voice. “My greatchildren, how could they leave my arm?”

Jane’s eyes darted to the side, noting the appearance of an old man. He was tall, with short hair, one arm, and a wooden leg. At his side was an axe, and upon his forehead, was a tattoo she was familiar with. A blue circle, with blue diamonds emanating from each side. ‘Who is he?’

“Old geezer, you’ve gained weight,” Adam replied, grinning wide towards the old man who stepped forward. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? What are my greatchildren doing here? They should be within the Iyr! Why are you making me walk all this way to come visit them?” Jarot, the one armed, one legged Iyrman, growled towards the half elf, shuffling forward to try and steal his greatchildren away from their father.

‘Wait,’ Jane thought, taking in the sight of the Iyrman. ‘He’s the Mad Dog?’ The disappointment quickly pushed away the confusion, as he saw what seemed to be the twilight of an old warrior.

“Jirot, Jarot, come,” the old Jarot called.

“No! I am hugging daddy!” Jirot declared, climbing atop her father, to wrap her tiny arms around his neck, refusing to let him go. “Smelly daddy! Always working! Always working!”

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“Daddy…” Little Jarot cuddled up to his father’s chest.

“Ah, well, daddy needed to fight in the tournament, right?”

“Always! Working!” Jirot continued to bully her father.

Other Iyrmen approached the returning group, while the businessfolk watched from the fire. An old Iyrman, with red skin and horns, adorned in plate, reached out to rub Jaygak’s head. “Where is your sword?”

Jaygak smiled. “I lost it on the way.”

“You have lost your sword?” Gangak asked, raising her brow.

Jaygak’s smirk betrayed more than she wanted, but Gangak left her be. She reached over to brush Kitool’s hair, and did the same for Jurot, while his grandfather was busy being bullied by his greatdaughter. She wanted to ask, but she decided against it, since the tales would be told soon.

“You did all the fighting?” Lanarot asked, the tiny girl staring up at her brother with curious delight.

“I fought well,” Jurot replied, holding his sister close to his chest. “I will tell the tale soon.”

“Papa, I am also fighting. Look.” Lanarot threw up her fist. “You see?”

“I see,” Jurot confirmed, staring down at his sister, who smiled so innocently. Her face was so familiar with him, a perfect mix of his mother and father. It was a nostalgic face, and the childish innocence upon her face struck him deep within his heart. ‘I should have killed a dragon.’ It was then he stilled his heart. “You are growing well.”

“I am so big!” Lanarot flexed her arms, puffing out her chest. “I will fight in the tournament too?”

“If you wish to fight in the tournament, you may,” Jurot assured. “When you are bigger.”

“I am so big now?”

“Bigger.”

“Bigger?”

“Bigger,” Jurot confirmed.

Lanarot pouted, throwing her head to glance towards her other brother. “Papa!” She pointed, directing her brother to take her to her other brother.

“Look, papo is back too!” Adam said, letting his children go, having kept them from their greatfather, smirking at the old man.

“Unkal Jurot!” Jirot called, charging towards him, her twin brother following after. Her elder siblings, the triplets, also followed after them.

“Jirot,” Jurot called, placing down Lanarot, who went to tackle her other brother. “Did you behave well?”

Jirot smirked. “I always behave well.”

“…”

Jirot cackled, before hugging her uncle’s leg. “Smelly boy!”

Jurot dropped down to a knee to embrace the children one by one, ruffling their hair. “I missed you all.”

“I did not,” Jirot replied, smirking still.

“Even if you did not, I missed you.” Jurot ruffled her hair.

“Papo!”

“Yes?”

“I do not like you.”

“…”

“Smelly papo! I love you!” Jirot climbed up to hug his neck, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Papo…” Konarot called, before bowing her head and her uncle ruffled her hair, doing the same to each of her siblings.

“Lanababy, did you miss me?” Adam asked, embracing his sister.

“I missed you, papa,” Lanarot replied, hugging Adam back. She glanced up with her dark eyes towards him, taking in the sight of his features, as though she had forgotten them. No, how could she forget, when he spoiled her so much? “Papa. You win?”

