“No, I suhleep with mommy,” Jirot said, crawling over to Vonda, climbing onto the young woman. Little Jarot also dropped down beside the woman, coyly cuddling up beside his mother.

“I want to sleep with mommy too,” Adam declared.

“Adam…” Vonda flushed lightly, her tan skin turning a deep crimson.

“We’re newly weds so we should be spending time together.”

“No,” Jirot replied, pointing a finger to her father. “My mommy.”

“Jibaby, I’ve let you bully me all this time, but on this point I can’t budge.”

Jirot remained pointing at her father, her finger like a blade poised to strike if need be. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she was confident in her want to sleep with her mother that night.

“It’s not mommy, it’s mummy! In this household we say it correctly, alright?”

“No!”

“You can’t sleep with mummy unless you call her mummy.”

“Mommy.”

“Mummy.”

“Muhmee.”

“Okay,” Adam replied, surrendering to his most troublesome daughter. ‘I guess Vonda and I can have our fun another time…’ Adam’s cheeks turned a deep crimson as he fell into his thoughts, only to be dragged away by a tug at his side. “Yes, Konababy?”

“I sleep with daddy.”

“Okay, okay.” Adam and Vonda finished preparing their children for bed, before they glanced between one another. Adam’s lips twitched into a wide smile, before allowing his triplets to swallow him in their cuddles. ‘Damn. This is really the best life ever.’

Konarot embraced her father tight, her silver tail swaying gently behind her. She could already feel that her father was going to go do that starting from the next dawn.

As slumber came to him, he noted something from the corner of his eyes.

Quest Complete: Married Men

XP Gained: +1000

XP: 2 700 -> 3 700

‘Nice.’

Adam indeed did do that once dawn came. He did that for the next few days, spending his morning with his family, before leaving with the other young adults to work. They returned back in the late afternoon to spend time together.

He broke his habit of working only for two precious days within the first month. The seventh day of dawnval arrived with a warmth across the Front Iyr.

“Cousin Adam,” Katool huffed, narrowing her eyes towards the half elf.

“Who could this be?”

Katool glanced towards her elder sister, Kitool, who wondered if she should help, or if she should tease her sister too. As always, Kitool made the wise choice.

“Shall I beat him?” Kitool asked.

Katool beamed up towards her elder sister with sparkling eyes of expectation.

“Of course I know who it is, it’s our Katool, who else can bully me as harshly as my own daughter?” Adam replied, glancing aside to Kitool. ‘Seriously, Kitool. Isn’t it bad enough your grandaunt’s going to be the one to kill me, you’ve got to bully me too?’

“Kako,” Jirot called, reaching over to pat Kitool’s leg. “You can beat lightly, okay?”

“Jirot, how can you betray me like this?”

“You ah always wuhking,” Jirot replied with a frown. “Kako, you must beat daddy only lightly, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good.”

The old man’s howling laughter filled the air, while Adam embraced little Katool, brushing her hair, still fashioned within a bob, before finally letting her go. He slipped her a silver token for a personal favour, not that the girl ever required a silver token to have Adam act personally, but Adam had already handed out a bunch to most of the other children.

“Jurot,” Adam whispered, staring out to the children who fawned over Katool, who was the youngest of the older children, and the oldest of the younger children. “She’s eight years old, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t that mean…” Adam glanced around to all the children. Gurot stormed back to his mother, while Inakan cuddled up with her brother, while Jitool sat beside her sister, the birthday girl, with Jirot and Jarot beside her. ‘I’ve known Katool almost half her life now…’

“Jurot.”

“Yes?”

“Katool’s so tall.”

“Yes.”

“Turot’s begun to learn a trade too.”

“Yes.”

“Taygak’s grown too, and our sister, since when could she walk and talk so easily?”

“Yes.”

“Since when? When did they grow up this much? What happened to them? My adorable little cousins, my adorable little sister, my adorable little children…”

Jurot knew how much Adam liked to joke, but this time… Jurot took in the sight of all the children. He recalled little Katool, who cried so easily. Then there was Lanarot, who only knew how to cry for her mother, and now she watched over Gurot and Danagek so well. He recalled little Taygak, who once barely knew how to crawl, and now she was a stellar example for all the younger children.

