“We should return tomorrow,” Sonarot said.
“So soon?” Adam asked.
“It has been long enough.”
“I suppose it’s like that…”
“It is best for the children to return to the Iyr.”
“Right…”
Sonarot waited patiently for Adam to tinue, noting the awkwardness in the air.
“Are my children going to stay in the fort from now on?” Adam asked.
“You wish to take my greatchildren from me?” Jarot asked, growling quietly.
“You visit them whenever you want.”
“With these legs of mine?”
“Don’t make this more awkward.”
“I am allowed to make it so, for I am a crippled old man and you wish to take away from me my greatest joy?”
“Isn’t Churot yreatest joy?”
“Will you take him from me?”
Adam smirked slightly. “Perhaps I ?”
“You ot,” Churot replied.
Jarot reached out to stroke his grandson’s hair gently, all the while Adam ighe old man’s smile.
‘Seriously, this old geezer…’ “It’s not like I fight that. I wahem to live here, sihey’re my kids, but it is probably best for the children to stay at the estate…” ‘It’s probably better for me to move around than for the kids to move around. They he stability of staying in one pce while they’re young, and they might feel lonely without all the other children around. The Portians didn’t py with them much so I guess it’s fine?’
Omen: 10, 20
“We’re going to be heading bato the Iyr. I’m going to spend a little bit of time with my children, I’ve been holding bauch since I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of you all.” Adam beamed towards them with a smile.
‘He’s definitely not joking.’
It was a thought which passed through most of their minds.
“We’ll figure out how to send you all out safely so you speak to your families and bring them to the business, and of course the tracts that you’ll o sign. We’re still figuring out the specifics, especially since we’re not wholly certain about the pay structure between all the different levels, but I’m sure you knoon’t jib you.” Adam paused. “Gab you?” Adam paused a little longer. ‘What’s the phrase?’ “Stiff yht.”
‘Stiff us?’
“We’ll be w hard to make sure your families live great lives within the business, I assure you. Until then, please be patient.” Adam was unsure of what else to say. He go the side, noting the ures. The Aswadiao remain at the fort with Vonda, while the Iyrmen promised to watch over the fort with a few of their own for now, though the prote would lighteime.
‘They’re already doing so mue… I’ll o work harder.’
‘He’s defihinking something stupid,’ his panions thought.
The group which remained from the business was fairly light, too light for Adam’s taste. ‘I guess it’s okay sihe wolves are going to be around to assist.’
The farmers, porters, a Portians watched the carriages leave, taking a rge number of Iyrmen with them, but also all of their Executives.
“I didn’t expect him to be so… ad to his children,” Gilbert admitted.
Cobra shrugged her shoulders. She hadn’t expected how close he had been with his childreher. It was a surprise to her that he was really just a father. ‘More of an ad father than he is a scary monster.’
“If you have any need, you may e to speak with Ray Vonda or I,” Duated, reaffirming Adam’s words. He waited a moment to see if any of them wished to speak with them, before he retreated away to his temple to pray, a few children rushing after him.
Vonda stared out towards the carriage. Though she had pyed with the children, she had hoped to py with them further. She uood that her pying with the childre with many of the worries of the others who had just found out Adam’s children were a particur set.
‘I guess the teens could go to the town and wait for them to deal with their families? I could send Jurot so he deal with his busioo.’ “Sometimes I’m smarter than I realise.”
Jirot gnced up towards her father. “So smaht, daddy.”
Adam smiled, pnting a kiss against her forehead, before nuzzling against her enderly. “I am.”
The Front Iyr weled the group once more, who settled themselves with the estates alongside the edges, away from the estates of the guests. Jirot and Jarot ran around together, giggling and cag again, feeling the ge in the air, the sense of familiarity returning. Konarot pyed dragon chess with her baba, Kirot and Karot both zing around beside her, their tails swayily.
Adam held Larot against his p, the boy a the world as always. Adam held the boy close, feeling how warm he was against him. A shadoroached, with a smaller shadow following after him.
‘Oh.’
“Good to see you all,” Adam said, having all but fotten the smaller figures.
The dark skinned half elf tapped within her book.
Hello.
“Did you enjoy your time within the fort?” Morkarai asked, dropping down opposite Adam, p some wine for himself. “Wine?”
“No, but thank you.”
“Denying a Prince?”
“A friend, whose pany I will enjoy sober.”
Tariel tapped her book.
Yes, please.
Morkarai poured the half elf woman his wine, leaning back within his chair as he began to sip it. “Did you enjoy showing off your children?”
“See? This is why we’re friends, Lord Morkarai. You know me so well.”
“Did you embarrass them appropriately?”
“Not enough.”
Morkarai bowed his head, while Tariel smiled. Tariel was dark skinned, but not like an Aswadian, holding a gentle golden hue. She wore long, thick robes, dark green and brown, though they were slightly different to her inal attire, with the style more Iyrish. Laying beside her was a long staff, made of dark wood which curled around a gem at the top, coiled like a viper.
‘Now that I think about it, isn’t she the only other half elf I know?’ Adam thought. ‘Other than Jonn, I mean.’
Tariel began to question Adam using her book, writing down within it, while Adam replied verbally. It had been a while sihey st spoke, and Adam had adventured, so he spoke part of the tale, before allowing Jurot to take over to speak of it.
Wow!
‘Did she write a ne?’ Adam thought, staring at the piece of paper. He was certain she was holding a new book in hand, one gifted to her by the Iyr.
“ns do you have now?” Morkarai asked, p the group more wine, it to Adam once more, though the half elf shook his head. “There is a half year still left, and I do not recall you oo spend a half year within the Iyr.”
“Ah, you know, just w,” Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. He he look within Morkarai’s eyes, and he replied with a smile. “Just this and that.”
“This and that,” Morkarai replied, though he shared a knowing look. “How your children must be so proud of your tales, and of your diverse skills.”
“I hope so. What about you? You still w here?”
“I have ged my mind many times, but I have decided to dey my return until year. It may be some time before I return to the Iyr, and I may never see many of the figures here, for their lives are short, even for…” Morkarai paused a long moment. “They are of the mortal persuasion who may perhaps reach a tury if they are lucky.”
Adam smirked slightly towards the Prince. “You are wise beyond your years, Lord Morkarai. Speaking of which, how old are you?”
“I am bearded,” Morkarai replied.
“Spoken like a true noble.”
“Will you speak with such distaste even for me?”
“You know, Ray Vonda is no longer a noble.”
“A Ray is simir enough.”
“Not the same, though.”
Morkarai chuckled. “It is no surprise she has bee a Ray, for she was beside you.”
“You make it sound like I’m a fortuowed upon my panions, and not a troublemaker.”
“You are both.”
Adam ughed, before stopping, noting his son yawn within his p. “It seems my Larot is tired, Lord Morkarai. I’ll put him to bed and then you tease me and we drink together.”
Morkarai bowed his head, allowing Adam to leave. He gowards Tariel’s book, the young woman having written within it. “No. He may be too busy for such.”
Tariel shrugged, before writing down more.
“Perhaps he could, but you should stay away from him, for your preseogether may cause too much trouble. Adam has the Iyr, but you, you are still… what do they call you?”
Tribesfolk.
“Yes, that was it.”
Dangerous.
“You have caused enough mess for the Iyr with your presear Tariel.”
Tariel smiled. pared to Adam’s smirks, hers was far more shameless.
