"My Jirot, my Jarot," Jarot called, embracing the twins close to his chest.

“Babo,” little Jarot called, burying his chest within his greatfather’s chest, while Jirot climbed up beside the old man’s shoulder to babble into his ear about this thing and that thing.

Adam sat opposite the old man, sipping his tea quietly, while his triplets lay about him, relaxing as they basked within the cool air. Their ears twitched, their nostrils itched, and they glanced to the side.

“May I join you?” a smooth, ashy voice called out to Adam.

“How can I deny a Prince?”

“There are no Princes in the Iyr,” Morkarai replied, taking his seat opposite the half elf.

Adam poured the fire giant tea, before offering the same to his children, chilling the cups slightly with his magic. “Are you spending your time in the Main Iyr?”

“I am,” the Prince replied, sipping his tea after boiling it further, feeling the warmth fill his throat. “I have completed my tasks here. I have the freedom to spend much of my time relaxing now.”

“How much of the Iyr can you explore?”

“I can explore much of the Iyr, but it is kinder to my heart if I take my time not exploring the Iyr.”

“Yeah…” Adam still wasn’t sure what the nature of their alliance amounted to. The Iyr and the fire giants of the east had little to do with one another, the fire giants too far away from the Iyr, and yet the Iyr formed a connection with them. The particular kind of connection, Adam was still uncertain. Morkarai seemed to have created magical weapons for the Iyr, to the tune of at least a hundred, Adam guessed, though the number could have reached several hundred. Then there was the fact the giant could create other magical items, though Adam knew little of his true abilities.

“I remember how much trouble Strom was,” Adam continued, flashing a small smile. “He could go about the Iyr with ultimate freedom, apparently.”

“Emperor Hadda was Emperor Hadda,” Morkarai replied. “Even my father would need to show him the appropriate respect.”

“Did he cause you any trouble while he was here?”

“It was Emperor Hadda. The land may believe you to be trouble, but you are not half as troublesome as the late Emperor.”

“Yeah…” Adam leaned back in his chair, sipping his tea slowly, warming himself from the chilly duskval day. “Who knows, perhaps one day I’ll be as strong as him?”

“If you continue to develop as you have, in a few hundred years you may surpass him yet.”

“A few hundred years?”

“No, perhaps not a few hundred, but you will not reach the height of his strength in a century, not unless you decide to give up raising your children and go to fight for the rest of your days.”

“I suppose I won’t be able to grow as strong as him then.”

“A good choice to make.”

‘The one thing that’ll be awkward is my Health. His Health was probably close to a thousand, while I can probably get a couple of hundred, maybe three hundred, at most. No, about… three hundred and sixty? That’s if I can’t become an Idol…’

‘What dangerous thoughts is he having now?’ Morkarai thought, his eyes falling across to the old man’s face, noting his expression of curious delight. ‘Iyrmen…’

“You have denied becoming a Hill Lord, but are you willing to visit the volcanoes of my home?”

“I can’t say I haven’t been thinking about it,” Adam replied, his eyes slowly meeting the Prince’s. “I’ve been thinking about a specific magical item.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Which item?” Morkarai asked, his mind forming a few magical items which Adam may be thinking of.

“A Belt of Fire Giant Strength.”

Morkarai closed his eyes, slowly bowing his head. He had presumed Adam was thinking about that kind of magical item, since it was one of the most famous items belonging to the giants. The item allowed one to possess greater strength, surpassing the limits of most mortals. One who wore such an item possessed strength equal to that of the fire giants.

“Such an item is only gifted to the greatest of guests.”

“Really?” Adam asked, raising his brows. “Would you gift it to me?”

“For a price.”

“What price?”

Morkarai paused for a long moment, falling deep into thought. “Do you truly mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“You wish to procure it?”

“Sure.”

“A heavy price must be paid.”

“That’s what I’m asking.”

Morkarai remained silent for a long while again. “If you marry into my family, we will naturally gift it to you.”

Adam inhaled sharply. “That is quite the offer.”

“Will you consider it?”

“I will consider it, but you shouldn’t be asking me. You should be asking my children, and Lanarot. You should also be asking whichever of your sisters, cousins, nieces, whoever, if they would like that.”

