The triplets swarmed around their father, embracing him tightly. It was only late afternoon, but they embraced their father, hugging at any part of him they could find.

“What are my babies doing here?” Adam asked, wrapping his arms around them. They purred as their tails swayed behind them.

“They had spent the day with the greatfather, but how could they not spend time with their father?” Jarot asked, taking a seat opposite Adam, with Churot sitting beside him.

Gangak leaned over to look down at the Goblins. She had put away her pipe long ago, though the ashy scent clung to her. “So these are Jarot and Jirot.”

“That’s right,” Adam said, rubbing Konarot’s head as she helped her siblings up onto his lap. She climbed up Adam’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck, allowing him to wear her like a backpack.

“How could you name him Jarot when he is this cute?” Gangak asked.

Jarot cleared his throat, clutching at his knee as he tried to contain himself in front of the children.

Adam closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact he was pinned down, thinking deeply about the matter. “You’re right.”

“Have you forgotten who beat you?” Jarot asked.

“That old man is going to hurt your daddy.” Adam rubbed his children’s heads gently. “What a bad man.”

Konarot frowned towards Jarot, whose rage allowed him to resist all kinds of damage, but not the kind which aimed for his mind, or his heart.

“Adam, you would use your children against me?” Jarot asked.

“Do you see how that old man threatens me?” Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against Konarot’s.

Baby Jarot squirmed and began to whimper as he awoke, but Gangak lifted him up, holding him in front of her. When he opened his eyes, he stopped, staring at the mass of red ahead of him. His eyes glanced across the blurry form ahead of him, scanning around the face. Otkan picked up Jirot, allowing the girl to rest up against her bosom, though she was also looking at the red mass nearby.

“It is a shame they do not have horns.”

“They are cute without horns and they’ll be cute with horns,” Adam stated, simply.

“They are,” she said, holding little Jarot to her chest. “Will you leave them within the Iyr while you adventure?”

“Once I leave, I’ll probably leave them within the Iyr,” Adam confirmed.

“When will you leave to adventure?”

“I’m not sure. I might leave soon, but…”

“You wish to remain until dawnval?”

“Probably.”

Gangak placed Jarot down. “Since my brother’s family does not want your children, should I adopt them?”

“What do you mean?” Adam asked, pulling his head up from his children’s.

“They would be raised well within the Gak family. Jirot and Jarot would be welcomed, as well as Konarot, Kirot, and Karot.”

Adam’s lips grew taut. He felt his daughter’s cheek press against his neck, her tightening grip around his neck. “Jaygak has Stormdrake, and will grow up to be a great warrior. You have Taygak, Raygak, and Saygak, each of whom will also bring greatness to your family. Why do you need to accept the likes of Jirot and Jarot into your family?”

“This has nothing to do with the state of our family,” Gangak replied. “Though it would be a great boon to tie you to our family, this is a matter of responsibility.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Responsibility?”

“You have already given us so much, and there is no downside to accepting you and your children,” Gangak said. She reached down and rubbed the teeth marks against her hand. “The Rot family refused your children, wrongly, because they were concerned with what the majority of their family might say.”

The Rot family who were nearby remained silent, daring not to say anything against their aunt, especially not since Jarot was here, as he would be the one to speak when she went too far.

“We of the Gaks have never forgotten that we, like those of the Rot, were not always Iyrmen. We were once Devilkin from distant lands, under the oppressive rule of Dragons and other great beings. Indeed, it was back then we were considered to be cursed. Our skin, the colour of blood, from betrayal, they once said. Our horns, which came from mingling with beasts, they once said. Yet, we became Iyrmen, and within these walls, there is no distinction between us. However, outside of these walls they call us Devilkin Iyrmen, and for the Jin family, Orcish Iyrmen. This is not something which many of the Rot family can understand.”

Adam looked to Churot, who no doubt would be the only Rot family member to understand what it would be like. Jurot and Kitool were welcomed everywhere, and though people had to check their foreheads to treat them like Iyrmen, they would still be treated like Humans without the tattoos. Jaygak, however, was not quite so lucky.