‘In a few more years…’ Jurot’s entire body tensed up as the darkness slipped into his heart. His eyes remained focused on Taygak, who was the oldest of the children, and had yet to be granted her tattoos. Once she was tattooed…

“Old man, give me back my boy,” Adam snarled, reaching out to his youngest boy.

“Have you remembered him?”

“Is that what you should be saying when I’ve allowed you to spoil him all this time?” Adam asked, pulling his youngest child close to his chest, feeling how warm the boy was. He embraced the boy tight. “I don’t care what anyone else says, Larot, you should stay small and cute forever.”

Larot let out a long, tired sigh, glancing to the side. ‘Once I am able, I will beat you senseless, you foolish brat.’

Adam didn’t work that day. Instead he spent the day with the children, playing Warriors and Wanderers, this time with Jurot and the others playing too. Nirot assisted Gurot in rolling the dice, making sure he didn’t swallow the small objects.

“A three? Oh dear, oh dear, that isn’t good enough. Unfortunately, the bandit leader was able to slip away, but maybe next time you can keep up.” Adam ruffled Gurot’s hair, who had no idea he had failed in his task, and just giggled with delight at his cousin’s affection.

“I will catch him!” Katool declared, grabbing her die.

“He’s already running away and he’s so far away, how can you catch him?”

“I am Katool,” the girl declared. “I am faster.”

“Sure, go ahead and roll.”

Katool rolled the die as though she was swinging a staff, and as it struck the dice tray, it bounced against the wall, before the die spun for a moment, rolling onto an edge to reveal a gleaming number.

“Nine. Unfortunately, even with your modifiers, the bandit leader escapes. Of course he knew you were Katool, that’s why he prepared beforehand to escape from you.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Katool rubbed her chin, slowly nodding, understanding that if the bandit leader knew who she was, of course he could plan to escape her swiftness.

Amokan remained focused on the map and the dice, his eyes darting all about while taking in the sight of the children playing. ‘Is he preparing the children for their future abilities?’

Timojin’s eyes also remained focused on the game, his thoughts similar to his best friend’s. ‘Grandfather, you should have found someone to marry him into our family.’

Once they had spent the week within the Front Iyr, the group were finally allowed to head back to the Main Iyr, making their way to the mountains. The walls of the Main Iyr were at least six times as tall as Adam, the large gate easily able to swallow the half elf whole. Six statues greeted the returning group, three on either side of the gate.

Two Iyrmen stood atop the walls, wearing thick cloaks, carrying their family’s weapons at their sides, and longbows in hand. A third Iyrman sat in the room above the large wooden doors. She climbed up and stood atop the walls, crossing her arms as she stared down at them.

Since children of the Iyr were returning, the gates were swiftly opened by the might of the Iyrmen within, revealing the Main Iyr. The Main Iyr was built partly in the side of the mountain, a few tunnels leading elsewhere, small cliffs overlooking the Iyr and the houses. There were hundreds of large square blocks built ahead of him, before an inner set of walls blocked off the next layer.

The children near the opening gates quickly charged towards the returning figures, all shouting eagerly to hear their tales, and to gather gifts. Unfortunately for them, most of the figures had returned from a wedding, with no gifts in hand. Fortunately for them, a trio of Iyrmen had returned after years outside of the Iyr, with a wagon full of gifts.

“Hey,” Adam said, crossing his arms as he gathered the children’s attention. He raised up three fingers towards the children, who gasped, and as the whispers ran through their ranks, the children quickly formed into three queues.

Amokan, Ilyakan, and Timojin each began to hand out gifts to the children, having the first in each line come to them. The gifts from each were special, though the most special of all were no doubt from Ilyakan, the beautiful young woman who was not just a priest, but a Priest.

The group finally made their way through the Main Iyr, following the main road to their village of shared estates, the carriages parked to one side. Each estate was a superblock, three stories tall, with slightly slanted roofs, and archways within the centre of each of the four walls. The inner courtyard was large enough to easily house dozens of people easily.

“Daddy,” Jirot glared towards her father, noting how he was making his way out with a wooden box. “Where you ah going?”

“I have to finish my work today.”

Jirot glanced towards her mother, pointing to her father.

