The stars in the sky illumihe Iyr in their gentle light, the darkness seeping through into the hidden paths of the Iyr. The pair of figures reached for their cups, gently sipping oea. One should have left already, but seeing his sister trying to keep herself together for her family, it broke his heart.

  “Father found it difficult to deal with how swift of foot we were,” Malfev said. “No wall, even one and half of my height, could stop me.”

  “He found it easier to deal with me, since I could not bee too small for his keen eyes,” Mulrot said. “He did not o dao find me.”

  “Father could always spot you, since you were his favourite.”

  “Could you run from mother?” Mulrot accused.

  “No. I could not.” Malfev smiled, staring down at his tea, looking back to aime, a time he could not run to. “As I grow older, I notice how cold the noonval winds have bee.”

  “You should not speak of that now,” Mulrot stated, staring down at the dark liquid of her tea. She bit her lower lip, the tea uo soothe the deep ache within her heart.

  Malfev closed his eyes, recalling the past once more. When he was a boy, there was so much he was able to do in the Iyr during noonval, most of his memories including his mother and father. He remembered sitting beside the stream, the water rushing over his legs. He remembered taking a walk through the lush fields of the Iyr, the softness of the b beh as they ate their snacks, much of which were made by their grandmothers and grandfathers.

  Malfev finished his cup of tea, grabbing his staff, holding it behind his back so it ran from his left calf to his right shoulder. He csped his wrist with his free hand, providing greater support, but mostly because it was how he had seen his owfather hold his staff all those years ago.

  “They miss you,” Malfev said. “Do not make them wait for long.”

  “Would they miss me?”

  “You are their greatmother.”

  “I? Who refused them?”

  “In their hearts, who else they call their greatmother?”

  Mulrot could name Gangak, but she decided to let her brother leave without arguing. A tear streamed down her cheek, and her brother dared not to look back to see, silently leaving into the shadows of the Iyr, where he could unleash his e and grief, out of sight of his younger sister.

  It was that night Adam awoke, hearing the muffled g, but it was the calls for her father which awoke the half elf, who almost shot up, only to catch his eldest daughter as she fell onto his p. She squirmed, the girl gng upwards in fusion as she awoke, but she slumped back to sleep as her father peppered her cheek with kisses.

  Adam stepped out, sans the accessory of his eldest, who like to clutch him close when she slept.

  “Huu! Daddy! Huu!” Jirot called, rushing over to her father’s leg, clutg at his trousers. “I’m sorry, daddy, I’m sorry.”

  Adam dropped to a knee, feeling the khin his heart, twisting with every time his daughter apologised. “You silly girl, it’s okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to apologise.”

  “I’m sorry, daddy, I’m sorry!”

  Adam pulled the girl to her chest, stepping out of the shared estate, reag out to tickle little Jarot’s nose, but the boy reached out his hands and Adam plucked him from his greatfather’s chest. “Oh, it’s okay, you two. e on, daddy will sleep with you tonight too.”

  Adam could feel the chill against his chest, the flush against his cheeks, the desperation to do something to fix it, and the grief in knowing he owerless. It was only the older Jarot who mao temper him, for he could see how the old ma his rage at bay, his neck bulging as he kept the rage from overwhelming him.

  The one armed Jarot remained silent as his greatchildren cuddled up to their father, the pair slowly falling asleep. The pair exged a look, the Iyrman barely able to see much through the darkness, but he could certainly see the look within the half elf’s eye. Adam could see Jarot’s face, seeing the simmering rage which threateo boil to the surfabsp;

  He was waiting.

  Adam closed his eyes, feeling the weight of his twins against him.

  Jirot screamed and shook three more times that night, but one might not have expected such upon seeing her so eagerly rushing up treatmother in the m, ughing and giggling so eagerly, with little Jarot’s amber eyes shining with joy. The old woman embraced the pair against her bosom, lifting them up as they clutched at her colr, and she pulled them close once more. The old woman refused to let the pair go as she sat to one side, allowing the children to settle against her. She smiled towards the triplets as they approached, each sitting down and ying near her feet, while Larot fumed from his greatfather’s chest, the old man wanting to hold a child too.

