Chương 1250: [1167] - Y06.067 - The Start of Noonval I

"If you must go, you must go," the girl said, holding her father's head to her chest, her tiny, green, chubby fingers holding his jaw.

"When you come back you must play with me, okay?"

"I promise, my dear," Adam promised, while his son's breath tickled his neck, the boy clutching around his father's neck tightly.

'Daddy…' Jarot thought, keeping his arms tight around his father's neck. Even though his body grew cold, his heart pounding in his chest, the boy remained silent.

"Daddy needs to go see ahm Dunes' family, and he needs to go see a King or two. It's very important that daddy goes, otherwise he's going to be in such big trouble." The half elf sighed, as though speaking of someone else other than himself.

"Daddy! You are so strong! It does not matter!" Jirot gripped her father's hair, kissing his forehead tenderly.

"I am strong, but I'm not an Iyrman. I have to make sure people like me." Adam shrugged his shoulders, letting out a defeated sigh.

"Huh?" Jirot replied.

"What's wrong?"

"You are not an Iyrman, daddy?" Jirot asked, her eyes darting up towards her father's forehead, glancing around to see how different it was compared to the Rot family's tattoo.

'Huuuh?'

"No, I'm not an Iyrman." The sensation of familiarity filled the girl, who could recall a similar conversation previously, but the shock still rocked her. Jirot's head shot towards her mother, meeting her mother's gaze.

"Why not?"

"That's because daddy is daddy," Adam replied, brushing the girl's cheek, planting a firm kiss against it as she continued to soak in the shock. The girl stared up at her father questioningly, since though he was certainly taking a lighter tone, there was something deep within his voice that suggested he wasn't joking.

Her eyes darted between her father, her mother, and her greatfather, the girl checking upon each of their foreheads, before her eyes met her twin brother's, noting the lack of a tattoo on his forehead.

'Daddy is not an Iyrman?' the pair thought, while Jirot thought deeper about the issue.

'Daddy is so strong! Mummy is strong too, but mummy is mummy. Why daddy is not an Iyrman?' While the twins were thinking about their father, he pulled his triplets in to his chest, planting kisses all over their heads. After fussing over each of them, Adam pulled Konarot aside, the half elf upon his knees as he held the girl's cheeks in hand. Her cheeks were so soft and chubby, so warm, the scales around her horns so smooth. The half elf brushed along the scar upon her cheek.

"Daddy is going for a while. You're five years old now, so… you have to go to school and there's a few more things, but one thing you need to start doing is…" Adam continued to brush along the girl's cheek tenderly.

"My dear. My sweet Konarot. While daddy's gone, that means you're going to be the… you're going to need to help mummy by watching over her. Usually daddy is the one to look after her, because he really likes to look at mummy, but now you have to do it."

"I can do it, daddy," Konarot confirmed.

"I know. You are… so mature. So…" Adam pulled the girl to his neck, holding her close, shutting his eyes tight, feeling the ache within his heart.

"Daddy trusts you. You, my sweet Konarot, who behaves so well, always. Except for, you know, but that doesn't count since you were affected by a magical item." Konarot hugged her father close, not quite understanding what he was talking about, forgetting that she had almost killed her mother when the woman tried to marry her father.

'It's good that you don't remember,' Adam thought, smiling to himself.

"Kirot, as always, I'm sure you'll help your elder sister, won't you?"

"Yes!" Kirot replied firmly, the girl nodding her head so emphatically, her hair danced in the wind.

"Karot…" Adam smiled at the boy, who smiled in return, the half elf certain he didn't need to ask Karot to do anything. He opened his arms, and swallowed his son within them, swaying from side to side.

"I will watch over mummy too!" Jirot assured, the girl looking to her mother for support, causing the woman to pick her twins up and hold them close.

"You always take such good care of me," Vonda agreed, nuzzling her twins, who nuzzled her back. However, her eyes darted to her husband, doing her best to hide her worry. The way he was completing his greetings, it seemed as though…

"I'll be back soon, don't worry," Adam promised, the half elf hugging Larot tight, before stealing his daughter from Sonarot, little Virot complaining, but allowing her father to kiss her cheek, before the half elf cuddled his youngest son.

"You! I bet you're going to crawl once I'm gone, huh? I can see it in your eyes, you cheeky boy!" Xarot cackled, reaching up for his father's face, and as he was smothered with his father's affection, the boy sucked at his hands. As he drools all over his hands, his father surrendered him to his mother, the boy clapping his hands excitedly. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"Brother!" Lanarot huffed to her elder brother, the girl glaring at him.

"You must buy lots of gifts because our family is so big!"

"I will," Jurot promised.

"Okay," the girl replied, giving in instantly to her brother's words, the pair hugging tight, exchanging kisses on their cheeks.

"Damrot, Monarot, come! You must kiss your father now!" Jurot held his son within his arms, almost causing the boy to fall asleep, catching himself as he pinched his son's cheek gently.

"You must listen to your mother."

"Mama."

"Yes."

"Mama!" Damrot called, reaching out with his arms, hiding away from his father. Jurot planted a kiss upon Monarot's head.

"You may crawl as quickly as you please. I will deal with Adam when he bullies you."

'Jurot,' Pam thought, almost smiling. The pair hugged one another tenderly.

"Do not buy me too much jewellery."

"It is difficult," Jurot replied.

"Aswadasad is the Land of Gold."

"Jurot, there is no need. I have plenty here." Pam raised her brows towards her husband, daring him to refute her words.