“Your father is working hard this month because he will go with Lord Morkarai,” Vonda said, squatting down to pick the girl up, planting a kiss against her cheek. “I will play with you.”

“Okay,” the girl replied excitedly, while Vonda hoisted up her twin brother.

Konarot watched as her father left, with the box which was full of faint magics. She pouted as the half elf left, but was quickly distracted by a familiar scent approaching the estate.

“Konarot,” Tonagek called, holding his youngest son within one arm, and a dragon chess set in his free hand.

“Baba,” the girl called, before rushing up to him to play.

‘He’s going to work today too?’ Lucy thought, frowning slightly. ‘I should get back to training too.’

Adam checked his book, noting how many days he had blocked off for his work, and how many days he had planned to take a break. ‘I can’t work on the first, and we’re leaving on the second. I wanted to make Vonda a gift before we left, but…’ Adam rubbed his chin. ‘I’d rather it not be a Basic Enhanced. Since I’m taking a break on the first, doesn’t that mean I can work through to the twenty eighth?’

Adam was quickly understanding why logistics usually had its own department. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have a genius mathematician available for him.

“Goodbye, cousin Adam,” Churot said, embracing the half elf, who refused to let the teen go until he had hugged him well.

“Don’t be a stranger,” Adam called out to the leaving Iyrmen, from the one armed Jarot, to the Gangak, and to Churot, each who lived at the extended family estate.

The old Jarot refused to glance back, not wanting to see the smirk on the young half elf’s face. ‘While you are working, I will come and play with them everyday!’

Thus Adam continued his work, until another fateful day.

Adam held up his youngest son, who had been dressed within the Iyr’s attire, that of a tunic, wrapped with a sash around his waist, and a pair of trousers, and small boots which protected his feet. His forehead had been dabbed with blue, the vague shapes of the Rot family tattoo. The boy glared at his father, his red pupils holding a fury only those too old and too sick of life could know.

“Happy birthday, Larot,” Adam said, embracing the boy tight against his chest.

Katool’s eyes were wide towards his cousin, who hadn’t played his typical joke of forgetting who the birthday child was.

‘I’m not really sure what to do when you’re some kind of reincarnated Demon Lord or something, but know that I love you too,’ Adam thought, gently rocking with his youngest son. “I’ve gotten you a silver token too.”

Larot glanced to the side, annoyed at all the attention of the day, though he accepted all the gifts from everyone. He even remained still while the family went to get their portrait done, with the old man sketching in charcoal, noting the large number of figures. He glanced around towards the five adults and the seven children, not recalling the two women.

“Congratulations,” the old man said once he was done with the sketch, nodding towards the newly weds.

“Thanks,” Adam replied.

The old man caught Sonarot’s eyes for a moment, and the pair exchanged glances, but the old man didn’t press the issue. He understood how awkward the relationship of Adam and Vonda was to the Iyr, but Sonarot was the Family Head, so that was that. If the Iyr had an issue with it, they could bring it up to her.

The large set of estates, which formed up the extended Rot estate, welcomed Adam and the others. The gentle warmth of the Rot family welcomed the group, while praise and attention showered the little demon boy, who let out another long sigh of annoyance.

“Dead?” Adam whispered, shocked.

“Last night she passed.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Our loss,” Jarot said, pouring his grandsons a drink. “She was your children’s greataunt.”

Adam thought back to the old one eyed woman, who looked almost like a skeleton the last time he had seen her. Although he had expected her to die soon, it still stung his heart. Adam silently sipped his alcohol.

“When we were young, we fought a few times,” Jarot admitted. “She was not difficult to beat, more difficult than the Aldish, but she was not talented for an Iyrman. She left when I left, and returned a few years later. She swiftly earned the title of Expert on her adventure, and retired within the Iyr.”

“Grandaunt worked hard to become a Grandmaster while retired,” Jurot said, holding up his cup of wine. “She did not shame our family.”

“She did not shame our family,” Jarot repeated, glancing towards Adam.

“She did not shame our family,” Adam replied, awkwardly, before the trio sipped their drinks together. “When’s the funeral.”

“She was buried in the night,” Jarot said. “She wished to be buried quickly. She was buried with her axe, her shield, and the cloth strips she had received from the children in the last year.”

