Jirot gasped from within Jaygak’s lap, bits of potato falling out of her mouth, her head snapping to her father. “First place?”

Adam smirked ever so slightly. “Hmm? It looks like I came first place in the tournament?”

Jirot remained staring at her father, her amber eyes, like giant marbles, in utter shock. “First place, daddy, first place? You are first place?”

“I came first place?”

“You did not?”

“I did, though?”

“Daddy is so strong?”

“Daddy is a little bit strong, isn’t he?” Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. “I’m first place, so am I strong?”

“So strong, daddy, so strong!” Jirot reached out to grab her father’s arm, clutching his shirt tight within her hand. “I forgive you, daddy.”

“…” Adam smiled slightly. “Thank you, my dear. Isn’t my daughter so kind and lovely? She forgives even this fool of a father.”

Jaygak leaned down to blow a raspberry into the girl’s neck, causing her to squeal in delight, tossing the potato. “Ah.”

“Oh no! My potato!” Jirot gasped, glancing up towards Jaygak, her eyes filled with betrayal. “How can you do this to me, kako?”

Adam brought a potato up to his daughter’s lips to stop her from causing trouble, or worse, from crying so adorably. “Daddy is so full, so you have to finish the potato.”

Jirot inhaled deeply. “I do it for you, daddy.” She pat her father’s forearm gently and ate out of his hand, before Adam leaned further in to feed his son too, who accepted the potato so eagerly.

Jaygak continued to speak the tale of their tournament. She had come second, only to Adam and the Princess. Jurot had won in his segment, and Kitool…

Eyes fell onto the unassuming Iyrman, who was leaner than any of her companions, and was usually silent as a shadow. She was pretty, but fairly plain, and carried a staff with her. The staff, Tigerstaff, was one of the greatest the Enchanter had ever created, to the level of Phantom. Even so, her victory would be written in the history books for generations to come.

The older Iyrman each glanced between one another, containing their excitement and pride for the moment. Jarot threw a look to the one armed Otkan, whose grandson was still making a name for himself. The woman rubbed Kitool’s back gently, bowing her head lightly.

“Mummy, you are comfohtable?” Jirot whispered to her mother, having scrambled down from her aunt’s lap.

“I am.”

“Mummy, you must eat,” Jirot said, holding up her half eaten potato.

“I already ate, dear.”

“No more?”

“No more.”

“Okay.” Jirot pat her mother on her knee gently. “You must tell me when you are hungry, okay?” Jirot held up her finger, raising her brows towards her mother almost threateningly.

“Okay,” Vonda replied, reaching down to brush her daughter’s cheek, before wiping her face with a cloth. “Are you finished with the potato?”

“I am finished. Jarot, you are finished?”

“Finished,” the boy confirmed with a whisper.

“You smelly little girl and boy, kako is still telling the story,” Adam said. “We’re at the gemtroll bit!”

“Papo already kill gemtroll!” Jirot accused, pointing to her uncle.

“The story is almost done!”

Jirot stood firmly against her father. She inhaled deeply, narrowing her eyes. “Toilet!”

‘You dare to use your finishing move against me?’

“I can go myself,” Jirot said, before darting away, followed by her twin brother. Adam darted after them, followed by Kitool, motioning her hand to an Iyrman in the shadows, allowing them to remain behind.

“Daddy, you must wash your hands too,” Jirot said after finishing with her business, offering the soap to her father.

‘I shouldn’t have left the soap in the Guild,’ Adam thought, slowly growing with annoyance.

“Daddy?”

“Yes?”

“You are first place now, so you are strong.”

“That’s right.”

“You can beat up the moon?” Jirot stared up at her father with her expectant eyes, and little Jarot also stood beside her sister, the same expectant gaze falling upon his father.

Adam blinked.

Mana: 25 -> 22

Spell: Fly

Trick: Flame Bolt

Miss!

Adam held his daughter within his arm, glad that his son was too scared of flying, though he sat upon his aunt’s shoulders, watching as his father and sister flew into the air. Adam clenched his fist, and called forth the words of magic. “Flame Bolt!”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

His fist turned aflame, and a fist shaped flame shot outwards into the dark sky, towards the moon, dissipating in the sky.