“Ah? Did I win?” Adam replied, smiling slightly. “Papa Jurot will tell the story.”

“I am so good at listening,” Lanarot said, sitting up taller, her lips pursed up with pride. “So good!”

Adam felt how much bigger she felt within his arms. He pulled her closer to his chest, ruffling her hair tenderly. It was Lanarot who Adam had adored first, the girl having glued him to the Rot family. Adam glanced aside to Gangak. “How have you been, grandaunt?”

“Well,” Gangak replied, ruffling the half elf’s hair. “How was your journey?”

“It was…” Adam glanced towards Jurot. “Jurot will explain.”

“Did something happen?”

“Something, yeah.”

“These old bones of mine are becoming cold,” Jarot growled. “Let us warm ourselves at the fire.”

As the half elf approached the fire, nodding his head towards the businessfolk, from the farmers, to the Leads, to the Managers, his eyes then fell to a particular figure, who held a hornless red skinned babe within her arms. She wore a black modesti from head to toe, only revealing her face, tan, save for the lightness of the burn marks on her lower jaw. The silver symbol of the sun lay beneath the holy symbol, denoting her rank within the Order.

“Welcome back,” Vonda greeted, her smile radiating warmly.

“Yeah,” Adam replied, sitting down beside her, before intertwining his fingers with hers. He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek, but did no more since they were in public. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Her hazel eyes staring deep into Adam’s eyes.

“Ah, and who is this adorable little, I mean, big boy?” Adam asked.

Larot chose to ignore his father, staring blankly at the world ahead.

“Why are you bullying your father like this? Look at this guy, he turns two and suddenly he’s a big man?” Adam smiled wider. “I got you such a lovely gift!”

Larot remained staring at the world ahead.

“Look, your kako has it right now,” Adam said, motioning to Jaygak, who handed the blade to Adam. The half elf unsheathed it, revealing the dark blade, speckled with the yellows and oranges of amber. The flat of the blade held a particular symbol, though it held no significance to the half elf. “It might not be magical, yet, but daddy, and your aunt, bought it just for you.”

Larot’s eyes fell down to the blade, noting the symbol for a moment, before eyeing up the rest of the blade. ‘It is acceptable.’

“Your aunt slew a gemtroll with it. Gemtrolls are pretty strong, you know?” Adam sheathed the blade, and placed it to the side. “I’ll have it sent to the Iyr, and I’ll place it in your hoard.”

‘My what?’

Jane closed her eyes, reaching up to rub her forehead. Her heart threatened to falter from all the stress. ‘Did he just give a fine blade like that to a baby boy?’

“Miss?” a boy called. “Are you joinin’ the business?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“It’s a good business,” the boy said, nodding his head. “Are you strong?”

“I like to think so.”

“You stronger than the Zecutives?”

“I’m…” Jane smiled innocently. “No, not quite, but I am Steel Rank.”

“Oooh!” The boy’s eyes beamed up towards her. “That’s strong, that is!”

Meanwhile, Jurot and Pam embraced one another, before the Iyrman took his place beside his wife. He crossed his arms, doing his best not to acknowledge it. He threw a look to the side, noting she was looking at him still, and he decided to close his eyes and enter a meditation to keep himself calm.

Adam waved his hand to the rest of the businessfolk, his eyes darting around the place. ‘I guess everything went fine if Dunes hasn’t spoken to me?’

“Hmph!” Jarot groaned. “Will you begin the tale, or will you wait until I have fallen asleep?”

“Jaygak, why don’t you tell the tale?” Adam asked, leaning back. He took in the sight of all the familiar faces. He felt the weight of his twins as they climbed onto his lap. He squeezed his wife’s hand gently. ‘Man. It’s good to be home.’

However, his heart yearned to see her too. His youngest daughter, who certainly had grown up far too much while he had been gone.

‘Is no one going to acknowledge that…’ Jane then looked towards Lucy. ‘…’

Lucy remained sitting still, tears falling within her soul. ‘I thought you loved me too…’

“Kako!” Jirot called, reaching out to Jaygak. “You come sit next to me, okay?”

A tear slipped down the side of Lucy’s cheek. ‘I’ll forgive you this once.’