Adam sighed as he held the chubby boy within his arms. He could already feel the expectations against his shoulders. His mind raced as to how he could keep the boy within his arms forever, though that was difficult, and then he thought about how he could keep the boy for only a century or so, before relenting to a decade, then to a year, a month, an hour, a minute, and finally, a moment longer.
“Adam,” Shikan said.
“Mokan…” Adam whispered, his heart pounding wildly within his chest. “You have to have lots of fun today. Make sure you eat as much dessert as you can. I’ll only forgive you if you’re spoiled a lot, okay?”
The boy sucked on his hand, shyly glancing up towards the half elf, before Adam finally surrendered him to his father.
Shikan held his son, brushing through the boy’s hair, before he carried the boy away, taking his sister and cousins away to the extended Kan family estate.
“One day, Jurot…”
“…”
“One day I’ll become so strong enough no one can stop me from spoiling our adorable cousins.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t say dangerous things on their birthdays,” Jaygak said.
“How can they do this to me?” Adam asked. “Jirot, why can kako Jaygak bully me?”
“Is because you ah so handsome, daddy,” Jirot said.
Adam inhaled deeply before smirking slightly. “Ah yes, of course.”
“Of coas,” Jirot agreed.
“Should we go and play with nano Otkan?” Adam asked.
“No! I puhlay with daddy!” Jirot pointed towards her father.
Adam let out a sigh, realising he couldn’t defeat his daughter. ‘Truly, my children are the strongest.’
Adam played with his children until noon, when the families gathered together to eat together. “Did you know, your uncle, Jurot, sparred with the previous King’s Sword, King Merryweather.”
“King’s Soad?” Jirot gasped, her eyes snapping to Jurot. “So stuhrong, papo!”
“Yes,” Jurot replied.
“Even though papo lost, he made sure the King had to use Fifth Gate spells to beat your papo!”
“Fif Gate?”
“Even I, your father, only know how to use…” Adam paused, glancing around the Iyrmen around him. He realised he technically hadn’t formally stated to everyone he could use Fourth Gate spells. Plus, if he told his children, they could somehow inform others and the rumours would spread. “Even I, your father, usually use Third Gate spells!”
“King is stuhronger, daddy?”
“Well…” Adam glanced to the side, while the gazes of his aunts and uncles were upon him, each playfully smiling. “You know, whose to say?”
“Even if you are not stuhrong, I love you, daddy,” Jirot said, patting her father’s leg gently. “I love you because you ah my daddy.”
“Oh! Jirot!” Adam’s heart filled with a tsunami only known as love as he picked up his daughter and kissed her all over, doing the same for all of his children. His entire body buzzed with delight.
“Papa, you are stuhrong?” Lanarot asked Jurot.
“I am not yet…” Jurot wanted to say he wasn’t yet, but the beaming eyes of his sister caused his heart to stir. “I am strong for my age.”
“I am small but I am stuhrong too?”
Jurot reached over and placed a hand on top of her head, gently rubbing it. “You must eat more bread.”
“Okay!” Lanarot smiled wide.
“Even though your father fought the First Hope, your uncle fought King Merryweather, who is stronger.”
“Wow!” Jirot stared up towards Jurot.
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“Do you know who else fought King Merryweather?”
“Mmm. Babo?”
“Close. It’s nano Otkan.”
Jaygak’s laughter filled the air.
Otkan didn’t refuse the children as they appeared at the extended family estate, especially not when they seemed more excited than their father. She spoke of the tale of her spar against King Merryweather before he raised his sword in rebellion against the King of Aldland.
In exchange for allowing Adam to spoil Mokan that day, Otkan decided to show the others why she was considered so wise.
“What does the silver token mean?” Otkan asked, pouring Adam a cup of tea.
‘The silver token?’ Adam thought. ‘Oh!’ “Well… it means… they can cash it in to me personally and I will complete a favour for them.”
“What are the limits of the favour?”
“I’ll potentially go against a kingdom.”
“…”
“…”
“Do you have an example?”
“Say…” Adam paused and thought. “Let’s say that they have a friend that is captured by Aldland. I will personally bring their friend back home safe and sound, and if it means war with Aldland, well, it is what it is.”
“…”
“…”
Lightning fell and thunder rumbled.
The thunder drowned out Jarot’s laughter later that evening. “He should be that crazy if he is my grandson!”
Otkan had thought Adam’s favour was more akin to him creating them a magical weapon of a Greater Enhanced variety, but upon hearing his words, she realised just how dangerous the silver token was.
