[1710] – Y07.210 – Darkness In Our Hearts X

‘I can’t believe he forgot his own daughter’s birthday,’ Adam thought, styling his hair with a particular cream he had bought in Aswadasad, for that was the best place to buy such creams, especially the capital cities of each region, and as he trailed his fingers through his hair, he swept most of his hair to one side, parting it slightly on the other side, and as he admired his hair within the mirror, the silky smoothness of his dark locks caused him to smile. ‘Hold on, don’t-‘

“Gorgeous,” called a voice. “Beautiful. Stunning.”

“Like a potato?” another voice asked.

“No, mummy, you are grander than any potato.”

“Any potato?”

“Any and all potatoes, mummy,” the girl assured, before turning to look at herself within her own mirror. “I am your daughter, so I, too, am this gorgeous, mummy.”

“You, too, are grander than any potato.”

“Not any potato,” Jirot replied.

“To me, you are.” Vonda brushed along the girl’s cheek, causing her to flush, and then, finally, the children finished up their preparations for the morning, for today was that day, a day in which they would all need to gather.

Amalrot’s eyes remained entirely focused upon her mother.

“You must wear it.”

“No!”

“You must do so,” Sonarot said firmly.

“No!”

“It will look cute.”

The girl held up a finger, almost like a blade, pointing towards her mother.

Sonarot turned to look to Lanarot, who inhaled sharply, and as she made to speak, her sister turned her head, noticing her brother.

“Amalrot, you will look so cute with the ribbon in your hair!” Adam declared.

“No!”

“It seems even if I cannot deal with you, then…” Adam swallowed his pride. “I must send him.”

Jurot loomed over his sister. “Amalrot.”

“No!” The girl held up her fist. However, as Jurot held her, the girl cuddled up within his chest, but he betrayed her, and she became limp within his arms, and then Sonarot tied the ribbon into the girl’s hair, and carried her away, with some effort, towards a particular building, in which even the old Jarot and Mulrot awaited.

“We just so happened to be waiting here…” Jarot said, peeking down at Amalrot, his youngest grandchild.

Jirot and her twin brother with his namesake side eyed the old man, however, they all settled themselves upon the chairs, and as Adam helped the triplets onto their chairs, they suddenly rushed away from him.

“Larot!” Jirot cried, hopping off her greatmother’s lap, before rushing towards the boy.

Larot sighed, but allowed his siblings to swarm him. ‘What kind of fool forgets his own daughter’s birthday?’

Adam awaited, and then as Larot was finally free, he picked the boy up, swaying from side to side, before letting him down, ruffling his hair, only realising his mistake when he felt the oils against his hand. “Sorry!”

Sonarot brushed the boy’s hair as Amalrot awoke, and found herself within a strange place, and as they settled together upon the chairs, the entire family awaited as the middle aged Iyrman, who had took over the previous retired Iyrman, began to sketch out their visages onto the table, and then, once they were finally done, the family made their way away.

“I wonder how much you’ve grown since everyone else’s birthdays,” Adam mused, holding Amalrot, who nestled her head against his chest.

“Kako is so well behaved,” Jirot said, letting out a satisfied sigh.

As they returned to the complex, Adam’s eyes darted all about the area.

“What is it?” Vonda asked.

“You think Asorot is going to pop out?”

“…” Vonda wondered why she was so surprised, for of course Adam was that kind of man, to worry so much about his cousin on his birthday.

“Also, doesn’t this mean we ended up missing Amalrot’s first birthday?” Adam let out a cough which wounded him. “I’m going to cut so much fruit for you, Amalbaby!”

“Fuht!” The girl suddenly withdrew from her brother’s chest, and though Adam had not been prepared for her sudden movement, he still brought an apple in front of her face, causing the girl to smile and reach out for it.

“Let papa cut it for yo-,”

The girl attacked it with a sudden snap of her teeth, and made all manner of aggressive noises.

“Hey! Hey! What are you? A damn dinosaur?”

“Eh!” Amalrot complained, reaching for the apple.

“Chill! Chill out!” Adam leaned in to attack her with his kisses, causing the girl to squeal.

“Kako! I bought you another gift!” Jirot called as the girl ate her apple slices, and glanced aside to her niece, who had brought her a yellow scarf, and the girl’s eyes widened slightly, reaching out for it. “I made sure it is the same yellow as your hat.”

“The same yellow?”

“Mm!”

“Yellow Turban is going to be…” Adam began, smiling awkwardly. “We should go visit him one day, since…”

“Daddy, you can go,” the girl replied, awkwardly smiling.

“Right, right…” Adam ruffled the girl’s hair, forcing away her awkward smile, and as the two kissed one another’s noses, Adam thought he should do that.

Jaygak was in the middle of reading her reports as the half elf approached. Although she was busy, it was awkward to be too busy to deal with the half elf.

“I’m thinking about Awakening a few Iyrmen with enchanting.”

“Are you certain? I thought you wished to Level Up?”

“Yeah, but, you know… I guess it is important to get the next Level, but I think that getting enchanters might help us more.”

Jaygak thought deeply. “Ah, an additional strike?”

“Yeah.”

Jaygak considered it a long moment. “It may be best to Awaken the Iyrmen first, and next year, when you step out, you may battle a great many creatures, and the Reavers.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”

It was upon that evening when they finally returned. Kamrot held the woman’s eyes for a long moment, but Mikan claimed the children within her arms.

“Nano, did you fight well?”

“I fought well,” Mikan assured, and she shared all the children with the other Iyrmen who had returned, roughly a hundred of them, though the others had to remain within the borders of the Iyr to watch over the prisoners.

Save for the few who stepped into the Front Iyr, unchained, though unarmed and unarmoured.

The children eyed up the two, who were the two Commanders of the outposts which had been recently fashioned.

“Daddy, he looks like an old tiger,” Jirot said.

He was a huge mountain of a man, with hair kissed by the sun and time, eyes like piercing ice, and adorned in heavy furs over broad shoulders.

“I bet his name is like Mountain Tiger or something.”

“Ah! Daddy! He is Mountain Tiger of the North!”

Adam gasped, as though he hadn’t asked Jaygak about the matter with the nearby outposts, and had heard their names.

“The other one looks like an advisor!” Jirot declared, as though she hadn’t spoken to her kako about the matter with the nearby outposts, and had heard their names.

“I bet her name is Advisor Sword!”

The two gasped between, slowly turned their heads, and met one another’s gaze.

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

Jirot is so funny.