Vonda rested her head against her husband’s shoulder, squeezing his hand tenderly. She wao ask him more about his thoughts, but Adam had already told her it was nothing to worry about. She couldn’t help but feel he wao free her of the stress for their child’s sake, and though it caused her more stress, she allowed it to escape through her sigh.

  “Once we’re doh the North, I’ll head down to East Port, and dohe money properly,” Adam assured, squeezing his wife’s fingers, which had swollely.

  “Yes, darling,” Vonda replied, hearing the words not for the first time even that day, but each time, Adam always said something new.

  “I’ll be sure to ask them about how many shields they want. I’ll take their order and add in another shield. I’m sure they already know, but I’ll send word about the Reavers and my own personal experience. I’ll buy some books, some paints, Damakian, I remember.” Adam closed his eyes, w what else he could do. “Did you wao give anything to your mother?”

  Vonda narrowed her eyes, her cheeks flushing slightly. As much as Mother Florence had raised her, she was still far too shy to call the woman her mother. “She likes tea.”

  “Well, I do that much at least,” Adam said, smiling towards his wife, who smiled back at him, and the pair rested their heads together.

  “Blues,” Konarot called, holding out a seed for the bird, allowing it to peck from her hands. The small bird tio eat each seed the girl fed her, one by one, while Kently brushed the bird along its back with the back of her finger, as gently as she could, as her granduaught her.

  “Konarot, Kirot, Karot,” Gangak called, holding a pair of sleepy children within her arms. Little Jarot pulled away slightly, staring at his greatfather, who smile at him, before the boy returo his nano’s bosom.

  Konarot carried Blues as they followed their nano to up and go to sleep, allowing their parents some time alohough Vonda excused herself a short while ter. Adam stood up, but paused, noting the look on Jarot’s face.

  “e,” Jarot called, motioning a hand to the seat beside him. As his grandson dropped down beside him, the old man leaned back, staring up at the darkened sky, the first stars beginning to appear. “We will join you to Deadwood.”

  “Why Deadwood?”

  “We must train, and Deadwood is fun.”

  “We?

  “Gangak, Otkan, and I.”

  “Is anything wrong?”

  “We are too weak,” Jarot stated simply.

  “If you’re too weak, then I don’t have much faith in anyone.”

  “You should have faith in the Iyr,” Jarot said.

  “Well, yeah, I meant people though.”

  “We are Iyrmen.”

  “Individuals.”

  “We are Iyrmen,” the old maed once more, smiling slightly.

  “Are the Reavers that dangerous that you of all people o train?”

  “We will survive the Reavers, but how many of us will be sacrificed? I still wish to see my greatchildren grow.”

  ‘Holy,’ Adam thought, his hairs standing on end. ‘An Iyrman who doesn’t want to die?’

  Jarot reached up and pced a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You must train too.”

  “I know, but, I ’t…”

  Jarot squeezed the young man’s shoulder, staring into his eyes, noting the look within Adam’s eyes, before pulling his hand back. “Live as you wish.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that…”

  “If you ot say it, then you ot say it,” the old man reassured.

  Adam eyed up the old one armed cripple, the way he sat, so rexed, and the way he stared at the sky, lost within his thoughts. Had he seen the old man this wistful before? The terrifying Mad Dog who had beaten him, no longer within his sight.

  The m, they prepared to leave within their carriages, each which could carry six people fortably, a less fortably.

  “Be safe, mister Fred,” Gee said, the gem glowing white with eaent he spoke, his magical voice clear, sistent.

  “I will,” Fred assured, throwing a smile back towards the boy.

  “Will you meet the Order?”

  “I pray I do, but it is difficult at this time,” Fred admitted.

  “Maybe you meet them when they go to south?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Mister Adam?” a voice called sheepishly. She was short, lean, and had curly dark hair that fell to her shoulders, and shy, dark eyes.

  Adam beamed down towards the girl, dropping to a knee. “Elsie. What’s the matter?”

  “Mnn…” The girl held up a small bracelet of beads. “We made it for you.”

  “Ah? A bracelet for me?” Adam asked, accepting it within his hand, before he tied it onto his wrist. “Who made it for me?”

  “We did.”

  “Who?”

  “Me and my brothers and sisters.”

  Adam’s heart stopped beating for a moment, before it quickly restarted. “What… an amazing gift for me. I’ll be sure t baething lovely for you all too.”

