“Did you know?” Jasmine asked, her voice low.

“Did I know what?” Morkarai replied, sipping the grain wine the farmers had begun to cultivate.

“His children were so… unique?”

Morkarai smiled from behind the cup, finishing the grain wine. He leaned back, his eyes falling on the young woman for a moment, before he closed his eyes. He brushed along his beard. “When they were but babes, they would grab at my beard and tug.”

“…”

“I have gifted them many items as the years have passed,” Morkarai said, smirking to himself. “They prefer even my gifts to their own father’s.”

Jasmine fell into thought, unsure of what she should take from his words. The Prince acted as though this was completely normal, but she hadn’t ever heard of anyone who had raised goblins as their own children, especially those of Adam’s kin. ‘Not even the Iyr is so foolish as to raise goblins.’

Meanwhile, Bilal completed a round of his breath training, exhausting out the stress within his body. “They will learn both Aldish and Aswadian?”

“That’s what the current goal is. We’ve quite a few people from Aswadasad working for us, the Order members, and we’re probably going to expand our business into Aswadasad at some point. We’ll try and teach them Drakken too, but that might not come into play for a few years still since we’re still gathering our bearings.”

“I would like for the children to learn magic, priestly magics of Life or War, but if they are more capable with wizardry, that is also acceptable,” Bilal stated.

“Oh? I thought you’d want them to learn more about Noor?”

“They do not need to be so constrained,” Bilal replied, hoping the children would find their home in East Port if they did not find it here.

“Alright.”

“We will also require you to train those we ask you to,” Sonarot said, holding the warm cup of tea between both hands, her eyes glued to the figure in front of her, who reeked of death as much as any Iyrman.

“I will do so.”

“Alright, then how much should we pay you?” Adam asked.

“I owe you a great debt.”

“If your children are following the normal rules of our business, then we need to pay you properly,” Adam said sternly. “We’re still figuring out proper pay, but right now it’s ten gold each month for the basic pay, but we’re paying Experts twenty gold, and we Executives are earning about thirty a month or so?”

Bilal noted how Adam was half confused as he tried to recall the numbers.

“Are you willing to tell us more about your situation?” Adam asked.

“It is best you do not know.”

“Alright, well, will you tell me about these children?”

“They are children of my companions, but they do not know of their own parents. They were raised by a… relative of mine whose health had begun to fail.”

“You couldn’t help them?”

“Even I cannot stand against the sands of time.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. Are any of the children yours?”

Bilal remained silent.

“Do you not want to say?”

“I do not.”

“Alright, well… that’s a little awkward because Jurot already knows.”

“I have a great ability to discern a parent and child,” Jurot said.

“I hope that you will keep it a secret.”

“I will inform the President and my brother, but I will not inform any other.”

“Don’t tell me,” Adam said. “I won’t stop you from telling the President, but I don’t need to know.”

“Okay,” Jurot replied.

“Alright, I’ll put you on the silver track of payment, but you’ll get ten gold a month, and I’ll put aside the rest of the coin as a fund for the children. Once they are of age, they can take part of their share and do whatever they want with it, and once they leave the business they can have the rest of the share.”

“You may give the children all the money.”

Adam smiled. “Well, you see, I expect you to work…” ‘Hold on.’ “You said you were skilled in medicine, so we should probably have you on call as a medic, along with my wife.” Adam sat a little taller upon mentioning his wife. “Can you read and write?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know your numbers?”

“Yes.”

“What other skills do you possess?”

“I am good at drawing.”

“Medicine and drawing? Are you trying to replace my wife?” Adam joked. ‘Wait. If he’s here, doesn’t that mean Vonda can stay in the Iyr?’ “For now you can assist Manager Dunes and Manager Vonda in their work, including teaching the children. If there’s a fight that breaks out, I expect you to assist. No killing, obviously, but you’re strong enough that you can hold back without much issue.”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I understand.”

“Then I’ll start you off at silver rank. I’ll expect you to assist with some teaching now and again, and to complete a couple of hours of guarding per day, but you’ll be mostly free until you’re needed. If there’s an emergency, you’ll need to assist, but it should be fine if you’re just around to help when you’re needed. You should speak with Manager Dunes because you also get one day off each week, but you can bunch them how you like, unless there’s an emergency, and you get a whole month of paid holiday too, which you can save to take the children out and about, and use that gold we pay you to make sure they have fun and to spoil them,” Adam rambled, though Bilal concentrated on the half elf’s words.

‘This is a great deal…’

“You also get two weeks, fourteen days, as paid sick leave, so if you feel sick in some way, feel free to take those days off too. Your housing and food are dealt with by the business, so you don’t need to worry about rent or anything, including the taxes and tithes.”

“It is a great offer,” Bilal said, bowing his head lightly, surprised Adam had offered even more. “I will repay this debt.”

“Debt? Outside of your starting pay, this is pretty much the same offer we’ve given to the others. Rick and the others are being paid about the same amount too.” Adam’s face twitched. “It feels weird that we’re paying you the same as them when you’re so strong? I guess it is probationary pay, we’ll increase it later.”

“…”

‘We’re far enough away that whoever is chasing him probably won’t come after us, right?’

Once the matter was settled, Sonarot wrote up the contract. Adam double checked it, before allowing Bilal to check it.

“I should warn you, this land is the Iyr’s land. You should forget the common sense which you learnt in Aswadasad, because it works differently here. If you cause trouble, the Executives will deal with you if the Iyrmen do not.”

“I understand.”

“You should already know, right? We’re stronger than we seem?”

“I understand,” Bilal repeated.

“Good. I’ll add a hundred gold as your signing fee, since it feels like I’m ripping you off, even if I am helping you and the children.”

“Thank you.”

