Days continued to pass within the Front Iyr. Adam assisted the Front Iyr, pulling along rickshaws full of grain for the Iyrmen, while also bringing the Iyrmen stationed within the Front Iyr their drinks too. He had no idea the Iyr produced so many drinks, enough to deal with the thirst of a figure like Lord Stokmar, but also enough for the older Iyrmen who were settled in the Front Iyr.

The Front Iyr, which was the first line of defence against any invading force, and was currently under the protection of several Dragons, from the likes of three Dragons, and a Lord of Earth, as well as a Fire Giant Prince. Perhaps most impressively were the hundreds of older Iyrmen, with many reaching into their sixties, who remained in the Iyr. Adam noted the tags around many of these Iyrmen, Steel, Silver, Mithril, and every so often, Gold.

However, Adam kept his head down, not wanting to bring any more attention to himself. He didn’t spend much time with Tariel either, as she was busy spending most of her time with the pair of Dragons, listening to their exciting tales, and their grand abilities.

“I’ve never seen Adam so quiet before,” Dunes whispered, looking at the Half Elf, who was settled in the corner.

“You’re right,” Vonda said, staring at the Half Elf as he sipped his milk.

Dunes narrowed his eyes slightly. It felt weird for Adam to behave so well. ‘I don’t like it.’

Adam just worked around the Front Iyr, keeping himself out of trouble, somehow. Even Lord Morkarai, seeing the way Adam was behaving, decided against speaking with him. There wasn’t much to be done in terms of farming due to all the snow around them, but there was always need for them to clear the roads, as well as to move around food stuffs, and other resources.

Adam sighed, longingly.

Early evening had fallen across the entire Iyr, with the late sun still illuminating the Main Iyr. Soft fire crackled in the shared family estate. Lanarot scribbled on a piece of paper with her little gem, drawing all manner of contraptions she was imagining. She was beside her mother who was in the middle of breastfeeding a baby.

The Half Dragon triplets rested nearby, cuddled on a pile of blankets, their tails resting beside them. Their tails twitched, before they shot upwards towards the sky. The children pushed themselves up from their blanket and looked towards one of the four entrances to the shared family estate.

The soft steps of the Iyrmen were not quite so pronounced, but the heavily armoured Half Elf wasn’t quite so silent as the group entered the shared estate. The Devilkin was much worse, her armour was not made of puthral.

“Papa!” Lanarot began to squeal, before her mother grabbed her head, trying to hush her down. “Papa!” Lanarot hoisted herself up, scrambling onto her feet, before she darted towards the arriving figures.

“Go ahead,” Adam said, patting Jurot’s back.

Jurot dropped to a knee and Lanarot threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck as he lifted her up. Lanarot hugged her elder brother tight.

“Papa! Is papa!” the girl declared, as though she needed to inform the others.

Jurot held the girl close within his arms, his heart pounding wildly within his chest. He held the girl tighter, before she began to melt up against him, beginning to relax within her brother’s embrace. Jurot understood, at least a little, as to why Adam was so excited to return.

Adam dropped to his knees and held out his arms to scoop his triplets within his arms, his heart suddenly thundering within his chest. He said no words at first, just enjoying the embrace as he held his children within his arms. He kissed them each on their foreheads, before returning back to hugging them again. Adam began to make noises, quiet noises, that sounded like an engine getting rid of all the pressure within it. He slowly fell back, allowing his children to climb on top of his armour as they continued to nuzzle up to his neck and face.

Adam brushed their hair gently, rubbing their horns lightly too, before he planted another kiss onto each of their foreheads warm. “Konarot. Kirot. Karot.” He whispered into each of their ears, kissing their leaf shaped ears gently too. “Ohohohohoho.” He wrapped his arms around them and pinned them on top of him.

The others allowed Adam to melt into the side with his children, while they noticed the situation, realising what had happened while they had left.

Jaygak embraced her brother, Raygak, lifting him up within her arms. “Did you eat up all my peppers?”

“No,” Raygak replied, wrapping his arms around her. “I do not do that.”

“Hmmm.” Jaygak let him down. “I will ask Elder Zijin.” Raygak huffed out quietly, while his sister then went to embrace Saygak. “You didn’t eat my peppers did you?”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“No,” Saygak replied, hugging Jaygak back.

“Hmmm. Okay.” She brushed his hair gently, before then embracing Taygak.

“Cousin Taygak, back,” Taygak said, hugging her cousin tight.

“That’s right.” Jaygak smiled, brushing Taygak’s hair gently. “Did you take care of your little sister?”

“Yes!” Taygak confirmed as she pointed down to Tavgak. “Tavgak, good.”

“She is.” Jaygak ruffled Taygak’s hair.

“I look after Kavgak too,” Raygak stated. “Tavgak too.”

“I’m sure you so.” Jaygak ruffled their hair.

Kitool held Katool within her arms, the tiny girl resting her head on Kitool’s shoulder. Katool looked up towards Kitool, before smiling wide, and then going back to resting against her shoulder.

“Papa!” Lanarot exclaimed, while others tried to hush her.