  Elsie smiled, before quickly retreating back to Cobra, who exged a look with Adam. The half elf smiled, w if he’d o promote her for her hard work, and if nothing else, for the dessert she gifted to him.

  ‘Do I have a keen eye for workers, or what?’ Adam thought, beaming with delight, it being stopped by a form which towered over him. ‘Uh oh.’

  “Daddy!” Jirot called, staring up at her father, her stance wide, ready to fight. “I want to py in vilge!”

  “Dear, I already told you, it’s too dangerous.”

  Jirot inhaled deeply, before smirking as her father fell into her trap. “It is not dangerous.”

  “It is.”

  “It is not.” Jirot wielded her bde like finger, and with a practised swing, she point to a figure. “He take me.”

  Adam remained silent for a long while. At first, he thought about beating him up, but he decided against it. He stared down into his daughter’s eyes, seeing how resolute they were in wanting to cause mischief. He wao deny it, every fibre of his being told him to deny it, but that’s whehought about it. ‘If they get used to her, then…’

  “Jirot.” Adam dropped down to a knee, pg his hands oher side of her face, brushing her cheeks with his thumb. For ohe half elf wasn’t smiling, causing his daughter to frown slightly, her heart dropping. She feared not her father, but the unknown of this father of hers. “Listen to me carefully, okay?”

  “Okay…”

  “Daddy is going to be serious now.” Adam leaned in to pnt a kiss on her forehead. “You know that daddy loves you very much, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I love you so much. I keep spoiling you because I love you so much, but this time, I need you to listen to daddy. You ake trouble this time, because it’s dangerous.”

  “I know…”

  “That’s why you o promise me, that if you and your brother are going to the vilge, you must take Lead Jonn, and Nobby too, okay?”

  “Nobby?”

  “Jonn is strong, but so is Nobby,” Adam said, feeling his heart beat quicker, though he quelled the rising ay. “You must take Jonn and Nobby with you. Do you promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “I want you to promise to mummy and nana too, because this is important,” Adam said, pulling her in for a tight hug, scooping his son within his arm too. The half elf was gd he hadn’t donned his armour yet, feeling them against his chest through his clothing, swaying from side to side.

  “Okay, I promise.” The girl could feel something different about her father this time. “I promise, daddy. I tell mummy and nana.”

  “Let’s go tell her together,” Adam said, leading the girl away.

  Vonda and Sonarot could see the ay upon Adam’s face, even as Jirot desperately promised them to be good. Vonda smiled, assuring Adam, holding the half elf’s hands. Sonarot thought deeply. She allowed it to pass, though she gnced aside to the few Iyrmen who remained. ‘Should I send for more?’

  She wondered just how much she could trouble the Rot family, but if she did, wouldn’t that dispy a ck of trust for Adam? With her heavy thoughts, she couldn’t help but think as to how she dealt with the position of Family Head.

  “Rick,” Adam called, shaking his forearm, before leaning to whisper into his ear. “Jirot and Jarot, if they’re heading to the vilge, they should do so only with Jonn and Nobby esc them, or rather, at least those two.”

  “Yes, Executive.”

  “I want you, Ivy, and Charley to esy triplets if they want to head in, alright?” Adam pat the man’s fently.

  “Yes, Executive.”

  Adam then made his way to his triplets, embrag each of them, watg as their tails swayed from side to side. “Okay? Promise me.”

  “Promise,” the triplets replied, agreeing to their father’s demands.

  “Larot…” Adam said, looking out to the boy, who sat to one side, just rexing. “You just stay in the fort, alright?”

  “…”

  “I’ll have Nirot walk you around, since she just use yreatfather’s o protect you,” Adam said, before pausing. “No, hold on, I’ll have Naqokan do it?”

  “I will do it,” a figure yawrying to fight away the sleepiness. “He doesn’t like to move much, so I’ll stay with him.”

  “Thanks, Uwajin,” Adam said, reag out to shake her forearm.

  ‘Do you o thank me for this?’ Uwajin thought, feeling the magi the greatsword upon her back. She gnced aside to Naqokan, who wielded aical greatsword, and then to Nirot, who wielded a particur axe which had beeired retly. This side of Adam, which tickled an Iyrman’s i in wielding great ons in order to protect the business, was something she hadn’t expected. Laygak, and Faool were able to wield their cousin’s ons, adding to their story, while Bavin was able to wield Wraith in hand, for obvious reasons.

  “Blues, be good for our Konarot, okay?” Adam said, tig the bird’s head gently with the back of his finger, before letting him go. ‘Bring as much good luy children as you , and I’ll be sure to feed you until you’re almost bursting.’