Adam wondered how Iyrmen burials worked, but he decided against asking for more. ‘Rirot…’

“Sister will train hard to become a Grandmaster in her stead,” Jarot said, glancing aside towards the pair of demons who had been hanging out as the Rot family estate in order to train. “You are still working hard?”

“Yeah. Tomorrow I’ll be done with the business’ stuff. Then I’ll be making something personal.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t spoil the fun.”

A figure approached the extended estate, and though they were expected, the Iyrmen still tensed up, their eyes focused on the stranger.

‘I’m still not used to their gazes,’ the fire giant Prince thought.

Thankfully, another figure also appeared, taking many of the gazes away, as a red skinned woman with dark green robes and golden thread across the hem of her robes stepped into the Iyr.

‘Right,’ Adam thought. ‘The Iyr takes such good care of my children.’ “Good morning, Shaman Lokat.”

“Good morning, Adam,” Lokat replied, her attention quickly returning back to the one year old. She checked the boy’s sight, his teeth, and the rest of his body. She spoke few words, though every word she said was dutifully written by her aide.

“How is he?” Adam asked.

“He is healthy.”

“Of course he’s healthy, since his family takes such good care of him,” Adam said.

“Yes.” With that, the Shaman checked upon the rest of the children.

“Our nephew is always healthy,” Turot stated. “I make sure he is warm!”

“I bring the fruit,” Asorot said.

“Yes,” Turot said, patting Asorot’s back. “You are so well behaved.”

‘How can my cousins be this cute?’ Adam thought.

Nirot understood why Adam wanted her to stay behind. ‘I should remain for my nephew’s first birthday.’ She glanced towards her younger brothers, who took such delight in watching over the boy.

It was the last day of dawnval when Adam finally completed it, even missing the break he should have scheduled, much to his children’s chagrin.

“What is it?” Vonda asked, finishing her tea as she eyed up the mace upon the table.

“It’s my gift to you.”

Vonda raised her brows, before reaching out towards the mace. She almost pulled away from how tingly her fingers felt when she touched the weapon. “Is it…”

“Greater Enhanced.”

“Oh, Adam…” Vonda reached up to her forehead, wondering how she could deal with a husband like this. “You already gifted me such a fine weapon.”

“Even our Leads have Greater Enhanced weapons. What will they say when they hear that a Ray of Hope doesn’t even have something which matches it?”

“What does it do?” Vonda asked, quickly snatching the mace up as Jirot reached for it, pouting up at the woman.

Adam smiled.

Vonda’s Dawn

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Deals 1D6 bludgeoning damage.

State the command word to cause the weapon to glow brightly for 6 metres and dimly for another 6 metres.

Holds 3 charges. When the weapon is glowing, the user may choose any creature within the radius of the bright glow to regain 2D6 Health. Regains all charges at dawn.

“How many did you make?” Vonda asked.

“Three of these.”

“Is that all?” Vonda asked, her eyes staring deep into Adam’s.

“Well, the business needs more money, so I’ve been working hard before we leave…”

Vonda reached over to hold Adam’s hand. “You’re working too hard.”

“I’ll work lighter once we’re on the road.” Adam wiggled his brows.

“Adam…” Vonda flushed again.

‘I should do at least this much for my wife, right?’ Adam thought, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Noticing how her mother and father were distracted with their flirting, Jirot reached over towards the mace, only to find her mother was more observant than she realised. Jirot glanced towards her brother, as though she hadn’t tried to cause any trouble at all.

“Who would like to hold the weapon?” Vonda asked.

Jirot gasped, sitting up tall as her eyes beamed brightly.

‘Yeah, exactly,’ Adam thought, nodding his head approvingly. ‘You should show off your husband’s gifts!’

Jurot eyed up his brother. ‘I should bring back a dragon’s head for Pam.’ His eyes then darted to Pam, who was too busy ignoring the ridiculousness of her husband’s brother, feeding Lanarot tiny bits of bread. ‘No. She would not like that.’

Jurot crossed his arms as he thought about what kind of gifts he could bring to his wife, who was an Aldishwoman born and raised in Red Oak, and a baker.

‘Dragon meat?’