[1749] – Y07.249 – Training Our Hearts IX

A pair of amber eyes glared towards him.

“It would have been really funny though,” Adam said.

“Clean your neck, you brat!” Jirot exclaimed, rolling up her sleeve.

Thankfully, that evening, the girl showed mercy to her father, though she slept over his torso.

As the next day came to them, Adam held out a ring.

“What is this?” Shayfev asked. 

“It’s the same as the ring I handed to the twins. It’ll be able to flavour your food and clean your clothes as you make your way.”

“Ah!”

Adam turned, noting his wife was dealing with Virot, who was in the middle of crying because she did not wish to wear that particular colour of clothes that day. “When you beat them up, make sure you’re at full morale.”

Shayfev smiled, reaching over to ruffle his hair. ‘He really is his father’s daughter…’

As the hundred or so Iyrmen marched through the village, the villagers watched on, as many of the older folk recognised a great many of the faces, some forgotten to time. However, those of their youth hadn’t seen the elderly Iyrmen previous, save for a handful. There were those who had sometimes stepped out recently, and had returned recently, but most had been retired longer than many of them had been alive.

‘Why did we have to come out?’ John thought, holding his three boys, each now three years old, and, somehow, Adam hadn’t mentioned it, though he noted the looked from the half elf, with the understanding he was plotting something.

The girl sat upon her mother’s lap. She stared out towards the world, especially all the strangers, and as she turned to look towards her beautiful mother, she heard the woman’s soothing voice, and she smiled shyly, withdrawing to the woman’s bosom. 

“She looks so much like you!” Adam said, reaching out to pinch her cheeks, though realised how inappropriate that was, so quickly pulled back before he touched her. “My, my, my, she’s growing up so well. Has it already been a year?”

“It has, and she eats so much, so she should grow up, shouldn’t you, Joy?” Merl said, pinching the girl’s nose gently. 

The girl smiled towards her mother. “Mama…”

“Well, since it’s her first birthday, I prepared a little something,” Adam said, revealing a ring, causing Jirot and Jarot to snap their heads towards it. It looked somewhat familiar, though the design on the front was of a sun. “Although, I suppose you won’t be able to use it, since you’re too young, so I’ll give it to your mother, who’ll be able to use it so she can spend more time with you.”

“Use it?” Merl asked, and as Adam placed it onto her palm. Merl gasped. It was the unmistakeable feeling of a magical item. 

“You can cast Guidance, Tricks, and Stabilise. So, if someone needs some light assistance now and again, you can help. Instead of spending hours a day on washing clothes, just use Tricks, and you can flavour food and water with it, though you still need to eat nutritious meals, and if anyone drops down, but isn’t outright dead, you can, well, Stabilise them.”

Merl stared at Adam, her face filling with stress, her heart thumping wildly into her chest. As she made to speak, she swallowed.

“Thank you, Executive,” Nobby said. 

“I would have brought you something too, Nobby, but I suppose we’re all too old to be doing that sort of thing, so just accept all the stuff I brought for little Merry.” Adam peeked down at the boy, who flushed lightly, and buried his head within his father’s chest. “I brought some games, chess and the sort, although you need to be careful in case either of the children try to eat the items, and I brought some hats and scarves and ribbons from Aswadasad, and even a little turban for little Merry.”

As Adam showered the pair in his gifts, Merry smiled wider, holding onto the turban. 

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Daddy…” Jirot eventually whispered, raising her brows. “Do not bully my cousins.”

The girl spoke in the fiery tongue, just in case John heard. 

“Fine, fine.” Adam turned towards John, smiling innocently, and then once they said their goodbyes, leaving the woman stressed, since Adam hadn’t mentioned the various other bits of, thankfully mundane, jewellery too, of silver and gold for the pair of children. 

“…”

“I can’t,” Nobby replied finally.

Merl reached up to her forehead. Even if Nobby was the strongest in the village, even he was barely a tree against the mountain known as Adam. She supposed she couldn’t blame her husband, since Adam and his brother had been the one to pluck him from being a porter and turned him into someone who could claim first place in a tournament against even other Iyrmen. 

It was then a shadow loomed upon her cabin, and as the knock echoed through, there as he. 

“I have brought gifts,” Jurot said, revealing the shields and axes for the one and three year old. 

Merl closed her eyes and prayed. 

“What, do you think because you look so cute I’m going to spoil you?” Adam asked, as the triplets were now adorned in their shalwars and turbans. It was they, from East Port, who smiled innocently, and as Adam peeked down at them, he gave in to them. 

“Executive, this is too much,” John said.

“If you have a problem, gain the strength to defeat me,” Adam replied, handing a gold bar worth close to a hundred gold to Tristaen, the boys feeling how heavy the bars were, though John quickly took them away, since they could accidentally hurt themselves and each other. 

“It is too much, Executive,” John stated firmly.

“Take it,” a young woman said, her arms crossed. “He intends to take you next year to train you against the Reavers, and this much should be granted to them in case you pass.”

“Why do you have to say it like that?” Adam grumbled. “Besides, why is he going to die if you’re going to protect him?”

“Even I would struggle against some,” Nirot replied. 

“Anyway, anyway, I’ll raise him to an Expert while we face against the Reavers, and with his magical sword, armour, and shield, and the magic I’ll teach him, he’ll be fine.”

“He is not used to fighting like we are, and even if you raise him into an Expert, his heart may not be ready.”

“Since you’re so naturally talented, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Adam smiled towards John, who remained burdened by that smile. 

“Here!” Jirot declared, taking Garaeth’s hand, placing down an amber. “Do not eat it! It is not for eating, it is for playing.”

“P’ay?” Garaeth asked.

“You can pay with it too, for it is worth a hundred gold.”

Garaeth gasped. 

“Give it to your daddy, he will take care of it.” 

“Daddy!” Garaeth called, as Owaen, too, held an amber, from Jarot, and then finally Tristaen held one, thanks to Virot, all the while Damrot prepared to give them their daggers formed of such fine steel. 

“Hurry up, kako,” Jirot said in the Iyr’s tongue, her eyes full of the glare of a mother who wished for grandchildren. “Papo is so reluctant to allow me to spoil my cousins…”

Nirot flushed. 

Jurot had returned at the perfect time, carrying three shields, and three axes.

‘Magical what?’ John reached up to rub his forehead. 

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

Jirot really is Adam's daughter.