“You see? I am trying to fight, but the moon does not wish to fight me because I am so strong.”

Jirot glared at her father for a long moment, before she smirked, and began to cackle with delight, embracing her father tight. “Daddy!”

“Jirot!” Adam held his girl within his arms, still flying in the sky, before slowly making his way down. He peppered his daughter’s face with so many kisses, before snatching his son back to do the same with him. The pair melted into their father, clutching at his shirt tight with their chubby green hands. Adam paused a moment, before speaking out in drakken. “Hey, just in case you’re a real being, I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Mm?” Jirot asked, looking up at her father.

“Hmm?” Adam glanced down at her. “Okay, let’s go back to mummy.”

“Okay!” Jirot yawned, but kept clutching her father, as though he would escape her tiny grasp.

The tale had completed by the time they returned, with the businessfolk each finishing their meals, taking their own children to sleep. Adam caught Rick looking at him, the half elf smiling and nodding his head, before the farmer bowed his head and left.

“Jirot, Jarot, let us go bathe and prepare for bed,” Vonda said.

“I am not tired, mummy,” Jirot replied, before immediately yawning.

“Mummy would like to bathe,” Vonda said. “Will you make sure I am comfortable?”

“I do it!” Jirot declared, suddenly alert, clenching her fists together like her greatfather as she tried to awaken herself, before she climbed down her father and rushed up to her mother.

“I come too,” Konarot said, glancing up to her mother.

Adam blinked. ‘Eh?’

“Come, Konarot.” Vonda held out her hand, and Konarot took it, smiling shyly towards her mother. Vonda caught Adam’s eyes, the woman smirking playfully towards him, before she took the children away.

‘What? How did that happen?’ Adam’s heart melted upon seeing his eldest daughter walking away, the girl glancing back towards her father to see if he would follow. Adam waved at her and the girl waved back, her long, silver tail, wiggling lightly as she walked away. ‘You really are so scary, darling.’

“Welcome back,” Dunes finally said as Adam dropped down beside him. He was adorned in chain, the dark skinned Priest’s beard freshly lined.

“Yeah,” Adam said, still feeling the shock within him. He reached over to shake the Aswadian’s forearm. “How’s the business been?”

“Well,” Dunes admitted. “Your grandfather has been assisting us with the threats during the Twilight Month.”

“Whose grandfather?” Adam said, though his heart was not within it, his eyes still focused upon the disappearing forms of his children. “Dunes. Did you see?”

“What?”

“Konarot and Vonda…”

“Ah,” Dunes said. “Yes.”

“How?”

“When you left, your daughter…” Dunes shrugged his shoulders. “She started to dote upon her mother.”

“Does that mean I was the one to blame?” Adam asked. “What am I saying? Of course I’m the one to blame, since my Konarot is so sweet and polite, whereas I am just a fool.”

Dunes remained silent, recalling when the girl had almost killed her mother thanks to the artefact, but he decided against mentioning it.

“Speaking of fools, where’s…” Adam paused. “Wait, isn’t Korin the smart one?”

“Sara is the smart one.”

“Yeah, but Korin, he’s a genius.”

“At cooking, perhaps.”

“Perhaps?”

“Okay, at cooking, but not much else.”

“Anyway, where is he and Sara?”

“They left with Prince Morkarai,” Dunes said.

“Lord Morkarai,” Adam corrected. “We’re on the Iyr’s land.”

Dunes raised his brows in surprise, feeling his heart drop for a moment, before bowing his head. “Yes, you’re right.” Dunes had started to zone out the Iyrmen around them, but it was true they were still upon the Iyr’s land.

Adam winked. “They’re gone? Damn. If I had known, I would have given them a proper gift.”

“I don’t think they have the heart to accept a gift from you.”

“What? I wouldn’t give them something insane.”

Dunes raised his brows pointedly at the half elf.

“Listen, okay, you and I both know I would have done something insane, but now that they’ve denied me that chance, doesn’t that mean I have to do something even crazier?”

