The flag of the Rot family fluttered in the wind, and the carriages veered towards the fort.

‘Within the Iyr, even the snow gives way to the Iyrmen…’ Dunes thought, waving a hand towards Fred and Charley, who turned the wheels to allow the bridge to fall and the gate to open, allowing the carriages to enter the fort without friction.

“Oof,” Adam said as Jirot leapt up towards her father, the half elf dropping to a knee as he feigned dropping his daughter, though planted her firmly onto the ground. “You’re so big now, Jirot! How can you do this?”

Jirot cackled, her tiny green face flushed slightly red from the cold of nightval all around them. She raised her arms up, clenching her gloved fingers together. “So big and stuhrong!”

“No, no, so small and cute,” Adam said, though he was distracted by Larot climbing down the side of the carriage with some assistance from his grandmother, before the boy glanced around the fort, his red face full of unceremonious neutrality.

‘The cold is not so bad.’

‘Is he walking by himself?’ Adam thought, his eyes glued to his son, though he didn’t see the boy step just yet.

Larot could feel the gaze of the one who poured in his blood and magic to birth him, understanding the expectations within those eyes. However, he did not move, deciding to stand tall and strong, the baby’s stance wide as he crossed his arms behind his back and waited to be carried.

Shumf. Shumf. Shumf.

Adam glanced aside to see his triplets laying face first into the snow to one side. “Konarot, Kirot, Karot, what are you doing? The snow might be dirty! Come to daddy.”

The triplets hoisted themselves up before they rushed to their father, the triplets pouted, their tails slumping behind them, their leaf shaped ears also moving as the flaps to their hats shifted slightly.

Adam cast his Tricks, the snow shifting off their fronts. “Why the long faces? You’re not in trouble, you smelly little brats. Daddy cleaned you up. We’ll find you some clean snow to play in later, okay?”

“Okay,” the triplets replied, staring up at their father with small smiles across their faces.

“Jirot, Jarot, come here,” Adam called, hearing them already darting away.

“No!” Jirot shouted back, cackling.

“Jirot, come,” Sonarot called.

The tiny girl darted to her grandmother, blinking up towards her innocently.

“Your father wishes to speak with you.”

“No?” Jirot replied, trying to challenge her grandmother, only to dart towards her father after the woman raised her brow.

“Smelly girl, how can you bully me in front of everyone?” Adam asked, picking the girl up, tossing her up a tiny amount, before planting her onto the snow. “Let me show you off first, okay?”

“No!” Jirot cackled, squealing with delight, before she squatted down to avoid her father’s hand, which snapped atop her head to ruffle her hair through her large hat.

Little Jarot smiled up towards his father, revealing more of his teeth, which only emphasises his various set of canines, which typically peeked from the corners of his lips.

‘These kids! They’re so cute? How can they be so cute? Ah, of course, it’s because they’re my children.’

Vonda eventually approached the carriages after what felt like an appropriate amount of time for Adam to be cringe for his children. “Welcome, President, Executives, Little Bosses.”

“Ray Vonda!” Jirot shouted, charging with conviction towards Vonda, before skidding to a halt. “Hello!”

“Hello, Little Boss,” Vonda replied, stroking the girl’s warm cheek tenderly. “How have you been?”

“Good! I eated poreege, and I eated salya, and I ride in the carriage aaaaall the way and I am so well beehaved,” the girl replied, puffing up her chest, smug satisfaction painting her green and red face.

“Hello,” little Jarot called, smiling up towards her, while Karot stepped beside him to greet her too.

The farmers gathered around with their families, each adorned within thick clothing, having donned their scarves and gloves as they stepped out to greet the high ranking members of their business.

“Nobby, my boy,” Adam called, reaching up to pat his strong shoulders. “Whoa! Did you grow taller and stronger?”

“Hello, mister boss,” the boy replied, flushing slightly. “No.”

“What’s so different about you then?” Adam asked, glancing up at the boy. “Did you always have a beard?”

“No,” Nobby admitted.

Whereas once Nobby wore a clean face, he wore a gentle beard, one which was still growing, and revealed how he was still so young, for it was thin as of yet. His hair had been neatly trimmed too, and his clothing, though thick, seemed to be so neatly pressed.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

‘I see you’re a man now, Nobby…’ Adam had all but forgotten Nobby had turned… “How old are you now, Nobby?”

“Nineteen.”

“For some reason I thought you were younger… “ Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Anyhow, how did you enjoy your gift?”

“Good,” Nobby replied. “Thank you, mister boss.”

“Why are you thanking me? You should definitely thank the Enchanter.” Adam pat the young man’s shoulder, feeling how thick it was. ‘Damn, what the hell. Was he always this built?’ Adam thought back to when they first met. ‘Oh, yeah, he definitely was.’

“Mister Adam,” Ted called, the older man wearing salt and pepper beard which hid the oncoming second chin he had earned over the last few years.

“Ted,” Adam replied, holding out his hand to shake the man’s forearm. “I see you’re doing well.”

“Lord Gale’s bounty is delicious,” Ted admitted, bowing his head lightly towards the half elf.

“Lord Musa blessed you, eh?” Adam joked, flashing a wide smile, before glancing across towards both Annie and their daughter, Anne, nodding towards them. “How are you finding the business?”

“Calm,” Ted admitted. “Nightval’s not got much work, outside of shovelling the snow to the side.”

“How is Korin’s food treating you?”

“A little hotter than I’m used to.”

