Jirot sucked on her thumb as she lay her head against her father’s chest, clutching his shirt tight with her tiny green hand. Her brother mirrored her on the other side, feeling his father’s chest rise and fall with every breath. The pair had been so quiet during the evening, and even in the night. Other than some light complaining before they cuddled with their father they had been eerily silent.

Adam let out a sigh, noting his twins shift upon hearing and feeling their father’s sigh. “Sorry, sorry.” Adam brushed their hair back as the children shifted once more to try to sleep.

‘Six kids…’

Meanwhile, the older Jarot held Karot within his arms. “You must not cause trouble for your father.” He pat the boy’s knee gently. “Since it is you, I know you will not.”

Konarot noted the accusatory glance her greatfather threw to her and she pouted. Jarot laughed, pulling her closer to him too. “There is less of me to hold, but I will love you all the same!”

Kirot pointed up at the old man, wagging her finger at him, before she returned back to his side to cuddle him, her tail swaying behind her. Konarot stood and sauntered her way to the corner, squatting down to find it, before bringing it back to her greatfather. It was an older story of the Iyr, a story which every family possessed, and typically several copies. Each copy of the story was almost the same, except certain sections where more or less developed depending on the family involved.

“Babo?” Konarot asked, holding the book up. It was an older book, a book which had been read at least a hundred times throughout the years.

“You wish to hear the tale?” Jarot asked, before reaching up for the book with his one hand, flicking through its pages. As he did, he creased a page, before noting the crease on the next page. He smiled, recalling the memory of his father creasing the page, before handing the book to him when he was a boy. “You must hold the book so I can read it well,” Jarot said, recalling the words his father had said.

Konarot sat on her greatfather’s lap, her tail falling between their legs, the same as Karot’s. She held the book up for her greatfather to read, glancing aside to see Kirot’s eyes were closed while her tail swayed behind her. Karot also leaned back against his greatfather’s chest with his eyes closed, waiting to hear the tale, not for the first time.

Gangak received word at the extended family Gak estate of the trouble in the shared family estate. “If it was not Adam’s family, I would worry.” She held out the book to her husband, the current Family Elder, before she stood, stretching out her back. ‘How can my greatniece worry me like this?’

“Where are you going?” Rogak asked, his thumb pressed against the line he needed to start at.

“I miss my grandnephew,” she replied, before crossing her arms behind her back as she made her way towards the collection of shared estates. The extended family estates were each built similarly to the shared family estates. Each building three floors tall, a large square when seen from above, with a smaller square in the centre which had been cut out for the courtyard. The extended family estates were different in their format, rather than being built around the Elder’s estate, the main family estate was the primary focused, with other estates flowing out of it in different designs, though each approved by Elder Forest.

“What do I owe the pleasure?” Elder Zijin asked, sitting at his desk within his estate, a candle illuminating the books before him.

“I have heard you have caused trouble,” Gangak said.

“I have caused trouble?” the Iyrman asked, certain she was here about what had occurred earlier in the day.

“You have kept my grandnephew away from his family for so long.”

“…” Zijin tried to pick up the pieces together. “Must you speak like an Aldishman?”

Gangak inhaled deeply. She supposed her joke had gone far enough. “Churot should spend more time with his family. He has been working so much, his nieces and nephews will forget him.”

“He is working hard for the Iyr.”

“Since when was the Iyr so shameless?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“…” Zijin reached up to his chin, rubbing it gently. ‘I see.’ “I will inform the Great Elders.”

Gangak had come with the intention to threaten the Elder with Rogak and Mulrot, but since he had given in, she let the matter end. “I will stay with my niece so I may see my grandnephew in the morning.”

“Okay.”

Meanwhile, Jirot, who had almost fallen asleep, forced herself up, staring at her father as her hair fell across her face. “Daddy.”

“Yes, my Jirot?” Adam whispered, brushing her hair away from her face.

“You are not my daddy, I still love you, okay?”

“Smelly girl, of course I’m your daddy, and I love you too!” Adam brought her to his chest. “Who else can have such an adorable little girl?”

Jirot sucked her thumb and smiled, falling asleep in her father’s chest. Jarot also sucked his thumb. ‘Daddy is my daddy and I am Jawoh, like babo.’

In the morning, Adam found another familiar face. He lifted the boy up, hugging him tight. “Churot, oh my Churot, where have you been?”