“We Iyrmen do not forget, but there are some who do not have such memories,” Gangak said, narrowing her eyes slightly as she thought back to the history of her people. “I cannot blame them. Goblins or Devilkin, it does not matter within the Gak family. If you wish for them to be Iyrmen, good, if not, then it is no matter. We will accept them all the same.”

“What if I asked you to accept the Goblins as Gaks, and the Half Dragons as Rot?”

“You would not do so, but if you did, I will accept the fortune.” Her eyes fell down onto the boy, whose eyes remained glued to her. “Jagak is a much better name for the boy.”

Jarot rubbed his knee, trying to calm himself. Of all the people who had to tease him, it just had to be her.

“No,” Churot said, finally speaking up. “Jarot is a good name.” He sat up taller.

“Do you see what you have done, Jarot? Our quiet Churot has been brainwashed into believing such things.” Gangak reached for her pipe, but pulled her hand away. There were too many newborn children for her to smoke here.

Adam sighed. “Though it may be best for my children to be adopted by the Gak family, I’m already sworn to the Rot family. Jurot is my brother, and he should be the uncle to my children.”

“He will remain an uncle,” the elderly Devilkin Iyrman assured.

“It would be too different,” Adam said. “No one should claim a better right to my children than Aunt Sonarot and my brother.”

Dunes stepped into the shared family estate, noting the appearance of the pair of old Iyrmen as well as the rest of Adam’s children. ‘Did I walk in on something awkward again?’ He brought the basket of food which had been filled for those within the estate. The old Iyrmen exchanged greetings with him, and he sat down nearby, noting Adam’s look.

“It is truly a shame you have no horns, or I would have forced Jaygak to marry you,” Gangak said. “Perhaps Tay-,”

“Grandaunt,” Adam said quickly, his eyes sternly reprimanding her.

“What did you think I was going to say?” Gangak asked.

“Hopefully something else.”

“I was going to ask if you would be willing to adopt our Taygak.”

“If I adopted her, she wouldn’t be an Iyrman any more,” Adam said.

“She…” Gangak paused, thinking on Adam’s words. She remained silent, slowly nodding her head. Of course, Taygak would have still been treated well, but to deny the rights of an Iyrman to Taygak, she couldn’t bear the thought.

Dunes held his fist over his mouth, his entire face straining as he tried not to laugh. He had recalled what had happened with Asoyah, and was struggling to contain himself imagining how Taygak would have responded to such news. Taygak, who was so prideful in being a Gak.

“You cannot take him from me,” Jarot said. “Jurot and Lanarot have already captured him, and he may still yet marry my daugh-,”

“Old man,” Adam snapped, his eyes sternly reprimanding him.

“Old man?” Jarot snapped back. “Can you not call me grandfather at least now? You can see how she is bullying me but you cannot do at least that much?”

“I’ve already given you time with my children, what more do you want?” Adam pulled his children closer to him. “Do you hear that? Your greatfather doesn’t want to spend time with you.”

“Who said such a thing?” Jarot asked, reaching for his axe, wondering if he should beat the Half Elf.

Otkan’s eyes fell between the pair who were arguing. “The children will surely grow up well.”

“One day they will be so big and so strong,” Gangak agreed. “Stronger than even their aunts.” ‘Even if you decide to give yourself to the Iyr, my little Jaygak, how can you compete when their father and greatfather are like this?’

“What do you mean big and strong?” Adam asked. “They will stay so small and so cute forever.”

“That is right,” Jarot agreed. “They will not leave the nest, not until I die.”

“Even after he dies, they won’t leave my arms,” Adam stated.

Jarot nodded his head.

“Are you certain you did not find an Elvish lover on your travels?” Gangak asked. It was uncanny how the pair were so similar. ‘Even compared to Jurot, one would think it was Adam who was the fool’s grandson.’

“Do you know how difficult it was for Mulrot to take me?” Jarot asked.

“You knew?” Otkan asked, letting slip through a voice of surprise. Even after all these years, they had not heard him admit to it.

Jarot snorted. “I am not as foolish as you think I am.”