Adam smiled wider. “Well, that ain’t so bad during this time of year.”

“Can’t say it is.”

Adam glanced across towards the rest of the farmers and their families, some of whom he hadn’t met before. “I should greet everyone else before we get down to business and then personal matters.”

“Didn’t mean to keep you.”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Adam winked, before heading towards Rick and John, and their families, as well as two more families he didn’t recall. “Rick, I see you’ve been growing out a beard too.”

“Nightval’s too cold for a bare face,” Rick said, shaking the Executive’s forearm, glad the half elf had come to save him from his wife’s piercing glare.

John flashed a smile, shaking Adam’s forearm. “I couldn’t deal with the itch as it grew, so I’ll stay cold and fresh.”

“I’ve been shaving once a week too,” Adam admitted. “Nine months I don’t need to bother with shaving, and then four months out of the year I have to shave a little.” Adam scratched the bit of hair which grew against his own jaw. “Thank god I’m not half dwarf, eh?”

Rick raised his brows, stifling his laugh, while John let out a burst of laughter, glancing towards his own wife for a moment, before he quickly glanced back, trying to avoid her glare.

“I presume these are your families and friends?” Adam asked, glancing across the man, the women, and the children.

“This is my wife, Harriet,” Rick said, motioning to his wife, who may as well have been called Jane with how plain she was. She was as Aldish as any other woman on the road he had seen along his travels. Fair skin, dark hair, dark eyes.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You as well,” Harriet replied, with a gentle.

“Lola, this is Executive Adam.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Adam said, bowing his head towards the woman.

“It’s our honour, Brother Adam.”

“Please, if you’re going to call me something like that, mister or Executive works better.” Adam waved his hand awkwardly, trying to brush past the title. ‘Where did they grab all those thick clothes and scarves?’

“Harry, Laura, this is Executive Adam,” Rick introduces the pair of farmers.

“Thank yeh kindly fer accepting us, Executive,” Harry said, bowing his head awkwardly.

“Thank yeh, Eggsutive Adam! We’ll be sure ta work hard for tha oppartoonity,” Laura added, the woman bowing her head with greater force, causing even her scarf to drop.

“That’s what I like to hear!” Adam chuckled. “As long as you work appropriately, you don’t have to worry about a thing. I trust Rick in picking out some good workers for the business, and we’re glad to have you aboard.”

“Come here,” Harry called, motioning for his children. “Say thank you to the kind mister.”

“Thank yah, mister,” the children all mumbled together.

Adam let out a soft sigh, his breath colouring the air. “You told them a lot, huh?” Adam joked, winking at Rick. “Kids, you’re most welcome. I hope you enjoy playing and learning with your family and friends.”

The children remained awkwardly silent, unsure if they were meant to reply. Harry shuffled towards them awkwardly, reaching towards their backs to encourage them.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your business,” Adam said, waving his fingers towards the children. He spotted the other children too, waving towards them too. “I’ll introduce you all to my children soon too, but why don’t we prepare to eat some dinner together?”

Rick nodded, allowing Adam to leave. He swallowed, making his way indoors, before feeling the piercing gaze of his wife.

“Goblins, Rick?”

“Harriet.”

“Don’t Harriet me, Rick! Why didn’t you mention that the Executive was so…” Harrier glanced towards her children, who were watching their parents fight. “Why didn’t you tell me he was so queer?” Harriet’s voice became soft and endearing, though her eyes pierced her husband.

“This opportunity was not something I could decline.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do you know how much gold I made?”

“Yes, I know, one hundred gold more than usual.”

“That is how much we received in our mutual fund.”

“Yes?”

“I opened an additional fund where I placed most of the coin. It will trickle into our main fund over the years.”

Harriet furrowed her brows. “What are you talking about, Rick?”

“Do you recall the tournament last year?”

“That’s how you made the one hundred gold.”

“I made more than a hundred gold.”

“How much did you make?”

Rick glanced to his children, who had gone off to play by themselves, before he leaned in. “It was a thousand gold.”

“A thousand!” Harriet gasped, her eyes darting to her children for a moment before she leaned in to Rick. “A thousand?”

“A thousand.”

“We won’t ever have to worry about food again.”

“We won’t have to worry about much, but here, that thousand gold isn’t worth much.”

“What are you talking about? A thousand gold! We could buy a cart, and mules, and so much more. You could buy horses with a hundred gold, you could buy a…” Harriet spluttered, trying to think of a creature. “You could buy a gryphon with a thousand gold.”

“We don’t need to buy a gryphon.”

“That isn’t the point.”

“That is the point.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Executive is queer. Most of the Executives are queer, but Adam’s especially queer. He’s…” Rick wasn’t sure what else to say. “A thousand gold is nothing compared to what we’ll gain here. The children, they’ll be educated. Manager Dunes and Manager-, Ray Vonda, they’ll be teaching our children. If they’re any good, they’ll learn the priestly ways, they could become Brothers and Sisters, Fathers and Mothers.”

Harriet remained silent. Rick mentioned the Ray previously, but she had already decided to move to the business for him. “Do you really believe that? You’re not that naive, and I’m not either.”

“If you knew what I knew, if you saw what I saw, you would understand.”

“What do you know? What did you see?”

“I can’t tell you, it’s too dangerous.”

“If you’re not going to say it, don’t mention it.”

“I’m mentioning it because you should know there’s something we can’t tell you.”

“How dangerous is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“You should tell me.”

Rick sighed.