“Helping,” Churot replied simply, waiting for Adam to put him down, before walking over to his grandfather to settle himself beside the old man. The older Jarot brushed the boy’s hair and rubbed his forehead, rubbing along the boy’s small horns too.

“Who else but my Churot can be so helpful?” Jarot asked.

Jirot and little Jarot stared at the teen Iyrman who had cuddled up beside their babo, before throwing a look to their father for support.

“It is difficult, since your babo loves Churot so much,” Adam admitted.

Jirot huffed, before rushing up towards Gangak, who hoisted the girl up. She glared towards Churot, but was distracted by Gangak peppering her with affection.

“Have you been well, Churot?”

“Yes.”

“Doing lots of maths, I hope?”

Churot’s lips twitched. “Yes.”

“Are they working you too hard? Should I complain to the Chief?” Adam asked.

“I like maths.”

“Should I ask them to give you more maths?”

“Yes.” Churot leaned in slightly, his lips twitching once again.

“Alright, alright.”

“Churot, you are working so hard already,” Jarot said, rubbing his head. “Too much! You must also stay with me.”

“I like working.”

“Have you grown so much you do not need your grandfather any longer?” Jarot pulled the boy in.

“I still need you.”

Jarot pulled the boy in closer. “Just because I have lost a leg, it does not mean I will not run after you.”

“I will not run.”

Jaygak’s eyes went from Churot to Gangak, before she realised how simply the situation could have been resolved. ‘I worked so hard to prove it too…’

During lunch, Elder Forest and Elder Gold met together to discuss matters. The pair brought their books, each which had been completed by the same boy.

“Have you noticed it too?” Elder Forest asked.

“I have,” Elder Gold replied, sipping her tea. “My aides are no longer as relaxed during work.”

“I should have refused.”

“How can we refuse?” Elder Gold thought about who had asked for the boy to return. The previous Family Elder of the Gak family, who had gained the title due to the death of her brother, during the time when Churot had been killed.

Elder Forest sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned back into her chair. Churot had certainly been a boon for the Iyr, especially the pair who dealt with the logistics of the Iyr. “I hope he does not take the girl’s words to heart.”

Elder Gold’s eyes met Elder Forest’s and she bowed her head. Even if his family was in an awkward position considering their status with the Rot family, they should never question their connection to their father. It was not the way of the Iyr. “It is a surprise since he spoils his children so dearly.”

“How can she not be his daughter when he adores her so much?” Elder Forest joked. She hadn’t believed Adam’s behaviour with his children, but as she grew to know more about the half elf, she realised he was just a foolish father, just like his grandfather. Especially considering how Adam treated Asorot, who had been adopted into the Rot family as one of their own. As far as she knew, Adam had no idea the boy was a direct descendant of one of the Great Elders.

Adam had chosen against working that day in order to play with his children. His eyes fell to Jirot and Jarot, who were settled beside their greatfather and their grandaunt. His triplets remained near their grandmother, though mostly lazed around under the dawnval sun.

‘Six kids…’

Gangak held Adam’s youngest son within her arms while relaxing in the corner. The boy snoozed lightly, and had yet to make many sounds, save for a few coughing and mewing noises for when he was hungry or when he needed to be changed. ‘Will you cause trouble when you grow too?’ Her eyes then fell to the nearby Elder, who had arrived with his aides.

“May I take the boy?” Elder Zijin asked, noting how relaxed the little boy was within Gangak’s arms.

“Where will you take him?” Gangak asked.

“I will bring him to the shamans.”

“You may bring a shaman here.”

“…” Elder Zijin smiled politely. “It must be done.”

“Adam,” Gangak called, before handing the boy to his father. “You should remain with your son while he is still a newborn.”

“Right…” Adam glanced between the pair, wondering what they were up to.

“How can they take my greatson away from me so soon?” Jarot asked, his eyes also glued to Elder Zijin. “Return with him quickly.”

‘What’s going on?’ Adam thought, glancing between them all, noting the tension in the air from all the older Iyrmen and the Elder.

“Come, Adam.”

Adam strapped the boy within his chest with the leather contraption, and though he didn’t need to, he placed his hand against the back of the boy’s head, which was already supported by the leather. “Right…” ‘…’

ZIjin refrained from frowning as he felt two pairs of piercing eyes burning against his back. ‘Did I not also protect his children?’