‘The Iyr’s done so much for me,’ Adam thought over breakfast, spooning porridge into his mouth. Although he had given up ground to the Iyr, the fact that they had allowed him to give ground was something he appreciated. ‘They could just tell me to do whatever they want and I’d probably have no recourse.’ His eyes fell to the side.

Sonarot wiped Jirot’s mouth, the girl reaching out to grab her cup, before drinking her water. The tiny girl let out a soft sigh once she was done, holding her cup out for her grandmother, who took the cup from her to fill it up.

“Did you enjoy the porridge?” Sonarot asked, while reaching over to wipe little Jarot’s mouth clean.

“I love powwidge,” Jirot replied, a long smile encroaching across her lips.

“Mm,” little Jarot added, closing his eyes as his grandmother wiped his face and his mouth clean.

‘They did mention that I was a Nephew of the Rot family, so I guess they can’t really push me much, but still…’

Lykan sipped his cup of warm milk, his eyes taking in the sight of the half elf who approached. “What brings you to me this day?”

“I’ve come to repay my debts this week,” Adam replied.

“Your debts?”

“I still owe the Iyr for the fort.”

“Okay.”

Adam’s week was so. Every morning he woke up, brushed his teeth and worked out before his children awoke. He assisted them with their morning, brushing their teeth, allowing them to play, before they’d eat and then went to bathe. He spent the days away, while the rest of his companions remained to assist the Front Iyr, going about farming, chopping down trees, general assistance which was required in the Front Iyr. He returned in the late afternoon, where he would spend some time reading to the children and playing with them, before relaxing in the evening.

“I can go myself,” Jirot declared one morning, storming off to the toilet by herself. Adam followed after her, but remained outside the little outhouse. He heard the sound of sloshing, the girl humming to herself, noting she was washing her hands with soap, before she stormed out and pointed towards the toilet. “Look!”

Adam checked within the toilet, the small outhouse. ‘Hold on. Did they always have these small toilets?’ Adam could only recall seeing them a few weeks ago, when he originally returned to the Front Iyr.

“See?”

“I see,” Adam confirmed, picking his daughter up, peppering her with kisses.

“I need hep when I go poopoo,” Jirot said. “I do not need help for peepee.”

“Okay, okay,” Adam said, holding her close.

“I can go myself too,” little Jarot stated, staring expectantly at his father.

“You’re both such geniuses! Aren’t I so lucky?” Adam lifted his son up and kissed him too. “You’re growing too much, how can you do this to me?”

Jirot cackled wickledly.

It was during one late afternoon Katool climbed up beside Adam. “Cousin Adam?”

“Yes?”

“Do you like my hair?” Katool asked, the girl shaking her bob.

“I like it.”

“I do not.”

“Why not?”

“It is too small.”

“It is small, but it is cute.”

“I am not cute, I am fast.”

“You can be cute and fast.”

“I want to be faster.”

“If you want to be faster, then maybe you should cut more of it?” Adam asked.

“Mmm. Okay! I will cut it more.”

“You should ask your mother.”

“Mnnn.” The girl squirmed quietly.

“What’s wrong?”

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“Father does not want me to cut it.”

“Do you want longer hair?”

“I want longer hair.”

“Then have longer hair. You are already so fast.”

“Okay.” Katool smiled. “Thank you, cousin Adam.”

“You’re welcome, cousin Katool.” Adam ruffled her hair, causing the girl to squeal and run away. ‘Certainly, my cousins are the cutest.’

Shikan held onto his daughter, the girl sucking along her thumb as she snoozed against her father’s chest. ‘Shikan, when will you return to smother your siblings?’

Raygak panted as he dropped down beside his father. “Father!”

“Yes?” Jogak replied, bringing the boy a cup of water.

Raygak sipped the water slowly, still panting. “I will grow stronger and then I will beat up sister.”

Jogak’s nostrils flares as he refused to laugh. He smiled, reaching over to pat his son’s wet head. “Yes. I am sure you will.”

Raygak snorted quietly in return.

Jaygak remained still as her sister glared towards her. Kavgak’s eyes were sharper than she expected, and she glared at her elder sister with the same confidence as Taygak. Kavgak turned, trekking her way back to her father.

‘How scary,’ Jaygak thought. She had reached for Kavgak’s cup, and the girl glared her elder sister into stillness.

It was during another evening when Adam feasted upon a delicious dessert.

“You cannot,” Asorot said, grabbing onto Gurot’s hand. “It is not for eating.”

“No?” Gurot asked.

“No.”

“No?” Danagek asked, holding the grass within his hand too.

“No.”

Danagek spluttered into a cry, and Gurot did the same, the pair crying together. Asorot blinked, glancing around to see if he was in trouble.

“What is wrong?” Turot asked, rushing up towards his brothers and cousin.

“They are trying to eat grass…” Asorot replied shyly.

“You cannot,” Turot said, grabbing the boy’s hands. “Drop it.”