Adam stepped out into the warm evening of the noonval air, night quickly darkening the sky. He let out a soft sigh, stretching out his body. ‘I need a bath.’

“Are you finished with your business?” Morkarai asked, with Jirot and Jarot opposite him, playing with the coins the Prince had shined for them.

“I’m never finished with my business,” Adam said, picking Jarot up to kiss his cheek, before scooting beside his daughter, pulling his twins onto his lap. He kept them trapped against him, but allowed them to continue playing with their coins.

“You work too hard.”

“Yeah, well, it is what it is.” Adam leaned back, letting out another sigh as the ache of exhaustion began to fill him. “Thanks for your help, for escorting us on the way back, and getting beat up.”

Morkarai chuckled, sipping more grain wine, this bottle from the village which had been gifted to the Prince. “I’m sure you could have returned safely, and gotten beaten well too.”

Adam smirked wider. “Well, yeah. I’m glad you came with us. Do you need to return home soon, or can you stay a bit longer?”

“I have sent word back that I will be indisposed for a short while longer,” Morkarai replied. “I have decided against informing them of my loss to a nameless stranger.”

“His name is Bilal, apparently, and I’m sure he’s not a nobody either.” Adam shrugged his shoulder, glancing to the side of the young woman who was doing her best to ignore the fool of a father and his children. ‘What are we going to do with her?’

Jirot and Jarot continued to play with the coins, their eyes glued to all the shifting colours, before they yawned simultaneously.

“It looks like my adorable children are tired. Why don’t we go bathe and go to sleep?”

“No sleep,” Jirot said, pointing up towards her father, blinking away her sleepiness.

“Alright, then you can stay here, I’ll go bathe with mummy and sleep with her.”

“No! I am bathe and sleep with mummy!” Jirot warned, pointing her finger like a blade towards her father.

“Ah, of course, of course,” Adam said, picking the children up. “Give back the coins to Lord Morkarai, and say good night.”

“You may keep the coins, little ones,” Morkarai said.

Jirot smirked, tightening her fists around the coins, causing little Jarot to do the same, the pair clutching the coins to their chest.

“What do you say to Lord Morkarai for his gifts?”

“No!”

“Jirot.” Adam raised his brows.

The girl pretended to pout, before she cackled.

“Jarot, you are so sensible, what do you say?”

“Thank you,” Jarot said meekly.

“Thank you!” Jirot exclaimed, before yawning, blinking away her sleepiness again.

“Do you see how well behaved my children are?” Adam fawned, kissing his children’s cheeks before pulling them away, taking them to bathe. “Konababy, come, you too Kibaby and Kababy. It’s time to bathe and to sleep.”

Konarot jumped up onto her feet, having already been half asleep, but she stumbled to her father, grabbing his leg to brace herself as she tried to fight off the sleepiness. Her siblings also followed after her as the group made their way to the baths, with Konarot glancing back towards Vonda, who brought up the rear. ‘…’

Morkarai watched as the family left, leaving behind Larot, who had already fallen asleep beside Fakrot. “You should inform the Iyr of your identity.”

“…” Jasmine glanced towards the giant, who continued to sip away at his grain wine.

“They already know, but it is best to speak with them openly, so they will treat you well. They have no machinations so far east, or perhaps, you are not useful for their play in the Confederacy.”

Jasmine thought on Morkarai’s words, the Prince who had been born in Shakador, and was considered one of the best warriors across the entirety of the Confederacy, and yet he paid so much respect and attention to the Iyr and the fool of a father. Even now, she wasn’t entirely certain what she should think about the half elf.

The baths were warm that evening, while Adam used his magic to cool the water in the other basin which held the triplets.

“How’s Elsie?” Adam asked.

“She is well. She is more comfortable with the children of East Port. The sounds of their speech are familiar, and it must remind her of home. “

“Yeah…” Adam rubbed his daughter’s face. “Now that I’m home, you can bully me.”

“No?” Jirot replied, before cackling.

“Jarot, will you bully me?”

Jarot shook his head, before closing his eyes as his father washed his face.

“Jirot is definitely my daughter since she causes so much trouble, and Jarot is definitely your son with how well behaved he is,” Adam joked, chuckling lightly.

Vonda reached over to rub the back of Jarot’s ears to clean them. “Our children are all so well behaved.”

“Ah, yes, what am I saying?” Adam replied, before both he and Vonda looked down to Jirot, whose innocent amber eyes were focused on the water in front of her, which shimmered with the waves as the light from above fell upon it.

“Daddy,” Konarot called, pouting slightly.

“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you all,” Adam said, reaching over to rub Konarot’s face, before washing his triplets too.

The pair worked the lotions into their children’s skin, Adam assisting the triplets, before they finally changed their children. Adam carried his triplets, while Sonarot assisted in carrying the twins, having waited for them so she could assist with them brushing their teeth since Jirot liked to challenge her during such a time.

“Aunt,” Adam began, speaking to his Aunt to one side. “During our travels, Vonda…”

“I know,” Sonarot said, reaching up to brush Adam’s hair gently. “We have divined the child will be born safe and healthy.”

Adam blinked. ‘Why didn’t I do that?’ “Well… as long as nothing changes, right?”

Sonarot smiled. “Yes. Vonda is here now. She is safe.”

“Yeah…”

Jirot and Jarot were already snoozing beside their mother, while the triplets awaited their father’s return, quickly trapping them under him, with the younger brother and sister each claiming an arm, while Konarot pinned her father’s torso under her.

‘You’ve grown,’ Adam thought, feeling his daughter’s weight against his chest and stomach. The soft snoring of his family all around him coaxed him to slumber.

Konarot’s breath gently tickled against his neck.

‘Yeah,’ Adam thought, filled with a sense of great relief.