‘Seriously, they called me to deal with him?’ the knight in the finely made plate armour thought. The blade at his side was wrapped in a scarf. The symbol of East Port, not the Duchess, had been engraved within his armour. ‘I still get nightmares from when he beat me.’ The old man’s heart ached, his shoulder pulsing harder. ‘If he hadn’t been beaten before I got there, what did you expect me to do?’ He was glad Raging Bull was now the Duchess’ problem. ‘Now I’ve got to worry about those kids?’

The dawn’s rays began to greet the ships at the port.

“Eh?” Adam called out, noting the heavily armoured fellow, who wore a blade at his side, wrapped within a scarf. The silver medallion worn against his chest, pinned the long cloak he wore, which was almost unseen due to how similar the colour was to the plate armour. “Commander Stone Sword? What are you doing here?”

“Marshal Stone Sword, no, eh, Marshal Black,” the Marshal replied, clearing his throat. “I’m here to escort you to the North.”

“You’re here to escort us? Why?” Adam asked, before feeling a strange sensation flow over him, glancing around as he noticed the way his companions were looking at him. “What?”

“Did you forget?” Jaygak asked.

“I’m certain I have,” Adam replied, sure of himself. If it was anything Adam was known for, it was being a fool of a father, being cringe, being a fool of a father, forgetting things, being a fool of a father, and only knowing the same jokes.

“We’re passing East Fort on the way.”

“Right?”

“Adam, have you really forgotten.”

“Give me a hint at least.”

“You offended a noble last year.”

“Jaygak, do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?”

“It was one specific noble, who wanted to harm our VIPs.”

“Oh!” Adam said, closing his eyes, thinking.

“The Marquess,” Jurot stated.

“Who?”

“You beat up the Marshal of the East,” Kitool said finally, unable to contain herself. She inhaled and sighed, meditating to calm herself.

“Oh. Yeah. Right. The guy. He came with an army, right?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I vaguely remember that. I thought you meant the Prince.”

“The Prince?” Jaygak asked.

“You know, the Merman Prince.”

“That wasn’t last year.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No, that was this year.”

“Really? Wow. I don’t know, it felt like it was last year. Then, when was it that I offended… you know what, it doesn’t matter.” Adam waved his hand, dismissing the thoughts he had. “What’s the use of remembering stuff like that, when I can remember all my chil-,” Adam straightened up, catching Lucy’s eye. “I stopped myself.”

Lucy smacked her lips together and shrugged her shoulders. He had managed to stop himself in time, so she allowed him this moment.

Marshal Black’s eyes fell across them all. He inhaled deeply and let out a sigh, joining Kitool in her meditation for a moment. His eyes then fell to Jaygak, who had caused such a mess at the Duchess’ estate. “Miss Jaygak, was it?”

“Marshal Black,” she replied.

“Do you fare well, this year?”

Jaygak glanced aside towards Adam, before looking out to the sea. “It has been a long year, Marshal.”

“Yeah,” the Marshal replied, slowly nodding his head. “I was hoping to meet you again.”

“You were?”

“Yes, I, uh… I wished to hear your family’s tales.”

“Mine?” Jaygak asked.

“I heard they were interesting.”

“They are, but my family has had few tales of recent.”

“I’m sure they’re good, regardless.”

Jaygak smiled. “Yes. They are.”

The Marshal recalled the Duchess’ words about finding out more about Jaygak, and how much of a threat she would be. From what he gathered, it wasn’t this Iyrman the Duchess should be focused on, but the other two, who were truly terrifying, even to him. Then of course, there was that half elf.

Jaygak fell silent for a long while. She thought about the Duchess and what she could do, but also how Adam’s behaviour would be viewed in the North. “Jurot, Kitool. We can’t take a ship.”

“Okay,” the pair replied.

‘What?’ Adam and the Marshal thought.

With a single statement from the Iyrman, the group changed their entire plans, picking up Jane, and heading along northward along the road.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

‘They know Marshal Black?’ Jane thought, jittery with excitement that she was so close to a hero like Stone Sword. ‘They must really be something!’ She glanced aside to the Iyrman who was speaking with the Marshal, speaking of her family’s stories. ‘With how she’s commanding everyone, and with the Marshal’s attention, she must be their leader?’

It wasn’t long before the walls of Life River invited the group, as their magical steeds brought them through the land with ease. The fortress walls of the Order of Life’s Rose invited them within, with the acolytes eyeing up the group who had appeared once more.

The feeling of warmth filled Jane, who hadn’t spent any time in Life’s Rose before, and she quickly handed off her blade to a nearby acolyte, and began to strip out of her armour, her eyes still darting around. ‘Life’s Rose.’

“I’m sorry for bothering you again, Mother Priest,” Adam said, placing down a gem worth a hundred gold upon the table.

Mother Priest poured the young man a cup of tea, the trickling of the tea echoing within the small, bare room. “If you understand, then you should not bother me so, but I wished to speak with you of your child so consider it a meeting for my curiosity.”

“Virot was born healthy,” Adam assured, sipping his tea, tasting the gentle notes of earthiness. “She troubled me so much, but I realise she’s going to be so troublesome. She’s so cute, too cute! How can she do this to me?”

Mother Priest allowed Adam to be this stupid since he had been so stressed last time, and even though he wasn’t as stressed any more, he was still being polite to the Order. “I am glad she was born so healthy. It is good news, though not unexpected.” She forced away the sigh of relief, sipping her tea.

“Once again, I’m really thankful that you helped out. I won’t ever forget what you did for us. I’m not sure if little old me is good enough to offer anything to you, but if you’re willing, could we gift a donation? Next year we’ll have some more coin, so we can send some, but since your townsfolk are so generous, perhaps a magical shield would be more suitable?”