"Hmm…" Jurot replied, his eyes turning to meet Adam's, his wife's eyes following his gaze. Adam smirked wide. It was the kind of smirk which said there was no way Adam would allow Jurot not to buy a mountain of gold for his wife. Adam slowly nodded towards Pam and Jurot, and Jurot slowly returned a bow of his head. Adam continued to say goodbye to all the children, from his sister to his cousins, promising each child to buy them particular gifts.

It wasn't just Adam, for his cousins were saying their goodbyes too, the Silver Fate Squad each hugging their siblings and younger cousins. Taygak stood tall and strong, adorned in her magical full plate, that with the symbol of the United Kindom displayed upon her chest. She glared down at the four Gak girls, each of whom hugged and kissed her. The teen could feel something within her heart, for their eyes gleamed up at her with such brightness, the same eyes which she would be unable to see for months to come.

When had she spent this much time apart from the four girls? Since they had been born years ago, she had seen them near daily, and for the first time, she would be unable to see her younger sisters in the morning, no longer brushing their hair, or feeding them porridge, or reading them the tragic tales of the Gak family.

'Should I leave?' Taygak thought, but she plunged her blade deep into the thought, not allowing it to creep into her heart.

'I must go!' Kaygak watched her daughter fight herself. They had exchange a quick greeting, allowing the girl to say goodbye to her siblings. However, it was more so for the girl's heart, rather than because Kaygak believed this to be the last time. Taygak was a child of the Iyr, after all. The woman almost smiled at how tightly Taygak embraced the girls.

'Does she feel it? The Iyrheart?'

"Do not cause too much trouble for father," Tanagek said, the Iyrman ruffling his younger brothers' hair.

"Since you are going to Black Mountain, you should buy swords," Tonagek told his son.

"Okay," Tanagek promised, the young man having earned a heavy sum of gold on his journeys, enough for at least two decent blades. His eyes then fell to the triplets, who readied to hug him tight, and the Iyrman wondered if he had enough to buy more blades.

"Papa…" Chisen called out to her elder brother, pouting at him.

"I must go," Chosen stated firmly, ruffling her hair.

"If I do not go, who will watch over cousin Tanagek?" Chisen pointed to Jurot, causing Chosen to laugh, the young Iyrman lifting his sister up and tossing her into the sky, the pair cuddling together affectionately.

"You must be careful, papa!" Inakan stated, holding up her finger threateningly as her niece would.

"I will," Amokan assured.

"Since kaza Adam is not protecting you, it will be difficult," the girl said, patting her brother's shoulder innocently, though the smirk on her lips stated she was eager to fight. Amokan winced slightly, but pinched her cheek, before pulling his younger brother in closer.

"Hey, Tagak, wasn't it?" Adam said, noting the glare of the Iyrman.

"Since my grandmother said I should take you with me, I'll take you with me, but you need to listen."

"Is she your grandmother?" Tagak replied, the Iyrman's eyes glaring at the half elf.

"Since my children call her greatmother, that must mean she is my grandmother," Adam replied as though it were that simple, and within the Iyr, it may have been so simple.

"My priority is Taygak," Tagak stated firmly.

"That's fine with me." The old Jarot inhaled sharply, for it had taken so long for the half elf to call him grandfather, and yet he had given such an honour to Gangak so simply? Except, since it was her, he had to let it slide. He peeked towards the twins, who were saying their goodbyes to Taygak.

"Adam! Jurot! My grandsons! Marmak has annoyed me with his tales, so slay a dragon or two before you return!"

"You old geezer, don't say something like that! How can you talk about slaying in front of my wife?" Jarot huffed, his eyes darting to Vonda's, the Iyrman reaching up to scratch his cheek, letting out a gentle groan.

"I misspoke."

"Anyway, it's not like we'll be meeting any dragons. We've been pretty unlucky so far, but this year, I feel lucky!"

"It is easier to meet dragons in Aswadasad," Dunes said, the Priest waiting for his turn to say goodbye to his nieces and nephews.

"It is?" Adam asked.

"Yes." Adam blinked. He frowned.

"Damn it." Silence followed, and the Iyrmen around understood that the group would meet a dragon on their journey. However, as they took in the sight of Adam's companions, especially Taygak, they were certain their adventure would be safe of such dangers.

"Ahm, I will trust you to watch over daddy," Jirot said, shaking Dunes' wrist gently.

"I know daddy is trouble, but I love him so much, so please watch over him." Dunes did his best not to burst out into laughter as he greeted the twins.

'Should I steal Ranya?' Adam thought, holding the girl within his arms.

'No. I'll let it slide just this once.' Dunes threw a look to his wife, bowing his head, the woman returning a bow of her head, and soon, her eyes were upon his back.

"Come home safely!" the children all cried as the gates began to close behind the disappearing forms of the large group.

"Daddy! I love you!" Jirot shouted.

"I love you!" Adam shouted back.

"I love you!" The chorus came muffled from over the heavy gates.

"I love you!" returned their father's voice, as they volleyed their affection back and forth, even as the sounds could no longer reach one another.

"Mummy, does daddy know?" Jirot asked, pouting up at her mother.

"He knows," Vonda assured.

"It is because he is so silly, I am so worried…" The girl stared at the gates, like a mother worrying over her foolish son.

'I should have stolen them when I had the chance,' Rajin thought, throwing a look to the other Iyrmen nearby, each who thought the same. Ashmir stared at the gates long and hard, having remained beside a building as the group completed their greetings. His eyes fell upon the two girls who held their mother's hands, each making their way back to the shared family estate. He thought back to the nightmare which had awoken him that morning.

As the first rays of noonval fell down upon his shoulders, the Aswadian felt the chill of misfortune.