  Adam sat beside Vonda, holding his you daughter, the girl sug against her hand, staring up at her father, taking in his sight, etg it within her mind. Once he gnced down to look into her eyes, the girl smiled, drooling against her hand, squealing slightly as she hid her face within his chest.

  Adam lifted the girl up, standing her upon his p, before hugging his daughter so she could rest her head against his shoulder. He kissed the side of her head, his arm ed around her small form, his hand holding onto the back of her leg, feeling the clothy against his wrist.

  “How big you’ve bee, my Virot,” Adam whispered, rubbing his cheek against hers, the girl squealing for a moment, before babbling in response. “I know, I know, that’s why I’ll always five you, my dear.”

  Vonda smiled slightly, inhaling deeply for a moment to fight off the fit of grief that tried to overwhelm her, letting it out with a long sigh.

  Adam gnced aside towards her, smiling slightly, but he couldn’t fight off the sadhat tai. “I knht? How she be so cute? This is all-, I mean, she’s so cute, she definitely gets it from you, darling.”

  “I think she looks just like you.”

  “Does she?” Adam asked, pulling back slightly. “Well, I mean, the ears, sure.”

  “She has the same troublesome streak as you.”

  “Is that right, Vibaby? Are you as troublesome as daddy?” Adam asked, while the girl smiled her gumfilled smile, full of mischief. Adam leaned in to nuzzle her he girl giggling wildly as he did, before she returo drooling all over his shoulder.

  When it was time for the girl to eat, Adam passed her to his wife. An aide brought a small pot to the estate, handing it to the half elf, who spooned some of the milk, sipping it. He could taste the slight berry fvour within. After drinking a small cup of water, he sipped some milk, and used his magic to fvour the milk, before he brought it over to the table, where his children had gathered with their babo and nano.

  “Jababy, look, the Elder got you a special pot for your milk,” Adam said, before p the boy some milk into the wooden cup his uncle had crafted for him so long ago. “Would you like some pe too?”

  Little Jarot pouted, shaking his head, retreating to his nano’s bosom.

  “Aha! Okay, okay, my boy. Make sure you drink all the milk, though, okay?” Adam held out the small cup, the boy leaning in to drink, before Adam passed the cup to Mulrot, taking Jirot from her.

  “I do not want to eat,” little Jirot said, pulling her head away from the food. “I drink milk too.”

  Adam smiled, p Jirot some milk, but he leaned in to her ear. “Jibaby. Listen to daddy, this is a secret, so you must keep it secret, okay?”

  “Okay,” the girl whispered back, her brow raised to let her father know she definitely wouldn’t keep it a secret.

  “Little Jarot, he’s… a little sick right now, so could you do me a favour?”

  “I do it!” Jirot assured. “My papa is sick, I look after him!”

  “That’s right. He doesn’t want to eat, so it’ll make him sicker, but you must eat. When you eat, make sure you offer him some food. If he wants to eat, he’ll eat it. You must eat the food. The st bite, you should offer it to him, okay?”

  “I eat food, Jarot does food?”

  “The first bite, offer it to him. The st bite, offer it to him. Okay? you do that?”

  “I do it, daddy, I .”

  “Hopefully, Jarot will get better soon, but you have to do this, because you are his big sister.”

  “So big!” Jirot nodded her head emphatically. “I do it, daddy, I do it.”

  “Okay, but, if he says no, don’t force him. Just offer it, and if he says yes, feed him, if he says it.”

  “I know! I do it!”

  Adam pnted a firm kiss on his daughter’s forehead. “I know you . You’re so well behaved, my Jirot. You’re so good, such a good big sister, I know.”

  Jirot smiled, enjoying her father’s affe, not notig just how much pain her father swallowed to speak such words. “Such a good big sister!”

  Adam watched as Jarot slowly sipped at the milk, hoping the magitio work even through the crushed berries.

  Turot gowards the group to the side, wanting to go speak with them. He noted how Konarot perked up, and he followed her sight to arance as a heavily armoured figure stepped into the estate.

  Our Jirot is roublesome.