  Adam embraced his children one by one, kissing them, aing them kiss him. From Konarot to Karot, from Jirot to Jarot, and of course, Larot, who allowed his father to pepper his head with kisses, but refused to return the kiss. Adam then brushed his hand along Virot’s forehead, the girl staring up at him for a moment, before smiling.

  “Goo boo,” the girl said.

  “Yes, yes, my dear!” Adam replied, before sneaking off to go see Damrot and Ranya, doting ooo.

  Jurot embraced Pam close for a moment, inhaling the st of bread, before letting her go. “I will return soon.”

  “Don’t return too te,” Pam teased, squeezing his hands gently, feeling how gehey were at this moment.

  “I will try.”

  “Do or do not, there is no try,” Pam quoted her niece.

  Jurot blinked, having heard this phrase so many times, all inating from one fellow in particur. “Okay.”

  While her father and uncle said their goodbyes, Jirot noted one figure to one side, and she rushed over to him. “Baba, yoing?”

  “I am,” Jogak replied.

  “Kako is not?”

  “No, she is not.”

  Jirot blinked, pouting slightly. “Why yoing?”

  “I must go, because I am a Director.”

  Jirot blinked, befng aside to her brother, and then looked back up at her granduncle. “Baba…”

  “What is the matter?”

  Jirot held up her arms, and the fused Jogak picked her up, letting her hug his ight, while her brother did the same. He remaianding there, unsure of why they were so upset.

  “You must e back safely, okay?” Jirot said, daring him to deny her words.

  “I will. I will return safely with your father.”

  “Daddy is so troublesome, so you must look after him,” Jirot said, with wisdom she had ied from her mother.

  Jogak smiled. He pnted firm kisses on their foreheads, before allowing those gring at him a ce to say their goodbyes too.

  “You ot cause trouble for your mother randmangak said, embrag the pair close.

  “If you wish to cause trouble, you may!” Jarot assured, embrag the pair tight.

  “Eat well,” Otkan said, ruffling their hair.

  The triplets also said their goodbyes, each embrag all those who were leaving.

  “Tell me if Ranya wants me to buy her anything,” Adam said, shaking Dunes’ forearm.

  “I will,” Dunes replied, shaking his head lightly. He watched the group eheir carriages, before they made their way out, their magical steeds driving them into the vilge, then towards the horizon. He gnced aside to Vonda, who caught his eyes, and the pair let out gentle sighs. The pair of Priests prayed the group wouldn’t get into any trouble.

  ‘I didn’t get a ce to thank him,’ Chief Merl thought, knowing Adam was the one behind pushing for the Enter to ent them magical ons. She thought she could have said her thanks when Adam said goodbye to Merry, but he hadn’t takeime to say it.

  Adam only remembered once he could see the walls of the when they were at the sed vilge, but by then, there was something even more important to deal with.

  “I want to apologise again for the trouble I have caused,” Adam said, bowing his head towards the young Chief, who couldn’t help but notice the obsidian amulet upon Adam’s chest.

  “Please, Brother Adam, there is no need for this,” Terry replied, feeling the cool grip of fear clutg at his heart. ‘How I make a Brother of Death bow for me?’

  “We are currently in the process of making our way to deal with business in the North, and though we’re only renting two of the staves to the vilge, I hope the and the magical equipment are good enough to ask for your fiveness.” Adam could feel the slight siess enter him as he apologised like the rich.

  “It’s enough, Brother, it’s enough,” Terry said, with rising panic within his heart. ‘So please, enough with this!’

  Adam apologised once more, before they tinued eastward, making their way to Red Oak, approag the st vilge to hand them the magical staves for rent too.

  ‘Is he trying to form retionships with the vilges?’ Bael thought. ‘He should aim for the nearby towns and cities instead.’

  Adam let out a sigh as he stared at the sky. He worried about the apology to Chief Terry and his people, and hoped that money would tide it over, as well as the magical equipment for their Chief. He had half thought to leave behind Mork, who had cast spells for the vilgers already, and casting more could have gone further to assist in mending the wounds Adam’s existence caused. However, it was tomorrow which worried the half elf more, as his eyes fell to anure within their group.

  Of course it was him.

  The old one armed Iyrman yawned, oblivious to the stress his mere existence caused his grandson. ‘I should kill a few hydras for my greatchildren, a a few o for the sake of their mother.’

  Why would Jarot be a reason to worry?

  ...