Chương 1356: Interlude: The Old, The Strong

"Nano?" Virot asked, turning her head, almost striking her sister's jaw, but her sister's reflexes were Iyrmanly, recalling how loudly her younger sister had cried even though she was the one who struck her chin with her head.

"Yes. This is nano's story, when she travelled all the way to Aswdasad, all the way to the east," the girl replied.

"Eas'?" the girl asked, her eyes firmly fixated upon her sister's amber eyes.

"Aswadasad is very far away. It is beyond Aldland. It is beyond Floria. It is very warm. Ahm Dunes is from Aswadasad."

"Ahm?" Virot asked, raising her brows as though in surprise.

"Yes! Aswadasad means Black Lion, and it is named after the old, great warrior who united the country. He was so strong, he could even beat Iyrmen." The little girl gasped, her brows raised even higher, for how could it be?

"It was so long ago! It was all that time ago, so many powerful beings traversed the land, like Lord Stokmar! Do you remember Lord Stokmar?"

"Load?" Virot asked, shaking her head lightly.

"Lord Stokmar is so strong. Lord Stokmar is stronger than babo, daddy, and mummy." Virot's eyes darted to her mother, before they returned to her elder sister, full of betrayal.

"Noh?"

"It is true," Jirot said.

"Lord Stokmar is stronger than the Chief." Virot's mouth formed a small circle, the girl staring out to Damrot beside her, who also formed a small circle with his mouth, while little Jarot glanced between the pair. The girl scrambled onto her feet, calling for her mother, who hoisted her up.

"What is wrong, my Virot?"

"Mummy!" Virot whimpered, sucking her thumb as she cuddled her mother, nestling her head within her neck. Vonda smiled, reaching down to lift Damrot up too, who nestled his head against her neck and sucked his thumb too. As the pair cuddled into her neck, the woman held them tenderly, building up so many tales to bully her husband with. Jirot let out a soft sigh, closing the book, placing it back within its place.

She tied her hands behind her back, standing like an old man, her heart soothed as she saw her sister nestled against her mother.

'You silly girl! You asked me to read but now you run away? I will forgive you, just this once, because you are so cute.'

"Jirot, are you planning to cause trouble?" Gangak joked.

"Just a little bit," the girl replied, almost pinching her finger and thumb, smirking playfully at her greatmother.

"You were reading the tale so well, even if it was only for a moment," Gangak assured, holding out her hand, and the girl took it. Little Jarot climbed up beside the old woman and cuddled up beside her, while Jirot held the woman's fingers within her hands, eyeing them up to see the familiar wrinkles, feeling the familiar roughness against her own soft, chubby fingers.

"What can I do when she is so cute?" Jirot replied, defeated.

"That tale is one of my favourites," Gangak said.

"I know!" Jirot smiled wide.

"It is because-,""Jirot!" the old one armed Iyrman called.

"Look who has returned!"

"Babo!" Jirot called, rushing up towards the older man, adorned in full plate, carrying a blade of crimson at his side. The children all swarmed to greet their greatuncle, the old Shasen letting out a small sigh, reaching down to ruffle their hair. He lifted them up, one by one, allowing them to embrace him tenderly, before finally dropping down beside Gangak.

He turned, spotting little Xarot staring up at him, and after the boy blinked, he turned to look to his mother, the boy coasting along the table towards his mother, who lifted him up and brushed his cheek.

"Mummy!" Virot whined.

"Virot, you must let mummy spoil Xarot too, since he is our brother," Jirot stated, holding out a finger to accentuate her point. Virot pouted. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Okay?" Jirot asked.

"Nuh!"

"Okay?" Jirot asked once more.

"Okay…"

"You silly girl! You are Xarot's big kaka like me! You must care for him well!" Jirot held out her arms and Virot half charged her, the sisters embracing so tenderly. Jirot planted a firm kiss on her sister's cheek, forgiving her immediately for causing such trouble. Shasen ignored the smirk that permeated from the two beside him, who exchanged glances between one another, for truly, their greatdaughter was the most adorable in the whole world. Shasen could feel the annoyance rise within his heart.

'Even though I defeated Dire Destiny, how is it that I have lost?' Shasen thought. Jirot's lips formed a small circle of shock, revealing just who Virot had learned it from, the girl snapping her head towards her greatmother, before her head snapped back to her greatuncle.

"Babo! You are so strong?"

"Jirot, you cannot bully your babo like that," Gangak said.

"Have you forgotten? He is Bloodblade."

"I know babo is Bloodblade, but I did not know babo could beat Dire Destiny!" Jirot replied, her eyes darting about to see if anyone else realised how amazing that was.

"Dire Destiny is so strong!"

"Hmph! Is she so strong?" the older Jarot grumbled.

"Babo, you say that because you did not fight her," Jirot said.

"Hmm. She is strong, but babo, I think you can win."

"If you say it, it must be true," Jarot replied, unable to hide the grin upon his face.

