‘The Iyr’s done so mue,’ Adam thought over breakfast, spooning pe into his mouth. Although he had given up ground to the Iyr, the fact that they had allowed him to give ground was something he appreciated. ‘They could just tell me to do whatever they want and I’d probably have no recourse.’ His eyes fell to the side.

  Sonarot wiped Jirot’s mouth, the girl reag out to grab her cup, before drinking her water. The tiny girl let out a soft sigh once she was done, holding her cup out for her grandmother, who took the cup from her to fill it up.

  “Did you enjoy the pe?” Sonarot asked, while reag over to wipe little Jarot’s mouth .

  “I love powwidge,” Jirot replied, a long smile encroag across her lips.

  “Mm,” little Jarot added, closing his eyes as his grandmother wiped his fad his mouth .

  ‘They did mention that I hew of the Rot family, so I guess they ’t really push me much, but still…’

  Lykan sipped his cup of warm milk, his eyes taking in the sight of the half elf roached. “What brings you to me this day?”

  “I’ve e to repay my debts this week,” Adam replied.

  “Your debts?”

  “I still owe the Iyr for the fort.”

  “Okay.”

  Adam’s week was so. Every m he woke up, brushed his teeth and worked out before his children awoke. He would assisted them with their m, brushing their teeth, allowing them to py, before they’d eat and theo bathe. He spent the days away, while the rest of his panions remaio assist the Front Iyr, going about farming, chopping down trees, general assistance which was required in the Front Iyr. He returned ie afternoon, where he would spend some time reading to the children and pying with them, before rexing in the evening.

  “I go myself,” Jirot decred one m, st off to the toilet by herself. Adam followed after her, but remained outside the little outhouse. He heard the sound of sloshing, the girl humming to herself, noting she was washing her hands with soap, before she stormed out and poiowards the toilet. “Look!”

  Adam checked withioilet, the small outhouse. ‘Hold on. Did they always have these small toilets?’ Adam could only recall seeing them a few weeks ago, when he inally returo the Front Iyr.

  “See?”

  “I see,” Adam firmed, pig his daughter up, peppering her with kisses.

  “I need hep when I go poopoo,” Jirot said. “I do not need help for peepee.”

  “Okay, okay,” Adam said, holding her close.

  “I go myself too,” little Jirot stated, staring expetly at his father.

  “You’re both such geniuses! Aren’t I so lucky?” Adam lifted his son up and kissed him too. “Yrowing too much, how you do this to me?”

  Jirot cackled wickledly.

  It was during oernoon Katool climbed up beside Adam. “Cousin Adam?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you like my hair?” Katool asked, the girl shaking her bob.

  “I like it.”

  “I do not.”

  “Why not?”

  “It is too small.”

  “It is small, but it is cute.”

  “I am not cute, I am fast.”

  “You be cute and fast.”

  “I want to be faster.”

  “If you want to be faster, then maybe you should cut more of it?” Adam asked.

  “Mmm. Okay! I will cut it more.”

  “You should ask your mother.”

  “Mnnn.” The girl squirmed quietly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Father does not wao cut it.”

  “Do you want longer hair?”

  “I want longer hair.”

  “Then have longer hair. You are already so fast.”

  “Okay.” Katool smiled. “Thank you, cousin Adam.”

  “You’re wele, cousin Katool.” Adam ruffled her hair, causing the girl to squeal and run away. ‘Certainly, my cousins are the cutest.’

  Shikan held onto his daughter, the girl sug alohumb as she snoozed against her father’s chest. ‘Shikan, when will you return to smother your siblings?’

  Raygak panted as he dropped down beside his father. “Father!”

  “Yes?” Jogak replied, bringing the boy a cup of water.

  Raygak sipped the water slowly, still panting. “I will grow stronger and then I will beat up sister.”

  Jogak’s nostrils fres as he refused to ugh. He smiled, reag over to pat his son’s wet head. “Yes. I am sure you will.”

  Raygak snorted quietly iurn.

  Jaygak remaiill as her sister gred towards her. Kavgak’s eyes were sharper than she expected, and she gred at her elder sister with the same fidence as Taygak. Kavgak turrekking her way back to her father.

  ‘How scary,’ Jaygak thought. She had reached for Kavgak’s cup, and the girl gred her elder sister into stillness.

  It was during another evening when Adam feasted upon a delicious dessert.

  “You ot,” Asorot said, grabbing onto Gurot’s hand. “It is not for eating.”

  “No?” Gurot asked.

  “No.”

  “No?” Danagek asked, holding the grass within his hand too.

  “No.”

  Danagek spluttered into a cry, and Gurot did the same, the pair g together. Asorot blinked, gng around to see if he was in trouble.

  “What is wrong?” Turot asked, rushing up towards his brothers and cousin.

  “They are trying to eat grass…” Asorot replied shyly.

  “You ot,” Turot said, grabbing the boy’s hands. “Drop it.”

  The boys kept g before Mirot lifing them up. “You ot eat the grass.” She carried them to one side a with their tears.