“We will not refuse any donation, whether they are copper, silver, gold, or magic.”

“Of course, if you’re ever in need of any more blades, while your Hopes are busy, you don’t need to be so polite, you can send us word and we will do our best to dispatch some-,” Adam said, before noting the Mother’s disapprovingly glare. “I just mean if there’s a specific blue dragon who wants to cause trouble.” He chuckled nervously.

“Why are you always thinking of death when you are so worried for life?”

“Ah, well, I mean, I wasn’t particularly thinking about…” Adam smiled awkwardly, since his joke was going to be about Jaygak and her want to kill blue dragons. ‘Right. I’m in the Order of Life’s Rose.’ “Please pray for me, Mother Priest, for I am a fool, and for my wife, who has to deal with me.”

“I pray for Ray Vonda every morning, but perhaps I will need to pray for the fool instead.”

Adam chuckled. “I’ll need it.”

“Will you raise the child in the Iyr?”

“Yes. My children should grow up together.” Adam smiled, though the Mother could see it, the nervousness across his lips.

“It is difficult to be a father,” Mother Priest said, thinking about the rest of Adam’s children, recalling all that Vonda had said to her.

“No. It’s easy to be a father. It’s hard to be a good father.”

Mother Priest smiled slightly, bowing her head.

“You!” Jane gasped upon Adam’s return. “You’re married to a Ray?” Her voice was a whisper, though accused Adam of all manner of wickedness.

“Even stopped clocks are right twice a day!” Adam replied.

“What?”

“What?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I thought you were going to call me stupid.”

“What?”

“I was making a joke about how even though I’m stupid, a stopped clock is right twice a day, because-,” Adam waved his hand. “Filliam would have gotten it.”

“What?” Jane felt regret for the first, but not the last time, that journey.

‘He’s married to a Ray?’ Marshal Black thought. ‘What in the Divine?’

Mother Priest stared at the gem for a long while. ‘You handed over a thousand gold to the small temple, but a hundred to us?’ She smiled, leaning back within her chair. ‘Virot.’

The group continued along their journey, and Adam made the second smartest decision in his life. If the first was marrying Ray Vonda, the second was deciding to keep his mouth shut as they passed through the outposts and towns, and even the other Orders, doing his best to zone out from the world. He could hear Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak deal with the soldiers and the members of the Order, meanwhile, he and Lucy exchanged looks, sighing.

Lucy was being targeted for the same reason as Mara.

Adam was being targeted because he was an idiot who had picked a fight with the Marquess to protect Alex. Also, because he was a filthy leaf ear.

Marshal Black glanced upon Adam, who assisted with forming a small camp, the half elf shifting the earth around, while the planks were placed into position. He had to step forward to protect Adam a few times, and with the Duchess’ seal, it was, perhaps not easy or simple, but if the Marshal of the East himself didn’t come, then it was going to be fine.

While he was trying to understand Adam, it was the tower, which the half elf had chanted into existence, which gave the Marshal pause from his thoughts. ‘Eh?’

It wasn’t long after the Marshal’s thoughts were broken.

“We step foot onto the first area truly considered the North and we’re instantly surrounded by bears?” Adam asked, noting how large the bears of the north were. “What are they feeding you?”

“They are much bigger in the North,” Jane said, hiding the smirk on her lips, drawing her blade.

The next day the group arrived at the town, and truly, it was a town of the North. The town was set among the hills, the walls standing tall and proud, like the Northerners he had met so far. The guards were few in number among the walls, though Adam noted they were each tall and strong, wielding hefty spears and shields, and blades at their side. They wore thick furs and chain, and considering how chilly the month had become, Adam understood why.

Adam blocked out most of the journey as they continued, before finally, they had passed by many towns, outposts, before they arrived at the Order before North Amber.

The Order before North Amber was a particular Order.

The Order of the Black Moon.

Adam squinted his eyes towards the Order’s walls, which were definitely made by the hands of the Northerners, because they were thick, sturdy, and almost brought as much relief as the walls of the Iyr. However, while the walls were truly impressive, it was the Order’s members which truly impressed Adam.

Adorned in heavy armour, built of well made steel, and wielding weapons made of not just any steel, but of true jagite from Jaghi, the Oathsworn of the Order of the Black Moon were truly well equipped. Yet, though they had not drawn their blades, but Adam could already feel it, their intense pressure poised like a guillotine over his neck.

‘Hold on,’ Adam thought. ‘I definitely didn’t do anything to these guys, did I? No, wait, didn’t I beat up one of their members during the tournament? They wouldn’t hold a grudge with us because of that, would they? That’s silly, but they are Northerners, so maybe?’

Jurot could feel his brother’s thoughts from beside him, and surely, Adam had forgotten.

“Hey,” Jane whispered. “What did you do to them?”

“Why do you think it’s my fault?” Adam asked, also trying to recall what he did.

“I’ve heard the stories about all your families, but half the stories you’ve all told me about your adventures, you’re the one who caused the most trouble.”

“It was a rhetorical question,” Adam replied, feeling the ache in his heart. “I’m just trying to think about what I did. I’m pretty sure I didn’t offend them too bad, but I do remember one of them being a butt to me, but… weirdly, I feel like I didn’t pick a fight at that time.”

“Ray Vonda dealt with it,” Jurot replied, recalling the meeting with one of their members. “They are not angry because of you, but because grandfather took an arm from their Vice Commander during the war.”

‘What?’ Jane and Marshal Black thought.

“Ah, right, they’re not mad at me, they’re mad at the old geezer for taking their arm, that’s right,” Adam said, his voice light and full of humour, all within ear shot of the Order.

Jane and the Marshal exchanged a glance between one another.

‘Finally,’ Adam thought. ‘It’s not my fault.’