A long sigh escaped Morkarai’s lips, the fire giant wondering how his family would react to marrying Adam. ‘Goblin children…’ Morkarai thought deeply, sipping his cooling tea. ‘What a bunch of fool they would be to deny Adam.’ “Perhaps there is another price which could be paid?”

Adam let out a knowing sigh and he raised his cup of tea. “Yeah.”

Adam spent the rest of the day relaxing with his children, spending a short while exploring the festival within the Iyr with their family. Mulrot also appeared to play with the children, while Churot went to his grandfather’s side.

The next day, Adam spent his time with the children of the shared estate, though he allowed Taygak to set the pace. Jitool walked around with the twins, while Adam carried Larot and the sleepy Jazool, who seemed to want to nap the entire day, as though she was Uwajin’s younger sister.

Finally, it was time for the children to nap. Taygak led the children and assisted them to sleep, while Adam took Jazool elsewhere, reading her a tale of her family.

“You smelly girl, you should sleep on time, with everyone else,” Adam said, while the girl cuddled up to his chest, her eyes glancing up towards him. “I’ll forgive you because you’re so cute, my Jazool.”

An Iyrman was about to approach him, stopped as Taygak took her place beside Adam, taking the book to read to Jazool. Adam continued to hold the girl thought, not giving her up since Taygak got to read.

“Silly girl, you should sleep with your kaka,” Katool said as she settled herself beside Adam. “I forgive you because you are cute.”

Adam let out a soft sigh, his eyes glancing across the children around him. They were his friend’s siblings, while they were also his cousins through his adoption. He glanced across all the children, from the youngest of Katool, whose eyes shone so brightly while listening to her sister’s tales, to the likes of Taygak, who remained firm and steadfast as the eldest of the children.

‘You brats, you need to grow up safe and sound,’ Adam thought. ‘No, you should stay small and cute forever, but…’ Adam’s heart sank, thinking about how they would need to grow up and leave the safety of the Iyr one day.

‘Damokan, Kalokan…’ Adam’s eyes fell across the twins, who had made him promise to assist them in the future. ‘I’ll work hard so that you can all grow up safe and sound.’

Iyrheart, the Iyrmen called it.

Vonda watched the group from afar, sitting beside Tariel, who was busy writing away, excitedly sharing her story with the Ray. Even she, a Tribesfolk, had heard the tales of the Order of Life’s Rose.

‘Why do you always think such thoughts to make your heart ache?’ Vonda thought, before glancing at Tariel’s words.

He’s thinking of the children again?

“Adam is Adam.” Vonda’s lips formed a long smile. It was later in the evening when the young woman checked upon her backpack, staring at the bottom, where it lay.

The rain fell across the Iyr as the duskval festival continued, though the rain was still gentle, and only pitter pattered in moments.

“It’s getting colder,” Adam said, noting how his triplets seemed far more energised, as though he had dumped sugar into their mouths.

“It is,” Vonda confirmed, holding the tea within her hands, feelings its warmth.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked, noting how red the woman was. ‘It is time for people to get sick about this time of year, I guess?’

“I’m fine…” Vonda inhaled deeply. “Adam?”

“Yes?”

Vonda remained silent for a long while. “Jirot is so smart.”

“Yes.”

“Jarot is so shy and sweet.”

“He is, isn’t he? Karot’s the same.”

“Your sons are so meek, but your daughters are so…”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “Kirot’s pretty forward too, when she needs to be.”

Vonda smiled. The pair continued to chat for the day, spending much of their time together, sharing tea and food.

‘Strom used to watch over us,’ Adam thought. ‘It feels weird without him humming in the distance.’

“Adam?” Vonda asked.

“Yeah?”

Vonda remained silent for a long while. She reached into her waist pack, and revealed a yellow scarf, one which she slowly unfurled to reveal all manner of symbols and patterns across the scarf.

“Nice scarf,” Adam said, eyeing it up. Adam had seen a similar scarf previously. “I think I saw a similar scarf that…”

Their eyes met.

‘Eh?’

Adam’s heart began to beat harder as the heat rushed through his body.

“Adam.”

“Yeah?” Adam managed to reply, clearing his throat. ‘Calm down, you idiot.’

“I hope you will accept it with my heart.’

‘What?’

Wisdom Save

D20 + 4 = 14 (10)