“You do not wish to follow them?” Amira asked, standing beside Dunes as he watched the group of Iyrmen and demons trekking towards the hills.

“No.”

Amira only nodded her head gently, hearing the tone within Dunes’ voice. It was low, tired, the tone of a man who could not go on. She remained at Dunes’ side as silent as the wind around them, until the priest chose to return back from his thoughts.

“You have finally returned,” the handsome, silver fox of an Iyrman, said, staring down at the group as they approached the gates of the Front Iyr in the late afternoon. His long grey hair fell down to his shoulders, his blueish silver tag glinting in the sun, his flail dangling at his side.

“Did you miss us?”

The Front Iyr Elder decided against replying, instead escorting the group into the Iyr, along with his aides.

The Front Iyr greeted Adam in all its glory. His eyes glanced around, noting the lack of the elderly who had been shifted to the Front Iyr in the previous year, the Front Iyr now noisy with the returning younger Iyrmen families. The Front Iyr’s jagged walls remained, and so did the new buildings, those which had been built so swiftly, the fort outside of the Iyr was thought to have been built as a snail’s pace comparatively.

Lucy let out a soft exhale, the pressure of the entire year leaving as she was finally in the Iyr proper. ‘There’s no way they’re going to let anyone kill me.’

“Life has finally returned to the Front Iyr, eh?” Adam said, following Elder Lykan to the centre of the village, where he spotted a particular grand figure.

“You have returned,” the Prince said, standing up as he made to shake Adam’s forearm, greeting his companions. “Did you cause a mess?”

“I think you’ll find I was very well behaved this year.”

“If you speak it so…”

Adam exhaled through his nose. “At least let me take off my armour before you tease me.” ‘I guess I gotta wait here for a whole week to meet those adorable brats of mine…’

“Daddy!” came a shout from nearby. “Is daddy!”

Adam straightened up, his ears instantly perking up, his head snapping to the side. That voice was unmistakably someone who had inherited his trouble. Adam’s brows raised in shock. The tiny green skinned girl charged towards him, with her siblings in tow. Adam dropped to his knees, holding out his arms as the girl tried to tackle him, only for Adam to lower his hands to slow her down, before she finally grabbed his hand, cackling at him as she stole it.

“Daddy! Daddy!” the girl cried aloud, before climbing on top of her father, hugging his head while her brother cuddled up to Adam’s chest, his eyes glued to his father’s purple armour.

Adam’s entire body flushed with a deep warmth, which pushed away the chill of the stresses he had gained that year.

“Papa!” Lanarot called, staring up towards Jurot expectantly.

Jurot lifted the girl up, hugging her close, causing her to instantly melt against him, half asleep. He felt the heat of her body against him, and felt her thundering chest against his own. “I have returned.”

“Welcome back.”

“You have behaved?”

“Yes.”

Jurot nodded, brushing his sister’s hair, feeling the strands tickle against his arm. He pulled the girl into a closer hug, and he too felt the warmth of the Iyr and its people, and his family, once more.

Adam’s shock eventually wore off, before he pulled he started to unstrap his gloves, reaching to his twins’ heads, his fingers wiping through their curly hair, revealing their faces to him. “Oh….” Adam said, feeling his eyes burn up. “Oh, my little babies. Oh I missed you so much.”

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“I miss you too, daddy!” Jirot said, having completely forgotten her want to tease her father as she reached up to her father’s face, feeling his skin against her hand, feeling the ridges of his bone beneath.

Adam pulled his children into a deeper embrace, feeling the twins’ cheeks against his own, feeling how warm they were to the touch. Their scent was that of the Iyr’s oils, which were often rubbed into all the children. His breath hitched for a moment before the young half elf began to rock from side to side. He glanced upwards towards his awaiting triplets.

Eventually Adam wore five of his children, trapped between them all, though he made no motion to escape.

“Were you all good boys and girls for nana?” Adam asked, showering all of his children with kisses, his entire body warming up from their adoration.

“Yes!” Jirot replied, grinning wide.

“Yes,” the other replied, far more meekly.

“Yes,” the triplets replied, softly, but not meekly.

“Were you good boys and girls for babo?”

“Yes,” the children replied, though Jirot kept silent, only smirking slightly. She cackled and hugged her father once more, falling into a giggling mess.