The boys kept crying before Mirot lifing them up. “You cannot eat the grass.” She carried them to one side and dealt with their tears.

“It is okay if they cry,” Turot said, patting his brother’s shoulder. “Well done, Asorot.”

“Yes…” The boy flushed from his brother’s praise.

Adam’s brows remained raised towards Jurot, motioning his head to the pair of boys. “Our cousins are the cutest.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied, his eyes falling across Gurot and Danagek, who had calmed down as their mother and father dealt with them, cleaning their hands of the grass. He felt his heart throb for a moment.

“Isn’t it scary how cute they are?” Adam joked.

“Yes,” Jurot replied, with the seriousness of an Iyrman.

“Papa,” Lanarot called, holding up her cup. “Milk please.”

“Okay,” Jurot replied, taking the cup away while Lanarot climbed up beside Adam, hugging his side.

“What a cutie pie you are,” Adam said, brushing the girl’s hair.

“I am not pie, I am girl,” the girl replied. “Silly papa.”

“Of course, you’re right.” Adam planted a kiss on her forehead.

It was nearing the end of their stay in the Front Iyr, so Lykan hadn’t expected Adam to come meet with him.

“Your debts are paid.”

“I thought I should work some overtime to show my gratitude for the Iyr,” Adam replied.

‘Adam is going to work instead of resting and playing with the children?’ Lykan thought. Even though he had little to do with Adam, he knew how much the young half elf adored his children. ‘He confuses me even now.’

It rained during the last day of their stay within the Front Iyr. Jarot could feel the ache within his arm, though he did not wince, not when his greatson slept so peacefully against his chest. The tiny red skinned boy was so warm against him, his heart no doubt beating far too quickly.

Gangak dropped down beside the pair, though remained silent. She knew better than to speak to Jarot when it was raining and he held such an expression on his face.

The rain continued to pitter patter all around them, the melancholy rhythms filling the pair.

Meanwhile, the children were all gathered together under the shelter, each quiet as the dice were rolled.

“Six,” Katool said.

“Seven,” Adam replied. “What’s your modifier?”

“None.”

“Zero? Well their modifier is plus one, so they go first.”

“Ock!” Katool said, as though her heart had been wounded.

“Katool, strong,” Taygak said, sitting tall and proud.

“That’s right!” Adam assured. “You hunted him down because you knew you could beat him up! You and your Goldblade, you’ll definitely be able to defeat them! Speaking of which, how much gold did you want to put in your sword?”

“How strong is he, cousin Adam?”

“Very strong.”

“I use all my gold.”

“All of it? How much is it?”

Katool glanced down at her paper. “Mmm. One thousand… five hundred… sixty seven.”

“Mark off the one thousand gold because that’s the limit of your sword.”

“Okay.” The girl erased the first digit among her currency.

“That means that your sword is currently a plus three blade and it deals… plus three die six.”

“I put the gold on the sword and I can feel that the sword is full because it ate all the gold and now it wants to nap, but I say that it cannot nap, we have to fight.” Katool explained.

“That’s right, but first, he goes first. He whips around to face you, knowing that he can’t run. Please, you don’t understand. I’m a good man. But you know he’s not a good man, you saw him cast such a terrible spell against your allies.”

“You have lied to me!” Katool declared.

“That’s right so he reaches for his sword and it, fwoosh, with fire.”

“Flame Blade?” Raygak asked. “It cannot be.”

“He is different,” Adam assured. “So he begins to engage you in combat. Oops, that’s cocked. Hold on. Miss. Miss. Hit! He uses Onward Soar to attack another three times.”

“Ock!”

“Hit!”

“Ock!”

“Miss, miss! Wow, he rolled so poorly.”

“Six. Ten. Fourteen. Uh…” Adam tried to add in the bonuses. “Thirty? No. Thirty two damage.”

“Ock!” Katool pulled back. “That is so much!”

“Sometimes that’s how the dice roll,” Adam replied.

“Kaka, please help,” Katool called, showing her sister the paper, allowing her to do the maths for her.

‘It does look like fun…’ Jaygak thought, watching the group play Warriors and Wanderers.

Jarot and Gangak joined the group, watching them play Warriors and Wanderers, with Larot watching the group.

“This is not right,” Gangak said. “Taygak would easily defeat the chimera.”

“Turot, how can he say you have missed?” Jarot asked. “You will not miss the python, they are easy to hit.”

‘You guys were all depressed in the corner and now you’re heckling me?’

“Father is right,” Nirot said. “His sister has defeated many, and so will Turot.”

“Yes,” Turot replied, his lips forming a smirk.

“Asorot, you must defeat it.”

“Okay!” Asorot replied as his mother brushed his hair.

‘It really does feel like Asorot has become Turot’s brother,’ Adam thought, letting out a soft sigh. ‘No. Asorot is Turot’s brother.’ “Anyway, stop backseating, and let them play!”