  “It is okay if they cry,” Turot said, patting his brother’s shoulder. “Well done, Asorot.”

  “Yes…” The boy flushed from his brother’s praise.

  Adam’s brows remained raised towards Jurot, motioning his head to the pair of boys. “Our cousins are the cutest.”

  “Yes,” Jurot replied, his eyes falling across Gurot and Danagek, who had calmed down as their mother and father dealt with them, ing their hands of the grass. He felt his heart throb for a moment.

  “Isn’t it scary how cute they are?” Adam joked.

  “Yes,” Jurot replied, with the seriousness of an Iyrman.

  “Papa,” Lanarot called, holding up her cup. “Milk please.”

  “Okay,” Jurot replied, taking the cup away while Lanarot climbed up beside Adam, hugging his side.

  “What a cutie pie you are,” Adam said, brushing the girl’s hair.

  “I am not pie, I am girl,” the girl replied. “Silly papa.”

  “Of course, you’re right.” Adam pnted a kiss on her forehead.

  It was nearing the end of their stay in the Front Iyr, so Lykan hadn’t expected Adam to eet with him.

  “Your debts are paid.”

  “I thought I should work some overtime to show my gratitude for the Iyr,” Adam replied.

  ‘Adam is going to work instead of resting and pying with the children?’ Lykan thought. Even though he had little to do with Adam, he knew how much the young half elf adored his children. ‘He fuses me even now.’

  It rained during the st day of their stay within the Front Iyr. Jarot could feel the ache within his arm, though he did not winot when his greatso so peacefully against his chest. The tiny red skinned boy was sainst him, his heart no doubt beating far too quickly.

  Gangak dropped down beside the pair, though remained silent. She knew better than to speak to Jarot when it was raining and he held su expression on his face.

  The rain tio pitter patter all around them, the mencholy rhythms filling the pair.

  Meanwhile, the children were all gathered together uhe shelter, each quiet as the dice were rolled.

  “Six,” Katool said.

  “Seven,” Adam replied. “What’s your modifier?”

  “None.”

  “Zero? Well their modifier is plus one, so they go first.”

  “Ock!” Katool said, as though her heart had been wounded.

  “Katool, strong,” Taygak said, sitting tall and proud.

  “That’s right!” Adam assured. “You hunted him down because you knew you could beat him up! You and yoldbde, you’ll definitely be able to defeat them! Speaking of which, how much gold did you want to put in your sword?”

  “How strong is he, cousin Adam?”

  “Very strong.”

  “I use all my gold.”

  “All of it? How much is it?”

  Katool gnced down at her paper. “Mmm. Ohousand… five hundred… sixty seven.”

  “Mark off the ohousand gold because that’s the limit of your sword.”

  “Okay.” The girl erased the first digit among her currency.

  “That means that your sword is currently a plus three bde and it deals… plus three die six.”

  “I put the gold on the sword and I feel that the sword is full because it ate all the gold and now it wants to nap, but I say that it ot nap, we have to fight.” Katool expined.

  “That’s right, but first, he goes first. He whips around to face you, knowing that he ’t run. Please, you don’t uand. I’m a good man. But you know he’s not a good man, you saw him cast such a terrible spell against your allies.”

  “You have lied to me!” Katool decred.

  “That’s right so he reaches for his sword and it, fwoosh, with fire.”

  “Fme Bde?” Raygak asked. “It ot be.”

  “He is different,” Adam assured. “So he begins to engage you in bat. Oops, that’s cocked. Hold on. Miss. Miss. Hit! He uses Onward Soar to attaother three times.”

  “Ock!”

  “Hit!”

  “Ock!”

  “Miss, miss! Wow, he rolled so poorly.”

  “Six. Ten. Fourteen. Uh…” Adam tried to add in the bonuses. “Thirty? No. Thirty two damage.”

  “Ock!” Katool pulled back. “That is so much!”

  “Sometimes that’s how the dice roll,” Adam replied.

  “Kaka, please help,” Katool called, showing her sister the paper, allowio do the maths for her.

  ‘It does look like fun…’ Jaygak thought, watg the group py Warriors and Wanderers.

  Jarot and Gangak joihe group, watg them py Warriors and Wanderers, with Larot watg the group.

  “This is nht,” Gangak said. “Taygak would easily defeat the chimera.”

  “Turot, how he say you have missed?” Jarot asked. “You will not miss the python, they are easy to hit.”

  ‘You guys were all depressed in the er and now you’re heg me?’

  “Father is right,” Nirot said. “His sister has defeated many, and so will Turot.”

  “Yes,” Turot replied, his lips f a smirk.

  “Asorot, you must defeat it.”

  “Okay!” Asorot replied as his mother brushed his hair.

  ‘It really does feel like Asorot has bee Turot’s brother,’ Adam thought, letting out a soft sigh. ‘No. Asorot is Turot’s brother.’ “Anyway, stop backseating, ahem py!”

  My heart is full.