Adam pulled them all closer, as close as he could, rubbing his cheeks all over their heads, feeling the tiny nubs which were growing upon his triplets’ foreheads. “Oh, you smelly little children, how can you make your father miss you?”

“Have you returned with stories?” Sonarot asked, before handing the tiny red baby to his father.

“Yes,” Jurot replied simply.

Adam wrapped an arm around the boy, keeping him pinned to his chest, staring down at the boy. “Who is this handsome young man?”

“Is Laroh,” Jirot said, pointing up towards the boy.

“You’re so big now, aren’t you?” Adam brushed his son’s hair, feeling how thick it had become. It was sheer black, and had only grown out enough to run his fingers through. He continued to stroke the boy’s hair to one side, soft and slow, staring down at that chubby red face.

“He is growing well,” Sonarot stated.

“Of course he’s growing well, my little boy, how can you not in the Iyr?” Adam brushed the boy’s cheek with his thumb. “Wait until you hear the mess I almost caused!”

Sonarot’s lips almost twitched.

“You did not pretend not to recognise them,” Jurot said, his eyes falling to Adam.

“What do you mean? How can I not recognise my own children? Look at how pretty my Jirot is, who is so big now.” Adam brushed the girl’s hair gently. “Whose son is this well behaved? Of course it’s Jarot! Look at how tall my Konarot stands, and how my Kirot’s tail sways so strongly, and my Karot… my Karot whose eyes are so innocent! How can I not recognise my children!”

“…”

“Except who is that big girl within your arms?”

“Stop it, papa,” Lanarot said, pointing her finger towards him with her narrowed eyes. They softened once he brushed her hair, the girl smiling sweetly, as though she had ate a bread bun.

“Though…” Adam glanced down towards the twins who were currently embracing their elder sister. “Jurot… who is this handsome young man and woman?”

“…”

The twins narrowed their eyes towards Adam, judging him for his foolishness.

“Since they’re so cute, it’s no doubt that they’re… aren’t they of the Rot family?”

“Cousin Adam…” The girl huffed.

“Cousin Adam?” Adam replied. “Hold on. Don’t I recognise this charming young lady, and this charming young man?”

“…” The boy continued to narrow his eyes towards Adam.

“How can they do this to me, Jurot? Are they too grown up now?” Adam said, though Jurot remained silent.

“You are such smelly boy,” Jirot said, cackling towards her father.

Adam continued to narrow his eyes. “I’m sure I’ll figure out who they are soon.” Adam rubbed his cheek against Larot’s head, before turning to face Jurot. “How can you do this to my Larot? You should be greeting my son too.”

Jurot accepted the boy from Adam, blinking down at the boy. He was certainly heavier than before, and had filled out since he last saw the boy. Those eyes were clear and annoyed.

“You all, how can you do this to your uncle, you need to bully him too!”

“Smelly boy,” Jirot said, pointing at her uncle, cackling lightly.

“Don’t bully him like that, you smelly girl. You need to hug him!”

“I want to hug daddy!”

“You…” Adam stopped, unable to deny his daughter, dropping to his knees to hug her once more, showering her with more kisses, before doing the same to the rest of his children. He finally picked up his sister, hugging her close to his chest. “Smelly girl, did you miss me?”

“I missed you papa.”

“Did you miss Jurot too?”

“I missed you both.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Adam said, nuzzling her cheek. “We missed you so much, but we brought back such a big story.”

“Jirot,” Lucy called, extending her hands towards the girl. “Jarot, you too.”

The twins smiled as they charged towards Lucy, before they stopped.

“Jirot, Jarot,” Jaygak said, extending out her hands towards the pair.

Jirot and Jarot veered to one side and charged towards their aunt, who hoisted the pair up with a grunt.

Mara glanced away from the betrayal.

“Are you two well?”

“Yes, kako,” Jirot replied, hugging her aunt’s head.

Adam watched as the children were greeted by the rest of their families. The teen Iyrmen each embraced the twin Kans, who couldn’t help but flush at all the attention they were receiving on that day.

Adam glanced towards the Front Iyr Elder. “Elder Lykan, is there anyway I could ask for a favour.”

“What kind of favour?”

“It’s a very important favour.” Adam let out a long sigh, closing his eyes, as though preparing himself for death. “Perhaps the most important favour of all.”