Adam looked up at the girl, who was half squatting beside him, arms out for a hug. “Okay, okay, one second.” Adam plucked his children off of him one by one before Lanarot climbed on top of him and the pair hugged tight. Adam kissed her forehead. “Who is this smelly girl?”

“Lanawoh,” the girl replied, smiling shyly.

Adam kissed her forehead. “That’s right. My little sister, Lanababy.”

She giggled and squealed, clapping her hands excitedly while Adam continued to kiss her head all over.

“How are you so big now?” Adam asked, letting her go, the girl running back to her other brother to hug him again. “When did you begin to run so well? When could you talk so well?” Adam sighed, staring out to her, still not noticing the situation around them.

However, his eyes snapped around to find his twins. The pair of greyish green skinned babies were staring up towards him from beside an exhausted Mirot, who was currently breastfeeding a baby. The pair were adorned in the Iyr’s clothing, and were no longer quite the newborn babies he was used to. They were much larger than before, though still tiny. Their hair had thickened, and covered the top of their greyish green head. They were both playing with tiny figures, each clasped in either of their tiny hands.

“You two punks, your daddy is back and you’re not going to run and hug him?” Adam asked, holding out his arms.

“Puh?” Jirot looked up towards her grandaunt and pointed towards the Half Elf in puthral. “Oo?”

“That is your father,” Mirot confirmed. “You should go and hug him.”

Jirot eyed up Adam suspiciously. Jarot sat beside her, also staring up at Adam stupidly. Their eyes were constantly distracted by his armour, which sparkled with all manner of colours thanks to the fire nearby.

“Jirot, say hello to your father,” Sonarot said.

“No!” Jirot shook her head, and remained at her grandaunt’s side. Her eyes remained glued on Adam’s armour, however, unable to draw herself away.

“How can she do…” Adam paused, glancing around the area. ‘What the hell?’ He eyed up the Iyrmen about, and then back to the bundled figures, and the babies who were currently being breastfed. “Jurot,” Adam whispered, shocked by the fact that Jirot was refusing to come and see him, but also from his sudden realisation. “The babies have multiplied.”

Adam was certain of it. He counted the number of babies, and not including his own, he was sure there were fourteen, which was only possible if… Adam glanced around awkwardly, noting how his aunts were currently in the middle of feeding their newborn children, while the others were snoozing lightly nearby, still somehow not awakened by the other children being so loud nearby.

“Jurot,” Adam whispered. “Do we have enough gifts?”

Jurot thought back to all the gifts Adam had bought, recalling how much money the Half Elf had spent personally. “Yes.”

Adam then threw a look towards the older children, who were waiting patiently and quietly near to the fire. “Alright, hold on.” Adam walked over to his twins slowly, before dropping to a knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of items, each made from various strips of cloth. He held them out with each hand, wiggling them lightly in front of the twins.

Jirot and Jarot stared at the cloths as they shifted around, the colours swirling within the air as Adam swayed his hands.

“Come on,” Adam whispered. “You can have them.” He held them out to the twins, who looked up to their grandaunt, and with a nod of her head, the children stood up and approached Adam, taking the ribbons from him. Adam then wrapped his arms around them and lifted them both up, before showering them in kisses.

“You little punks, how can you make daddy bribe you like that?” Adam constantly peppered them with his kisses, but they squirmed away from him, and he allowed them to run free to their grandmother, who was done with feeding the baby she was caring for. Sonarot handed the baby to Halikan, who took the baby with her to rest with the others.

“How can they do this to me?” Adam whispered.

Dunes’ lips formed a smile, though his eyes glanced aside away from the sight. Vonda smiled more eagerly from beside him.

“It is time to give the souvenirs,” Jurot said, patting Adam’s shoulder.

“Lanababy, do you love papa, or do you love gifts?”

“Gifts?” Lanarot asked, staring up at him expectantly.

Adam sighed. He looked down at his triplets, who were standing right beside him, staring up at him expectantly. “I’m only letting you all bully me like this because you’re cute.”

As the group began to settle themselves, the older children eyed up the large sacks the group had brought along. The others within the group also began to settle down, with the Iyrmen preparing for the babies to be sent elsewhere.

“Why are Jirot and Jarot cuddling up so close to your aunt and not me?” Adam whispered, keeping a rather large sack beside him full of gifts, as well as a large leather sack.

“Aunt is also raising them well,” Jurot replied, as if it were obvious.

“…” Adam threw a look towards Mirot. ‘I thought she didn’t like me though?’ Then his eyes fell to the newborn children, who were being organised. ‘I can’t believe it. Who thought it was a good idea for the Iyr to give me more children to spoil?’

Sonarot walked over to Umbra with a cup of water. “I see you are a new guest my son has brought.”

Umbra, half focused on the children, and the way the other Iyrmen around were tense around her, accepted the cup. “I am.”

“Oh, yeah,” Adam said. “This is Umbra, Lord Strom’s daughter.”

The adult Iyrmen sighed, and the adult Iyrmen who had just appeared, the fathers and uncles, also sighed. They picked up the babies and moved them elsewhere, some of the mothers going with them.

‘…’ Umbra stared at Adam, wondering how he could just spill everything just like that.