"Nano, you are strong, but I do not think you can beat her, but you could fight so well," Jirot said, patting her nano's shoulder reassuringly.

"If she bullies you nano, you must tell me, and I will tell daddy, and daddy will beat her up."

"Oh? Can your father beat her up?"

"Of course," Jirot replied, raising her brow towards her greatmother, daring her to deny it.

"My daddy is so strong. Daddy is first place."

"What of Lord Stokmar?" Gangak teased.

"Hmm." Jirot pouted slightly, the girl glancing aside, as if trying to deny the words.

"Daddy is first place… in my heart." Jarot tensed up, his entire body flushing red as he tried not to laugh, wanting to tease his greatdaughter more to see how cute she would behave.

"Daddy can beat Lord Stokmar, but not today," little Jarot said, pouting slightly.

"When daddy is bigger, daddy can do it!"

"I think so too," Gangak said, reaching down to her greatson's cheek, pinching it lightly. The boy instantly hid within her bosom, as he had since he was a babe, and the old woman brushed his hair tenderly.

"Did you hear any rumours of my grandsons?" the older Jarot asked.

"No," Shasen admitted.

"When did they leave?"

"It was upon the first of the fourth month."

"I was already returning," Shasen admitted.

"I did not hear of any new rumours on the return, for the Reavers are upon their minds, but I did hear of the Crazy Father and how he was a demon."

"If the Orders cause him trouble, should we teach them a lesson?" Jarot asked, flexing lightly. Shasen glanced aside towards Gangak, only to realise she was also interested in the idea.

"I will speak with Duteous."

"We should only kill one, since-," Jarot began, only to wince. He glanced aside towards his eldest greatson, and the old man let out a soft sigh.

"We should take only one or two arms from each."

"I also met with Rose Blade," Shasen said.

"We clashed a few times, but I could sense she was slightly more skilled, though I was winning."

"Rose Blade?" Jarot mused, feeling the annoyance rise.

"How have you fought her so many times, but we did not cross paths once? Jirot! Do you see this? How can he steal Rose Blade for himself?"

"It's okay, babo," Jirot said, reaching out to rub his knee gently.

"Do you think I could defeat Rose Blade?" Jarot asked.

"Hmm…" Jirot smirked lightly.

"Daddy could?" The old man lifted his great daughter up, tossing her up into the air, causing her to squeal and giggle, Gangak catching her on the drop, pulling the girl close to her bosom. Jirot clutched at her greatmother's collar and squealed so playfully as she hid her head into her greatmother's neck.

"What am I to do with you?" the old Jarot joked, letting out a sigh, though as he caught Shasen's gaze, the old one armed Iyrman smirked once more.

'Should I beat him?' Shasen thought.

"My greatdaughter worries me almost as much as my grandsons!"

"They are stronger."

"Do you think I only killed one or two hundred?" Jarot replied, raising his brow.

"Which Order has not lost someone to my axe? If they speak my name so proudly, trouble will come their way, since I did not teach those bastards well! I should go out and take a few more arms to make sure they do not trouble my grandsons, nor my greatchildren!" Shasen could see who the old man was peeking towards, the pair of green skinned Iyrmen, each with amber eyes, as the old man spoke those words.

"Should I ask Duteous?"

"Do we need Duteous?"

"Would you deny him his fun?" Jarot huffed, leaning back slightly within his seat.

"If I was ten years younger…" Shasen thought about Jarot when he was ten years younger, and compared to him now, that Jarot was considered barely a toothless pup.

'He is still training so hard…'

"How long do you think the Aldish will take with the Reavers?" Jarot asked.

"They are still discussing how to deal with them," Shasen admitted.

"It seems it will take a decade," Jarot replied, tutting slightly.

"How can it take a decade when we will soon receive permission to hunt?" Shasen asked.

"Will you go?"

"Hmm…" The Mad Dog replied, glancing aside towards his greatchildren, who were babbling away about the Order of Black Mountain to their greatmother. Shasen still wasn't sure how he felt about this Mad Dog, who had regained his fangs, and yet seemed hesitant to use them.

'Is the world ending?'

"Nano?" Jirot called.

"Yes?"

"Will kako come back soon?" The girl pouted slightly.

"She will return soon," Gangak replied, though she smiled slightly, for the girl was so sly, asking about her aunt, when she meant someone else.

"Kako is going to be okay," Jirot said, patting her greatmother's shoulder.

"So you do not have to worry, okay?" Gangak laughed.

"Of course, since your father is first place?"

"Wow! Nano! You are so beautiful and smart! It is not fair!" Jirot joined her greatmother in her laughter, and little Jarot began to cackle too.

"You do not worry for Nirot?" Shasen asked.

"How can I worry for Nirot when she is Mirot's daughter?" Jarot replied, for if Jirot was not Sonarot's granddaughter, she was certainly Mirot's granddaughter.