“It was their mistake not to say goodbye before they left,” Dunes admitted. “Should we drink some wine over your victory?”

“Yeah, let’s.”

“Ah.”

“What?”

“I cannot.”

“Why not?”

“Amira is pregnant.”

“What?” Adam gasped. “She is?”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations!” Adam reached out to shake Dunes’ forearm. “If you need anything, let me know.”

Dunes smiled, bowing his head lightly, before glancing down. “I…” He glanced around, noting most people around them were far enough away, engrossed in their own conversations. “The Lion King spent some time here.”

“Ashmir?”

The Priest nodded. “He…” Dunes fell silent for a long moment. “He seems to want to dote on Ranya.”

“Yeah?” Adam replied, noting how awkward Dunes had become. “How does that make you feel?”

“I don’t know. He is a stranger to me, but to Ranya? She may know him from her birth. I…”

Adam reached over to Dunes’ shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You know, it’s only a good thing for your kid to be doted on by crazy powerful old men.”

“I am not sure they can be…” Dunes paused. “No, they may be comparable after all.”

Adam chuckled. “You can say that again. We ended up meeting someone who lost their eye to the old geezer.”

“He truly is like the Butcher.”

“By the way, did you know Jurot is related to the Butcher too?”

Dunes blinked. “I am not surprised.”

“Yeah? Insane, right? This guy, isn’t he too perfect? He’s so strong, handsome, strong, smart, born into such a great family, and his kid is so cute too! How can he do this to me?” Adam huffed, reaching out to grab the gourd, only to stop, not wanting to drink when Dunes couldn’t. “Honestly, it’s all so ridiculous.”

Dunes smiled. He wondered if he should tease Adam, but decided to allow Vonda to tease him instead.

“Where’s Ranya anyhow?”

“She’s being watched over by the Iyrmen in the estate,” Dunes said, motioning his head into the second section of the fort. “Since the other children are being watched over by the Iyrmen, I couldn’t refuse.”

“Yeah… it is hard to refuse the Iyrmen, isn’t it?” Adam sighed out.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Perhaps I should drink?”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “You’re lucky you’re a Manager, Dunes.”

Dunes smirked playfully, the Aswadian’s pearly white teeth gleaming with a cheekiness only an Aswadian knew. “Yes. So I am.”

“How could you have another child so quickly? You should have let Amira have some rest!”

Dunes smiled even wider. “I wanted to have more children to spoil.”

“I’ll forgive you since you’re so wise,” Adam joked.

“Adam,” Jurot called, approaching the pair, before sitting beside them. He crossed his arms.

“What’s up?”

“Pam is pregnant.”

“Jurot!” Adam slapped his brother’s shoulder, grabbing it tight. “You dog, you, how could you do this to your wife? She needs to rest, you punk!”

Jurot peeked at his brother, noting the sheer joy on the half elf’s face, since he had another child he could spoil so freely. “Adam?”

“Yes?”

“…” Jurot decided against telling his brother. “I have gained first place twice. I would like to gain it again.”

“Yeah!” Adam smiled wider. “Let’s get another first place!” ‘So what? We’ll head to West Port in duskval? That should be after the kid is born. If Vonda and I…’

Dunes and Jurot exchanged a look, the pair realising they each knew, and Adam hadn’t noticed.

Vonda bathed her children, along with the children’s grandmother, who dealt with the triplets, while Larot sat in his little tub, relaxing.

“Mummy, daddy said he can beat the moon,” Jirot said.

“Yes?”

Jirot smirked. “He cannot beat the moon, it is too far away.”

Vonda smiled, rubbing behind the girl’s leaf shaped ears. “He cannot beat the moon?”

“He cannot, but is okay, because he is first place.” The girl smiled bashfully, her amber eyes glistening with pride. “Daddy is smelly boy, but I love daddy so much.”

Vonda leaned down to kiss her daughter’s forehead. “I know.”

“You cannot tell daddy, mummy! Is a secret, okay?”

“Okay,” Vonda whispered, holding her daughter against her bosom. “Okay.”