“We should have gathered it was something like that,” Gangak said, sipping her wine.
“The Great Elders will discuss it amongst themselves,” Otkan said, sipping her wine too.
Jarot waited for a long moment, before sipping his own wine. “Mokan will not cause much trouble, but will the Great Elders deny our children?”
Otkan’s eyes fell across Jarot. Of all the things he could have said, it was the only thing which would prove troublesome for the Great Elders. The Iyr’s inclination towards mass death for the sake of their children was well known, even among the rest of the land. Even when the Iyr was confronted by Aswadasad previously about what happened in Severtain.
The Great Elders convened to speak about the matter, among many others.
As the days passed, Adam continued his ridiculousness. He appeared at the extended family estates of all the families he was close with, including the Gek family, where he took Gurot in the early afternoon on his birthday.
Adam was glad Jurot had come with him, finding it less awkward since Jurot had led the way. Adam picked up Danagek for a moment, staring into the boy’s eyes, who squirmed and made to cry, before Adam placed him down and held out a silver token for the boy.
“This is your gift, Danagek,” Adam said, with three more tokens at his side. “I’ll give it to your father, but it belongs to you. Tell me if anyone tries to steal it from you.”
Tonagek accepted the token, which had caused so much trouble for so many people. The token held Danageks name within it, while the other three held the names of the other Gek children, that of Donagek, and then the children of his sister, Fonasen.
“Aunt said I can spoil her nieces and nephews too,” Adam said, handing the silver tokens over.
“Okay,” Tonagek replied, simply.
Adam let out a sigh of relief, before stepping to one side. He watched as Gurot and Danagek were showered with attention for their birthdays. He sat with his arms crossed to one side, feeling the gazes of various Geks upon him. His eyes fell across his children, who were playing so eagerly with the Gek children around.
Adam’s heart stirred. Every time he brought his children to any of the extended family estates, they always welcomed his children. The difference between his children and the other children was minuscule, so blurred, he wasn’t sure if there was a difference at all.
‘Seriously, how much do I owe you already?’ Adam thought, though the smile on his face revealed what he truly thought of the debt he owed to the Iyr.
Tonagek played dragon chess with Konarot, the girl focused on the game, her tail swaying from side to side, while she held a finger curled over her lip like her baba. Fonasen, who looked exactly like their nana, cut up fruit for the children, Kirot and Karot both at her side, while Jirot and Jarot played with the other children.
Lanarot rushed towards Fonasen, before stopping in front of her. The woman looked like her mother, except the tattoo on her forehead was that of the Sen family. “Kako?”
“Yes, my Lanarot?”
Lanarot stood taller. “I am Woh! Not Gek!” She pointed towards her aunt.
“Yes.”
“Yes.” The girl smiled and rushed off to Danagek and Gurot.
Once the children finished their naps, Adam and Jurot took the children away. Lanarot melted against Jurot, the girl having refused her nap, but had silently fallen asleep on her against her brother’s shoulder.
Tonagek stared down at Konarot. “Konarot, come.” The girl rushed over to him, her siblings following after her. The Iyrman fell to a knee and brought the girl in for a deep hug. He could feel how cool the girl was against him, the girl colder than any other child. He could smell the ointments of the Iyr across her skin, no doubt dutifully applied by her father or her grandmother. The girl furrowed her brows, confused, but she held her baba back.
“Baba…”
“Konarot. You must remain as you are, so thoughtful, wise, and sweet.”
“Okay.”
Tonagek closed his eyes tight as he embraced her, before letting her go, embracing each of her siblings. He held the little green twins close to his chest, ruffling their hair, before allowing them to leave.
Adam wondered if he could push to hug Danagek, but he felt too embarrassed in front of everyone. ‘Damn it.’
“Do you think my feelings will change with this?” Dogek asked, watching as the children left.
“Will you refuse it, even after the silver tokens?”
“Whatever his intentions with our children, the line has been drawn. It is the official position of the Gek family from the Family Elder.”
“What if the official position of the Family Head differs?”
“It will not, for we are the Gek family.”
It was at this time, Tonagek had wished his parents were still alive, or that Jarot was still the Mad Dog of the past. Even Dogek would have to take care against the Mad Dog of the past, regardless of his status as someone who could clash against the likes of Sir Robin and the other Paragons across the land.
Dogek remained silent as Tonagek limped out of the estate, his left hand holding onto the blade at his side, in the way he normally held it whenever he went to train.
‘It has to be this way, Tonagek.’